A method of continual learning in an artificial intelligence system through bi-level optimization includes providing a stored data sample of a current task and providing a neural network subdivided into two parts including a parameter part and a hyper-parameter part. The method further includes performing bi-level optimization by separately training the two parts of the neural network. The neural network has been trained, prior to the bi-level optimization, on data samples of previous tasks.

Artificial intelligence systems (also called "machine learning systems") can be configured to learn a specific task from labeled examples (e.g., labeled input-output data pairs) as in supervised learning or training, from both labeled and unlabeled examples as in semi-supervised learning or training, and through a generic feedback function as in reinforcement learning or training. Franceschi et al., "Forward and Reverse Gradient-Based Hyper-parameter Optimization," ArXiv:1703.01785 [Stat], (Mar. 6, 2017), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, studied procedures (reverse-mode and forward-mode) for computing the gradient of the validation error with respect to the hyper-parameters of an iterative learning algorithm such as stochastic gradient descent.
Eventually, a trained system might be exposed to a new and unfamiliar environment (also called a "new task") in which the desired distribution of input and output data is different than the distribution of input and output data encountered during training. Examples of new tasks are when a trained robot operates in a new environment or when new categories (e.g., classifications) are added to trained image recognition system.
Within machine learning, the field of continual learning endeavors to finds an architecture and a learning or training algorithm that allows the learning of new tasks while not forgetting the past tasks, without the necessity to store the previous experience, re-train the full network or store multiple networks per task. Riemer et al., "Learning to Learn without Forgetting by Maximizing Transfer and Minimizing Interference" ArXiv:1810.11910 [Cs, Stat], (Oct. 28, 2018), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, found a lack of performance when it comes to continual learning over non-stationary distributions of data.

Continual learning of artificial intelligence systems based on bi-level optimization


The invention relates to a method, devices and reagents which are used for Fenton reaction-based wastewater treatment. According to the invention, the oxidation reaction of the organic material with the oxygenated water is performed in the main oxidation reactor (12) in the presence of metallic catalysts. The Fenton reaction takes place in the reactor at absolute pressure of between 1 Kg/cm2 and 1.5 Kg/cm2 and at a temperature of between 110° C. and 120° C. Once treated and cooled, the effluent is conveyed to zone D to a neutralising tank (6) in which the pH is increased to a value greater than seven, thereby causing precipitation of the hydroxides. In addition, safety checks are carried out automatically.

This invention relates to a method, devices and reagents for Fenton reaction-based wastewater purification.
Despite the significant advances in the search for greater efficiency and productivity of the chemical processes involved in biodegradability, the treatment of industrial effluents containing organic contaminants remains a serious problem to be solved.
There is great concern in the search for economic alternatives that permit effective degradation of the organic load and its toxicity. A particularly important alternative is chemical treatment with agents that transform organic contaminants into harmless compounds, carbon dioxide and water by means of an oxidation process.
In 1894, Fenton discovered the oxidation of organic molecules in an aqueous solution by the simultaneous addition of a water-soluble iron catalyst and hydrogen peroxide (Walling C., "Fenton's Reagent Revisited," Accounts of Chemical Research, Vol. 8, No. 5. 125-131 (1977)).
The Fenton reaction (hydrogen peroxide in the presence of iron salts) consists of the oxidation of the organic matter contained in effluents using hydroxyl radicals resulting from the controlled decomposition of the peroxygenated water as an oxidizing agent. The iron acts as a hydrogen peroxide activator, generating hydroxyl radicals with an oxidation potential greater than that of permanganate.H2O2+Fe+2→Fe+3+OH−+HOo
The Fenton reaction degrades the organic matter into increasingly simpler compounds until reaching the final formation of CO2 and H2O.
The global reaction is as follows:CnHm+(4n+m)/2H2O→n CO2 +(2n+m)H2O
The stoichiometric consumption of the H2O depends on the oxidation of the organic materials, which defines the chemical oxygen demand (COD). The presence of free H2O2 and chlorides in the effluent interferes with the COD analysis, which makes it advisable to use the TOC (Total Organic Carbon) as the control analysis.
Patent documents describe wastewater purification via treatment with Fenton reagent, such as, for example, European publication number EP0022525, which defines a process for decreasing the chemical oxygen demand of effluents by treating them with oxygenated water in the presence of a transition metal.
The Japanese patent with publication number JP56113400 defines a wastewater treatment that decomposes the organic matter by adding iron salts and oxygenated water and heating to 50° C.-70° C. for more than 60 minutes. It is subsequently treated, under agitation, with an anionic exchange resin that adsorbs the decomposed substances.
Document DE4314521 describes a process for continuous or discontinuous operations for purifying industrial wastewater contaminated with organic matter by means of the addition of hydrogen peroxide and a homogenous catalyst, preferably Fenton reagent. The reaction is carried out at 35° C.-40° C.
The method, devices, and purification reagents of this invention optimize the oxidation of organic contaminants in wastewater under conditions advantageous for the treatment of flows that may be elevated.

Methods, devices and reagents for wastewater treatment


The disclosure refers to a lid in the form of a building block, including a side wall, top surface with an internal wall and an external wall, the base of the lid, one or more male pins and one or more female openings, with their longitudinal axes placed in a direction that is essentially parallel to the internal section of the side wall provided with a lid fixing element to the package to be closed, in which one or more male pins have an external diameter of (4.8±0.1) millimeters, of (6.5±0.1) millimeters, or of (9.4±0.2) millimeters, and one or more female openings which have an internal diameter of (4.8±0.1) millimeters, of (6.5±0.1) millimeters or of (9.4±0.2) millimeters.

Packaging lids in the form of building blocks are known and have been described in several patent publications: EP2489605, WO2011153598, CN202046587U, RU106605, RU108024, WO201023652, U.S. Pat. No. 8,187,050, BR200802245, GB2410493, CN2706417U, CN2571697U, WO200205918, WO200168210, WO200055063, WO9967151, BR9802607, WO9948582, WO9936332, U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,919, DE8003690, U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,456, IL41948, U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,247.
They have also been described in various industrial designs: BR-DI7002250-0, BR-DI7002421-9, BR-DI7002422-7, BR-DI7002423-5, BR-DI7002424-3, BR-DI7002425-1, BR-DI7002426-0, BR-DI7002427-8, BR-DI7002428-6, BR-DI7002429-4, BR-DI7002430-8, BR-DI7003736-1, BR-DI7003737-0, BR-DI7003738-8, BR-DI7003739-6, BR-DI7003740-0, BR-DI7003741-8, BR-DI7003742-6, BR-DI7003743-4, BR-DI7003744-2, BR-DI7003745-0, BR-DI7003746-9, BR-DI7003747-7, BR-DI7005906-3, BR-DI7005907-1, BR-DI7005908-0, BR-DI7005909-8, BR-DI7005910-1, BR-DI7005911-0, BR-DI7005912-8, BR-DI7005913-6, BR-DI7005914-4, BR-DI7005915-2, BR-DI7005916-0, BR-DI7005917-9, BR-DI7005918-7, BR-DI7005919-5, BR-DI7005920-9, BR-DI7005921-7, BR-DI7005922-5, BR-DI7005923-3, BR-DI7005924-1, BR-DI7005925-0, BR-DI7102727-0, BR-DI7102833-1, CN-201230100653.9, WO-D053490-002, WO-D053490-003 and WO-D053490-004.
Although they have several ways of fitting together, the problem with the lids that are the current state-of-the-art is their lack of versatility in assembly and compatibility with building block-type toys that already exist, especially with building block-type toys under the LEGO®, LEGO® DUPLO® brands, or other similar compatible brands.
Building block-type toys sold under the LEGO® and LEGO® DUPLO® brands are probably the most widely distributed internationally. Their success may be at least partially attributed to the standards regarding sizes, shape and spatial distribution of the basic connections. More recently, success has also been due to the large number of electromechanical accessories, people, moving parts, and special shapes.
This disclosure solves problems in the current state-of-the-art by making lids of building blocks compatible with building block-type toys in the LEGO® and/or LEGO® DUPLO® lines, and vice versa. At the same time, it allows assembly of varied sets comprised of just lids. In optional complementary features, this disclosure also provides building block-type lids that are compatible with building blocks of the LEGO® and/or LEGO® DUPLO® lines that minimize undesired connection problems between lids, for example, when they are stacked linearly in certain package-closing machines. It also has optional building block-type lids that are compatible with building blocks from the LEGO® and/or LEGO® DUPLO® lines that bypass potential connection impossibility problems that could occur due to the mismatch of constitutive elements of two or more lids to be fitted together.

Lid shaped as a building block, use thereof and method for producing the same


An analog front-end circuit capable of dynamically adjusting gain includes a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) circuit, a sensor, a calculation circuit, a gain coarse control circuit and a gain fine control circuit. The PGA circuit includes an amplifier, a gain coarse adjustment circuit and a gain fine adjustment circuit. The gain coarse adjustment circuit is controlled by a coarse control signal, and a gain is adjusted in a coarse step according to an initial gain. The gain fine adjustment circuit is controlled by a fine control signal in a data mode, and the gain is adjusted in a fine step. The calculation circuit calculates a primary gain adjustment and a secondary gain adjustment. The gain coarse control circuit generates the coarse control signal according to the primary gain adjustment, and the gain fine control circuit generates the fine control signal according to the secondary gain adjustment.

In the existing analog front-end (AFE) system, after receiving an input signal, the input signal will be enlarged or reduced to optimize a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) while avoiding clipping or saturation of an output signal.
After an initial gain is determined according to signal strength by the AFE system in a handshake mode, the input signal is amplified with the initial gain consistently. If the AFE system is affected by temperature drift, the signal strength will change, which may affect the SNR optimization of the entire AFE system, and even cause clipping or saturation to the output signal, resulting in a sharp drop in the SNR of the AFE system. If a communication system is used as an example, packet loss may occur.
However, if the gain of the AFE system is arbitrarily adjusted under normal operation, various transient responses will be generated during a transition process of the gain and the SNR will change instantaneously. For the communication system, packet loss immediately occurs. Although the SNR optimization can be completed after the AFE system is stabilized, the transient response caused by switching the gain has already caused irreparable packet loss, and if the gain of the AFE system is continuously adjusted dynamically, packet loss continuously occurs.
Therefore, improving a gain adjustment mechanism to avoid drastic changes in the SNR of the AFE system caused by dynamically adjusting the gain has become an important issue to be solved in the arts.

Analog front-end circuit capable of dynamically adjusting gain


A highly basic particle flux for submerged arc welding that produces less than 7 ml/100 gr of diffusible hydrogen in the weld metal, which flux comprises a carbon dioxide containing compound with an effective amount of heat releasable carbon dioxide in the range of 0.5-3.5% by weight of the flux over 10% by weight of a low melting point compound and a binder.

A highly basic granular flux for submerged arc welding is normally classified as H8 or H16 (as per AWS A4.3-93) when used with various AWS classes of electrodes. Consequently, the existing granular flux for submerged arc welding results in relatively high diffusible hydrogen in the weld metal. It is a well documented fact in the technical literature that a high diffusible hydrogen level makes the weld metal more prone to hydrogen assisted cold cracking (HACC). Achieving a low weld metal diffusible hydrogen level is now more critical due to the recent trend toward higher strength steels. Also, it is a known fact that a low nitrogen level in the weld metal enhances the weld mechanical properties, especially the weld metal toughness. Given the applications they are used in, having high toughness levels is critical for highly basic flux. Good slag removal is also important for highly basic fluxes, especially in narrow deep grooves of the type used in off shore welding, ship building, pressure vessel and wind tower constructions. In these structural fabrication environments, a narrow groove is provided in heavy metal workpieces with a thickness substantially greater than about 0.5 inches. With a narrow groove, as used on the European continent and relatively tight grooves, as used elsewhere, the first pass of a submerged arc welding process involves depositing a substantial amount of molten metal in a very deep, narrow groove. Thus, it is a disadvantage to have a flux that creates a slag that does not easily release from the molten metal bead and a bead with high diffusible hydrogen and inclusions of nitrogen. With all of these strict requirements for a deep groove weld bead, the flux is an essential element to be controlled in the combination of granular flux with any submerged arc welding electrode. The flux must be formulated and physically designed to produce low hydrogen, low nitrogen and acceptable slag removal. This type of flux must be capable of use with a wide variety of various electrodes without deteriorating the physical characteristic of the weld metal or the removability of the covering slag. All of these requirements of a submerged arc flux for use in deep narrow grooves have resulted in very high cost flux even though this costly flux is not necessary during the subsequent welding passes. Thus, there is a need for a low cost, granular flux to be used with a variety of electrodes in a deep groove submerged arc welding process which will result in quality weld metal as well as excellent slag removability in the toe crevices of the resulting bead. Such flux can therefore be used for deep groove submerged arc welding and is still economical for the filler passes of the groove.
There is provided a highly basic submerged arc flux having a basicity index B.I. greater than 2.0 and preferably about 2.6 per the Boniszewski formula:
      B    .    I    .    =                    0.5                          (                                    Fe                            O                        +            MnO                    )                    +      CaO      +      MgO      +                        Na          2                        O            +                        K          2                        O            +              CaF        2                            SiO        2            +              0.5                          (                                    TiO              2                        +                          ZrO              2                        +                                                            (                                      A                                        l                                    )                                2                                                          O                3                                              )
This highly basic submerged arc flux, in accordance with the present invention, generates less than 4 ml/100 g of diffusible hydrogen in the weld metal deposit. Thus, the highly basic submerged arc flux of the present invention is classified as an H4 flux (as per AWS A 4.3-93) with a diffusible hydrogen level less than 4.0. The flux is primarily used for the bottom weld of a deep groove. In the past, the basic submerged arc fluxes used economically in the deep groove environment had a basicity index of less than 2.0 calculated using the Boniszewski formula. The highly basic fluxes with a basicity index >2.0 that were used in the deep groove environment were either expensive or it was costly to remove the slag. By formulating the submerged arc granular flux as provided by the invention, a low cost highly basic flux is obtained with a classification of H4. This flux is compared to the prior highly basic fluxes having a classification of H8, or above. Thus, the present invention is the first highly basic H4 granulated flux for use in submerged arc that is not formulated by high priced ingredients or techniques making the flux economical in only the most restricted submerged arc welding operations. In the field, with multiple passes, the operator uses only one flux. In the past this need for a single flux was a costly necessity.
The present invention employs a low cost H4 classified granular flux which can be used successfully in the bottom of a narrow deep gap and that is also cost effective for use in subsequent submerged arc passes of a deep groove. There is no need for a special high cost submerged arc granular flux to be used in the deep bead while employing a less expensive granular flux in the upper weld passes filling a deep narrow groove. The present invention utilizes low cost constituents and is processed in accordance with standard technology to produce a weld metal that has low diffusible hydrogen and excellent slag removal even at the bottom of a narrow deep groove. The narrow deep groove used mainly in Europe, but also in other places for off shore welding and other high strength structural welding employs an extremely narrow groove to reduce the cost of the weld. This narrow groove requires a good slag removal, especially on the first pass. It is difficult to remove the slag from the bottom of a deep groove, when the groove is extremely narrow. A less restrictive, but still challenging narrow groove configuration has a wall angle of about 30°; however, this is still a type of deep groove submerged arc welding with the requirement of good slag removal and low diffusible hydrogen obtained by the present invention. The slag from these deep narrow grooves is often removed by a hand operation; therefore, resistance to removal must be slight, if any. Furthermore, the slag residue must not penetrate into the toe between the first pass and the sidewalls of the narrow, deep groove.
The present invention provides a weld in the lower area of a narrow, deep groove which weld is essentially clean with no residue. Since the cost of the granular flux of the present invention is generally commensurate with normal submerged arc flux, the novel flux can be used economically in all passes in the narrow groove. There is no technical or economical reason to use different fluxes for the various welding passes in the deep groove.
The novel flux is used for double ending pipe sections to produce quality welds preparatory to the joined sections being removed from the welding shop for pipeline construction in the field. The flux is used in off shore welding, structural fabrication, pressure vessels, ship building and wind towers. Its use results in low diffusible hydrogen levels in the weld metal, which hydrogen level is defined as being under 4 ml/100 grams of weld metal. This novel flux is designed to deliver easy deep groove slag removal and yields excellent weld metal toughness. The new flux provides hydrogen levels of less than H4 classification as per AWS A4.3-93. Tests indicate easier deep groove slag removal than other fluxes in this basicity. The basicity index for the preferred embodiment is 2.6 and the particle size is generally between 10 mesh and 60 mesh, indicating that the particle size is in the general range of 250-2,000 microns. This particle size produces a packing density or "apparent density" of the flux pile that optimizes the flux burden. The flux burden is well balanced between allowing gaseous removal and covering the molten metal weld bead prior to solidification. The recommended electrode for use in submerged arc welding with the new flux for mild steel under AWS A5.17-97 includes EM 13 K, EH 11K, EH 12K, EM 12K and EM 14K. When used in a submerged arc welding process requiring low alloy electrodes as per AWS A5.23-97, the new flux is used with electrodes ENi 1K, EF2, EF3, ENi 5, EA3K, EB2, EB3 and EM2 as well as other low alloy and mild steel electrodes and similar electrodes as classified under Euronorm and ISO standards. The use of the novel flux in combination with electrodes mentioned above is representative of different welding processes. In all instances, the diffusible hydrogen is less than 4 ml/100 grams. To accomplish the results attributed to the new low cost highly basic flux, the flux includes a special blend of specific ingredients together with common flux ingredients well known for producing a highly basic flux. By using the specific ingredients a H4 highly basic flux is provided with excellent slag removal characteristics.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a highly basic granular or particle flux. This flux is used for arc welding especially in the lower portion of a narrow, deep groove in a thick plate, such as a plate with a thickness of generally over about 0.5 inches. This flux produces less than 7 ml/100 grams of diffusible hydrogen in the weld metal. In accordance with the invention, this novel flux is classified as H4 and comprises a carbon dioxide containing compound with an effective amount of heat releasable carbon dioxide in the range of 0.5-3.5% by weight of the flux. The preferable range is 0.9-1.5% by weight. In this manner, the heat during the arc welding process releases a high volume of carbon dioxide for migration into a surrounding atmosphere. The carbon dioxide is also used for agitating the molten weld metal to assist in the removal of diffusible hydrogen and to obtain an excellent smooth appearance of the resulting bead. The flux also includes over 15% by weight of a low melting point compound and a liquid binder to form the cakes that are ground into the resulting granular flux. The low melting point compounds drastically improve slag removal after the welding operation and cooperates with the high release of carbon dioxide to produce a clean weld bead with an excellent appearance. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the highly basic flux, as defined above, includes low melting point compounds which are in the form of a silicate or a fluoride. Indeed, the preferred low melting point compound is a silicate, such as sodium, potassium and manganese silicate or combinations of such silicates.
As can be seen, the invention involves a granular highly basic flux that releases a high volume of carbon dioxide and also includes, in combination, a relatively large volume of low melting point material that assist with the releasability of the resulting slag. The slag is agitated by the upwardly and outwardly moving carbon dioxide providing a protective atmosphere around the slag formation.
The flux, as defined above, can be modified to have a particular particle size so that at least 90% of the particles are in the range of a 10-100 mesh screen size. This grading of the particles provides an apparent density of the flux after it has been manufactured whereby the flux pile over the molten metal of the weld bead has a controlled balance between covering the bead and allowing upward movement of gas from the bead and from the flux forming the slag over the bead. To produce this apparent density, or packing density, of the deposited flux pile, the grading provides a broad particle size where over 70% of the particles are in the range of the 10-60 mesh screen size.
The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a low cost highly basic flux for submerged arc welding, which flux is classified as an H4 flux and comprises a carbon dioxide containing compound with an effective amount of heat releasable carbon dioxide to be released during the welding operation to form a carbon dioxide atmosphere around the weld metal and to agitate the molten weld metal and melted slag.
Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a highly basic, low cost flux for submerged arc welding that produces a low amount of diffusible hydrogen and a slag which is easily removed, especially for deep, narrow groove welding operations.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a flux for submerged arc welding, which flux produces a low diffusible hydrogen level and has excellent slag removal for deep groove welding operations. The resulting weld metal also has excellent weld metal toughness and low cold cracking characteristics.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a flux, as defined above, which flux has an apparent density that covers the molten metal but allows movement of gas upwardly through the flux as it is being melted for forming slag.
Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a flux, as defined above, which flux provides superior deep groove slag removal, can be used in multiple pass mild steel weldments requiring low temperature impact toughness and in multiple pass low alloy steel weldments requiring low temperature impact toughness. Furthermore, the resulting weld metal formed by submerged arc welding can be used in stress relieved applications.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings.


An electric power steering device provides an appropriate power assist from the motor even when torque sensors have failed and the steering torque is no longer detected. If an error is detected in a torque sensor, the motor is driven based on the rotor rotation angle detected by a resolver and assist characteristics. When the absolute value of the rotor turning angle velocity calculated based on the rotor rotation angle falls to or below a prescribed value, a process is started for reducing the current driving the motor, and if the state in which the absolute value of the rotor turning angle velocity has fallen to or below the prescribed value continues over a prescribed length of time, the process for reducing the current is interrupted and, because an assist current was flowing at said time of interruption, an appropriate power assist can be given during a steering retention period.

Steering forces applied to a steering wheel by the operator are detected by a torque sensor that is mounted on a steering shaft coupled to the steering wheel. Based on the steering forces (steering torque) detected by the torque sensor, a controller of an electric power steering apparatus energizes an electric motor (hereinafter simply referred to as "motor"), which generates an assistive torque. The electric power steering apparatus transmits the generated assistive torque through a worm gear speed reducer mechanism, etc. to the steering shaft (steering system) for thereby reducing the steering forces that are applied to the steering wheel by the operator.
One known form of the torque sensor, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3055752 (JP3055752B2) and Japanese Patent No. 2830992 (JP2830992B2), includes a torsion bar interconnecting an input shaft and an output shaft, and a core engaging the input shaft and the output shaft. When a torque is applied between the input and output shafts, the core is displaced, and the displacement of the core is electrically detected by a detecting coil. Another known torque sensor, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3964414 (JP3964414B2) and Japanese Patent No. 4057552 (JP4057552B2), includes magnetostrictive films disposed on a steering shaft, and detecting coils for detecting a change in the magnetic characteristics of the magnetostrictive films. A torque applied to the steering shaft is electrically detected by the detecting coils.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 06-096389 (JPH06-096389B2) discloses a technology which, in the event of a failure of a torque sensor, cancels assisting of a steering force by the motor and makes a steering system manually operable when the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a prescribed speed, and controls the motor depending on a steering angular velocity calculated from an output signal from a steering angle sensor when the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the prescribed speed.


The present invention provides a plasma treatment system having a reaction chamber in which a plasma is generated to be irradiated onto a sample held on a sample holder in the reaction chamber. The reaction chamber has a top covered by a dielectric plate. The plasma treatment system also has an opposite electrode having a plurality of windows through which microwave is transmitted into the reaction chamber for causing the plasma, wherein the opposite electrode is provided over a top surface of the dielectric plate so that the opposite electrode is separated by the dielectric plate from the plasma generated in the reaction chamber.

The present invention provides a plasma treatment system, and more particularly to a plasma treatment system for etching a semiconductor substrate and for plasma-treating a semiconductor thin film in manufacturing processes for electric devices and semiconductor devices.
The plasma treating system has a vacuum reaction chamber kept in a low gas pressure. A microwave is introduced into the reaction chamber to cause a gas discharge for causing a plasma which is to be irradiated onto a sample "S" such as a semiconductor substrate for etching the semiconductor substrate and for growing a semiconductor thin film. For drying etching technique and growth of a semiconductor thin film, it is required to control both the microwave for generation of the plasma and a power for acceleration of ions in plasma generated independently.
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional elevation view illustrative of a conventional plasma treatment system which is capable of controlling the generation of plasma and acceleration of ions in the plasma independently. The conventional plasma treatment system has a reaction chamber 1 which is rectangular-shaped and made of a metal such as aluminum and stainless steel. In the reaction chamber 1, a sample stage 8 is provided which has a sample holder 7 which holds a sample to be treated with plasma. A high frequency power 9 is provided which is electrically connected to the sample holder 7 for applying a high frequency voltage to the sample S. The sample stage 8 is provided on a bottom wall of the reaction chamber 1. Side walls of the reaction chamber 1 are formed thickly so that electrical heaters 15 are provided within the side walls of the reaction chamber 1. The heaters 15 are electrically connected to a heater power 19 for supplying a power to the heaters 15 so that the heaters 15 heat up inner space of the reaction chamber 1. Sheet type rubber heaters 16 is also provided on the bottom of the opposite end portions of the opposite electrode 11 for heating up the opposite electrode 11 for preventing deposition from adhesion on the opposite electrode 11. The sheet type rubber heater 16 is also connected to the heater power supply 19. A gas supply tube 13 is provided on a side wall of the reaction chamber 1 for supplying a reaction gas into the reaction chamber 1 so that the microwave is irradiated onto the a reaction gas introduced to cause a plasma. A discharge tube 12 is also provided on the side wall of the reaction chamber 1 for discharging the used gas from the reaction chamber 1. A dielectric film is provided on the top of the reaction chamber 1 which is made of a microwave-permissible dielectric such as quartz glass or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 having a small dielectric loss and a high heat resistivity. The sample holder 7 serves as a cathode to be supplied with the high frequency power from the high frequency power supply 9. On the bottom surface of the dielectric film 2, an opposite electrode 11 serving as an anode and being made of aluminum is provided which has a plurality of windows through which microwaves are transmitted into the reaction chamber 1. The opposite electrode is also contacted with the side wall of the reaction chamber 1 and the side wall of the reaction chamber 1 is grounded by a ground line 10 so as to allow a strain free electric field to be generated between the electrodes and allow a uniform bias voltage on the sample S. A dielectric line 3 is provided which extends to cover the dielectric film 2 and to be spaced apart from the dielectric film 2. The dielectric line 3 comprises a dielectric layer made of a dielectric having a small dielectric loss such as fluorine resin. A metal plate 4 made of a metal such as aluminum is provided which laminates on the top of the dielectric line 3. The metal plate 4 extends not only over the top surface of the dielectric line 3 but also on the end of the dielectric line 3 for sealing the end of the dielectric line 3. A waveguide 6 is provided which is connected with the dielectric line 3 for guiding the transmission or propagation of the microwave. A microwave oscillator 5 is provided which is connected to the waveguide 6 for generating the microwave which is to be transmitted or propagated through the waveguide 6 and the dielectric line 3 and also through the microwave-permissible dielectric plate 2 and the windows 14 into the inner space of the reaction chamber 1 so that the microwave is irradiated onto the reaction gas introduced to cause the plasma which is to be irradiated onto the sample for plasma treatment.
The above plasma treatment system is operated as follows. The used gas us discharged through the discharge tube 12 to reduce the pressure of the gas in the reaction chamber 1 at a predetermined value. Thereafter, the fresh reaction gas is introduced through the gas supply tube 13 into the reaction chamber 1. A microwave is generated by the microwave generator 5. The generated microwave is then introduced through the waveguide 6 into the dielectric line 3 whereby an electric field is generated in the space positioned under the dielectric line 3. The generated electric field is transmitted through the microwave-permissible dielectric plate 2 and the windows 14 of the opposite electrode 11 into the inner space of the reaction chamber 1. Since the reaction gas has been introduced into the inner space, the electric field or the microwave is applied to the reaction gas whereby a plasma is caused. On the other hand, the high frequency voltage is applied to the sample holder 7 holding the sample S for causing a bias voltage on the surface of the sample S so that the bias voltage controls energy of ions in the plasma generated. The bias voltage causes the ions of the plasma to be irradiated onto the top surface of the sample S in the right angle to the top surface of the sample S for plasma treatment of the sample S.
FIG. 2 is a plane view illustrative of the opposite electrode 11 having stripe shaped windows 14. The sheet type rubber heater 16 is provided on the peripheral portion of the opposite electrode 11. The opposite electrode 11 made of aluminum is exposed to the plasma generated in the inner space of the reaction chamber 1. The opposite electrode is made of an aluminum-based material and is coated with alumite. The exposure of the opposite electrode made of the aluminum-based material causes a clack on the alumite coating layer on the opposite electrode whereby aluminum of the opposite electrode reacts with fluorine in the reaction gas to form AlF.sub.3 which is dust particles.
As examination, 25 dummy wafers have been treated under conditions of CF.sub.4 /CH.sub.2 F.sub.2 =40/40 sccm,.mu./RF=1300/600 W and 2 minutes of exposure of the plasma. Immediately thereafter, the dummy wafers are carried in the reaction chamber 1 during which the reaction gas is blown under the condition of CF.sub.4 /CH.sub.2 F.sub.2 =40/40 sccm without generation of plasma. About 20000 dust particles of 0.4 micrometers in diameter have been observed on the wafer of 8 inches in diameter. The dust particles were analyzed by an X-ray photo-electro spectroscopic analyzer to determine the dust particles to be AlF.sub.3. It was confirmed that the provision of the opposite electrode 11 made of aluminum-based material in the reaction chamber 1 to expose the opposite electrode 11 to the plasma results in generation of many dust particles of AlF.sub.3.
The dielectric plate 2 is made of the quartz or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and has a thickness of 2 cm. Since quartz glass and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 have large heat capacities, the temperature of the dielectric plate 2 is increased up to the saturation temperature by the plasma treatment carried out in the reaction chamber 1. The increase in temperature of the dielectric plate 2 causes the deposition to release or discharge from the dielectric plate 2. This provides a great deal of influence to the etching properties, for example, the etching rate and selective ratio of etching are changed.
As examination, 7 dummy wafers of polysilicon have been treated under conditions of CF.sub.4 /CH.sub.2 F.sub.2 =40/40 sccm,.mu./RF=1300/600 W and 2 minutes of exposure of the plasma during which variations in etching rate of the polysilicon wafer and temperature of the center portion of the dielectric plate for every wafers have been obverted. The heat resistive dielectric plate 2 has been preheated by the heater 15 provided in the reaction chamber 1 and also by the sheet-type rubber heater 16 provided on the peripheral portion of the opposite electrode 6, wherein the heaters 15 and 16 have been set at a temperature of 170.degree. C. Notwithstanding, the center portion of the dielectric film 2 has a temperature of 143.degree. C. This means it difficult to realize a uniform heating up of the dielectric plate 2 by use of the rubber heater 16. The measured variations in etching rate of the individual polysilicon wafers and in temperature of the individual dielectric films are shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ Number of wafers 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ______________________________________ Temperature 143 158 163 165 174 176 178 177 (.degree. C.) Etching-Rate 542 438 396 390 386 386 389 385 (A/min) ______________________________________
In the above circumstances, it had been required to provide a plasma treatment system for treating a semiconductor wafer or a semiconductor thin film with a plasma, which is capable of preventing generation of dust particles and of keeping a dielectric film provided in the system at a constant temperature without variation in temperature of a center portion of the dielectric film.


An internal combustion engine may include a hydraulic linkage used to transfer motion from a valve train element, such as a cam, to an engine valve. Method and apparatus for selectively limiting the motion transferred by the hydraulic linkage from the valve train element to the engine valve are disclosed. The hydraulic linkage may comprise means for resetting or clipping the displacement of the engine valves into the engine cylinder following a compression release event. The hydraulic linkage may also limit the displacement of the engine valves into the engine cylinder for main exhaust and/or other valve events, as well as limit the overlap between a main exhaust valve event and an intake valve event.

Engine retarders of the compression release-type are well-known in the art. Engine retarders are designed to convert, at least temporarily, an internal combustion engine of compression-ignition type into an air compressor. In doing so, the engine develops retarding horsepower to help slow the vehicle down. This can provide the operator increased control over the vehicle and substantially reduce wear on the service brakes of the vehicle. A properly designed and adjusted compression release-type engine retarder can develop retarding horsepower that is a substantial portion of the operating horsepower developed by the engine in positive power.
Safety, reliability and environmental demands have pushed the technology of compression release engine retarding significantly over the past 30 years. Compression release retarding systems are typically adapted to a particular engine in order to maximize the retarding horsepower that could be developed, consistent with the mechanical limitations of the engine system. In addition, over the decades during which these improvements were made, compression release-type engine retarders garnered substantial commercial success. Engine manufacturers have become more willing to embrace compression release retarding technology. Compression release-type retarders have continued to enjoy substantial and continuing commercial success in the marketplace. Accordingly, engine manufacturers have been more willing to make engine design modifications, in order to accommodate the compression release-type engine retarder, as well as to improve its performance and efficiency.
In addition to these pressures, environmental restrictions have forced engine manufacturers to explore a variety of new ways to improve the efficiency of their engines. These changes have forced a number of engine modifications. Engines have become smaller and more fuel efficient. Yet, the demands on retarder performance have often increased, requiring the compression release-type engine retarder to generate greater amounts of retarding horsepower under more limiting conditions.
As the market for compression release-type engine retarders has developed and matured, the aforementioned factors have pushed the direction of technological development toward a number of goals: securing higher retarding horsepower from the compression release retarder; working with, in some cases, lower masses of air deliverable to the cylinders through the intake system; and the inter-relation of various collateral or ancillary equipment, such as: silencers; turbochargers; and exhaust brakes. In addition, the market for compression release engine retarders has moved from the after-market, to original equipment manufacturers. Engine manufacturers have shown an increased willingness to make design modifications to their engines that would increase the performance and reliability and broaden the operating parameters of the compression release-type engine retarder.
Functionally, compression release-type retarders supplement the braking capacity of the primary vehicle wheel braking system. In so doing, it extends substantially the life of the primary (or wheel) braking system of the vehicle. The basic design for a compression release engine retarding system of the type involved with this invention is disclosed in Cummins, U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,392, issued November 1965.
The compression release-type engine retarder disclosed in the Cummins '392 patent employs a hydraulic system or linkage. The hydraulic linkage of a typical compression release-type engine retarder may be linked to the valve train of the engine. When the engine is under positive power, the hydraulic linkage may be disabled from providing valve actuation. When compression release-type retarding is desired, the hydraulic linkage is enabled such that valve actuation is provided by the hydraulic linkage responsive to an input from the valve train.
Among the hydraulic linkages that have been employed to control valve actuation (both in braking and positive power), are so-called "lost-motion" systems. Lost-motion, per se, is not new. It has been known that lost-motion systems are useful for variable valve control for internal combustion engines for decades. In general, lost-motion systems work by modifying the hydraulic or mechanical circuit connecting the actuator (typically the cam shaft) and the valve stem to change the length of that circuit and lose a portion or all of the cam actuated motion that would otherwise be delivered to the valve stem to actuate a valve opening event. In this way lost-motion systems may be used to vary valve event timing, duration, and the valve lift.
Compression release-type engine retarders may employ a lost motion system in which a master piston engages the valve train (e.g. a push tube, cam, or rocker arm) of the engine. When the retarder is engaged, the valve train actuates the master piston, which is hydraulically connected to a slave piston. The motion of the master piston controls the motion of the slave piston, which in turn may open the exhaust valve of the internal combustion engine at a point near the end of a piston's compression stroke. In doing so, the work that is done in compressing the intake air cannot be recovered during the subsequent expansion (or power) stroke of the engine. Instead, it is dissipated through the exhaust and radiator systems of the engine. By dissipating energy developed from the work done in compressing the cylinder gases, the compression release-type retarder dissipates the kinetic energy of the vehicle, which may be used to slow the vehicle down.
Regardless of the specific actuation means chosen, inherent limits were imposed on operation of the compression release-type retarder based on engine parameters. One such engine parameter is the physical relationship of an engine cylinder valve used for compression release braking and the piston in the same cylinder. If the extension of the valve into the cylinder was unconstrained during compression release braking, the valve could extend so far down into the cylinder that it impacts with the piston in the cylinder.
There may be a significant risk of valve-to-piston contact when a unitary cam lobe is used to impart the valve motion for both the compression release valve event and the main exhaust valve event. Use of a unitary cam lobe for both events means that the relatively large main exhaust lobe motion will be imparted to the hydraulic linkage, or more particularly to the slave piston. Because there is typically little or no lash between the slave piston and the exhaust valve, input of the main exhaust event motion to the slave piston may produce a greater than desired main exhaust event.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for avoiding the occurrence of valve-to-piston contact when a unitary cam lobe is used to impart the valve motion for both a compression release event and a main exhaust valve event. More particularly, there is a need for a system and method of limiting the stroke or displacement of a slave piston when a lost motion system is imparted with the motion from a main exhaust cam lobe.
One way of avoiding valve-to-piston contact as a result of using a unitary cam lobe for both compression release valve events and main exhaust valve events is to limit the motion of the slave piston which is responsible for pushing the valve into the cylinder during compression release braking. A device that may be used to limit slave piston motion is disclosed in Cavanagh, U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,787 (Aug. 23, 1983) for an Engine Retarder Hydraulic Reset Mechanism, which is incorporated herein by reference. Another device that may be used to limit slave piston motion is disclosed in Hu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,290 (Apr. 13, 1993) for a Compression Relief Engine Retarder Clip Valve, which is also incorporated herein by reference. Both of these (reset valves and clip valves) may comprise means for blocking a passage in a slave piston during the downward movement of the slave piston (such as the passage 344 of the slave piston 340 of FIG. 6). After the slave piston reaches a threshold downward displacement, the reset valve or clip valve may unblock the passage through the slave piston and allow the oil displacing the slave piston to drain there through, causing the slave piston to return to its upper position under the influence of a return spring.
A reset valve, such as the one disclosed in Cavanagh, may be provided as part of a lash adjuster or a slave piston. A reset valve may comprise a hydraulically actuated means for unblocking a passage through the slave piston to limit the displacement of the slave piston. In Cavanagh, compression release retarding is carried out by opening one of two valves connected by a crosshead member or bridge. A purpose of the reset valve used in Cavanagh is to reseat the exhaust valve used for the compression release event before a subsequent main exhaust valve event so that the rocker arm will not push down on an unbalanced crosshead during the main exhaust event and transmit a bending force to the crosshead guide pin or to the non-braking valve stem.
A clip valve, such as the one disclosed in Hu, may comprise a mechanically actuated means for unblocking the passage through the slave piston to limit the displacement of the slave piston. A purpose of the Hu clip valve is to enable a sharp hydraulic pulse to be applied to the slave piston to rapidly open an exhaust valve while maintaining an accurate limit on the extension of the slave piston.
FIG. 1 illustrates a system in which a cam section 110 is connected to valves 200 by both a hydraulic linkage 300 and a mechanical linkage 400. With reference to FIG. 1, the actuation provided by the hydraulic linkage 300, which may include a slave piston, during the main exhaust valve event may be further limited by providing the mechanical linkage 400 with a greater actuation ratio than that of the hydraulic linkage. For example, for each unit of linear motion input to the hydraulic and mechanical linkages, the hydraulic linkage may transfer 1.3 units of linear motion to the valve 200 while the mechanical linkage may transfer 1.5 units of linear motion. By differing the actuation ratios of the hydraulic and mechanical linkages, the mechanical linkage 400 may be able to make up the lash distance 410 and thereby dominate the actuation of the valve 200 during the main exhaust portion 114 of the cam lobe.
Use of a unitary cam lobe for both the compression release event and the main exhaust event may also result in excessive overlap between the opening of the exhaust valve for the main exhaust valve event and the opening of the intake valve for the main intake event. With reference to FIG. 3, when the main exhaust event is input to the slave piston, the exhaust valve motion may be represented by curve 520-620 and the overlap of the main exhaust event with the main intake event may be illustrated by the combined shaded areas 650 and 652. The overlap represented by areas 650 and 652 may dramatically reduce brake effectiveness because intake charge (mass) used for the subsequent compression release event may pass right through the cylinder and out the exhaust port.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for limiting and controlling the overlap between the main exhaust event and the main intake event when a unitary cam lobe is used to provide both a compression release event and the main exhaust event.
There also remains a significant need for a system and method for controlling the actuation of the exhaust valve in order to increase the effectiveness of and optimize the compression release retarding event. Further, there remains a significant need for a system that is able to perform that function over a wide range of engine operating parameters and conditions. In particular, there remains a need to "tune" the compression release-type retarder system in order to optimize its performance Whereas, exhaust valve actuation for retarding that can be provided by the existing cam profiles (valve or injector) may not produce this result.

Applied lost motion for optimization of fixed timed engine brake system


The present invention provides compositions and methods for isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding orally active Androctonus amoreuxi pesticidal polypeptides. Compositions include novel nucleotide sequences encoding Androctonus amoreuxi pesticidal polypeptides, and biologically active variants thereof. Further provided are methods for modulating the pesticide resistance of plants using the nucleotide sequences disclosed herein. One method comprises stably transforming into the genome of a plant cell a nucleotide sequence of the present invention operably linked to a heterologous promoter and regenerating a stably transformed plant that expresses the nucleotide sequence. An additional method comprises incorporating a nucleotide sequence of the present invention operably linked to a heterologous promoter into a microorganism and applying said microorganism to the environment of a plant.

Chemical insecticides are an integral component of modern agriculture, and are an effective means for reducing crop damage by controlling insect pests. However, chemical agents are under continuous scrutiny due to the potential for environmental contamination, selection of resistant populations of agronomic pests, and toxicity to non-target organisms such as beneficial insects, aquatic organisms, animals and humans. As a result, alternative strategies for insect control are being sought that are effective and yet benign to non-target populations and the environment. One of these strategies is to utilize the mechanisms of naturally occurring pathogens of target pest populations.
Examples of this type of strategy include the use of various forms of the δ-endotoxin produced by the soil dwelling microorganism Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) as pesticidal agents. These polypeptides have been found to be specifically toxic to particular insects, and microbial formulations have been used commercially for many years as foliarly applied insecticides. It has also recently been found that various forms of the Bt toxin can be toxic to insect pests when expressed inside the tissues of plants on which the insects feed.
Many arthropods express polypeptides capable of killing or incapacitating various pests. Therefore arthropods have been identified as a group of organisms producing polypeptides possessing pesticidal properties. In fact, scorpion venom contains insect-selective toxins affecting ion channels (Zlotkin et al. (1985) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 240:877-87). The toxicity of the different polypeptides operates through multiple pharmacological and biochemical pathways (Zlotkin et al. (1971) Biochimie (Paris), 53:1073-1078).
Transgenic dicot plants expressing a toxin obtained from Androctonus australis scorpions have been created (U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,308). The AaIT expressing plants have been crossbred to transgenic plants carrying Bt δ-endotoxin yielding plants with two independent insect-specific toxin traits (U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,308).
Insects predominate as rice pests throughout Asia and are most serious in tropical regions where over 60 species are pests. The most serious rice insect pests are commonly categorized as Homoptera (sucking pests such as leafhoppers and planthoppers) and Lepidoptera (stem borers and defoliators).
The identification of new pesticidal polypeptides is desirable for use in pest-management strategies. It is of particular importance to identify pesticidal toxins that are active against insect pests from the orders Homoptera and Lepidoptera, and against insects that have developed resistance to Bt toxins.

Isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding orally active androctonus amoreuxi pesticidal biopeptides


A manufacturing method of a semiconductor wafer package mainly comprises the following steps. Firstly, a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of bonding pads and a passivation layer exposing the bonding pads is provided. Next, under bump metallurgy layers are formed on each of the bonding pads respectively. Then, a mask is formed above the semiconductor wafer to expose the under bump metallurgy layers through each of the openings of the mask. Afterwards, a plurality of bump structures are disposed separately in the openings wherein each of the bump structures has a bump and a reinforced layer covering the bump. Finally, a reflow step is performed so that each of the reflowed bumps is connected to the corresponding under bump metallurgy layer and the reinforced layers are transformed into bump-reinforced collars to cover the under bump metallurgy layers and encompass the bumps. In addition, a semiconductor wafer package, which is formed by the manufacturing method, is provided.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor wafer package. More particularly, the present invention is related to a semiconductor wafer package having a plurality of solder bumps encompassed by a plurality of bump-reinforced collars respectively and the manufacturing method thereof.
2. Related Art
In this information explosion age, integrated circuits products are used almost everywhere in our daily life. As fabricating technique continue to improve, electronic products having powerful fictions, personalized performance and a higher degree of complexity are produced. Nowadays, most electronic products are relatively light and have a compact body. Hence, in semiconductor production, various types of high-density semiconductor packages, for example ball grid array package (BGA), chip-scale package (CSP), multi-chips module package (MCM) and flip chip package (F/C), have been developed.
However, as mentioned above, flip chip is one of the most commonly used techniques for forming an integrated circuits package. Compared with a wire-bonding package or a tape automated bonding (TAB) package, a flip-chip package has a shorter electrical path on average and has a better overall electrical performance. In said flip-chip package, the bonding pads on a chip and the contacts on a substrate are connected together through a plurality of bumps formed by the method of bumping process. It should be noted that there is further an under bump metallurgy layer disposed on the bonding pads of the chip to be regarded as a connection medium for connecting to the bumps and enhancing the mechanical strength of the connection of the chip to the substrate after said chip is attached to the substrate.
Moreover, said manufacturing method of a semiconductor wafer package is usually utilized in flip chip technology. Therein, a plurality of under bump metallurgy layers are formed on the corresponding bonding pads of the wafer respectively, and a plurality of solder balls or bumps are mounted onto the under bump metallurgy layers so as to be regarded as interconnections for electrically and mechanically connecting the chip and the substrate when the chip is flip-chip bonded to the substrate.
Referring to FIG. 1, it illustrates a partially cross-sectional view of a conventional semiconductor wafer 100. Therein, the semiconductor wafer 100 has a plurality of bonding pads 102 and a passivation layer 104 exposing the bonding pads 102. Moreover, under bump metallurgy layers 106 are formed on the bonding pads 102 respectively. After a semiconductor wafer 100 as shown above is provided, a plurality of reinforced layers 108 are formed on the under bump metallurgy layers 106, preferably, said reinforced layers 108 are located over the bonding pads 102. Afterwards, a plurality of solder bumps or solder balls 109 are disposed on the reinforced layers 108. Generally speaking, the reinforced layers are made of a material comprising polyimide, Benzocyclobutene (BCB) and polymer materials.
Next, referring to FIG. 1 again and FIG. 2, when the solder bumps 109 are performed a reflow process, the reflowed solder bumps 110 are securely attached to the under bump metallurgy layers 106 and said reinforced layers 108 are melted to be transformed into a plurality of bump-reinforced collars 112 to cover the periphery of each solder bumps 110 as shown in FIG. 2.
In general, each of the under bump metallurgy layers 106 mainly comprises an adhesive layer, a barrier layer and a wetting layer. The adhesive layer is utilized to enhance the mechanical strength of the connection of the bonding pad 102 to the barrier layer, wherein the material of the adhesive layer is made of aluminum or titanium. The barrier layer is utilized to avoid the diffusion of the underlying metal, wherein the material of the barrier layer usually includes nickel-vanadium alloy, nickel-copper alloy and nickel. In addition, the wetting layer, for example a copper layer, is utilized to enhance the wettability of the solder bump 109 with the under bump metallurgy layer 106. It should be noted that the under bump metallurgy layers 106 are formed through the processes of placing photo-resist, proceeding plating or sputtering metal on the surface of the semiconductor wafer 100 and etching the metal.
As mentioned above, there is needed the bump-reinforced collar 112 with a thickness not less than first-six of the diameter or the height of the reflowed solder bump 110 to well cover the reflowed solder bump 110 and enhance the mechanical reliability of the reflowed solder bump 110. To be noted, each of the reinforced layers 108 is disposed on the corresponding bonding pad 102 through printing process by using photo-mask and stencil, accordingly, said reinforced layer 108 is not well and equally distributed on the under bump metallurgy layer 106. Moreover, the solder bumps 109 are directly placed on the reinforced layers 108 before the bumps 109 are reflowed; and then the reinforced layers 108 are melted to be transformed into bump-reinforced collars 112 to partially cover and encompass the reflowed solder bumps 110 to have the reflowed solder bumps 110 securely attached to the under bump metallurgy layers 106 by penetrating the reinforced layers 108 after reflowing the solder bumps 110. Thus, the portion of each of the reflowed solder bumps 110 not covered by the bump-reinforced collar 112—is not substantially the same with each other. Namely, the height of each reflowed solder bump 110 encompassed by the reinforced collar 112 is not substantially the same with each other, for example H1 is different from H2 as shown in FIG. 2.
Per the above disadvantages, it will lower the mechanical reliability of the semiconductor wafer package and the combination of said chip of the semiconductor wafer package and substrate. Therefore, providing another method for forming bumps to solve the mentioned-above disadvantages is the most important task in this invention.

Semiconductor wafer package and manufacturing method thereof

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.


In an automatic transmission, a planetary gear set is disposed adjacently to an end cover and configured such that its inner peripheral face of a carrier is rotatably supported on an outer peripheral face of a boss portion provided at the end cover. A lubricating-oil supply passage comprises an oil passage formed from the end cover to the boss portion, an oil passage formed in the carrier so as to tightly connect to the oil passage at the inner face of the carrier, and an oil passage formed in the pinion shaft so as to tightly connect to the oil passage and reach an outer peripheral face of the pinion shaft. There is provided a lubricating oil supply means for supplying lubricating oil to the bearing portion via the above-descried lubricating-oil supply passage.

The present invention relates to an automatic transmission which may be installed to automotive vehicles, and in particular, relates to a lubrication structure of its transmission mechanism.
For such an automatic transmission, which achieves a multi-gear shift with selection of power transmission paths of the transmission mechanism, to which an engine output rotation is inputted via a torque converter, by selectively connecting plural frictional elements, it may be a problem how to supply lubricating oil to the rotational elements which constitute the transmission mechanism in order to improve functions, durability and the like.
In an automatic transmission which is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-214580, for example, for lubrication of a bearing portion of a pinion of a planetary gear set, lubricating oil which flows out of an oil hole, which is formed so as to extend in a radial direction from an oil passage which is formed at a center axis portion so as to extend in an axis direction, due to a centrifugal force is supplied into an oil passage which is formed in a carrier body of the planetary gear set, and then the lubricating oil is supplied to the lubrication portion between the pinion and a pinion shaft via an oil passage which is formed in the pinion shaft so as to extend in an axis direction and an oil hole which is formed so as to extend from the oil passage and reach an outer peripheral face of the pinion shaft.
According to the above-described automatic transmission, however, the lubricating oil having flowed out of the oil hole is discharged into a space in a transmission case, and then part of the lubricating oil is supplied into the oil passage of the carrier body, so that the lubricating oil may be supplied to not only the bearing portion of the pinion but other portions. Therefore, the supply amount of lubricating oil to the bearing portion of the pinion may change in accordance with respective rotational states of the rotational elements of the planetary gear set which include the above-described center axis portion and the like. As a result, there occurs a problem in that in case the pinion rotates at a high speed, the sufficient amount of lubricating oil would not be supplied to the bearing portion of the pinion, resulting in a poor wear resistance for the pinion and the pinion shaft.


Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with objectively predicting biochemical recurrence (BCR) with cell orientation entropy (COrE) are described. One example apparatus includes a set of logics that associate directional disorder with a risk of biochemical recurrence in a tissue. A first logic detects a cell in the tissue, segments boundaries of the cell, and calculates a cell direction for the cell. A second logic constructs a localized sparsified subgraph whose nodes represent centroids of the cells, defines pairwise spatial relationships between the cells, and constructs a directional co-occurrence matrix based on the spatial relationships. A third logic derives second order statistical features from the co-occurrence matrix, and produces a BCR risk score as a function of the second order statistical features. The second order statistical features include the entropy of the directional organization of the cells.

Nearly 60,000 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (CaP) in the United States undergo radical prostatectomy (RP) each year. For 15-40% of these patients, biochemical recurrence (BCR) of the prostate cancer occurs within five years of surgery. Gleason scoring is a pathological grading system based on visual analysis by a pathologist of glandular and nuclear morphology. Gleason scoring is currently regarded as the best biomarker for predicting CaP aggressiveness and long-term post-surgical patient outcome. However, the post-surgical outcome of CaP patients with the same intermediate Gleason scores can vary significantly. For example, patients with a Gleason score of 7 may have a 5-year BCR survival rate as low as 43%. Consequently, detecting BCR shortly after surgery may facilitate determining whether other treatments are necessary, and, if necessary, are initiated. Furthermore, Gleason scoring is subjective and is, therefore, susceptible to considerable inter-reviewer variability. Due to these limitations of Gleason scoring, other post-operative nomograms have been developed for predicting CaP aggressiveness and long-term post-surgical patient outcome.
Conventional methods for determining the extent and severity of cancer have involved a pathologist performing microscopic evaluation of histological images to determine a qualitative grade, e.g. a Gleason score. While conventional qualitative grading has been a valuable prognostic measure of aggressive disease, it suffers from inter-reviewer variability. The development of digital whole slide scanners has allowed the development of quantitative histomorphometry (QH). QH enables automated evaluation of histological tissue, creating accurate and repeatable analysis to attempt to overcome issues with inter-reviewer variability as it relates to quantifying disease appearance.
Conventional computerized QH algorithms for grading and diagnosing cancer have examined features based on co-occurrence matrices for the purpose of automated grading. Jafari-Khouzani et al., Multiwavelet grading of pathological images of prostate. IEEE Trans. On Biomedical Engineering, 50(6) (2003) 697-704. However, these matrices have been based on pixel intensity. Pixel intensity based matrices lack direct biological significance, and are thus less than optimal for diagnosing cancer. Conventional attempts to evaluate prostate histopathology in terms of grading have also looked at color, texture, and structural morphology. Tabesh et al., Multi-feature prostate cancer diagnosis and Gleason grading of histological images. IEEE Trans. on Medical Imaging 26(10) (2007) 1366-1378. However, these conventional methods do not investigate complex spatial relationships between structures.
Graph tessellations of cell nuclei using Voronoi or Delaunay graphs have been used to predict cancer grade. Christens-Barry and Partin, Quantitative grading of tissue and nuclei in prostate cancer for prognosis prediction, Johns Hopkins Apl. Technical Digest, 18:226-233, (1997). These graphs describe the spatial interactions between cell nuclei in the tissue of interest. However, the statistical features derived from Voronoi and Delaunay graphs are derived from fully connected graphs. This connecting of stromal and epithelial nuclei results in features extracted from conventional graphs representing averaged attributes of both stromal and epithelial regions. Unfortunately, such fully connected graphs are not sensitive to local variations in cell organization, and are therefore less than optimal in predicting BCR.
Local cell networks are difficult to quantify due to the variability of the size of the epithelial glands and stromal areas. Different types of cell graphs have been constructed to evaluate breast cancer in an alternative to Voronoi and Delaunay graphs. Bilgen, C. et al., Cell-graph mining for breast tissue modelling and classification. Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2007, IEEE (2007) 5311-5314. While these graphs provide greater local constraints to separate stromal from epithelial regions, conventional graph mining does not include information pertaining to cell morphology.
Thus, while conventional methods for predicting BCR in prostate cancer patients have utilized QH, explored image textures, and employed fully-connected graphs and graph mining to assist in predicting CaP aggressiveness and BCR, conventional methods still suffer from the drawbacks of those techniques.

Quantitatively characterizing disease morphology with cell orientation entropy


Memory cell units 111, each having ferroelectric memory cells in one row by a plurality of columns, are arrayed in a matrix. Plate lines are provided for each of the units 111. PLE control circuits output plate enable signals PLE. When one of the units 111 is selected, the signal PLE is supplied to all the plate lines in the corresponding row and all the plate lines in the other rows are grounded. The plate enable signal in the column including the selected unit 111 is at high level and the plate enable signals in the other columns are at low level. Thus, only the plate line of the selected unit 111 is at high level and all the other plate lines are at low level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ferroelectric memory, more particularly, to a technology for restraining data destruction in a ferroelectric memory due to noise or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a memory for storing binary information by utilizing the state of polarization of a ferroelectric capacitor formed on a semiconductor substrate has been known. It is called ferroelectric memory.
FIG. 5 is a graph for illustrating the principle of such a ferroelectric device. In FIG. 5, the vertical axis represents polarization P (μC/cm2) and the horizontal axis represents voltage V (volt). As shown in FIG. 5, the relation between the voltage V and the polarization P exhibits a hysteresis curve H. The inclination of the hysteresis curve H is equivalent to the capacitance [q/V] of the ferroelectric capacitor.
In FIG. 5, it is assumed that the coordinates of an intersection A of the hysteresis curve H and the P-axis in a region of P>0 are (0, p0). Also, a line Cb1 that passes a point B (Vcc, p0) and intersects a line P=p0 at an angle θ is plotted. The angle θ is determined in accordance with the capacitance of a bit line. Moreover, it is assumed that the coordinates of an intersection C the line Cb1 and a reverse response region of the hysteresis curve H are (v1, p1). In this case, the coordinate v1 of the point C coincides with the voltage between the terminals of the ferroelectric capacitor, and the difference v1 (=Vcc−V1) in V-coordinate between the points B and C is the reading voltage (high level) of this ferroelectric device.
In FIG. 5, it is assumed that the coordinates of an intersection D of the hysteresis curve H and the P-axis in a region of P<0 are (0, p2). Also, a line Cb2 that passes a point E (Vcc, p2) and intersects a line P=p2 at the angle θ is plotted. Moreover, it is assumed that the coordinates of an intersection F of the line Cb2 and a non-reverse response region of the hysteresis curve H are (v2, p3). In this case, the coordinate v2 of the point F coincides with the voltage between terminals of the ferroelectric capacitor, and the difference v2 (=Vcc−V2) in V-coordinate between the points E and F is a reading voltage (low level) of this ferroelectric device.
The difference ΔV (=|v1−v2|) in V-coordinate between the points C and F is equivalent to the reading margin of this ferroelectric device. In a 2T2C-type ferroelectric memory (that is, a ferroelectric memory that stores one bit of data by using a pair of ferroelectric capacitors), when ΔV becomes smaller than the discrimination sensitivity of a sense amplifier, the data will have been broken. In a 1T1C-type ferroelectric memory (that is, a ferroelectric memory that stores one bit of data by using one ferroelectric capacitor), when ΔV/2 becomes smaller than the discrimination sensitivity of the sense amplifier, the data will have been broken.
FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of an essential part of a conventional 1T1C-type ferroelectric memory. As shown in FIG. 6, a ferroelectric memory 600 has jxn memory cells MC00 to MCjn for each of memory cell blocks MB0 to MBm. The memory cells of one column in one memory cell block (that is, n memory cells) correspond to one address. The memory cells MC00 to MCjn have one ferroelectric capacitor each, that is, the respective ferroelectric capacitors C00 to Cjn, and one selection transistor each, that is, the respective selection transistors T00 to Tjn. Also, word lines WL0 to WLj and plate lines PL0 to PLj, which are common to the memory cell blocks MB0 to MBm, are arranged in the corresponding rows of the memory cells MC00 to MCjn, respectively. Meanwhile, in each of the memory cell blocks MB0 to MBm, bit lines BL00 to BLmn are provided in the corresponding columns of the memory cells MC00 to MCjn, respectively.
For example, in the case of reading data from the 0-th row (memory cells MC00 to MC0n) of the memory cell block MB0, the word line WL0 and the plate line PL0 are activated by a control circuit (not shown). This turns on the selection transistors T00 to T0n in the 0-th row of each of the memory cell blocks MB0 to MBm, and plate potential is applied to one-side ends of the ferroelectric capacitors C00 to C0n. Thus, in each of the memory cell blocks MB0 to MBm, stored data in the memory cells MC00 to MC0n in the 0-th row are output to the bit lines BL00 to BLmn. The potential of the bit lines BL00 to BLmn is amplified by sense amplifiers SA0 to SAm and sent to a selector circuit 620. The selector circuit 620 selects the bit lines BL00 to BL0n of the memory cell block MB0 from the bit lines BL00 to BLmn and connects the selected bit lines to an n-bit bus 630. Thus, stored data in the 0-th row in the memory cell block MB0 are outputted to outside.
Since the ferroelectric memory performs destructive reading, it is necessary to perform rewriting to all the memory cells from which data is read out. For example, even when data is read out from the 0-th row in the memory cell block MB0 as described above, the data of the 0-th rows in all the memory cell blocks MB0 to MBm are actually read out and therefore, rewriting to all these memory cells blocks MB0 to MBm must be carried out. In rewriting, potential amplified by the sense amplifiers SA0 to SAm is applied again to the bit lines BL00 to BLmn in the state where the word line WL0 and the plate line PL0 have been activated. Thus, the potential of the bit lines BL00 to BLmn is rewritten to the ferroelectric capacitors C00 to C0n in the 0-th row in each of the memory cell blocks MB0 to MBm.
In this manner, in the ferroelectric memory 600 of FIG. 6, every time data of one address is read out, data in the same row must be read out from and rewritten to all the memory cell blocks MB0 to MBm. This is a cause of short device life of the ferroelectric memory 600. Moreover, in the ferroelectric memory 600, since the plate lines PL0 to PLj common to all the memory cell blocks MB0 to MBm are provided, a plate line driver (not shown) having high driving capability is necessary for securing high-speed operation and it causes increase in circuit scale.
On the other hand, FIG. 1 of the following Patent Document 1 discloses a ferroelectric memory having a structure in which plate lines are divided for each memory cell block and in which the divided plate lines can be activated individually. In this ferroelectric memory with such a structure, when reading data of one address, data may be read out from and rewritten to only the memory cells corresponding to that address, and reading from and rewriting to the other memory cell blocks are not necessary. As the frequency of reading from and rewriting to each memory cell can be reduced, the device life becomes longer. Also, since it suffices to activate only one of the divided plate lines, high-speed operation can be secured even when a plate line driver having low driving capability is used.
In the ferroelectric memory described in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Application Kokai, No. 10-320981 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 1), all the plate lines corresponding to the memory cells except for selected memory cells (that is, the n memory cells from/to which reading or writing is performed) are in a floating state. However, the plate lines in the floating state are susceptible to the influence of peripheral noise and the influence of signal coupling of the bit lines and the other plate lines. Therefore, at the time of reading from or writing to the selected memory cells, the polarization state of the ferroelectric capacitors in the non-selected memory cells may change. Such change in the polarization state causes change of the reading margin ΔV (see FIG. 5) and destruction of stored data.
Meanwhile, a ferroelectric memory in which plate lines in non-selected rows are grounded to enable prevention of data destruction in the memory cells connected to the plate lines is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai, No. 2002-184171 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 2). However, with the technique of Patent Document 2, while plate lines in rows that are different from the row of selected memory cells can be grounded, plate lines corresponding to non-selected memory cells in the same row as the selected memory cells cannot be grounded.

Ferroelectric memory with improved life span


A voltage converter comprises an input terminal receiving a DC input voltage, an output terminal outputting an output voltage, a first switch coupled between a first node and the input terminal, a second switch coupled between the input terminal and a second node, a first capacitor coupled between the first node and the second node, a third switch coupled between the second node and ground, a fourth switch coupled between a third node and ground, a first electrical device coupled between the third node and the input terminal, a load capacitor coupled between ground and the output terminal, a second electrical device coupled between the first node and the output terminal, a second capacitor coupled between the third node and a fourth node, a fifth switch coupled between the first node and the fourth node, and a sixth switch coupled between the second node and the fourth node.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a voltage converter. In particular, the invention relates to a multiphase, multistage voltage converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows conventional three stage two-Phase voltage doubler (TPVD) 100 comprising capacitors C101, C102, C103, C104 and C105, loading capacitor Cload and switches 101˜112. Input terminal 110 receives a direct current (DC) input voltage Vin. Output terminal 120 outputs an output voltage Vout. Switch 101 is coupled between node 131 and input terminal 110. Switch 102 is coupled between nodes 131 and 133. Switch 103 is coupled between input terminal 110 and node 132. Switch 104 is coupled between node 132 and ground GND. Capacitor C101 is coupled between nodes 131 and 132. Capacitor C102 is coupled between node 133 and ground GND. Switch 105 is coupled between nodes 133 and 134. Switch 106 is coupled between nodes 134 and 136. Switch 107 is coupled between nodes 133 and 135. Switch 108 is coupled between node 135 and ground GND. Capacitor C103 is coupled between nodes 134 and 135. Capacitor C104 is coupled between node 136 and ground GND. Switch 109 is coupled between nodes 136 and 137. Switch 110 is coupled between node 137 and output terminal 120. Switch 111 is coupled between nodes 136 and 138. Switch 112 is coupled between node 138 and ground GND. Capacitor C105 is coupled between nodes 137 and 138. Capacitor Cload is coupled between output terminal 120 and ground GND.
Switches 101, 104, 105, 108, 109 and 112 are turned on and switches 102, 103, 106, 107, 110 and 111 are turned off in first phase φ1. Switches 102, 103, 106, 107, 110 and 111 are turned on and switches 101, 104, 105, 108, 109 and 112 are turned off in second phase φ2. The voltage level of node 131 is charged to input voltage Vin during first phase φ1, and to double input voltage 2 Vin during second phase φ2. The voltage level of node 132 is zero during first phase φ1 and Vin during second phase φ2. Therefore, the voltage level of node 133 is charged to double input voltage 2 Vin. Similarly, the voltage level of node 136 is charged to four times input voltage 4 Vin and the voltage level of loading capacitor Cload is charged to eight times input voltage 8 Vin. The voltage transfer gain of three stages TPVD 100 is eight. In high current application, capacitors must have high capacitance. However, such capacitors can't be implemented in the voltage converter chip, thus external capacitors are required with corresponding pin increase and increased size, resulting in high cost and more space requirements.

Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation


A substrate for solid phase synthesis of the formula: ##STR1## is disclosed. Also disclosed are processes for preparing the substrate and intermediates useful therein. Among the novel intermediates are compounds of the formula: ##STR2## wherein t is 0 or 1; n is 3-20; R is OH, an activated ester or the residue of a solid support having a plurality of amino functionalities; A is --O-- or --NH-- and Q is hydrogen or a protecting group for an amine or alcohol.

Combinatorial organic synthesis is becoming an important tool in drug discovery. Methods for the synthesis of large numbers of diverse compounds have been described [Ellman, et. al. Chem. Rev. 96: 555-600 (1996)], as have methods for tagging systems [Ohlmeyer et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 90, 10922-10926, (1993)]. The growing importance of combinatorial synthesis has created a need for new resins and linkers having chemical and physical properties to accommodate a wide range of conditions, since success depends on the ability to synthesize diverse sets of molecules on solid supports and to then cleave those molecules from the supports clearly and in good yield.
Linkers are molecules that can be attached to a solid support and to which the desired members of a library of chemical compounds may in turn be attached. When the construction of the library is complete, the linker allows clean separation of the target compounds from the solid support without harm to the compounds and preferably without damage to the support. Several linkers have been described in the literature. Their value is constrained by the need to have sufficient stability to allow the steps of combinatorial synthesis under conditions that will not cleave the linker, while still having a fairly high lability under at least one set of conditions that is not employed in the synthesis. For example, if an acid labile linker is employed, then the combinatorial synthesis must be restricted to reactions that do not require the presence of an acid of sufficient strength to endanger the integrity of the linker. This sort of balancing act often imposes serious constraints on the reactions that can be employed in preparing the library.
The 4-[4-(hydroxymethyl)-3-methoxyphenoxy]butyryl residue is a known linker, which is attached to a solid support having amino functionalities by forming an amide with the carboxyl of the butyric acid chain. N-Protected amino acids are attached to the hydroxyl of the 4-hydroxymethyl group via their carboxyl to form 2,4-dialkoxybenzyl esters, which can be readily cleaved in acid media when the synthesis is complete [see for example Riniker et al. Tetrahedron 49 9307-9312 (1993)]. The drawback to such 2,4-dialkoxybenzyl esters is that they can also be cleaved by many of the reagents that one might want to use in combinatorial synthesis.
A somewhat more stable ester is formed from 4-[4-(hydroxymethyl)phenoxy]butyric acid. It has been described in European published application EP 445915. In this case, the ester was cleaved with a 90:5:5 mixture of trifluoroacetic acid, dimethyl sulfide and thioanisole.
When the desired product is a peptide amide, the 4-[4-(formyl)-3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy]butyryl residue has been employed. It is attached to a solid phase substrate via the carboxyl of the butyric acid chain, and the 4-aldehyde is reductively aminated. N-Protected amino acids are then reacted with the alkylamine via their carboxyl to form 2,4,6-trialkoxybenzylamides. These may be cleaved by 1:1 trifluoroacetic acid in dichloromethane. [See PCT application WO97/23508.]
It would be useful to have a linker-resin combination that would withstand a wider range of reaction conditions in combinatorial synthesis, but that could be readily and cleanly cleaved following completion of the solid phase synthesis.

Universal linker for combinatorial synthesis


The invention relates to a method of operating a storage component 10, 30, 40. In order to enable a verification of the integrity of the data in the storage component, it is proposed that first a write operation for storing data in a data storage area 11, 31, 41 of the storage component 10, 30, 40 is performed. Then, a completion status field 15, 35, 45 in the storage component 10, 30, 40 is updated, in case the write operation has been completed successfully. The updated completion status field 15, 35, 45 indicates that the write operation has been completed successfully. The invention relates equally to a corresponding storage component and to a corresponding system.

A storage component stores data under control of some processing component. A memory card or a memory stick, for instance, is a storage component which can be connected to various devices comprising a processing component for enabling a flexible storage of data.
A write operation which is performed by a processing component for storing data in a storage component can be interrupted in an uncontrolled way due to various error situations, for example due to a sudden interruption in the power supply of the processing component.
When recovering from an error situation, the processing component is not able to check the data integrity in the storage component, that is, the processing component does not know whether the last write operation has been successfully completed or not. Also the storage component itself is not able to determine whether the last write operation has been successfully completed or not.
In document U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,695, it is mentioned to be known to set and reset an extra bit of a memory depending on whether a particular byte is protected or not. Whenever a write cycle is attempted, the corresponding bit for the addressed byte is read. If the bit is set for "write protect", it blocks the write pulse. This protection scheme is only able to prevent an uncontrolled writing in a protected area in case of an error situation in a writing software, though. It is not able to indicate whether the last write operation has been successfully completed or not.


A potentiometer-controlled electromechanic system to eject fluids by squeezing flexible plastic containers. The system comprises an electromechanic driving set, including an electric motor-driven shaft with a worm gear engaged to rack gear sections of arms attached to a movable presser plate, that squeeze a fluid-containing flexible plastic bag inserted in a cavity formed at the front portion of the device housing. The cavity is formed by a movable presser plate and a fixed clear and transparent front plate, bent at its sides. The fluid ejection parameters are controlled by an electronic set comprising a precision potentiometer attached to the motor-driven shaft, linked to a microprocessor-based electronic circuitry and a programming set formed by a series of buttons for entering the required ejection parameters, such as fluid flow rate, pressure, ejected volume, etc. The parameters are visualized in a liquid-crystal display. During the ejection procedure, the motor-driven shaft speed is monitored by the precision potentiometer, whose electric impulses are compared, at the central processing unit, to the entered required parameters. The central processing unit calculates the needed electric motor torque and rotation speed and the operating time. The device is applicable to medical uses, to inject fluids contained in flexible plastic bags into a patient, at precisely controlled parameters, as well as other non-medical applications.

The invention relates to a method of fluid ejection under controlled parameters, such as flow rate, pressure and volume, in a device intended to infuse fluids to patients, like those for intravenous, parenteral, enteral, antibiotics and other medical uses, as well as simply pumping fluids contained in flexible plastic bags.
Infusion fluids for medical use are generally supplied from flexible plastic containers attached to infusion tubings. The most common method is by passive, gravity-feed infusion, accomplished by suspending the bag from a pole, at a certain height relative to the patient. Sufficient pressure is created by gravity acting upon the fluid in the reservoir, with the flow rate being controlled by a manually operated valve. For these suspended bags, a flexible encasement with a chamber may be provided. Air is filled in the chamber at a given pressure, to increase the flow rate from the bag, with the pressure in the encasement being controlled by a manometer.
As an alternative to those gravity-feeding, low and unprecisely controlled flow rate devices, mechanically driven devices have been developed. The potential advantage of these mechanically induced pressure devices is the possibility to more precisely control the fluid ejection parameters, achieving at the same time, higher flow rates of fluids contained in flexible plastic containers for a wide range of applications. For example, Fletcher et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,479 discloses an infusion device by mechanically pressing a fluid-containing reservoir at a constant pressure. Cherkin U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,445 describes a device containing a bag pressing platform moved by a variable speed motor. Another example of flow controlled infusion devices for squeezing a flexible bag is described by Campbell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,439 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,759, which describes an infusion pump and a valve system for its control. The infusion tubing is mechanically closed depending on the pressure of the fluid in the bag measured by a sensor pressed against the outside of the reservoir by a presser plate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and precise method to eject and control the fluid discharge parameters, eg., volume, flow rate and the pressure needed to achieve it. The invention includes a precision potentiometer attached to a motor driven shaft with a worm gear. The precision potentiometer continuously detects shaft rotation speed. This value is compared to the calculated parameters in a central processing unit (CPU), taking into account the operator entered required parameters by means of input buttons. The required parameters may be visualized in a liquid-crystal display. This computer assisted, precision potentiometer controlled, fluid-contained flexible bag squeezing device, is potentially simpler and more precise than previous devices, due to its capability to better control the squeezing pressure on the bag. The precision potentiometer controls the motor-driven shaft rotation speed. The CPU can precisely control the electric current to the motor, thereby controlling motor speed and torque, with assistance of a microprocessor-based circuit and appropriate software. The desired flow rate may thereby be achieved.
Other and additional objects are apparent from the following discussion of the invention and its preferred embodiment.

Potentiometer-controlled fluid ejection device