An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device that forms a required image on a paper. A paper-feeding tray is capable of advancing and retreating, and is contained in a main body of the image forming apparatus, wherein a plurality of papers can be stacked thereon. A conveying path conveys the paper in the paper-feeding tray to the image forming device. A setting device sets a sort-of-paper when a special paper other than a plain paper is stacked in the paper-feeding tray. A setting device is provided in an operation panel. A setting device can set the sort-of-paper with a single key operation provided in the operation panel, when only one paper-feeding tray is provided with a separation paper-feeding mechanism which can feed paper, including special paper, regardless of the sort-of-paper, and when the special paper is stacked in the paper-feeding tray.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, etc.
2. Discussion of the Background
Recently, in an image forming apparatus, a so-called front loading method having a front paper-feeding tray capable of advancing and retreating towards a front side of the image forming apparatus is becoming common. "Plain paper" that can be fed from the front paper-feeding tray has a thickness of 90 kg in Renryo (a unit of thickness of a paper represented by weight of 1000 stacked papers in each area of 788 mm.times.1091 mm provided by Japanese Industrial Standard) or less. In addition, special type papers such as a carton paper (hereinafter referred to as a "carton") that exceeds the aforementioned thickness, an envelope, a post card, an exfoliation paper, OHP paper (transparency film for an overhead projector), and other papers that are relatively thick can be fed by a by-pass paper-feeding device attached outside of a main body of the image forming apparatus, which is referred to as a manual paper feeder.
Generally, the front paper-feeding tray can contain about 250 to 1000 sheets of plain paper, and a separation paper-feeding mechanism such as a corner-pick separation device capable of separating paper even when a number of contained papers is large, which is provided at a relatively low cost, a friction pad, or the like, can also be used.
On the other hand, it is assumed that the manual paper feeder is generally used for special type papers, such as a carton having a low frequency of use, a special paper such as a paper for an overhead projection, a non-standard size paper, or the like, for a provisional use. There are two types of manual paper feeders, one that can hold only one paper at a time, and another one that can hold a plurality of papers at a time. The former is quite complex to use in requiring setting papers one by one, even though it is provided at a relatively low cost. The latter requires an expensive separation paper-feeding mechanism since several cartons or special papers may be fed one after another. In addition, the latter is not always advantageous in operation since, in a case of a carton as an example, only approximately one third of the number of plain papers can be set at one time. However, the number of users of the manual paper feeder having a high frequency of use cannot be disregarded, and the number of one time uses is large. Therefore, the manual paper feeder does not have sufficient specification even though the manual paper feeder can feed plenty of papers. On the contrary, many of the users of the image forming apparatus having the manual paper feeder capable of feeding plenty of papers sparingly use the manual paper feeder, which has an expensive mechanism.
Accordingly, in light of solving the problems of the aforementioned manual paper feeder, the present inventor thought that if a FRR (Feed Reverse Roller) or similar sophisticated separation paper-feeding mechanism is mounted on a front paper-feeding tray, functions of a manual paper feeder can be executed by the front paper-feeding tray. Consequently, availability for a sort-of-paper from the front paper-feeding tray expands to a great extent, and the manual paper-feeding function is not required. Further, when the front paper-feeding tray is used for plain paper, higher reliability of paper-feeding quality can be obtained.
On the other hand, many background image forming apparatus are provided with a peripheral device for paper-discharging (hereinafter referred to as a paper-discharging peripheral device). The paper-discharging peripheral device may be a sorter, a mail box, a finisher, a reversing unit for a duplex copy, or the like. In other words, the paper-discharging peripheral device discharges a paper on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus. Since there scarcely is a request for using a carton or special paper in such a peripheral device, paper-feeding performance for paper other than plain paper is not assured because the paper-discharging peripheral device is manufactured at low cost. Further, the manual paper feeder is surely used when the carton or special paper other than the plain paper is to be fed, and accordingly a controller of the image forming apparatus controls not to convey the carton or special paper to the paper-discharging peripheral device from the manual paper feeder. Such a control is easy because the controller can easily recognize the existence or absence of paper from the manual paper feeder.
However, in a case of a construction that feeds the aforementioned carton or special paper as well as the plain paper with the front paper-feeding tray, the plain paper should be discharged to the paper-discharging peripheral device, whereas the carton or special paper should not be discharged to the paper-discharging peripheral device because paper jamming may tend to occur at the paper-discharging peripheral device. In addition, there is a problem that the user may not understand the cause of the paper jamming.
Further, in a case of manual paper-feeding, a setting temperature of a heat fixing device may be changed from that for the plain paper or an image forming condition may be changed from that for the plain paper, to improve a fixing property for the special paper, e.g. carton, or to maintain image quality. However, a kind of paper fed from the front paper-feeding tray cannot be distinguished when a background paper-feeding device is used. Accordingly, the setting temperature of the heat fixing unit and the image forming condition cannot be changed according to the type of paper, and a problem of insufficient fixing or poor image quality may occur.

Image forming apparatus and method therefor


A suction air nozzle for a textile machine for storing a yarn length of a running yarn passing the nozzle opening. The nozzle has an elongate nozzle body, with a clear cross section having a narrower width in the region of its central longitudinal axis than in its tube-like edge regions. The nozzle further has an inlet opening, which has its largest width in the yarn running direction. The clear cross section of the nozzle body of the suction air nozzle increases from the inlet opening of the nozzle body in the axial direction to an end-side outlet opening.

The invention relates to a suction air nozzle for a textile machine for storing a yarn length of a running yarn passing the nozzle opening.
Suction air nozzles of this type have been known for a long time in conjunction with spinning machines or winding machines or the service units associated with these textile machines and are described in numerous patent applications.
Suction air nozzles of this type are used, for example, to keep the yarn tension constant during the winding operation or are used, for example, in spinning machines to store the temporarily occurring yarn excess when running the workstations up to operating speed and to supply it successively to the winding device of the relevant workstation.
A textile machine is described in German Patent Publication DE-OS 1 785 321, in which a suction air nozzle is positioned in the yarn running direction shortly before the winding device, right next to the regular yarn running path. The suction air nozzle has, in the region of its inlet opening, an upper and a lower deflection roller, in each case, and pneumatically loads the running yarn in such a way that a yarn loop reaching into the suction air nozzle is formed between the deflection rollers. In other words, the suction air nozzle ensures that the yarn is always wound at a sufficiently great yarn tension onto a winding device.
German Patent Publication DE 40 27 210 A1 describes an air spinning machine, the workstations of which are supplied by an automatically operating service unit.
Both the moveable service unit and the workstations of the air spinning machine are in each case equipped with suction air nozzles. As already mentioned, the yarn excess occurring when workstations of this type are run up to operating speed is to be temporarily intermediately stored by means of the suction air nozzle arranged in the region of the workstations.
A similar suction air nozzle for temporarily receiving a relatively large quantity of yarn is also described in German Patent Publication DE-AS 22 21 316 using the example of an open-end spinning machine, or in European Patent Publication EP 1 207 225 A2, which shows the use of a suction air nozzle of this type on an air spinning machine.
The suction air nozzles described in the aforementioned literature references generally have inlet openings, which have their greatest extension in the yarn running direction, with, as can be seen, for example, from German Patent Publication DE-OS 1 785 321 or European Patent Publication EP 1 207 225 A2, the height of the inlet opening clearly exceeding its width. In these known suction air nozzles, the clear cross section of the nozzle body, which substantially corresponds to the size and shape of the inlet opening, is constant from the inlet opening to an outlet opening in the region of a suction air connection.
The disadvantage in these known suction air nozzles is not only their lack of suction force, but, in these suction air nozzles, there is always the risk, despite an elongate cross section in the yarn running direction that the sucked-in yarn loop may become twisted or form knots which may appreciably disturb the operation of the workstations.
It has therefore already been proposed to modify the shape of such suction air nozzles or the clear cross section of suction air nozzles of this type in such a way that the risk of knot formation is reduced.
German Patent Publication DE 28 02 913 A1 describes, for example, a suction air nozzle, the nozzle body of which has a constriction on its entire length, by means of which its clear cross sectional area is divided into two partial areas. The diameter of the suction air nozzle is thus only about half as large in the region of the constriction as in the region of the two partial areas.
Furthermore, suction air nozzles are known from German Patent Publication DE 38 29 151 A1, the nozzle bodies of which are curved in the axial direction. The clear cross sectional face also has lateral partial faces here, in which the yarn strands of a yarn loop which has been sucked in are to be deposited in a defined manner.
It was possible to slightly ameliorate the problem of knot formation in the case of long yarn loops by means of suction air nozzles, such as are known from German Patent Publications DE 28 02 913 A1 or DE 38 29 151 A1, but suction air nozzles of this type continue to have the disadvantage that, in particular long yarn loops inside the suction air nozzle are not adequately reliably tensioned because of lack of suction force or inadequate suction force distribution.

Suction air nozzle for a textile machine


Devices, systems and methods for thermal testing of optoelectronic modules are disclosed. The device includes a frame member, a thermoelectric cooler, a plate in thermal contact with the DUT, a heat sink in thermal contact with the frame, and a metallic clip for attaching the thermal testing device to the module (DUT). The clip secures the thermoelectric cooler to the DUT. The method includes the steps of providing a testing apparatus having a printed circuit board with a test circuit formed thereon. The test board also has an electrical interface disposed in electrical communication with the test circuit, and a thermal testing assembly. A temporary electrical connection is formed between the DUT device and the interface. The thermal testing assembly is used to maintain a test temperature of the DUT device. A data stream is transmitted through the DUT device and then evaluated for adherence to a defined specification.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of optoelectronic devices, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods for temperature cycle testing of optoelectronic transceiver modules.
2. Related Technology
Optoelectronic transceiver modules are commonly employed in fiber optic data transmission networks in the transmission and receipt of binary data signals. Among other things, an optoelectronic transceiver includes an optical transmitter, such as a laser, that receives electrical data signals, translates the electrical data signals to optical data signals, and then transmits the optical data signals. Further, the optoelectronic transceiver also includes an optical receiver, such as a photodiode, that receives optical data signals, translates the optical data signals to electrical data signals, and then transmits the electrical data signals. Optoelectronic transceivers can also include a printed circuit board (PCB) containing various control circuitry for the optical transmitter and/or optical receiver.
When manufacturing optoelectronic transceiver modules, each transceiver is tested to ensure that it functions properly. Since optoelectronic transceivers operate in environments characterized by any number of varying conditions, such as temperature and supply voltage for example, the transceivers are typically tested under conditions similar to those likely to be experienced in the intended operating environment.
However, for a number of reasons, testing optoelectronic transceiver modules has proven to be a costly activity. One reason for this is that optoelectronic transceivers are not readily disassembled or repaired once their components have been assembled. In this regard, it is generally the case that an optoelectronic transceiver will malfunction if there is a defect in the electrical component, such as the PCB, either of the optical components, or the connections between components. Thus, correction of the problem or defect often requires disassembly of the transceiver which, as noted above, can be difficult and, accordingly, rather costly.
Additionally, one of the aspects of the optoelectronic module that can be tested is the ability of the module to function over a wide temperature range. Typically, this has been accomplished by attaching the module to a testing board and placing the entire test board and module combination into an oven for testing over a range of temperatures. This approach to testing has proved problematic. For example, the printed circuit boards used as the testing boards are not designed to operate in the same temperature range as the optoelectronic modules. Therefore, when these boards are heated, they frequently fail, resulting in increased time and expense to conduct the tests on the modules, as well as time and expense to repair any damage to the test boards. Also, precise control of the module temperature is difficult to achieve in the oven due to variables such as the presence of air currents within the oven.
One approach to such problems has been to test the optoelectronic module components individually, and then assemble the module. While such an approach may help to eliminate the problem of determining which particular component is malfunctioning when the module is tested as a whole, such an approach may not provide useful information concerning the performance of the assembled module. Rather, the module must still be tested after final assembly to ensure that all connections are working properly. Thus, typical testing evolutions have involved a time consuming, and expensive, two step testing process where the module was tested firstly in the oven at one temperature and then secondly in the oven at a second temperature.

Systems, devices and methods for thermal testing of an optoelectronic module


An intelligent fuseless switch includes a moving contactor, a switch, a base, and a vibration detection module. When the vibration detection module detects that vibration intensity is higher than a preset value, the electromagnetic trip device is triggered by the base to push the moving contactor to open a circuit. The power cannot be introduced into the house. This automatic power-off mode has an active protection effect. After the vibration detection module is installed, if it needs to be repaired, it can be directly replaced without removing the circuit breaker, thereby reducing the difficulty of maintenance greatly.

In general, power is transmitted to a relay station via a power plant (power generation equipment), and then flows to a designated house one by one according to the power distribution system. When the power flows to the house, it will pass through multiple circuit breakers (also known as the main switch). In addition to controlling whether the current is passed, the circuit breaker can automatically trip when the current is too large, so as to protect the connected electrical appliances.
However, in the event of a natural disaster such as an earthquake, some electrical appliances may cause the wires to come out during the process of falling, which may cause a fire to result in a great loss. To prevent this problem is to turn off the power before the problem occurs. In order to achieve this object, some specially designed circuit breakers have the function to push the switch on the circuit breaker to the off position in the event of an earthquake.
In this prior art, a corresponding device is provided at the front (corresponding to a switch) of the specially designed circuit breaker and is connected in series with the power source. After the device is installed, the door in front of the circuit breaker cannot be closed. In addition, when there is a surge current, the device may be directly burned out. As a result, the device loses its function.
Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.

Intelligent fuseless switch with vibration detection


A male sexual impotence treatment apparatus comprises a constriction device implanted in an impotent male patient and engaging the patient's penile tissue. The constriction device includes an elongate adjustable constriction member extending in a loop around the penile tissue or the prolongation thereof. A connection device releasably connects the end portions of the constriction member to each other and an adjustment device adjusts the longitudinal extension of the constriction member in the loop to temporarily constrict the penile tissue or the prolongation thereof to restrict the penile exit blood flow to achieve erection. The connection device includes a female part and a male part fitting into the female part to lock them together. The design of the connection device facilitates laparoscopic surgery for implanting the constriction member.

Male sexual impotence is a widespread problem. Many different solutions to this problem have been tried. A main solution currently practised and disclosed in for instance U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,437,605 and 4,841,461 is to implant a hydraulic inflatable silicone prosthesis in the cavities of the corpora cavernosa of the patient's penis. In fluid connection with this prosthesis is a reservoir implanted in the scrotum. By manual pumping action the prosthesis is filled with fluid from the reservoir to effect erect penile condition or is emptied of fluid, which returns to the reservoir, to effect flaccid penile condition. However, there are several more or less severe disadvantages of this main solution. Above all, the penis is more or less damaged by the operation and it is practically impossible to reverse the operation. Another disadvantage is that rather strong forces act against this implanted prosthesis resulting in a significant risk of the prosthesis being broken.
Another solution to achieve erection is to restrict the blood flow leaving the penis. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,990 discloses two hydraulically operated inflatable cuffs wrapped around the respective crura. A disadvantage of such a solution is that it involves complicated surgery. Another example on this solution is given by U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,544, which discloses an artificial fistula system surgically implanted and providing a primary fistula between the femoral artery and the femoral vein and a secondary fistula for leading blood from the primary fistula to the penis. An inflatable balloon engages the primary fistula between the secondary fistula and the vein. The balloon is in fluid connection with a manually compressible reservoir implanted in the scrotum. Again, implantation of this artifical fistula system requires delicate surgery.
Yet another example on the blood flow restriction solution is given by WO 01/54626, which discloses an elongate hydraulically adjustable constriction member adapted to temporarily constrict the penile tissue or the prolongation thereof of a patient's penile tissue to restrict the blood flow leaving the penis to achieve erection.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Impotence treatment apparatus with connection device


A perpendicular write head includes a main pole comprising high moment magnetic layers laminated with both soft magnetic layers and non-magnetic layers for antiferromagnetic coupling (AFC) between the high moment material layers. The perpendicular write head includes a return pole connected to the main pole by a back gap closure at a distal end and separated from the main pole by a gap at an air bearing surface (ABS). A write coil is positioned between the main pole and the return pole and the surface area of the return pole at the ABS is substantially larger than the surface area of the main pole at the ABS.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of perpendicular magnetic recording heads and more particularly, to recordings heads having antiferromagnetic coupling (AFC) to achieve both low remnant magnetization and low field required to reach the maximum magnetization allowing higher density recording with accuracy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the recording density of magnetic hard drives (or disc drives) increases, a physical limitation is experienced using longitudinal recording systems partly due to thermal relaxation known as super-paramagnetism. That is, the density requirements for meeting today's storage needs are simply not attainable with longitudinal recording systems. To provide further insight into this problem, it is anticipated that longitudinal recording systems will lose popularity as storage capacities in excess of about 150 Gigabytes-per-square-inches become a requirement. These and other factors have lead to the development and expected launch of perpendicular recording heads or write heads. Perpendicular recording is promising in pushing the recording density beyond the limit of longitudinal recording.
Accordingly, perpendicular recording potentially can support much higher linear density than longitudinal recording due to lower demagnetizing fields in recorded bits, which diminish when linear density increases.
A magnetic recording head for perpendicular writing generally includes two portions, a write head portion or head for writing or programming magnetically-encoded information on a magnetic media or disc and a reader portion for reading or retrieving the stored information from the media.
The write head or recording head of the magnetic head or disc drive for perpendicular recording typically includes a main pole and a return pole which are magnetically separated from each other at an air bearing surface (ABS) of the writer by a nonmagnetic gap layer, and which are magnetically connected to each other at a region distal from the ABS at a back gap closure (yoke). This structure is a single-pole writes head because while a main pole and return pole are referred thereto, the return pole is not physically a pole, rather, it serves to close the loop with the main pole and the soft under layer for magnetic flux circuit.
Positioned at least partially between the main and return poles are one or more layers of conductive coils encapsulated by insulation layers. The ABS is the surface of the magnetic head immediately adjacent to the perpendicular medium.
To write data to the magnetic medium, an electrical current is caused to flow through the conductive coil, thereby inducing a magnetic field across the gap between the main and return poles. By reversing the polarity of the current through the coil, the polarity of the data written to the magnetic media is also reversed.
The main and return poles are generally made of a soft magnetic material. Both of them generate magnetic field in the media during recording when the write current is applied to the coil. A magnetic moment of the main pole should be oriented along an easy axis parallel to the ABS when the main pole is in a quiescent state, namely without a write current field from the write coil. When the magnetic moment does not return to an orientation parallel to the ABS after being subjected to multiple instances of the write current field, the main pole is not stable. Therefore, in an unstable pole, the orientation of the magnetic moment might remain nonparallel to the ABS position even after current to the write coil is turned off. This is referred to as remnant moment. Accordingly, the remnant magnetic field of the main pole may deteriorate or even erase data from the disc. Further, an unstable pole results in increased switching time when current is applied. In a perpendicular head for high track density recording, the main pole is a predominant source of instability due to a strong demagnetizing field across the pole width at the ABS and the necessity of using magnetic material with high magnetic moment saturation.
Thus, the need arises for improvements to the structure of the main pole of a perpendicular recorder or write head that effectuates low remnant magnetization while requiring a low field to achieve saturation magnetization.
In the perpendicular recording heads, writing and erasing of information is performed by a single-pole write head. That is, the return pole is, in essence, a misnomer because it does not actually serve as a pole. The single-pole or the main pole is composed of high moment magnetic materials, the most common example being cobalt-iron (CoFe) alloys. One of the problems with the single-pole write head is erase-after-write or undesirable erasure of information. To avoid this problem, the high moment materials for the single-pole generally have should have very small remnant moment. Remnant moment is moment that exists in the absence of magnetic field. Remnant moment can be reduced by laminating the high moment magnetic material (for example CoFe or cobalt-iron alloy) into multilayers.
The most recent lamination scheme utilizes antiferromagnetic coupling (AFC) between neighboring CoFe (cobolt-iron alloy) laminated layers. The basic film structure is CoFe/AFC/CoFe where the two CoFe layers are laminated within a thin AFC layer (such as chromium). Due to the antiferromagnetic coupling between the two CoFe layers, the magnetic moments in the CoFe layers are in the opposite direction relative to each other so that they cancel each other at zero field, thus, realizing a very small remnant magnetization. This is the most effective way to eliminate erase-after-write.
However, the drawback with the foregoing approach is significantly increased saturation field (or decreased permeability), which increases rise time of the write field requiring higher coil current and thus greater power consumption with lower write accuracy. Saturation field is defined here as an external field required achieving approximately 95% saturation magnetization (an example of graph including saturation field responses, measured in Oersteds, is provided in FIG. 9). This is clearly undesirable for high data rate recording because, among other reasons, more heat is generated causing pole protrusion, which is likely to cause hard drive or disc drive failures.
Some of the issues associated with prior art methods and techniques vis-à-vis the design or manufacturing of the main pole is now discussed with reference to various figures.
In FIG. 1, an angled side view of a portion 10 of a perpendicular recording head is shown to include a main pole 12, a coil(s) 14 and a return pole 16. The main pole 12 and the return pole 16 form a U-shape around the coil 14. In operation, current flows through the coil 14 creating a magnetic field between the main pole 12 and the return pole 14. When programming or storing information onto a medium, magnetically-encoded information is written by creating a magnetic path from the main pole 12 to the medium and back to the return pole 16 to close the loop.
Generally, the narrower the main pole 12, the more bits can be written per unit area on to a medium. However, use of a narrow main pole has been known to introduce large remnant field, which causes undesired erasure of valid data stored in the medium.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a narrow main pole at 18. The reason for the large remnant field is, in large part, the presence of only a single domain at 20. Domains are magnetic orientations. In FIG. 3 however, due to the presence of a closed domain structure as a result of a wide main pole, shown at 21, the remnant field is small. That is, multiple domains, shown at 22-40, cancel each other thus leaving a small remnant field effect. It should be noted that the orientations or domains shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are present in the absence of any writing or current being applied to the coil 14. In high density recorders, such as perpendicular recorders or heads, a narrow main pole 12 is preferable, such as that shown in FIG. 2, however, as earlier stated, the problem then becomes undesirable erasure due to the presence of large remnant field. Remnant field is generally the effects of previous magnetization. Thus, when programming or writing is performed and the head is shut off or not being employed for storage, the effects of remnant field or a residual field preside.
FIG. 4 shows a graph of the effects of a narrow main pole width on remnant field. The horizontal axis shows a measure of the main or write pole's width in nano meters microns (nm) and the vertical axis shows a measurement of the remnant field in Oersteds (Qe). As shown at 50, a main pole width of 150 nm results in remnant field of 1000 Oe while, as shown at 52, a main pole width of about 60 nm results in remnant field of 3000 Oe. Accordingly, as the width of the main pole is narrowed, which is desirable in high density recorders, the remnant field effects increase. The graph of FIG. 4 is measurements for a disc drive that has a track width of 60 to 200 nm, a write head that has a throat height of 200 nm, a main pole that has a Bs of 2.0 Tesla, a head-to-medium measurement of 15 nm, a medium thickness of 20 nm and a separation layer of 5 nm.
FIG. 5 shows, in graphical form, the undesirable effects of the residual effect and thus, instability of the main pole or write performance. The graph in FIG. 5 shows a horizontal axis that represents the number of read or write tests and the vertical axis represents a normalized output. The graph results from a test performed on the recording head where data or information is first written, such as 5 or 6 bits, and next, writing is stopped so that no current is flowing through the coil of the write head and the head is allowed to fly on top of the medium or disc (with no driving current). If no remnant field existed, the graph would show a bar across the horizontal line at 54 with a normalized output of 1.0 for the entire read and/or write tests. Instead, undesirable erasures result due to the presence of remnant field, as shown, for example, at 56-64.
FIG. 6 shows yet another graph of the effects of write instability as a function of the main pole width. The horizontal axis of the graph of FIG. 6 represents the magnetic write width in nm, which is proportional to the width of the main pole or write width and the vertical axis of the graph of FIG. 6 represents the change in output in percentage. The change in output is the change in the stored data or information and is calculated by the maximum value of an encoded value minus the minimum value thereof divided by the maximum value. For example, as the width is narrowed or becomes close to 150 nm, the percentage of change becomes approximately 80% or a near-complete loss of data. An output variation of 20% is generally regarded as undesirable or unacceptable because the error rate increases drastically.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show existing designs of main poles. FIG. 7 shows the main pole with only one material or lamination, namely, a CoFe alloy and a pole width of 60 nm and a throat height of 60 nm. The pole width is shown at 600 and the throat height is shown 620. As shown, the moments or domains 640, 66, 68 and 70 are scattered, pointing at different directions while no writing operation is in process. This, in effect, causes a high remnant field, in this case 1700 Ge while the main pole 12 of FIG. 8 has as its characteristic, a remnant field of only 200 Ge. The latter is due to the structure of the main pole 12 having three adjacent laminations, resulting in a multilayered pole. In the example of FIG. 8, three laminations or layers are employed, a non-magnetic layer 72, which serves as an underlayer to a magnetic layer 74, which, in turn, serves as an underlayer to another magnetic layer 76. The proximity of the magnetic and non-magnetic layers have the effect of canceling the moments when no current flows or no write operation is being performed because each of the layers have an opposite moment thereby canceling adjacent moments. For example, the moment 78 is opposite to that of the moment 80 and the latter is adjacent to the moment 82. Thus, the orientations of the moments of FIG. 8 are each in a particular direction or opposite to each other, whereas, the orientations of the moments of FIG. 7 are undefined or scattered. The net effect of the foregoing structure is AFC of adjacent laminations or layers and a substantial reduction in remnant field. Multilayering of the magnetic and non-magnetic layers of the pole 12 of FIG. 8 causes coupling, in opposite direction, of these layers resulting in AFC. The remnant field of the main pole 12 of FIG. 8 is 200 Ge. An example of a magnetic layer is one that is a CoFe alloy and an example of a nonmagnetic layer is one that is chromium (Cr).
FIG. 9 shows a graph of the driving (or external) magnetic field (measure in Oersteds (Oe)) vs. normalized moment for the two types of films of FIGS. 7 and 8, i.e. one film being made of a single layer, such as CoFe, and another film being made of multilayers and having AFC affects. The curves at 84 represent an eight-layer film, such as that of FIG. 8 and the curves at 86 represent a single layer film, such as that of FIG. 7. The graph of FIG. 9 is commonly referred to as a BH loop and in essence, it represents the change of magnetic moment in the material in responding to the external magnetic field. In the case of the main pole, the external field is generated by electrical current in a coil. The moment at zero field corresponds to remnant moment when the write head is not writing on the media. When writing or erasing, it is desired that pole material reaches the saturated moment for best writability. The less current needed to reach saturation, the more desirable because increased current causing increased heat in the head resulting in increased mechanical failures and lower recording or writing speeds.
As shown at 84, the multilayered pole design results in additional current or a slower recording time than the single layered pole shown at 86. Higher current also may result in pole protrusion thereby damaging magnetic properties and reducing read/write performance and increasing mechanical failure. To rephrase, requirements for higher field to reach maximum magnetization cause higher coil current to saturate the pole for providing sufficient overwrite, thus, more heat is generated causing pole protrusion. Furthermore, lower write speeds are realized that may not be suitable for high data rate drives.
Therefore, the need arises for a main pole employed in perpendicular recorders or disc drives having characteristics of low remnant magnetization and low saturation field.

Laminated high moment magnetic films antiferromagnetic coupling as write pole of perpendicular magnetic recording head

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V,


Even when a radio terminal cannot receive contents data from a serving base station, the radio terminal can receive the contents data from other base station. A wireless communication system includes a radio terminal, a serving radio base station to which the radio terminal serves, and a non-serving radio base station to which the radio terminal does not serve. The serving radio base station receives, from the non-serving radio base station, contents-related information concerning contents data to be broadcasted or multicasted by said non-serving radio base station, and transmits the received contents-related information to the radio terminal.

In recent years, in a mobile communication network, attention has been focused on a multicast technique in which data are simultaneously distributed only to plural specific radio terminals. In a network called the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) based on the 3GPP (The 3rd Generation Partnership Project), a contents-distributing service called the Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Service (MBMS) is supported for providing multimedia broadcasting and broadcast services. Further, discussions have been under way so that the Long Term Evolution (LTE) also supports the MBMS (Non-patent Document 1). According to the standard specification of 3GPP, any types of base stations (for example, macro base station and micro base station) can support the MBMS.
The radio terminal can receive multicast signals or broadcast signals of MBMS data regardless of whether the radio terminal is in an active state or an idle state, which means a standby state. Further, at the time when the radio terminal moves to other cells while receiving the MBMS data, the cell reselection, cell update or handover is implemented depending on communication states of the radio terminal. When in the idle state, the radio terminal receives paging information by using a paging channel (PCCH) from a radio base station to which the radio terminal serves, and checks whether any incoming calling exists or not on the basis of the paging information. The term cell reselection refers to an operation that changes abase station (current serving destination to which the radio terminal serves) that transmits the paging information, to the other base station (other serving destination to which the radio terminal serves). When in the active state, the radio terminal establishes synchronization with the base station to which the radio terminal serves to receive and transmit user data. The term handover refers to an operation that changes the base station to which the radio terminal serves, to the other base station, due to the fact that the radio terminal in the active state moves.
In the UMTS and the LTE of 3GPP, in addition to the macro base station, a femto base station (also called "home base station") is defined as an inexpensive, small base station having limited performance (see Non-patent Document 2 and Non-patent Document 3). The general femto base station is a small base station located indoors and connected with the existing broadband line. Through the broadband line, the general femto base station accesses to the communication network to carry out communication.
As related art documents in connection with the 3GPP, Non-patent Documents 1 through 3 listed below are given for example.

Wireless communication system, communication control method, radio base station, radio terminal, and storage medium


The subject invention relates to a method of applying the hydrocarbon barrier inside plastic fuel tanks. The plastic fuel tanks are supported on a carrier in an upright position for movement in a loop through inverted positions. While upright, hot and dry air treats the inside of the plastic fuel tanks followed by injecting SO3 inside the plastic fuel tanks through the nozzles. The SO3 is extracted from the plastic fuel tanks followed by injecting ammonia into the tanks through a second nozzle. After extracting ammonia from the plastic fuel tanks, the tanks are inverted and drained followed by a rinsing with a high pressured water and drying with hot air.

There are several technologies for manufacturing of plastic fuel tanks currently available in an automotive industry. One of the technologies known in the art includes two or more pieces of coated steel combined with classical metal joining technologies. Another technology comprises blow molding of a thermoplastic polymer melt. The molded plastic tanks are more expensive, but have significant design and flexibility advantages compared with metal tanks. Both technologies do not provide an effective hydrocarbon barrier for a plastic fuel tank.
There is a big concern with automotive generated pollutants. There is also an immediate need for an improved gasoline tank technology that would be capable of allowing the use of oxygenated fuel additives without deleterious evaporative effects while maintaining the cost and design advantages associated with existing tank technologies.
Nanocomposites, known to one skilled in the art, may solve the current problem with air pollution and hydrocarbon emissions. The nanocomposites may slow transmission of gases and moisture vapor through plastics by creating so called "tortuous path" for gas molecules. Based on recent EPIC studies, nanocomposites, commercially beneficial, may be used for reducing hydrocarbon emissions from hoses, seals, auto fuel-system components and the like. However the use of nanocomposites may still be expensive.
Therefore, it would be desirable to come up with a cost and time effective method of creating a strong hydrocarbon barrier inside the plastic fuel tanks to prevent hydrocarbon emissions that could cause pollution an explosion of a gas tank.

Method of applying hydrocarbon barrier to a plastic fuel tank


The present invention provides a soy protein containing composition for use in formulating confectionary food bars. In particular, the soy protein containing composition is formed of two types of protein materials, a structural protein material and a binding protein material. The protein composition provides a soft, palatable texture to confectionary food bars in which it is incorporated. The present invention is also directed to soft confectionary food bar compositions containing a structural soy protein material and a binding soy protein material, and processes for making such food bar compositions.

Confectionary food bars have become a popular consumer choice for a variety of reasons. One reason for their popularity is that food bars are frequently used as a nutrition source for people "on the go" who don't have time for a meal. Another reason is that high protein food bars are used by athletes to enhance athletic performance and to help build body mass. Furthermore, dieters often use food bars as low calorie "meal replacers" in weight loss programs. As a result, the food bar industry has grown tremendously in the past ten years.
Confectionary food bars are also utilized to obtain health benefits, such as lower total blood cholesterol concentrations. Confectionary food bars are typically formulated to contain protein, carbohydrates, and flavorings. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recognized soy protein as useful for lowering blood cholesterol concentrations, therefore, soy protein is utilized as a preferred protein material in food bars to formulate health promoting food bars. Health promoting food bars must include relatively high levels of soy protein in the food bar formulation in order to be useful as "health promoting". Typical health promoting food bars contain from 20% to 45% soy protein, by weight.
Inclusion of high levels of protein in a food bar, however, negatively affects the texture, palatability, and shelf-life of the food bar relative to food bars containing less protein and more carbohydrates. High protein levels, e.g. 20% to 45% by weight, in a food bar cause the bar to become texturally hard and bricklike. As a result, the food bar is unpalatable to a consumer since it is hard to chew.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,929 discloses bars which partially overcome the disadvantages of confectionary food bars containing high levels of protein. These bars utilize a proteinaceous material having low water absorption properties and medium to high emulsification properties in combination with a carbohydrate material to form chewy food bars having a protein to carbohydrate weight ratio of greater than 1. The critical feature of the proteinaceous material that provides the desired chewiness is a dissociation between water hydration properties of the proteinaceous material and other functional characteristics of the proteinaceous material. The proteinaceous material used in the food bars is preferably a mixture of "binding" proteins having low water absorption, medium to high emulsification properties, and low to medium viscosity and denatured "filler" proteins having low functionality, in particular, low water absorption and low viscosity. The limiting amounts of binding protein and filler protein relative to each other are 100% binding protein:0% filler protein to 100% filler protein:0% binding protein, where the relative amounts of each type of protein are selected on the basis of flavor, price, availability, and nutrition.
It is desirable, however, to provide new soft and palatable confectionary food bars having high levels of protein. It is further desirable to provide such soft confectionary food bars where the food bars have an extended shelf life in which they maintain their softness over an extended period of time. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel soft confectionary food bar containing high levels of protein, where the novel high protein food bar has an extended shelf-life for maintaining its softness.

Soy protein blend for soft confectionary food bars


An optoelectronic package (10) includes a base substrate (40), a plurality of solder pads (21) and a can (30). The base substrate includes a mounting seat (41) laminated first and second layer (421,422). The solder pads (21) respectively attach to a top surface (412) and a bottom surface (4212) of the base substrate and are electrically interconnected with each other via conductive material filled the through-holes (411,4223,4213) and conductor trace (45,45′). Optoelectronic components (not shown) are attached to the top surface of the base substrate and make electrical connection with the solder pads. The can includes a transparent device (31), an metal enclosure (32) and a housing (33), which hermetically seals to the base substrate protecting the optoelectronic components.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to optoelectronic packages, and more particularly to a small format optoelectronic package.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optoelectronic devices such as optical transceivers are known in the art and include active optical devices or diode packages. Common diode packages include a metallic housing mounting a laser diode or LED for transmitting data and a photo diode for performing power monitoring, metal contact leads exiting from the diodes for connection to a power source, and a glass window opposed to the diode, through which the energy is transmitted.
Smaller format optoelectronic packages allow the devices into which the optoelectronic packages are placed to become smaller. Smaller optoelectronic packages allow for a higher density of data transmission in a given space. Currently, there is a great demand for smaller optoelectronic packages.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a small format optoelectronic package disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,992 B1, comprising a monitor diode 70, an optical diode 80, a base substrate 40, a holder 50, and a flex connector 60. The optoelectronic package includes the non-electrically conductive substrate 40 partially covered by an electrically conductive can (not shown). The non-electrically conductive substrate 40 has three through-holes 44(not shown), 45, 46 formed through a thickness of the non-electrically conductive substrate 40. The three through-holes are filled with an electrically conductive material so as to form three electrically conductive vias 44a (not shown) 45a, and 46a. A surface of the non-electrically conductive substrate 40 is organized into three regions (not labeled). The first and third regions have an electrically conductive plating material applied thereto. The optical diode 80 and monitor diode 70 are mounted on the conductive plating of the first region. First and second conductive leads 82, 72 are respectively electrically connected with conductive vias 46a, 45a by the first and second conductors 90, 100.
The optoelectronic package of FIG. 5 has a small diameter and good performance, however, with the increasing demand for packaging more circuits and components in a smaller space, an improved small format package is required.


A self contained filter for a recirculating tank is used in a septic system. The self contained filter is a mattress-like filter made of woven material encapsulating aggregate material therein. The weave of the mattress-like woven material is smaller than the aggregate material. In another aspect, at least one mattress-like filter is placed within a tank.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a filter for a recirculating tank and, more particularly, to a self contained filter for a recirculating tank used in a septic system.
2. Background Description
Septic systems are widely used for a variety of applications ranging from single family homes to industrial applications. These systems also vary greatly in design; namely, aerobic and anaerobic type systems. In either type of septic systems, the main objective is to treat wastewater in the most efficient manner in order to ensure that the water is properly filtered for distribution within a drain field or other distribution system.
In certain types of septic systems, a sand filter is used to filtrate the wastewater prior to further treating or distribution of the effluent. The sand filter is disposed within a recirculating tank and includes several layers of varying sized aggregate. For simplicity of discussion, the aggregate is manually disposed within the tank, with the larger sized aggregate on the bottom of tank and the smaller or finer sized aggregates progressively being layered toward the top of the tank. In some systems, one sized aggregate may be used to filter the wastewater; although, it is preferable to use at least a two or more layered sand filter for more efficient filtering.
In operation, wastewater flows into the top of the tank. The wastewater is then filtered through the several layers of the aggregate until the wastewater reaches the bottom of the tank. At the bottom of the tank, the filtered wastewater is then discharged to other portions of the septic system. As is known in the art, the different sized aggregates will filter different sized materials from the wastewater.
However, the use of sand filters pose several problems which decrease the efficiency of the filter and thus the cleaning of the wastewater. First, the top or finer layers of aggregate have a tendency to migrate into the more course layers of aggregate. This migration affects the filtering properties of the system, and leads to the need to completely remove and replace all of the aggregate from the tank. This is a time consuming and costly procedure. Second, compaction of the aggregates also occurs within these systems. Compaction results in puddling of the wastewater at the top of the tank due to lack of air spaces within the several layers of the aggregate. Much like migration, the aggregate within the tank must be replaced in order to correct the compaction of the aggregate. Third, channeling also occurs in these types of sand filters; that is, a channel or tunnel will be formed through all of the aggregate layers. This leads to poor filtering of the wastewater and the need, again, to replace all of the aggregate within the tank. The present invention is adapted to solving these and other problems.


The invention relates to a method for producing an absorbing sound insulation motor vehicle trim element having a four-layered structure made from a first foam layer, a second foam layer, a non-woven foam layer and a non-woven fabric layer. The invention further relates to an absorbing sound insulation motor vehicle trim element.

From the prior art, different sound insulation elements and related preparation methods have been known, by means of which structures can be created, in particular, that can absorb sounds, for example, from the engine compartment, so that the sounds do not, or only to a little extent, get into the environment or into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.
In the prior art, a very large number of different compositions of sound insulation motor vehicle trim elements and of related preparation methods have been known, all of which use different approaches and are distinguished by small but essential differences. Hereinafter, the relevant prior art will be set forth.
From printed document DE 39 05 607 A1, a floor trim with a layer structure for preparing a sound insulation for vehicles is known, which consists of an acoustically effective layer made from a foam and at least one non-woven, in which at least one acoustically effective layer is introduced in the form of an intermediate sheet.
From printed document DE 10 2013 104 715 A1, a sound-insulating acoustic element is known that has at least one sound-absorbing non-woven layer, wherein said non-woven layer includes a foam flow regulating or foam flow inhibiting layer, and has a sound-absorbing foam layer, wherein the latter is bonded to the porous non-woven by back foaming with material locking, which penetration reaches to said foam flow regulating or inhibiting layer.
Further, from printed document JP 2004 123090 A, a floor mat for a car can be seen, wherein said floor mat has such a design that both sound insulation performance and sound absorption performance are achieved. This, a carpet layer and two or more layers of porous body layers have been combined, wherein a composite layer comprising a material that forms the adjacent porous body layer and a foam resin is provided between said porous body layers.
Further, from printed document EP 2 251 231 A1, a light and sound protection plate is known that has a porous layer and consists of a stable fibrous fabric sheet of a thermoplastic fiber provided between sound absorbers of foamed plastic, wherein the material of a staple fiber sheet and the foam material of another sound absorber form one or more sound insulating layers.
To conclude, two different foaming systems with different properties that are combined or can be combined further accordingly as set forth below are not known in the prior art.
The problems in the prior art essentially reside in the fact that it is currently not possible to prepare an inexpensive highly absorbing sound insulation element that meets the following requirements:                sound absorption higher than that of the sound insulation motor vehicle trim elements known in the prior art;        simple preparation and reduction of the individual components, so that a reduction of the cost during the production is possible, because to date, complex systems of at least three or four individual elements have been necessary, wherein such individual elements had to be combined at first in a difficult way, such as introducing a separation sheet into a non-woven, or the like; and        low weight of the layer structure of a sound insulation motor vehicle trim element.
In general, the structures described in the prior art can be described by a multilayer structure, for which very complex methods and protection mechanisms are always necessary, so that one foam does not penetrate completely into a non-woven layer during back foaming.
In particular, it has been recognized that there are no highly absorbing sound insulation motor vehicle trim elements known in the prior art that can meet all of these requirements.

Absorbing sound insulation motor trim element


The ESD circuit of the present invention comprises a protection device, and output circuitry. The ESD circuitry illustratively comprises an NMOS and PMOS transistor and two protective diodes. However, in place of the NMOS and PMOS transistors, any two-terminal protection device may be used. The protection device of the present invention comprises the diodes of the ESD circuitry. These diodes are formed within the seal-ring structure of an IC. The seal-ring structure is formed using the following steps. First, a field oxide is grown. N.sup.+ and P.sup.+ impurities are diffused into the substrate. An insulating layer is then grown over the oxide, P.sup.+, and N.sup.+ regions. The insulating layer is etched back, uncovering the substrate, P.sup.+ region, and a portion of the N.sup.+ region. Similarly, a thick aluminum layer is deposited and etched back to form a first connection layer. Subsequently, an insulating layer is formed over the first insulating layer. A second thick aluminum layer is then deposited and etched to form the second connection layer.

Integrated circuits (IC's) often suffer from a lack of robustness with respect to ESD. As technology allows IC's to be scaled down into the submicron regime, various structures and processes, for example, in CMOS technology, such as thinner gate oxide, shorter channel length, shallower source/drain junction, LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) structures, and solicited diffusion, degrade the ESD robustness of IC's. (see e.g. C. Duvvury and A. Amerasekera, "ESD: A pervasive reliability concern for IC technologies," in Proc. of IEEE, vol. 81, no. 5. pp. 690-702, May 1993; and A. Amerasekera and C. Duvvury, "The impact of technology scaling on ESD robustness and protection circuit design," 1994 EOS/ESD Symp. Proc., EOS-16, pp. 237-245).
To improve the ESD robustness of a submicron device, some submicron IC technologies offer an additional "ESD Implant" mask in processes to make a stronger device structure for an IC output buffer to protect against ESD damage. However, this results in increased IC fabrication costs.
Another approach to ESD protection in a CMOS output buffer is to provide one or more ESD protection elements between the CMOS output buffer and the output pad to improve the robustness of a submicron CMOS output buffer with respect to ESD.
In Y.-J. B. Liu and S. Cagnina, "Electrostatic discharge protection device for CMOS integrated circuit outputs," U.S. Pat. No. 4,734,752, 1988, a field-oxide (N-type) device is placed in parallel with the thin-oxide NMOS device of the CMOS output buffer from the output pad to VSS (ground) to improve the ESD protection capability of the CMOS output buffer. In T. C. Chan and D. S. Culver, "ESD protection circuit," U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,143, 1994, a lateral N-P-N bipolar transistor is placed in parallel with the thin-oxide NMOS device of the CMOS output buffer from the output pad to ground to improve the ESD protection capability of the CMOS output buffer. However, the turn-on voltages of a parasitic field-oxide device and parasitic lateral N-P-N bipolar transistor are generally higher than that of a short-channel thin-oxide NMOS device in the submicron CMOS output buffer. Thus, the thin-oxide NMOS device will be first turned on when the ESD stress occurs on this output pad. Thus, the improvement of ESD protection by adding the field-oxide device or lateral N-P-N bipolar transistor may be small.
In Scott et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,888, 1991, the large-dimension output thin-oxide NMOS device is separated into many small-dimension NMOS devices in parallel with each other from the output pad to ground. There is a series resistance inserted from the drain of each small-dimension NMOS device to the output pad to improve its ESD robustness.
In G. N. Roberts, "Output ESD protection circuit," U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,222, 1993, a lateral N-P-N bipolar transistor is placed in parallel with the output NMOS device from the output node of the output buffer to ground, and a series resistance is inserted between the output pad and the output node of the output buffer, to improve ESD reliability of the output pad.
In K. F. Lee, A. Lee, M. L. Marmet, and K. W. Ouyang, "Electro-static discharge protection circuit with bimodal resistance characteristics," U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,565, 1993, a thick-oxide device is placed in parallel with the thin-oxide NMOS device in the CMOS output buffer from the output pad to VSS and the drain of the thin-oxide NMOS device in the CMOS output buffer is modified with a series N-well resistor to the output pad, to improve ESD protection capability of the CMOS output buffer.
In Scott et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,888, 1991; G. N. Roberts, "Output ESD protection circuit," U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,222, 1993; and K. F. Lee, A. Lee, M. L. Marmet, and K. W. Ouyang, "Electro-static discharge protection circuit with bimodal resistance characteristics," U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,565, 1993, there are series resistors from the output node of the CMOS output buffer to the output pad. These series resistors could effectively improve ESD robustness of a submicron CMOS output buffer, but they limit the current driving/sinking capability of the CMOS output buffer. The timing for the output signal is also delayed by the series resistors. Thus, the output signal is also delayed by the series resistors. The output driving/sinking capability and output timing may also become outside of the design specifications. This limits the usefulness of an output buffer modified in this way for application in high-speed (minimum delay for input/output signal) and heavy-loading (output buffer of high-driving/sinking capability) CMOS IC's.
Since ESD voltages may have positive or negative polarities on a pin with respect to both VDD (high supply voltage) and VSS (low supply voltage or ground) pins, there are four different ESD-stress cases at an output pad of a CMOS output buffer:
(1) PS mode: ESD stress at an output pin with positive voltage polarity to VSS bus when VDD bus is floating; PA0 (2) NS mode: ESD stress at an output pin with negative voltage polarity to VSS bus when VDD bus is floating; PA0 (3) PD mode: ESD stress at an output pin with positive voltage polarity to VDD bus when VSS bus is floating and; PA0 (4) ND mode: ESD stress at an output pin with negative voltage polarity to VDD bus when VSS bus is floating.
These ESD voltages could damage both NMOS and PMOS devices in the output buffer of CMOS IC's.
The ESD failure threshold voltage of a pin is defined as the lowest ESD-sustaining voltage of the four-mode ESD stresses on the pin. For example, if an output pin can sustain up to 6 KV ESD voltage in PS-, NS-, and PD-mode ESD stresses but it can only sustain 1 KV ESD voltage in the ND-mode ESD stress, the ESD failure threshold voltage for this output pin is defined as 1 KV only. In the references cited above, the ESD protection is emphasized from the output pad to VSS (ground). The additional ESD protection elements are all placed from the output pad to ground in parallel with an output NMOS device. There is no additional ESD protection element arranged between the output pad and VDD. For ND-mode or PD-mode ESD stresses, the PMOS device of the CMOS output buffer (or the output device between VDD and output pad) is sensitive to ESD damage. The overall ESD failure threshold voltage may be not effectively improved. Thus, an effective ESD protection circuit for output buffer of advanced submicron CMOS IC's should provide strong ESD discharging paths from the output pad to both VSS and VDD buses.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an ESD protection circuit. The circuit 40 is formed with protective circuitry 10, and output circuitry 30. The protective circuitry 10 also may include any type of two-terminal ESD protection device. Illustratively, NMOS 14 and PMOS 12 transistors are provided for ESD protection. However, as is apparent to one skilled in the art, the protective circuitry 10 may also be achieved using a variety of two-terminal devices. For example, an LVTSCR (Low Voltage Trigger SCR) may be used. Additionally, the protective circuitry 10 also includes a first parasitic diode D.sub.p (22) and a second parasitic diode D.sub.n (24).
The first parasitic diode D.sub.p is connected in parallel with the PMOS device with its anode connected to the output pad and its cathode connected to VDD. The D.sub.p diode is used to protect against PD mode ESD stress. A second parasitic diode D.sub.n is connected in parallel to the NMOS device with its anode connected to VSS and its cathode connected to the output pad. The diode D.sub.n protects against NS mode ESD stress. However, diodes fashioned in this method do not offer sufficient diode area for adequate ESD protection. Further, the costs of such a structure are typically quite high.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome these deficiencies in the prior art. This is accomplished by incorporating an ESD element in a modified seal ring structure. This allows such ESD element to share most of the ESD current during an event to improve ESD protection. In addition, the structure allows the size of the primary ESD circuitry to be reduced.

Method for making seal-ring structure with ESD protection device


A detector for detecting a buried current carrying conductor includes a digital signal processor, magnetic sensors, and a power supply unit. The power supply unit is a switched mode power supply which incorporates a proportional integral differential controller feedback algorithm and which is managed by the digital signal processor. The load and source voltage are monitored by the digital signal processor and a look-up table is used to control a pulse width modulator, which drives a single ended primary induction controller. The digital signal processor processes and compares signals received from the sensors to calculate a depth of a buried conductor. The self-generated noise of the power supply unit does not interfere with the frequency bands of detection of the detector.

Before commencing excavation or other work where electrical cables, fibre optic cables or other utilities ducts or pipes are buried, it is important to determine the location of such buried cables or pipes to ensure that they are not damaged during the work. It is also useful to be able to track a path of buried cables or pipes. Current carrying conductors emit electromagnetic radiation which can be detected by an electrical antenna. If fibre optic cables or non-metallic utilities ducts or pipes are fitted with a small electrical tracer line, an alternating electrical current can be induced in the tracer line which in turn radiates electromagnetic radiation. It is known to use detectors to detect the electromagnetic field emitted by conductors carrying alternating current.
One type of such detector works in one of three modes. These modes are classified as either passive or active modes, the passive modes being 'power' mode and 'radio' mode. Each mode has its own frequency band of detection.
In power mode, the detector detects the magnetic field produced by a conductor carrying an AC mains power supply at 50/60 Hz, or the magnetic field re-radiated from a conductor as a result of a nearby cable carrying AC power, together with higher harmonics up to about 3 KHz. In radio mode, the detector detects very low frequency (VLF) radio energy which is re-radiated by buried conductors. The source of the original VLF radio signals is a plurality of VLF long wave transmitters, both commercial and military.
In the active mode, a signal transmitter produces an alternating magnetic field of known frequency and modulation, which induces a current in a nearby buried conductor. The signal transmitter may be directly connected to the conductor or, where direct connection access is not possible, a signal transmitter may be placed near to the buried conductor and a signal may be induced in the conductor. The buried conductor re-radiates the signal produced by the signal transmitter.
These systems are widely available and have been marketed by Radiotection Ltd for some time under the trade marks C.A.T.™ and GENNY™.
This invention provides further advancements to existing systems, providing additional functionality and benefits to the user. The detector achieves good performance in terms of sensitivity, dynamic range and selectivity. Typical parameters are 6×10−15 Tesla sensitivity (referred to a 1 Hz bandwidth), 141 dB rms/√Hz dynamic range, and a selectivity which allows 120 dB attenuation across a 1 Hz transition band. The detector can be digitally programmed to receive any frequency up to 44 kHz and processed through any defined bandwidth.
According to the invention there is provided a detector for detecting a buried current carrying conductor, comprising: two magnetic sensors, each magnetic sensor converting electromagnetic radiation into a field strength signal; a microprocessor programmed to process the field strength signals produced by the magnetic sensors, and to isolate signals of target frequency bands; and a power supply unit for providing regulated power rails to power the detector; wherein the microprocessor is configured to control the power supply unit so that the power supply unit produces electromagnetic radiation of only predetermined frequencies, those frequencies being different from the target frequency bands.
Preferably the power supply unit is a switched mode power supply.
Preferably the switched mode power supply comprises a single ended primary induction controller.
Preferably the detector comprises a pulse width modulator arranged to modulate the single ended primary induction controller.
Preferably the detector is configured to control the duty cycle of the pulse width modulator so that it is a function of the load drawn from the power supply unit.
Preferably the detector is configured to control the duty cycle of the pulse width modulator so that it is a function of the voltage of a power source of the power supply unit.
Preferably the detector is configured to control the duty cycle of the pulse width modulator so that it is a function of a load predicted by the microprocessor to be provided by the power supply unit.
Preferably the power supply unit comprises a proportional integral derivative feedback loop.
Preferably the power supply unit comprises a power source which comprises one or more batteries.
Preferably the microprocessor is a digital signal processor.
Preferably the field strength signal produced by each antenna is sampled at a sampling rate and the single ended primary induction controller is charge pumped at four times the sampling rate.
Preferably the regulated power rails are at +12V, +3.3V and −3.3V.
Preferably the digital signal processor is programmed to process signals from each magnetic sensor in two or more frequency bands simultaneously, those bands being selected from: (i) very low frequency band; (ii) mains electricity frequency band; and (iii) a predetermined frequency band produced by a dedicated signal transmitter for a detector for detecting a current carrying conductor.

Detector for detecting a buried current carrying conductor using electromagnetic radiation of predetermined frequencies


A wafer staging platform for a wafer inspection system for inspecting of semiconductors or like substrates and method of handling wafers. The platform and related method is designed to reduce the amount of time needed to exchange wafers on a processing tool. The staging platform can include a vacuum-assisted feature. The method of handling includes simultaneously processing a plurality of wafers, during which the staging platform is employed to temporarily store wafer(s) in close proximity to a next in line station.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a system, and process for use thereof, for inspecting wafers and other semiconductor or microelectronic substrates.
2. Background Information
Over the past several decades, microelectronics and semiconductors have exponentially grown in use and popularity. Microelectronics and semiconductors have in effect revolutionized society by introducing computers, electronic advances, and generally revolutionizing many previously difficult, expensive and/or time consuming mechanical processes into simplistic and quick electronic processes. This boom has been fueled by an insatiable desire by business and individuals for computers and electronics, and more particularly, faster, more advanced computers and electronics whether it be on an assembly line, on test equipment in a lab, on the personal computer at one's desk, or in the home via electronics and toys.
The manufacturers of microelectronics and semiconductors have made vast improvements in end product quality, speed and performance as well as in manufacturing process quality, speed and performance. However, there continues to be demand for faster, more reliable and higher performing semiconductors.
One process that has evolved over the past decade plus is the microelectronic and semiconductor inspection process. The merit in inspecting microelectronics and semiconductors throughout the manufacturing process is obvious in that bad wafers may be removed at the various steps rather than processed to completion only to find out a defect exists either by end inspection or by failure during use. In the beginning, wafers and like substrates were manually inspected such as by humans using microscopes. As the process has evolved, many different systems, devices, apparatus, and methods have been developed to automate this process, such as the method developed by August Technology and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,298, which is incorporated herein by reference. Many of these automated inspection systems, devices, apparatus, and methods focus on two dimensional inspection, that is inspection of wafers or substrates that are substantially or mostly planar in nature.
To perform such inspection, it is necessary to handle the substrates, such as wafers, to be inspected. While the specific design and layout of the components may vary, a standard layout for a wafer handling system is shown in FIG. 1 (prior art) and typically is comprised of the following components: a robot 10, one or more loadports 12, a pre-aligner 14, and a wafer processing platform 16. The robot 10 is used to perform the automated handling. The loadport 12 is used to present a wafer cassette to the system. A wafer cassette or magazine is used to store multiple wafers before and after processing. The pre-aligner 14 is used to center and orientate the wafer for processing by a processing tool, such as an inspection tool, photo-lithography scanner/stepper, or laser repair tool. The wafer processing platform 16 is the stage on which the wafer rests during processing.
Based on the typical standard configuration as set forth in FIG. 1, the following scenario demonstrates how wafer handling is performed by a standard wafer handling system. In this scenario, a wafer 20 is currently being processed, and another wafer 22 has been staged on the pre-aligner 14. FIG. 2 shows the processing of wafer 20 as complete with the staged wafer 22 on the pre-aligner 14. FIG. 3 shows the robot arm 18 extended and the processed wafer 20 removed. FIG. 4 shows the robot arm 18 retracted and rotated in a clockwise direction. FIG. 5 shows the robot 10 aligned with the wafer 20 in preparation for presentation to a cassette of loadport 12. FIG. 6 shows the robot arm 18 extended and the wafer 20 placed in a cassette of loadport 12. FIG. 7 shows the robot arm 18 retracted and rotated in a counter clockwise direction. FIG. 8 shows the robot 10 aligned with the pre-aligner 14. FIG. 9 shows the robot arm 18 extended and the wafer 22 removed. FIG. 10 shows the robot arm 18 retracted and rotated in a counter clockwise direction. FIG. 11 shows the robot 10 aligned with the processing platform 16. FIG. 12 shows the robot arm 18 extended and the wafer 22 placed on the processing platform 16. FIG. 13 shows the robot arm 18 retracted such that processing of wafer 22 may begin.

Wafer staging platform for a wafer inspection system


A method of manufacturing a metallic can body that is shaped distinctively in order to enhance its visual presentation to consumers includes, in one embodiment, steps of providing a can body blank that has a sidewall that is of a substantially constant diameter; providing a mold unit that has at least one mold wall that defines a mold cavity conforming a desired final shape of the can body; positioning the can body blank within the mold cavity; and supplying a pressurized fluid into the mold cavity so that the can body blank is forced by pressure against the mold wall, causing the can body blank to assume the desired final shape of the can body. Axial compression is preferably applied to the can body blank in order to reduce internal stresses during molding of the container. A second embodiment includes steps of radially deforming the can body blank in selected areas by selected amounts to achieve an intermediate can body that is radially modified, but is still symmetrical about its axis; and superimposing a preselected pattern of mechanical deformations that have an axial component onto the intermediate can body. Related apparatus and processes are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of consumer packaging, and more specifically to metal cans, such as the steel and aluminum cans that are commonly used for packaging soft drinks, other beverages, food and aerosol products.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Recent Technology
Metal cans for soft drinks, other beverages and other materials are of course in wide use in North America and throughout the world. The assignee of this invention, Crown Cork & Seal Company of Philadelphia, is the world's largest designer and manufacturer of such cans.
The art of making and packing metal cans is constantly evolving in response to improved technology, new materials, and improved manufacturing techniques. Other forces driving the evolution of technology in this area include raw material prices, the nature of new materials to be packaged and the marketing goals of the large companies that manufacture and distribute consumer products such as soft drinks.
Interest has existed for some time for a metal container that is shaped differently than the standard cylindrical can in such a distinctive way to become part of the product's trade dress, or to be otherwise indicative of the source or the nature of the product. To the inventors best knowledge, however, no one has yet developed a practical technique for manufacturing such an irregularly shaped can at the volume and speed that would be required to actually introduce such a product into the marketplace.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,239 to Hansson, which dates from the mid 1960's, discloses a system and process for using pneumatic pressure to reshape cans. This process utilized a piston to force compressed air into a can that is positioned within a mold. The compressed air caused the can wall to flow plastically until it assumed the shape of the mold.
Technology such as that disclosed in the Hansson patent has never, to the knowledge of the inventors, been employed with any success for the reshaping of drawn and wall ironed cans. One reason for this is that the stress that is developed in the wall of the can as it is being deformed can lead to defects that are potentially failureinducing, e.g., localized thinning, splitting or cracking. The risk of thinning can be reduced by increasing the wall thickness of the can, but this would make shaped cans so produced prohibitively expensive. The risk of splitting and cracking can be reduced by a process such as annealing, but at the expense of reduced toughness and abuse resistance of the final product.
A need exists for an improved apparatus and process for manufacturing a shaped metal can design, that is effective, efficient and inexpensive, especially when compared to technology that has been heretofore developed for such purposes, and that reduces the tendency of a shaped can to fail as a result of thinning, splitting or cracking.

Systems and methods for making decorative shaped metal cans

Crown Cork & Seal Technologies Corporation


Disclosed is a technique for enabling a device that needs to send high priority and high bandwidth user plane traffic to send the user plane traffic even in the case where a group bandwidth has an upper limit in group-based communication. According to the technique, when an MTC device that is to send high priority and high bandwidth user plane traffic sends a service request to a network node (P-GW 213a), the network node allows use of a minimum bandwidth bearer in the case where the upper limit of the group bandwidth is exceeded. The MTC device sends a traffic sending request to an MTC server 214a via the bearer. The MTC server stops traffic of an appropriate other MTC device, to secure a bandwidth for the MTC device having the high priority and high bandwidth user plane traffic.

Cellular communications have continuously evolved from early days of GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) networks to GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) and further to UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) which is currently used worldwide. Next-generation LTE (Long Term Evolution) networks are expected to be available in the near future. Services provided by cellular communication networks have also been developed along with access technologies. Current cellular networks provide not only basic voice communication services but also transmission of short text messages and access to the global Internet. Recently, cellular networks have been extended to provide new services for covering non-human communication such as machine-to-machine (M2M) communication. 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) has started to define requirements for supporting machine type communication by cellular networks (see Non-patent Document 1 listed below). This enables cellular networks to support machine type communication more appropriately.
M2M communication is a communication paradigm different from human-to-human (H2H) communication. M2M communication differs in communication scenario and communication model. Most machine type communication scenarios relate to communication between one or more MTC (Machine Type Communication) devices and one MTC server. Examples of a scenario in which an MTC device communicates with an MTC server include the following a) to g): a) a health care industry in which an MTC device updates human health-related data to an MTC server; b) route tracking in which a ship belonging to a company is tracked by a server using updated data sent from a moving ship equipped with an MTC device; c) an industry of monitoring possessions; d) a weather sensor for updating weather-related information to a server; e) a food sensor for updating food condition-related information to a server; f) a home smart meter for updating power outage or consumption-related information to an MTC server; and g) a surveillance camera for updating intruder detection information to an MTC server.
In addition to a scenario in which an MTC server communicates with an MTC server, there is also another MTC communication scenario such as communication between MTC devices. An example of such a communication scenario is that communication is performed between smart meters installed in a house, in order to control the MTC devices to improve operations. M2M communication has the following features different from H2H communication: a) operating without human involvement or determination process; b) having different communication traffic types such as data applications which have very low delay tolerance; c) having different communication models such as a type in which only mobile devices are present, a model in which polling is performed from a server for data acquisition, and a typical mobile type; d) having different mobility patterns to perform different location management operations on MTC devices such as a low mobility pattern and a non-mobility pattern; e) having different addressing mechanisms such as group-based addressing that enables a plurality of MTC devices to be reached using a single message; f) having a need to prevent theft or vandalism by MTC devices which are not human-controlled; g) having group-based charging and service provision models by a plurality of MTC devices placed under subscription of a service; and h) operating with minimum power consumption by making most MTC devices battery-driven without supply of power lines for less expensive operations. Such unique features specifically concerning M2M are used to specify service requirements and achieve network optimization. As the number of MTC devices connected to a 3GPP core network is much larger than the number of conventional user terminals (UEs) connected to 3GPP, network optimization targeting for the unique features of machine type communication is essential. This allows network operators to significantly reduce operation costs and provide attractive charging models for MTC devices.
Standardization has been made by the SA1 (Service & System Aspects 1) and SA2 (Service & System Aspects 2) working groups of 3GPP, to propose service and architecture requirements for providing network optimization specifically implemented with regard to the unique features of MTC devices. Service requirements and network optimization related to MTC devices are disclosed, for example, in Non-patent Document 1 listed below. Many of the MTC-related service requirements disclosed in Non-patent Document 1 are intended to optimize or improve networks for MTC communication. Non-patent Document 1 discloses a service requirement that a bandwidth upper limit is imposed on a group of MTC devices that belong to a single subscriber and communicate with an MTC server. Such a group bandwidth upper limit is hereafter referred to as a group aggregate maximum bit rate (group bandwidth maximum bit rate, G-AMBR). In Non-patent Document 1, all parameters about bandwidths are expressed in bits per second. The G-AMBR can be assigned independently for an uplink (UL) and/or a downlink (DL). An uplink G-AMBR is referred to as a UL-G-AMBR, and a downlink G-AMBR is referred to as a DL-G-AMBR. Only the UL-G-AMBR may be applied in an M2M group communication model in which user plane (U plane) traffic is mainly an uplink. Likewise, only the DL-G-AMBR may be applied in the case where a downlink is dominant. In the case where the G-AMBR is applied, a total bandwidth for user plane traffic by a large number of MTC devices belonging to the group can never exceed the G-AMBR When this group upper limit is exceeded, traffic shaping is performed at an enforcement point (bandwidth use status check point). In the above-mentioned group-based communication model, all MTC devices communicate with the same server and accordingly all MTC devices use the same packet data network gateway (P-GW), so that the traffic enforcement point is the P-GW. A primary motivation for assigning the G-AMBR is to set a smaller G-AMBR than a total bandwidth required when all MTC devices in the group simultaneously use the core network.
It is reasonable to assign the G-AMBR upper limit by the network in group-based communication. The use of the tightened group bandwidth upper limit contributes to lower service charges paid by the subscriber to the operator. Moreover, the operator can accommodate many MTC devices in the network, and earn more income by offering attractive prices. Typically, the G-AMBR is a static value assigned by a home subscription server (HSS), is statically stored in the P-GW, or provided from a policy control and charging related function (PCRF) to the P-GW by a static method. However, the G-AMBR may be a dynamic value dynamically manageable by the PCRF. Functional roles of the above-mentioned functional entities are described in detail in Non-patent Document 2 listed below.
By employing the concept of the G-AMBR, many advantages can be provided as described above. However, there are also tradeoffs, i.e. disadvantages. For example, due to the G-AMBR upper limit, a problem arises in the case where the bandwidth currently used among a plurality of MTC devices in the group has reached the G-AMBR but another MTC device in the group tries to send user plane traffic. Here, due to the G-AMBR upper limit, a problem also arises in the case where a plurality of MTC devices simultaneously seek a limitedly available bandwidth or a freely available bandwidth. The free bandwidth available in the group (hereafter denoted as AvGrBW) is equal to "(G-AMBR)−(current sum total of bandwidths or bit rates for MTC devices in the group sending U plane traffic)". The AvGrBW can be expressed in bits per second.
As summarized in Non-patent Document 2, according to normal UE operations, a QoS (Quality of Service) parameter associated with a default bearer is notified from a mobility management entity (MME) to a UE by a NAS (Non Access Stratum) message (Attach Accept message) during an initial attach procedure. In addition to a normal UE-directed bearer context notification procedure during the initial attach procedure, bearer context modification is notified to the UE using a bearer modification procedure when the UE is in a connected mode or an idle mode. The connected mode and the idle mode are defined in Non-patent Document 2. The bearer modification procedure can be triggered by the P-GW in most cases, but may also be triggered by the MME. It is clear from the above description of the normal UE procedures that the UE needs to recognize the bearer context beforehand and can thereby send uplink U plane traffic having appropriate properties and receive downlink U plane traffic. Besides, resource management and 3GPP EPS (Evolved Packet System) QoS models are not violated. For example, in the case where the network assigns a parameter related to a bandwidth to a bearer (e.g. dedicated bearer (individual bearer)), the UE needs to adjust the transmission rate of U plane traffic accordingly. In the case where the network assigns a maximum bandwidth (UE-AMBR) for all non-GBR (Guaranteed Bit Rate) flows of the UE or a maximum bandwidth (APN-AMBR) for all non-GBR flows of an access point name (APN) of the UE, the UE needs to ensure that the sum total of the bandwidths of the flows does not exceed the network-imposed upper limit. As an important advantage of recognizing the bearer properties beforehand, there is also an advantage that U plane traffic transmission can be speedily started when the UE transitions from the idle mode to the connected mode. This saves the wait time for the UE to recognize the bearer context before sending U plane traffic.
Bearer-related QoS parameters are, for example, QCI (Quality Class Indication), ARP (Allocation and Retention Priority), MBR (Maximum Bit Rate), GBR (Guaranteed Bit Rate), and the like. In addition to such QoS parameters, group QoS parameters for non-GBR bearers such as the UE-AMBR and the APN-AMBR are also assigned. Detailed description and definition of these QoS parameters are explicitly disclosed in Non-patent Document 2. A minimum necessary default bearer is created for every PDN (Packet Data Network) connection. The default bearer is assigned a minimum QoS parameter (QCI value needing a minimum QoS procedure). This bearer is normally a non-GBR bearer. Since the QoS parameters MBR and GBR relate only to GBR bearers, the QoS parameters MBR and GBR are not assigned to the default bearer. Moreover, a dedicated bearer is normally created by a P-GW initiated create bearer request procedure, as disclosed in Non-patent Document 2. The dedicated bearer may be a GBR bearer or a non-GBR bearer. When the dedicated bearer which is a GBR bearer is assigned by the network, the network guarantees the bit rate of the GBR bearer by using an appropriate resource reservation procedure in the radio access network (RAN) and the core network.
The network guarantees the bandwidth for the dedicated bearer but, in such a case where resources are unavailable, can always modify the GBR of the dedicated bearer. In current UE procedures, this dedicated bearer modification hardly occurs, and the dedicated bearer modification is notified to the UE beforehand. Likewise, the UE-AMBR and the APN-AMBR of the UE are hardly modified, and it is assumed that such information can be notified to the UE using a bearer modification procedure without QoS modification as described in Non-patent Document 2. For example, when the UE is in the idle mode, the bearer context modification is notified by initial paging, according to which the UE executes a service request procedure. Once the UE has succeeded in executing the service request, the modified bearer context is provided to the UE. However, since current UEs do not have low power requirements like MTC devices, no serious problem of power consumption arises even when paged and activated to receive the bearer modification. Besides, for normal UEs, the network has almost no need to concern about resource management. Since the bearer modification hardly occurs, the costs of paging and signaling associated with the paging are not very high. For example, the possibility that the UE-AMBR, the APN-AMBR, or the GBR for the dedicated bearer is modified is low. Regarding MTC devices, however, given that a large number of MTC devices are present, the network sends more bearer modification messages when there is a group bandwidth upper limit or a special technique for efficient resource management (technique employed in the network to accommodate M2M communication that requires an extremely large number of MTC device connections).
Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a method of reassigning a bandwidth from a first device to a second device in the case where the first device does not use the bandwidth. It is assumed here that the devices perform group communication. Patent Document 1 also discloses a method of achieving efficient bandwidth use by transferring a bandwidth which is not used in one device to another device.
Patent Document 2 listed below discloses a method of realizing a communication mechanism of a group communication model that allows only one device in a group to perform communication. In this method, a priority mechanism is covered by a method of using priority in initial access control. Interrupt priority for obtaining a higher priority device to be served is covered, too.
Patent Document 3 listed below discloses a method whereby communication priority is assigned to a terminal by an authentication server upon attachment. It is assumed that the assigned communication priority is notified from the authentication server to a router, and also the communication priority is appended to a packet sent from the terminal. Upon detecting the packet to which the communication priority is appended, the router processes the packet by a special method. The router also performs access control of a high priority terminal based on communication priority.
Patent Document 4 listed below discloses a method of appropriately addressing group devices. A transport network includes a flexible topology for internally defining transport elements. The transport elements each include a port group having a plurality of geographically distributed ports from the transport network. Point-to-multipoint connectivity is defined between the ports in a port group. An identifier represents the port group as a single element to internal and/or external elements for protocol exchanges.

Communication device, network node, and communication server

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA