The shelf liner is a multi-layered thermoplastic composite sheet of consistent thickness, with a non-slip bottom side and a decorative top side. A decorative top sheet is fused to a top surface of a substrate layer. The substrate layer comprises a nonwoven fabric or material that is coated on both sides, and can be fully impregnated, with a foamed plasticized polyvinyl chloride. The foamed plasticized polyvinyl chloride coating on the bottom side of the substrate layer gives the shelf liner a non-slip characteristic. An interlayer of polyvinyl chloride plastisol is disposed between the top sheet and the substrate to enhance the fused bonding of the layers. A bottom surface of the substrate layer may be fully or partly covered with a bottom coating to modify the non-slip nature of the shelf liner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to decorative non-slip liners, and more specifically to a shelf liner that comprises a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) top layer laminated or fused to a non-slip bottom layer via a PVC plastisol interlayer. The non-slip bottom layer consists of a non-woven fabric coated on both sides with foamed plasticized polyvinyl chloride.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, various liners have been made for covering surfaces, such as shelves, drawer interiors, countertops, and the like. The liners are typically both protective and decorative. One common form of liner is simply a plastic film with an adhesive backing coating one side. This simple liner does provide protection and decoration of a surface, but the thin film fails to hide surface flaws or unevenness. The adhesive backed liner cannot be removed for cleaning and, if it is removed, often leaves behind an adhesive residue.
Other liners are laminated, including a top protective and decorative layer adhesively bonded to a frictionalized coated pad or matt, such as a scrim or non-woven fabric bearing a frictionalizing coating. These liners often have a rough-textured surface that is reflective of the roughly textured scrim or matt substrate. Additionally, excessive pressure or contact force used during the manufacturing process distorts the surface with a rougher appearance and random thickness variations. These liners are more difficult to clean, and give a different appearance.
Additional problems exist with laminated liners. Laminated liners are prone to deformation with age, as chemical migration between different chemicals among the various layers results in differential shrinkage of the layers, causing curling of the liner. Chemical migration, and particularly migration of plasticizers from plasticized coated scrims and plasticized PVC top layers into the adhesive can compromise the strength of the adhesive, causing the laminated liner to delaminate. Chemical migration can also harm the application surface on which the liner is used, leaving behind a film on the application surface after the liner is removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,903, issued on Jan. 13, 1998 to H. Schottenfeld discloses a laminated liner comprising a non-slip pad and a sheet covering. The sheet covering is adhesively attached to the non-slip pad. Additionally, the non-slip pad includes a plurality of open cells extending through the non-slip pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,845, issued on Jan. 26, 1999 to T. Owen, discloses a surface covering that includes a substrate that is non-skid coated. A decorative top sheet is adhered to the substrate with an adhesive. U.S. Pat. No. 5,874,371, issued on Feb. 23, 1999 to T. Owen, discloses a surface covering having a non-skid coated substrate, with a decorative top sheet adhered to the substrate. The bottom surface of the substrate is at least partially coated with a cured polyvinyl-containing resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,617, issued on Feb. 8, 2000 to M. Calkins, discloses a laminated non-slip liner or mat having a layer of a non-woven material with a pattern of a high friction material printed on one side. The printed pattern of relatively high friction material is a matrix of latex or PVC projections. On the other side of the non-woven material layer, a decorative vinyl sheet is affixed by an adhesive. U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,583, issued on Dec. 12, 2000 to M. Calkins, discloses a laminated non-slip liner or mat that is similar to the Calkins '617 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,796, issued on Apr. 24, 2001 to J. Hawley et al. describes a smooth surfaced foam laminate and a method of making the laminate. The laminate comprises a smooth, continuous, laminated top layer and a discontinuous porous foam bottom layer comprising a loosely woven scrim (cotton fabric) having a rubber or plastic material foamed onto the scrim. The product is usable as a drawer liner, shelf liner or an appliance underlayment. The laminate is distinguishable for requiring a discontinuous porous foam bottom layer comprising rubber or vinyl. U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,174, issued on Oct. 10, 2000 to J. Hawley et al., discloses a smooth surfaced foam laminate and a method of making the laminate similar to the Hawley '796 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,422, issued on Dec. 26, 1967 to R. Desch, describes a reinforced cellular floor covering comprising a PVC top surface, an open weave scrim, and a cellular PVC backing layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,897, issued on May 9, 1989 to J. Staneluis et al. describes reinforced polymeric composites comprising an outer polymeric skin and an inner polymeric foam core with embedded strands.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,144 issued on Dec. 29, 1998, to J. Hawley describes a cushioned liner laminate made by adhesively laminating a printed plastic sheet to a top surface of a non-spun polyester fabric having a bottom surface coated with a foam material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,651, issued on Dec. 3, 1996 to M. Kerman, discloses an energy absorbing panel having a foam core and a flexible reinforcing layer that may be non-woven. The flexible reinforcing layer is somewhat permeable to allow the foam to pass therethrough. A decorative layer may be attached to a side of the panel. The panel is made from a liquid foamable polyurethane composition molded along with the reinforcing layer.
U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2003/0060110, published on Mar. 27, 2003, discloses a method for making a foamed sheet comprising steps of extruding a polymeric meld having two or more classes of expanding agents, allowing the expanding agents to expand, depositing the melt on the surface of a permeable carrier whereby the foamed melt penetrates the surface of the carrier, and allowing the composition to set.
U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2003/0104205, published on Jun. 5, 2003, discloses a fabric reinforced closed cell foam composite having a smooth surface that is substantially free of nodular surface irregularities.
U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2003/0036323 A1 by R. Aliabadi, published on Feb. 20, 2003, discloses a plastic shelf liner comprising a top layer of a smooth PVC covering a sandwich layer of a polyester fabric between layers of PVC, the covering attached by a heat bonding process.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a shelf liner solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


Cut filler compositions, cigarette paper, cigarette filters, cigarettes, methods for making cigarettes and methods for smoking cigarettes are provided, which involve the use of nanoscale particle composite catalysts capable of acting as a catalyst for the conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. The nanoscale composite catalyst comprises metal and/or metal oxide particles supported on nanoscale support particles. The nanoscale composite catalyst can be prepared by forming a mixture by combining nanoscale particles with a colloidal solution, a metal precursor solution with nanoscale particles, or a metal precursor solution with a colloidal solution, and then heat-treating the mixture.

In the description that follows reference is made to certain structures and methods, however, such references should not necessarily be construed as an admission that these structures and methods qualify as prior art under the applicable statutory provisions. Applicants reserve the right to demonstrate that any of the referenced subject matter does not constitute prior art.
Smoking articles, such as cigarettes or cigars, produce both mainstream smoke during a puff and sidestream smoke during static burning. One constituent of both mainstream smoke and sidestream smoke is carbon monoxide (CO). The reduction of carbon monoxide in smoke is desirable.
Catalysts, sorbents, and/or oxidants for smoking articles are disclosed in the following: U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,127 issued to Snider et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,516 issued to Bowen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,684 issued to Yamazaki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,758 issued to Rongved, U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,838 issued to Quincy, III et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,684 issued to Shannon et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,374 issued to Deffeves et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,553 issued to Cohn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,847 issued to Owens, U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,348 issued to Seehofer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,151 issued to Martin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,416, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,720,214. Published applications WO 02/24005, WO 87/06104, WO 00/40104 and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002/0002979 A1, 2003/0037792 A1 and 2002/0062834 A1 also refer to catalysts, sorbents, and/or oxidants.
Iron and/or iron oxide has been described for use in tobacco products (see e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,197,861; 4,489,739 and 5,728,462). Iron oxide has been described as a coloring agent (e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,119,104; 4,195,645; 5,284,166) and as a burn regulator (e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,931,824; 4,109,663 and 4,195,645) and has been used to improve taste, color and/or appearance (e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,095,152; 5,598,868; 5,129,408; 5,105,836 and 5,101,839).
Despite the developments to date, there remains a need for improved and more efficient methods and compositions for reducing the amount of carbon monoxide in the mainstream smoke of a smoking article during smoking.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Nanoscale composite catalyst to reduce carbon monoxide in the mainstream smoke of a cigarette


Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to nanowire-based photodetectors that can be used to convert information encoded in a channel of electromagnetic radiation into a photocurrent encoding the same information. In one embodiment of the present invention, a photodetector comprises a waveguide configured to transmit one or more channels of electromagnetic radiation. The photodetector includes a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal and the second terminal are positioned on opposite sides of the waveguide. The photodetector also includes a number of nanowires. Each nanowire interconnects the first terminal to the second terminal and a portion of each nanowire is embedded in the waveguide.

Since the late 1970s, waveguides have increasingly supplanted conventional signal lines for transmitting information. Rather than encoding information in electrical signals and transmitting the encoded electrical signals via signal lines, the same information can be encoded in a channel of electromagnetic radiation and transmitted via waveguides, such as optical fibers, ridge waveguides, and photonic crystal waveguides. The term "channel," also called "optical channel," refers to electromagnetic radiation transmitted at one wavelength through a waveguide. Transmitting information encoded in channels via waveguides has a number of advantages over transmitting encoded electrical signals via signal lines. First, degradation or loss is much less for channels transmitted via waveguides than for electrical signals transmitted via signal lines. Second, waveguides can be fabricated to support a much higher bandwidth than signal lines. For example, a single Cu or Al wire can only transmit a single electrical signal, while a single optical fiber can be configured to transmit about 100 or more channels. Finally, electromagnetic radiation provides, in general, a much higher transmission rate.
Recently, advances in materials science and semiconductor fabrication techniques have made it possible to fabricate waveguides that can be, integrated with electronic devices, such as memory and processors, to form photonic integrated circuits ("PICs"), where the waveguides may be used to transmit information encoded in channels between the electronic devices. PICs are the photonic equivalent of electronic integrated circuits and may be implemented on a small wafer of semiconductor material that forms the base of the electronic devices. Unlike electronic integrated circuits where Si is the primary material, PICs may be composed of a variety of materials. For example, PICs may be composed of a single semconductor, such as Si on an insulator, or binary, ternary, and quaternary semiconductor compounds, such as InP and AlxGa1-xAs, where x varies from 0 to 1.
In order to effectively implement PICs and waveguides for transmitting information encoded in channels between electronic devices, physicists, engineers, and computer scientists have recognized a need for devices that can be used to convert information encoded in channels into electrical signals encoding the same information for processing by the electronic devices.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method for monitoring tire pressure of a system is disclosed. The method includes the steps of detecting a signal other than that of an in-use tire pressure signals and in response to the detection of the signal, maintaining the proper reception of the in-use tire pressure signals by a receiver.

In response to regulations implemented by the United States government, automotive manufacturers are starting to provide new vehicles with tire pressure monitoring equipment. Initiated in the year 2000, Congress passed the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act, which related to issues concerned with the operation of a vehicle with substantially under-inflated tires. Under-inflated tires can result in a tire separation/blowout, which adds to the potential for a loss of control of a vehicle. Additionally, under-inflated tires shorten tire life and increase fuel consumption.
Section 12 of the TREAD Act directed the Department of Transportation (DOT) to complete a rule requiring that new motor vehicles must include a warning system that indicates if tires are under-inflated. Ever further, in response to Section 12 of the TREAD Act, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) conducted the Tire Pressure Special Study (TPSS), which was designed to assess to what extent passenger vehicle operators are aware of the recommend tire pressures for their vehicles, the frequency and the means they use to measure their tire pressure, and how significantly actual measured tire pressure differs from the manufacturers recommend tire pressure.
As a result of the TPSS, the NHTSA favored a direct system using monitors in each wheel to determine whether tires are properly inflated so as to alert drivers when tire pressure is low. In early 2002, the NHTSA issued a regulation mandating the implementation of tire pressure monitoring systems in new vehicles beginning with the 2004 model year. Under that rule, tire pressure monitors had to warn motorists when tire pressure fell 25% or 30% below the vehicle manufacturer's recommended level. The new standard applies to passenger cars, trucks, multipurpose passenger vehicles, and buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less, except those vehicles with dual wheels on an axle.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a conventional tire pressure monitoring system is shown generally at 1 within a vehicle, V, shown in phantom. As seen in the Figure, a receiver 2 detects wireless tire pressure signals 3a-3d that originate from each of the four in-use tires 4a-4d located at each corner of the vehicle, V. As known in the art, each wireless tire pressure signal 3a-3d is individually recognized by the receiver 2 to properly indicate if a particular in-use tire 4a-4d is not properly inflated. Although the receiver 2 may individually recognize the inflation level of each in-use tire 4a-4d, the tire pressure monitoring system 1 may be affected by a signal other than that of a signal originating from an in-use tire 4a-4d, which is shown generally at 5 in FIG. 2. As such, the signal 5, which is hereinafter referred to as an interfering signal 5, may result in an incorrect reading by the receiver 2.
The interfering signal 5 may be transmitted unintentionally, for example, by an in-use tire 6 operating in conjunction with a tire pressure monitoring system of a nearby vehicle, V2. In another situation, an operator of the vehicle, V2, may intentionally transmit the interfering signal 5 to the vehicle, V, in an attempt to cause the operator of the vehicle, V, to think that the in-use tires 4a-4d are losing pressure. Subsequently, the driver of the vehicle, V, may pull over on the shoulder, S, of the road to manually inspect the in-use tires 4a-4d for pressure loss. Additionally, if one of the in-use tires 4a-4d is swapped with a spare tire 4e, which is shown located in the trunk area of the vehicle, V, the swapped-out in-use tire 4a-4d may unintentionally transmit a false signal from the trunk area of the vehicle, V, to the receiver 2 even though the tire 4a-4d is no longer loaded by the vehicle.
Accordingly, it is therefore desirable to provide an improved tire pressure monitoring system that detects and reacts to a signal other than that of a signal originating from an in-use tire of the tire pressure monitoring system.

Tire pressure monitoring system and method


A method of testing a computer program written for use in a foreign language can include identifying text presented upon a display screen, wherein the text is in a first language, and automatically acquiring the text from the display screen. The text can be translated from the first language to a second language. The translated text can be presented in the second language upon the display screen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to testing computer programs and, more particularly, to testing computer programs that utilize different languages.
2. Description of the Related Art
Software, whether system software or application software, is subjected to extensive testing to ensure that the final product is free from defects. Typically, software is tested by a quality assurance (QA) engineer or other personnel. The QA engineer subjects the software to various tests and compares the output of the software against known or expected results.
As software has become a global market, the potential user base for a given software title may speak any of a number of different languages. As a result, software may be configured to utilize the English language when sold in the U.S.A., the Japanese language when sold in Japan, Italian when sold in Italy, etc. Such is the case not only with regard to application programs, but also with system software such as operating systems, particularly localized operating systems executing within a single machine.
This linguistic complexity can exacerbate the already difficult task of testing software. Essentially, each linguistically different version of a program must be independently tested. That is, the Japanese version of a software title often is tested and verified independently of the English version or the Italian version. In order to adequately test such software, however, the QA engineer must be able to comprehend text that the software under test presents upon a display screen.
To date, several different techniques for testing software in different languages have been used. One involves hiring a QA engineer that is proficient in each relevant language. A QA engineer that is proficient in Japanese can test programs intended for Japanese speaking users. A QA engineer that is proficient in English can test programs intended for English speaking users.
Another technique is to utilize QA engineers that are proficient in only a single language and manually translate text from the display screen as needed. The QA engineer begins testing a program that is intended for users that speak a language that is foreign to, or different from, that of the QA engineer. As text is presented upon the display in the foreign language, the QA engineer manually selects, copies, and pastes the text into a translation program. The translation program translates the text into a language in which the QA engineer is proficient thereby allowing the QA engineer to review the text properly.
Yet another alternative is to pair a human translator with the QA engineer. This approach can be useful in cases where the text to be translated in not selectable. The human translator can translate text from the display screen as needed throughout the testing process. Each of these techniques, however, requires significant resources in terms of personnel, time, and cost.

On-demand translator for localized operating systems

International Business Machines Corporation


A serial simplex switch design is provided which includes I/O ports each of which is configurable specifically for attachment to a data communications subsystem or, alternatively, for cascaded connection to a similarly configured I/O port on another switch. The switch provides a packet routing function including input and output buffers for each of its I/O ports wherein packets of control messages sent by one subsystem are temporarily stored prior to being delivered to the appropriate destination subsystem. When configured to be directly attached to a subsystem, the I/O ports separate control messages from incoming integrated data and control message strings. In a cascade configuration, however, a mechanism is provided wherein data and control messages are separated into two physical paths to eliminate the delays associated with integrated data and control message flow through the cascaded I/O port. Each I/O port is configurable to either of these methods of operation by means of programmable latches associated with the I/O port.

Data communications systems which include more than one communications subsystem typically utilize a serial crossbar switch to functionally interconnect the subsystems. A serial crossbar switch is a hardware device which permits high-speed serialized data communication between the subsystems. The switch physically attaches to each subsystem by means of an input/output (I/O) port comprising an individual pair of optical fibers or wires. One of the pair of fibers or wires for each subsystem is used for transmitting information to other systems through the switch, and the other is used for receiving information from other systems via the switch.
The internal switching fabric of the serial crossbar switch provides for connections between any two connected subsystems. The subsystems communicate with each other over these connections, or data paths, which logically establish connections between the transmit wire of a source (or calling) subsystem with a receive wire of a destination (or called) subsystem. In this manner, the switching fabric of the serial crossbar switch provides internal connection crosspoints which eliminate connection blocking. Connections between more than one pair of subsystems may exist concurrently. This concurrency gives the serial crossbar switch a significant performance advantage over single threaded interconnects such as serial ring networks, wherein only one connection between subsystems is permitted at a time.
The communications which occur between subsystems via the serial crossbar switch consist of data and data acknowledgement control messages. The control messages may precede or follow the data which is sent over the switch, and provide information to the source and destination subsystems relating to the data transmitted. For example, calling subsystems request connections to and subsequent disconnections from other called subsystems via the switch by sending serially encoded connect request and disconnect request link level control messages to the called subsystems. The called subsystem responds to the calling subsystem request with a control message either acknowledging or not acknowledging the request. In addition, data acknowledge messages or error messages are sent by a called subsystem to a calling subsystem after a data transfer sequence has been completed. Because an acknowledgement message from the called subsystem indicates to the calling subsystem whether or not data has been lost during transmission, a data sequence transmission cannot be considered to have been successfully completed until the calling subsystem receives positive acknowledgement messages for each transmitted data sequence.
Conventional serial crossbar switch designs operate on the basis of full duplex connectivity. In a full duplex connection, the switch logically connects the transmit wire of the calling subsystem to the receive wire of the called subsystem, while simultaneously logically connecting the transmit wire of the called subsystem to the receive wire of the calling subsystem. In this manner, each subsystem has a simultaneous communication path to and from the other connected subsystem in which to transfer control messages and data. One disadvantage of full duplex connectivity, however, is that communications between the subsystems is unidirectional along the separate transmit and receive paths. The data is transmitted along the transmit wire of the calling subsystem to the receive wire of the called subsystem, with only an occasional link level data acknowledgement control message sent in return along the transmit wire of the called subsystem to the receive wire of the calling subsystem. This underutilization of the reverse data path in a full duplex connection results in wasting nearly half of the potential throughput capacity of a serial crossbar switch.
The wasted throughput capacity of a full duplex switch design may be recovered if a switch is instead designed to operate on the basis of simplex connectivity. In a simplex connection, a switch logically connects the transmit wire of the calling subsystem to the receive wire of the called subsystem. However, unlike the full duplex connection, a simplex connection does not provide a separate reverse path for returning control messages. Control messages addressed to the called subsystem may be received by the called subsystem from other subsystems on its receive link, and control messages sent by the calling subsystem may be sent to other subsystems on its transmit link. The transmit link of the called subsystem is available to allow the called subsystem to establish connections with other subsystems, while at the same time, the receive link of the calling subsystem is available to allow connections to the calling subsystem from other subsystems.
Because a simplex switch does not allocate independent reverse connection paths, a different technique must be provided to route the required data acknowledgement control messages from a called subsystem to a calling subsystem. Two approaches are generally recognized for accomplishing this. First, upon completion of a data transfer, the subsystem that received the data may become a calling subsystem by requesting a connection to the subsystem that sent the data and which is now a called subsystem. The data acknowledgement control messages are then sent along this connection.
Alternatively, the simplex switch may provide a packet router function to route data acknowledgement control messages to the appropriate subsystems without establishing connections between the subsystems. The switch accomplishes its packet router function without establishing connections between the subsystems by a store-and forward technique wherein control messages are temporarily stored in buffers in the switch prior to delivery to the appropriate subsystem. Of these two simplex design techniques, the store-and-forward packet routing method is technically preferred because of the speed advantage achieved by eliminating the switching time delays associated with establishing switch connections.
Simplex serial crossbar switches provided with a store-and-forward function, however, may not be easily cascaded with other like switches in systems having more subsystems than one switch can accommodate. The data throughput performance of a system interconnected by such a simplex switch depends on the speed in which the link layer control messages are routed between subsystems by the switch. Because two cascaded switches, each having subsystems attached thereto, are typically connected by a single I/O port to construct such a system, bottlenecks are likely to occur as a result of the large number of link layer control messages sent through this I/O port between the group of subsystems attached to the first switch of the cascaded pair and the group of subsystems attached to the second switch.
The ratio of the required buffer size at a cascade I/O port to the buffer size at a subsystem attached I/O port is equal to the ratio of the maximum number of control messages that can pass through the cascade I/O port to the maximum number of control messages that can pass through the subsystem attached I/O port. Because the number of control messages passing through the cascade I/O port is typically much greater than that passing through a subsystem attached I/O port, the size of buffers at the cascade I/O port must be significantly greater than those at a subsystem attached I/O port. If not, system performance will be hampered by delays introduced by control message flow at the cascade I/O port.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved simplex store-and-forward serial crossbar switch design having I/O ports which may be used in either a subsystem attached configuration a cascaded configuration, without uniquely designing expanded buffer sizes at the I/O ports operating in a cascade configuration. It is an object of the present invention, then, to provide a design scheme for such a switch without adversely affecting switching performance and without unnecessarily increasing the buffer size at subsystem attached I/O ports.

High performance cascadable simplex switch

International Business Machines Corporation


A device for electromagnetic actuation of a charge change valve for internal combustion engines has an actuator unit that cooperates with the charge change valve and is arranged in a cylinder head of the engine. The actuator has an armature and two switch magnets located on either side of the armature, with the switch magnets holding the charge change valve in an open or closed position. The actuator unit is mounted to float in the cylinder head, with a play-compensating device with a play-compensating piston having a first and second pressure chambers being provided on or in the side of the actuator unit facing away from the charge change valve. The first pressure chamber is controlled as a function of engine pressure and the second pressure chamber is connected by a check valve with the first pressure chamber. Pressure medium can be drained from the second pressure chamber through a throttle line between the play-compensating piston and a cylinder surrounding said piston.

This application claims the priority of German patent application DE 196 47 305.5, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to an electromagnetic actuator for a charge change valve (poppet valve) for an internal combustion engine.
German patent document DE 43 36 287 C1 discloses a device for compensating for changes in length of the valve drive during operation. Clamping elements are used for this purpose. If clamping of the electromagnet (switch magnet) is triggered by the clamping elements when the valve is closed, the electromagnet (switch magnet) attracts accordingly by means of the armature. This ensures that the electromagnet (switch magnet) responsible for the closed position can be "adjusted," and that the armature always rests exactly on the surface or the pole area of the magnet body of the switch magnet.
The object of the present invention is to provide a device of this type which permits simple hydraulic length compensation in a valve drive during operation.
This object is achieved by the electromagnetic actuator according to the invention, which is float-mounted. This means that the complete actuator unit with the electromagnet, armature plate and other parts is mounted so that it can be displaced along the valve axis in the cylinder head. For this purpose, the actuator unit can consist of a preassembled component. By deliberately allowing an escape of the pressure medium (generally oil), all moving parts of the device are supplied with lubricating oil by means of a suitable channel guide.
The play-compensating piston compensates for both "positive" and "negative" valve play. "Negative" valve play means that the valve no longer closes properly. In this case, pressure medium is expelled from the second pressure chamber until the valve play is zero or until length compensation has been performed. Conversely, with "positive" play (play between the valve shaft and the actuating unit with the valve resting correctly on the valve seat), pressure medium is added to the first pressure chamber of the play-compensating piston until the play is again compensated, or until the valve shaft cooperates with the actuator unit with zero play.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Device for electromagnetic actuation of a gas exchange valve


A tool clamping device having a tool holder (2) holding a tool (7, 8) for insertion into a socket of a tool support (1), such as a turret disc is designed such that a receiving body (16) of the tool holder and the tool support (1) have bearing surfaces (16, 3) to be arranged to one another and devices (14, 15) for fastening the tool holder on the tool support. The receiving body or the tool support has at least one stopping means (28), which projects axially over its bearing surface and is disposed on one side of the receiving body or tool support. The tool support or the receiving body has at least one contact surface for the stopping means. There is provided elastic means (36, 44) by means of which the stopping means can be laterally held in place on the contact surface under prestress.

The invention relates to a tool clamping device comprising a tool holder holding a stationary or driven tool for insertion into a socket of a tool support, such as a turret disc, and a tool holder for use with such a tool clamping device, said tool holder comprising a receiving body, which has a bearing surface by means of which it rests on a corresponding bearing surface of the tool support when the tool holder is inserted into a socket of the tool support.


A semiconductor device includes a dielectric layer, a semiconductor layer provided above the dielectric layer, a gate dielectric layer provided above the semiconductor layer, a gate electrode provided above the gate dielectric layer, a source region and a drain region provided in the semiconductor layer, a body region other than the source region and the drain region in the semiconductor layer, and a body contact region that divides the source region in a plurality of areas and joins to the body region, wherein the body contact region is formed of a compound of a semiconductor of the semiconductor layer and a metal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices having a so-called source-body-tie structure in which a body region and a source region are connected to each other, and methods for manufacturing the same.
2. Related Art
Research and development are being made in recent years on insulated gate type transistors which are provided in a semiconductor layer (SOI layer: Silicon On Insulator layer) provided on a dielectric layer as devices that can realize lower power consumption and high-speed operation, compared to the case where transistors are formed in a semiconductor layer in a bulk state. Among insulated gate type field effect transistors provided in such a SOI layer, there are those having a source-body-tie structure in which a source region and a body region are connected to each other. FIG. 8 shows a plan view of a semiconductor device including a MOS transistor having an exemplary conventional source-body-tie structure, FIG. 9(A) shows a cross-sectional view taken along lines A—A in FIG. 8, and FIG. 9(B) shows a cross-sectional view taken along lines B—B in FIG. 8. As an example of a conventional semiconductor device, a device having an n-channel type MOS transistor provided on a SOI layer is indicated. The exemplary conventional semiconductor device includes a gate dielectric layer 120 provided on a semiconductor layer 110 and a gate electrode 122. A source region 126a and a drain region 126b which are composed of n-type high concentration impurity regions are provided in the semiconductor layer 110. Further, the source region 126a is divided by a body contact region 130 into plural areas. The body contact region 130 is composed of a p-type impurity region, and is provided in a manner to connect to a body region 112.
The source region 126a and the drain region 126b are provided with contact sections 140, respectively. Holes that are generated by impact ionization below the gate electrode 122 would be absorbed by the contact sections 140 through the body contact region 130. In a MOS transistor having a source-body-tie structure, holes generated by impact ionization can be absorbed in this manner, and therefore a semiconductor device having a reduced substrate floating effect can be provided.
In the exemplary conventional semiconductor device described above, impact ions generated below the gate electrode 122 are absorbed by the contact sections 140 through the body region 112 and the body contact region 130. In other words, holes generated by impact ionization are absorbed after moving a long distance, and therefore the effects of a source-body-tie structure may not be sufficiently attained under the recent demands for high-speed switching characteristics.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device including a MOS transistor having a source-body-tie structure that can effectively absorb holes generated by the impact ionization phenomenon, and a method for manufacturing the same.


An apparatus for inspecting curvature, including: a radiation unit radiating a plurality of rays of light having different focal lengths onto a surface of an target material; and an inspection unit inspecting the surface of the target material using the rays of light reflected from the target material. The apparatus can inspect the curvature or the bending of the surface of a target material at a high speed and with high accuracy.

Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting the curvature or the bending of the surface of a target material.
Description of Related Art
When the curvature or the bending of surfaces of plate products, such as semiconductor wafers, electronic circuit boards or steel plates, exerts a negative effect upon the performance of the products, it is required to inspect the curvature or the bending of the surfaces of such products.
In the related art, to inspect the curvature or the bending of a surface, a laser distance sensor may be used. To inspect the curvature or the bending of a surface using the laser distance sensor, laser beams are radiated onto the surface such that the laser beams reflect from the surface and are received by a measuring device. Upon receiving the reflected laser beams, the measuring device measures the distances of paths of the laser beams reflected from the surface to the measuring device. When the measured distances of the reflected laser beam paths are equal to each other, the measuring device determines that the surface of the target material is a flat surface without curvature or bending.
However, the laser distance sensor is disadvantageous in that the installation cost thereof is high and it is required to precisely control the movement of the laser distance sensor when applying the sensor over a large area. Further, when the inspection is performed using a laser distance sensor, a limited number of laser distance sensors are used, so the time required to perform the inspection is excessively long.
Korean Patent No. 0564323 discloses a technique of measuring the bending of a surface of a target material using a laser distance sensor. However, this technique cannot solve the above-mentioned problems experienced in the laser distance sensor.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.

Sunmoon University Industry—University Cooperation


A sputter device including a plurality of targets having magnetism; a reflector having magnetism and arranged between neighboring targets of the plurality of targets; a wave guide having magnetism and arranged adjacent the targets, the wave guide forming a guide space for guiding microwaves; and a limiter having magnetism and arranged adjacent the wave guide, the limiter forming an electron cyclotron resonance area together with the targets, the reflector, and the wave guide.

1. Field
Aspects of embodiments of the present invention relate to a sputter device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A sputter device represents a device for forming a deposition layer on a deposited object.
Recently, regarding a process for manufacturing an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, in a thin film encapsulation layer for encapsulating an organic light emitting element by alternately stacking inorganic films and organic films on an organic light emitting element formed on a substrate, the inorganic films have been formed by using a sputter device.
However, a conventional sputter device cannot heat the substrate to a high temperature because of thermal vulnerability of the organic material included in the organic light emitting element and the organic film, and, therefore, quality of the inorganic film formed by the sputter device is deteriorated.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


A battery pack includes an electrode assembly, a protective circuit module and a battery case. The electrode assembly is composed of first and second electrode plates, a separator interposed between the first and second electrode plates, and first and second electrode tabs respectively connected to the first and second electrode plates. The protective circuit module is connected to the first and second electrode tabs. The battery case accommodates the electrode assembly and has a sealing portion provided at an edge thereof. In the battery pack, the first and second electrode tabs are extracted to the outside of the battery case through the sealing portion and then bent at an end of the sealing portion so as to face the battery case, and a protective circuit module is provided between the battery case and the first and second electrode tabs.

1. Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to a battery pack, and more particularly, to a battery pack of which weight and size are reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, battery packs have been variously used as power sources of portable electronic devices. As the portable electronic devices are used in various fields, demands on battery packs are rapidly increased. The battery packs can be charged/discharged a plurality of times, and accordingly are economically and environmentally efficient. Thus, the use of the battery packs is encouraged.
As a reduction in the size and weight of the electronic devices is required, a reduction in the size and weight of the battery packs is also required. On the other hand, since a material such as lithium having high reactivity is provided in a battery pack, a reduction in the size and weight of the battery pack is limited due to the safety of the battery pack. Accordingly, a variety of studies have been conducted to develop a battery pack which can reduce the size and weight of the battery pack while improving the safety of the battery pack.


While reviewing potential programs when using an interactive programming guide, a viewer can select to place information regarding specific programs in a list (in one embodiment, such entries are made on an automated basis). The viewer can then recall that list to make a final selection of a present program to view (or record). In some embodiments, this list can be automatically cleared in response to a predetermined trigger event.

Information displays of various kinds are essentially ubiquitous in modern society. Many such displays serve, at least in part, to present content options to a viewer. As the number, kind, and constitution of such content options expand, a concurrent challenge arises to facilitate a way to navigate such options in a manner that is helpful and meaningful to the viewer.
Interactive programming guides are an example of such challenges. With cable, fiber, and/or satellite broadband services facilitating the delivery of an increasing number of varied programming options at any given time, it becomes more important to present a viewer with useful and helpful interface mechanisms to permit the viewer to become informed regarding available content options as the sheer magnitude of programming options renders unlikely the possibility that the viewer will be otherwise sufficiently knowledgeable in this regard.
Present suggestions regarding interactive programming guides as used with various audio/visual content services often present a number of candidate programming options on a display. In some cases this display will include a short textual description of the content of one or more of the candidate programming options or other static information (such as a rating, a brief listing of key actors, a year of publication, and the like). At any given moment, such characterizing descriptions are useful and indeed serve the purpose of informing a viewer regarding each programming option.
In many cases, however, there are a large number of available candidate program offerings that may be considered. In such a case, by the time a viewer has traversed and considered the entire list of available programs, that viewer may well forget which offerings were of most interest to that viewer. When this occurs, the viewer may be faced with the frustrating and time-consuming task of traversing the list of candidate programs a second time (or more) in order to attempt to refresh their recollection in this regard.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is usually accorded to such terms and expressions by those skilled in the corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where other specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

Interactive program guide with preferred items list apparatus and method


A system and method for managing disk space in a thin-provisioned storage subsystem. If a number of free segments in a free segment pool at a storage subsystem is detected as below a desired minimum, one or more of the following is performed: selecting and adding logical devices (LDEVs) from an internal storage as free segments to the free segment pool, transitioning LDEVs to a virtual device (VDEV), and/or selecting and adding LDEVs from an external storage as free segments to the free segment pool. The transitioning includes identifying partially used or completely used LDEVs and transitioning these to the VDEV. Data migration may also occur by: selecting a source segment at a VDEV for migration, reading data from the source segment, writing the data to a target segment, the target segment being a free segment from the free segment pool, and assigning the target segment to the VDEV.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a storage area networking system, and more specifically to managing disk space in a thin-provisioned storage subsystem.
2. Description of the Related Art
Management for an allocation-on-use system, also known as thin-provisioning, provides efficient storage space management for a virtual volume by allocating a certain sized storage area for data to be written. An allocation-on-use system should have a pool for free segments to allocate segments which store data during a host's write operation.
FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a contemporary thin-provisioning write operation. Initially, before use of a storage subsystem's allocation-on-use technology, an administrator typically assigns logical devices (LDEVs), which consist of disks based on a parity group with storage allocation for their Local Block Address, for a free segment pool 127. The storage subsystem divides the LDEVs into segments for the free segment pool based on user defined or system default sized segments. Once this has occurred, when a write access occurs for a logical block address (LBA), e.g., LBA 22520 by one LBA size, a virtual device (VDEV), which has LBA space without storage allocation for the LBA space, allocates a segment (#301) from the free segment pool 127 since here, the virtual logical block address (VLBA)'s segment is currently not assigned. Then the data is written.
FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of an example process on a VDEV when the VDEV is assigned to a logical unit (LU) and a portion of the VDEV is accessed by SCSI write (6) command and other write commands. It is determined if the segment desired to be accessed is assigned based on the host request LBA, 121. If the segment is not assigned, a segment is obtained from the free segment pool, 122. If the segment is assigned or obtained, the data is written to the requested LBA minus segment's VLBA to size of data, 123.
Generally, the pool is assigned statically, e.g., an Administrator assigns a disk or a portion of a storage area on an internal storage to the pool if the pool becomes low. This may work if there is a mount of disks on storage or if a customer engineer who maintains a customer's storage subsystem can go to a customer site and install new disks, when needed. However, this method is risky in that the new segment from the disk or the portion of storage area may not be installed because the disk is limited or the customer engineer can't go to the customer site when needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,328 entitled "Automated on-line capacity expansion method for storage device as a reference "discloses details on the early stage developments of allocation-on-use technology. Further, 3 Par Data's White Paper discloses a method of allocation of free space for virtual volume (www.3pardata.com/documents/3PAR_wp_tp—01.0.pdf, P13). However, this method only allocates new disks within a subsystem to free space after the system generates an alert regarding out-of-free-space to the administrator. Thus, there is a risk of being out of free space due to the late installation of new disks.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for managing a free segment pool when the pool is near out of space that allows an administrator to mitigate this risk by obtaining segments from a LDEV, added storage space, or from an external storage subsystem.

System and method for managing disk space in a thin-provisioned storage subsystem


A system and method for processing solid waste products includes an autoclave, a combined heat and power generation system and a water treatment system. Water in the solid waste products is vaporized to raise steam, by heating the autoclave. Waste liquids, steam and cellulosic material are removed from the autoclave. The cellulosic material is combusted in the heat and power generation system, which generates steam and electricity, with the steam recycled to the autoclave. The steam and the waste liquids are processed in the water treatment system, with the cleaned water cycled to the heat and power generation system to be converted into steam.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for treating process material and, more particularly, to systems and methods for treating municipal solid waste material, medical waste material, reclaimed paper and the like.
As a result of increasing scarcity of landfills and more stringent environmental regulations, efforts have been made to reduce the volume of process material, such as municipal solid waste ("MSW") and paper material, such as newsprint and other reclaimed and recycled paper products as a step in the process of disposing of the material, either by depositing it in landfills, incinerating it or recycling it.
Systems and methods have been developed to break down such material for disposal, or in the case of paper products, use as insulation.
One of the disadvantages of systems of the prior art is that they fail to make maximum most efficient use of the energy used in these systems. Prior art systems generally release copious quantities of steam during the cool-down cycle, and the release of steam is a significant energy cost. Accordingly, there remains a need for waste treatment systems that make more efficient use of energy in their operation.
Another disadvantage of systems of the prior art is that they have been less than completely satisfactory in their efficient and complete use and treatment of water that is contained in the waste mass or that is otherwise supplied to the waste treatment autoclave. In addition, efficient use of water is also required where operation of waste treatment systems is desired in areas where suitable water supplies are scarce or unavailable, or otherwise where waste water cannot be legally or economically released. There remains a need for waste treatment systems that may more efficiently use and recycle water, especially the "contact" water from condensate that was in contact with waste and which can even be operated in areas of water scarcity and/or where water should not be released.
Another disadvantage of systems of the prior art is that the fibrous "product" of the waste autoclave process is a clean cellulose, for which to date there is little commercial market. Some systems exist that will oxidize the cellulose thus releasing energy; there remains a need for an efficient system to convert this energy into saleable commodities.
Another disadvantage of systems of the prior art is that the autoclave process releases small quantities of volatile organics. An effective and efficient system to separate volatiles (and air) from contact steam is needed.
The present invention accordingly represents an improvement over prior art apparatus and methods, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,540,391; 5,116,363; 5,253,764; 5,190,226; 5,361,994; 5,427,650; 5,407,809; and 6,397,492, and in published European Patent Application No. 02758620.5; all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention also represents an improvement relating to and which may be used in conjunction with the inventions described in co-pending application Ser. Nos. 11/122,341, 11/716,101, 11/981,144, 61/123,351, 61/195,791, 12/313,911 and PCT/US06/16773 that are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference.
The present invention also relates to and may be used in conjunction with co-pending application Ser. No. 12/315,258, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference and which focuses on the steam/water recycling aspects of a total waste-to-energy system.

Waste processing apparatus and method featuring power generation, water recycling and water use in steam generation


A system for method for future forecasting using action priors that include receiving image data associated with a surrounding environment of an ego vehicle and dynamic data associated with dynamic operation of the ego vehicle. The system and method also include analyzing the image data and detecting actions associated with agents located within the surrounding environment of the ego vehicle and analyzing the dynamic data and processing an ego motion history of the ego vehicle. The system and method further include predicting future trajectories of the agents located within the surrounding environment of the ego vehicle and a future ego motion of the ego vehicle within the surrounding environment of the ego vehicle.

The ability to forecast future trajectory of traffic agents (pedestrians, vehicles, bicyclists, etc.) is paramount in developing navigation strategies in a range of applications including motion planning and decision making for autonomous and cooperative (shared autonomy) vehicles. To reach a human level ability to forecast behavior is part of a quest for visual intelligence to provide a higher level of autonomous navigation. Some recently reported computation models that predict future trajectories incorporate social normal, semantics, scene context, etc. The majority of these algorithms are developed from stationary camera views in surveillance applications or overhead views from a drone. However, in most cases these models do not incorporate an ability to reasonably estimate an intent of another agent with respect to future actions and future locations of agents based on prior experiences.

System and method for future forecasting using action priors


A method of assembly of a disk drive including providing a disk drive base. The method further includes providing a first VCM plate with an attached first magnet. The method further includes applying a holding force against the first VCM plate for holding the first VCM plate against the disk drive base. The method further includes providing a second VCM plate with an attached second magnet. The first and second VCM plates being cooperatively formed to engage each other with the first and second magnets facing towards each other with a magnetic attractive force. The method further includes engaging the second VCM plate with the first VCM plate while maintaining the holding force against the first VCM plate greater than the magnetic attractive force between the first and second magnets.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to disk drives, and in particular to a method of assembly of a disk drive including applying a holding force against a first VCM plate during engagement with a second VCM plate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The typical hard disk drive includes a head disk assembly (HDA) and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) attached to a disk drive base of the HDA. The head disk assembly includes at least one magnetic disk, a spindle motor for rotating the disk, and a head stack assembly (HSA). The spindle motor includes a spindle motor hub that is rotatably attached to the disk drive base.
The head stack assembly has an actuator assembly having at least one transducer head, typically several, for reading and writing data from and to the disk. The printed circuit board assembly includes a servo control system in the form of a disk controller for generating servo control signals. The head stack assembly is controllably positioned in response to the generated servo control signals from the disk controller. In so doing, the attached heads are moved relative to data tracks disposed upon the disk.
In further detail, the head stack assembly includes an actuator assembly, at least one head gimbal assembly, and a flex circuit cable assembly. A conventional "rotary" or "swing-type" actuator assembly typically includes an actuator having an actuator body. The actuator body is configured to rotate on a pivot assembly between limited positions about an axis of rotation. A coil support extends from one side of the actuator body, and a coil is supported by the coil support. The coil is configured to interact with one or more permanent magnets to form a voice coil motor (VCM). Typically a pair of magnets is utilized, with a magnet being disposed on each side of the coil. The magnets each include a VCM plate, which is used to securely position the magnets. Energizing the coil results in forces that tend to pivot the actuator. A change in the direction of current through the coil results a change in the resulting pivot direction.
One or more actuator arms extend from an opposite side of the actuator body. To facilitate rotational movement of the actuator, the actuator assembly further includes the actuator body that has a bore and a pivot bearing cartridge engaged within the bore. Each magnetic disk includes opposing disk surfaces. Data may be recorded on a single surface or both surfaces along data annular regions. As such, the head stack assembly may be pivoted such that each transducer head is disposed adjacent the various data annular regions from adjacent an outer diameter (OD) to an inner diameter (ID) of each disk.
A topic of concern is the assembly/disassembly process in regards to the pair of magnets and the VCM plates and the actuator. One prior art assembly method includes attaching a first one of the magnets and its associated VCM plate to the disk drive base. This may be accomplished with one or more fasteners such as screws. Subsequently, the actuator may be positioned over the attached magnet and VCM plate. The second magnet and VCM plate may be then positioned over the actuator and the coil. An attractive force between the two magnets facilitates attachment of the second magnet and its VCM plate. The use of fasteners to attach the first magnet and VCM plate presents several problems. It is contemplated that the magnets and their VCM plates and the actuator may have to be disassembled during the life of the disk drive (such as for testing, maintenance or repair). Removal of the fasteners may result in the undesirable release of metal particles resulting in contamination within the disk drive. Further, the use of the fasteners require the additional step of their removal during the disassembly of the disk drive. An additional problem is that upon the installation of the second magnet and VCM plate, just before the moment of contact of the two VCM plates the attractive force of the two magnets result in a sudden engagement of the VCM plates. This may result in an undesirable release of debris due to damage of the impacting surfaces.
Another method of assembly of the disk drive, includes attaching the first magnet and its VCM plate to the disk drive base through adhesive bonding. This attachment, however, precludes the ready removal of the VCM plate during disassembly of the disk drive. Further, use of adhesives present contamination problems within the disk drive. As mentioned above, an additional problem arises due to the attractive force of the two magnets that results in a sudden engagement of the two VCM plates, which may result in an undesirable release of debris.
Yet another method of the assembly of the disk drive is to first assemble the two magnets and their VCM plates about the actuator. The magnets, the VCM plates and the actuator are then collectively installed into the disk drive base. Such a method, however, presents significant difficulties in the handling of such components during their collective installation because the magnets/VCM plates are not directly attached to the actuator.
As such, there is a need in the art for an improved method of assembly of the magnets and their VCM plates into a disk drive in comparison to the prior art.

Method of assembly of a disk drive including engaging first and second VCM plates while maintaining a holding force against the first VCM plate


A battery life predicting device and a battery life predicting method capable of accurately predict the lifetime of storage batteries are provided. The expected lifetime value selecting unit 7 selects, as an expected lifetime value, a lifetime value that corresponds to the load power applied by the storage battery during discharge and the ambient temperature of the location where the storage battery 3 is installed while referring to the lifetime data stored in the lifetime data storing unit 5, the first diminution in lifetime calculating unit 12a calculates the first diminution in lifetime based on a natural logarithm function that takes the time obtained by converting the number of discharge cycles of the storage battery 3 as a variable, the second diminution in lifetime calculating unit 12b calculates the second diminution in lifetime from the mean value of the storage battery temperatures during charging, discharging or an idle state, the ambient temperature and the time elapsed after the installation of the storage battery 3, and the remaining lifetime value calculating unit 12c calculates the remaining lifetime value by subtracting the first diminution in lifetime and the second diminution in lifetime from the expected lifetime value.

It is important to predict the lifetime of a storage battery for the maintenance of an apparatus that incorporates a backup storage battery such as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). While corrosion of the hydrogen-absorbing alloy used to form the negative electrode is a major cause of deterioration in the lifetime of a nickel-hydrogen storage battery, other factors may also contribute to the deterioration such as the operating temperature, the number of discharge cycles, the elapsed time and the load power applied during discharge. The variety of factors that affect the lifetime make it difficult to precisely predict the lifetime of a storage battery in use.
It has been proposed to use an increase in internal resistance in the latter stage of life and/or change in voltage during discharge as the parameter for estimating the capacity and lifetime of a nickel-hydrogen storage battery. For example, an apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-138759 estimates the deterioration from the distribution of discharge voltages corresponding to a plurality of discharge currents and calculating the gradient thereof. An apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-215923 estimates the deterioration by comparing the internal resistance and battery voltage measured during discharging with the initial values thereof. These lifetime predicting methods are based on the correlation between the internal resistance of the storage battery and the resultant change in voltage and the lifetime of the storage battery, and are useful due to the ability to predict the lifetime in a short period of time.
Meanwhile such a method has been proposed that predicts the lifetime of a storage battery from a remaining lifetime value that is the difference between an expected lifetime value computed from the power applied to the load during discharge and a diminution in lifetime calculated as a linear function of the number of discharge cycles (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-243459). This method enables prediction of the lifetime while correcting a highly accurate expected lifetime value without the need to forcibly discharge the storage battery, and is therefore useful for lead-acid storage batteries.
However, the methods disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-138759 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-215923, cannot predict the lifetime unless the internal resistance increases to some extent and, moreover, do not take into account such factors as rate of discharge and battery temperature that contribute to the diminution of lifetime. The method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-243459 has such a problem that, since the equation used to estimate the lifetime is not a linear equation of the number of discharge cycles because the nickel-hydrogen storage battery has an intrinsic deterioration behavior (corrosion of hydrogen-absorbing alloy used in the negative electrode), the estimate of the remaining lifetime value deviates significantly from the actual value.

Battery life predicting device and battery life predicting method


The present invention relates to a first group of novel oligonucleotides, here identified as Genomic Address Messenger or GAM oligonucleotide, and a second group of novel operon-like polynucleotides, here identified as Genomic Record or GR polynucleotide. GAM oligonucleotides selectively inhibit translation of known ‘target’ genes, many of which are known to be involved in various diseases. Nucleic acid molecules are provided respectively encoding 15454 GAM precursors oligonucleotides, and 681 GR polynucleotides, as are vectors and probes both comprising the nucleic acid molecules, and methods and systems for detecting GAM oligonucleotides and GR polynucleotides and specific functions and utilities thereof, for detecting expression of GAM oligonucleotides and GR polynucleotides, and for selectively enhancing and selectively inhibiting translation of the respective target genes thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a group of bioinformatically detectable novel human oligonucleotides, here identified as Genomic Address Messenger or GAM oligonucleotides.
All of which are believed to be related to the micro RNA (miRNA) group of oligonucleotides.
2. Description of Prior Art
Micro RNAs (miRNA), are short ˜22 nt non-coding regulatory RNA oligonucleotides, found in a wide range of species, believed to function as specific gene translation repressors, sometimes involved in cell-differentiation.
The ability to detect novel miRNAs is limited by the methodologies used to detect such oligonucleotides. All miRNAs identified so far either present a visibly discernable whole body phenotype, as do Lin-4 and Let-7 (Wightman, B., Ha, I., and Ruvkun, G., Cell 75:855-862 (1993); Reinhart et al. Nature 403: 901-906 (2000)), or produce sufficient quantities of RNA so as to be detected by the standard molecular biological techniques.
Studies reporting miRNAs (Lau et al., Science 294:858-862 (2001), Lagos-Quintana et al., Science 294: 853-858 (2001)) discovered 93 miRNAs in several species, by sequencing a limited number of clones (300 by Lau and 100 by Lagos-Quintana) of small segments (i.e. size fractionated) RNA. MiRNAs detected in these studies therefore, represent the more prevalent among the miRNA oligonucleotide family, and can not be much rarer than 1% of all small ˜20 nt-long RNA oligonucleotides.
The aforesaid studies provide no basis for detection of miRNA oligonucleotides which either do not present a visually discernable whole body phenotype, or are rare (e.g. rarer than 0.1% of all size fractionated ˜20 nt-long RNA segments expressed in the tissues examined), and therefore do not produce significant enough quantities of RNA so as to be detected by standard biological techniques.
Reference is made to the sequence listing submitted herewith. The sequence listing consists of a file named "SequenceListing.txt" (342,255 KB, Jul. 15, 2009), and is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Brief Description of Sequence Listing, Large Tables and Computer Program Listing
A sequence listing is attached to the present invention, comprising 2254510 genomic sequences, is contained in a file named SEQ_LIST.txt (342238 KB, 31 Mar. 2004), and is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Large tables relating to genomic sequences are attached to the present application, appear in 11 table files (size, creation date), incorporated herein: TABLE—1.txt (35,428 KB, Mar. 31, 2004); TABLE—2.txt (165,249 KB, Mar. 31, 2004); TABLE—3.txt (2,837 KB, Mar. 31, 2004); TABLE—4.txt (8,105 KB, Mar. 31, 2004); TABLE—5.txt (3,048 KB, Mar. 31, 2004); TABLE—6.txt (169,488 KB, Mar. 31, 2004); TABLE—7.txt (268,106 KB, Mar. 31, 2004); TABLE—8—1.txt (378,907 KB, Oct. 25, 2005); TABLE—8—2.txt (374,279 KB, Oct. 25, 2005); TABLE—9—1.txt (419,922 KB, Oct. 25, 2005); TABLE—9—2.txt (415,145 KB, Oct. 25, 2005); TABLE—10.txt (4,315 KB, Mar. 31, 2004) and TABLE—11.txt (36 KB, Mar. 31, 2004), all of which are incorporated by reference herein.
A computer program listing of a computer program constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is enclosed on an electronic medium in computer readable form, and is hereby incorporated by reference herein. The computer program listing is contained in 6 files, the name, sizes and creation date of which are as follows: AUXILARY_FILES.txt (117K, 14-Nov-03); EDIT_DISTANCE.txt (144K, 24-Nov-03); FIRST-K.txt (96K, 24-Nov-03); HAIRPIN_PREDICTION.txt (19K, 25-Mar-04); TWO_PHASED_SIDE_SELECTOR.txt (4K, 14-Nov-03); and TWO_PHASED_PREDICTOR.txt (74K, 14-Nov-03).

Bioinformatically detectable group of novel regulatory oligonucleotides and uses thereof


Compositions and methods for modulating miRNAs up-regulated or down-regulated in aged individuals and their downstream targets are disclosed. Methods of treating musculoskeletal disorders are also provided.

Osteoporosis and obesity are major public health concerns. Recent estimates indicate that the US population consists of 25% obese, and, among the elderly, 50% of all osteoporotic individuals have age-associated osteoporosis, one of the most common and debilitating types of bone disease. Although the mechanisms involved remain poorly defined, recent studies suggest that age-associated osteoporosis is a stem cell disease. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (BMSCs) are multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into osteoblasts. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of short single-stranded noncoding RNAs are post-transcriptional regulators that can modulate the homeostasis of multiple genes and associated pathways simultaneously. Changes in miRNA expression have been linked to the development of numerous disorders, including musculoskeletal disorders. While miRNAs are emerging as important modulators of cell function and phenotype development there remains a need to determine the role of miRNA and their downstream targets in human BMSCs differentiation or in the regulation of bone metabolism with aging.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide compositions and methods for altering the expression of miRNAs and downstream targets of miRNAs that are important for regulation of BMSC differentiation.
It is another object of the invention to provide compositions and methods for treating musculoskeletal disorders in a subject.

Compositions and methods for treating musculoskeletal diseases and disorders

Georgia Regents Research Institute, Inc.


A method for detecting undesirable vibrations of an actuator of an electromechanical brake includes the steps of: (1) providing an electrical signal comprising at least one piece of information about a current consumption of the actuator or a parameter correlated with the current consumption; (2) monitoring an operation of the actuator on the basis of the gradient of the electrical signal in such a way that after switching on the actuator and preferably after a subsequent delay time, which includes determining: whether the amount of an initial instantaneous value of the gradient exceeds the amount of a threshold and whether a subsequent second instantaneous value of the gradient has an inverted sign compared to the first instantaneous value; (3) evaluating the results to ensure that an undesirable vibration is assessed as detected the aforementioned conditions are met.

Electronically controlled braking systems increasingly have an electromechanical brake and are, for example, a component in motor vehicles. The electromechanical brake is used there, for example, as a holding brake to keep the motor vehicle at a standstill, for example when the motor vehicle is on an inclined road. The electromechanical brake usually uses an electric motor to drive, for example, an actuating piston by which a brake disc is actuated while exerting a braking force.

Method for detecting undesirable vibrations of an actuator of an electromechanical brake, electronically controlled braking system, computer program product, control unit and motor vehicle


An apparatus for processing various hazardous waste materials by melting in a vessel for subsequent solidification is disclosed which includes a seal for the cover thereof. Melter includes a high-speed mixing impeller powered by a drive shaft which extends through an opening in the cover. The vessel is electrically heated by discharge of electrical energy through the melt contained in the vessel. In one embodiment the impeller and shaft are included in the electrical heating circuit. A shaft seal engages the shaft at a point spaced from the cover. An axially extensible seal seals a space bounded by the shaft seal and the opening in the cover. Purge gas is supplied to the sealed space to provide positive gas flow from the sealed space into the vessel. A cold wall transport duct for off-gas porting is disclosed. A bottom drain structure including a sleeve and plug is also disclosed. The output of the melter may be subsequently heated in a holding tank to refine the output.

Generation of vast quantities of waste material from sources such as municipal incinerators, nuclear reactors, nuclear weaponry manufacture and chemical industries present monumental problems for disposal. Land-fill is inappropriate for the most deleterious substances without prior processing to prevent leaching into the ground water. Radioactive material with a half-life of thousands of years presents the challenge of providing a permanent storage mechanism which substantially prevents release of radioactive contaminants into the environment.
Various techniques have been developed for vitrifying nuclear waste including a static melter at Savannah River Laboratories. Developments at the Savannah River Laboratories are described in the article "Application Of High Level Waste-Glass Technology To The Volume Reduction And Immobilization Of Tru, Low Level, And Mixed Wastes" by Bickford, D. F., NSRC-MS-90-274.
In a prior application of Ray S. Richards, Ser. No. 510,556 filed on Apr. 18, 1990, one of the applicants herein, a high-speed mixer/melter was disclosed in which a shaft rotates an impeller at high speeds in a melt contained in a vessel. Electrical energy is simultaneously discharged through the melt between the walls of the vessel and the impeller. One problem encountered with the previous mixer/melter designs related to sealing the cover to prevent the escape of gases from the vessel. Providing an elastomeric seal on the cover of a vessel operating in excess of 1,000.degree. C. will only result in the melting of the seal. Providing mechanical seals of an electrically conductive material could establish an electrically conductive path and result in a short circuit between the impeller shaft and the walls of the vessel. An alloy having excellent corrosion resistance, such as alloy 690, is preferably used to construct the vessel, including the vessel cover.
Axial adjustment of the location of the impeller by moving the shaft axially relative to the cover presents additional sealing problems. It may be necessary to adjust the height of the impeller in the vessel depending upon the density of the output required, quantity of melted material contained in the vessel, and the like.
Another problem relating to off-gas porting from the vessel relates to maintaining a clear port through which hot gases may be removed without blocking the port as gases cool upon removal from the vessel. A film cooler was proposed in "Off-Gas System For The Savannah River Plant Defense Waste Processing Facility" by Randall, C. T. et al., in which steam is injected through angled slots formed in a sleeve through which off-gases are ported. The film cooler allows off gases to cool while preventing the solidification of condensed gases on the walls of the off-gas port. One problem encountered by this device relates to the difficulty in removing the film cooler from the vessel for service or replacement. Another problem presented by the design proposed by the Randall article is the large volume of coolant fluid comprising air and steam, which is required. In addition, the cost of fabricating a film cooler having machined slots for directing the fluid is substantial.
Another problem faced by prior art hazardous waste melters related to providing a bottom drain which is selectively sealable and provides a redundant sealing mechanism whereby the flow of molten material may be prevented by freezing such flow.
Another problem presented by certain waste streams is the need to provide a chamber for superheating molten material to above 1,100.degree. C. for a period of time to dissolve any crystalline material remaining in the melt after processing in the high-speed mixer/melter. At such extreme high temperatures, problems relating to durability of a tank lined with an alloy are encountered. Ensuring adequate holding time for molten material contained in the vessel presents additional problems.
Additional problems encountered by prior art melters are solved by the present invention as summarized below.


A thermoplastic resin molding composition comprising an alkylene aryl polyester, a core-shell impact modifier for enhancing heat resistance having a shell derived from an alkylacrylate and a rubbery acrylate core derived from an acrylate having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, an effective amount of a difunctional epoxy compound for enhancing hydrolysis resistance of the resin, and a combination of color enhancing stabilizers comprising a thioester stabilizer, a phosphite or phosphonite stabilizer and a hindered phenol stabilizer.

Moldable thermoplastic polyester crystalline resin blends offer a high degree of surface hardness, solvent resistance and abrasion resistance, high gloss, and low surface friction. However poor impact strength and limited resistance to hydrolytic breakdown can limit usefulness in some application where articles made from the polyester will be exposed to hot wet conditions.
Often a rubbery modifier is added to polyesters to improve impact strength. For example, improved impact strength is obtained by melt compounding polybutylene terephthalate with ethylene homo- and copolymers functionalized with either acid or ester moieties as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,405,198; 3,769,260; 4,327,764; and 4,364,280. Polyblends of polybutylene terephthalate with a styrene-alpha-olefin-styrene triblock are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,607. U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,859 teaches impact modification of polybutylene terephthalate with random ethylene-acrylate copolymers and EPDM rubbers grafted with a monomeric ester or acid functionality. However addition of rubbery modifiers can case other issues such as poor melt stability, reduced melt flow, lower modulus and reduced color stability when exposed to heat.
The issue of improving polyester hydrolytic stability has been addressed through use of additive such as carbodiimides as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,522 and epoxy compounds as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,049.
However a balance of performance wherein the polyester resin have good impact and elongation, and are resistant to loss of impact and elongation under wet and dry conditions, while showing limited color change has been difficult to achieve. Thus there exists a need for crystalline polyester compositions with good melt processability, high solvent resistance good impact and elongation and low color which retains these features when exposed to heat.
The abstract of U.S. Pat. No. 6,187,848 to Pixton et al states: "A lightly colored flame retarded reinforced polyester molding composition has color stability at relatively high temperatures and comprises (a) from 40 to 80 weight percent of a polyester resin; (b) from about 20 to about 50 weight percent fibrous glass; (d) from 2.5 to 20 weight percent of a flame retarding composition; (e) and less than about 5 percent by weight additional ingredients which include a combination of stabilizers consisting essentially of an acid quencher, a thioester and a phosphonite." In this case impact modifiers are detrimental to thermal color stability. Also the color stable compositions of Pixton do not use hindered phenol antioxidants since, as indicated by R. Gauchter and H. Muller in "Plastics Additives Handbook" 4th Ed. Hanser Publishers, p 31, hindered phenol antioxidants can cause yellowing
U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,546 to Walsh relates to polyester compositions with mineral fillers giving a ceramic feel which have improved hydrolytic stability and melt viscosity stability. As set forth in column 2, lines 65 to column 3, line 2, "a thermoplastic resin composition comprising (a) a polyester resin; (b) a mono- or polyepoxy compound; and (c) mineral filler" is described. Additional ingredients are described as "(d) a catalyst compound and/or (e) a hindered phenol antioxidant." While describing improved hydrolysis resistance in highly filled polyester compositions using the epoxide additives similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,049, this case does not address the question of improved impact, thermal aging and thermal color stability.
A problem with hydrolytically stabilized polyester blends is the lack of impact and the heat stability of the impact modified composition. Poor heat stability may result in discoloration and mechanical failure of a molded article. Loss of heat stability may be evidenced by a decrease in impact resistance and a shift in the coloration. It is desirable to improve heat stability and color stability without deleterious affecting the hydrolytic stability of the polyester composition. It is also important in many applications requiring impact resistance to achieve hydrolytic stability and color stability along with retention of impact and elongation. Accordingly, there is a need for enhancing the impact, as well as the retention of impact and color upon thermal aging in a hydrolytically stable polyester resin.


The present invention provides compounds that efficiently and specifically inhibit lethal factor (LF) protease activity of anthrax toxin.

Currently, there is a need for agents to treat harmful bacterial diseases such as, for example, anthrax disease. Bacillus anthracis (Smith, H., Keppie, J. Nature 173, 869-870 (1954)) is considered the causative bacterium of anthrax disease, whose clinical presentation and outcome in humans strongly depend on its way of entry. Generally, cutaneous contact is rarely lethal, while inhalation is more dangerous and serious. Usually inhalation is fatal if not diagnosed early (Hanna, P. Curr. Topics Microbiol. Immunol. 225, 13-35 (1998)). In fact, in mammals infected with anthrax, bacterium spores germinate in alveolar macrophages before migrating to lymph nodes where they multiply (Hanna, P., Acosta, D., Collier, R. J. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 10198-10201 (1993)). Vegetative bacteria excrete a tripartite exotoxin constituted by three different polypeptides: protective antigen (PA, 83 kDa), lethal factor (LF, 90 kDa) and edema factor (EF, 89 kDa). Concerted activity of the above three polypeptides succeeds in killing host cells (Bradley, K. A., Mogridge, J., Mourez, M., Collier, R. J., Young, J. A. Nature 414, 225-229 (2001)). PA (Petosa, C., Collier, R. J., Klimpel, K. R., Leppla, S. H., Liddington, R. C. Nature 385, 833-838 (1997)) can bind to an ubiquitously expressed cellular receptor and, after a proteolytic activation, it is cleaved into a 63-kD fragment (PA63) and a 20-kDa (PA20) moiety. PA20 dissociates into medium and allows the PA63 fragment to heptamerize and bind both LF and EF. The resulting complex is engulfed into intracellular compartments called endosomes; this is successively followed by translocation of LF and EF into cytosol (Scobie, H. M., Rainey, G. J., Bradley, K. A., Young, J. A. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100, 5170-5174 (2003)). Once inside the cell LF and EF exert their toxic action. EF is a calmodulin-activated adenylyl cyclase that impairs the host defenses through a variety of mechanisms inhibiting phagocytosis (Leppla, S. H. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79, 3162-3166 (1982)). LF is a Zn2+ dependent protease capable to cleave several mitogen activated protein kinase kinases (MAPKK) (Vitale, G. et al. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 248, 706-711 (1998); Duesbery, N. S. et al. Science 280, 734-737 (1998)). This cleavage leads to macrophage cell lysis through a mechanism of action not completely known so far. Recently, it has been suggested that in LF-exposed macrophages, apoptosis can be a consequence of p38 MAPK inactivation. This is believed to prevent release of chemokines and cytokines so that immune system becomes unable to respond to the pathogen (Park, J. M., Greten, F. R., Li, Z. W., Karin, M. Science 297, 2048-2051 (2002)).
The lethal action of anthrax toxin can be neutralized at several stages during its entry into the cell. In fact it would be possible to inhibit PA63 processing, pore assembly or binding to receptor; moreover a successful therapeutic treatment could prevent LF or EF binding or their translocation into the cytosol (Sellman, B. R., Mourez, M., Collier, R. J. Science 292, 695-697 (2001)). Nevertheless inhibition of LF protease activity is still the most promising avenue for this harmful disease (Schwarze, S. R., Hruska, K. A., Dowdy, S. F. Trends Cell Biol. 10, 290-295 (2000)).
Inhibition of LF protease activity is believed to be a promising avenue for this harmful disease (Schwarze, S. R., Hruska, K. A., Dowdy, S. F. Trends Cell Biol. 10, 290-295 (2000)). Thus, a continuing need exists for compounds that inhibit lethal factor (LF) protease activity of anthrax toxin that are useful for therapeutic applications.

Inhibition of lethal factor protease activity from anthrax toxin


In an aspect, a wireless communication between a transmitter and a receiver involves determining updated keys according to a key management process for MAC layer encryption. Such key is propagated to a transmitter MAC and though a receiver key management process to a receiver MAC. After a delay, transmitter MAC device begins using the updated key, instead of a prior key, for payload encryption. Receiver MAC continues to use the prior key until a packet that was accurately received fails a message integrity/authentication check. Then, the receiver MAC swaps in the updated key and continues to process received packets. The packet data that failed the message integrity check is discarded. Transmitter MAC retries the failed packet at a later time, and if the packet was accurately received and was encrypted by the transmitter MAC using the updated key, then the receiver will determine that the message is authentic and will receive it and acknowledge it.

Field
In one aspect, the disclosure generally relates to communication systems and in one more particular aspect, encryption processes used in wireless communication systems.
Description of Related Art
A communication system may use encryption to make eavesdropping on data traffic between stations more difficult. One approach to encryption is to use a pre-shared key. For example, a key is provided at both a base station and an end point node. A pre-shared key provides some amount of security. A stronger form of security is to initially connect using a pre-shared key, but then to renegotiate keys during an ongoing active connection. As keys are renegotiated, they need to be shared between the communicating stations (in a point to point communication situation).

Encryption key updates in wireless communication systems


A stamp-face forming apparatus is provided for forming a stamp face. The apparatus has a stamp-face forming unit which is provided with plural heating elements disposed so as to face a surface of a stamp face material, and forms the stamp face on the stamp face material, the stamp face material includes porous material which can be non-porous when heated, and the stamp face material is detachably held in a holding body and is at least partially coated with a film. Further, the apparatus has a controlling unit for controlling the stamp-face forming unit such that an amount of heat per unit area to be applied to a part of the film facing at least one edge portion of the stamp face material is larger than an amount of heat per unit area applied to apart of the film facing the other portion of the stamp face material to be non-porous.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stamp-face forming apparatus, a method of forming a stamp face, and a stamp-face forming system, which form a stamp face on a stamp face material held in a stamp-face material holder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Saving troublesome work to put ink on a stamp face of a stamp every time a user fixes his/her stamp, rubber stamps have been used widely, which use a porous sponge sheet previously impregnated with ink as a stamp face.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 10-100464 has proposed a plate making apparatus for forming a stamp face. The plate making apparatus is provided with a thermal head having plural heating elements. A stamp produced by this plate making apparatus consists of a block with a stamp face material (stamp plate) attached thereon, wherein the stamp face material is made of a porous sheet. While making the stamp plate, the plate making apparatus holds the block with the stamp face material attached thereon and moves the plural heating elements of the thermal head so as to slide on the surface of the porous sheet of the stamp face material, while resiliently pressing the heating elements against the surface of the porous sheet, and selectively heats the plural heating elements to heat the stamp face material, thereby making non-porous portions preventing ink from permeating there through and porous portions allowing ink to permeate there through. In this way, the plate making apparatus forms a stamp face consisting of the non-porous portions preventing ink from permeating there through and the porous portions allowing ink to permeate there through.
In the plate making apparatus disclosed by Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei10-100464, the stamp consists of the block with the stamp plate made of a square stamp material sheet, attached thereon, and the plate making apparatus makes the stamp plate while the stamp plate is attached to the block, and therefore, the plate making apparatus has to be large in scale.

Stamp-face forming apparatus, method of forming a stamp face, and stamp-face forming system


A package structure includes a semiconductor die and a redistribution circuit structure. The redistribution circuit structure is disposed on and electrically connected to the semiconductor die and includes a metallization layer and a dielectric layer disposed on the metallization layer. The metallization layer has conductive patterns, where each of the conductive patterns includes crystal grains, the crystal grains each are in a column shape and include a plurality of first banded structures having copper atoms oriented on a (220) lattice plane.

Semiconductor devices and integrated circuits are typically manufactured on a single semiconductor wafer. The dies of the wafer may be processed and packaged with other semiconductor devices or dies at the wafer level, and various technologies have been developed for the wafer level packaging (e.g. formation of redistribution circuit structure/layer). In addition, such packages may further be integrated to a semiconductor substrate or carrier after dicing. Therefore, the reliability of the electrical performance within an internal component (e.g. a redistribution circuit structure) within each package becomes important.

Package structure having conductive patterns with crystal grains copper columnar shape and method manufacturing the same

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.