A flexible printed circuit (FPC) board includes a flexible substrate, an electric terminal portion, and a reinforcing structure. The electric terminal portion is disposed on a bottom surface of the flexible substrate and is suitable to be inserted into an electrical connector to electrically connect therewith. The reinforcing structure is disposed on a top surface of the flexible substrate and located just above the electric terminal portion. The reinforcing portion includes a stiffener plate bonded to the top surface of the flexible substrate and a pad bonded to a top surface of the stiffener plate. The pad is shorter than the stiffener plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible printed circuit board, and more particularly to a flexible printed circuit board having an improved reinforcing structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In today's information society, various electronic products are increasingly used in daily activities. To meet the market demands for high-speed, high-efficiency and small-sized electronic products, flexible printed circuit (FPC) boards have been used in various electronic devices, such as notebooks, cell phones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants (PDAs), printers, and optical disk drives. In these various electronic devices, the FPC boards are mainly used as means for connecting two electronic circuits distant from each other, wherein one of the electronic circuits includes an electrical connector for electrically connecting with the FPC board. In some applications, in order to be more space efficient, the FPC boards are even bonded with IC chips thereon.
Please refer to FIG. 1A, an assembly of a conventional FPC board 100, an electrical connector 10 and a printed circuit board (PCB) 20 is shown. FIG. 1B is a schematic bottom view of the FPC board 100 of FIG. 1A.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the conventional FPC board 100 is inserted into the electrical connector 10. The electrical connector 10 is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 20; thus, signals can be transmitted between the conventional FPC board 100 and the printed circuit board 20 via an electric terminal portion 112 of the conventional FPC board 100 and the electrical connector 10.
The FPC board 100 includes a flexible substrate 110 and the electric terminal portion 112 disposed on a bottom surface 110b of a front end of the flexible substrate 110. Since the flexible substrate 100 is made of flexible material, a reinforcing structure 120 is required to be applied to the flexible substrate 100 at a position corresponding to the electric terminal portion 112 whereby the electrical terminal portion 112 can be correctly inserted into the electrical connector 10 to electrically connect therewith. Here, the reinforcing structure 120 is disposed on a top surface 110a of the front end of the flexible substrate 110. When the front end of the flexible substrate 110 is inserted into the electrical connector 10, the electric terminal portion 112 (shown in FIG. 1B) disposed on the bottom surface 110b of the flexible substrate 110 electrically engages with a electric terminal portion (not shown) of the electrical connector 10 which is soldered to the printed circuit board 20.
It is noticed that a thickness T of the reinforcing structure 120 is often limited under structural consideration, which in turn results that the reinforcing structure 120 can not have a thickness large enough to provide sufficient rigidity required for the front end of the FPC board 100. A sufficient rigidity is required to ensure that the front end of the FPC board 100 can be smoothly inserted into the electrical connector 10 without occurrence of warpage. Furthermore, for a small thickness T, a rear edge of the reinforcing structure 120 has a small surface area, which is a place for a user's fingers to exert a force to push the front end of the FPC board 100 into the electrical connector 10. For a small surface area of the rear edge of the reinforcing structure 120, the user is not convenient to exert the pushing force. Finally, there is no place on the FPC board 100 which can facilitate the user to conveniently pull the FPC board 100 away from the electrical connector 10 when the front end of the FPC board 100 is required to be separated from the electrical connector 10

Flexible printed circuit board with improved reinforcing structure


A device for transferring blister packs comprises an intermediate station situated between a working station (3) and a packaging line. The intermediate station includes a clamp for receiving and holding at least one blister pack. First and second groups of suction cups are driven by a two-arm mechanism situated in the intermediate station. In a first position, the first group of suction cups is placed in the working station for picking up one blister pack while the second group of suction cups is over the intermediate station for picking up another blister pack temporarily held by the clamp. In a second position, the first group of suction cups is located over the intermediate station, to release the blister pack previously picked up, that is received and held by the clamp, while the second group of suction cups is over the packaging line to deliver the blister pack previously picked up. When a blister pack is to be eliminated, the clamp is made to open, so that defective blister pack is not transferred to the packaging line.

This invention relates to packaging of products into a blister band, that is sealed with a film after filling with the products.
More precisely, the invention relates to a device for transferring blister packs from a working station, where this blister strip is e.g. cut into individual blister packs, to a packaging line, where these blister packs are put into cases.

Device for transferring blister packs from a working station to a packaging line

I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A.


A centrifuge has a mechanical drive coupled to a capsule rotatable simultaneously about mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes. A stationary base has a first motor driving a centrally located hub in rotation about the Z axis. The hub has a pair of colinear arms and a pair of struts extending from the arms to support an outer ring. An inner ring is positioned concentric with the outer ring and a second motor is engaged with both the outer ring and inner ring so that it is enabled for rotating the inner ring relative to the outer ring. A third motor is engaged with both the inner ring and the capsule for rotating said capsule relative to the inner ring. The simultaneous rotation of the capsule about all three axes is therefore possible.

Generally, a centrifuge is an apparatus that puts an object in rotation around a fixed axis, applying a potentially strong radial force perpendicular to the axis of spin. The centrifuge works using the sedimentation principle, where centripetal acceleration causes denser substances and particles that are held within the spinning container, to move outward in the radial direction. At the same time, objects that are less dense are displaced and forced toward the axis of spin. In a laboratory centrifuge that uses sample tubes, the radial acceleration causes denser particles to settle to the bottom of the tube, while low-density substances rise to the top. There are three types of centrifuge designed for different applications. Industrial scale centrifuges are commonly used in manufacturing and waste processing to sediment suspended solids, or to separate immiscible liquids. An example is the cream separator found in dairies. Very high-speed centrifuges and ultracentrifuges are able to provide very high accelerations separating fine particles down to the nano-scale, and also molecules of different masses. Gas centrifuges are used for isotope separation, such as to enrich nuclear fuel to obtain fissile isotopes.
A wide variety of laboratory-scale centrifuges are used in chemistry, biology, biochemistry and clinical medicine for isolating and separating suspensions and various fluid substances. They vary widely in speed, capacity, temperature control, and other characteristics. Laboratory centrifuges often can accept a range of different fixed-angle and swinging bucket rotors able to carry different numbers of centrifuge tubes and rated for specific maximum speeds. Controls vary from simple electrical timers to programmable models able to control acceleration and deceleration rates, running speeds, and temperature regimes. Ultracentrifuges spin the rotors under vacuum, eliminating air resistance and enabling exact temperature control. Zonal rotors and continuous flow systems are capable of handing bulk and larger sample volumes, respectively, in a laboratory-scale instrument. An important application in medicine is blood separation. Blood separates into cells and proteins (RBC, WBC, platelets, etc.) and serum. DNA preparation is another common application for pharmacogenetics and clinical diagnosis. DNA samples are purified and the DNA is prepped for separation by adding buffers and then centrifuging it for a certain amount of time. The blood waste is then removed and another buffer is added and spun inside the centrifuge again. Once the blood waste is removed and another buffer is added the pellet can be suspended and cooled. Proteins can then be removed and with further centrifuging DNA may be isolated completely. Protocols for centrifugation typically specify the amount of acceleration to be applied to the sample, rather than specifying a rotational speed, i.e., revolutions per minute. This distinction is important because two rotors with different diameters running at the same rotational speed will subject samples to different acceleration forces.
In circular motion, acceleration is the product of radial distance, the square of angular velocity and the acceleration relative to "g." This is traditionally referred to as "relative centrifugal force" (RCF). The acceleration is measured in multiples of "g" the standard acceleration due to gravity at the Earth's surface which is a dimensionless quantity given by the radius times the angular velocity squared and divided by "g."


A method, system, and computer program product to make query processing more robust in the face of optimization errors. The invention validates the statistics and assumptions used for compiling a query as the query is executed and, when necessary, progressively re-optimizes the query in mid-execution based on the knowledge learned during its partial execution. The invention selectively places a number of CHECK operators in a query execution plan to validate the optimizer's cardinality estimates against actual cardinalities. Errors beyond a threshold trigger re-optimization, and the optimizer decides whether the old plan is still optimal and whether to re-use previously computed results. The invention addresses arbitrary SQL queries whose plans can contain sub-queries, updates, trigger checking, and view maintenance operations. The invention can handle concurrent update transactions or updates of common sub-expressions in a query execution plan without compromising consistency and isolation as locking information is tied to the record ID.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to query optimization in database management systems. More specifically, the invention selectively re-optimizes a currently running query when cardinality estimation errors indicate the chosen query execution plan is probably sub-optimal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Database management systems (DBMSs) traditionally separate the optimization of a query from its execution. SQL queries are compiled once and the resulting Query Execution Plan (QEP, or just plan) is retained to save re-compilation costs for repeated execution in the future. The plan is stored either in the database (for static compilation [see reference CAK+81]) or in an in-memory cache (for dynamic queries). Most modern query optimizers determine the best plan for executing a given query by mathematically modeling the execution cost for each of many alternative QEPs and choosing the one with the cheapest estimated cost. The execution cost is largely dependent upon the number of rows (the row cardinality) that will be processed by each operator in the QEP, so the optimizer first estimates this incrementally as each predicate is applied by multiplying the base table's row cardinality by a filter factor (or selectivity) for each predicate in the query [SAC+79, Gel93, SS94, ARM89, Lyn88]. The estimation process typically begins with statistics of database characteristics that were collected prior to compilation, such as the number of rows for each table, histograms for each column [IC91, PIH+96, PI97], or sampled synopses [HS93].
Query optimizers determine the best execution plan for any query based on a model of query execution cost that relies on the statistics at the time of compilation. Many assumptions underlie the mathematical models for the cardinality and cost of most queries, such as the currency of the database statistics and the independence of predicates. Outdated statistics or invalid assumptions may cause a query optimizer to choose a sub-optimal. One remedy for outdated statistics is to defer query optimization to execution time, but this necessitates re-optimizing the same query every time it is executed. An even more extreme proposal continually re-optimizes the plan as each row (or group of rows) is accessed [AH00], incurring impractically large re-optimization costs to ensure the best plan based upon the most current information.
While there has been a large body of work in query optimization, most work only addresses static planning of queries at compile-time.
The LEO project [SLM+01] addresses the problem of using query feedback to optimize future queries based on cardinality estimation errors observed during previous query executions. LEO does not provide a methodology for progressively optimizing the currently running query, though.
The DEC RDB system [AZ96] runs multiple access methods competitively before picking one.
There has also been work on parametric optimization (e.g. [CG94]) where different plans are generated for different intervals of the optimization parameters (like memory or selectivities). The main problem with this approach is the combinatorial explosion of the number of plans that need to be generated.
The only commercial DBMS known to incorporate a form of progressive query processing is the Redbrick™ DBMS from IBM Corporation. This DBMS assumes a simple star/snowflake-schema and, for star queries, first computes the intermediate results of all dimension table accesses before deciding (based on the cardinality of the intermediate results) the join method to be used for the star-join. While this product uses progressive re-optimization, it does so only for star-joins. Issues of complex checkpoint placement or generically reusing complex intermediate results are not addressed.
The first work to address general re-optimization of the currently running query is [KD98], where, upon estimation error detection, the SQL statement of the currently running query is re-written to access specially materialized intermediate results as standard table access. [KD98] neither addresses checking in pipelined plans nor elaborates on checkpoint placement. First, [KD98] only re-optimizes hash joins and only if query results are not pipelined. Second, [KD98] rewrites the original SQL query to always reuse the hash join result, which can be sub-optimal. Third, [KD98] explicitly spills hash join results to disk in order to reuse them. This can be prohibitive if the new plan is not significantly better and/or the hash join results are large.
In the Tukwila system [Ives02], re-optimization is done by partitioning the data at each re-optimization point, with a final cleanup phase to combine results from previous phases. The main problems with this approach are: (a) each phase is executed without using the state generated by the previous phases, and (b) the final cleanup uses a specialized pipelined join algorithm rather than invoking the optimizer. The Query Scrambling project [UFA98] also re-optimizes queries, but its focus was on handling delayed sources.
In addition to the limitations discussed above, all of these systems externally re-write SQL queries to re-use the prior results. This is only viable for simple read-only queries. Side effects like update operations cannot in general be rewritten into semantically correct SQL queries after partial execution.
A different approach to progressive query processing is to optimize routing of each tuple separately. Ingres [SWK76] uses a simple scheme where each tuple could be routed independently to nested loop join (NLJN) operators. The Telegraph project generalizes this to a very fine granularity of re-optimization where a separate Eddy operator is used to continually adapt the tuple routing between other operators. As shown in [AH00, RDH02] this mechanism is powerful and can be used to adapt join orders, access paths and join algorithms dynamically. Per-tuple routing gives high opportunity for re-optimization, but imposes an overhead that leads to performance regression when the initial plan does not change. Moreover, the Eddy routes each tuple along a greedy, locally optimal path that does not consider the overall query execution cost. While this works fine for Telegraph's interactive processing metric, a regular optimizer is needed to handle the more common completion time or total work metrics. Integrating the Eddy mechanism with a regular query optimizer has not been addressed in the Telegraph project.

System, method, and computer program product for progressive query processing

International Business Machines Corporation


A method and system for adapting multi-user multimedia data in a communication system with a server providing the multi-user multimedia data to clients and with an intermediate network part. The intermediate network part is arranged to provide information on communication between the server and the clients. The server sends multimedia data to the clients. Distribution characteristics are determined for the clients, which are considered by the generation of an aggregated feedback report on the clients' reception conditions of the multimedia data in the intermediate network part. The feedback report includes additional information about aggregation fashion. The aggregated feedback report is sent to the server in order for the server to adapt the transmission of the multimedia data from the server to the clients according to the aggregated feedback report.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to communications networks and in particular, to a method for adapting multi-user multimedia data in a communication system.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Universal Mobile Telecommunication System UMTS is being developed to offer wireless wideband multimedia service using Internet protocol. The UMTS as a third-generation 3G mobile communication combines streaming with a range of unique services, like for example geographical positioning, to provide high-quality Internet content to the users. Images, voice, audio and video content are example of mobile multimedia services, which are delivered to the users via media streaming and download techniques. It means once the content has been put onto a media server, it can be delivered on-demand via download or streaming. To download content, the user clicks on a link and waits for the content to be downloaded and playback to begin. Download capabilities are easy to integrate since the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) can be used for downloading files. To access streaming data or general speaking multimedia data, the user clicks on a link to start playback, which is almost immediate. Because streaming is a semi-real time service that receives and plays back data at the same time, it puts greater demands on protocols and service implementation, especially when the service is to work over networks with little or no quality of service, like this is the case in UMTS. The radio resources, which are used on the last part of a transmission is to be used in a better way.
Currently work is being done to introduce broadcasting and multicasting into WCDMA and GSM wireless networks. Both broadcast and multicast provide transport efficiency and reduce the load on the content servers, like for example the streaming servers. Additionally solutions are being worked out for performing streaming or general formulated multimedia transmission in a wireless network. In the following the corresponding architectures are presented.
The FIG. 1 shows the current so-called Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) architecture. In the following merely the most important nodes and examples of the different access networks, like UTRAN, GERAN, connecting the end user UE are mentioned. The access networks are handled by means of a serving node, SGSN that communicates with an edge node, the GGSN that is responsible for connection to the external networks, like Internet. The BM-SC entity connected to GGSN is responsible for the provision of multicast/broadcast, like for example for bearer establishment and data forwarding. BM-SC offers interfaces to a content provider, so that said content provider can request data delivery to the users. The BM-SC may authorise and charge content providers.
In order to keep the solution simply, it is foreseen currently on the radio network part to support only a downlink channel for data traffic going to the end user UE. It means there is no uplink channel in an access network, which can be used by the end users UE to send for example reports regarding the quality of receiving.
The transmission of the multimedia flow for a single user is performed in a wireless network by means of a Packet Switched Streaming architecture. Said architecture is depicted in FIG. 2. It shows streaming client being connected via an access network, like UTRAN or GERAN with an UMTS Core network. In the UMTS two important kind of nodes are depicted, SGSN and GGSN. The SGSN is a serving node for handling the to the access networks attached users. The GGSN is responsible for connection to the external networks, like IP Network. For the purpose of multimedia provision there are different entities in the IP network, like content server being responsible for providing multimedia data.
The multimedia data is distributed by means of multimedia protocols. The FIG. 3 shows a protocol stack with the protocol layers responsible for multimedia transmission, Real-time Transport Protocol RTP. The RTP uses Universal Datagram Protocol UDP as a transport protocol appropriate for transmission of streaming data, because UDP provides a fast transmission although not reliable like it is the case by Transmission Control Protocol TCP. HTTP and Real-Time Streaming Protocol RTSP run over the reliable TCP. The RTSP provides session control for streaming sessions. HTTP is used for transmission of still images, bitmap graphics and text.
The RTP provides end-to-end network transport functions suitable for applications transmitting real-time data, such as audio, video or simulation data, over multicast or unicast network services. The functions provided by RTP include payload type identification, sequence numbering, timestamping, and delivery monitoring. The RTP contains a related RTP Control Protocol RTCP augmenting the data transport, which is used to monitor the QoS and to convey information about the participants in an ongoing session. Each media stream in a conference is transmitted as a separate RTP session with a separate RTCP stream.
RTP adds a time stamp and a sequence number to each UDP packet in a special RTP header. The time stamp is related to the sampling or the presentation or composition time of the media carried in the payload of the RTP packet. It is used for playing back media at the correct speed, and together with RTCP, it is used for synchronizing the presentation of other streaming media. A payload specification defines the interpretation of the time stamp and other RTP fields. The recipient uses the sequence number to detect the loss of packets statistics on loss can be reported to the server by means of RTCP.
RTCP reports provide statistics about the data received from a particular source, such as the number of packets lost since the previous report, the cumulative number of packets lost, the interarrival jitter, etc. An additional draft defines a format for extensions to the RTCP sender and receiver reports. A detailed description of RTCP can be found in RFC 1889, Chapter 6. The RTCP control protocol is based on the periodic transmission of control packets to all participants in the session, using the same distribution mechanism as the data packets. The underlying protocol must provide multiplexing of the data and control packets, for example using separate port numbers with UDP.
The primary function of RTCP is to provide feedback on the quality of the data distribution. This is an integral part of the RTP's role as a transport protocol and is related to the flow and congestion control functions of other transport protocols. The feedback may be directly useful to diagnose faults in the distribution. Sending reception feedback reports to all participants allows one who is observing problems to evaluate whether those problems are local or global. With a distribution mechanism like IP multicast, it is also possible for an entity such as a network service provider who is not involved in the session to receive the feedback information and act as a third-party monitor to diagnose network problems. This feedback function is performed by the RTCP sender and receiver reports. The RTCP specification requires that all participants send RTCP packets, therefore the rate must be controlled in order for RTP to scale up to a large number of participants. By having each participant sending its control packets to all the others, each can independently observe the number of participants. This number is used to calculate the rate at which the packets are sent.
Furthermore the RTCP has an optional function to convey minimal session control information, for example participant identification to be displayed in the user interface. This is most likely to be useful in sessions where participants enter and leave without membership control or parameter negotiation. RTCP serves as a convenient channel to reach all the participants, but it is not necessarily expected to support all the control communication requirements of an application. A higher-level session control protocol, which is beyond the scope of this document, may be needed.
The above described functions, besides the last one being optional, are mandatory when RTP is used in the IP multicast environment and are recommended for all environments.
Therefore the multimedia service in wireless network is to be used as well for a single user, the so-called unicast connections but all above for a group of users, the so-called point-to-multipoint or even multipoint-to-multipoint connections. The point-to-multipoint services require high demands on the network infrastructure and consume considerable amounts of bandwidth. Some examples of such services are video-conferencing, whiteboarding, real-time multi-user games, multimedia messaging, virtual worlds. This kind of multimedia applications uses for transport broadcast or multicast mode. Broadcast has the possibility of addressing a packet to all destinations by using a special code in the address field. When a packet with this code is transmitted, it is received and processed by every user on the network. This mode of operation is called broadcasting. Multicasting supports transmission to a subset of the users. Each can register to a multicast group. When a packet is sent to a certain group, it is delivered to all users registered to that group.
The RTCP has mechanisms for reporting in case of multicast sessions. However, in case of radio networks the multicast reporting waste air interface resources and potentially overloads the network servers. Furthermore, in the preferred multicast solution there is only a downlink and no uplink channel. This implies that the users cannot send RTCP reports to the source.
In RFC 1889 there is an entity, the so-called mixer introduced. The mixer receives RTP packets from one or more sources, possibly changes the data format, combines the packets in some manner and then forwards a new RTP packet. Since the timing among multiple input sources will not generally be synchronized, the mixer will make timing adjustments among the streams and generate its own timing for the combined stream. Thus, all data packets originating from a mixer will be identified as having the mixer as their synchronization source. Therefore the mixer creates a new message being a combination of the received messages.
However, for the current RTP the use of RTCP receiver reports is mandatory in multicast sessions. In particular it is important that the multicast sender receives these reports to signal that clients are still listing. The current revision of the RTP provides a feature to suppress RTCP receiver report usage. However, by omitting RTCP receiver reports also an important means of getting quality feedback from the receivers is omitted. The source cannot adapt to changing conditions and also cannot provide alternative streams.
It is anyhow questionable what the source should do if an RTCP report from a single client indicates that several RTP frames were corrupted or lost and that client would better be served with a lower data rate. This is especially a big question mark in wireless networks with increasingly heterogeneous users. The multimedia users are characterized by a variety of mobile terminals with a wide range of display sizes and capabilities. In current multicast solutions the source will either ignore such reports or adapt to the slowest receiver. Both are not adequate when clients are charged for the service and the bearer that is used for the service. In addition different radio-access networks make multiple maximum-access link speeds available. Because of the physical characteristics of cellular radio networks, the quality and, thus, the data rate of ongoing connection will also vary, contributing to the heterogeneity problem.
Therefore the following problems occur regarding the RTCP reporting in multicast sessions in wireless networks. The scarce radio resources are used inefficient, when every user sends a RTCP report. This can also leads to overload of servers, like RNC, SGSN, GGSN, for example in case the reports are generated by a high number of users, for example in a football arena. Because of the heterogeneous networks the source must adapt to slowest user. Further because of the higher number of reports and the long time needed for evaluation of the reports a long delay is generated before the source is aware of a problem. Further the RTCP reports do not contain all necessary information for wireless networks

Reporting for multi-user services in wireless networks


This invention provides a novel wavelength filter module that reduces the number of components required in an optical interleaver, and can be configured in various ways suitable for practical applications. An optical interleaver of the present invention incorporating such a wavelength filter module is simpler and more compact in design, lower in insertion losses, polarization dependent loss (PDL) and cost, while more reliable in performance. The optical interleaver of the present invention can be advantageously configured as a multiplexer, de-multiplexer, or a router.

This invention relates generally to optical communications systems. More particularly, it provides a novel optical interleaver for multiplexing or de-multiplexing of optical signals.
wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) has emerged as the standard technique to transmit information in fiber-optic networks. This is because as the bandwidth of fiber data increases, electronic sorting becomes increasingly complex, while wavelength routing becomes ever more practical and elegant.
In a WDM system, each optical fiber simultaneously carries many different communications channels in light of respectively different wavelengths. Each channel is modulated by one or more information signals. As a result, a significant number of information signals may be transmitted over a single optical fiber using WDM technology.
WDM systems use components generically referred to as optical interleavers to combine, split, or route optical signals of different channels. Interleavers typically fall into one of three categories, multiplexers, de-multiplexers and routers.
A multiplexer takes optical signals of different channels from two or more different input ports and combines them so that they may be coupled to an output port for transmission over a single optical fiber. A de-multiplexer performs the opposite process, that is, it decomposes an optical signal containing two or more different channels according to their wavelength ranges and directs each channel to a different dedicated fiber. A router works much the same way as a de-multiplexer; however, a router can selectively direct each channel according to control signals to a desired coupling between an input channel and an output port.
FIG. 1 depicts a typical optical interleaver 999 of the prior art as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,233, issued to Wu et al. on Dec. 2, 1997, which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. A WDM signal 500 containing two different channels 501, 502 enters interleaver 999 at an input port 11. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cchannelxe2x80x9d refers to a particular range of wavelengths or frequencies that defines a unique information signal. A first birefringent element 30 spatially separates WDM signal 500 into horizontal and vertically polarized components 101 and 102 by a horizontal walk-off. Component signals 101 and 102 both carry the full frequency spectrum of the WDM signal 500.
Components 101 and 102 are coupled to a polarization rotator 40. The rotator 40 selectively rotates the polarization state of either signal 101 or 102 by a predefined amount. By way of example, in FIG. 1 signal 102 is rotated by 90xc2x0 so that signals 103, 104 exiting rotator 40 are both horizontally polarized when they enter a wavelength filter 61.
Wavelength filter 61 selectively rotates the polarization of wavelengths in either the first or second channel to produce filtered signals 105 and 106. For example, wavelength filter 61 rotates wavelengths in the first channel 501 by 90xc2x0 but does not rotate wavelengths in the second channel 502 at all.
The filtered signals 105 and 106 enter a second birefringent element 50 that vertically walks off the first channel into beams 107, 108. The second channel forms beams 109, 110.
A second wavelength filter 62 then selectively rotates the polarizations of signals 107 and 108, but not signals 109 and 110, thereby producing signals 111, 112, 113, 114 that have polarizations parallel each other. A second polarization rotator 41 then rotates the polarizations of signals 111 and 113, but not 112 and 114. The resulting signals 115, 116, 117, and 118 then enter a third birefringent element 70. Note that second wavelength filter 62 may alternatively be replaced by a polarization rotator 41 suitably configured to rotate the polarizations of signals 111 and 113, but not 112 and 114.
Third birefringent element 70 combines signals 115 and 116, into the first channel, which is coupled to output port 14. Birefringent element 70 also combines signals 117 and 118 into the second channel, which is coupled into output port 13.
As described above, interleaver 999 operates as a de-multiplexer. By operating interleaver 999 in reverse, i.e., starting with channels 501, 502 at ports 13 and 14 respectively, interleaver operates as a multiplexer.
Furthermore, by suitably controlling the polarization rotation induced by rotators 40 and 41, interleaver 999 may be configured to operate as a router.
Polarization rotators used in interleaver 999 contribute to insertion losses in the system. Moreover, these polarization rotators should be zero-order in order to cover a wide bandwidth. Such zero-order plates are however very thin ( less than 0.3 mm), therefore difficult and costly to manufacture.
When interleaver 999 is used as a multiplexer, or in the case where high degree isolation is not required, a single stage interleaver can be used, as shown in FIG. 2. In this prior art, light beam 116 goes through two polarization rotators 40 and 41, while beam 115 travels through only the air. Thus, beam 116 suffers greater loss than beam 115, which causes higher polarization dependent loss (PDL).
What is needed in the art, therefore, is a simpler, more compact and cost-effective optical interleaver that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art systems and provides more reliable performance.
Accordingly it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel wavelength filter module that enables an optical interleaver to be simpler and more compact in structure, thereby providing more reliable performance and lower PDL. It is another object of the present invention to provide methods for constructing optical interleavers that incorporate such wavelength filter modules.
An important advantage of the wavelength filter module of the present invention is that it reduces the number of components required in an optical interleaver, and can be configured in various ways suitable for practical applications. As a consequence, the optical interleaver of the present invention is more compact in design, lower in insertion losses, PDL and cost, while more reliable in performance.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.
The present invention provides a wavelength filter module comprising two or more wavelength filters with different predetermined spectral responses, arranged in a xe2x80x9cside-by-sidexe2x80x9d fashion. The wavelength filter module is configured to receive a plurality of input optical signals, where each optical signal passes through only one dedicated wavelength filter. The dedicated wavelength filter selectively passes a predetermined range of wavelengths of the input optical signal with a first polarization and a complementary range of wavelengths of the input optical signal in a second polarization that is orthogonal to the first polarization. Each wavelength filter may be formed from a stacked plurality of birefringent waveplates with each waveplate oriented in a predetermined direction with a different length. The constituent wavelength filters of the module may be configured to have different predetermined orientations, or thicknesses, so as to provide different spectral responses.
The present invention also provides an optical interleaver that employs the wavelength filter module described above. The interleaver generally comprises a first birefringent element that decomposes and spatially separates an input WDM signal containing first and second spectral channels into first and second beams that have orthogonal polarizations. The first and second spectral channels are substantially complementary. A first wavelength filter module is optically coupled to receive the first and second beams, and decomposes the first beam into third and fourth beams with orthogonal polarizations and the second beam into fifth and sixth beams with orthogonal polarizations. The first wavelength filter module is configured such that the third and fifth beams carry the first channel at a vertical polarization, while the fourth and sixth beams carry the second channel at a horizontal polarization. A second birefringent element, optically coupled to the first wavelength filter module, spatially separates the four beams into four horizontally and vertically polarized components, which in turn enter a second wavelength filter module. The third and fourth beams become both vertically polarized but remain spatially separated, and the fifth and sixth beams become both horizontally polarized but remain spatially separated, after passing through the second wavelength filter module. A third birefringent element, optically coupled to the second wavelength filter module, then recombines the third and fifth beams containing the first channel into a first output signal and the fourth and sixth beams containing the second channel into the second output signal. The two output signals are further directed to two output ports.
Each of the first and second wavelength filter modules comprises two wavelength filters with different predetermined spectral responses. The design of each module is such that it advantageously provides the combined function of a polarization rotator and a wavelength filter in an optical interleaver, such as that of the polarization rotator 40 and the wavelength filter 61, or that of the wavelength filter 62 and the polarization rotator 41, in the prior art optical interleaver shown in FIG. 1. The optical interleaver incorporating such a module has fewer components, therefore suffering lower insertion losses, PDL and cost, while providing more reliable performance.
The optical interleaver of the present invention can be configured to operate as a multiplexer, a de-multiplexer, or a router, as depicted in the drawings and the detailed description that follow.
The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, will be best understood from the following drawings and detailed description.


Producing an exposure data used for exposing a design pattern data of a semiconductor integrated circuit on an exposure medium. Repetitive exposure pattern data is extracted from the design pattern data as a group of exposure pattern data. The group of exposure pattern data includes plural pieces of the repetitive exposure pattern data. A rearrangement information table, which includes information for placing the plural pieces of repetitive exposure pattern data in a predetermined rearrangement area, is generated. The design pattern data is rearranged based on the rearrangement information table to generate the exposure data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating exposure data which is used to expose a design pattern of a semiconductor integrated circuit on an exposure medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Larger scale and higher integration have been demanded for recent semiconductor integrated circuits (LSIs), and the amount of exposure data necessary to prepare such an LSI is increasing accordingly. The increased amount of exposure data results in longer exposure time and eventually in longer LSI manufacturing time. There is therefore a demand for the reduction of the amount of exposure data.
FIG. 22 is a schematic structural diagram of a variable rectangular electron beam (EB) exposure apparatus. The EB exposure apparatus 10 has first and second plates 11 and 12 in which rectangular windows 13 and 14 with predetermined areas are respectively formed. The EB exposure apparatus 10 controls an electromagnetic deflector 15 for plate alignment (first electromagnetic deflector) to change the overlapping area of a beam formed by the first plate 11 with the rectangular window 14 of the second plate 12, thereby controlling the cross-sectional shape of the beam exiting the rectangular window 14, or the exposure pattern. The exposure apparatus 10 controls a positioning electromagnetic deflector (second electromagnetic deflector) 16 and a patterning electromagnetic deflector (third electromagnetic deflector) 17 to deflect the transmitted beam, and it moves a stage 18 in the X and Y axial directions to expose a desired pattern on a semiconductor wafer 19 mounted on the stage 18.
The first to third electromagnetic deflectors 15 to 17 and the stage 18 are controlled based on exposure data prepared from design data (pattern data) of a semiconductor chip to be drawn on the semiconductor wafer 19. For example, a semiconductor chip 20 shown in FIG. 23 is formed on the semiconductor wafer 19 in a matrix form. The semiconductor chip 20 is divided into a plurality of fields 21, each of which is further separated into a plurality of subfields 22.
The first electromagnetic deflector 15 is controlled based on the size of a pattern for exposing the subfield 22, so that the beam that passes through the rectangular window 14 is controlled to a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the size of the pattern. The second and third electromagnetic deflectors 16 and 17 and the stage 18 are controlled on the basis of the position of an occasionally drawn pattern. For instance, one field 21 is selected by the stage 18 and one subfield 22 is selected by the second electromagnetic deflector 16. Then, a pattern is exposed onto the selected subfield 22 by the third electromagnetic deflector 17.
Exposure pattern data of the semiconductor chip 20 is generated by an unillustrated exposure data generating apparatus and is supplied to the aforementioned EB exposure apparatus 10. The conventional exposure data generating apparatus extracts pattern data, which repeatedly appears in the exposure pattern data of the semiconductor chip 20, by matrix recognition and prepares exposure data of a matrix form. Further, the conventional exposure data generating apparatus forms exposure data into a hierarchical structure like design data, extracts repeatedly appearing exposure pattern data as a group of exposure pattern data and determines the layout position of that data group to reduce the amount of exposure data. The greater the types of pattern data to be extracted becomes, the less the total amount of necessary exposure data becomes.
A group of exposure pattern data to be extracted includes repeatedly appearing pattern data such as common portions like memory cells. Since a group of exposure pattern data consisting of memory cells is small in area, the number of layouts and the number of exposures of that pattern data become large, and the overall amount of exposure data is thus large.
According to many exposure apparatuses, the electron beam is moved to a predetermined position by various deflections. In the EB exposure apparatus 10 as shown in FIG. 22, for example, the electron beam formed by the first and second plates 11 and 12 is moved to a predetermined position on the semiconductor wafer 19 by the deflection caused by the second and third electromagnetic deflectors 16 and 17 and by the stage 18.
If the amount of layout data indicating the layout positions of a group of exposure pattern data is large, the electron beam cannot be moved to the desired position by the second and third electromagnetic deflectors 16 and 17 alone. To overcome this problem, the relative position of the beam to the wafer 19 is determined by controlling the stage 18. It takes longer time to move the wafer 19 by the stage 18 than to move the beam by the second and third electromagnetic deflectors 16 and 17. Thus, use of the stage for beam positioning increases the control time for the entire apparatus, which increases the overall exposure time of the semiconductor wafer 19.
Further, at the time of executing a process for positioning the beam at a target point by deflection, a positioning error may occur depending on the mechanical precision of the stage. The greater the number of times the beam is positioned, the higher the rate of occurrence of the positioning error becomes, reducing the exposure precision of the whole chip. In this respect, it is desirable to acquire repeating units or repeating exposure data that occupies a large area. However, large areas usually include repeatless patterns, which interfere with matrix recognition. Furthermore, with large areas the amount of data to be extracted increases, thus increasing the extraction time.

Method and apparatus for generating exposure data of semiconductor integrated circuit


A disk recording/reproducing apparatus has an improved structure such that a disk seated on a disk seating unit is inserted between rollers for transferring the disk to a magazine without a separate extracting lever between the rollers and the disk seating unit, thereby simplifying the structure. A tray position changing mechanism is provided which horizontally moves the tray, having the disk seating unit thereon, from a first position to a second position where the disk is inserted between the rollers.

The present invention relates to a disk recording/reproducing apparatus having a magazine-type disk changer for accommodating a plurality of disks and, more particularly, to a disk recording/reproducing apparatus having an improved structure for facilitating the disk changing operation.
A disk recording/reproducing apparatus having a magazine-type disk changer adapted to accommodate a plurality of disks extracts one of the disks accommodated in the magazine for reproduction and inserts reproduced disks into the magazine for storage. An example of such a disk recording/reproducing apparatus is schematically shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a magazine 20 movable up and down in the arrow direction and a subtray 30 are installed within a housing 10 of a disk recording/reproducing apparatus 1. Multiple layers of disk receiving shelves 21 are formed in the magazine 20 so that a plurality of disks can be placed therein. A tray 50 is supported by the subtray 30 to be slidable forward and backward with respect to the housing 10. A pair of complementary rollers 60 are installed between the tray 50 and magazine 20. A disk inserted between the rollers 60 is pressingly transferred from the tray 50 to the magazine 20, or vice versa, depending on the rotational direction of the rollers 60. There is a turntable 41 on the top of a deck 40 which lifts and supports a disk D seated on the tray 50 as the deck 40 is lifted. Then, the disk, placed and supported on turntable 41, can be reproduced or recorded by an optical pickup (not shown). After the reproduction or recording is completed, the deck 40 is lowered and the disk placed and supported on the turntable 41 is again placed on the tray 50. Then, the disk can be inserted between the rollers 60 and pressingly transferred to the disk receiving shelves 21 of the magazine 20 by the rollers 60.
However, in the conventional disk recording/reproducing apparatus, in order to insert the disk seated on the tray between the rollers 60, a separate disk transferring means such as an extracting lever (not shown) must be installed near the tray. Accordingly, the apparatus becomes complicated and costs increase.

Disk recording/reproducing apparatus having magazine for accommodating a plurality of disks and a tray position changing mechanism


An implantable medical device (IMD) provides an alert to a patient that has the IMD implanted in their body. The alert is used to remind the patient to schedule and/or proceed to a follow-up physician visit. The reminder is also used to remind the patient to initiate a remote communication so that stored data or other information may be transmitted to a remote computer network or other communication node.

Various types of devices have been developed for implantation into the human body to provide various types of health-related therapies and/or monitoring. Examples of such devices, generally known as implantable medical devices (IMDs), include cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter/defibrillators, cardiomyostimulators, various physiological stimulators including nerve, muscle, and deep brain stimulators, various types of physiological monitors, and drug delivery systems, just to name a few. Some IMDs include varying amounts of electronic memory that may be used to store not only device operating and control software, but to store various types of patient- and device-related data. In addition, some of these same IMDs may include signal processing and telemetry circuitry, which allows some or all of the data stored in the memory to be transmitted to a remote computer network or other communication node, and/or the device to receive and store data transmitted to it remotely from a computer network or other communication node.
In many cases, after an IMD has been implanted in a patient, the patient may need to have periodic follow-up visits with a doctor or other type of practitioner. Alternatively, or in addition to periodic follow-up visits, patients with IMDs may need to periodically initiate a communication with a doctor or other type of practitioner at a medical facility or clinic, or periodically initiate a remote communication, such as described above, between the IMD and a remote network or other communications node. These periodic visits and/or communications, allow doctors or other practitioners to check the IMD and patient to determine, for example, whether or not the IMD is operating as programmed or perhaps should be programmed differently. These periodic visits and/or communications also allow, among other things, doctors or other practitioners to analyze some or all of the data stored in and/or transmitted from the IMD. These data can provide the doctor or other practitioner with various types of physiological data about the patient, and may also be used to determine whether or not the IMD is functioning properly.
Unfortunately, in some instances patients do not schedule a follow-up visit or do not call in or otherwise initiate a remote communication. In such instances, extra time and effort may be expended by medical or other personnel in contacting those patients that failed show up for, or call in to schedule, a follow-up visit, and/or otherwise failed to initiate a remote communication. This can result in increased medical-related and administrative costs, and a reduced level of medical care. Moreover, if the patient's IMD is configured to store various types of data related to certain physiological events, and the patient experiences a relatively high number of these events, the possibility exists that the IMD memory may become full and the IMD may overwrite some previously stored data before it has been transmitted to the computer network or other communication node. This can result in the loss of important physiologic data that may be helpful in the long term care, therapy, and/or treatment of the patient. This can also result in increased time, effort, and cost in requesting additional information from the patient regarding potential physiological events, should some data be overwritten. There is also a possibility of a loss of data accuracy if the patient is the only source of those data.
Hence, there is a need for a system and method that provides an alert to a patient having an IMD that reminds the patient to schedule and/or proceed to a follow-up physician visit, and/or to initiate a remote communication to transmit stored data or other information to a remote computer network or other communication node. The present invention addresses one or more of these needs. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

System and method for supplying a patient reminder alert from an implantable medical device


The invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining a total concentration of a component in a sample, including a reactor for oxidizing or reducing the sample, a chromatographic column coupled to the reactor for separating the component in the sample, and an electrochemical gas sensor coupled to the chromatographic column for detecting the component. In further embodiments, a filter may be used instead of or in addition to the column. Moreover, multiple sensors may be used instead of or in addition to the column for simultaneously detecting multiple components.

Detecting for the presence of particular components may be useful for a variety of reasons. With respect to environmental concerns, an apparatus for detecting pollution or industrial emission, whether in the liquid or gaseous state, may alert an individual responsible for limiting such contaminants as to when a given quantity of pollution has entered water systems or the atmosphere. A gas detection unit may be used for detecting the presence of dangerous chemical compounds, such as carbon monoxide, in a mixture of gases. In the medical field, a gas detection unit may be used for detecting a particular gas in equipment, such as an oxygen inhalation machine, for alerting staff as to the amount of oxygen remaining in the reservoir or given to the patient.
Known methods and apparatuses have been developed to detect the presence of gases or liquids. Typical systems include gas chromatography, ion chromatography, electrolytic conductivity detection, and conductometric measurement. However, these detection systems have generally been expensive, cumbersome, or shown to have low sensitivities and slower response times. In situations where a generally quick response time may be desired, such as detecting toxic gases or a lack of oxygen in an oxygen inhalation machine, detection systems having enhanced abilities to quickly detect particular gases or liquids are usually favorable.
Systems for detecting gases appear to be disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,016 to Fine, U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,302 to Rounbehler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,328 to Wreyford, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,963 to Wreyford. In these systems, a gas chromatograph column appears to be placed prior to the reactor so that components of the mixture may be separated from one another prior to being oxidized and/or reduced. This apparatus often permits particular compounds to be detected upon exiting the reactor. For example, a detector coupled to the reactor may be used to detect H2S while other compounds, such as H2O, CH4, SO2, or SO3, may not be detected by the detector.
However, if a total concentration of hydrogen is desired using the apparatuses shown in Fine, Rounbehler, or two Wreyford patents, multiple detectors may be needed to detect all of the compounds containing hydrogen, such as a detector for detecting H2O and another detector for CH4. The detectors' results may thereafter need to be summed, which may also introduce measurement error with respect to each detector, so that the total amount of hydrogen may be determined.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,308 to Sisti et al. ("Sisti") appears to relate to a method and apparatus for determining a total concentration of sulfur in a gas sample. Sisti seems to teach a reactor for combusting a gas sample and oxygen, followed by a gas chromatograph column for separating components of the combustion mixture from one another. The separated components seem to then be conveyed to a known thermal conductivity detector ("TCD") for detection.
FIG. 1 depicts a conventional TCD in accordance with the prior art. As shown, first, second, third, and fourth cells 1,2,3,4, respectively, appear to contain first, second, third and fourth heaters 1a, 2a, 3a, and 4a, respectively. Fluid being examined is typically led from an inlet 5a (see arrow) of the first cell 1, made to flow through first cell 1 and second cell 2, and led out of an outlet 5b (see arrow) of second cell 2. A reference fluid is usually led from an inlet 6a (see arrow) of third cell 3, made to flow through third cell 3 and fourth cell 4, and led out of an outlet 6b (see arrow) of fourth cell 4. In addition, first, second, third and fourth heaters 1a, 2a, 3a and 4a, are most often connected to form an electrical bridge 7 and a predetermined current is normally supplied from a constant current supply 8 to bridge 7.
When an unbalance voltage is generated in bridge 7, a detection circuit 9 may detect such unbalance voltage, and in that way, variation in thermal conductivity of the fluids being examined may be measured, wherein the variation may indicate the amount of a component present in a mixture.
However, TCDs may have limited detection capabilities. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,389 to Nagata ("Nagata"), TCDs seem to be adversely affected due to the flow of gases that are to be detected, resulting in inaccurate gas measurements.
Hence, the Sisti method and apparatus for detecting total sulfur concentration, due to the possible limitations of the detector, may have limited sensitivity and/or accuracy. Moreover, Sisti appears to relate to a method and apparatus that is limited to a determination of a single component and where a determination of multiple components may require multiple operations in succession.
What is desired, therefore, is an improved detection system that determines a total concentration of a component from a mixture of components. What is also desired is a detection system having enhanced sensitivity and accuracy. A further desire is a detection system that efficiently and contemporaneously detects total concentrations of multiple components. A still further desire is a detection system that efficiently detects total concentrations of multiple components while reducing interference from undesired components.

Method and apparatus for determining a total concentration of a component in a mixture of components


A method to produce a semiconductor laser diode (LD) including a sampled grating (SG) is disclosed. The method prepares various resist patterns each including grating regions and space regions alternately arranged along an optical axis. The grating regions and the space region in respective cavity types have total widths same with the others but the grating regions in respective types has widths different from others. After the formation of the grating patterns based on the resist patterns, only one of the grating patterns is used for subsequent processes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process to form a semiconductor laser diode (LD), in particular, to form an LD implementing with a sampled grating.
2. Related Background Arts
A wavelength tunable LD usually provides an optical grating, especially, a sampled grating to tune an emission wavelength thereof, where the optical grating is often provided under an active layer, or a waveguide layer. A sampled grating has a structure with a number of grating regions formed at a constant interval, and each of the grating regions includes a number of gratings each having refractive index thereof different for those of neighbor regions. However, when the number of the gratings in one grating region, or when the gratings have physical shapes off from the desired one, such a sampled grating may show optical performance different from the designed one, or degraded from those of desired performance.

Process for forming semiconductor laser diode implemented with sampled grating

Sumitomo Electric Device Innovations, Inc.


An analytical composition comprising antibody conjugate, an indicator which is capable of providing a detectable condition in the presence of peroxidase and hydrogen peroxide assays performed using this composition are described.

The invention relates to medical and environmental diagnostics employing soybean peroxidase in place of horseradish peroxidase which has been historically used.
Enzymes are now widely used in medical and environmental diagnostics. Horseradish peroxidase has been one of the most satisfactory enzymes but is relatively expensive. It has now been found that soybean peroxidase can be readily harvested from soybean hulls at minimal expense and be substituted for horseradish peroxidase in these diagnostic chemistries.
Several diagnostic chemistries using the enzymatic activity of horseradish peroxidase have been described in the literature. Horseradish peroxidase has been used for diagnostic determinations of various analytes and has been used as a label in enzyme labeled antibodies used in the determination of immunologically reactive species (i.e. immunoassays) Such determinations can be carried out in solution or in dry analytical elements.
One type of useful assay utilizes enzymatic reactions wherein the analyte, upon contact with the appropriate reagents, reacts with oxygen in the presence of a suitable enzyme to produce hydrogen peroxide in proportion to the concentration of the analyte. A detectable product such as a visible or fluorescent dye is then produced by the reaction of hydrogen peroxide in proportion to the concentration of the analyte in the tested liquid Peroxidase is generally used in such assays to catalyze the oxidation of the interactive composition by hydrogen peroxide One example of such an assay is a glucose assay using glucose oxidase Glucose is oxidized in the presence of oxygen by the enzyme, glucose oxidase, to produce glucolactone and hydrogen peroxide. In the presence of peroxidase, the hydrogen peroxide oxidizes a colorless dye such as tetramethylbenzidine to produce a colored product.
Another type of assay utilizes an immunologically reactive compound such as an antibody. These chemistries can be generally classified into two groups, namely, conjugate or enzyme labeled antibody procedures, and non-conjugate or unlabeled antibody procedures. In the conjugate procedures, the enzyme is covalently linked to the antibody and applied to a sample containing the immobilized antigen to be detected. Thereafter the enzyme substrate, e.g., hydrogen peroxide, and an oxidazable chromogen such as a leuco dye are applied. In the presence of the peroxidase, the peroxide reacts with the chromogen resulting in the production of color. The production of color indicates the presence and in some cases the amount of the antigen. In another method, a competing substance is used to dislodge an antibody enzyme conjugate from an immobilized substrate, leading to an absence of color.
In a method sometimes referred to as the sandwich assay or enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA), a first antibody is bound to a solid support surface and challenged with a fluid sample suspected to contain the antigen to be detected and an enzyme-antibody conjugate. The antigen complexes with the antibody and the conjugate bonds to the antigen. Subsequent introduction of the substrate and chromogen produces a visual indication of the presence of the antigen.
Procedures employing non-conjugated enzymes include the enzyme bridge method and the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. These methods use an antiperoxidase antibody produced by injecting peroxidase into an animal such as a goat, rabbit or guinea pig. The method does not require chemical conjugation of the antibody to the enzyme but consists of binding the enzyme to the antigen through the antigen-antibody reaction of an immunoglobulin-enzyme bridge. In the enzyme bridge method a secondary antibody acts as an immunologic bridge between the primary antibody against the suspected antigen and the antiperoxidase antibody. The antiperoxidase antibody in turn binds the peroxidase which catalyzes the indicator reaction. In the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method, a complex of the peroxidase and the antiperoxidase antibody is formed. This complex can then be used in the immunologic bridge method.


Techniques for providing optical ion beam metrology are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for controlling beam density profile, the apparatus may include one or more camera systems to capture at least one image of an ion beam and a control system coupled to the one or more camera systems to control a beam density profile of the ion beam. The control system may further include a dose profiler to provide information to one or more ion implantation components in at least one of a feedback loop and a feedforward loop to improve dose and angle uniformity.

Ion implantation is a process of depositing chemical species into a substrate by direct bombardment of the substrate with energized ions. In semiconductor manufacturing, ion implanters are used primarily for doping processes that alter the type and level of conductivity of target materials. A precise doping profile in an integrated circuit (IC) substrate and its thin-film structure is often crucial for proper IC performance. To achieve a desired doping profile, one or more ion species may be implanted in different doses and at different energy levels.
In an ion implantation process, an ion beam typically scans a wafer or substrate surface. As used hereinafter, "scanning" a wafer or substrate surface with an ion beam refers to the relative movement of the ion beam with respect to the wafer or substrate surface.
An ion beam is typically either a "spot beam" having an approximately circular or elliptical cross section or a "ribbon beam" having a rectangular cross section. For purposes of the present disclosure, a "ribbon beam" may refer to either a static ribbon beam or a scanned ribbon beam. The latter type of ribbon beam may be created by scanning a spot beam back and forth at a high frequency.
In the case of a spot beam, scanning of a wafer may be achieved by sweeping the spot beam back and forth between two endpoints to form a beam path and by simultaneously moving the wafer perpendicular to the beam path. Alternatively, the spot beam may be kept stationary, and the wafer may be moved in a two-dimensional (2-D) pattern with respect to the spot beam. In the case of a ribbon beam, scanning of a wafer may be achieved by keeping the ribbon beam stationary and by simultaneously moving the wafer across the ribbon beam. If the ribbon beam is wider than the wafer, a one-dimensional (1-D) movement of the wafer may cause the ribbon beam to cover the entire wafer surface. The much simpler 1-D scanning makes a ribbon beam a preferred choice for single-wafer ion implantation production.
However, just like spot beams, ribbon beams can suffer from intrinsic non-uniformity problems. A ribbon beam typically consists of a plurality of beamlets, wherein each beamlet may be considered, conceptually, as one spot beam. Though beamlets within a ribbon beam travel in the same general direction, any two beamlets may not be pointing in exactly the same direction. In addition, each beamlet may have an intrinsic angle spread. As a result, during ion implantation with a ribbon beam, different locations on a target wafer may experience different ion incident angles. Furthermore, beamlets may not be evenly spaced within the ribbon beam. One portion of the ribbon beam where beamlets are densely distributed may deliver a higher ion dose than another portion of the ribbon beam where beamlets are sparsely distributed. Therefore, a ribbon beam may lack angle uniformity and/or dose uniformity.
FIG. 1 depicts a conventional ion implanter system 100. As is typical for most ion implanter systems. The ion implanter system 130 may comprise an ion source 102 and a complex series of components through which an ion beam 10 passes. The series of components may include, for example, an extraction manipulator 104, a filter magnet 106, an acceleration or deceleration column 108, an analyzer magnet 110, a rotating mass slit 112, a scanner 114, and a corrector magnet 116. Much like a series of optical lenses that manipulate a light beam, the ion implanter components can filter and focus the ion beam 10 before steering it towards an end station 120.
An extraction electrode configuration, such as a ground electrode and a suppression electrode (not shown), may be positioned in front of the extraction manipulator 104. Each of the ground electrode and the suppression electrode have an aperture aligned with an aperture of the extraction manipulator 104 for extraction of a well-defined ion beam 10 from the ion source 102 for use in the ion implanter system 100.
The end station 120 supports one or more workpieces, such as workpiece 122, in the path of ion beam 10 such that ions of a desired species are implanted into the workpiece 122. The workpiece 122 may be, for example, a semiconductor wafer or other similar target object requiring ion implantation. The end station 120 may also include a platen 124 to support the workpiece 122. The platen 124 may secure the workpiece 122 using electrostatic or other forces. The end station 120 may also include a component (not illustrated) for moving the workpiece 122 in a desired direction. The end station 120 may also include additional components, such as automated workpiece handling elements for introducing the workpiece 122 into the ion implanter system 100 and for removing the workpiece 122 after ion implantation. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the entire path traversed by the ion beam 10 is evacuated during ion implantation.
The ion implanter system 100 may also include a controller (not illustrated) to control a variety of subsystems and components of the ion implanter system 100. The ion implanter system 100 may also include a number of measurement devices, such as a dose control Faraday cup 118, a traveling Faraday cup 128, and a dose Faraday cup 126. These devices may be used to monitor and control ion beam conditions.
Although these additional components have been utilized in conventional ion implanters to improve either angle uniformity or dose uniformity of a ribbon beam, a more efficient solution has yet to be made available for providing ribbon beams that meet current dose and angle uniformity requirements for ion implantation production. For example, it is typically required that a ribbon beam should produce, in a wafer plane, a dose uniformity with less than 1% variations together with an angle uniformity with less than 0.50° variations. Such stringent uniformity requirements are becoming more difficult to meet since both types of uniformity may be elusive, especially in semiconductor manufacturing which require relatively high specificity and reliability.
In view of the foregoing, it may be understood that there are significant problems and shortcomings associated with current ion implantation technologies.

Techniques for optical ion beam metrology

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


A polyarylenesulfide resin composition manufactured by compounding polyarylenesulfide resin with one or more ester-based compounds selected from the groups of compounds shown in the following formulas (1) and (2): ##STR1## where R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 are such that at least one of them is an alkyl or alkenyl group of 10-40 carbon atoms, the remaining Rs represent --H, --OH, alkyl, or aryl radicals, and 1.0<m<6.0 ##STR2##

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polyarylene sulfide (hereinafter "PAS") resin composition that is excellent in moldability and in mechanical properties. More specifically the present invention relates to a PAS resin composition characterized in that the separability of a molding from the metal mold (hereafter referred to as "mold separability") can be drastically improved independently of the mold temperature at the time of injection molding, thereby shortening the molding time and increasing mechanical strength of the molding to provide a wider range of applicable fields. This is accomplished by combining a specified ester-based compound, as a mold separating agent, into PAS resin.
2. Background of the Invention
In recent years, high heat-resistant thermoplastic resin has been in demand as a component material of instruments for electrical, electronic, automobile, and chemical applications. PAS resin may satisfy this need. However, PAS resin occasionally suffers a drawback in that stable and continuous molding becomes difficult, resulting in a slow molding speed (molding cycle) and poor productivity. This problem arises because PAS resin has good affinity with metals and shrinks slightly in the process of solidification from a molten state. On the other hand, many moldings require the use of precise and complicated metal molds, leading to poor mold separability.
In order to overcome these defects related to mold separability, some countermeasures have been taken in which the cavity of a metal mold is sprayed with silicone oil, or PAS resin is added with zinc stearate (Published Unexamined Japan Patent Application No. 54-162752) or fatty acid amide such as N,N'-alkylene bisalkane amide (U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,509).
For this purpose, however, silicone oil, when sprayed into the cavity, exhibits remarkable mold separability but must be sprayed once or more for every few shots. In the case of moldings having a weld part, the oil concentrates on the weld part and deteriorates weld strength, duplicating the problem with PAS resin. In addition, electrical contacts may malfunction because silicone oil attaches to moldings when the moldings are used for electric or electronic parts. Adding zinc stearate or fatty acid amide (such as N,N'-alkylene bisalkane amide) to some degree aids mold separation, but discoloration, lowering of the mechanical strength in moldings, and gas generation due to the low thermal decomposition temperature of the added compounds also result in kneading and molding processes. Generated gas also lowers resin strength at weld parts in moldings.


The present provides a soymilk machine/juicer with grinding function, comprising a pair of concentric rotator (13) and stator (14) that are vertically arranged in a house. There are at least two thread convex ribs (16) on said rotator (14), and the thread convex ribs (16) are evenly distributed on the outer surface of a rotator body (15). Rotary clearance is defined between the thread convex ribs (16) of the rotator (13) and the inner wall of the stator (14). The middle upper part of said rotator body (15) is a revolved portion with small upside and large downside. The clearance of the upside of the rotator body (15) corresponding to an upper filter net (17) on the stator (14) is largest, which is the smashing section for dealing with stuff after stuff is fed. The clearance of the middle part of the rotator body (15) corresponding to the middle upper part of an abrasive disc of the stator (14) is medium-size, which is for smashing stuff further. The clearance of the middle lower part of the rotator body (15) corresponding to the lower part of the abrasive disc of the stator (14) is gradually shortened to less than 1 mm, which is the grinding section for stuff. The part of the rotator (13) under the grinding section corresponding to a lower filter net (18) on the stator (14) is the separating section for the soymilk from residue. The rotator of said soymilk machine/juicer can rotate stably and have less noise, and stuff can be grinded to be finer.

The food processor, such as the soymilk machine, juicer/extractor, blender, etc, is an important category of household appliances. In recent decades, such food processors become popular in global market and loved by customers in China due to its convenience, speed and compatibility with the Chinese food. The core technology underlying the conventional soymilk machine, juicer, blender and other similar automatic food processors is of three major types as described below:
1. The food material is broken up by high speed rotation of metal blades. Conventional soymilk machines and food processors mostly belong to this type.
2. The food material is processed into small filaments or pieces by relative motion between the food material and a metal scraper which has numerous shaving holes (serves as small scraping blades) on the surface. The juice and residues are then separated by centrifugal force. The example is the scraper type juicer.3. The food material is pushed into a small chamber by a screw rod and extruded through a metal mesh filter placed at opposing end of the chamber. Alternatively, the food material can be cut into small pieces by a set of blades which moves relative to each other for cutting the food material into small pieces and extracting the juice. The examples are screw rod type juicer and meat grinder.
The food processors of the first and second types have following drawbacks:
1. Metal blades may become rusted and blunt after repeated use.
2. Processed food material may stick to metal blades due to the heat generated on the metal blades during operation, making them difficult to clean. This is particularly troublesome for the soymilk machine with a heater as the food material is more easily sticking to the metal blades upon being heated.3. Metal blades may become contaminated and produce abnormal odors due to bacteria growth in micro-pores on the surface of the metal blades, which can affect the flavor of the processed food material, affect food color due to chemical reaction upon contacting with the food material such as fruits, or even is detrimental to health due to the small amount of heavy metal elements released from the metal blades during blending and grinding operations.
The conventional automatic soymilk machines as described above are not really the same as the traditional way of making soymilk. In the traditional way, the soy beans are grinded manually using a stone mill. The stone mill can have various types such as wet mill, dry mill, oil mill or paste mill, etc. Among them, the wet mill is a traditional tool specifically for making soymilk. The soy beans to be processed are put between a pair of milling plates (including an upper plate 36 and a lower plate 37, see FIG. 1) after being soaked in water. Opposing surfaces of the upper and lower plates 36 and 37 both have milling teeth 38 in peripheral regions along radial directions. The length of milling teeth 38 of the upper plate 36 smaller than that of the milling teeth of the lower plate 36. The milling teeth 38 can have an arrangement of eight divisions each with eight teeth (as shown in FIG. 1). Alternatively, the milling teeth 38 can have other arrangements such as ten divisions each with four teeth or ten divisions each with six teeth depending on the need of the specific circumstance. Water is added through the feeding inlet while the milling plates rotate, and the soy beans are pressed by the pair of milling plates and grinded by the milling teeth due to relative movement of the two milling plates. The process then yields soymilk. During such milling process, the soy beans are under a variety of actions such as crushing, pressing, tempering, rubbing, twisting and grinding, which makes soymilk rich in flavor and taste good.
It has been found that the low rotation speed of the stone mill is directly related to the richness in flavor of the soymilk produced in the traditional way. Traditional manpowered stone mill operates at a rotational speed of 4-7 rpm. During such low speed process, the protein in the soymilk is sufficiently exposed to the air and thus fully oxidized. The slower the rotation speed is, the richer the flavor of the soymilk would be. This is why the soymilk made by the traditional stone mill has rich aroma and flavor. In addition, the soymilk is filtered with cotton cloth to remove finer residual powders particles and is thus tender and smooth with great taste.
In comparison, most of conventional existing soymilk machines employ a blending process of the first type mentioned above, in which the soy beans are broken or beat up into small pieces, and they are blended and heated at the same time. As such, the traditional milling process is replaced by a simple pulverization and crushing process in such soymilk machines. Therefore a large amount of bean residual powders are kept in the soymilk. In addition, the rotational speed of the blades in the soymilk machine (over 10,000 rpm) is much greater than the rotational speed of a traditional stone mill, which can destroy some nutrients in the soymilk and thus lower the extraction rate of bean nutrients. The soymilk made by such soymilk machine is drastically different from the soymilk made by the traditional stone mill in terms of flavor, taste and nutrient level. In other words, the traditional stone mill produces better soymilk. Furthermore, the soymilk machine of the first type does not have a separation step for separating soymilk and residuals. The resulting soymilk contains both the milk and residuals, which not only affect taste but also affect absorption of nutrient ingredients by the human body. In addition, those conventional soymilk machines vibrate due to the high speed rotation, which in turn generates unpleasant noises.
The soymilk machine of the third type is rare, but Chinese patent application No. 200780001269.X entitled "JUICER" discloses a soymilk/juice machine of such type. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 therein (corresponding to FIGS. 2 and 3 in the present application, respectively), the juice machine includes a screw rod 200 and a meshed can 300, installed vertically in a concentric nesting manner. The height of the screw thread on the surface of the screw rods 200 decreases from top to bottom. There is a grinding plate disposed on the inner surface of the meshed can 300. The food material enters the gap between the meshed can and the threads of the screw rod from above. The food material in the gap is then squeezed and crushed by rotating the screw rod and the juice generated during the process flows through the meshed can via the mesh filters disposed at the upper and lower positions (which are straining mesh 320 and squeezing mesh 330 respectively) and is discharged from the juice outlet, and the residuals are discharged via residual outlet 570.
The juicer described as above has following drawbacks: since the screw rod is shaped like a loom shuttle, with two smaller ends and a bigger midsection, which makes it impossible to provide a grinding section at the lower end below the middle pulverization section. The gap between the screw rod and meshed can of a profile like "K." has an upper section f1 for guiding and breaking, which has a greater gap size. The middle section f2 is for pulverization with a smaller gap, and a lower section f3 for juice/residual separation with a slightly increased gap. As the outer surface of the screw rod and the inner surface of the meshed can assume a "K" profile, the device lacks a grinding section to perform a grinding process like the traditional stone mill which requires two generally parallel opposing grinding surfaces. The gap in section f1 is decreased gradually from top to bottom and reaches a minimum at the pulverization section f2. The food material goes through the stages of guiding, breaking, pulverization and eventually enters into a juice/residual separation section. The juicer processes the food material by squeezing and crushing, unlike the grinding process in the conventional manpowered milling. Therefore, although the screw rod rotates slowly, the flavor and taste of the soymilk is still drastically worse than the soymilk made by the traditional stone mill approach due to the lack of the grinding process. In addition, since the food material is not grinded, the food material has bigger particle sizes, which can readily get stuck in the filter mesh of the mesh can and need to be brushed off into the milk by the rotating brush 400. Otherwise, the filter mesh will be blocked, affecting soymilk throughput. This will also increase the powder contents of the soymilk and affect the tenderness and smoothness of the soymilk.

GUANGDONG XINBAO ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES HOLDINGS CO., LTD


A personal portable phone, such as a cell phone, has an antenna (and preferably two antennas) which are mounted on an antenna base that slides over the ear piece when the phone is not in use and slides to a protracted position when the phone is in use.

This invention relates to the method of implementing two-way wireless telecommunication, including but not limited to cellular and satellite telephones, while eliminating any contact with electromagnetic energy emanating from the wireless telephone by the user.
A typical situation to which this invention is addressed is one in which an individual is making a telephone call using a cellular or any type of wireless telephone. In order for the telephone to operate, an antenna is required as part of the equipment. This antenna enables the generation of electromagnetic energy into the atmosphere by the transmitter section of the wireless telephone and conversely couples electromagnetic energy, which has been transmitted into the atmosphere by other transmitters, to the receiver section of the same wireless telephone.
Wireless telephones generally use monopole antennas. These antennas radiate electromagnetic energy in a 360° three-dimensional pattern. As a result, a substantial percentage of the electromagnetic energy being transmitted by the wireless telephone makes contact with the user. Since the user is holding the telephone immediately adjacent to his or her ear, the greatest concentration of electromagnetic energy is directed to the head and hand of the user.
There is a widely believed and frequently asserted contention that continuous exposure to electromagnetic radiation can have adverse health effects on the human body. Although the data on this is not conclusive, particularly as to the relationship between dosage and effect, there is an appreciable amount of anecdotal evidence and a substantial theoretical basis for these assertions.
For an appreciable period of time there has been expressed concern as to the degree to which people using cell phones over any extended period of time are subjecting themselves to an adverse environmental impact.
A first group of proposals have been made to reduce the level of the transmitted radiation. A second group of proposals have been made to introduce shielding between the telephone involved and the individual using it. It is believed that appreciable work is being done along these lines by manufacturers of cell phones. However, these approaches create problems that produce disadvantages. A lesser level of transmitted radiation reduces range and also increases the likelihood of not making contact or being cut off. Shielding results in increased size and weight that tends to provide an instrument which would not be acceptable to the public, thereby minimizing any beneficial impact that might be derived from such a design.
Accordingly, it is a major object of this invention to provide a design for a cell phone which will substantially reduce the level of electromagnetic radiation received at the head of the user of the cell phone while substantially retaining the operating parameters of the instrument involved.
It is a related purpose of this invention to provide this improvement without detracting from the ease and convenience of use of the cell phone and in particular to avoid substantial increases in cost and weight.

Wireless telephone communication with reduced electromagnetic energy input on the user

Abstract: In a non-use state, the two antennas are rotated down flush with the antenna base.

Abstract: When in use, and in a protracted state, the two antennas are rotated up to a position such that the plane of the antenna is perpendicular to the plane of the base and the plane of the ear piece. In that position, each antenna is used to transmit electromagnetic radiation in a conical pattern. The pattern shown is a circular cone having an included angle of about 30° to 60°. The axes of the two conical patterns are parallel to the plane of the antenna base and plane of the ear piece so that the two conical patterns miss the head of the user and only a minimal or trivial amount of electromagnetic radiation impinges on the head of the user.