Provided is an RF coil which can highly efficiently and uniformly irradiate a RF magnetic field having two or more magnetic resonance frequencies close to each other, and receive magnetic resonance signals of two or more magnetic resonance frequencies close to each other with high sensitivity and uniform sensitivity profile in an MRI apparatus. Two or more frequencies to which the coil is tuned are adjusted so as to be between resonance frequencies of series resonant circuits constituting the RF coil.

The present invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, and more particularly to a RF (radio-frequency) coil for detecting nuclear magnetic resonance images of two or more kinds of nuclides.
MRI apparatuses are diagnostic imaging apparatuses for medical use, which induce magnetic resonance of atomic nuclei in arbitrary sections crossing a subject and obtain tomograms of the sections from generated magnetic resonance signals. As the magnetic resonance signals, those of hydrogen nuclei (1H) are generally used.
MRS (magnetic resonance spectroscopy) and MRSI (magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging), which are types of magnetic resonance imaging methods, are used as methods for measuring metabolic conditions in the living bodies. Here, MRS is a method of measuring frequency distribution of magnetic resonance signals emitted by a substance, and MRSI is a method of imaging on the basis of certain specific frequency components of magnetic resonance signals having frequency distribution. In these imaging methods, in addition to the imaging based on magnetic resonance signals of hydrogen nuclei (1H), magnetic resonance signals of atomic nuclei other than those of hydrogen such as those of fluorine (19F), phosphorus (31P), sodium (23Na) and carbon (13C) are also imaged. In order to simultaneously obtain images from magnetic resonance signals of two kinds of different atomic nuclei, the RF coil for irradiating a RF magnetic field for exciting the atomic nuclei and detecting the magnetic resonance signals is required to be tuned to the frequencies of the magnetic resonance signals of the two kinds of atomic nuclei (magnetic resonance frequencies). Such a coil is called double-tuned RF coil.
As conventional double-tuned RF coils, there are those comprising a trap circuit having a capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel and inserted into a loop of a coil, as shown in FIG. 20 (see, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication (Kokai) No. 6-242202 and M. D. Schnall et al., "A New Double-Tuned Probe for Concurrent 1H and 31P NMR", Journal of Magnetic Resonance, USA, 1985, 65, pp. 122-129). These double-tuned RF coils are intended to be tuned to two kinds of frequencies of magnetic resonance signals which are significantly differ from each other, for example, those of 1H and 31P, and they are not intended to be used for a case where frequencies to which they are tuned are close to each other. In order to realize double-tuning in these double-tuned RF coils to two kinds of frequencies close to each other, the inductor and capacitor used for the trap circuit must have an inductance of 10 nH or lower and a capacitance of several hundreds pF or higher, respectively. Since it is difficult to manufacture inductors having a small inductance, and such inductors also scarcely allow adjustable range, they are impractical. Furthermore, in capacitors having a large capacitance, it becomes impossible to ignore RF loss of the devices themselves at a frequency of 1 MHz or higher, and there is caused degradation of the receiving sensitivity and transmission efficiency of the RF coils.
As double-tuned RF coils used for a case where two kinds of magnetic resonance frequencies are close to each other, there are double-tuned saddle-type RF coils in which two saddle-type RF coils that resonate at each frequency are perpendicularly disposed (refer to FIG. 21.) and double-tuned RF coils in which capacitor of a birdcage RF coil is partially changed so that the coil should resonate at each frequency (see, for example, Peter M. Joseph et al., "A Technique for Double Resonant Operation of Birdcage Imaging Coils", IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, 1989, 8, pp. 286-294).

Magnetic field coil and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus


A method of performing an OCT image scan is presented. Other images are taken and a template is formed to correct the OCT images, for example, for eye motion, blood vessel placement, and center offset. In some embodiments, video images are taken simultaneously with the OCT images and utilized to correct the OCT images. In some embodiments, a template OCT image is formed prior to acquisition of the OCT images and the template OCT image is utilized as a template from which to correct all of the OCT images.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a method of performing an eye examination utilizing optical coherence tomography (OCT).
2. Discussion of Related Art
Retinal imaging by conventional optical image methodology, such as fundus camera imaging and indirect ophthalmoscopic imaging, has been routinely used clinically to evaluate retinal structure change. Routine retinal imaging provides valuable information for a clinician to diagnosis a number of eye diseases, including glaucoma. When there is a need to evaluate the optic nerve head tissue structure changes for glaucoma patients, stereoscopic retinal images are required to detect volumetric changes in the three dimensional nerve head structure. However, to date an experienced clinician can only provide a qualitative interpretation of eye structural changes from the retinal photograph.
Several imaging methods have been explored to quantitatively measure the three-dimensional structure of the nerve head. The Glaucoma Scope made by Ophthalmic Imaging Systems, Sacramento, Calif., used a technique of computed raster stereography. The Glaucoma Scope projected a series of equidistant, parallel, straight line beams of light onto the nerve head at oblique angles. By measuring the amount of deflection of the lines of light, nerve head topography can be determined. From the topographic view of the nerve head, many clinically significant volumetric parameters can be derived, such as disk area, cup area, disk rim area, and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness on the disk margin.
The Heidelberg Retinal Tomography (HRT), produced by Heidelberg Engineering, Germany, is based on a Laser Scanning Ophthalmoscope, SLO. By moving the focus plane of the scanning beam in the SLO, the topography of the nerve head can be measured. However, tissues like the choroid layer, which is underneath the superficial retinal surface layer, can not be seen with the SLO methods. As a result, the topography of the optical nerve layer is indirectly measured utilizing an artificial reference plane. Even with these advanced techniques, the ability to sufficiently map the optic nerve layer is limited. Further, the disk margin, which is also inside the retinal nerve fiber layer, is difficult to be accurately outlined by the SLO image. The accuracy of determining nerve head changes is limited.
A glaucoma exam, GDx, produced by Laser Diagnosis Technology, San Diego, Calif. is another method for mapping the RNFL. The GDx technique is based on polarimetry. The RNFL tissue is birefrigent and will cause polarization rotation as the probing beam of light passes through the RNFL. The thickness of the RNFL is indirectly measured by measuring the magnitude of the polarization rotation as the light beam is scanned across the retina. The RNFL thickness map is obtained by scanning the laser beam on the nerve head region. There are also disadvantages with GDX diagnosis. The cornea tissue is also birefrigent, which will add to the polarization rotation. The magnitude of polarization rotation by the cornea depends on the cornea thickness and light beam incident angle. The RNFL thickness accuracy significantly depends on the individual subjects to be measured.
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a new image modality that has been used for non-invasive human eye retinal imaging. A cross sectional retinal image taken while the beam is scanned across the retina allows the clinician to quantitatively evaluate the retinal nerve layer and retinal thickness. By composing radial line scan patterns, a 3-D nerve head geometry can be derived. An OCT system produced by Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, Calif., for example, scans six radial lines passing across the nerve head. Volumetric parameters like disk area, cup area, and disk rim area are derived from these radial line images. Conventionally, the RNFL thickness is measured in a circular scan at a diameter of 3.45 mm centered on the center of the disk. OCT is advantageous over previous methods because OCT provides a direct measurement of the tissue thickness and does not significantly depend on other ocular tissue conditions. However, the sampling density is low compare to the other imaging methods and there are artifacts of the measurements resulting from slow scan speeds. Also, the RNFL thickness by a circular scan around the disk is often not reliable due to the off centering of the scan caused by inaccurate visual alignment and eye motion. The complete mapping of the retina nerve head volumetric parameters and RNFL around the nerve head region is usually unobtainable due to eye motion during the scan.
A complete mapping of the nerve head by OCT imaging has been possible only if the eye is fixed without any motion and there is no obscuration of the OCT scan beam so that important nerve head tissue are all visible in the OCT image. However, neither of these assumptions are feasible in a human subject.
Several attempts have been made to track the scan beam with the retina in order to eliminate the effects of eye motion. Dan Ferguson (Physical Science Inc, Andover, Mass.) utilized active feedback to track the scan beam on the retina based on a reflectometry principle. This method provides real-time tracking capability and has potential to scan completely over the nerve head. However, the extra confocal scanning laser hardware that needs to be added to the OCT scanner to perform this tracking method is complicated and expensive. Further, during a blink of the patient's eye, the tracking signal is lost and may not be recoverable from the previous scan sequence.
Another method of compensating for eye motion has been proposed by Dara Koozekanani (The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio). This method uses a combination of the reflected signal of the scan beam and a video image to register the retinal position. However, it is unclear as to use of this method for mapping the clinically significant nerve head parameters. Using raster line OCT scans to acquire three dimensional data sets for mapping of the retinal layer thickness has been described by Mujat et al in Optical Express. However, no description of how to map the nerve head boundary contour, which is essential as a reference for deriving all nerve head morphologic parameters, has been provided.
There is a need for direct measurement of all nerve head volumetric parameters, with complete mapping of the RNFL around the nerve head. Further, there is a need for acquiring and displaying all clinically significant information corresponding to the nerve head morphology that are highly desired by clinicians for diagnosing diseases such as glaucoma.

Method of eye examination by optical coherence tomography


A thin film magnetic head for use with a magnetic recording medium having a direction of movement, includes a substrate and a plurality of magnetic read/write cores disposed on the substrate. At least a part of each core is formed of a magnetic thin film deposited on the substrate. Each of the cores includes a magnetic gap disposed between the magnetic read/write core and the substrate, the magnetic gaps being aligned with each other in the same position relative to the direction of movement of the magnetic recording medium. Each magnetic gap is separated an identical distance from the substrate, and each of the cores has a different width for forming a different width track on the magnetic recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head that can record or reproduce in a plurality of track formats having different average track pitches.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, there has been increasing requirement for magnetic disk drives for high density recording that can be used as external storages or image recording devices of a computer.
Floppy disk drives which are extensively used as external memories increase their recording density, for example, by shortening the recording wavelength so as to increase the line recording density.
Today, small diameter, metal coated video floppy disks are used in electronic still video devices and in data recording devices, which use an identical record format.
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross sectional view showing a head contacting mechanism of a conventional video floppy disk drive. In this figure, a video floppy disk 10 rotates in the X direction at a high speed of 3600 rpm, and hence, sliders commonly employed for supporting the floppy disk 10 at both surfaces thereof are not used. Instead, a head 8 is pressed in the Z direction by using air pressure produced by a backing plate 9 and, with the elasticity of the floppy disk 10, a good head contact can be achieved.
As another method, a negative pressure pad method is also adopted utilizing a negative pressure, which is produced by a backing plate provided at the same side as a head with respect to a floppy disk, in order to press the floppy disk to the head.
In either method, the area of a sliding portion at the tip of a head is not more than 100,000 .mu.m.sup.2 (for example, 300 .mu.m.times.300 or less), which is smaller than that of other types of floppy disk heads.
The current recording format of floppy disks for electronic still video apparatuses is specified as follows: the track pitch is 100 .mu.m; the track width is 60 .mu.m; the number of tracks concentrically formed on a floppy disk is 50; and each track can store one field.
Two types of recording heads are available for such recording and reproducing apparatuses: a 1-track video head; and a 2-track video head. The 1-track video head includes one magnetic core whose track width is 60 .mu.m, and whose sliding width on a floppy disk is less than 100 .mu.m in the track width direction, so that 1-field image or one track can be recorded or reproduced without moving the head. On the other hand, the 2-track video head includes two magnetic cores which are separated 100 .mu.m apart, each having a track width of 60 .mu.m, so that 1-frame image or two tracks can be simultaneously recorded or reproduced withou moving the head.
FIG. 2 is a view showing an arrangement of a conventional thin film head as an example of the 2-track video head. This head is fabricated as follows:
First, a bottom magnetic layer made of a soft magnetic thin film is deposited on a substrate 11, following by an insulating layer and coils 38. Subsequently, a nonmagnetic layer to be formed into magnetic gaps 34 are formed near a sliding surface, and then magnetic cores 32 making up top layers are formed in such a manner that the top layers are connected with the bottom layer through magnetic contact holes 36.
In FIG. 2, the end to end length l2 of the two tracks is specified at a rather small amount of 160 .mu.m. The length, however, is not short enough to achieve good contact between the sliding surface of the head and a floppy disk when compared with a 1-track head that performs recording to and reproducing from a 60 .mu.m wide track. It is preferable that the length l2 be made as short as possible.
On the other hand, in floppy disk drives extensively used as external storage with computers, efforts for improving track density are made so as to increase memory capacity by using a high output metal as a coating material.
In such a case, there arises a new problem that a disk drive for a high track density (i.e., a narrow track pitch) floppy disk must be capable of recording to and reproducing from a conventional low track density (i.e., a wide track pitch) floppy disk. In other words, compatibility of recording and reproducing with a low-level format is required.
FIG. 3 is a schematic bottom view showing a sliding surface of a conventional magnetic head used for downward compatibility, which is disclosed in Technical Research Report MR90-33 of The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers of Japan.
This head comprises a slider 1, a high-level core 2 for recording and reproducing in a high-level format, and a low-level core 3 for recording and reproducing in a low-level format, thereby forming a 2-track composite head. The head further comprises a low-level magnetic gap 5 for recording and reproducing in a low-level format, and a high-level magnetic gap 4 which has a narrower track width than the low-level magnetic gap 5 so as to achieve high track density.
In addition, since the distance l1 between a track center of the high-level core 2 and a track center of the low-level core 3 is narrow, on the order of about 560 .mu.m, there arises crosstalk between the cores 2 and 3 owing to flux leakage. Accordingly, a magnetic shield material 6 is inserted between the cores 2 and 3. Furthermore, it has been attempted to reduce the crosstalk by variously modifying the 3-dimensional geometry of the cores, though not shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a technique whereby a disk drive for driving a double track density floppy disk is made compatible with a low-level floppy disk. The technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laying-open No. 28,913/1987.
This head comprises a slider 1, a high-level core 2 for recording and reproducing in a high-level format, and a low-level core 3 for recording and reproducing in a low-level format, thereby forming a 2-track composite head. The recording pattern of the high-level format corresponds to a double track density or a half track pitch of a conventional one. The interval l1 between a track center of the high-level core 2 and a track center of the low-level core 3 is equal to the low-level track pitch of 500 .mu.m in this example.
The related arts described above present the following problems:
(1) As described above, one video floppy can contain only 25 frame images, and hence, an increase in storing capacity has been required.
(2) There is a great possibility that increasing storing capacity will be achieved by narrowing track pitch owing to recent developments in medium technique. However, since the current still video standard has been extensively used, a new machine must be compatible with the current format.
(3) In a downward compatible composite head incorporating a high-level core and a low-level core, the track pitch of at least 500 .mu.m is necessary to prevent crosstalk.
(4) In a floppy disk drive, the magnetic gap positions and azimuth angulars of a composite head as shown in FIG. 3 must be precisely controlled because a floppy disk is freely replaced. These requirements, however, decrease the efficiency of mass-production of composite heads, which in turn, increases the cost of composite heads. In particular, since a two track head is expensive in comparison with a single track head because the two track head includes twice as many assembly components like cores and coils as the single track head, the cost problem becomes more important.
(5) A 2-track composite head for a frame image has a sliding width with a floppy disk twice as wide as that of a 1-track head for a field image. For this reason, it is difficult for the two magnetic gaps of a composite magnetic head to simultaneously keep good contact with a floppy disk, thus decreasing reliability. Thus, a 2-track composite head whose track pitch is more than 500 .mu.m cannot achieve a good head contact with a small-diameter recording medium like a video floppy which rotates at a high speed. In addition, adjustment of head contact during mass production takes a long time, and this will increase cost of the 2-track composite heads.
(6) To further shorten the recording wavelength, the rail width l2 (see, FIG. 3) of the slider 1 must be reduced so that the gap amount between the floating slider 1 and the surface of a floppy disk is limited. In addition, to ensure reliable sliding of the head while maintaining a small gap amount when the disk driving speed is large to accomplish a high transfer rate, dimensions of the slider must be small: the track pitch l1 must be set smaller than conventional values of 500-600 .mu.m. This increases the crosstalk between the cores, and so, makes it difficult to maintain a certain signal quality. Moreover, space for providing a magnetic shield becomes very small, and so it becomes difficult to take effective steps for preventing crosstalk.


A method of determining overlay error. The method includes transferring a pattern from a reticle to a wafer and selecting a first set of data points to measure the positional difference between features on the reticle and features on the wafer. The method also includes determining a second set of data points characteristic of the first set of data points but containing fewer data points. A control system for using the second set of data points to dynamically adjust the position of the reticle.

As technology nodes decrease in size, the density of features on a substrate increases. The increased feature density requires more precise control of spacing between features to produce viable devices. Feature spacing is determined in part by the feature layout on the reticle used in patterning the substrate. Additional factors such as overlay error also impact the spacing of features on the substrate. Overlay error is the difference between the feature layout on the reticle and the actual feature pattern formed on the substrate.
Overlay error is caused by correctable factors such as differences in thermal expansion coefficients between the reticle and the substrate, inaccuracy in substrate shape, misalignment of the reticle and the substrate, inaccurate calibration of actuators in the patterning apparatus, etc. Differences in thermal expansion cause overlay error because the patterning process generates thermal energy which causes the substrate and the reticle to expand. If the materials used to form the substrate and reticle have different thermal expansion coefficients, the rate of expansion for the substrate and reticle are different. The different rates of expansion result in different feature spacing on the reticle as compared to the spacing of features on the substrate. Inaccuracy in substrate shape causes overlay error because curves in the substrate surface cause the dimensions of a feature to change because patterning light travels a different distance to reach the substrate surface. Misalignment of the reticle and substrate causes overlay error because the entire layout is shifted. Inaccurate calibration of actuators causes overlay error because patterning processes use actuators to position the reticle, the substrate and other components of the patterning apparatus. If the movement caused by the actuators is not accurate, the spacing between features is changed by the difference in the intended movement from the actual movement.
Additionally, some overlay error is caused by uncorrectable factors, such as light scattering or thickness gradients in a photoresist layer on the substrate. This uncorrectable overlay error is called residual error. Some amount of residual error is unavoidable.
Some techniques measure the overlay error by using fixed, predetermined reference points. The reference points are selected prior to performing any patterning process and fail to account for actual measured differences between the reticle and the substrate. The position of several selected features on the reticle is measured, prior to patterning the substrate. The substrate is then patterned and the position of these same selected features is measured on the patterned substrate. The difference between the position of the selected features on the reticle and the position of the selected features on the substrate determines the overlay error.
A measurement system for measuring the position of features on a substrate includes a radiation source, a detector and a stage to support the substrate. Light from the radiation source contacts the patterned surface of the substrate and is reflected toward the detector. The light from the radiation source is targeted on the predetermined reference points. The detector transfers the information to a calculating unit, such as a computer, to determine the position of the selected features on the substrate.

Method of determining overlay error and control system for dynamic control of reticle position

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


This invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of methylcyclohexane diamine wherein meta-toluenediamine is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst. The improvement resides in utilizing a hydrogenation catalyst comprising rhodium carried on a support and carrying out the hydrogenation in the presence of a C.sub.3 -C.sub.10 secondary alcohol as a solvent. With the use of rhodium carried on a support as a catalyst, coupled with the use of the secondary alcohol solvent, one obtains high yields with excellent catalyst life.

The hydrogenation of aromatic amines has long been known. Typically, the hydrogenation involves the purification of the feed material by removing various isomers in the feed and/or higher oligomers, as in the case of bridged aromatic amines. These isomers and higher oligomers tend to hydrogenate slowly and many of the impurities in the feed tend to act as catalyst poisons. Representative patents which show the hydrogenation of aromatic compounds, e.g., toluenediamine and bridged aromatic amines are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,108 discloses the process for producing aromatic nitrogen containing compounds such as o-phenylenediamine and methylenedianiline by reacting the aromatic compound with hydrogen at a hydrogen partial pressure of at least 200 psi at a temperature of from 100 to 300.degree. C. A ruthenium catalyst carried on an inert support is used as the hydrogenation catalyst. The process can be carried out in the presence or absence of a solvent and aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbon solvents are suggested as being suited for the hydrogenation process.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,450,759 discloses a process for the hydrogenation of toluenediamine and notes the difficulty of the reaction and the resulting low yields. The improved process relies on removing the o-toluenediamines from the feed prior to hydrogenation. Conventional metal catalysts were suggested as effective for the hydrogenation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,511,028; 2,606,924; 2,606,925; 2,606,928; 3,155,724; 3,347,917; 3,766,272; 3,856,862 and 3,959,374 disclose various processes for the hydrogenation of bridged-aronmatic compounds such as methylene-di(aniline). In the processes numerous hydrogenation catalysts such as ruthenium, rhodium, and supports have been suggested for the hydrogenation. Many of the processes disclose the use of an alcohol as a solvent to facilitate the reaction. Representative solvents are set forth in the '826 patent and these include C.sub.1-8 alkanols. The '917 patent also discloses the use of aliphatic hydrocarbon ethers in addition to alicyclic and aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents and alcohols as a solvent for the catalytic hydrogenation of the aromatic amines.
Canadian patent 892,636 discloses the hydrogenation of toluenediamines to produce the corresponding methane cyclohexanediamine. The patentees point out that a catalyst system comprising a ruthenium hydrogenation catalyst or an alumina supported ruthenium hydrogenation catalyst in combination with the calcium oxide-sodium carbonate mixture are well suited for effecting the hydrogenation of the toluenediamine. The patentees acknowledge that the hydrogenation may be carried out in the presence or absence of solvents such as alcohols and ethers which have been utilized in other prior art.
Canadian patent 839,281 discloses a process for catalytic hydrogenation of various aromatic amines including toluenediamine using a ruthenium catalyst supported on calcium carbonate or a rare earth oxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,941 discloses a process for the hydrogenation of aromatic amines including both mononuclear and polynuclear aromatic amines to form the corresponding hydrogenated derivative thereof. Toluenediamine is a suggested mononuclear aromatic amine and these include 2,4- and 2,6-toluenediamine and various substituted toluenediamine such as alkylated toluenediamines. The catalyst utilized in the hydrogenation process comprised rhodium carried on a titania support.
Several problems existed with the prior art processes for the hydrogenation of meta-toluenediamines. At moderate pressures (e.g., 1000 psi) the hydrogenation is extremely difficult. The hydrogenation rates are slow and as a consequence higher levels of byproducts are formed. Further, it generally is not possible to obtain more than one or two uses per batch of catalyst as catalyst life is very short.


A process and apparatus for introducing a cable into a channel, which is formed into a heated surface of solid ground, such as asphalt, displaces the material to form a channel, inserts the cable and then reintroduces the displaced material back into the channel to refill the channel.

The present invention is directed to both a process and an apparatus for introducing either an optical cable or an electrical cable, which comprises a homogeneous pressurized-water-tight tube and either the optical or electrical conductors in the tube, into solid ground.
It is known that cables, in particular micro-cables which comprise a tube with optical waveguides running loosely therein, are laid in solid ground. For this purpose, channels are cut into the structure of a road, footpath or cyclepath and the cable is laid in this channel, fixed therein and covered by an appropriate filling material for protection purposes. However, the production of channels in solid ground, such as concrete or asphalt, by a cutting operation with the aid of a corresponding cutting machine involves relatively high cost, since it is necessary to go to considerable lengths to dispose of the material that is removed during the cutting operation. Moreover, there is considerable harm to the environment as a result of the dust formation. Another disadvantage of this particular type of process, which uses a channel cut deep into the basic structure of the solid ground, such as that of a road, is that in some circumstances, a "predetermined breaking point" is created. It is, thus, necessary to ensure that, as far as possible, a base course or layer of the road is not damaged.

Process and apparatus for introducing an optical or electrical cable into solid ground


A communication receiver improves its channel estimation performance, its equalization performance, or both, by modeling the non-Gaussian characteristics of a dominant source of interference in a received signal. That is, rather than using Gaussian-based modeling, the receiver generates signal disturbance estimates using a probabilistic model representative of the non-Gaussian interference in a received signal, such as adjacent channel or co-channel signal interference in mobile station operating within a wireless communication network. The receiver may use such non-Gaussian interference modeling responsive to detecting such interference in the received signal and may match its disturbance model to the detected interference. Further, where signal disturbance is predominantly Gaussian in nature, the receiver may switch to a Gaussian disturbance model.

The present invention generally relates to wireless communication systems and particularly relates to improving receiver performance by accounting for non-Gaussian interference in a received signal.
As the popularity of wireless communication services increases, network service providers must find ways to service greater numbers of users. More efficient spectrum usage through improved modulation and signal processing provide one mechanism for increasing the number of users that can be supported with a finite radio spectrum, and more aggressive frequency reuse in cellular network planning provides another. By more aggressively reusing frequencies within a cluster of radio coverage cells, system operators increase the aggregate number of users that can be supported but such gains come at the expense of increased mutual interference between users, e.g., increased co-channel and adjacent channel interference between users.
Generally, such mutual interference is characteristically non-Gaussian in terms of its probabilistic distribution. As such, adequate cancellation of such interference poses challenges for the Interference Canceling (IC) receiver because conventional approaches to interference cancellation, suppression, etc., are based on modeling received signal disturbances as explicitly or implicitly Gaussian in nature.
Of course, acceptable communication receiver performance depends on more than just the ability to adequately suppress mutual interference. Other phenomena, such as time-varying multipath fading, complicate wireless communications and require special operations to ensure suitable receiver performance. Such operations typically include channel estimation and, particularly with widely dispersive communication channels, signal equalization. Conventional approaches to these signal processing operations are based on the assumption that such signal disturbances can be modeled as Gaussian in nature. Thus, the performance of such operations may be compromised where a non-Gaussian interference source is the dominant cause of received signal disturbance.

System and method for interference cancellation in a wireless communication receiver


According to this invention, a weighting transducer for a surface acoustic wave filter includes first, second, third bus electrodes, odd-numbered transducer fingers, and even-numbered transducer fingers. The first, second, third bus electrodes are formed on a piezoelectric substrate. The odd-numbered transducer fingers are formed on the piezoelectric substrate and consist of first transducer fingers connected to the first bus electrode and second transducer fingers connected to the second bus electrode and spaced apart from the first transducer fingers by a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction. The even-numbered transducer fingers are formed on the piezoelectric substrate, connected to the third bus electrode, and consist of third transducer fingers overlapping the first and second transducer fingers.

The present invention relates to a surface acoustic wave filter and, more particularly, to a weighting transducer for a surface acoustic wave filter.
In general, an SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) filter is an element used for obtaining filter characteristics as follows. An IDT (interdigital transducer) which is obtained by properly weighting a piezoelectric substrate surface is arranged, and an SAW is transmitted and received by the IDT. As a characteristic feature of the SAW filter, amplitude and phase characteristics can be arbitrarily and independently designed. As a weighting transducer for a conventional surface acoustic wave filter, an apodized transducer and a withdrawal transducer are used. That is, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in the apodized transducer, overlap widths W obtained by overlapping transducer fingers 21 of a bus electrode 23 and transducer fingers 22 of the bus electrode 24 are locally changed in proportion to a weighting function. In the withdrawal transducer, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, an overlap width 31 is constant, and the density of transducer fingers 32 having an overlap width is proportional to a weighting function.
Each of the above conventional weighting transducers has a drawback, and they are properly used depending on applications. That is, in the apodized method shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, although a weighting function can be faithfully expressed by the overlap width W, the filter characteristics of a portion having a small weighting coefficient, i.e., a portion having a narrow overlap width, are easily degraded by an error caused by a diffraction effect, and an energy distribution 25 excited from a transducer is not uniform due to the distribution of weighting functions and causes a weighting loss. In addition, in the withdrawal method shown in FIGS. 4A and 4balthough an energy distribution 35 excited from a transducer is uniform, since weighting functions are expressed by a change in density caused by the presence/absence of overlap widths, a quantization error is larger than that of the apodized method, and desired characteristics are not easily obtained.

Weighting transducer for surface acoustic wave filter


A jet dispersing device includes a high pressure region having a flow inlet and a low pressure region having a flow outlet. A partition wall is positioned within the high pressure region such that the high pressure region is partitioned from the low pressure region. Additionally, the partition wall may be provided with at least one nozzle hole configured to jet a liquid from the high pressure region to the low pressure region such that the liquid is dispersed as fine particles. The partitioning wall may also have a cleaning fluid communication port having an opening area which is larger than an opening area of the at least one nozzle. Additionally, a valve mechanism configured to open and close the cleaning fluid communication port may also be provided.

Jet dispersing device have been used for in-line mixing less miscible coating material ingredients such as aqueous 2-component polyurethane type coating materials comprising a main agent and a curing agent to each other.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A No. 7-331170
FIG. 4 shows such an existent jet dispersing device 51 in which a partition wall 54 for partitioning a flow inlet 53in and a flow outlet 53out in a tubular housing 52.
The partition wall 54 is formed by extending a bottomed cylindrical tubular member 56 from a central opening to the flow inlet 53in of a flat plate-flange 55, and fine nozzle holes 57 each with a diameter of about 0.5 mm are formed and opposed in the circumferential surface of the tubular wall 56a.
FIG. 5 shows a coating material supply system 61 in which the jet dispersing device 51 is disposed in an in-line arrangement. After storing a main agent and a curing agent supplied from a main agent supply source 62A and a curing agent supply source 62B in high pressure cylinders 63A, 63B, when they are supplied under high pressure at a flow rate in accordance with the mixing ratio to the jet dispersing device 51, the main agent and the curing agent merged on the side of the flow inlet 53in of the jet dispersing device 51 are jetted to the down stream upon passage through the nozzle holes 57 toward the flow outlet 53out and they are dispersed as fine particles respectively and mixed under emulsification.
Accordingly, when the mixed coating material is supplied to a coating machine 64, the main agent and the curing agent which are difficult to be mixed can be coated in a state being mixed uniformly.
Then, in the coating material supply system 61 as described above, it is necessary that the coating material flow channel 65 downstream of the meeting place for the main agent and the curing agent has to be cleaned frequently in order to prevent a residual coating material from curing.
However, even when a cleaning fluid such as a cleaning liquid or cleaning air is supplied under pressure from the flow inlet 53in to the flow outlet 53out of the jet dispersing device 51, since fine nozzle holes 57 formed in the partition wall 54 gives a flow channel resistance to lower the flow speed of the cleaning fluid, it requires a long time for cleaning and increase the amount of the cleaning liquid and the cleaning air, to bring about a problem that efficient cleaning is impossible.
While it has been attempted to increase the pressure of supplying the cleaning liquid and the cleaning air to thereby shorten the cleaning time, this not only requires a high pressure pump for supplying the cleaning liquid and the cleaning air but also complicates the facility such as by the use of hoses and connectors acceptable for pressure proofness and, on the other hand, the cleaning time can not be shortened by so much.


This invention concerns a monoclonal antibody having binding specificity for an antigenic determinant site on core structural protein from Non-A,Non-B hepatitis virus (NANBV); a hybridoma cell line capable of producing the monoclonal antibody; a process for the preparation of the monoclonal antibody; an immunoassay of NANBV-related antigens by use of the monoclonal antibody; and a test kit for use in the immunoassay. The preferred monoclonal antibody is 5E3, 5F11, 515S or 1080S. The monoclonal antibody can specifically recognize the NANBV core structural protein in sera from patients with Non-A,Non-B hepatitis thereby being served extensively as an antibody in various immunological reagents for definitive diagnosis of Non-A, Non-B hepatitis.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an immunoassay for detecting or quantifying core proteins of the structural region of Non-A,Non-B hepatitis virus in specimens, to monoclonal antibodies for use in the immunoassay, to hybridomas capable of producing the monoclonal antibodies, and to a test kit comprising the monoclonal antibodies.
2. Prior Art
Post-transfusion hepatitis refers literally to a hepatitis caused by transfusion. As a causative virus of the post-transfusion hepatitis, hepatitis B virus (i.e., HBV) was first identified, but it was suspected thereafter that an other virus was involved in the post-transfusion hepatitis in addition to HBV. This virus that is different from HBV was named Non-A,Non-B hapatitis virus (hereinafter, referred to as "NANBV") or hepatitis C virus (i.e., HCV), and its identification was demanded .
Non-A,Non-B hepatitis corresponds to at least 90% of the post-transfusion hepatitis, and 50-80% of the infected patients indicate chronic symptoms which subsequently transfer to cirrhosis then hepatoma in high proportions, and because of this, there has been a great demand on physiological functions of this disease. The Non-A,Non-B hapatitis has been clinically identified mainly by the so-called exclusion-diagnosis method in which it is first confirmed whether this disease is hapatitis A or hepatitis B or other hepatitis caused by known viruses (e.g., cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus) by which liver disorders are caused, after which if the disease is other than the known hepatitis then it is determined as being Non-A,Non-B hepatitis.
The cloning of a gene of the virus in question was thereafter carried out by a group of Choo et al. using NANBV-infected chimpanzee plasmas (see Science 244:359-362, 1989), and a method for the diagnosis of the Non-A,Non-B hapatitis was developed in which the detection of antibodies raised against NANBV was carried out by use of recombinant antigens prepared by introducing parts of the non-structural region of NANBV genes (i.e., extending from NS3 to NS4) (see Science 244:362-364, 1989; and JP-A-2-500880).
The commercially available first generation reagent that contains a recombinant antigen (i.e., c100-3 protein) developed by Chiron Corp. (USA) can detect as positive 70-80% of patients with chronic Non-A,Non-B hapatitis, but because the c100-3 antibody titer does not rise at the early infection and the detection of the antibody to c100-3 is impossible, it was known that there were cases undetected even when infected and that considerably non-specific responses were observed in sera from patients with autoimmune diseases or hyper-.gamma. globulin sera.
More recently, the second generation regents containing an additional core antigen which is a structural protein of NANBV were developed whereby about 90% of patients infected with NANBV could be detected, but the detection of patients with sporadic Non-A,Non-B hepatitis is as low as about 40%. In addition to the above-mentioned antibody-detection methods, developed are methods for the detection of NANBV genes in which the presence or absence of the NANBV genes is determined by PCR (see Science 230:1350-1354, 1985) or DNA probe method.
However, there are some difficult problems in the detection methods using the PCR method. As such problems, the following are exemplified: reverse transcription is required because NANBV is a RNA virus; the loss of cDNA occurs during the reverse transcription; specific amplification equipments are needed; it is impossible to treat a lot of samples at one time because the operation is complex; and contamination of samples are often observed.
Regarding Non-A, Non-B hapatitis virus, its viral level is very low in patient bodies and its in vitro proliferation system has not been established, so no experimental immunological sera have been obtained using native NANBV virions or purified NANBV proteins. Human sera include different productions of antibodies to NANBV-related antigens depending on individuals, namely, individuals showing a high antibody titer, individuals not capable of eliciting the antibodies, and individuals having an antibody to an antigen present in a certain region of NANBV but not any antibodies to antigens in other regions. Additionally, because of polyclonal antibodies, human sera include antibodies to foreign substances other than NANBV, so estimation of obtained results has to be conducted while taking undesirable cross-reactions into consideration.
When unknown antigens are estimated by use of antibodies, well attention is required for the above reasons. In this context, the development of a method of the detection of NANBV itself for definitive diagnosis has been noted.
With respect to monoclonal antibodies to NANBV, prior arts do not describe any practical production of such monoclonal antibodies although its possibility has been suggested (see EP-B-318,216 and EP-B-388,232), except for monoclonal antibodies specific for epitopes on core proteins of NANBV (see JP-A-5-260960). But the latter monoclonal antibodies differ from the monoclonal antibodies of this invention in recognizable epitope types, assay methods, sensitivities for detection, preparation methods, etc.
A high degree of mutation are observed in a Non-A,Non-B hepatitis virus genome as other class of RNA viruses. As stated above, the level of NANBV virions themselves are very low in patients infected with NANBV and thus the level of antibodies to NANBV-related antigens in the patients' sera is low, so all the patients can not be detected using reagents for detection of the antibodies. Because Non-A,Non-B hepatitis whose prevention has not yet been achieved is assumed to transfer to cirrhosis and hepatoma up to 10-30 years after infection in many infected persons (including carriers), early finding and early treatment are of course very important. Recently, it has been reported that the interferon (referred to as "IFN", hereinafter) therapy is effective for chronic patients, but the liver disorders can not be completely cured by the INF treatment alone, as seen from the fact that there are many cases re-suffering from the hepatitis even when the IFN treatment was terminated. Thus complete exclusion of NANBV from the patient bodies is difficult. It is rather significant to grasp the pathology of the disease in order to assume the treatment or prognosis, and because of this, it is strongly desired not only to detect antibodies to NANBV-related antigens but also to measure NANBV-related markers (i.e., antigens). Thus, the development of a method of obtaining NANBV virions, particularly NANBV-related antigens from infected sera in a simple way and in a high yield, as well as the detection or quantitative analysis of the virions or antigens, has been demanded.

Immunassay of non-A, non-B hepatitis virus-related antigens, monoclonal antibodies for use therein, and hybridomas producing the antibodies

The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science


In an embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided that includes a main transistor having a load path, a sense transistor configured to sense a main current flowing in the load path of the main transistor, and at least one bypass diode structure configured to protect the sense transistor. The at least one bypass diode structure is electrically coupled in parallel with the sense transistor.

Transistors used in power applications are typically fabricated using silicon (Si) semiconductor materials. Common transistor devices for power applications include Si CoolMOS® transistors, Si Power MOSFETs, and Si Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs).
For some power applications, it is desirable to measure the current in a power supply in order to provide fault detection and/or protection, current mode control voltage regulation, or current control, for example. One system to measure current in a power supply uses a field effect transistor (FET) which is commonly referred to as a sense FET. The sense field effect transistor is a small field effect transistor which is separate from the main power field effect transistor. The sense field effect transistor is generally configured to produce a voltage corresponding to the current in the main field effect transistor in order to provide current sensing and may be integrated into the same semiconductor body as the main field effect transistor.
US 2017/0322239 A1 discloses an example of a vertical trench semiconductor device with a split gate structure that includes a main field effect transistor and a current sensing field effect transistor that is configured to produce voltage corresponding to a drain source current of the main field effect transistor.
However, further improvements to provide more accurate and reliable current sensing in transistor devices including a current sensing functionality are desirable.

Semiconductor device having a main transistor, a sense transistor and at least one bypass diode structure


The invention relates to a surge arrester assembly with a plurality of parallel-connected arrester units (1) with polymer casing mounted in a rack. The lower and upper parts of the rack consist of bars (4a, 4b) of, for example, aluminium, which are included in the electric circuit. The bars are retained by, for example, support insulators (6) of porcelain or polymer material. The mechanical retention of the stacks of ZnO blocks of the arrester units (1) and the necessary contact pressure between the blocks are ensured by the rack structure. The electrical connections (23, 24) to the rack are arranged in such a way that, if a fault causing a short circuit in one of the block stacks occurs, the arc produced is blown by the current forces along the bars to the opposite end, where arcing horns (38) of a current-resistant material, for example steel, are arranged and where the arc may burn in a controlled manner without involving a risk to the environment. (FIG. 1 )

The present invention relates to a surge arrester assembly comprising a plurality of parallel-connected surge arrester units, each comprising a stack of a plurality of cylindrical arrester elements, preferably made of metal oxide varistor material, for example ZnO blocks, which are arranged one after the other in the axial direction of the arrester elements between two end electrodes and are surrounded by an elongated outer casing of polymeric material.
In connection with applications which require parallel connection of a great number of ZnO blocks, as, for example, for protection of series capacitors or the neutral bar in a high voltage direct current (HVDC) station, the enclosure constitutes a significant part of the arrester cost since both mechanical and electrical demands are placed thereon.


A vehicle seat and seat structure for use with an ISOFIX bar is disclosed. The vehicle seat can include a bottom portion, a back portion, a trim portion located between the bottom portion and the back portion, and left and right ISOFIX bars located at the trim portion. A trim cover, made from a flexible material such as a carpet, fabric, or other known vehicle interior material, can extend from a left side of the seat to a right side of the seat and can include left and right openings configured to allow the ISOFIX bars to pass therethrough. A one-piece integrally molded member can be overmolded onto the flexible material trim cover, and can include left and right pocket indents. The left and right pocket indents can each include a slot configured to allow a respective ISOFIX bar to pass therethrough.

The disclosed subject matter relates to a vehicle seat, seat trim cover, and a vehicle incorporating the same, as well as methods for use and manufacture thereof. More particularly, the disclosed subject matter relates to methods and apparatus related to placement and configuration of various seat components relative to an ISOFIX child restraint system.
ISOFIX is the international standard for attachment points for child safety seats in a passenger vehicle. The system has other regional names including LATCH ("Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children") and LUAS ("Lower Universal Anchorage System") or Canfix in Canada. It has also been called the "Universal Child Safety Seat System" or UCSSS.
ISOFIX is the International Organisation for Standardisation standard ISO 13216, which specifies the anchoring system for Group 1 child safety seats. The standard defines attachment points to be manufactured into vehicles, enabling compliant child safety seats to be quickly and safely secured to a vehicle seat. Use of ISOFIX structures to attach a child seat is an alternative to securing the child seat with seat belts. When using the ISOFIX structures, the child seat is secured with a single attachment at the top and two attachments at the base of each side of the child seat. The top attachment can be configured as a tether extending from the top of the child seat to a bar or loop like connection point located at a top of the vehicle seat. The two attachments at the base of each side of the child seat can be configured as two locking connection structures located in the base of the child seat that are configured to connect with and lock onto loop-like bar or wire structures (the ISOFIX bar structures) located in the hinge or trim cover area between the vehicle seat back and the vehicle seat bottom. Thus, with respect to the vehicle, the ISOFIX system includes a top bar/loop and two seat bar/loop anchor structures for attaching to a child seat. The center-to-center distance between the two seat anchors of ISOFIX (and also LATCH) systems is 280 mm.
There exists a long felt need to properly, economically, and aesthetically store or conceal the ISOFIX attachment structures when not in use, while providing easy access to the ISOFIX structures when desired, and achieving an efficient and cost effective manufacturing method for manufacturing vehicle seats that incorporate ISOFIX structures. Many attempts to store the ISOFIX structures have included the use of additional padded trim cover pillows and use of oversized seat backs or seat bottoms.

Seat and seat trim structure for a vehicle and vehicle having same


An edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device. The device includes an environmentally sensitive device, and at least one edge-sealed barrier stack. The edge-sealed barrier stack includes a decoupling layer and at least two barrier layers. The environmentally sensitive device is sealed between an edge-sealed barrier stack and either a substrate or another edge-sealed barrier stack. A method of making the edge-sealed, encapsulated environmentally sensitive device is also disclosed.

The invention relates generally to multilayer, thin film barrier composites, and more particularly, to multilayer, thin film barrier composites having the edges sealed against lateral moisture and gas diffusion.
Multilayer, thin film barrier composites having alternating layers of barrier material and polymer material are known. These composites are typically formed by depositing alternating layers of barrier material and polymer material, such as by vapor deposition. If the polymer layers are deposited over the entire surface of the substrate, then the edges of the polymer layers are exposed to oxygen, moisture, and other contaminants. This potentially allows the moisture, oxygen, or other contaminants to diffuse laterally into an encapsulated environmentally sensitive device from the edge of the composite, as shown in FIG. 1. The multilayer, thin film barrier composite 100 includes a substrate 105 and alternating layers of decoupling material 110 and barrier material 115. The scale of FIG. 1 is greatly expanded in the vertical direction. The area of the substrate 105 will typically vary from a few square centimeters to several square meters. The barrier layers 115 are typically a few hundred Angstroms thick, while the decoupling layers 110 are generally less than ten microns thick. The lateral diffusion rate of moisture and oxygen is finite, and this will eventually compromise the encapsulation. One way to reduce the problem of edge diffusion is to provide long edge diffusion paths. However, this decreases the area of the substrate which is usable for active environmentally sensitive devices. In addition, it only lessens the problem, but does not eliminate it.
A similar edge diffusion problem will arise when a substrate containing a multilayer, thin film barrier composite is scribed and separated to create individual components.


An integrated analog data receiver for a capacitive touch screen. An analog data receiver circuit for a touch screen device is provided including a sigma delta analog to digital converter configured for direct connection to an analog output of a touch screen device, and further including an integrator circuit having an input coupled for receiving the analog output signal and outputting an integrated output voltage; a comparator coupled to the integrated output voltage and a first bias voltage and outputting a comparison voltage; a clocked sampling latch coupled to the comparison voltage and to a clock signal and outputting quantized data bits corresponding to samples of the comparison voltage; and a digital filter and decimator coupled to the clocked sampling latch and outputting serial data bits which form a digital representation corresponding to the output of the touch screen device. Additional circuits and systems are disclosed.

In a system that uses a touch screen that combines user input and display functions, projective capacitive touch screens are increasingly used. These touch screens do not require pressure or even actual contact to detect a finger used to indicate an input at a location on a two dimensional touch screen. The use of projective capacitive touch screens on smartphones and tablet devices has increased markedly in recent years. These touch screen devices can also be used in many other applications.
In a projective capacitive touch screen display, in one known approach, a grid of conductors are formed with rectangular conductors spaced from one another by a dielectric. A capacitance is formed at each grid intersection by the presence of two plates (the conductor material) spaced by a dielectric. In a touch screen display, the conductive network overlies a display device such as an LED/LCD display, and icons or symbols may be displayed to indicate different actions that can be taken in response to a selection by a user, for example. The touch screen therefore needs to be transparent to allow the user to view the underlying display. Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) touch screens are often used because this conductive material provides the needed transparency. Other conductive materials may be used. A protective layer such as a glass or similarly hard and transparent material is provided over the touch screen. When a conductive second element, such as a human finger, approaches the touch screen the capacitance in the area where the touch is occurring changes (a finger or conductive stylus which creates a parallel capacitive element proximate to the node), and this change can be detected by circuitry coupled to the touch screen to indicate a touch at a specific location. Using this information, a processor can then determine what action is to be taken. For a few non-limiting examples, in a smartphone or tablet device, the processor can launch an application, start or stop a process, input a number that has been touched, or change the display to another screen to reflect the user's input.
FIG. 1 depicts in a simple block diagram a device 10 such as a smartphone or tablet computer presented to illustrate an application for a projective capacitive touch screen. In device 10, a body or chassis 11 supports a touch screen display 13. The device 10 is not limited to smartphones and tablet computers; device 10 can be any device where a user interface using touch can be utilized. Examples include, without limiting the scope of the present application, industrial controls, consumer controls such as thermostats, security alarms, door openers, home lighting, sound systems, video systems, medical devices such as monitors and testers, portable devices such as pagers, music players, video players, fitness monitors, timekeeping devices, radios, stereos, televisions, set top boxes, laptop and "convertible" personal computers, desktop computers, workstations, and the like.
FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of a touch screen device 100 in operation. In FIG. 2, finger 110 is shown touching the surface 112 of a touch screen device 100. The protective screen 108, which may be glass, sapphire glass, or another transparent layer such as polycarbonate that provides mechanical and moisture protection, is touched. Conductor 102 forms a first plate of the capacitor Cp, the panel capacitor at that location. Conductor 104 provides a second plate. The insulating layer 106 spaces the two conductor layers and forms the dielectric for the capacitor Cp. As can be seen in FIG. 2, as the finger 110 (which can also be, for example, a conductive stylus or similar tool) makes contact or almost makes contact with the surface 112, the capacitor Cf is placed in parallel with the capacitor Cp and this changes the capacitance at the location where the touch occurs. A touch screen panel can have tens, hundreds or thousands of the capacitors Cp in an array across the panel. The array of nodes is used to provide an accurate location for the touch, so that the correct location is determined for use by the system.
FIG. 3 depicts a prior known solution for receiving the output of a touch screen panel and for providing a digital data output DO for use by a system 300 that includes the touch screen panel 301.
In FIG. 3, a portion of a touch screen panel 301 that senses the capacitance change on sense capacitor C0 has an output labeled 'e' that is coupled to an analog data receiver 310. The analog to data receiver circuit 310 can be implemented as one or more monolithic integrated circuits. In a known prior solution, the circuit 310 is coupled to the panel 301 by a ribbon cable or flex cable connection (not shown) which adds resistance to the system 300. If monolithic integrated circuits are not used, off-the-shelf and/or discrete components can be used instead on a board such as a printed circuit board (PCB) or module to form circuit 310.
In the analog data receiver circuit 310, the first stage 303 implements a trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) and the second stage 305 implements, in this illustrative and non-limiting example, a Sallen-Key band pass filter. The output Vout is an analog voltage that is then converted by an analog to digital converter 311 (ADC) to a digital representation of the input signal 'e'. The digital data outputs DO are then available for further processing by the system.
In operation, the sense capacitor C0 receives as an input a time varying voltage Vin such as a sinusoidal stimulus signal. Because the current sourced from a capacitor is equal to the capacitance multiplied by the change in voltage, e.g., dQ/dt=I=C dV/dt, the output 'e' of the sense capacitor C0 from the panel 301 is taken as a current. The trans-impedance amplifier TIA 303 receives the analog current signal and outputs a corresponding voltage signal to the band pass filter 305, and the band pass filter circuit 305 then outputs the voltage Vout to the ADC 311.
The architecture of the analog data receiver 310 (sometimes referred to as an "analog front end" or AFE) has several disadvantages. To illustrate these, some further analysis of the circuitry is needed.
To obtain the maximum signal to noise ratio (SNR) possible, the input voltage Vin may be driven at a full voltage scale. In order to maintain the same voltage domain at the receiver end, the capacitor Cf1 in circuit 303, the TIA circuit, must be less than or equal to the sense capacitor C0. This arrangement attenuates the input signal, as shown in Equation 1:
                    1        =                              e            Vin                    =                                                    C                                                                                0                                            Cf                                                                                1                                      <            1                                              Equation                                                  1
The noise factor N.F. of the signal passed into the Sallen-Key filter 305 can be written in terms of the Friis equation for multiple stage amplifiers, as shown in Equation 2:
                              N          .          F          .                =                              F                                                                          1                    +                                                    F                                                                                2                            -              1                                      G                                                                                1                                                          Equation                                                  2            Where F1 is the noise factor of the TIA stage 303, G1 is the gain of the TIA stage 303, and F2 is the noise factor of the second stage 305
The band pass filter nature of the entire system can be expressed as:
                              Vout                      Vin                                      (                              Tx                                                  [                  n                  ]                                            )                                      =                                            sC                                                                                0                            Rf                                                                                1                                      (                                                SCfRf                                                                                1                                +                1                            )                                ⋆                      (                                          Ks                                  C                                                                                1                                    r                                                                                1                                                                                s                        2                                            +                                              s                        (                                                                                (                                                              1                                                                  C                                                                                1                                                                                )                                                                                (                                                                                (                                                                      1                                                                          R                                                                                1                                                                                )                                                                +                                                                  (                                                                      1                                                                          R                                                                                2                                                                                )                                                                +                                                                                (                                                                          1                                                                              R                                                                                3                                                                                )                                                                                (                                                                          1                                      -                                      K                                                                        )                                                                                )                                                                                +                                                                                (                                                      1                                                          C                                                                                2                                                            R                                                                                2                                                                                )                                                )                                            +                                              (                                                                                R                                                                                1                                                        +                                                          R                                                                                3                                                                                C                                                                                1                                                        C                                                                                2                                                        R                                                                                1                                                        R                                                                                2                                                        R                                                                                3                                                                          )                                                                                )                                              Equation                                                  3
The angular center frequency ω0 that corresponds to the bandwidth being passed by the system is given by Equation 4:
                              ω                                                              0                =                                            (                                                R                                                                                1                                +                                  R                                                                                3                                            )                                      C                                                                                1                            C                                                                                2                            R                                                                                3                            R                                                                                1                            R                                                                                2                                                          Equation                                                  4
The bandwidth for the system is given by Equation 5:
                              B          .          W          .                =                                            (                              1                                  C                                                                                1                                            )                                                  (                                                (                                      1                                          R                                                                                1                                                        )                                +                                  (                                      1                                          R                                                                                2                                                        )                                +                                                      (                                          1                                              R                                                                                3                                                              )                                                                          (                                          1                      -                      K                                        )                                                              )                                +                      (                          1                              C                                                                                2                                R                                                                                2                                      )                                              Equation                                                  5
The Gain for the system is given by Equation 6:
                    Gain        =                              KC                                                                          0                                C                                                                          1                        R                                                                          1                                      B              .              W              .              Cf                                                          Equation                                                  6
In considering the performance of the overall system, it can be seen from examining Equations 3 and 5 above that the bandwidth B.W. and the peak frequency ω0 depend on the values of discrete components C1, C2, R2, R1, and R3, whereas the gain depends on K, C0 and inversely depends on C1, R1, B.W. and Cf, as given by Equation 6.
In order to increase the gain of the system, K (the gain of the op amp 309) can be increased as seen in Equation 6. However, if K is increased significantly, the band pass filter may enter an instability region, for example it may begin to oscillate. Therefore K should be limited in order to avoid instability or oscillation. The total harmonic distortion (THD) will also increase as K increases. This limits the ability of the circuit designer to increase the gain.
The analog data receiver topology of the known prior solution analog data receiver 310 that is illustrated in FIG. 3 also requires a high number of passive components, including 6 resistors, 3 capacitors, and 2 active analog amplifiers. Then, to finally obtain a digital output, the prior known solution also requires an additional analog to digital converter (ADC) following the analog amplifiers. This circuit topology makes integration of the analog data receiver 310 in a monolithic integrated circuit difficult. Depending on the semiconductor technology node used to manufacture the integrated circuits, multiple integrated circuits can be required to implement the amplifiers and passive components and to then form the analog to digital converter 311 to complete the analog receiver solution for the touch screen. Further, it may not be possible to form multiple signal channels on a single integrated circuit using these prior known approaches.
The use of the large number of passive components on such an integrated circuit makes process tolerances in semiconductor manufacturing difficult, as each of the passive components has to be formed with a precise value. As is known to those skilled in the art, when a circuit has a low tolerance to process and temperature dependent device variations, semiconductor manufacturing yields are lowered and costs therefore increase for the good devices that are produced. Even after the analog receiver data 310 is provided, additional components that process the digital signals are still needed to complete the overall solution, requiring still further circuitry. The silicon area needed to implement the many passive components in analog data receiver 310 makes further integration with the ADC 311 or with other functions difficult, increasing board area and increasing the total number of integrated circuits needed to complete a system with a touch screen display.
Improvements are therefore needed in the analog data receiver circuitry for touch screen devices, such as for the analog front end of touch screen systems, in order to address the deficiencies and the disadvantages of the prior known approaches. Solutions are needed that reduce the number of passive components, reduce the active analog circuitry, increase tolerances to process and temperature device variation, and which improve the performance and increase the level of integration of the circuits.

Integrated receiver and ADC for capacitive touch sensing apparatus and methods


A laser thermal imaging apparatus includes a substrate stage configured to receive a substrate, a beam irradiation unit over the substrate stage, the beam irradiation unit being configured to irradiate an alignment laser beam onto an alignment mark of the substrate, and a beam observing unit facing the beam irradiation unit, the substrate stage being interposed between the beam observing unit and the beam irradiation unit, the beam observing unit being configured to observe the alignment laser beam and a shadow of the alignment mark formed by the alignment mark.

1. Field
Embodiments relate to a laser thermal imaging apparatus and a laser thermal imaging method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display has received much attention as a display device for displaying images. An organic emission layer included in the OLED display may be formed by using a laser thermal imaging apparatus performing laser induced thermal imaging (LITI).
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.

Laser induced thermal imaging apparatus and laser induced thermal imaging method


A connector electrically connects corresponding conductors of at least first and second cables. The connector comprises a connecting portion into which the conductors of the first and second cables are inserted opposing one another to electrically connect corresponding conductors of each cable. A positive terminal and a negative terminal terminate and electrically connect corresponding conductors of each cable.

The present application relates to electric connectors. It finds particular application in conjunction with lighting systems and will be described with a particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the following also relates to electrical systems and the like.
Insulation displacement connectors (IDC) are used to interconnect conductors which have a wire surrounded by an outer insulating layer. These devices typically include a central body or housing having one or more channels for receiving the conductors, and a metallic contact element such as U-element which provides the electrical connection between the conductors. As the U-element contacts the insulated conductor, the inner walls of the U-element penetrate the outer insulating layer and make contact with the metal wire.
Typically, to connect multi-conductor parallel cables by using commercially available IDC splice connectors the wires are cut and separated. Corresponding cut and separated wires from the two cables are inserted into the connector. The connection is terminated separately for each pair of corresponding wires. Thus, this process must be completed for each set of wires to be connected using a different connector each time.
Other known connectors require a similar process but can connect multiple wires together through an intermediate connecting part so the whole connection requires three separate assemblies, e.g., for three sets of wires.
Such termination procedures are complex and labor intensive. In addition, the miniature lighting products use miniature IDC connectors. When the connectors mentioned above scaled down, they often become fragile and break easily.


The present invention is to provide a technique which optimizes a gate resistor of a bias circuit to thereby make it possible to greatly improve a distortion characteristic of a power amplifier. A bias circuit used as for biasing the gate of a final-stage power transistor is included in a power amplifier provided in a communication mobile system. In the bias circuit, an inductance and a resistor are series-connected between a power supply voltage and the gate of the power transistor. The resistance value of the resistor is set to approximately the same order as an input impedance of the power transistor. When the input impedance of the power transistor is about 10Ω or so, for example, the resistor is set to about a few Ω to about 100Ω. Thus, the gain of the power transistor at a low-frequency band can greatly be suppressed.

The present invention relates to a technique for amplifying a transmit signal, which is employed in mobile communication equipment, and particularly to a technique effective in improving a distortion characteristic of a power amplifier for amplifying a transmit signal, which is based on a third-generation mobile communication system.
A cellular phone has recently been widely prevalent as one for one mobile communication. There has been a demand for diversity even with respect to its function. A power amplifier for power amplification in an IF (high-frequency) module used in the cellular phone requires high efficiency, high linearity, etc. to transmit more information in a short period of time as in an extension of a communication time, a transfer of image information, etc.
For example, a power amplifier typified by a communication system of GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) comprises a power FET (Field Effect Transistor) nearest to an antenna, an FET for a driver, impedance matching circuits, gate bias circuits and drain bias circuits, etc.
The impedance matching circuits are provided on the input and output sides. Further, the impedance matching circuit is provided between the power FET and the FET for the driver. The gate bias circuits respectively apply bias voltages to the gates of the power FET and the FET for the driver. The drain bias circuits respectively apply bias voltages to the drains of the power FET and the FET for the driver.
In the power amplifier, the positions and capacitance values of electrostatic capacitive elements constituting the impedance matching circuits, and the inductance values of inductors, etc. are adjusted to optimize impedance matching. Then, a propagated harmonic signal is trapped to set input-output characteristics for the purpose of making satisfaction thereof, whereby an improvement in distortion characteristic is made.

Power amplifying semiconductor integrated circuit device for use in communication equipment


An image forming method comprises: fixing an image formed by a toner on a record sheet in a nip member formed by a pressurizing member which is compressibly contacted against a heating fixing rotor having an elastic body layer formed on an endless periphery surface capable of orbitally moving and which creates locally a large distortion occurred in the elastic body layer in vicinity of outlet thereof,                wherein the toner includes at least two metal salts having different valence and has a relationship given by the Formula (1).2.0≧a≧0.1 1.0≧b≧0.01 7.5≧a/b≧1.1   Formula (1)wherein a (mass %) is defined as a content of a metal salt which is contained at a highest content in total toner mass and b (mass %) is defined as a content of a metal salt which is contained at a second-highest content in the total toner mass, and mass values of a and b represent anhydride reduced values.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming method, which is applicable to a photocopying machine, a printer, a facsimile equipment or the like, and in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on an image support member, and the formed electrostatic latent image is developed with toner, and pictorial image is formed.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, in the copying machine which utilizes an electrophotography process, it is necessary to fix an unfixed toner image formed on the recording sheet to form an eternity image, and a heating roller fixing method conducted by the heating and the pressurization is a general fixing method. That is, a known apparatus is a heating roller type fixing apparatus, which comprises: a heating roller which comprises a heater lamp within a cylindrical core metal and a heat resistant releasing layer formed on the outer surface thereof; and a pressure roller which is disposed in a compressibly contacting manner against this heating roller (fixing roll), and comprises a heat-resistant elastic body layer formed on outer surface of the cylindrical core metal, wherein a fixing process is conducted by applying a constant pressure between both these rollers and inserting therebetween a support member such as normal paper on which an unfixed toner image is formed. Because the heating roller type fixing apparatus used for this system has higher thermal efficiency, in comparison with other heating fixing methods such as a flash fixing system and an oven fixing system, and thus requires lower electric power, provides better processing speed, and also provides lower fire-hazardous nature caused by a paper jam, the heating roller type fixing apparatus is the most popular system at the present time.
However, since the fixing apparatus of the heating roller fixing system using the heating roller (rotating part materials for fixing) requires to heat the heating roller for fixing having larger heat capacity, when transference materials and the toner are heated with the heating roller having halogen heater therein, it is disadvantageous for the energy conservation effect, and thus it provides poor energy conservation, and further, since time consumes for warming up the fixing apparatus in a printing process, there is problem of requiring longer printing time (warming up time).
In recent years, there is a demand for increasing the fixing rate in such heating roller type fixing apparatus, and in order to satisfy the demand, the width of the nip region, or in other words the nip width, is required to be increased. Here, methods for increasing the nip width include a method for increasing the load exerted between these rollers, or a method for increasing roller diameter of both the fixing roller and the pressure roller, or the like. However, there is a limitation in the available fixing rate that can correspond with these methods, and in order to apply for the higher fixing rate region, a heating roller belt type fixing apparatus is developed.
Pressurizing belts employed for the heating roller belt type fixing apparatus as mentioned above may mainly and be classified into two types of belts, in general. More specifically, the belts are classified into:    1) fluorine resin-coated belt, which is formed by coating the base film of endless belt shape with an adhesive referred to as "primer", and thereafter thinly coating thereof with a fluorine resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoroethylene (PFA) and so on; and    2) silicone rubber coating belt or fluorine-containing rubber coating belt, which is formed by thinly coating the base film having endless belt shape with silicone rubber or fluorine-containing rubber via a primer therebetween.
As the fixing system that employs the metal belt (belt member) having the above mentioned rubber layer, and has an exothermic roller (exothermic roller member), which heats the belt member and provided in the inside of belt member, is disclosed in, for example, JP-Tokukai 2000-267356, JP-Tokukai 2000-60050 and JP-Tokukai 09-138599.
However, the above-mentioned proposed fixing apparatus, which uses endless belt, has a drawback of having lower fixing strength due to its lower fixing load (pressurization) as compared with the heating roller system, and among other things, there are various problems of varying the fixing strength depending on the types of the toner and the transfer paper, and thus it is the present situation that does not reach to apply the fixing apparatus containing this system to the application of a high speed printer and a high speed photocopying machine.
Furthermore, since the above-mentioned fixing system involves heating the toner image, a minor constituent included in the toner is released into the atmosphere, and there is a case, which causes an unpleasant odor for the users. More in recent years, accompanying with the reduction of the size of the photocopying machine and the printer, opportunity of using them with intimacy becomes increasingly in offices. In addition, the opportunity of using such machines in general families have been increased, and as a result, the case, in which odor emitted from the toner gives an unpleasant feeling to the user, increases more often than conventional.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite has demonstrated tremendous potential for the next generation of electronic and optoelectronic devices due to their remarkable carrier dynamics. However, current studies of electronic and optoelectronic devices have been focused on polycrystalline materials, due to the challenges in synthesizing device compatible high quality single crystalline materials. Here, we firstly report the epitaxial growth of single crystal hybrid perovskites with controlled locations, morphologies, and orientations, using combined strategies of lithography, homoepitaxy, and low temperature solution method. The crystals grow following a layer-by-layer model under controlled growth parameters. The process is robust and can be readily scaled up. The as-grown epitaxial single crystals were integrated in an array of light emitting diodes, each crystal as a pixel with enhanced quantum efficiencies. This capability opens up new opportunities for designing and fabricating a diverse range of high performance electronic and optoelectronic devices using crystalline hybrid perovskites.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have demonstrated significant potential for next generation electronic and optoelectronic devices due to their remarkable carrier dynamics. However, current studies of electronic and optoelectronic devices have focused on polycrystalline materials, due to the challenges in synthesizing device compatible high quality single crystalline materials.
In more detail, organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials (CH3NH3PbX3, X=Cl, Br, I) have attracted wide attention because of their properties such as low-temperature solution processability, tunable bandgap, and high carrier mobility. Due to these merits, organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials have been used in various types of optoelectronics devices including solar cells, photodetectors, lasers, and light emitting diodes (LEDs). However, current studies are focused on polycrystalline materials, which suffer from high defect concentration and therefore high free carrier recombination rate.
To improve device performance, various methods have been reported to improve the crystallinity of polycrystalline thin films such as thermal annealing, hot-casting, and solvent engineering. For example, the photo conversion efficiency was increased from 1% to 18% by increasing grain size from ˜1 μm to ˜180 μm. Different conversion strategies were demonstrated, but domain boundaries and defects were created during the crystal expansion or contraction processes. Van der Waals (VDW) epitaxial growth on mica was achieved, but the VDW force is much weaker than covalent bonds in conventional chemical epitaxy and does not allow robust growth in large scale.
Single crystal perovskite, with low levels of trap densities, grain boundaries and pinholes, can enhance the efficient transportation of charge carriers and minimize the nonradiative recombination. Centimeter-sized single crystals have been demonstrated with excellent optoelectronic properties. However, these materials have little controllability in their growth process and outcome, and their bulk size does not allow them to be integrated in electronic or optoelectronic devices that are typically based on thin films.
State-of-the-art approaches for integrating functional materials (e.g., Si and III-V materials) into devices such as epitaxial growth and microfabrication do not apply to hybrid perovskite materials, because of two significant challenges: the absence of a lattice matched substrate that allows its robust chemical epitaxial growth, and its vulnerability to trace amount of water that precludes it from using standard lithography-based microfabrication.
This Background is provided to introduce a brief context for the Summary and Detailed Description that follow. This Background is not intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter nor be viewed as limiting the claimed subject matter to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages or problems presented above.

Controlled homo-epitaxial growth of hybrid perovskites

THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA


A Class D peripheral is integrated with a microcontroller as a general purpose driver for providing many different Class D power applications such as motor and solenoid control, audio amplification, etc. Use of a simple triangle waveform (saw tooth) oscillator normally used for detecting changes in capacitance values in combination with a voltage comparator provides inexpensive generation of pulse width modulation (PWM) suitable for a wide range of Class D power applications. Selection of either an external audio input or an internal processor controlled analog reference provides for flexible adaptability to any Class D power driver requirement.

All Class D modulation techniques encode information about an analog voltage, a fixed or time varying analog voltage, e.g., a DC control voltage or an audio signal into a stream of pulses. Generally, the pulse widths are linked to the amplitude of the analog voltage, and the spectrum of the pulses includes the desired analog information. The most common modulation technique is pulse-width modulation (PWM). Conceptually, PWM compares the input analog voltage to a triangular or ramping up and down waveform that runs at a fixed carrier frequency. This creates a stream of pulses at the carrier frequency. Within each period of the carrier frequency, the duty ratio of the PWM pulse is proportional to the amplitude of the analog voltage. PWM is attractive because it allows 100-dB or better audio-band SNR at PWM carrier frequencies of a few hundred kilohertz, low enough to limit switching losses in the output stage. Also many PWM modulators are stable up to nearly 100 percent modulation, in concept permitting high output power up to the point of overloading. Class D power drivers have many uses including but not limited to audio amplification, motor and servo control, and the like.