An intake silencer of the variable type is for reducing noise generated coming from the difference between the inner pressure and the outer pressure of a combustion chamber when an intake valve being opened or closed. The present invention for reducing noise comprises a signal processing part, a signal comparing part and a valve driving part. In the signal processing part, a RPM sensor modulates a waveform obtained by detecting the revolution number of the engine and a F/V converter changes it thereafter emitting a signal to the signal comparing part. In the signal comparing part, a plurality of comparators emit the opened and closed signal to a valve driver by comparing a output signal emitted from the signal processing part with a basic signal. In the valve driving part, when the corresponding valve driver turns on or off by virtue of the signal emitted from the corresponding comparator, a corresponding actuator opens or closes the corresponding valve dividing the inside of the side branch. Thus, it can rapidly change its capacity according to the change of the revolution number of the engine and also has the simple structure and the small size.

The generation of noise from an engine system used for a motor vehicle is caused by the engine system itself, a piston system or an intake system. Among them, noise from the intake system is generated coming from the difference between the inner pressure and the outer pressure of a combustion chamber when an intake valve being opened or closed. It is transmitted therefrom to an air cleaner and then dispersed toward the outside.
The intake noise is influenced by the frequency, generally the low frequency, related with the revolution number of an engine.
As well-known, noise generated due to the low frequency should be eliminated if possible since it resonates a vehicle body itself to produce noise inside the motor vehicle.
Kawamura's U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,756 provides a suction air muffler for motorcycle effective to prevent producing noise which would otherwise be produced by air drawn by suction into the inlet of the motorcycle. Takai's U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,223 provides a silencer for reducing noise produced by air drawn into the engine such that a resonance chamber is placed on a conduct connected to an air cleaner and porous metal tubes connect the space inside the chamber to the conduct. Hanzawa et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,985 proposes an intake air silencer including a side branch tube which is flexible at least partially for installation in a limited space, placed on an intake tube connected to an air cleaner to reduce noise.
As described above, many kinds of silencers for reducing the air intaking noise into the engine have been commercially used. Generally, they are divided into two types. One is a side branch type silencer, which can reduce noise by virtue of the mutually interfering of sonic waves according to quarter wave filter theory. Another is a cavity type silencer, which can silence noise by changing a wave energy of a sonic wave into a going and coming energy at the inside of a resonance chamber.
The present invention is related with an improvement of the side branch type silencer. FIG. 5 shows a basic structure of the side branch type silencer. The resonance chamber B is formed on an air intake tube in the form of connecting with each other, so that, when the air intaking noise arrives at the inside of the intake tube, it resonates the resonance chamber B. The mutual interference between resonating wave and noise occurs therein thereby reducing noise.
The engine provided with the silencer of this type is known to obtain the improved horse power and fuel consumption ratio as a graph shown in FIG. 6 since the path of the intake tube with a limited space has the sufficient amount of existed therein, air thereby causing the high charging efficiency of air drawn into the inside of a cylinder. The theoretical reduction of noise frequency of the side branch type silencer can represent F=C/4L as a formula, C is an acoustic velocity and L is the length of the resonance chamber. This formula means that the effective length of the resonance chamber can be variable to widen the reducible low frequency region. Thus, if the length or the capacity of the resonance path varies with the change of the RPM sensor of the engine, the preferred efficiency of noise reduction can be obtained.
Japanese Specification No. 86-41815 proposes the silencer of the variable type such that some short and long pipes connect the path of the intake tube with the resonance box and entrances of the pipes are provided with the opened and closed valves. Each opened and closed valve gears with the revolution of the engine thereby forming the simple structure and effectively reducing noise independently of the change of the engine revolution. However, the pipes interposed between the intake path and the resonance box can not help having a large size unfit for the limited engine chamber. Japanese Specification No. 61-41813 provides the silencer such that a piston placed at the inside of the resonance tube slides by a stepping motor corresponding to the engine revolution thereby increasing and/or decreasing the cavity of the resonance chamber, so that such problem can be solved. The invention has the advantage of minimizing the size of the silencer. However, since a tool of the piston type slides riding on a screw rod rotated by the stepping motor, the complex structure can be formed. Especially, the piston can not be rapidly changed immediately when the revolution number of the engine is changed thereby causing the poor efficiency of noise reduction though in a moment.

Intake silencer of the variable type for use in motor vehicle


Disclosed a roasting spit which is used for cooking meat such as chicken or turkey in a microwave oven. The roasting spit for a microwave oven comprises a ring-shaped support member disposed on a tray and including a horizontal coupling portion formed at one end thereof to be bent toward the center of the support member, and a vertical coupling portion formed at an other end of the support member to be multi-bent upward, and a pin member for stabbing a roasting material, the pin member being provided with an coupling hole formed at lower end thereof, thereby the pin member being selectively coupled with the horizontal coupling portion and the vertical coupling portion. When the roasting spit is not used, the pin member can be coupled with the horizontal coupling portion, so as to guarantee a safe packing with less expense and as well greatly reduce the package size.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly to a roasting spit which is used for cooking meat such as chicken or turkey in a microwave oven.
2. Prior Arts
In general, a microwave oven, an inner construction of which is schematically shown in FIG. 1, is an appliance for cooking food by a microwave stirring method using a microwave generated from a magnetron.
Referring to FIG. 1, the microwave oven as described above includes a housing 1 which encloses a cooking chamber 2 for cooking food therein and an operating chamber 3 for providing microwave and heat from a heater 7 into cooking chamber 2. Cooking chamber 2 and operating chamber 3 are separated from each other by an inner panel 4.
A tray 5, on which a container for food is loaded, is disposed on the floor of cooking chamber 2, while heater 7 is disposed at the top of cooking chamber 2. A driving motor 6 for rotating tray 5 at a lower speed is disposed under tray 5.
A magnetron 8 for generating microwave and a high voltage transformer (not shown) are disposed in operating chamber 3, and a guide tube 9 is provided between magnetron 8 and cooking chamber 2. Guide tube 9 guides and stirs the microwave generated from magnetron 8 into cooking chamber 2 to be dispersed therein.
In the microwave oven as described above, according to a choice on the menu by a user, the microwave generated from magnetron 8 is guided through guide tube 9 into cooking chamber 2, and food in cooking chamber 2 is also heated by heat from heater 7. Simultaneously, driving motor 6 rotates tray 5 at a low constant speed, so as to uniformly disperse the microwave into the food, thereby uniformly cooking the food.
Meanwhile, the microwave oven as described above may further include various supplementary devices according to the types of the food to be cooked by the oven. For example, a roasting spit 10 is such a supplementary device for roasting chicken.
As shown in FIG. 2, roasting spit 10 includes a ring-shaped support member 11 and a pin 12. Support member 11 is set on a tray 5 in close contact therewith, and pin 12 is multi-bent from one end of support member 11 and then extends upward so as to hang the roasting material to be roasted by stabbing therethrough. The upper end of pin 12 is formed sharp as shown, so that the roasting material can be stabbed easily.
After the roasting material is stabbed with and hung on roasting spit 10 and support member 11 is set on tray 5, the roasting material or the food is cooked on tray 5 rotating at a low constant speed.
However, conventional roasting spit 10 as described above has several drawbacks as follows. That is, in conventional roasting spit 10 made by bending a thin and long single rod-shaped member, since pin 12 extends upwards to a high elevation and the upper end of pin 12 is sharp, safety for a user is not guaranteed. Further, when roasting spit 10 is distributed to consumers as a commercially available product, not only too large case is required for packing roasting spit 10 but also too much expense is necessary for the safe packing.


A net post-supporting device of a ping-pong table includes a net post and a bottom base composed of a lower plate and an upper plate. The lower plate is fixed with an upright threaded rod at an eccentric location, and the upper plate is bored with an insert hole for the threaded rod to be inserted therethrough. The net post positioned on the upper plate is shaped hollow and has its lower inner end formed with a threaded hole for the threaded rod to be screwed therethrough, letting the upper end of the threaded rod extending in the hollow interior of the net post. After the upper and the lower plate are respectively mounted on the upper and the lower side of the edge of the table, the net post is screwed tight to firmly fix the two plates sandwiching the edge of the table, convenient in handling and using.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a net post-supporting device of a ping-pong-table, particularly to one able to firmly fix the net post on the edge of a ping-pong table, simple in structure and convenient in assembling and using.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As commonly known, two net posts of a ping-pong table are respectively assembled at the opposite ends of the centerline of the ping-pong table for a net to be fastened therebetween. A conventional device for fixing a net post on the edge of a ping-pong table includes a bottom base secured under the net post and cut with a notch, and a tightening bolt inserted upward through the underside of the bottom base. After the bottom base is positioned on the edge of the table through its notch, the tightening bolt is screwed upward from under the table to tightly push against the underside of the table and firmly fix the net post in position.
However, the conventional net post supporting device of a ping-pong table has to be additionally provided with a threaded bolt and, after screwed tight, the threaded bolt has its lower end protruding out of the underside of the table; therefore, a players legs may carelessly bump against the threaded bolt and get injured, increasing cost in components and lacking of safety.

Net post supporting device of a ping-pong table


A method and apparatus for removing hair is disclosed. The method includes the step of producing a plurality of pulses of incoherent electromagnetic energy. The delay between pulses is in the range of 0.1 msec to 100 msec. The incoherent electromagnetic energy is then coupled to an area of surface of the tissue that includes more than one hair follicle. One or more filters are used to provide energy having a wavelength selected in accordance with the color of the hair. The method may alternatively include the step of applying a gel on a surface of the tissue to cool the tissue. The energy heats the hairs and hair follicles, without heating the tissue. The apparatus includes a source of pulsed incoherent electromagnetic energy. The source is located within a housing, and a coupler directs the incoherent electromagnetic energy to the surface of the tissue. In an alternative arrangement a gel disposed on the surface of the tissue such that the gel cools the tissue but is not adjacent, and does not cool, the hair follicle.

Hair can be removed permanently for cosmetic reasons by various methods, for example by heating the hair and the hair follicle to a high enough temperature that results in their coagulation. It is known that blood is coagulated when heated to temperatures of the order of 70.degree. C. Similarly, heating of the epidermis, the hair and the hair follicle to temperatures of the same order of magnitude will also cause their coagulation and will result in permanent removal of the hair.
One common method of hair removal, often called electrolysis, is based on the use of "electric needles" that are applied to each individual hair. An electrical current is applied to each hair through the needle. The current heats the hair, causes its carbonization and also causes coagulation of the tissue next to the hair and some coagulation of the micro-vessels that feed the hair follicle.
While the electrical needle method can remove hair permanently or long term, its use is practically limited because the treatment is painful and the procedure is generally tedious and lengthy.
Light can also be used effectively to remove hair. For example, other prior art methods of hair removal involve the application of pulsed light, generally from coherent sources such as lasers. R. A. Harte, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,623, and C. Block, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,391, teach to remove hair by coagulating single hair with a light coupled to the individual hair by an optical fiber at the immediate vicinity of the hair. Similarly, R. G. Meyer, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,919, removes hair on a hair by hair basis using energy from a pulsed laser. Similar inventions using small fibers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,924 to H. Weissman, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,926 to A. Sutton. Each of these teach to remove hair one hair at a time, and are thus slow and tedious.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,907, to N. Tankovich, describes a hair removal method based on the use of a material that coats the hair and hair follicle. The coating material enhances absorption of energy by the follicles, either by matching the frequency of a light source to the absorption frequency of the material, or by photochemical reaction. In either case the light source is a laser. One deficiency of such a method and apparatus is that lasers can be expensive and subject to stringent regulations. Additionally, the coating material must be applied only to the hair follicles, to insure proper hair removal and to prevent damage of other tissue.
Light (electromagnetic) energy used to remove hair must have a fluence such that sufficient energy will be absorbed by the hair and the hair follicle to raise the temperature to the desired value. However, if the light is applied to the surface of the skin other than at the precise location of a hair follicle, the light will also heat the skin to coagulation temperature and induce a burn in the skin.
Accordingly, it is desirable to be able to effectively heat multiple follicles, without burning the surrounding skin. Such a method and apparatus should be able to remove more than one hair at a time, and preferably over a wide area of skin, for example at least two square centimeters. Additionally, the method and apparatus should be capable of using incoherent light.
It is also desirable to provide the light at a frequency selected in accordance with the color of the hair, to take advantage of the absorption frequencies of different colors of hair. Also, it is desirable to provide a delay between pulses that allows the surrounding tissue to cool, but avoids having the hair follicle cool.

Method for depilation using pulsed electromagnetic radiation


The invention relates to a method for the automatic configuration and/or equipment of a vehicle cabin, more particularly of an aircraft, wherein the cabin (1) is subdivided into a plurality of zones (A, B, C, D, E) and wherein at least one parameter zone (A, C, E) and one dynamic zone (B, D) are provided, comprising the following steps: —selection of one or more individual modules from a pool of individual modules, —automatic arrangement of the at least one selected individual module in the parameter zone in accordance with at least one predetermined individual module parameter for the complete configuration of the meter zone, —selection of one or more individual components from a pool of individual components, —automatic calculation of an individual component configuration of the dynamic zone in accordance with the arrangement of the individual modules in the parameter zone and automatic arrangement of individual components in the dynamic zone in accordance with the calculated individual component configuration. The invention furthermore relates to a system and a computer program.

In vehicles for transporting passengers there is a need to equip these with appropriate fittings.
A passenger airplane for example consists of a large number of components. Many of these components may be and are ordered by the respective airlines in a certain specification, modification or configuration, i.e. they are produced according to customer requirements. There is a standard airplane that is appropriately developed and approved. Aircraft ordered by a customer are always developed and approved with regard to the standard airplane. This occurs by tracking the amendments (modifications) to the standard airplane in order to represent the corresponding customer configuration.
Each airline has, in addition to certain wishes with regard to the interior fittings of the aircraft, requirements that are prescribed by the particular national aviation authorities. Above all, however, technical requirements with regard to flight mechanics, structural mechanics and vibration mechanics and connection requirements with regard to ventilation, hydraulics, electrics, etc. must be taken into account.
The provision of the respective differently configured components for final installation takes place within the context of so-called "realization engineering". In this case the different configurations or specifications that are required by the airline are recorded.
On the basis of this recorded specification material, construction documents are then prepared, such as for example construction plans, parts lists and other documentation necessary for equipping a cabin of an aircraft. Due to the immense range of possible combinations this pre-engineering step is time-consuming and expensive. Thus there is a need in the aircraft industry for development to be configured more efficiently by targeted module-orientated pre-engineering and, based thereon, production of suitable assemblies for the airplane.
Furthermore, for example, an airplane cabin usually has connections, the position of these connections being fixed for example on the basis of safety rules. It is therefore necessary for the components with which the aircraft cabin is to be equipped to be disposed in the aircraft cabin in such a way that the connections of the aircraft cabin can be connected to the corresponding connections on the components.
Furthermore it is necessary for space in an airplane cabin to be utilized efficiently, so that the greatest possible number of passengers can be transported, thereby in particular reducing the fuel consumption per passenger.
For this purpose proposed solutions are already known in the prior art. Thus DE 100 41 031 A1 discloses a method for configuration of component arrangements, i.e. for definition of the spatial arrangement of components relative to one another and for optimization thereof with regard to position and/or amount, preferably in an airplane. In order to configure the arrangement of the components automatically and in order, if appropriate, to create production documents automatically by means of a data processing program, it is provided that the airplane type on which the construction documents are based is input into a configuration tool of a data processing system, that the airplane-specific geometry is stored in a drawing module of the data processing system stored and is automatically loaded therefrom and displayed, that in a functional and data analysis the necessary geometric objects or components are determined and described mathematically, position rules are mapped mathematically and stored and added to the airplane-specific geometry in the drawing module of the data processing system, and that in the configuration tool of the data processing system the objects or components together with the airplane-specific geometry are automatically optimally configured spatially relative to one another according to a defined set of rules taking account of the customer requirements. However, a disadvantage of this is that a calculation with regard to the configuration of the components in the airplane cabin must be performed for the entire airplane cabin, which makes the calculation time-consuming and requires considerable computing power.

Method for configuration and/or equipment of a vehicle cabin, in particular of an aircraft


An electronic circuit arrangement is disclosed for converting an input voltage signal having a first voltage level into an output signal having a second voltage level. An input unit is provided for inputting the input voltage signal at the first voltage level, while an output unit is arranged for outputting the output signal at the output of the electronic circuit arrangement. A threshold value comparison unit serves for comparing the first voltage level of the input signal with a switch-on threshold value. The circuit arrangement furthermore contains an input impedance changeover unit for changing over an input impedance of the circuit arrangement from a low value to a high value after a predetermined delay duration after the first voltage level of the input voltage signal exceeded the switch-on threshold value.

Electronic circuit arrangements for converting an input voltage signal having a first voltage level into an output voltage signal having a second voltage level are known. Conventional electronic circuit arrangements of this type permit input voltage signals having a wide input voltage range of 80 V to 300 V, for example, to be converted into corresponding output voltage signals. In order that the electronic circuit arrangement can process voltage signals having such a wide input voltage range, the input of the electronic circuit arrangement must have a high-impedance input, that is to say that the electronic circuit arrangement must have a high input impedance relative to the input voltage signal to be processed or to be amplified.
The solution proposed in the prior art for processing input voltage signals in a wide input voltage range has numerous disadvantages, however. One essential disadvantage of conventional circuit arrangements is that high input impedances result in the circuit arrangement having a high susceptibility to interference. High-impedance inputs are extremely sensitive in particular toward crosstalk between channels, cross-modulation effects, noise and interference induced by electrical and magnetic fields.
In many cases, however, it is absolutely necessary to identify without interference a change in a level of an input voltage signal to be processed, for example when a switch-on instant is to be detected precisely. This is of great importance particularly when detecting digital or binary signals. Such digital or binary signals, too, can have a large input voltage range, as specified above, in different applications.
In order to improve the interference immunity of conventional electronic circuit arrangements, it has been proposed in the prior art to reduce the input impedance of such electronic circuit arrangements. This leads to high currents and thus to high power losses in an inexpedient manner in the case of the input voltage ranges considered (80 V-300 V). Although the reduction of the input impedance lessens somewhat the sensitivity to the abovementioned disturbing interference, such as, for example, crosstalk, cross-modulation, noise components, interference induced by electrical or magnetic fields, and the problem associated with electromagnetic compatibility, the increase in the power loss on account of the increased input current at a lower input impedance cannot be tolerated for many applications.

Method for determining a switch-on threshold and electronic circuit arrangement for carrying out the method


Method and apparatus for time-shared processing of a sequence of principal data words having a constant period and at least one secondary word of a second sequence of secondary data words such that there is continuous processing of the secondary data word among said principal data words is formed. A principal data word becomes available for processing at each constant period, and the processing time of such a principal data word is less than that period. After a predetermined number of principal data words first becomes available for processing, the processor begins processing each of the available principal data words such that the next principal data word of the sequence begins processing immediately after processing of the previous principal data word of the sequence is complete. At a certain time after processing begins, an instance is reached where the processor has completed processing of all of the principal data words available for processing and the next principal data word of the sequence has not yet become available for processing. At that instance, at least one of the secondary data words of the second sequence is processed by the processor. Thereafter, processing of the principal data words continues.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for time-shared processing of a sequence of principal data words having a known constant frequency and a sequence of secondary data words having a lower frequency, in which the processing of each principal data word requires a shorter duration than the period of the principal data words. The invention also relates to apparatus for carrying out such method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In particular, a method of this type is carried out by a data processor which processes sample values, digitized as data words, of analog signals or sample values of signals which are already digitally present, which signals are time-dependent. The individual sample values of a signal are processed according to the same program in each case. One particular example of this is the processing of digitized audio signals, derived for instance from a compact disc CD storage medium. Since each of the sample values are subjected to the same algorithm, in the form of an application program in the data processor, the number of instructions which can be executed within a sampling period and the extent of the instructions themselves represent a measure of the performance of the data processor.
In the foregoing case, primary functions, such as volume, balance and treble and bass settings, for example, are executed in the data processor in a foreground program which operates in the case of the CD at a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz. There are also additional functions in audio systems, which can be referred to as secondary functions owing to their lesser requirements in terms of time. The rate of change of the signals for these secondary functions is considerably less than for the primary functions, so that it is possible to process the former in time gaps which remain within or at the end of a sampling period during the execution of a foreground program for a primary function. An example of such secondary functions are measures for decoding stereo/mono switch-overs or station identifiers in audio systems.
To be able to execute the background programs, it is, therefore, necessary that the sampling period of the foreground program is not completely occupied by instructions of such program. Since the space available for the background program within the sampling period of the foreground program is usually limited, the background program must be divided into a number of suitable sub-programs, each such sub-program then being processed in one of the successive sampling periods following each execution of the foreground program. A start program branch for processing the corresponding sub-program of the background program is carried out at the end of each execution of the foreground program, and a return program branch is carried out at the start of the following execution of the foreground program. The latter is frequently controlled by a corresponding synchronization signal, so that a wait loop exists at the end of the background sub-program to wait for this synchronization signal.
This results in an unfavorable time utilization of the data processor. Moreover, each program branch requires that a number of commands must be provided, for management of the branch addresses in particular, which increases program execution time. This increases proportionately the smaller the background sub-programs are.

Method and apparatus for time-shared processing of different data word sequences


To provide a mold structure used to produce a discrete track medium, including in a surface of the mold structure: a plurality of line pattern forming concave portions which are positioned so as to be adjacent and substantially parallel to each other; and a communicating concave portion which is positioned so as to intersect the line pattern forming concave portions and connects the line pattern forming concave portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mold structure used to produce a discrete track medium, an imprinting method, a method for producing a discrete track medium, and a discrete track medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, more and more hard disk drives superior in terms of speed and cost have been installed as popular storage devices in portable machines such as cellular phones, compact acoustic devices and video cameras.
Along with the increase in the sharing of hard disk drives as storage devices installed in portable machines, there is a need to meet the demands for further compactness and increase in capacity, and techniques for improving recording density are being asked for.
To increase the recording density of the hard disk drives, methods for narrowing the spaces between data tracks in magnetic recording media or methods for narrowing the widths of magnetic heads have been conventionally employed.
However, the narrowing of the spaces between the data tracks causes effects of magnetism between adjacent tracks (crosstalk) and/or effects of demagnetization by heat fluctuation to be noticeable, so that the increase in recording density has been limited.
Also, the increase in surface recording density by narrowing the widths of the magnetic heads has been limited as well.
Accordingly, as a means to reduce noise caused by crosstalk, magnetic recording media called "discrete track media (DTM)" have been proposed. The discrete track media (DTM) reduce magnetic interference between adjacent tracks by having discrete structures in which nonmagnetic guard band areas are provided between the adjacent tracks so as to magnetically separate the tracks from each other.
As shown in FIG. 7, a conventional discrete track medium (DTM) includes a disc-shaped magnetic recording medium 204 having a circular hole 203 and a magnetic recording area 202 placed around the circular hole 203. The magnetic recording area 202 includes a servo pattern 201 placed so as to extend in a radial manner from an area near the circular hole 203 toward the periphery of the magnetic recording medium 204 and also includes a track pattern 200 provided in circles in a manner that is substantially concentric with the circular hole 203. This track pattern 200 has such a discrete structure as described above.
For production of the discrete track medium (DTM), an imprinting method (imprinting process) is used in which a desired pattern is transferred to an imprint resist layer formed over the surface of a magnetic recording medium, using a mold for forming a resist pattern (hereinafter also referred to as "mold" or "resist pattern forming mold") (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2004-221465).
Specifically, this imprinting method is a method for obtaining a desired magnetic recording medium, which includes applying as an imprint resist a thermoplastic resin, a photocurable resin or a thermosetting resin onto a base material to be processed, closely attaching a mold, which has been processed to have a desired shape (pattern), to the applied resin under pressure, curing the resin by heating and subsequent cooling or by light irradiation, separating the mold from the resin so as to form on the resin a pattern which corresponds to the pattern formed on the mold, and subjecting the base material to patterning by dry or wet etching using this pattern as a mask.
A resist pattern forming mold used in such an imprinting method can be exemplified by a mold structure 300 including a plurality of line pattern forming concave portions 301 for forming the servo pattern 201 and the track pattern 200 (hereinafter, these patterns will also be referred to as "line patterns"), the line pattern forming concave portions 301 being provided on the side of an imprint surface corresponding to the magnetic recording area 202, as shown in FIG. 8A with an enlarged drawing for showing a part of the mold.
By pressing the mold structure 300 against an imprint resist layer and then separating (releasing) the mold structure, a pattern formation 320 composed of convex portions 310 as a line pattern which correspond to the line pattern forming concave portions 301 is obtained (see FIG. 8B).
As a method of separating the mold structure 300 from the imprint resist layer, there is a first separating method in which separation takes place from the peripheral side toward the center of the mold structure 300 as shown in FIG. 9A.
In FIG. 9A, first there is a state in which the mold structure 300 has been pressed and closely attached onto the imprint resist layer (shown by the color black in FIG. 9A), then separation takes place from the peripheral side toward the center of the mold structure 300 (this separation takes place in the order shown by the arrow direction in FIG. 9A). At this time, the direction of the separation is perpendicular to a line direction (pattern direction) of the track pattern 200.
Meanwhile, there is a second separating method in which separation takes place in one direction from the peripheral side of the mold structure 300 as shown in FIG. 9B.
In FIG. 9B, first there is a state in which the mold structure 300 has been pressed and closely attached onto the imprint resist layer (shown by the color black in FIG. 9B), then separation takes place from the periphery of the mold structure 300 on one side toward the periphery of the mold structure 300 on the opposite side (this separation takes place in the order shown by the arrow direction in FIG. 9B). At this time, there are places where the direction of the separation is perpendicular to the line direction of the track pattern 200, and also there are places where the direction of the separation is perpendicular to the line direction of the servo pattern 201.
Thus, when the mold structure 300 is separated (released) from the imprint resist layer, there are places where the direction of the separation of the mold structure 300 is perpendicular to the line direction of the convex portions 310 as a line pattern, and the convex portions 310 are pressurized from the direction of the separation of the mold structure 300, so that pattern defects such as collapse, detachment, missing, etc. of the convex portions easily arise, which is problematic.
In light of the foregoing, a pattern forming method has been disclosed as a means for reducing the occurrence of pattern defects, in which the separation (release) takes place, as the angle θ formed between the direction of separation and the line direction of a convex line pattern is set between −5° and 5° (refer to JP-A No. 2007-296683).
However, since the discrete track medium (DTM) has the servo pattern 201 extending in a radial manner and the concentrically formed track pattern 200 (see FIG. 7), there is such a problem that separation (release) with the angles θ between the direction of separation and the line directions of the patterns being all set between −5° and 5° is impossible (see FIGS. 9A and 9B).
Meanwhile, there has been disclosed a pattern forming method for reducing the occurrence of pattern defects by allowing the speed and angle at which a mold structure is released from an imprint resist layer to be variable (refer to JP-A No. 2008-183731).
However, even if the speed and the angle are optimized by making them variable, there is still such a problem that pattern defects such as collapse, detachment, missing, etc. of convex portions in pattern(s) easily arise depending upon the material for the resist layer, the thickness of the resist layer applied, the deign of pattern(s) (notably a convex line pattern with a high aspect ratio), etc.
Hence, satisfactory means for enabling imprinting on discrete track media (DTM) without causing pattern defects have not been obtained in reality.

Mold structure used to produce discrete track medium, imprinting method, method for producing discrete track medium, and discrete track medium


The invention relates to a module having a circuit carrier and having an electro-optical transducer mounted thereon for coupling in or out optical beams which are fed or conducted away via an optical fiber. The electro-optical transducer has an optical waveguide holder mounted onto a circuit carrier, the end side of which optical waveguide holder has an optoelectronic component having an optically active region, the optically active region being oriented to an optical waveguide receptacle of an optical waveguide holder.

The invention relates to a module having a circuit carrier and having an electro-optical transducer mounted thereon for coupling in and out optical radiation which is fed or conducted away via an optical fiber. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a suitable electro-optical transducer and a corresponding module. Electro-optical transducer is both an optoelectronic transducer and an electro-optical transducer.
Modules with an electro-optical transducer have a large space requirement on account of transitional constructions from the optical fiber to corresponding optoelectronic or electro-optical transducers and to the circuit carrier, especially as the height of the constructions on the circuit carrier in the region of the transitional constructions considerably exceeds the heights of the remaining electronic components of the module in the form of integrated circuits. Such modules are not only voluminous but also unwieldy. They are thus exposed to an increased risk of the module being able to be damaged both in the optoelectronic coupling-on region and in the electro-optical coupling-out region during mounting, maintenance and/or exchange.
A module that can be handled with higher security against damage would be a useful improvement.

Module having a circuit carrier and an electro-optical transducer and method for producing the same


A method of and a device for determining the total playing time of a magnetic tape accommodated in a cassette (1) in a magnetic-tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus, for example, a video recorder of the helical-scan type. The tape (4) is moved between a tape spool coupled to a first reel disc (2) and a tape spool coupled to a second reel disc (3), two measurements being carried out. In the first measurement, the tape is moved with a known tape speed. The revolution times (T.sub.l, T.sub.r) of the first and the second reel disc are measured in this first measurement and a parameter is derived which corresponds to the sum of the squares of the revolution times. A cassette-specific constant (.beta.) is derived from this parameter and the known tape speed. In a second measurement, the revolution times of the first and the second reel disc are measured during N revolutions of one of the two reel discs for each revolution of this reel disc. For each revolution, a ratio K(n) is calculated from the revolution times thus determined and the cassette-specific constant, K(n) being proportional to L(n)/L.sub.t and L.sub.t being the total length of the tape and L(n) being either the length already used or the residual length of the tape, where n is an integer and 1.ltoreq.n.ltoreq.N. In an approximation, the N calculated ratios K(n) are approximated by an at least quadratic function in dependence on n and the total playing time is determined from a constant A in the function (K(n)=X+A.multidot.n+B.multidot.n.sup.2 + . . . ) thus obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of and a device for determining the type of a cassette in a magnetic-tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus, for example, a video recorder of the helical-scan type, so as to enable the total playing time of a tape accommodated in the cassette to be determined.
It is to be noted here that the invention is not only of interest for video recorders of the helical-scan type, but is suitable in magnetic-tape recording and/or reproducing apparatuses in general, i.e. also those of the linear type.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method of and a device for determining the type of a cassette inserted in a video recorder is known, for example from DE-PS 30 49 296. In that case, the sum of revolution times of the take-up spool and the supply spool of the inserted cassette is measured to determine the cassette type, so that the total playing time, the residual playing time and the playing time of the tape already used can be calculated.
In addition, EP 580,253 A2 (PHD 92-092) and the corresponding U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/96,581, filed Jul. 21, 1993 disclose a method and a device in which two measurements are performed to determine the total playing time, where, in a first measurement, the tape is wound briefly in a threaded-out condition and, in a second measurement, the tape is moved into a threaded-in condition. In the two measurements, the number of pulses produced by the reel discs, which are coupled to the take-up reel and the supply reel of a cassette inserted into an apparatus, are used to determine the total playing time of the tape.

Device for determining the total playing of a tape


The present invention provides a semiconductor device formed with a diode array together with bipolar transistors, which is capable of preventing the occurrence of crystal defects developed in cross patterns in deep trench regions and improving device yields, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. A semiconductor device includes a LOCOS oxide film which isolates a plurality of diodes in an X direction, and deep trenches which isolate the plurality of diodes in a Y direction. The depth of each of the deep trenches is deeper than a high density layer embedded below a collector layer of each bipolar transistor. A shallow trench may be used as an alternative to the LOCOS oxide film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and particularly to a semiconductor device having high adaptability to a high speed bipolar process and formed with a highly integrated transistor array or a diode array, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Even of LSIs, a high speed bipolar device has high speed performance and high current drive capacity as compared with a CMOS device. Therefore, the high speed bipolar device has the edge over an application-specific device. There are known, for example, a laser-driven LSI for optical transmission, a power amplifier for a cellular phone, etc. Also the high speed bipolar device has a high potential in realizing a high-accuracy and a high-sensitive LSI even other than these applications. It can be said that these are similar not only to analog devices but also to digital devices.
Such a bipolar device has a merit toward actualization of various leading-edge devices. Of these, some kind of memory-system device or light-detecting device is capable of bringing out performance unattainable to CMOS by realizing bipolar devices and a highly integrated transistor array or a diode array within the same chip.
A prior art example that realizes such a demand will be explained below. The current typical high-speed bipolar transistor generally adopts an isolation method utilizing LOCOS or a shallow trench and deep trenches in combination. Each of the deep trenches is buried with a CVD oxide film with a view toward minimizing substrate-to-collector capacity.
A schematic sectional structure of a high speed bipolar transistor is shown in FIG. 6(a). A schematic sectional structure of a diode array formed over a semiconductor substrate identical to the bipolar transistor is shown in FIG. 6(b). Further, a schematic plan view at the time that diodes 660 are arranged within the plane in grid form and brought into integration, is shown in FIG. 6(c).
Here, an N+ type buried layer 620 containing As in a high density is formed in a P type silicon substrate 610. An N type epitaxial layer 621 that serves as a collector layer is formed on the N+ type buried layer 620. Deep trenches 630 each buried thereinside with a CVD oxide film are formed in a device isolation region. After etching of the deep trenches 630, boron is ion-implanted to form channel stop layers 635 for enhancing a further isolation effect.
A LOCOS oxide film 640 of about 0.7 m is formed around the N type epitaxial layer 621 to reduce parasitic capacity. Further, according to a self-aligned process, a P type base layer 622 and an N type emitter layer 623 are formed over the N type epitaxial layer 621 from one mask. Thereafter, a collector electrode 651, an emitter electrode 650 and base electrodes 652 that connect the collector layer, emitter layer and base layer respectively are formed on an insulating film 625. A detailed structure of a junction portion will not be explained.
The diode shown in FIG. 6(b) can be formed in a process similar to the self-aligned bipolar transistor shown in FIG. 6(a). Thus, a PN junction diode is configured in which the emitter electrode 650 of the transistor is provided as a cathode 654 and the base electrode 652 is provided as an anode 653. Here, no LOCOS oxide film is formed inside the diode array, and the LOCOS oxide film 641 is formed only outside the diode array. This is because a pattern conversion difference caused by the formation of the LOCOS oxide film is reduced to form a more highly integrated array.
A self-aligned contact method for reducing a parasitic capacitor of a device has been described in a patent document (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 6(1994)-318600). In order to relax stress in a device isolation trench region, a method of oxidizing a polysilicon film formed within a trench to thereby embed it in the trench has been described in a patent document (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 9(1997)-172061). A method of forming a polysilicon film before the formation of a CVD silicon film has been described in a patent document (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-31264). A high withstand and low on-resistance device in which the depth and open width of a trench and the width of a current path region have been defined, has been described in a patent document (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-164540). Further, a method of preventing the occurrence of a crack without forming a bonding pad over each cross trench has been described in a patent document (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10(1998)-135454).
However, in the general method of forming the deep trenches in the device isolation region and burying the deep trenches with the CVD oxide film in the transistors or diode array, a crossed pattern portion C of the deep trenches 630 occurs as shown in FIG. 6(c) and the probability of occurrence of a crystal defect becomes high at the crossed pattern portion of the trenches as distinct from other portions, with the result that yields are reduced. The induced cause of the crystal defect results from going out of stress balance of a trench end with thermal shrinkage in a heat-treating process subsequent to the formation of the CVD oxide film.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same


A device for controlled freezing and warming of a biological sample, and freezing and thawing protocols for which the device is well suited. The device establishes a laterally varying thermal gradient and provides a mechanism for moving the sample along the thermal gradient at a controlled rate of speed. The sample is moved along the thermal gradient at a rate of speed that provides a variable cooling rate or a variable warming rate in accordance with the appropriate protocol. The device also allows continuous seeding of the sample through the freezing process at the exact freezing point of the solution. Real time monitoring and video imaging of the freezing process enable fine tuning of the thermodynamic parameters for improved control.

The present invention relates to the controlled freezing of biological samples consisting of cells and tissues, such as semen, oocytes, and embryos; and, more particularly, to a directional freezing device that sets up a laterally varying temperature gradient, and freezing and thawing protocols allowed by the device.
When a biological sample containing living cells in a freezing solution is frozen, the first portion of the sample to freeze is the intercellular fluid. The formation of ice in the intercellular fluid increases the salt concentration there. If the sample is frozen too slowly, the high concentration of salt in the intercellular fluid may kill the cells, by osmotic shock or by chemical toxicity. Conversely, freezing the sample too rapidly may lead to the formation of intracellular ice crystals, which also kill the cell, by internal mechanical damage. In addition, the rate of cooling affects the morphology of the intercellular ice crystals. Morphologies such as closely packed needles also kill cells, by external mechanical damage. Thus, maximizing the survival rate of cells subjected to freezing and thawing requires careful control of the freezing process.
An alternative method of freezing biological samples, which totally avoids the problems associated with ice crystal formation, is to cool them so fast that the intercellular and intracellular fluids vitrify instead of crystallizing as ice. This method has dangers of its own, however. In particular, the rate of cooling is so fast that, because of thermal shock, glass fractures may form within the sample at temperatures below its glass transition temperature. To prevent ice crystal formation upon thawing, vitrified samples must be warmed as fast as they were cooled, so thermal shock may cause fracture formation either during the cooling process or during the warming process.
The conventional method for freezing biological samples is to place them in a chamber and lower the temperature of the chamber in a controlled manner. Samples frozen in this manner freeze from the outside in. The thermal gradient within the sample is determined implicitly by the temperature of the chamber and the thermal conductivities of the materials within the sample, and is not explicitly controllable. This makes it difficult to achieve the optimal cooling rate, which minimizes both the toxicity associated with cooling too slowly and the mechanical damage associated with cooling too fast.
Rubinsky, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,373, introduced controlled directional freezing, in which a sample is placed on a microscope slide, and the microscope slide is moved longitudinally through a region of substantially constant temperature gradient dT/dx (T denoting temperature and x denoting distance). If the microscope slide is moved through the temperature gradient at a constant speed V=dx/dt, where t denotes time, then each point in the sample cools at a rate of dT/dt=V*(dT/dx). Using Rubinsky's method, the rate of cooling of each point in the sample is subject to explicit control. In addition, if the cooling is done on a microscope stage, the sample can be monitored in detail for undesired phenomena such as the formation of intracellular ice.
Rubinsky's method, having only one uniform thermal gradient, is inherently limited to cooling at a single rate. Thus, it is unsuitable for cooling protocols that require different rates in different temperature ranges. For example, Arav ("Vitrification of oocytes and embryos", in Embryonic Development and Manipulation (Lavria and Gandalfi, editors), Portland Press, 1992, pp. 255-264) recommends that vitrification be done with rapid cooling above the glass transition temperature and slower cooling below the glass transition temperature. In addition, Rubinsky's use of a microscope stage for monitoring makes his device unsuitable for commercial or industrial scale production, or for the use of commercial cell packaging ("straws").
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have, a device for directional cooling of a biological sample by moving the sample through regions of laterally varying temperature gradient, and associated freezing and thawing protocols that exploit the ability to cool and thaw at different rates in different temperature ranges.

Device and methods for multigradient directional cooling and warming of biological samples


A beacon is placed at a specific location, such as a bus stop and has a local communicator which transmits a code to a mobile telephone. The code identifies a predetermined item of information stored on a remote server, such as a bus timetable document. This information is retrieved by the mobile telephone using its network communicator. The mobile telephone then transmits a copy of the information to the beacon which stores it in its cache and also displays the document to its user. A PDA, which lacks a network communicator, is then able to retrieve the cached information directly from the beacon using only its local communicator. The PDA then displays the bus timetable document to its user.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new system for efficient delivery of information and a method of providing efficient information delivery.
2. Prior Art
There are a number of current and proposed systems which allow information to be associated with a location. Some of these systems provide the location in terms of spatial co-ordinates using GPS (the satellite-based Global Positioning System) or cellular radio technologies (such as Cursor from Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd.). Other systems provide the location in terms of proximity to one of a number of devices which are positioned on objects or in particular locations. Each such beacon device ("beacon") has a local communication means which allows it to pass information to client devices in the vicinity. This invention relates to this latter class of systems.
One difficulty with systems using a beacon is providing a means to update the information which it delivers. One approach is to give the beacon a communication system capable of connecting to a central network which allows it to retrieve and store information in integral storage. This results in a bulky, expensive device which consumes a considerable amount of power. For example, StreetBeam Inc. offer a Remote Access Mobile Point (RAMP), which is updated wirelessly, uses infrared to deliver information and is housed in a large, custom-built advertising panel.
The alternative is to store on the beacon, and transmit, only a reference to the required information and to rely on any network communication system of the client devices to map this reference to the desired information, and retrieve that information (see, for example, WO01/44831). This allows the beacon to be made very much smaller, cheaper and with very low power consumption. However, the client device then assumes both the cost and delay associated with retrieving the information.
In communication systems, it is common to use local caches to reduce the traffic on the central network and therefore reduce the associated cost and delay of information delivery. For example:
Web Browsers use a cache to store recently downloaded web pages.
Network cache servers allow multiple users to share one cache, thus reducing the amount of network traffic.
WideRay from WideRay Corporation is a network-connected beacon which caches the information which it transmits.
In all of these systems, the cache sits between the client and a central network and needs significant storage capacity to hold the variety of retrieved information.


The present invention concerns a parking lock for combination with a service brake actuator for a vehicle, preferably a heavy road vehicle. The service brake actuator comprises a fluid actuated piston having a piston rod. The parking lock surrounds the piston rod of the service brake. The parking comprises a pneumatically or hydraulically actuated locking The parking lock has a locking mechanism and an actuating mechanism. The piston rod is free to move in axial, radial and angular directions in relation to the locking mechanism.

Park braking of a vehicle may be performed by means of a parking lock, integrated in the service brake actuator to form a unit therewith. Such a unit is known for use on trucks and buses. As is well known in the art, the parking brake may for example be a so-called spring brake actuator or an actuator with fluid actuation. The fluid normally used on heavy road vehicles is compressed air, but hydraulic fluid may equally well be utilized.
A special type of parking lock is the so-called lock actuator, with which the present invention is concerned. The function of a lock actuator is to lock the service brake actuator or parts thereof in an applied condition, in such a way that the service brake actuator will stay locked even in the absence of any fluid pressure. Thus, a parking brake is obtained.


An embedded IC packaging structure is disclosed. The embedded IC packaging structure allows a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) having a great number of electrodes to be bonded to another semiconductor device, such as a driver IC, using a secondary substrate, thus ensuring an easy bonding process, providing IC devices capable of executing high-speed signal processing, reducing the production costs, and improving the production yield of the IC devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to integrated circuit (IC) packaging structures and, more particularly, to an embedded IC packaging structure which allows a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) having a great number of electrodes to be bonded to another semiconductor device, such as a driver IC, using a secondary substrate, thus ensuring an easy bonding process, providing IC devices capable of executing high-speed signal processing, reducing the production costs, and improving the production yield of the IC devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, the technical term "bonding" means an electrical connection or a physical connection between elements of semiconductor devices, such as a physical attachment of a chip to a paddle of a lead frame, an electrical wire connection of chip bond pads to inner leads of a lead frame, and a direct mounting of balls of chip bond pads to designated points of a circuit board. Conventional bonding techniques include wire bonding, TAB bonding, flip-chip binding, etc.
Wire bonding means connecting the bond pads of a monolithic chip to the inner leads of a lead frame using Au-wires or Al-wires after die bonding. In a conventional Au-wire bonding, a small diameter Au-wire unwound from an Au-wire spool passes through a capillary tube of tungsten carbide to form an Au-ball at an end of the Au-wire. The Au-ball of the wire is placed on a designated chip bond pad, and thereafter, the capillary tube is pressed downwards to bond the Au-ball to the designated chip bond pad.
In the above case, the chip has been preheated to about 360° C. which is almost equal to the eutectic point of Au—Si, the Au-wire is bonded to the designated chip bond pad by both pressure applied from the capillary tube and heat of the chip while the spherical shape of the Au-ball is deformed into a nail head shape. Such a bonding technique using heat and pressure is called "thermo-compression bonding" in the related art. After the Au-wire is bonded to the designated chip bond pad, the capillary tube is raised upwards, and then, the nail head shape of the Au-ball is deformed into a spherical shape using hydrogen gas flame. Thus, the above-mentioned Au-wire bonding is also called "ball bonding" or "nail head bonding" due to the shape of the bonded end of the Au-wire.
Another example of a conventional wire bonding technique is wedge bonding in which an ultrasonic system coupled to a wedge-shaped capillary tube of tungsten carbide is used. During a conventional wedge bonding process, an end of an Al-wire is placed on a designated chip bond pad, and then, the ultrasonic system causes ultrasonic vibration at the end of the Al-wire while the capillary tube is pressed downwards to compress the end of the Al-wire. Thus, heat is generated due to ultrasonic vibration and thermally bonds the end of the Al-wire to the chip bond pad.
After the end of the Al-wire is bonded to the designated chip bond pad, the wedge-shaped capillary tube moves to a lead frame so as to bond a designated point of the Al-wire to a designated inner lead of the lead frame in the same manner as that described for the bonding to the chip bond pad. After the designated point of the Al-wire is bonded to the lead frame, the Al-wire is cut at an appropriate position to end the wedge bonding process. In wedge bonding, Al-wires are more preferably used than Au-wires because of the material of the chip bond pads, which is Al. As the Al-wires are bonded to the Al-chip bond pads, undesired metal separation does not occur at the bonded junctions of the wires and the chip bond pads. Wedge bonding using the ultrasonic system is also called "ultrasonic bonding" in the related art.
TAB bonding means a bonding technique in which chips having metal balls on their bond pads are precisely arranged on designated positions on a polyimide tape comprising metal lead patterns formed on a polyimide film. After arranging the chips on the polyimide tape, the metal balls of the chips are bonded to the metal lead patterns of the polyimide tape.
After the metal balls of the chips are bonded to the metal lead patterns, a packaging process is executed to package the predetermined regions including the chips and bonded parts of the polyimide tape. After the packaging process, the polyimide tape is cut into pieces to provide semiconductor packages which are then mounted to a PCB (printed circuit board). In the above case, the outer leads of the packages having the polyimide tape are bonded to conductive lines of the PCB.
The polyimide tape used in the TAB bonding has perforations along opposite edges thereof in the same manner as conventional reel films for movies or conventional cassette films for photographs, so that the polyimide tape can be drawn to a desired position during a bonding process. The polyimide tape further has trimming slots with which the tape can be cut into pieces that may be stacked on top of one another during a quality test of the tape or with which the tape can be trimmed to remove unnecessary parts from the tape.
The polyimide tape has rectangular paddles on its inner area to support the chips thereon, with inner lead regions formed by dark portions defined around the paddles. Fine inner leads are arranged close together on each of the inner lead regions. The polyimide tape also has outer lead regions having outer leads which are bonded to the conductive lines of a PCB when the packages are bonded to the PCB. The process of trimming the polyimide tape and removing unnecessary parts outside the outer lead regions provides the packages to be surface-mounted on a PCB.
During a package surface-mounting process, the outer leads of the packages are bonded to the PCB. The polyimide tape further has a bonding array display pattern and a measuring pad to be used for electrical measurement of the tape.
Unlike wire bonding, TAB bonding reduces the volume and weight of packages, greatly increases the possible number of output terminals of the packages, ensures high-speed signal processing of the packages, and increases the process rate during a package production process.
During a conventional bonding process, temperature, pressure and time are recognized as important process variables. A conventional batch bonding technique in which the chip bond pads are grouped for bonding during the same system run may fail to provide constant bonding process results due to a difference in the height of the chip bond pads or due to unevenness of bonding systems, such as capillary tubes. Thus, in recent years, an individual bonding technique in which the chip bond pads are individually bonded is more preferably used.
Flip-chip bonding means a bonding technique in which a metal ball is formed on each of the chip bond pads to be directly bonded to a PCB. The flip-chip bonding technique does not need any wire bonding process, but ensures the recent trend of lightness, thinness, compactness and small size of packages, and furthermore, enhances the degree of integration and operational performance of the packages, unlike other conventional bonding techniques.
The flip-chip bonding technique removes the wire bonding process while allowing the metal bond balls to be evenly arrayed on a designated region of a chip, thus reducing the length of signal paths of circuits and thereby enhancing the frequency characteristics of the circuits. Thus, flip-chip bonding particularly improves the operational performance of a circuit having high frequency characteristics.
Of course, flip-chip bonding must be executed with chips turned upside down during a bonding process, so that the flip-chip bonding may be inconvenient during a bonding process. However, the flip-chip bonding desirably allows a plurality of different kinds of chips to be directly mounted to the same PCB, thus improving the degree of integration and operational performance of semiconductor devices and ensuring the recent trend of lightness, thinness, compactness and small size of semiconductor devices.
In the meantime, the micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), which are well-known silicon semiconductor devices, have been preferably used to fabricate a variety of optical devices, such as tensiometers, accelerometers, electronic level gauges and display devices. The MEMS have ultra-fine actuators, so that the MEMS are greatly sensitive to environmental conditions. In an effort to allow the MEMS to effectively operate without being affected by the environmental conditions, the MEMS have been typically sealed in cavities of sealed packages.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,303,986 discloses "Method and apparatus for sealing a hermetic lid to a semiconductor die". In the US patent, the semiconductor device or the MEMS is a diffraction grating light valve (GLV). An example of conventional GLVs may be referred to U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,360 disclosing "Method and apparatus for modulating a light beam".
FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a conventional semiconductor device in which a lid is hermetically sealed.
As shown in FIG. 1, a conductive ribbon 100 having a metallic conductive/reflective covering 102 is formed over an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate 104, with an air gap 106 defined between the ribbon 100 and the substrate 104. A conductive electrode 108 is formed on the upper surface of the substrate 104 and covered with an insulation layer 110.
The conductive electrode 108 is placed under the ribbon 100 at a position under the air gap 106. The conductive/reflective covering 102 extends beyond the region of the mechanically active ribbon 100 and is configured as a bond pad 112 at its distal end. The semiconductor device is also passivated with a conventional overlying insulating passivation layer 114 which does not cover the bond pads 112 or the ribbon structure 100 and 102. Control and power signals are coupled to the semiconductor device using conventional wire bonding structures 116.
The bond pads 112 are removed from the ribbon structure 100 and 102 to provide a lid sealing region 118. A solderable material 120 is formed onto the lid sealing regions 118 using a conventional semiconductor processing technique. Furthermore, a hermetic lid 122 is joined to the semiconductor device. In the above case, the lid 122 is formed to a size appropriate to fit concurrently over the lid sealing regions 118, with a solderable material 124 formed in a ring surrounding the periphery of one surface of the lid 122. A solder 126 is deposited onto the solderable material 124 so that the lid 122 is joined to the semiconductor device.
In the conventional techniques, the conductive electrodes of a semiconductor device must be electrically connected through a wire bonding process to another semiconductor device which may be a driver IC of a light modulator. However, the electrical connection of the conductive electrodes to the drive IC through the wire bonding process is problematic in that the electrical connection must consume excessive time because the light modulator has a great number of conductive electrodes 201a through 201n as shown in FIG. 2.
The electrical connection of the conductive electrodes of a semiconductor device to a driver IC through the conventional wire bonding process is also problematic in that the electrical connection using the wire bonding reduces the production yield because the closely arranged conductive electrodes 201a through 201n must be carefully wire-bonded to the electrodes of the driver IC as shown in FIG. 2.
The electrical connection of the conductive electrodes of the semiconductor device to the driver IC through the conventional wire bonding process is further problematic in that the electrical connection using wire bonding increases the production costs because the conductive electrodes 201a through 201n must be individually wire-bonded to the electrodes of the drive IC as shown in FIG. 2.
Another problem experienced in the conventional techniques is that the signal processing speed of semiconductor devices is reduced due to inductor components of bond wires when the semiconductor devices are used as high-speed signal processing devices.
In the meantime, the conventional light modulators have been fabricated through TAB bonding processes in which chips having metal balls on bond pads are precisely arranged on designated positions on a polyimide tape having metal lead patterns on a polyimide film. After arranging the chips on the polyimide tape, the metal balls of the chips are bonded to the metal lead patterns of the polyimide tape.
However, the application of the TAB bonding to light modulators undesirably results in high space consumption by the light modulators, thus increasing the production costs of light modulators. Furthermore, the application of the TAB bonding to light modulators undesirably increases the bonding resistance as well as causing the quantity of allowable current to be reduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,260 discloses "electrical interface to integrated circuit device having high density I/O count" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,576 discloses "Method of producing electrical interface to integrated circuit device having high density I/O count". The two US patents proposed applications of flip-chip bonding during IC device production processes in an effort to overcome the problems caused by conventional wire bonding. However, in the above US patents, cables are used to couple integrated circuits (ICs) to an outside control circuit so that the execution of flip-chip bonding is very difficult. Furthermore, due to the cables coupled to the ICs, maintenance or repair of the IC devices is not easy.
In addition, the ICs in each of the above-mentioned IC devices are placed in air so that the heat dissipating function of the IC devices is formed only by the convection of air, resulting in inferior heat dissipation from the IC devices. Furthermore, to couple the ICs to the outside control circuit using the cables, the surface areas of the ICs must be enlarged to increase the production costs of the IC devices. Another problem of the above-mentioned IC devices is that the size of the bond pads must be excessively enlarged to provide substrate support structures.

Embedded integrated circuit packaging structure


Disclosed is a projection apparatus including: a video display control section 53 to project and display a video according to input video data; and a projection distance obtainment section 14 to irradiate to a projection plane where the video is projected with a laser and displayed by the video display control section 53, and to obtain a projection distance to the projection plane, wherein when the projection distance is obtained by the projection distance obtainment section 14, the video display control section 53 adjusts a display status of at least a first video area 66 corresponding to a laser ranging point 63 which is an area where the laser is irradiated to a display status for obtaining the projection distance so that the distance from the projection apparatus to the projection plane can be measured fast and with high accuracy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection apparatus and optical ranging method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, a data projector as a projection apparatus for projecting onto a screen an image displayed on a screen of a personal computer, image of a video signal, image from image data stored in a memory card etc., and the like is heavily used.
A projection apparatus often uses a light source which is compact with high intensity, such as a metal halide lamp or extra high pressure mercury lamp, and light output from the light source is irradiated to a display element called liquid crystal or digital micromirror device (DMD) by the optical system of the light source as three primary colors through a color filter to project the transmitted light or reflected light of the display element onto the screen through a group of lenses which are to be the optical system of the projector including a zoom function.
In such a projection apparatus, when a projection plane is in a slanted position to a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of a projected light emitted from the projection apparatus, trapezoidal distortion of the projected video occurs. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2005-39558 proposes a technique of measuring a distance from a plurality of points on the projection plane to the projection apparatus with a ranging sensor acting on a phase difference method in order to obtain a relationship of a relative position between the projection apparatus and the projection plane, and based on the result, correcting the trapezoidal distortion in the projected image by image processing without physically adjusting the relationship of the relative position between the projection apparatus and the projection plane.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H7-84045 proposes a technique of measuring using a ranging sensor acting on a laser method instead of a ranging sensor acting on a phase difference method, and merits of this technique is that compared to the phase difference method, the ranging speed is faster, the ranging accuracy is higher, etc.
However, in ranging to the projection plane with a laser method performed by a projection apparatus, there is a problem of when an image with a color element having a same wavelength as the laser beam is projected on the projection plane, the influence of the reflected light of the image itself causes reduction of the ranging accuracy.
An object of the present invention is to provide a projection apparatus and an optical ranging method which can measure a distance from a projection apparatus to a projection plane fast and highly accurately.

Projection apparatus and optical ranging method


A method for calculating current position coordinate and a method for calculating a pseudo range are applied to a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. A position coordinate of the GPS receiver at the positioning time point is calculated through an average pseudo range between the GPS receiver and each satellite at a positioning time point. With regard to calculating the average pseudo range between the GPS receiver and each satellite, for each satellite, original pseudo ranges are obtained through calculating a pseudo range between the satellite and the GPS receiver at each millisecond (ms) in a time range including the positioning time point, and then the average pseudo range between the satellite and the GPS receiver at the positioning time point is obtained through calculating an average value of the obtained original pseudo ranges between the GPS receiver and the satellite.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a global positioning system (GPS), and more particularly to a method for calculating current position coordinate and a method for calculating a pseudo range, which are applicable to a GPS receiver.
2. Related Art
Global navigation satellite system is also called GPS. In the past, the GPS is only limited to military purpose and industrial purpose. With the continuous development of the technology, the GPS begins to be applied to various civil purposes. Generally, the GPS products mainly refer to GPS receivers applied to various purposes, for example, receivers for aviation and voyage purposes, automobile navigation devices, hand-held receivers for mountaineering and entertainment, and other types of communication products. The common GPS product mainly includes an internal antenna, a chipset, external keys, a display panel, and other related parts.
The GPS receiver determines positions by utilizing satellites surrounding the earth.
When each satellite operates, one coordinate value representing the position (known) exists at any moment. The position coordinate of each satellite is provided by a respective ephemeris data of the satellite.
The position coordinate of the GPS receiver is unknown. The GPS receiver compares a clock of a satellite signal and a clock generated in the GPS receiver, so as to calculate the time cost during a process of transmitting the satellite signal. The time difference (that is, the time cost during the process of transmitting the satellite signal) value is multiplied by an electric wave transmission speed (generally the speed of light), so as to calculate a distance between the satellite and the GPS receiver, which is called a pseudo range. According to the triangle vector, a related equation is given for the pseudo range.
When the satellite signal of one satellite is received, one related equation is given. Therefore, when the satellite signals of three satellites are received, plane coordinate values (that is, longitude and latitude) are calculated. The calculated plane coordinate values are the position coordinate of the GPS receiver. When the satellite signals of four satellites are received, in addition to the plane coordinate values (that is, the longitude and the latitude), a height value is also calculated. Further, if the satellite signals of more than five satellites are utilized, the accuracy of the calculated position coordinate is improved.
Generally, the GPS receiver automatically and continuously receives the satellite signals, and re-calculates virtual coordinate at each second, so as to calculate the position coordinate of the position on real time. That is to say, the position coordinate of the GPS receiver at each second is the latest.
However, by reason of the effect of the environment during the process of transmitting the satellite signal, practically noises exist in the satellite signal received by the GPS receiver, such that the calculated pseudo range generates errors, so as to affect the accuracy of the positioning information (that is, the position coordinate of the current position of the GPS receiver).
In the prior art, mainly the effect of the noises is reduced by utilizing a kalman filter, but the achieved effect is quite limited.

Method for calculating current position coordinate and method for calculating pseudo range


A linear seat rack recliner is disclosed having a lead screw mounted to a seat frame for rotation about its axis and a drive nut carried by the seat back frame movable along the lead screw upon rotation of the screw. A locking gear/thrust disk is fixed to the lead screw with a cam actuated locking pawl engageable with the gear to lock the gear in lead screw in position. The lead screw is also mounted for axial movement upon high loading with one face of the lock gear/thrust disk engaging a fixed wall surface to frictionally lock the gear and lead screw from rotation.

The present invention relates to a recliner mechanism for a vehicle seat assembly and in particular to a manually actuated recliner mechanism having an infinitely variable lead screw with a cam actuated pawl for locking the recliner mechanism in a given position.
The seat back of the present invention has a recliner arm extending downwardly from the seat back pivot point. The lower end of the recliner arm carries a internally threaded nut that is threaded onto a fore and aft extending lead screw. Upon axial loading applied to the nut by the recliner arm, the lead screw will rotate about its axis translating the nut therealong. A locking gear is fixed to the lead screw and selectively engageable with a pawl to prevent rotation of the lead screw and therefore, pivoting of the seat back.
A rotating cam engages the pawl to hold the pawl in a lock position. Upon rotation of the cam, the pawl is moved out of engagement with the locking gear to permit the gear and the lead screw to rotate, causing translation of the nut along the screw, effecting angular adjustment of the seat back.
The lead screw is mounted for axial movement when axial forces above a predetermined value are applied to the screw by the nut. Upon such movement, one of the gear end faces will contact a confronting wall surface where friction between the gear and wall will prevent rotation of the gear and screw. As the axial force increase, so does the friction force. The friction force resisting rotation is more than the rotational force created by the helical threads of the screw. As a result, the mechanism is self locking under loading.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.


This invention is an inexpensive probe apparatus operating at high precision that can be used for both low-frequency and high-frequency measurements. A line with a first and second conductor is extended from a probe connected to a circuit component. A low-frequency or high-frequency device is alternately connected to the line. A third common conductor runs parallel to the aforementioned line and a resistor and capacitor is connected between the probe end of the aforementioned second conductor and the aforementioned common conductor.

Measurements of electrical circuit components (referred to simply as components below), such as I.C.s, must be performed at high speed and with high precision as well as with high reliability. Due to the progress that has been made with respect to extensive integration and the increasingly high performance of components, there is a tendency for signals handled by one component to be mixed digital and analog signals. Moreover, it has become a problem to assuredly conduct a test to prove high-frequency and high-speed operation, and a test and analysis of components quality in low-frequency, high-precision measurements.
An integrated circuit (IC) will be described below as an example of a component. However, this invention can also be used for components of a more complex structure (VLSI, etc.) and for components of a simpler structure (two-terminal resistors, etc.), and therefore, the following description encompasses such components.
In general, the measurement of components involves a structure whereby a tool (or a fixture) for mounting the components is installed and this tool is connected to the measuring device by a measurement line, in order to electrically connect the measuring device and the components. Input-output terminal spacing is as small as a fraction of mm and there are as many as several hundreds of input and output terminals present in modern high-density, high-performance components. Furthermore, since a size of components remains substantially the same, manipulations near the input and output terminals have become increasingly difficult.
A tool used for terminal mounting first extends the input and output terminals of the component in an outward radiating pattern so as to increase the spacing between the lines. In order to do this, a probe card is provided as a tool for an integrated circuit measurement and is disposed nearest to the components. The probe card will be explained in detail in the examples of this invention. In general, many probes lines for contacting component input and output terminals are placed on an annular substrate.
It has also become necessary for the measuring device to accomplish a variety of functions, due to the development of high performance components. Cases where several types of measuring devices must be alternately connected to a same input terminal are frequently encountered. There are many cases where switching of the measuring devices should preferably occur in a close proximity of the components. This task is made difficult for the aforementioned reasons. Once the distance between input/output conductors has been increased by the probe card, switching can be performed with switching matrix means, etc. In the present specification, the term probe apparatus is used to describe the apparatus extending from the probe card to a switching matrix means interface.
Measuring devices that operate with high-performance components easily become expensive and large in size, so there are limits to the number of devices that can be used. Since there is also a requirement that a single measuring device be used for measurements at many input and output terminals, switching matrix means are employed to satisfy these requirements
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a prior art structure of a measuring system for a flash memory cell F. A gate probe G is coupled to control gate CG and there is control gate CG. A substrate probe SUB is connected to a P-type substrate. A drain probe D is connected to an N-type drain region, and a source probe S is connected to an N-type source region.
A pulse generator PG (referred to as PG below) has output terminals that generate high-speed ternary pulses. Moreover, a current setting, voltage measurement/voltage setting, current measurement unit SMU (referred to below as SMU) alternately selects between the current setting/voltage measurement, or the voltage setting/current measurement. The SMU unit is the same as described in Japanese Laid-open Patent application No. Sho 58(1983)-148507, which was developed by the applicant of the present invention. As this is a well-known device, its description will be omitted.
In FIG. 1, the PG or SMU are selectively connected to the probes connected to flash memory cell F, by lines connected to each device. The selection means is a switching matrix means SWM (referred to below as SWM) which operates so that either the PG or the SMU is connected to cell F. To write the aforementioned cell, the SMU is connected to the source probe S and brought to ground potential and the PG is connected to the gate probe G and drain probe D. All probes G, S, D, and SUB are connected to the SMU, so that measurements of leakage current and direct-current voltage and current characteristics can be performed.
FIG. 2 shows an SMU and the aforementioned PG. Lines 32, 34, 36, 38, etc., on probe guard 40 are each connected to some of the many probes that contact the circuit component to be tested (DUT) 50 and to buses 16 and 18 in SWM 14 by switches 22, 28, etc. PG 2, SMU 6, and PG 4 are connected to buses 16 and 18 via switches 20, 24, and 26, respectively.
The connections between PG 2, SMU 6, PG 4 and switches 20, 24, and 26, respectively, are accomplished by lines 8, 12, and 10. Lines 8 and 10 are coaxial cables, micro-strip lines or twisted pair lines, etc., and line 12 is a quadriaxial line or a modified quadriaxial line in which 2 conductors of the innermost layers have been made into 2 parallel lines or twisted pairs. When the conductors of lines 12 are referred to as the first, second, third and fourth conductors (from the inside out), the first conductor is used for sensing voltage, the second conductor is used for current supply, and the third conductor is a guard conductor, so that during operation its potential is kept at essentially the same potential as that of the first conductor. The function of a guard conductor is to isolate an adjacent conductor from stray voltages by maintaining a potential that is substantially the same as that which appears on the adjacent conductor. The fourth conductor is usually grounded and blocks electromagnetic interference from the outside. The first and second conductors of line 12 serve as signal lines, while the third conductor is usually used as a guard line.
In order to clarify problems relating to the circuit of FIG. 2, referring to the equivalent circuit in FIG. 3, (which assumes that measurements are performed with lines 8, 32, and 34 as shown in FIG. 2). Common conductor 42 is connected to a chassis, etc. PG 2 and line 8 in FIG. 2 are represented by pulse source 102 and output resistor 103. The lines for switches 20 and 22 and line 32 are represented as line 108, comprising first conductor 1081 and second conductor 1082. Line 34 and switches 24 and 28 of FIG. 2 are represented as line 112, comprising first conductor 1121 and second conductor 1122. Line 12 and SMU 6 are represented as load 106. Load 106 is represented as resistors R1, R2 and R3 in the form of a Y connection. The outer terminals of the Y connection are connected to second conductor 1122, first conductor 1121, and common conductor 42, respectively. The characteristic impedance Zc of line 108 is usually the same as resistor 103, and also the characteristic impedance of line 112 is Zc.
When pulses are applied from pulse source 102, since an abrupt change in line impedance occurs then the pulses are reflected in the measurement, because grounded ends A and B near DUT 50 of second conductors 1082 and 1122 are open. As a result, there is distortion of the pulse wave shape applied to DUT 50 and an increase in measurement error.
In order to solve this problem, the following methods may be used:
Method 1: switches that close ends A and B are installed and the abrupt change in line impedance is prevented by closing these switches during pulse application. When the SMU is connected during direct-current measurements, the switches are opened and second conductors 1082 and 1122 operate as guards.
Method 2: switches are installed between aforementioned ends A and B and the common conductor, and these switches are closed during pulse application.
Method 3: switches are used with capacitance components (capacitors) according to method (2). When there are few terminals in DUT 50, aforementioned methods (1) and (2) are used. The inventors of the present invention use method (3).
By means of method (1), many switches are necessary. For example, 48.times.(48-1)/2=1,128 switches are needed for 48 probe in an ordinary probe apparatus (when each probe is not separate or when there are many probes that are not separate) and execution of this method is physically impossible.
With method (2), there are as many switches as there are probes, but this method is complex as well as large and expensive, because there is also a drive circuit involved. Moreover, although a highly reliable device might be realized with ultra small switches and such a device might be integrated into a measurement circuit, at the present time this type of technology can not be found.
Therefore, the inventors have performed studies of method (3) and discovered that since driving is not necessary, a physically smaller device can be used, and its packaging is simple. However, when compared to aforementioned methods (1) and (2), the following problems are encountered:
(X.1) Ringing is produced on the pulse wave shape due to capacitance. PA1 (X.2) Instability of SMUG operation occurs when the capacitance is high.
Consequently, the objective of this invention is to solve the aforementioned problems with a probe apparatus that can be used for both high-frequency measurements, such as pulse drive measurements, etc., as well as low-frequency (including direct-current) measurements, such as measurements using an SMUG, etc.

Probe apparatus with RC circuit connected between ground and a guard


A carabiner includes a fixed C-shaped body equipped with a securing part, and a gate movable around a pivoting axis between a closed position and an open position. The gate includes a latching part and a locking ring fitted coaxially around the gate. An end head of the gate partially surrounds the securing part in the closed position, and includes a shoulder acting as end-of-travel stop for the ring in the locked position.

The invention relates to a carabiner comprising a fixed C-shaped body having a first end shaped as a securing part and a second end for articulation of a gate movable around a pivoting axis between a closed position and an open position, said gate comprising:                a latching part situated opposite the pivoting axis to operate in conjunction with the securing part in the closed position,        a return spring biasing the gate to the closed position,        and a locking ring fitted coaxially around the gate and having a smaller length than that of the gate, said ring being movable between a first locked position enabling the gate to be locked in the closed position and a second unlocked position enabling the gate to be moved to the open position.

Carabiner with pivoting gate equipped with a locking ring


A light emitting diode (LED) backlight driving circuit includes a power supply, an LED light bar, and a constant current driving chip that adjusts brightness of the LED light bar. The constant current driving chip receives the PWM dimming signal. N boost units are connected in series between the power supply and the LED light bar, and the N boost units are connected in parallel with each other. Comparing units are correspondingly coupled to control ends of one or more of (N−1) boost units. When a duty ratio of the PWM dimming signal is less than a preset threshold, the comparing unit drives a corresponding boost unit to turn off. N is an integer greater than or equal to 2.

A liquid crystal (LC) television includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and a backlight unit, and the backlight unit usually uses a light emitting diode (LED) as a backlight source, where a plurality of LED lamps are connected in series to form an LED light bar driven to display by a backlight driving circuit. An LCD television, having a large size display panel, correspondingly requires a high backlight brightness, and needs a plurality of LED light bars that are connected in parallel, thus output power of an entire backlight unit is great; however, the backlight driving circuit using a single boost circuit does not provide a enough power, and uses two boost circuits to drive the plurality of LED light bars, where the two boost circuits are connected in parallel. As shown in FIG. 1, an external power source V+ is received by a first boost circuit 21 and a second boost circuit 22, which together drive the LED light bars 30. The first boost circuit 21 drives the LED light bars 30 through a first constant current driving chip 11, the second boost circuit 22 drives the LED light bars 30 through a second constant current driving chip 12.
Transfer efficiency of the boost circuit is the greatest in a full load working status. As the output power reduces, the transfer efficiency of the boost circuit reduces. Thus, when the first boost circuit 21 and the second boost circuit 22 simultaneously work in a light load status, heat loss of an entire backlight driving circuit is great, and transfer efficiency of two boost circuits is smaller than the transfer efficiency of signal boost circuit which works in the full load working status.

LED backlight driving circuit, LCD device, and method for driving the LED backlight driving circuit