The present invention relates to the improvement in the degree of on-chip integration of memory cells utilizing a gate array layout. A plurality of three-transistor DRAM cells are disposed on a semiconductor chip implementing a regular cross-point array, each DRAM cell is made up of two nMOS transistors and one pMOS transistor formed in one basic cell. The semiconductor chip disposes therein nMOS memory-cell blocks and pMOS memory-cell blocks alternately, effectively utilizing the gate array layout.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a gate array, LSI and more specifically to a semiconductor memory capable of non-destructive read-out operation, employing the geometrical configuration of the gate array LSI.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various layout designs for a semiconductor integrated circuit may be prepared according to a scale of the integrated circuit and design approach. A fully-custom IC in which all layers are designed and manufactured for exclusive use is suited for the case where a large number of high performance ICs are to be manufactured. In contrast, a semicustom IC such as the gate array LSI or the Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) in which layers located below a wiring layer level are manufactured in advance and then only wiring layers are designed and manufactured is suited for the case where specific-application ICs are to be manufactured in a short term. In addition, the semicustom IC has such an advantage that design cost and production cost can be reduced. However, as a semiconductor memory employing the geometrical configuration of the gate array LSI, only an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) in which each cell being constructed of six transistors is known until now. This is because such six-transistor SRAMs can be made of only CMOS transistors arranged in the gate array configuration, having an excellent stability of the circuit.
With reference to FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, the following will describe a circuit construction of the six-transistor SRAMs based on the conventional gate array configuration. FIG.1 shows a pattern of the basic cell which basically makes up each memory cell in a gate array. This basic cell comprises an nMOS region 11 and a pMOS region 13. In the nMOS region 11, two gate electrodes 16 are disposed in parallel. On the upper and the lower sides of a pair of these gate electrodes 16, an n.sup.+ diffused region 25 is formed respectively, while between these two electrodes 16, a common n.sup.+ diffused region 26 is formed, thus constructing two nMOS transistors. The n.sup.+ diffused region 25 and n.sup.+ diffused region 26 may be called an n.sup.+ source region and n.sup.+ drain region 26, respectively, in a case. In another case, these regions 25, 26 may be called as an n+ drain region 25 and n.sup.+ source region 26, respectively, depending on a circuit configuration employed. Similarly, in the pMOS region 13, two gate electrodes 15 are disposed in parallel. On the upper and the lower sides of these two gate electrodes 15, a p.sup.+ diffused region 21 is formed respectively, while between these two electrodes 15, a common p.sup.+ diffused region 22 is formed, thus constructing two pMOS transistors. The p.sup.+ diffused region 21 and the p.sup.+ diffused region 22 may be called a p.sup.+ source region 21 and p.sup.+ drain region 22 respectively and vice versa, depending on the circuit configuration. As known in the art, the nMOS transistor and pMOS transistor is formed in symmetry, which n.sup.+ diffused region or p.sup.+ diffused region is called as the source region is a mere matter of naming. That is, each basic cell in the gate array configuration can make up two nMOS transistors and another two pMOS transistors.
In order to use such a layout of basic cell to construct a six-transistor memory cell in an SRAM such as shown in FIG. 2A, it is necessary to use two basic cells 301 and 302 as shown in FIG. 2B. In FIG. 2B, between the basic cell 301 shown on the upper side and the basic cell 302 shown on the lower side, an n.sup.+ contact region 31 for an n-well and also a p.sup.+ contact region 32 for a p-well are disposed. These two basic cells 301 and 302 are used to form three nMOS transistors of N11, N12, and N13 as well as three pMOS transistors of P11, P12, and P13. On these two basic cells, an SRAM cell is constructed, and a plurality of SRAM cells, each of which is constructed of six transistors, has been disposed on an LSI chip to form an X-Y matrix. Note here that signal names WB, RB, WW, and RW stand for Write Bit, Read Bit, Write Word, and Read Word respectively.
The nMOS transistor N11 has its n.sup.+ source region 25 connected via a contact hole 66 to a WB wiring 55 at first metal level, while the nMOS transistors N12 and N13 have their respective n.sup.+ source regions connected through the contact hole 66 to a low-voltage power supply (VSS) wiring 52 at first metal level. Also, a gate electrode 16 of the nMOS transistor N11 is connected to a WW wiring 54 at second metal level through via hole 88, first metal level wiring and contact hole 66. The first metal level wiring is formed just under the via hole 88 and not shown in FIG. 2B. On the other hand, the pMOS transistor P11 has its p.sup.+ source region 21 connected to an RB wiring 51 at first metal level and also the pMOS transistors P12 and P13 have their respective p.sup.+ source regions 21 connected to a high-level power supply at first metal level (VDD) wiring 56 through the contact hole 66 respectively. Also, a gate electrode 15 of the pMOS transistor P11 is connected to an RW wiring 53 at second metal level through via hole 88, first metal level wiring and the contact hole 66. The first metal level wiring is formed just under the via hole 88 and not shown in FIG. 2B.
As shown in FIG. 2B, the conventional type of a semiconductor IC memory has been implemented with a six-transistor/memory-cell configuration of an SRAM type, so that two basic cells of 301 and 302 have been required to configure each memory cell with three nMOS transistors and another three pMOS transistors. Therefore, the integration density has been very hard to increase and the memory capacity also has been restricted as a matter of course. Moreover, this conventional type is rather hard to manufacture because it takes six transistors for each memory cell and therefore has a complicated wiring.
As described so far, in a conventional gate array LSI, a plurality of SRAM cells each of which is constructed of six transistors has been disposed. And only the SRAM cell is known, while DRAM type cell is not developed, because the layout of the basic cells in the gate array LSI is considered being not suited for DRAM cells. Especially, it was difficult to construct a storage capacitor having an enough capacitance for the DRAM cell by the gate array layout.


A marinating machine rotates a drum containing the food to be marinated. The drum is positioned on a pair of rotatable shafts only one of which is drivingly engaged to a motor rotating the drum. The pair of shafts is spaced far enough apart from each other such that the vector of force applied by the wall of the drum against the drive wheel is sufficient to ensure that the drum will rotate with the drive wheel. Within the drum is a pair of spaced apart paddles to agitate the food product being marinated. The two paddles are joined to each other by a compressible member, and the compressible member is compressed to allow insertion of the paddles into the drum. The compressible member applies sufficient force against the inner surface of the drum to cause the paddle assembly to rotate with the drum.

The taste and cooking qualities of red meat, pork, poultry, and fish may all be improved by marinating the products prior to cooking. It is desirable during the marinating process to have the product absorb a significant volume of the liquid in which the product is being marinated to improve the moisture content of the product and impart flavor thereto. When a meat product is immersed in a liquid marinating material and left in refrigerated conditions for a number of hours, the meat will absorb a quantity of liquefied marinating material equal to approximately one and one-half percent of the weight of the meat. On the other hand, where meat, poultry or fish is placed in a drum with liquid marinating material, and a vacuum is drawn within the drum and the drum is thereafter rotated for twenty to forty-five minutes, fish, pork and chicken will absorb up to twenty percent of their weight in marinating material and beef will absorb up to ten percent of its weight in marinating material.
Marinating not only adds flavor to the meat or fish, but improves the cooking qualities thereof. When meat having a greater quantity of liquid therein is cooked, some of the liquid within the meat will convert to steam, causing the meat to be cooked from within and the cooked meat will be more moist and flavorful.
A typical marinating machine includes a drum having a plurality of paddles therein, which extend radially inward from the inner surface of the drum to agitate the meat or fish as the drum is rotated. A vacuum is also drawn within the chamber of the drum and the vacuum and the paddles pull the meat product apart for deeper penetration of the liquid while the drum is being rotated at a speed of between eight and fifteen rpm.
To ensure that the food products being marinated are sanitary, the inner surface of the drum must be thoroughly cleaned between each use, and therefore, all of the inner surfaces of the drum must be readily accessible for cleaning. It has become the practice, therefore, to provide a marinating drum with paddles that are unitary with to the inner surface of the cylindrical wall of the drum such that within the drum the cylindrical surface of the drum merges into the smooth surfaces of the paddles.
The shape of the paddles effect the marinating process. Paddles having a greater width, that is paddles that extend further radially inward towards the axis of the drum, will provide greater lift to the meat product being marinated than will a paddle that extends radially inward a lesser distance. By lifting the product being marinated a greater distance within the drum, the vacuum in the drum will be more efficient in pulling the product apart. On the other hand, certain foods, such as fish, have a more delicate structure, and such products may break apart in a machine having paddles with a greater width. Presently available marinating machines must provide a multiplicity of drums, with each drum having a different configuration of paddles therein, to accommodate the qualities of different food products to be marinated.
The drum of existing marinating machines are rotated by positioning the drum on a pair of parallel rotating axles having drive wheels mounted thereon. Existing marinating machines have a drive system for rotating both of the axles on which the wheels are mounted, because the outer surface of the marinating drum are often greasy and wet and the drum will not rotate if driven by the drive wheels mounted on a single axle. The greases come from the food products being marinated in the drum and the moisture is precipitated out of the air because the products being marinated in the drum are typically cold. The drive system needed to simultaneously rotate the parallel drive axles however is expensive to manufacture and the drive system significantly increases the cost of marinating machines. The cost of marinating machines is further increased where a multiplicity of drums is required where each drum has a different size paddle. It would be desirable, therefore, to provide an improved marinating machine having a drum the interior of which can be easily cleaned and that would accommodate a plurality of widths of paddles. It would also be desirable to have a marinating machine for which a complicated drive for rotating parallel drive shafts is not required for rotating the drum of the machine.


The present invention provides a display device, including a display unit having a plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices and outputting light to an upper surface thereof, a transparent substrate located on an upper side of the display unit and having a fixing portion protruding from one surface thereof to surround a side surface of the display unit, a protective layer formed to cover a lower surface of the display unit, and a back cover coupled to a part of the transparent substrate and the protective layer in an injection manner, wherein the protective layer is located to cover the fixing portion.

Various components for vehicle control may be arranged inside the vehicle. For example, a button for controlling a side window of the vehicle, a button for controlling opening and closing of a vehicle door, and the like may be disposed inside the vehicle. The components may be disposed on a frame formed inside the vehicle.
The frame formed inside the vehicle is mainly made of a plastic material to reduce a weight of the vehicle. The plastic material is manufactured into a specific shape by injection molding and assembled inside the vehicle. During plastic injection, a raw material is exposed to high temperature, and thereby heat-sensitive components should not be injected together with plastic.
On the other hand, as functions of the vehicle become more diverse, the number of components arranged in the vehicle is increasing. Specifically, a plurality of display devices for controlling the vehicle and providing various information may be located in the vehicle.
However, since an inner space of the vehicle has a limited size, the arrangement of those display devices is limited. Attempts have been made to place displays in the existing frame inside the vehicle to efficiently utilize the inner space of the vehicle.
In order to mount a display device inside the plastic frame, a method of injecting plastic together with the display device or injecting the plastic frame and assembling the display device inside the frame may be utilized. When the plastic frame and the display device are injected together, of the two methods, an inner space of the frame can be efficiently utilized and also a separate assembling process is not required. However, since the display device is exposed to high temperature during the injection process, the display device may be damaged during the injection process.

In-vehicle display device using semiconductor light-emitting device


Semiconductor devices are fabricated in a strained layer region and strained layer-free region of the same substrate. A first semiconductor device, such as a memory cell, e.g. a deep trench storage cell, is formed in a strained layer-free region of the substrate. A strained layer region is selectively formed in the same substrate. A second semiconductor device (66, 68, 70), such as an FET, e.g. an MOSFET logic device, is formed in the strained layer region.

Semiconductor devices such as Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFET's) formed on strained silicon channels have been shown to offer dramatic improvements in mobility and performance. The successful integration of high-performance strained silicon logic type MOSFET's with memory such as dense, low-leakage Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) arrays on the same semiconductor chip for embedded-DRAM applications has not been achieved due to the need to maintain high quality, defect-free silicon in the DRAM array areas while providing strained silicon in the logic support areas. Strained silicon and the substrate required to produce the strain inherently results in greatly increased silicon dislocations, which makes it incompatible with low-leakage DRAM cells. Furthermore, semiconductor processes which exceed certain temperatures that are required for the DRAM cell formation may be incompatible with currently practiced strained silicon formation.
Forming high-performance strained silicon support MOSFETs on the same substrate with low-leakage high-density DRAM cells is desired.

High performance embedded DRAM technology with strained silicon

International Business Machines Corporation


Bottle for dispensing fluid comprising a rigid container including an opening with a neck and a separable base. A flexible bag intended to contain the product in fluid form is placed inside the container. The diameter of the neck of the flexible bag is greater than the diameter of the neck of the rigid container, and the neck of the bag has an external flange with a diameter greater than that of the bag and less than the inside diameter of the container. The flexible bag may be filled before or after assembly, and may be used in the dispensing of products in fluid form, especially in the pharmaceutical field.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bottle for dispensing fluid, and more particularly a bottle of the type comprising a container, a flexible bag and a pump, for dispensing a product in fluid form stored so that it is protected from the air, and also to a method of manufacture.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of bottles for dispensing fluid, liquid or pasty products, the technique which consists in placing a flexible and deformable bag inside a bottle, the assembly being completed by an extraction pump or valve, is known. The bag is generally filled with the fluid after the bag and the bottle have been put together, and a gas may be introduced between the bag and the internal surface of the bottle so as to cause a determined amount of product to leave the bag upon actuation of the valve. In another technique, the space between the bag and the internal wall of the bottle communicates with the outside via a vent so as to maintain a pressure on the wall of the bag to make it easier to extract the product.
It has not been possible to develop any satisfactory technique for filling the bag before assembling it with the bottle. Although filling can be carried out more quickly in this case, putting together a previously-filled bag and a rigid bottle intended to contain it is extremely tricky, and this is why the conventional techniques consist in carrying out the filling after the bag and the bottle have been put together, despite the inherent drawbacks with these techniques. In particular, the neck of the bottle of the flexible bag has to be matched to the diameter of the pump used to extract the contents from the bag; the result of this is that the diameter of the neck is relatively narrow, which limits the rate at which the bag can be filled.
In such devices, use is often made of pumps which extract by suction without introducing air into the bag to compensate for the volume sucked out, the bag, which is made of elastically deformable material, progressively deforming as its volume reduces. The pump has to be put in place after the bag has been filled, and this leads to the presence of a certain volume of air in the upper part of the bag, which takes away from the accuracy and reliability of operation of the dispensing bottle. In particular, these devices are ill-suited to dispensing bottles for pharmaceutical products for which good uniformity of operation is indispensable.
Thus the patent FR-A-2.710.612 describes a dispensing bottle of the aforementioned type, comprising a flexible bag, a pump fixed on the neck of the bag, and a rigid casing in which is placed the bag, the neck of which protrudes above the upper edge of the base of the casing and is surrounded by a rigid cover secured to the base.
A dispensing bottle of the same type is described in patent FR-A-2.658.793, according to which the flexible bag contains a mesh intended to prevent the walls of the bag from sticking together. However, this device does not allow the bag to be emptied completely.
The patent FR-A-2.685.285 describes a rigid bottle into which a flexible bag has been introduced, which bag is then filled with a liquid product, then a pump without an air inlet is mounted on the inlet orifice of the bag and of the bottle.
The patent FR-A-2.668.756 relates to a method of producing a rigid bottle containing an elastically deformable bag, which is filled after the bag and the bottle have been put together. According to this patent, the pump, which operates by suction without introducing any compensating air into the bag, is put in place on the neck of the bag before the latter is introduced into the rigid bottle.
The patent FR-A-2.682.667 describes a stoppering device fitted to the opening of a receptacle, and associated with a metering device and with a brush, for example for applying nail varnish.

Bottle for dispensing fluid, comprising a flexible bag, and method of manufacture


A multi-layer-information-recording medium is applied to an information recording and reproducing apparatus capable of recording or reproducing information on and from either of a single-layer-information-recording medium having a single recording layer on one side, and a multi-layer-information-recording layer having a plurality of recording layers layered on a spacer layer on one side as a change in reflectivity by irradiating a light beam. The multi-layer-information-recording medium is compatible in terms of at least reproducing and recording with a single-layer-information-recording medium having a cover layer having a predetermined refractive index “n” and a thickness “t” disposed on a recording layer on a light incident side surface. The multi-layer-information-recording medium includes a deepest recording layer deepest from the light incident side surface. The deepest recording layer is formed at an optical distance d1 from the light incident side surface satisfying an equation d1=nt. The multi-layer-information-recording medium also includes at least one shallow recording layer formed at an optical distance d2 satisfying an inequality d2<nt from the light incident side surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an information recording medium such as an optical disc, an optical card and the like, and more particularly to a multi-layer-information-recording medium which has a plurality of recording layers layered on spacer layers.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, optical discs are widely used as means for recording and reproducing data such as video data, audio data, computer data and the like. A high density recording disc called DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) has been used in practice. As one type of DVD, there is a multi-layer disc in a laminate structure which has a plurality of recording layers that can be read from one side of the disc. A two-layer disc having two recording layers on one side has been used in practice as a disc dedicated to reproduction.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the two-layer DVD dedicated to reproduction comprises a shallow recording layer, which is the first layer viewed from the side on which data is read, i.e., closer to a light incident side surface, and a deep or second recording layer. With the two-layer disc, any signal recorded in the shallow recording layer and the deep recording layer can be read from one side of the disc only by moving the focus of a reproducing light beam. The shallow recording layer is made of a translucent film such that a light beam can transmit the shallow recording layer and read a signal from the deep recording layer, and the film thickness and material are chosen conveniently for the shallow recording layer. A reflective film is used for the deep recording layer. An optically transparent spacer layer having a high transmittance at the wavelength of light is disposed between the shallow recording layer and the deep recording layer in order to separate these layers by a constant distance.
The DVD standard defines that a transparent cover layer on a recording layer of a single-layer disc, having only one recording layer, 600 μm thick, as illustrated in FIG. 2. On the other hand, a two-layer disc is formed to have a first recording layer and a second recording layer positioned at depths of 570 μm and 630 μm from the surface on which a light beam is incident, i.e., above and below the depth of 600 μm at which the recording layer of a single-layer DVD is disposed. The positioning of the two layers above and below the single recording layer in the thickness direction is employed in the two-layer disc because an optical pickup system for recording and reproducing signals conforming to the DVD standard comprises an objective lens having a relatively small numerical aperture of 0.6 which is designed for the cover layer of 600 μm thick, and even with such an objective lens having a small numerical aperture, a deviation of approximately 30 μm in depth of the first layer and the second layer each from the single recording layer does not significantly affect the reading of signals. In this event, though the deviation of 30 μm of the recording layers causes wave aberration in a reading light beam, the amount of wave aberration is too small to cause a problem when the numerical aperture is on the order of 0.6.
A long program such as a movie which overflows the first recording layer of the two-layer disc is reproduced from the two recording layers. The DVD standard also defines a single side signal-reproducing scheme, called an opposite track path scheme, for continuously reprodcuing from two layers. The opposite track path scheme involves reproducing from the recording layer at a depth of 570 μm from the inner periphery to the outer periphery, jumping the focus from the outer periphery of this recording layer to the recording layer at a depth of 630 μm, and reproducing signals on the deeper recording layer from the outer periphery to the inner periphery. In this event, by reading an information region representing the contents of the disc recorded on the layer at a depth of 570 μm, the apparatus can sense the title of the DVD, a program duration, or the two-layer disc in accordance with the opposite track path scheme.
Meanwhile, an increasing amount of information requires a higher density for next-generation optical disc. It is considered that the numerical aperture of the objective lens be increased to 0.8 or more for a higher density. When using an objective lens having such a large numerical aperture, the amount of wave aberration caused by an error in thickness of the cover layer on the recording layer increases too much to read signals, thereby failing to readily reproduce a next-generation optical disc when it is in a two recording layer structure. It is therefore considered that an optical system capable of adjusting the amount of wave aberration should be incorporated in a pickup to make a compensation for preventing the wave aberration in accordance with the depth of a recording layer.
When an optical system for compensating for the wave aberration is used to read a single-layer disc and a multi-layer disc such as a two-layer disc of the next-generation while maintaining the compatibility, the difference exists in thickness of a cover layer corresponding to depths between the respective recording layers, so that a light beam must be focused on each recording layer while correcting the same for the wave aberration to search for lead-in information and the like. This gives rise to a problem that the time taken for starting reproduction becomes long if a two-layer disc is reproduced immediately after a single-layer disc was reproduced. In addition, with a large numerical aperture, a larger thickness of the cover layer causes an allowable range to be significantly narrowed down for the inclined disc, so that a multi-layer disc which has a larger thickness of cover layer than a single-layer disc must be fabricated with an improved planarity for the surface of the disc more than the single-layer disc.

Multi-layer information recording medium and information recording and reproducing apparatus


There is provided a transducer array with a plurality of piezoelectric elements having a minimum and maximum thickness. In one embodiment, the maximum thickness is less than or equal to 140 percent of the minimum thickness. In an alternate embodiment, the maximum thickness is greater than 140 percent of the minimum thickness and the transducer array is capable of simulating the excitation of a wider aperture two-dimensional transducer array. One or more matching layers may be used to further increase bandwidth performance. In addition, a two crystal transducer element as well as a composite transducer structure may be formed using the principles of this invention.

This invention relates to transducers and more particularly to broadband phased array transducers for use in the medical diagnostic field.
Ultrasound machines are often used for observing organs in the human body. Typically, these machines contain transducer arrays for converting electrical signals into pressure waves. Generally, the transducer array is in the form of a hand-held probe which may be adjusted in position to direct the ultrasound beam to the region of interest. Transducer arrays may have, for example, 128 transducer elements for generating an ultrasound beam. An electrode is placed at the front and bottom portion of the transducer elements for individually exciting each element, generating pressure waves. The pressure waves generated by the transducer elements are directed toward the object to be observed, such as the heart of a patient being examined. Each time the pressure wave confronts tissue having different acoustic characteristics, a wave is reflected backward. The array of transducers may then convert the reflected pressure waves into corresponding electrical signals. An example of a previous phased array acoustic imaging system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,607 granted Nov. 5, 1985 to Maslak et al. and is incorporated herein by reference. That patent illustrates circuitry for combining the incoming signals received by the transducer array to produce a focused image on the display screen.
Broadband transducers are transducers capable of operating at a wide range of frequencies without a loss in sensitivity. As a result of the increased bandwidth provided by broadband transducers, the resolution along the range axis may improve, resulting in better image quality.
One possible application for a broadband transducer is contrast harmonic imaging. In contrast harmonic imaging, contrast agents, such as micro-balloons of protein spheres, are safely injected into the body to illustrate how much of a certain tissue, such as the heart, is active. These micro-balloons are typically one to five micrometers in diameter and, once injected into the body, may be observed via ultrasound imaging to determine how well the tissue being examined is operating. Contrast harmonic imaging is an alternative to Thallium testing where radioactive material is injected into the body and observed by computer generated tomography. Thallium tests are undesirable because they employ potentially harmful radioactive material and typically require at least an hour to generate the computer image. This differs from contrast harmonic imaging in that real-time ultrasound techniques may be used in addition to the fact that safe micro-balloons are employed.
In B. Schrope et al., "Simulated Capillary Blood Flow Measurement Using a Nonlinear Ultrasonic Contrast Agent," Ultrasonic Imaging, Vol. 14 at 134-58 (1992), which is incorporated herein by reference, Schrope discloses that an observer may clearly see the contrast agents at the second operating harmonic. That is, at the fundamental harmonic, the heart and muscle tissue is clearly visible via ultrasound techniques. However, at the second harmonic, the observer is capable of clearly viewing the contrast agent itself and thus may determine how well the respective tissue is performing.
Because contrast harmonic imaging requires that the transducer be capable of operating at a broad range of frequencies (i.e. at both the fundamental and second harmonic), existing transducers typically cannot function at such a broad range. For example, a transducer having a center frequency of 5 Megahertz and having a 70% ratio of bandwidth to center frequency has a bandwidth of 3.25 Megahertz to 6.75 Megahertz. If the fundamental harmonic is 3.5 Megahertz, then the second harmonic is 7.0 Megahertz. Thus, a transducer having a center frequency of 5 Megahertz would not be able to adequately operate at both the fundamental and second harmonic.
In addition to having a transducer which is capable of operating at a broad range of frequencies, two-dimensional transducer arrays are also desirable to increase the resolution of the images produced. An example of a two-dimensional transducer array is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,825 to Haan issued Sep. 3, 1974 and is incorporate herein by reference. Two-dimensional arrays allow for increased control of the excitation of ultrasound beams along the elevation axis, which is otherwise absent from conventional single-dimensional arrays. However, two-dimensional arrays are also difficult to fabricate because they typically require that each element be cut into several segments along the elevation axis, connecting leads for exciting each of the respective segments. A two-dimensional array having 128 elements in the azimuthal axis, for example, would require at least 256 segments, two segments in the elevation direction, as well as interconnecting leads for the segments. In addition, they require rather complicated software in order to excite each of the several segments at appropriate times during the ultrasound scan because there would be at least double the amount of segments which would have to be individually excited as compared with a one-dimensional array.
Further, typical prior art transducers having parallel faces relative to the object being examined tend to produce undesirable reflections at the interface between the transducer and object being examined, producing what is called a "ghost echo." These undesirable reflections may result in a less clear image being produced.

Broadband phased array transducer design with frequency controlled two dimension capability and methods for manufacture thereof


A field sequential pulse width modulated display system (10) comprises a digital micromirror device (DMD) (24) having a plurality of micromirrors that each selectively pivot to reflect light onto a screen (28) to illuminate a corresponding pixel. A driver circuit (30) controls the DMD (24) responsive to sequences of pulse width segments formed by a processor (31). The processor (31) forms the pulse width segment sequences to alter the pixel brightness for a given one of a set of primary colors within a range of brightness values between adjacent pixel brightness boundaries, with each segment for each color interleaved with the segments for the other colors. The processor (31) alters the pixel brightness for a given color by altering the state of at least one selected pulse in only a single pulse width segment unless all of the pulses in that segment have the same state (all actuated or de-actuated), whereupon the state of one or more selected pulses in another pulse width segment are altered as the brightness of the pixels change. Any redistribution of light resulting from a change in pixel brightness is limited to the interval corresponding to a single pulse width segment, thereby reducing the likelihood of a visual disturbance perceptible to a viewer.

Presently, there exists a type of semiconductor device, known as a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD), comprising a plurality of individually movable micromirrors arranged in a rectangular array. Each micromirror pivots about limited arc, typically on the order of 10–12° under the control of a corresponding driver cell that latches a bit therein. Upon the application of a previously latched "1" bit, the driver cell causes its associated micromirror cell to pivot to a first position. Conversely, the application of a previously latched "0" bit to the driver cell causes the driver cell to pivot its associated micromirror to a second position. By appropriately positioning the DMD between a light source and a projection lens, each individual micromirror of the DMD device, when pivoted by its corresponding driver cell to the first position, will reflect light from the light source through the lens and onto a display screen to illuminate an individual picture element (pixel) in the display. When pivoted to its second position, each micromirror reflects light away from the display screen, causing the corresponding pixel to appear dark. An example of such DMD device is the DMD of the DLP™ projection system available from Texas Instruments, Dallas Tex.
Present day projection systems that incorporate a DMD of the type described above control the brightness (illumination) of the individual pixels by controlling the duty cycle during which the individual micromirrors remain "on" (i.e., pivoted to their first position), versus the interval during which the micromirrors remain "off" (i.e. pivoted to their second position). To that end, such present day DMD-type projection systems use pulse width modulation to control the pixel brightness by varying the duty cycle of each micromirror in accordance with the state of the pulses in a sequence of pulse width segments. Each pulse width segment comprises a string of pulses of different time duration. The state of each pulse in a pulse width segment (i.e., whether each pulse is turned on or off) determines whether the micromirror remains on or off for the duration of that pulse. In other words, the more pulses in a pulse width segment that are turned on, the longer the duty cycle of each micromirror.
In a television projection system utilizing a DMD, the frame interval, i.e., the time between displaying successive images, depends on the selected television standard. The NTSC standard currently in use in the United States requires a frame interval of 1/60 second whereas certain European television standards employ a frame interval of 1/50 second. Present day DMD-type television projection systems typically achieve a color display by projecting red, green, and blue images either simultaneously or in sequence during each frame interval. A typical sequential DMD-type projection system utilizes a motor-driven color wheel interposed in the light path of the DMD. The color wheel has a plurality of separate primary color windows, typically red, green and blue, so that during successive intervals, red, green, and blue light, respectively, falls on the DMD. To achieve a color picture, red, green and blue light must fall on the DMD at least once within each successive frame interval. If only one red, one green and one blue image is made and each consumes ⅓ of the frame interval, then a time delay will occur between colors which produces perceptible color breakup with motion. Present day DMD systems address this problem by breaking each color into several intervals and interleaving the intervals in time, thereby reducing the delay between colors.
Pulse width modulated projection systems of the type described above that have the ability to make multiple images of each primary color during each frame interval to yield a color picture often suffer from motion artifacts. Motion artifacts occur when a single moving object appears as multiple moving objects, the result of the motion of the viewer's eye trying to follow the single moving object displayed multiple times per frame interval.
Thus, there is a need for a technique for operating a pulse width modulated display to reduce the presence of motion artifacts.

Pulse width modulated display with improved motion appearance


A hose-pipe connector device including (a) a hose connector holder including a first plate portion having openings, and first two leg portions extending from opposite ends of the first plate portion perpendicularly to the first plate portion, (b) connectors for connecting hoses to pipes, each connector having a hole and being fixed to the first plate portion, in engagement with one of the openings such that the hole is open in the direction of extension of the first leg portions, and (c) a pipe holder including a second plate portion and two second leg portions extending from opposite ends of the second plate portion perpendicularly to the second plate portion, and wherein the pipes are secured to a surface of the second plate portion such that the pipes extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the second plate portion and in parallel to the above-indicated surface, so that the holders are assembled together such that the first and second plate portions are perpendicular to each other, and such that the end portions of the pipes are inserted in the holes of the connectors while the first and second leg portions engage each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cluster hose-pipe connector device capable of concurrently connecting hoses to respective pipes by simple and quick manipulation of the device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
For connecting a hose and a pipe to each other, there is known a connector which is connected at one end portion thereof to the hose and at the other end portion to the pipe. The hose is fixed to the connector with a suitable fastener such as a clamp or band disposed round the outer circumferential of the hose. The pipe is inserted at one end portion thereof into a pipe fitting hole formed through the above-indicated other end portion. As one type of this connector, there is widely used a connector which has at least one internal annular groove or recess open in the pipe filling hole, so that at least one annular protrusion formed on the outer circumferential surface of the corresponding end portion of the pipe is engageable with the annular groove or grooves of the connector when the end portion of the pipe is forced into the pipe fitting hole. Thus, the connector permits easy quick connection of the pipe to the hose connector, while preventing the removal of the pipe from the connector.
When two or more hoses are connected to respective pipes by using the conventional connectors, however, the procedure for the hose and pipe connection should be repeated for each of the individual sets of hoses and pipes one after another, and is accordingly cumbersome and time-consuming, leading to relatively low efficiency of the connecting operation. The connecting procedure is difficult particularly where the connection of the hoses and pipes should be achieved in a relatively narrow space working environment, as in the case of piping in an automotive vehicle, resulting in further reduction of the working efficiency and increased risk of erroneous or inadequate working and consequent failure to correctly connect the hoses and the pipes.

Cluster hose-pipe connector device capable of concurrent connection of hoses and pipes by single relative movement of connector holder and pipe holder


A projection type image display apparatus has: an illumination optical system generating illumination light; a projection optical system projecting an image light onto a screen; a digital micromirror device (DMD) modulating the illumination light so as to form the image light; and a reflection mirror arranged in a position opposite to an optical path of the illumination light entering the DMD. The reflection mirror reflects an off-light reflected by the DMD in an “OFF” state in a direction separated from a projection light reflected by the DMD in an “ON” state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection type image display apparatus that projects an image formed by a reflection type image forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A projection type image display apparatus where a digital micromirror device (DMD) modulates illumination light from an illumination optical system, a projection optical system enlarges and projects the modulated image light onto a screen is known. DMD is a microdisplay manufactured by Texas Instruments Incorporated. DMD has an image forming surface which is constituted so that micromirrors which can be set at any one of two rotational angles according to an input picture signal are arranged two-dimensionally. The micromirror which is set at one of the two angles reflects illumination light in a direction led to the projection optical system (hereinafter, such reflected light is called as projection light or image light). The micromirror which is set at the other angle reflects the illumination light in a direction which is not led to a screen (hereinafter, such reflected light is called as off light or unnecessary light).
The off light causes heat generation in the device. Further, when the off light enters the projection optical system and becomes harmful light which is imaged on the screen, deterioration in image quality such as deterioration in contrast is caused. For this reason, various handlings of the off light are proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,048 B1 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-166255 disclose projection type image display apparatuss which are constituted so that off light is totally reflected by a prism provided to the projection optical system in a direction different from that of projection light and is absorbed by a light absorbing member. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,947 B2 discloses a projection type image display apparatus which is constituted so that illumination light is emitted from an approximately front of DMD, and off light is absorbed by a light absorbing member.
A system, which emits illumination light emitted from below by an illumination optical system to an upper part by a reflection type image forming device, is called as a bottom-light type system. The bottom-light type projection type image display apparatus, in which a center principal ray of the illumination light to enter the reflection type image forming device is on the same plane as a center principal ray of the projection light, can project an image onto a large-scale screen with a comparatively simple and inexpensive constitution. In the bottom-light type device where the center principal ray of the illumination light to enter the reflection type image forming device is on the same plane as the center principal ray of the projection light from the image forming device to the screen, off light advances towards the projection optical system similarly to the projection light. For this reason, the off light easily enters the projection optical system. The constitution relating to the handling of the off light, however, is not proposed for such a projection type image display apparatus.


Method for recovering frame timing of a mobile communication device performing a sleep mode. The mobile communication device communicates with a base station through a communication system so that wireless signals are transmitted via frames. The method includes executing a synchronous task for interrupting currently loaded control processes in a real-time operating system and for calculating a predetermined sleep period for the sleep mode, executing the synchronous task for driving the mobile communication device to enter the sleep mode during an actual sleep period, and executing the synchronous task for synchronizing frame timing of the mobile communication with frame timing of the base station according to the actual sleep period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of controlling frame timing of a mobile communication device. More specifically, the present invention discloses a method for controlling frame timing of a mobile communication device performing a sleep mode.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wireless communication system includes a plurality of base stations. Each base station corresponds to a cell, and is used to control signal reception and signal transmission of a plurality of mobile units located at the cell. The mobile units mostly are portable communication devices or mobile communication devices. For instance, within a global system for mobile communications (GSM), the above-mentioned mobile units are cellular phones.
In order to allow the cellular phones to be conveniently carried, the cellular phones currently adopt rechargeable batteries to provide required operating voltages. Obviously the capacity of the rechargeable battery is limited. If a rechargeable battery with great power capacity is used by a cellular phone to increase overall operational time of the cellular phone, the rechargeable battery substantially increases the size and weight of the cellular phone so that it is not convenient to carry the bulky cellular phone. Therefore, how to decrease the power consumption of the cellular phone has become an important issue. When the power consumption of the cellular phone is reduced, the cellular phone is capable of using a rechargeable battery with a smaller power capacity, a smaller size, and a reduced weight to achieve the same operational time. In other words, the cellular phone becomes more convenient for the user to operate it.
In order to reduce power consumption of the cellular phone, it is well-known that the cellular phone performs a sleep mode to reduce power dissipation. For example, when the cellular phone does not receive signals or transmit signals, and the user does not operate the cellular phone, the cellular phone enters an idle mode. The cellular phone, therefore, does not need a clock signal to perform certain operations, and then the cellular phone enters the sleep mode to stop the clock signal from driving components in the cellular phone. In other words, unnecessary power dissipated during the idle mode is cut. The cellular phone then achieves an objective of saving power.
However, it is well-known that the GSM utilizes a communication scheme, such as a time division multiple access (TDMA) scheme, a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) scheme, or a code division multiple access (CDMA) scheme, to perform signal transmission. Timing of the mobile unit needs to be synchronized with frame timing of a corresponding base station so that the mobile unit is capable of receiving signals and transmitting signals. The prior art wireless communication system transmits a paging signal to the mobile unit to inform the mobile unit of an incoming call. Therefore, the timing of the mobile unit has to be synchronized with the timing of the base station to correctly receive the paging signal. Even though the mobile unit has entered the sleep mode for saving power, the mobile unit should periodically recover from the sleep mode to detect if the wireless communication system is transmitting the paging signal. In other words, when the mobile unit escapes from the sleep mode, the mobile unit needs to recover its timing to be synchronized with timing of the prior art wireless communication system.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a circuit diagram of a prior art mobile unit 40. The mobile unit 40 has an antenna 42, a transceiver 44, a timing generator 46, a micro-controller 48, a clock generator 50, and a memory 52. The antenna 42 is capable of receiving radio frequency (RF) signals outputted from a base station 41, and is capable of transmitting RF signals outputted from the mobile unit 40 toward the base station 41. The transceiver 44 is capable of converting RF signals outputted from the antenna 42 into corresponding low-frequency baseband signals, and then delivers the baseband signals to the micro-controller 48. In addition, the transceiver 44 is also capable of converting baseband signals into corresponding high-frequency RF signals, and then outputs the RF signals from the antenna 42.
The micro-controller 48 executes a real-time operating system (RTOS) 54 stored in the memory 52 for controlling overall operation of the mobile unit 40. That is, the micro-controller 48 processes control signals and information signals generated from the base station 41, where the control signals are used to set the required communication protocol used by the mobile unit 40 and the base station 41. The information signals are speech signals or data signals transmitted between a caller and a listener. The clock generator 50 is used to generate a system clock CLK for driving the micro-controller 48 to control the mobile unit 40. In addition, the timing generator 46 generates timing signals according to the system clock CLK, and the timing signals are used to control timing of the mobile unit 40 to be synchronized with the timing of the base station 41 so that the transceiver 44 can transmit and receive signals successfully.
Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a flow chart illustrating operation of the sleep mode run by the mobile unit 40 shown in FIG. 1. The sleep mode run by the mobile unit 40 has the following steps.
Step 100: Start.
Step 102: Perform a sleep manager 56.
Step 104: Check if the mobile unit 40 enters an idle mode through the sleep manager 56. If the mobile unit 40 enters the idle mode, go to step 106; otherwise, go to step 120.
Step 106: Calculate a predetermined running period of the sleep mode for the mobile unit 40 through the sleep manager 56.
Step 108: The mobile unit 40 enters the sleep mode.
Step 110: Run a synchronous task 58 before the system clock of the mobile unit 40 is interrupted from driving the micro-controller 48.
Step 112: Use the synchronous task 58 to detect if the mobile unit 40 is triggered by an external event to abort the sleep mode. If the external event occurs, go to step 118; otherwise, go to step 114.
Step 114: Calculate an actual running period of the sleep mode performed by the mobile unit 40 through the synchronous task 58.
Step 116: Use the synchronous task 58 to control the timing generator 46 for recovering timing of the mobile unit 40 to make timing of the mobile unit 40 synchronized with timing of the base station 41.
Step 118: Terminate the synchronous task 58.
Step 120: Terminate the sleep manager 56.
Step 122: Finish.
As mentioned above, the micro-controller 48 executes the RTOS 54 to control operation of the mobile unit 40. When the micro-controller 48 runs a sleep manager 56, the sleep manager 56 is activated to drive the mobile unit 40 to enter the sleep mode with the system clock CLK stopped from driving the micro-controller 48, then the operation of the mobile unit 40 is interrupted. According to the prior art, the sleep manager 56 is a task with a lowest priority. Therefore, when the sleep manager 56 is successfully executed by the micro-controller 48 (step 102), it means that other tasks with greater priorities have entered the same idle mode. In other words, the mobile unit 40 enters the idle mode now (step 104). Then, the sleep manager 56 starts calculating a predetermined running period of the sleep mode performed by the mobile unit 40 according to information provided by the RTOS 54 (step 106). Next, the sleep manager 56 begins controlling the clock generator 50 to stop the system clock CLK from driving the mobile unit 40 (step 108). However, before the system clock CLK of the mobile unit 40 is actually cut from driving the micro-controller 48, the micro-controller 48 runs a synchronous task 58 (step 110) that is an interrupt service routine (ISR). The synchronous task 58 detects if the mobile unit 40 is trigged by an external event to abort the sleep mode. If an external event (one key pressed by a user for example) is detected by the mobile unit 40, the sleep mode is aborted before the system clock CLK stops driving the micro-controller 56 (step 120). On the other hand, if an external event is not detected before the system clock CLK stops driving the micro-controller 48, the synchronous task 58 will calculate an actual running period of the sleep mode performed by the mobile unit 40. Because the external event might be triggered during the time that the mobile unit 40 is running the sleep mode, the sleep mode then will be terminated immediately to enable the system clock CLK to continue driving the micro-controller 48 for executing an associated ISR. Therefore, the actual running period of the sleep mode might be less or equal to the predetermined running period. In the end, when the system clock CLK drives the micro-controller 48 again, the synchronous task 58 controls a timing signal, which is outputted from the timing generator 46 and inputted into the transceiver 44, for recovering the timing of the mobile unit 40 to be synchronized with the timing of the base station 41 according to the actual running period (step 116). Then, the synchronous task (step 118) and the sleep manager 56 (step 120) are sequentially terminated to complete overall timing recovery operation corresponding to the sleep mode.
As mentioned above, the sleep manager 56 is a task having a lowest priority to check if the mobile unit 40 corresponds to an idle mode. However, when step 106 is executed to calculate the predetermined running period of the sleep mode, the sleep manager 56 currently running step 106 is interrupted if an ISR corresponding to a higher priority is triggered. If the sleep manager 56 constantly interrupted by other ISRs having higher priorities, the sleep manager 56 requires a long period of time to complete step 106 for obtaining the predetermined running period. In addition, from the flow chart shown in FIG. 2, the prior art needs the sleep manager 56 and the synchronous task 58 to respectively activate the sleep mode and the timing recovery operation after the sleep mode is terminated. It is obvious that many interrupt events and exception events should be considered during programming the sleep manager 56 and the synchronous task 58. In addition, the sleep manager 56 and the synchronous task 58 belong to different processes. Because operation of the sleep mode performed by the mobile unit 40 involves coordination among different processes, operation of the sleep mode becomes more complicated as compared with a single process controlling the sleep mode.

Method for switching a time frame based mobile unit to a sleep mode

Science-Based Industrial Park, Hsin-Chu, Hsien


An undergarment in the form of boxer shorts includes a concealed inside pocket on the front panel for holding valuables and other items such as, but not limited to, a credit card, a membership or I.D. card, paper and coin currency and keys. The pocket hangs freely on the inside of the boxer shorts and is secured to the front panel at a top open pocket mouth. A horizontal slit opening on the front panel, just below the waistband of the boxer shorts, communicates with the pocket mouth to permit placement and removal of the items carried in the pocket. A zipper or other closure mechanism is provided for securing the slit opening closed, thereby safely containing the items in the pocket. Opposing flaps along the horizontal slit opening on the outside of the front panel help to conceal the pocket mouth and closure mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an undergarment with a pocket and, more particularly, to boxer shorts having a concealed pocket for securely and safely holding valuables and other items therein.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
When most people leave their home they usually carry several items on their person including a driver's license or other form of identification, money and one or more keys, as well as possibly at least one credit card, a banking card (e.g. a debit card or ATM card), and one or more membership cards. These items are typically carried in a wallet or purse. There are times, however, when it is not practical or safe to carry a wallet or purse when a person is away from home. For instance, work-out garments worn when exercising often do not include pockets which are suitable for carrying the above-noted items. In other instances, it might be desirable to conceal money, credit cards and other valuable items and documents when traveling away from home, and especially in instances wherein there may be a risk of exposure to crime.
Traditional pockets found on outer garments such as trousers, shorts, shirts and jackets, are not always a secure place to carry valuables and other items, such as those identified above. Because the pocket openings on these garments are often left open, when a person sits down the items contained in the pockets are prone to accidentally fall out. Not surprisingly, keys, money and other valuables are often lost when carried loosely in pants or jacket pockets. Further, the open visibility and ease of access to conventional pockets make them prime targets to crime.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a garment which includes a concealed pocket for carrying valuables and other items in a safe and secure manner. More specifically, there remains an urgent need for an undergarment, and particularly boxer shorts, which provides for a considerably large pocket which is concealed and which is structured and disposed to safely and securely contain one or more items therein including, but not limited to, credit cards, I.D. cards, membership cards, paper and coin currency, important documents, one or more keys and/or one or more items of jewelry.


A zoom lens comprises a first lens unit that does not move for zooming and that has a positive refractive power, a second lens unit that is configure to move to an image side during zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end and that has a negative refractive power, a third lens unit that is configured to reduce image plane variation due to zooming, and a fourth lens unit that does not move for zooming. The fourth lens unit comprises a fourth-F unit, a fourth-B1 unit, and a fourth-B2 unit. The average Abbe number of positive lens and negative lenses in the fourth-B1 unit and the average Abbe number of positive negative lenses in the fourth-B2 unit are set appropriately.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens and an image pickup apparatus including the zoom lens, for use in a camera such as for example a broadcast television camera, a video camera, a digital still camera, or a silver film camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, zoom lenses having a high aperture ratio, a high zoom ratio, a wide angle of view, and high optical performance have been demanded for image pickup apparatuses such as television cameras, silver film cameras, digital cameras, and video cameras.
In an image pickup apparatus such as a broadcast color television camera, since a color separation optical system and various filters are provided on the front side (object side) of an image pickup unit, a zoom lens is required to have a long back focus.
As a zoom lens having a high aperture ratio, a wide angle of view, a high zoom ratio, and a long back focus, a positive lead type four-unit zoom lens is known in which a lens unit having a positive refractive power is provided closest to the object side of the lens.
This four-unit zoom lens includes a first lens unit including a focus lens unit and having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit for zooming that has a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power so as to correct image plane variation due to zooming, and a fourth lens unit for imaging that has a positive refractive power. The first to fourth lens units are arranged in that order from the object side to the image side.
Japanese Patent Laid Open Nos. 63-237020 and 2000-89109 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,545,818 disclose a positive lead type four-unit zoom lens having a high aperture ratio and a high zoom ratio. The four-unit zoom lens has an angle of view 2ω of 78° to 96° at a wide angle end, an f-number of 1.7 to 2.0, and a zoom ratio of 8 to 12.
In the above-described four-unit zoom lenses, it is necessary to properly set the refractive powers of the lens units and the lens layout in order to ensure a high aperture ratio, a high zoom ratio, and an angle of view 2ω of 78° or more at the wide angle end, and to achieve high optical performance over the entire zoom range.
For example, if the lens layout of the fourth lens unit for imaging is not optimized, it is difficult to reduce variations in chromatic aberration, spherical aberration, halo, coma and color difference of spherical aberration and to improve the zoom ratio and performance while ensuring a predetermined back focus.
In particular, when a lens unit (extender lens) for changing the focal length range of the entire system can be inserted and removed between an object-side lens unit and an image-side lens unit on the optical path of the fourth lens unit, it is important to properly set the lens layout of the image-side lens in the fourth lens unit.
If the lens layout of the image-side lens unit is not optimized, it is difficult to obtain a zoom lens that properly corrects lateral chromatic aberration at the wide angle end and that has high optical performance, a wide angle of view, and a high zoom ratio.

Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus having the same


An improved nutcracker and shelling process use centrifugal force to accelerate nuts so that their shells shatter upon impacting a target surface. The nutcracker includes an impeller having an intake for receiving nuts and an outlet for discharging the nuts. During operation, the impeller is spun so that the nuts received at the intake are accelerated as they pass through the impeller. The nuts reach a sufficiently fast speed so that their shells fracture upon hitting the target surface after being thrown from the impeller.

In known commercial shelling processes, cracking tree nuts, e.g., hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, and the like, is accomplished by compressing the nut shells using a measured force. In these conventional processes, the nuts are passed between two hard surfaces (usually metal rollers) that are a fixed distance apart. This passage of the nuts compresses the nut shells until they crack.
However, the use of compression does not yield consistently good results. Damage to the nut kernels can run as high as 30% of the shelled product. This damage reduces considerably the value of the shelled kernel. Thus, it is important to minimize damage to nut kernels during the shelling process.
Most of this damage is caused by improper sizing of the nuts prior to passing them between the compression surfaces. That is, nuts that are too large are passed between rollers that are too close together. This not only cracks the shells, but also crushes the kernels. To add to the difficulty of properly sizing nuts, most tree nuts are not perfectly round. Instead, they are usually oblong shaped. Thus, the measured diameter of a nut obtained during the sizing process may be different than the diameter that is actually compressed during shelling. This can cause kernel damage, or alternatively, can result is a nut that passes through the cracker without getting shelled. Neither of these outcomes is desirable.
In addition to sizing, compression also requires that the nuts be cleaned and dried prior to shelling. This adds considerable cost to the overall shelling process. Indeed, drying a nutshell (which retains much of the moisture in a whole nut) and then discarding it to produce a shelled kernel represents a considerable waste of energy. It is important that these added costs of cleaning and drying are minimized or eliminated in a commercial shelling process.
In view of the foregoing problems and inefficiencies with conventional shelling processes, there is a need for an improved industrial nutcracker and shelling process for use in high-volume, commercial production environments.


The present invention provides a sintered body of aluminum nitride comprising (i) aluminum nitride as a main component and (ii) at least one component selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Fe, Co, Ni, Nd, Ho, Ti and compounds thereof in the total amounts of not greater than 1.0 wt. % and not less than 0.01 wt. % in terms of elements on the basis of sintered body, the sintered body being colored and having a thermal conductivity of at least 150 W/mK. The sintered body is useful for the preparation of circuit boards having printed circuits thereon and highly heat-releasing ceramic packages for semiconductive devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to colored sintered bodies of aluminum nitride and, more specifically, to sintered bodies of aluminum nitride which have a high density, a high thermal conductivity and a desired color, such as brownish black, brown, green, etc.
The present invention further relates to circuit boards and packages including semiconductor devices in which sintered bodies of aluminum nitride above mentioned are employed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there has been a remarkable progress in large scale integration (LSI) technology and considerable improvements have been made in the integration techniques.
Improvements in size of integrated circuit (IC) chips contribute to such recent LSI innovations. As the size of IC chips has been increasingly improved, generation of heat for each package also becomes larger. Accordingly, the heat dissipation property of substrate materials has become increasingly important. Heretofore, sintered alumina has been employed as an IC substrate material. However, since the thermal conductivity of the sintered alumina is not sufficient for permitting satisfactory heat release, the conventional sintered alumina can not provide satisfaction for such increasing heat generation of IC chips. For this, beryllia having a high thermal conductivity has been studied as a substitute for the sintered alumina substrate, but it is difficult to handle because of its strong toxity.
Sintered aluminum nitride (AlN) has become of interest as substrate materials for circuit boards and packaging materials in the semiconductive industry, because it inherently has a high thermal conductivity and a high electrical insulating property and is nontoxic.
As set forth above, aluminum nitride has a high thermal conductivity and a good insulating property in the state of single crystal. However, in case where sintered bodies are prepared from aluminum nitride powder by compression-molding followed by sintering, the resultant sintered bodies, although depending on sintering conditions, exhibit a low relative density i.e., at most, of the order of 70 to 80% (based on theoretical density of 3.26 g/cm.sup.3 of aluminum nitride) and include a large number of pores, because of poor sinterability of aluminum nitride powder per se.
The mechanism of heat conduction of insulating ceramics, like aluminum nitride, is mainly based on transmission of phonons. However, since the defects due to pores, impurities, etc., of the ceramics may cause phonon scattering, actually there can be obtained only sintered bodies of aluminum nitride having a low heat conduction level. Under such circumstances, many methods have been proposed to achieve aluminum nitride sintered products having a high thermal conductivity.
However, in order to produce aluminum nitride sintered products of high thermal conductivity, highly pure raw materials should be employed and inclusion of impurities which may be caused during the production process should be held as small as possible. Sintered products of aluminum nitride obtained in such conditions are limited to white transparent products or faintly colored products. There have not been yet obtained colored sintered products of aluminum nitride having a high thermal conductivity. Accordingly, it is highly desirable to develop colored sintered bodies of aluminum nitride for applications where light-transmitting properties are considered as an important matter.


The present invention is a scintillator which emits light in response to radiation. The scintillator is capable of being reversibly changed between solid and liquid phases, whichever is desired, by temperature control. The scintillator comprises a fluorescent substance for converting radiation energy into light energy; a solvent which transfers radiation energy to the fluorescent substance and dissolves and diffuses the fluorescent substance and a radioactive substance acting as an object of measurement to thereby homogenize them; and a fixing substance which enables the solvent, the fluorescent substance and the radioactive substance to be fixed in a solid state and also liquified upon heating, the fixing substance being capable of phase change reversibility.

Recently, biochemistry has been markedly advanced, and analyses of substances that constitute organisms, such as proteins, and research of metabolic functions of substances, including drugs, have been actively pursued. There has been particularly marked progress in the study of molecular biology to clarify biological phenomena on the basis of the structure and function of biopolymers. In this research, analyses of substances that constitute organisms, such as DNA and proteins, are essential requirements.
Tracers are substances which are added to obtain knowledge about the behavior of elements or substances, and experiments that employ tracers are often conducted in the fields of medical science, pharmacology, etc. To trace the behavior of an element or a compound, it is common to employ a labelled compound that contains a radioisotope of the element concerned. In the medical and pharmaceutical fields, tritium (.sup.3 H), carbon (.sup.14 C), etc., which are organism-constituting elements, are the principal radioisotopes used.
In a tracer experiment, information about the behavior of a target element or compound is obtained by tracing the radioactivity of a radioisotope label. Tracer experiments are also widely conducted in the fields of biochemistry, medical science and pharmacology as stated above. It is a common practice in a tracer experiment to artificially add a radioisotope (e.g., a labelled compound) to an object of measurement. Since radioisotopes are also widely distributed in nature in fixed proportions, in the form of radioisotopes produced, for example, by nuclear reactions caused by cosmic rays, it is possible to estimate the age of an organism, by analyzing the proportion of .sup.14 C in the organism. Therefore, radioisotopes are also used in research for age determination.
Scintillation is the phenomenon whereby a fluorescent substance emits light when radiation is applied thereto. Scintillation counters are used to detect--rays, X-rays, .beta.-rays and neutron rays. Scintillation counters are arranged to convert radiation energy into light by means of a fluorescent substance, convert the light into electronic pulses by a photomultiplier tube and count the number of pulses. The above-described tracer experiments are generally conducted by the use of such scintillation counters.
Scintillation counters are capable of detecting and counting any kind of radiation, such as photon (--rays) and neutron rays, in addition to charged particles. Luminescent substances that are used in scintillation counters are called scintillators. The wavelengths of light emitted by scintillators are generally from 3000 to 600 Angstroms. Scintillators are required to have such characteristics that they have no absorption region in the above-described wavelength range, transmit fluorescence life have a short fluorescence lifetime (which sets a limit on the decomposition time).
Scintillators may be divided into the following classes according to the phase in which they are used: solid scintillators, liquid scintillators and gas scintillators. A great variety of such scintillators have heretofore been proposed and used. For example, the invention of thallium-activated sodium iodide [NaI(Tl)], which is crystalline, was the beginning of the gamma spectroscopy. Additional examples of scintillators are thallium-activated cesium iodide [CsI(Tl)], sodium-activated cesium iodide [CsI(Na)] and europium-activated lithium iodide [LiI(Eu)].
Silver-activated zinc sulfide [ZnS(Ag)], europium-activated calcium fluoride [CaF.sub.2 (Eu)], bismuth germanate (BGO, Bi.sub.4 Ge.sub.3 O.sub.12) and cesium fluoride (CsF) are also known. In addition, a glass scintillator which is made of quartz is known. Gas scintillators that employ rare gases, such as xenon, helium, etc., are considered to be high-speed scintillators, but they are usually used only for special purposes.
Liquid scintillators are often employed at the present time because they are liquids and therefore easy to handle, and they also make it possible to obtain a geometry which is advantageous to the measurement of .sup.3 H and .sup.14 C. The main components of liquid scintillators are an organic solvent and a dissolved fluorescent substance, but some liquid scintillators also contain a surfactant for emulsifying the organic solvent or some other additives.
The characteristics of liquid scintillators are determined by the kind of solvent, dissolved substance, surfactant, etc. selected and the amount of each material used. If, for example, xylene or toluene is employed as the solvent in a liquid scintillator, the resulting scintillator may be called a xylene-based or toluene-based liquid scintillator. A liquid scintillator which contains a surfactant may also be called an emulsifying scintillator.
As will be understood from the foregoing description, scintillators may also be considered to be substances functioning as energy transducers that convert radiation energy into fluorescent energy. In preparation of a specimen, it suffices to incorporate a radioactive substance into a solution which is in the form of a scintillation cocktail.
The solid, liquid and gas scintillators described above are all used in such a state that they are irradiated with radiation emitted from objects of measurement. Many liquid scintillators are generally used in the form of a mixture with an object of measurement which is contained in a glass container.

Solid-liquid reversible scintillator and method of using the same


In combination a holder for an object and a console for a vehicle comprises a first groove formed on a planar surface of the console for receiving an object such as a writing instrument therein, a second groove formed in the console adjacent to the first groove, and a clip removably secured in the second groove and extending over the first groove for retaining the object in the first groove. The clip is preferably composed of a flexible, resilient material such as rubber, the second groove is elongate, and the clip is slidable along the second groove. Further, the second groove is preferably defined in the console at an incline relative to a surface of the console such that the upper portion of the clip projects a varying amount above the console as the clip is slid along the second groove such that different sized objects may be held thereby. Still further, the console preferably includes a projecting sidewall adjacent the second groove, and the projecting sidewall engages a face of the clip for stabilizing the clip.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a writing instrument holder for a vehicle or the like, and particularly to a writing instrument holder which can securely and reliably retain substantially any size writing instrument in a vibration-preventing manner, and such that the writing instrument is conveniently accessible to vehicle occupants.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
There are many known writing instrument holders which may be used or are designed for use in vehicles. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,962,874, 5,180,089, 5,301,856, 5,379,929, and 5,484,066 each disclose a holder device which may be used to hold a writing instrument or the like in a vehicle. The holder in U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,874 is an elongate bracket or recess defined in a back surface of a rigid plate or board and sized to receive a writing instrument therein. The holder device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,089 (shown in FIG. 7 thereof) is simply a horizontal groove defined in an upper surface of a flat plate and shaped to support a writing instrument therein, as well as a central, enlarged opening defined completely through the flat plate at the center of the groove and through which a finger or the like may be inserted for pushing the writing instrument upwardly out of the groove. The holder disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,856 is simply a plurality of sleeves secured to one face of a sun visor or the like, each of the sleeves being adapted to receive a writing instrument therein. The holder disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,929 is a loop of rigid material extending from one face of a sun visor or the like, and which is adapted to engage an intermediate portion of the writing instrument inserted therethrough. The holder disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,066 is a unitary, plastic molded member including a flat backing plate having adhesive provided on a back surface thereof for being adhesively bonded to a vehicle dashboard or the like, and a plurality of flexible clip structures extending perpendicularly away from the backing plate, each of which is adapted to support a writing instrument. The clip structures each include a pair of substantially semispherical arms which may be flexed away from each other for applying a gripping force to a writing instrument inserted therein, and the clip structures are provided in two different sizes for accommodating the different-sized instruments.
Although each of the known writing instrument holders may be effectively used for its intended purpose, there are limitations and disadvantages associated therewith. For example, none of the known holders may be effectively used to hold many different size writing instruments. Rather, each of the holders disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos., 4,962,874, 5,180,089, 5,301,856 and 5,379,929 is fairly limited to stably supporting a single, given sized writing instrument, while the holder of U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,066 simply includes two different sized clip structures for supporting two different sized writing instruments.
Relatedly, if the known holders in the discussed patents were used, or attempted to be used, in relation to different sized writing instruments the holder would be damaged or permanently distorted from its optimum configuration and/or at least one of the writing instruments would not be securely retained by the holder, causing annoying vibrations and/or disengagement of the writing instruments relative to the holders during vehicle travel.
Further, several of the known holders project within the passenger compartments of the vehicles, which is undesirable because the holders take up valuable space and may obstruct the view of or come in contact with vehicle occupants. Relatedly, the holders tend to detract from the appearance of the vehicle's interior.
On the other hand, some of the known holders are not conveniently accessible because vehicle occupants are required to manipulate portions of the holder structures, such as by opening up a sun visor, to expose the writing instrument, and because the known holders generally require the holder structure to be gripped with one hand while the writing instrument is removed with the other.
The present invention has been developed to overcome the disadvantages and limitations of known writing instrument holders, including those discussed above, and to generally fulfill the need in the art for a writing instrument holder which is relatively simple in structure, readily adaptable/adjustable for use with substantially any size writing instrument, has a favorable, inconspicuous appearance, and is convenient to use when disposed within a vehicle.

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An image processing apparatus includes: a normalization unit that generates a plurality of normalized images by correcting, based on different imaging conditions, brightness of a plurality of images at different brightness obtained by imaging a same subject with the different imaging conditions; and an image combining unit that generates a combined image by combining the plurality of normalized images. When the normalized image corresponding to a reference image that is a brightest image among the plurality of images is defined as a reference normalized image, the image combining unit combines the reference normalized image and a non-reference normalized image that is the normalized image other than the reference normalized image to bring gradation of pixel of the combined image close to gradation of pixel of the reference normalized image if the gradation of pixel of the combined image is smaller than the gradation of pixel of the reference normalized image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a microscope system, and a recording medium for combining a plurality of images to generate an image with a higher dynamic range.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a high dynamic range process (hereinafter, "HDR process") is known in the field of an image processing apparatus provided with an imaging apparatus such as a microscope system, wherein a plurality of images (hereinafter, "original images") taken with different exposure conditions are combined to generate an image (hereinafter, "HDR image") with a higher dynamic range than that of the original images.
According to the HDR process, phenomena called blown out highlights and blocked up shadows can be prevented, and in principle, a subject can be favorably imaged in bright and dark sections to obtain a high-quality image. For example, if a soldered printed circuit board is imaged in a normal way, there are blown out highlights in a soldered section 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1A. Even in that case, the execution of the HDR process can obtain an image correctly expressing the gradation of the soldered section 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1B.
However, in the actual HDR process, a bright section of the subject may be imaged as a dark section, and a dark section may be imaged as a bright section. For example, FIG. 1C illustrates an example of imaging the soldered section 1, which is a bright section of the subject, as a dark section. Therefore, although the blown out highlights and the blocked up shadows are prevented, an image with reduced image quality is generated.
The reduction in the image quality needs to be particularly avoided in displaying moving images, although the reduction in the image quality is by no means preferable in displaying still images. The reason can be described as follows. As an area with reduced image quality moves with time in the movie display, not only the image quality is simply reduced, but the observer observes a blinking phenomenon in the movie display as illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 3E. Therefore, the reduction in the image quality gives much discomfort and burden to the observer. FIGS. 2A to 2E are diagrams illustrating HDR images generated at different timing, and FIGS. 3A to 3E are enlarged views of FIGS. 2A to 2E. FIGS. 2A to 3E illustrate movement of an area with reduced image quality (a soldered section imaged as a dark section).
Although there can be various factors for the reduction in the image quality of an HDR image, a displacement between original images to be combined can be a main factor. Typically, the displacement may occur when the original images are taken while the field of view is moved by stage operation or when the imaging apparatus is shaken. The displacement includes deviation of the angle of view between the original images.
Therefore, a technique of correcting the displacement to prevent the reduction in the image quality of the HDR image caused by the displacement is proposed. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-165259 discloses a digital camera that calculates an amount of displacement between original images as a motion vector and that combines the original images after positioning the original images.

Image processing apparatus, microscope system, and recording medium


A method and system of controlling a screw engaging position adjuster provided in a complex mold clamping system. A theoretical deviation of a screw engaging position is theoretically calculated on the basis of a distance by which a movable die has been moved from an origin set for a mold thickness adjustment in clamping process. A measured deviation of the screw engaging position is measured from a distance between a mold clamping cylinder and a movable platen in clamping process. The screw engaging position adjuster is so controlled that a difference between the theoretical deviation and the measuring deviation is within an allowable deviation having previously been set.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for adjustment in mold thickness of a complex mold clamping system in injection molding machines, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for adjustment in mold thickness to allow simplification of a half-nut screw engaging position adjusting feature used in die thickness adjustment.
A toggle type mold clamping system and a straight hydraulic mold clamping system have been well known as major mold clamping systems. By contrast, a complex mold clamping system is minor but attractive in possibility of scaling down in whole of the mold clamping system as compared to the major toggle type or straight hydraulic mold clamping systems. This complex mold clamping system is provided with a specific mold thickness adjusting system which will hereinafter be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3.
The complex mold clamping system essentially comprises the following elements. A pair of fixed and movable dies 10 and 14 are provided on a fixed platen 12 and a movable platen 16 respectively. Mold opening and closing cylinders 18 are provided at the edges of the fixed platen 12. The mold opening and closing cylinders 18 are mechanically connected via cylinder rods 18a to the movable platen 16. The movable platen 16 is unitary formed with a holder 26 which is slidably placed over a base 28. The fixed platen 12 and the mold opening and closing cylinders 18 are fixed on the base 28. A mold clamping cylinder 22 is movably placed on the holder 26. The mold clamping cylinder 22 is connected to the fixed platen 12 through tie bars 20 which are provided with screw portions 20a.
The mold clamping cylinder 22 is also coupled to the movable platen 16 through a cylinder ram 24. A screw engaging position adjuster 40 is further provided on the movable platen 22. Half nuts 30 are provided on the movable platen 16 so that the movable platen 16 is selectively engaged through the half nuts 30 to the tie bar screw portions 20a. After the fixed platen 12 and the movable platen 16 are closed to each other by the mold opening and closing cylinders 18 but before the fixed platen 12 and the movable platen 16 are clamped by the mold clamping cylinder 22, the half nuts 30 are engaged with the tie bar screw portions 20a through the screw engaging position adjuster 40 for adjustment in thickness of the fixed and movable dies 10 and 14. A mold thickens adjusting system comprises a control driver 50, the half nuts 30 operable under the control of the control driver 50 and the screw engaging position adjuster 40 connected to the control driver 50. FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrative of the complex mold clamping system in the opened state and in the closed state respectively.
FIG. 4 is illustrative of the screw engaging position adjusting system of the complex mold clamping system. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the control driver 50 comprising a controller unit and a driver unit. The controller unit comprises a detector 52, an arithmetic unit 54 and a controller 56. The driver unit comprises an operational cylinder 32 for engagement of the half nuts 30 and a rotary driving hydraulic motor 42 of a sprocket 44 of the screw engaging position adjuster 40. The detector 52 is so designed as to detect a moving distance L between the mold thickness adjustment origin position P of the movable platen 16 and the clamped position P' thereof through an operational pressure "PC" of the mold opening and closing cylinders 18, where the following formula is given. EQU L/p=N+.DELTA.L
where p is the pitch of the half nuts 30 and the tie bar screw portions 20a, N is the integer and .DELTA. L is the theoretical deviation of the screw engagement position when the engagement screw pitch is less than "p". The arithmetic unit 54 is so designed as the convert .DELTA. L into a rotation number "n" for the sprocket 44.
In FIG. 1, the movable die 14 and the fixed die 10 are distanced from each other wherein the half nuts 30 are in the opening state. Then, the movable die 14 and the fixed die 10 come closed to each other by the mold opening and closing cylinders 18 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Subsequently, the sprocket 44 is rotated at a predetermined rotation "n" by the rotary driving hydraulic motor 42 for adjustment of the mold thickness before the half nuts 30 are engaged with the tie bar screw portions 20a under the operations of the operational cylinder 32 as illustrated in FIG. 3B.
The sprocket 44 has a contract surface 44b which is to be in contact with a contact member 24b placed through a spring 44c and around a base of a projecting screw axis 24a. After the half nut 30 was engaged with the tie bar screw portions 20a, a hydraulic port 22a of the clamping cylinders 22 is opened and pressure is applied through another hydraulic port 22b so that the fixed and movable dies 12 and 16 are closed. Thereafter, the half nuts 30 are opened by an operational cylinder 32 as illustrated in FIG. 3C, before the fixed and movable dies 12 and 16 are clamped through the mold opening and closing cylinders 18 as illustrated in FIG. 2.
According to the above method of adjustment of the molding thickness, a substantially continuous operation is possible in exchanging the dies.
The method of adjustment in the molding thickness of the above complex mold clamping system, however, has the following disadvantages.
As described above, the screw engaging position adjuster 40 comprises the sprocket 44 which is usually engaged via screw to a projection screw axis 24a on the ram 24 so that the sprocket 44 is mechanically driven by a hydraulic motor 42 through a transmission system 44a. The sprocket 44 is thus placed in front of a center portion of the mold clamping cylinder 22 and further the contact surface 44b is made into contact with the contact member 24b placed through the spring 44c and around the base of the projecting screw axis 24a. For those reasons, the screw engaging position adjuster 40 is structurally complicated and the maintenance works are trouble. Further, it is difficult to reduce the scale of the system and there is a limitation in place where the system is placed.
As a returning member, the springs are used, for which reason in the injection and compression molding, if the die opening amount is beyond 5 mm by a presumable high pressure of the injection resin, the above system is not responsible.

Method and apparatus for adjustment in mold thickness of a complex mold clamping system