A signal processing circuit includes a signal processing section which generates first address data and second address data in accordance with data processing, reads data stored in an external memory based on the first address data and the second address data for performing a predetermined processing, and outputs processed data along with the first address data and the second address data, an address conversion section which, receiving the first address data and the second address data input thereto, holds at least 1 bit of the first address and outputs third address data, and also adds the at least 1 bit of the held first address data to the second address and outputs fourth address data, and a data interface which performs a writing operation or a reading operation of the data processed by the signal processing section with respect to the external memory on the basis of a time when the address conversion section outputs the third address data and the forth address data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a signal processing circuit which generates address data in accordance with data processing and reads out data stored in an external memory (based on the address data) for performing predetermined processing, and which generates address data in accordance with processed data and writes the processed data in the external memory in accordance with the address data.
2. Related Art
FIG. 6 shows a structure of a related art signal processing circuit 200. The signal processing circuit 200 is composed of a signal processing section 210 which performs predetermined signal processing and a memory access section 220 which writes data and address data generated by the signal processing section 210 in SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) 100 and also reads data from the SDRAM 100 based on the address data generated by the signal processing section 210. The signal processing circuit 200 is formed on a single semiconductor substrate and is connected to the SDRAM 100.
The signal processing section 210 includes an address generation section 212 which generates address data for access to the SDRAM 100. The signal processing section 210 can be configured to decode video data such as Mpeg (Moving picture experts group), and the address generation section 212 generates address data suitable for the video data format.
The address generation section 212 generates row address data and column address data in accordance with data to be processed by the signal processing section 210, and also generates command data for access to the SDRAM 100. The command data includes, for example, an ACT command for designating a row address for access to the SDRAM 100, a WR command for writing data in the SDRAM 100 by designating a column address of the SDRAM 100, and an RD command for reading data from the SDRAM 100 by designating a column address of the SDRAM 100.
The memory access section 220 includes a register 222 which temporarily stores the command data and the address data generated by the address generation section 212 and a data interface (I/F) 240 which temporarily stores data read from the SDRAM 100 or data to be written in the SDRAM 100 to control reading and writing of data. The memory access section 220 is connected with the SDRAM 100 to output the command data and the address data stored in the register 222 to each of a plurality of terminals of the SDRAM 100 and to perform reading and writing of data with respect to the SDRAM 100 in accordance with the address data output from the register 222.
The SDRAM 100 is a memory cell array formed by row addresses and column addresses. The SDRAM 100 performs data reading and data writing operations in accordance with the command data and the address data output from the memory access section 220. The detailed structure of the SDRAM 100 will be described below.
Mpeg video signals, for example, are decoded in units of pixel blocks each formed of 8×8 pixels. If the SDRAM 100 has a storage capacity of 256 Mbits (16 Mwords×16 bits), in which case the SDRAM 100 is controlled by 13-bit row address data and 9-bit column address data, the address generation section 212 generates 13-bit row address data and 9-bit column address data in accordance with the of 8×8 pixels data format for access to the SDRAM 100.
If the signal processing circuit 200 is a circuit for decoding Mpeg video signals with high quality, it is necessary for the signal processing circuit 200 to process a larger amount of data with the increase in the image quality. Consequently, the signal processing circuit 200 requires the SDRAM 100 which is capable of storing a larger amount of data.
Here, when the SDRAM 100 having a large storage capacity is provided, the number of bits of the row address data and the column address data is changed with the increase in the storage capacity. If the storage capacity of the SDRAM 100 is increased to 512 Mbits (32 Mwords×16 bits), for example, it is necessary to control such an SDRAM 100 with 13-bit row address data and 10-bit column address data.
Accordingly, even if a 512 Mbit SDRAM 100 is connected with the conventional signal processing circuit 200 which includes the address generation circuit 212 which complies with the 256 Mbit SDRAM 100, it is not possible to use the entire storage region of the 512 Mbit SDRAM 100. Therefore, when developing a signal processing circuit which complies with a 512 Mbit SDRAM 100, it is necessary to design a new address generation section which generates 13-bit row address data and 10-bit column address data in accordance with the 8×8 pixels data format, resulting in an increase in the costs for the signal processing circuit associated with the increased development costs.


An automobile light having a decorative coating having a reflector and a bezel connected to the reflector. The decorative coating is applied to one or both of the reflector or the bezel. The decorative coating includes a decorative layer that has a golden appearance.

This invention relates to an improved coating for use in exterior automobile uses. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved decorative and reflective coating for use with automotive lighting applications.
Physical vapor deposition is one technique used to fix metallic compounds to a wide variety of substrates, such as automobile parts. Physical vapor deposition can be practiced by a wide variety of techniques, such as thermal evaporation or sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, ion plating, electroplating, plasma spraying, and the like. The sputtering process can be done by direct current (D.C.) sputtering, alternating current (A.C.) sputtering, radio frequency sputtering, or magnetron sputtering deposition or other suitable techniques. As known, a sputtering process is performed in a high vacuum system equipped with a target assembly and platens for holding the substrate, a tungsten tile in this invention, and preferably employs a magnetron. An inert gas, such as argon, helium, neon, krypton, or xenon, is introduced into a conventional sputtering system in the 1-10 mTorr range to provide the proper operating pressure.
It is known to provide an automobile light with a reflector. The reflector may be produced by fixing a thin layer of a metallic compound to a substrate. Metallic compounds can also be fixed to exterior surfaces of the automobile. For example, trim and other types of decorative features may employ one or more thin layers of the metallic compound to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the automobile. Current techniques for applying the thin layers of the metallic compound can produce decorative coatings which are uneven and lead to undesirable appearances. Likewise, current decorative coatings are limited in the range of colors or tints available to increasingly sophisticated consumers. When applied to automobile lights, the uneven coatings and limited tint selection may be particularly aesthetically unpleasing. It would thus be desirable to produce an improved coating for use in automobile light applications.
The above objects as well as other objects not specifically enumerated are achieved by an automobile light having a decorative coating having a reflector and a bezel connected to the reflector. The decorative coating is applied to one or both of the reflector or the bezel. The decorative coating includes a decorative layer that has a golden appearance.
According to this invention there is also provided an automobile light having a decorative coating having a reflector and a bezel connected to the reflector. The decorative coating is applied to one or both of the reflector or the bezel. The decorative coating includes a decorative layer that is a magnetron sputtered decorative layer having copper in an amount of about 90 percent.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

Decorative coating for exterior automotive lighting applications


A nonmetallic container adapted for use as a tool or utility box in a pickup truck which is preferably unitarily constructed of linear high-density polyethylene and is adapted to fit both standard and compact pickup trucks.

Pickup trucks comprise a large portion of the vehicles currently in use. One problem present in pickup trucks is that a minimum amount of enclosed space is provided for the protection and storage of tools and other valuable items. To provide for storage and transportation of items in a pickup truck, it is common to use tool or utility boxes which fit between the side panels behind the cab of the pickup truck. In the past, these boxes were commonly made from metallic materials by use of welded construction. However, the metal boxes are subject to rust and corrosion, particularly when used in coastal localities or when used for storing substances that are reactive with metals.
More recently, to avoid these corrosion problems, tool or utility boxes have been manufactured from noncorrosive thermoplastic polymers such as high-density polyethylene. Two such containers are marketed under the tradenames NEVR-RUST TOOL-TAINER and ROUGHRIDER by Nevr-Rust Tool-Tainer, Inc. and by Cardinal American, respectively.
The first container is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,011 and employs telescoping members with underlying support means. The telescoping members permit the width of the box to be adjusted so as to accommodate different width beds. The underlying support means are required because of the loss in strength and rigidity which is experienced through use of the telescoping members.
The second container apparently employs a one piece molded tub-like bottom to which a lid assembly having two hinged covers is subsequently mounted.
Both of the prior art containers employ covers having hinged end portions that are upwardly inclined relative to the horizontal plane extending between the tops of the pickup side panels. These inclined covers partially obstruct the vision of the pickup operator through the rear window, particularly during backing, and are therefore hazardous to use. Furthermore, both containers have covers that are reinforced by raised outside edges and longitudinal trusses. These design features are undesirable because they tend to trap water, dirt and other debris, and spoil the outward appearance of the containers. Also, because the covers are not mounted flush with the web portion of the body disposed between, the covers, the hinges are more easily knocked out of alignment or broken when other objects or materials are hauled in the same pickup bed.


For controlling a voltage in a power grid including a PV bus and a PQ bus, a first tolerance range for an active power of the PV bus and a second tolerance range for an active power of the PQ bus are received. A first value for a reactive power of the PQ bus is received. With that, a robust optimization process is run for a set of power flow equations. The first and second tolerance ranges and the first reactive power value are input to the robust optimization process using the first and second tolerance ranges as robust optimization uncertainty. With that, the robust optimization process determines a voltage set point for the PV bus so that the set of power flow equations is fulfilled for the first and second tolerance ranges. According to the determined voltage set point, a voltage at the PV bus is controlled.

In contemporary power grids for transmission and/or distribution of electrical power, it becomes increasingly complex to control the voltage of the various buses of the power grid. This is at least partially due to the increase of renewable power supply, which leads to faster power flow variations and reverse power flow from distribution grids to transmission grids.
Usually, a voltage control is to fulfill several requirements. First, the voltage of PQ buses (e.g., buses where the voltage cannot be controlled directly) may be within predetermined voltage limits Examples for PQ buses are load buses or buses with renewable power supply. Second, the voltage of PV buses (e.g., buses where the voltage level can be controlled directly) may be close to a nominal voltage value. Examples for PV buses are generator buses with conventional generators or buses with on-load tap changer (OLTC) transformers, reactive power compensators, flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS), or DC power grid terminals. These requirements may be fulfilled even in case of fast power variations of, for example, a renewable power supply. Hence, the voltage control may allow for a fast re-optimization after significant power flow variations, even for large power grids.
Known methods for voltage control in a power grid include methods based on numerically solving a set of nonlinear power flow equations, which combine values for active powers, reactive powers, voltage amplitudes and phase angles of the PV buses and the PQ buses of the power grid. It is known to solve these power flow equations for the voltage amplitudes at the PQ buses by inputting the values for the active and reactive power supply and demand at the PQ buses and the active power supply and demand and voltage amplitude at the PV buses. These input values are measured or estimated (e.g., based on predetermined load profiles). According to known methods, the optimal voltage levels at the PV buses are not determined directly but rather by an iterative solution of the power flow equations for different voltage levels. This often implies time consuming calculations. The dependence on estimated or varying values for the active and reactive power supply and demand leads to a significant increase of numerical complexity.

Method, controller, and computer program product for controlling a voltage in a power grid


A device is for actuating the flaps of an optical waveguide splicer. The device includes a wind protection flap that can be rotated around a first rotational axis between a closed state and an open state, a first holding flap that's is arranged underneath the wind protection flap on a side of a splicing location and can be swiveled around a second rotational axis between a closed state and an open state and a second holding flap that is arranged underneath the wind protection flap on the remaining side of the splicing location and can be swiveled around the second rotational axis. The wind protection flap is provided with a first coupling device via which the first holding flap and/or the second holding flap can be coupled to the movement of the wind protection flap from the closed state into the open state.

Microprocessor-controlled splicers are known which are used for producing mechanically firm, long-term stable and low-attenuation connections between optical waveguides. In this case, the ends of two fibers, which are aligned exactly with respect to one another, are welded by using an arc which is produced between two electrodes. The fiber positioning and the welding process are carried out automatically, thus ensuring equally good results irrespective of the operator.
Appliances such as these (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,827 A), which are generally portable, are used for welding optical waveguides in situ.
These splicers have various flaps for picking up and holding the optical waveguides on the splicer, and these flaps can be operated individually by the operator. In detail, these flaps have a right-hand LID (Local Injection and Detection) flap, a right-hand and a left-hand holding flap, and a wind protection flap. In order to insert a fiber, for example the right-hand fiber, this fiber is inserted into a right-hand fiber guide so that it projects toward the splicing location, and the right-hand holding flap is closed by rotating it about an axis. The right-hand fiber is then held firmly in the right-hand fiber guide. The right-hand LID flap is then closed, so that the right-hand fiber is held firmly in a groove under the right-hand LID flap. A corresponding procedure is carried out on the left-hand side. When the right-hand and left-hand holding flaps and the right-hand and left-hand LID flaps are closed, the wind protection flap is rotated above the right-hand and left-hand holding flaps, by rotating it about an axis. Further, it is closed, with the wind protection flap providing protection against the wind while working in situ, since such wind could move and interfere with the arc which is produced between two electrodes at the splicing location. The wind protection flap contains a lighting unit, with whose aid an image of the splicing location is produced and is displayed on a monitor. After the splicing process, the flaps are opened individually in order to remove the welded optical waveguide, and in order to insert new fibers.

Device for actuating the flap of optical waveguide splicers


[PROBLEM] To manufacture a quantum cascade laser (QCL) element having a reduced threshold current density (Jth) and an increased maximum operating temperature (Tmax).

Recently, a quantum cascade laser, hereinafter called as a "OCL", is gathering much attention as a solid state light source that emits electromagnetic waves in mid infra-red range or in terahertz (THz) range. Having both properties of a light and a radio wave at a time, electromagnetic waves in THz range in particular feature such high resolution capability as a light and such high transmission capability as a radio wave, with milder impact on examined objects than X rays or the like. From these points, electromagnetic waves in THz range are expected to be utilized in applications for, such as, substance identification and human body scanning examination by wave transmission.
Typical emission mechanism of QCLs utilizes a semiconductor superlattice, which uses potentials only by electrons' conduction bands having an alternating structure of wells and barriers, for example. In short, stimulated emissions by way of intersubband transition are provoked among the subbands that are created in the semiconductor superlattice. The emission mechanism in QCLs is significantly differ from one in conventional semiconductor lasers in this respect, in which stimulated emissions of electromagnetic wave are provoked by way of recombination of an electron and a hole across an energy gap between a conduction band and a valence band. Specifically, QCLs use a potential in a semiconductor superlattice with wells and barriers, and, by applying a voltage thereto, the potential is inclined along thickness direction of the semiconductor superlattice while having well/barrier undulating patterns. The inclined patterned potential is then used to provoke stimulated emissions by electrons in a multi stage manner, or in a cascade scheme. To fabricate a semiconductor superlattice that is capable of such transitions, it is necessary to conduct "band engineering" in which thicknesses of well and barrier layers are precisely designed in consideration of the inclination due to the electric field. In QCLs, repeated use of conduction carriers, or electrons, enables a carrier recycling.
In QCLs, it is possible to cause lasing operation with a wavelength that has no relationship at all with an energy gap of material for the semiconductor superlattice, and on top of that, the lasing wavelength can be tuned through designing process of the semiconductor superlattice. For these reasons, QCLs have been made for emission of electromagnetic waves emitters in THz range, for which wavelength no solid state light source was devised. Such QCLs in the THz range, or hereinafter called "THz-QCLs", have been classified into several types in view of schemes to make population inversion for lasing. One example of THz-QCLs is called "bound-to-continuum" type, in which the electromagnetic wave is emitted by electrons that make transition from an isolated level to a miniband that forms a continuum band. A THz-QCL of this type is disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, in which the THz-QCL operates at an oscillation frequency of 3.65 GHz, where the population inversion is created by relaxing electrons in a lower lasing level by way of electron-electron scattering within the miniband. It should be noted that THz-QCLs of bound-to-continuum type may have high voltage efficiency; however, such THz-QCLs need complicated designing and suffer from significant adverse effects of scattering by LO-phonon.
Another type of THz-QCLs is disclosed in Patent Document 1 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,829,269). The THz-QCL disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses three electronic levels per one stage of stimulated emission. That is, one additional electronic level is adopted to form population inversion between an upper lasing level and a lower lasing level that need the population inversion for lasing operation. The THz-QCL in Patent Document 1 adopts an upper lasing level (|3>, referred to as "level L3" in the present specification), a lower lasing level (|2>, "level L2"), both of which are related to the lasing operation, and another level (|1>, "level L1") located below the level L2. The level L1 operates to depopulate electrons from the level L2 by using longitudinal optical phonon ("LO-phonon"), (see for example, FIG. 3 in Patent Document 1). Such a three-level scheme is hereinafter called "LO-phonon assist type".
Patent Document 1 discloses a THz-QCL of the LO-phonon assist type that has a semiconductor superlattice provided with repeating structures in its active region for stimulated emissions, where each structure, hereinafter called simply as "unit structure," is configured to realize each stage of stimulated emission. The unit structure includes an emission region and an injection region. Energy potentials, or a band, in the unit structure have been engineered in such a way that the emission region improves the emission efficiency and that the injection region helps formation of the population inversion. In the active region of LO-phonon assist type THz-QCLs, well layers are made of GaAs, whereas barrier layers are made of AlxGa1-xAs to implement such design.

Abstract: [SOLUTION] One embodiment of the present invention provides a THz-QCL element (1000) with a QCL structure (100), which is a semiconductor superlattice (100A) sandwiched between a pair of electrodes (20, 30). The semiconductor superlattice (100A) (QCL structure (100)) is provided with an active region (10) that emits THz range electromagnetic waves due to the transition of electrons between sub-bands during application of a voltage to the pair of electrodes, for example. The active region (10) has repeating unit structures (10U) of a thickness, which includes sets of a well layer (10W) and a barrier layer (10B) alternatingly laminated with each other, wherein the well layer (10W) is made of AlxGa1-xAs (where 0<x<1), which is a mixed crystal of AlAs and GaAs.


A heating-fixing roller has over the axial direction thereof a heat-generating layer formed via the step of mixing a raw material capable of obtaining a positive temperature coefficient of resistivity characteristic by baking and a binder for holding the raw material and forming an unbaked annular substrate and the step of providing an electrode to which an applied voltage is supplied on the mixture during the forming step, and thereafter via the step of baking the unbaked annular substrate on which the electrode is formed. The heat-generating layer has a positive temperature coefficient of resistivity characteristic after the baking and has the electrode formed on the surface thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heating-fixing roller of a fixing device applied to a recording apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying apparatus, a printer or a facsimile apparatus. This invention also relates to a heating-fixing roller as heating means utilized for the fixation of unfixed images.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The heating-fixing roller heretofore put into practical use, has a temperature detector on the surface thereof and is temperature-controlled by changing over a halogen heater provided at the center of the interior of the roller to its electrically energized condition or its electrically non-energized condition.
This temperature control is considerably complicated and therefore, heating-fixing rollers utilizing ceramics of a positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (hereinafter referred to as PTC) characteristic having a self temperature control function have been proposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,115 discloses a heating-fixing roller using bar-like semiconductor ceramics having the PTC characteristic and formed to have bar like shape. However, the bar-like shaped PTC ceramics are thick and therefore must be provided on the inner surface of the roller in greatly spaced apart relationship with one another. Therefore, in the roller disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,115, the surface layer of the roller heated by the ceramics assumes a non-uniform temperature distribution and causes unsatisfactory fixation.
Also, the PTC ceramics disclosed in said U.S. Patent are baked bar-like shaped ceramics and therefore, there occurs a problem when an electrode for imparting an applied voltage to the PTC ceramics is provided. When a current flows from the opposite ends of the bar to generate heat, even if only the central portion of the roller with respect to the axial direction thereof falls in temperature by reason of the heat therein being taken up by paper and toner, the supply of power to that portion is not effected, thereby causing unsatisfactory fixation. This is because the other portion of the roller is at a predetermined temperature or higher and therefore the end portions of the PTC ceramics opposed to each other do not pass the current therethrough due to their self temperature control. Conversely, if an attempt is made to flow a current by applying a voltage from the front surface and back surface of the bar-like shaped ceramics, when fixation is effected continuously, unsatisfactory fixation will be caused because the heat generation of the PTC ceramics is small.
Thus, an electrode is desired which can uniformly maintain the surface temperature of the heating-fixing roller in a practical range. A heating-fixing roller is also desired which will not cause unsatisfactory fixation even for recording materials of different sizes and can accomplish stable fixation.
On the other hand, if an electrode is provided on the surface of ceramics having a PTC characteristic, the ceramics will locally increase in temperature even to 500.degree. C.-1000.degree. C. during the setting of the electrode and therefore, cracks will occur in the ceramics. Heretofore, the ceramics used in the field of fixation have consisted of a binder mixed with powder but are so tattery that they cannot maintain their shape, and it has been unavoidably necessary to bake the ceramics to obtain their shape. Accordingly, the inventor has thought that it is necessary that the conventional ceramics, before being baked, can be readily changed in shape. The conventional ceramics, before being baked, have contained a binder of several % or less relative to the raw powder material and have been undeformable.
Also, the conventional PTC ceramics have sometimes been poor in heat conversion efficiency relative to the power supply and no clear explanation of this problem has been made.

Heating-fixing roller and fixing device having the same


A process for manufacturing an optical fiber light sensor or panel wherein the optical fibers and the panel or sensor are formed simultaneously employing a perforated platen. The platen is covered with a layer of thermofusible product material so that the material when melted will flow through the holes in the platen to create a series of short vertical fibers. The fibers are then drawn to a desired length and sheathed before being gathered into a bundle.

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of an optical-fiber light sensor or panel, as well as to an optical-fiber light sensor or panel obtained by this process.
An optical-fiber panel is a luminous display or decoration or signalisation device which presents itself in the form of a plate, the generally plane front face of which constitutes the end of a relatively large or small number of optical fibers which traverse from front to rear the thickness of this plate so as to emerge, by their free end, flush with this front face which constitutes the surface intended to be seen.
At the rear and at a distance from this plate, these optical fibers are compacted into a bundle of optical fibers. This bundle receives light signals representing a display or other image, this image being reproduced on a large scale on the front face of the panel.
An optical-fiber light sensor is composed of a panel identical to that which has just been described, but utilizing either fibers made of synthetic material or mineral fibers in the case where this sensor is of parabolic shape, thus concentrating the solar light and heat energy. This sensor receives light information on its front face, this information representing, for example, the intensity of solar or ambient illumination, and transmits this light energy remotely to a processing component or directly to an optical-fiber panel via its bundle of optical fibers. The difference as compared with the aforementioned optical-fiber panel is thus essentially only a difference of function. In the text which follows, everything which will be stated in relation to an optical-fiber panel will apply like-wise to an optical-fiber sensor.
In an optical-fiber panel, each optical fiber thus traverses the thickness of the panel until it opens on the front face, which is visible, of the latter. The construction of these panels is currently undertaken by introducing, by manual or robotic means, one of the free ends of each optical fiber into a recess provided to this end in a perforated plane plate, which is capable of constituting the front plate of the light sensor or panel. The disadvantages of such a process are those of being either long and tedious, involving a manual construction, or too complex and costly, involving a robotic construction, so that it is finally poorly adapted to a profitable industrial exploitation, this being all the more so as it consists in a manufacture of optical fibers which are independent of that of the optical sensor or panel.
Moreover, this process does not permit the construction of panels of large size (for example 12 m.sup.2) which, in order to have a correct optical definition, must consist of a very large number of fibers (approximately 180,000). Now, the implantation fiber by fiber, manually or even by robotic means, would require a length of time incompatible with the essential industrial and economic requirements.
Moreover, in the optical-fiber panel obtained by such a process, which is described, for example, in the patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,658, the end of each optical fiber introduced into the front plate of the panel diffuses the light only over a small angular field. This is due to the fact that the optical fiber obtained by traditional linear manufacture is sheathed over its entire length including over its end. Consequently, the image formed on such a panel exhibits "black" spots or shadow zones impairing its quality. It is possible to remedy this only by an extremely tedious operation of machining each one of the ends of the fibers, in such a manner as to increase their angular field of diffusion up to angle values greater than or equal to 70.degree.. Nevertheless, the result obtained remains unsatisfactory.

Process for producing an optical fiber sensor


A technique enabling diverse communication quality control for a communication service is provided. A communication apparatus according to the present invention is a communication apparatus that performs communication over a communication path set up in a network, including: a first means for identifying the communication path corresponding to a packet; and a second means for adding quality information to the packet, wherein the quality information is selected from among a plurality of pieces of quality information associated with a quality class of the identified communication path.

In a mobile communication system, a communication terminal such as a mobile telephone connects to a base station and thereby can access the Internet via a core network. The communication terminal performs communication over a communication path (e.g., a bearer) established with an apparatus (e.g., a gateway) provided in the core network.
In order to construct the bearer, the base station and the gateway construct a tunnel by encapsulating a packet. In order to construct the tunnel, the base station and the gateway add QoS (Quality of Service) information to the packet. Communication apparatuses in the mobile communication system can perform packet forwarding control (e.g., communication quality control), based on the QoS information added to the packet.
NPL 1 discloses a technique related to QoS control in a mobile communication system. In NPL 1, table 6.1.7 discloses a correspondence between a communication service and a QCI (QoS Class Identifier). For example, when constructing a GTP (GPRS Tunneling Protocol) tunnel corresponding to a bearer, a gateway apparatus and a base station add QoS information (e.g., DSCP (Differentiated Service Code Point)) associated with the QCI of the bearer to a packet. The gateway apparatus and the base station add QoS information to a packet, thereby performing communication quality control on the packet.

Communication apparatus, control apparatus, communication system, communication method, control method, and program


An apparatus for measuring parameters, such as moisture content or basis weight, of a fibrous web, e.g. paper or non-wovens, comprises optical elements and a wavelength selection device for selectively directing a beam of electromagnetic radiation comprising wavelengths in at least the mid infrared (MIR) spectral range through the web; an element, such as a beam stop, arranged in the path of electromagnetic radiation emerging from the web, for separating directly transmitted from scattered electromagnetic radiation; a collector for collecting the scattered radiation; and at least one detector for detecting the scattered radiation collected by the collector.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for electromagnetic detection, particularly to such method and apparatus for use in the measurement of at least one parameter of a fibrous web during manufacture.
The invention has particular application in the manufacture of fibrous webs, such as paper or non-woven sheet material, for use in the medical and hygiene industries. In particular, the invention may be employed for on-line measurement of a parameter, e.g. the moisture content and/or the basis weight, of a fibrous web for providing a control output, e.g. for process or quality control, during web manufacture.
The invention at least in its preferred form described below employs infrared measurement techniques and detectors in the manufacture of fibrous web.
In the specification, the term "parameter" is used to denote the property (moisture content, thickness, basis weight etc.) being measured, the term "sample" is used to denote the portion of the object (substrate, sheet, web etc.) presented to the measurement gauge for measurement, and the term "fibrous web" covers all forms of sheet material comprising fibres compacted together, including paper and non-wovens.
A variety of measurement gauges have previously been employed in the paper and non-woven industries, in processes for continuously manufacturing fibrous web, in order to detect various parameters of the web. For example, it is extremely important to know the weight per unit area of the fibrous web as it is produced, since the density or basis weight of the web may be closely correlated with its ultimate tensile strength, burst strength and water transmittance. It is also extremely important in these industries to monitor the moisture content of the web as it is treated, in order to ensure drying efficiency and the sterility of the ultimate product.
However, the existing techniques in these industries for measuring basis weight and moisture content, including those employing infrared absorption spectroscopy, have hitherto proved unsatisfactory. The interaction of light with the small fibres and voids in the fibrous web is very complex, and this can cause serious measurement issues, particularly in the case of lightweight webs typically having a weight in the range 8-20 gsm and a fibre size of 10-20 μm. For example, light striking the web in the region of the voids will tend to pass through the web with little or no interaction, so that the measurement detector picks up only a faint absorption signature from the target web. And, in the region of the fibres, the light striking the web interacts strongly with the fibres and is scattered, and may often be diverted away from the measurement detector altogether.
Further, the inclusion amongst the measurement signals of signals obtained from light passing straight through the voids and signals obtained from light scattered away from the measurement detector significantly distorts the measurements obtained, and in some cases may result in the generation of a wholly inaccurate spectral absorption characteristic pattern. Such issues are particularly pronounced in the case of lightweight materials where the proportion of voids to fibrous mass is much greater.
Hitherto, no satisfactory measurement gauge has been found to measure parameters of lightweight fibrous web material.
In other industries, infrared absorption gauges are well known and are used for measuring various constituents or parameters of samples or substrates, such as the moisture content of the sample, the thickness or coating weight of a film on a base layer or substrate, or the thickness or basis weight of the sample.
Infrared absorption gauges conventionally operate by projecting infrared radiation at two or more wavelengths onto a sample and measuring the intensity of the radiation reflected, transmitted or scattered by the sample. Signals proportional to the measured intensity are processed to provide a value of the parameter being measured. At least one of the two or more wavelengths projected by the gauge is chosen to be absorbed by the parameter of interest, while at least one other wavelength is chosen to be substantially unaffected by the parameter of interest. For example, when measuring the amount of water in a sample, one of the wavelengths (the "measuring wavelength") can be chosen at an absorption wavelength of water (either 1.45 micrometer (microns) or 1.94 micrometer (microns)) and the other wavelength (known as the "reference wavelength") is chosen to be one that is not significantly absorbed by water.
Generally, gauges include an infrared radiation source having a predetermined emission spectrum, and a detector for receiving radiation reflected, transmitted or scattered by the sample; filters are placed between the source and the sample to expose the sample only to the desired measuring and reference wavelengths; in this case, the sample is successively exposed to radiation at the selected wavelengths, e.g. by placing appropriate filters on a rotating wheel in front of the radiation source. Alternatively, a filter wheel can be placed between the sample and the detector, and each filter be successively interposed between the sample and the detector.
The detector measures the intensity of light after interaction with the sample and produces a signal according to the intensity of the radiation incident upon it. In the most simple case, by calculating the ratio between the signal from the detector when receiving light at the measuring wavelength and the signal from the detector when receiving light at the reference wavelength, a measurement signal can be obtained that provides a measure of the parameter concerned, for example the amount of moisture in the sample. Often, several measuring wavelengths and/or several reference wavelengths are used, and the signals of the measuring wavelengths and of the reference wavelengths are used to calculate the parameter concerned.
Such infrared absorption gauges have been proposed for use in the manufacture of fibrous web, but only partially successfully and only in the case of medium and heavyweight materials.
Tests on a lightweight fibrous web, using a standard measurement gauge employing light in the near infrared (NIR) range of 1-2.5 μm and scatter based measurement, found that the measurements obtained were overly sensitive to fillers, fibre size and fibre distribution to produce a robust measurement. At the same time, tests with a standard direct transmission measurement gauge employing light in the near infrared (NIR) and mid infrared (MIR) ranges of 1-4 μm found that the measurement data was very variable and unreliable as a result of the effects of fibre size and web voids.
Thus, significant measurement problems exist in the use of standard infrared measurement gauges in the manufacture of fibrous web, both in the case of direct transmission light and scattered light measurement gauges. Further tests also revealed that measurement problems exist with most fibrous web materials but are particularly pronounced when the web material is a lightweight one.
Accordingly, there is a significant need in the industries for manufacturing fibrous web, such as paper and non-woven sheet material, for a measurement gauge capable of producing accurate measurements of various parameters, irrespective of the weight range of the web and irrespective of the distribution of voids and fibres throughout the web, and especially at the lightweight end of the possible weight ranges where the proportion of voids to fibre mass is high and the fibre density is low.

Method and apparatus for electromagnetic detection for use in the manufacture of fibrous web


A retractable barrel includes a rear holder which holds a rear optical element on an axis, the rear holder having a recess; an annular member movable towards and away from the rear holder without rotation; a retractable holder, accommodated within the annular member, which holds a retractable optical element, and being movable between a position where the retractable optical element is aligned with the axis, and a position where the retractable optical element is displaced from the axis; a position controller which controls the annular member and retractable holder to move between an operational position to a retracted position wherein the retractable holder is at the displaced position. A movement path of the retractable holder includes an oblique path extending obliquely to the axis. The recess prevents the rear holder from interfering with the retractable holder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retractable photographing (imaging) lens (retractable lens barrel) in which a part of a plurality of optical elements comprising a photographing optical system is retracted to a position deviating from the optical axis of the photographing optical system when the photographing lens is retracted.
2. Description of the Related Art
Miniaturization of lens barrels incorporated in optical devices such as cameras has been in increasing demand. Above all, further miniaturization of retractable photographing lenses, specifically the length thereof in a non-operating state, has been in strong demand. To meet such demands, the inventor of the present invention has proposed a retractable photographing lens disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/368,342 in which an optical element of a photographing optical system is retracted to a position deviating from the photographing optical axis of the photographing optical system, and at the same time, the optical element (together with other optical elements of the photographing optical system) is retracted toward a picture plane when the photographing lens is fully retracted. The mechanism achieving such complicated operations of the optical elements is required to operate with a high degree of accuracy. In addition, such a mechanism is required to be as small as possible.


A driving force control apparatus for use with an automotive vehicle supported on driving wheels and driven wheels. The apparatus is arranged to provide a driving force reduction control (traction control) to reduce the driving forces applied to the driving wheels when driving slip of the driving wheels occurs. The driving force reduction control is inhibited to minimize the tendency of the vehicle to spin when lateral slip of the driven wheels occurs.

This invention relates to a driving force control apparatus for use with a motor vehicle and, more particularly, to such a driving force control apparatus adapted to reduce the driving forces applied to the driving wheels when slip occurs on the part of the driving wheels.
For example, Japanese Patent Kokai No. 63-12842 discloses a driving force control apparatus installed on a front-wheel-drive type automotive vehicle for providing a driving force reduction control (traction control) to reduce the driving forces applied to the front wheels (driving wheels) when slip occurs on the part of the front wheels. For such a driving force reduction control, conditions, such as revolution speeds, of the front and rear wheels are monitored while the vehicle is traveling for use in calculating a parameter representing the degree of driving slip of the front wheels. The parameter includes the slip ratio of the front wheels, the slip ratio changing rate of the front wheels, etc. When the calculated parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the driving forces applied to the front wheels are reduced to suppress the driving slip of the front wheels.
However, the prior art driving force control apparatus performs the driving force reduction control not only when slip occurs only on the front wheels, but also when slip occurs on both the front and rear wheels. A reduction of the driving forces applied to the front wheels for slip on both the front and rear wheels will cause an increase of the gripping forces of the front wheels with respect to the load surface. This, in turn, increases the cornering force and the spinning moment directed inwardly of the circle in which the vehicle is turning so as to cause the vehicle to spin about the front wheels. This is true particularly when lateral slip of the rear wheel occurs.

Driving force control apparatus for motor vehicles


A system for interconnection of a stack of circuit boards, wherein each of at least a plurality of the circuit boards has an end region carrying one or more light transmitters or light receivers, an optical structure forming an interconnecting backplane for the circuit boards, the optical structure comprising a first surface carrying a multiplicity of hologram elements disposed to receive light beams from said light transmitters and to route said light beams to a second reflective surface where said light beams are reflected back to said hologram elements for routing to said light receivers.

In the field of telecommunications switches, with increased circuit density and higher switch speed rates (200 Mbits.sup.-1 increasing to 2.4 Gbits.sup.-1 in the future), many proposals have been made for more efficient interconnections of the circuit boards comprising the switch. One area of critical importance is the backplane or motherboard which provides interconnections between the circuit boards. In addition to considerations such as removing heat generated during operation, one important consideration is distribution of clock signals etc to the various boards; at such high bit rates, the problems of propagation delay, bandwidth and crosstalk arise by the clock signals being conducted along conductors in the backplane.
It is known, see K. H. Brenner and F. Sauer "Diffractive-Reflective Optical Interconnects" Applied Optics Oct. 15, 1988, Vol 27, No. 20 to employ hologram elements disposed on a surface to reflect or refract light between transmitters and receivers on an adjacent substrate. Usually the transmitters and receivers form part of an array of integrated circuit chips and the light is employed to distribute signals to the various chips with increased efficiency. The surface carrying the holograms is normally bonded to the chip substrate via a transparent medium to form a compact and monolithic assembly: this is required because of the high accuracy required in alignment of the various optical paths.

Optical backplane interconnecting circuit boards


A lithographically patterned three dimensional stencil type mask is formed on a substrate over a specific area that is to undergo processing. The three dimensional mask functionally provides an energy beam stencil at a precise height over the specific area. The stencil has surface properties that provide a resist function for any scattering of a focused particle beam that passes through an aperture or opening in the center of the stencil, and is formed using standard in the art additive and subtractive processes so that it can be removed after the particle beam processing. It has a particular advantage in an application where it is desired to have sub regions in a pixel area in a liquid crystal display that can provide different domains which operate to provide different pretilt states to the liquid crystal which in turn widens the viewing range of the display.

In electronic apparatus manufacturing, situations arise where it becomes desirable to fit structural elements and their relative positioning into small areas on a planar surface of a substrate. In such manufacturing it is always advantageous to use processes which are well developed in the art.
One well developed process uses a focused particle beam, usually in a high vacuum, that can, as examples, deliver localized energy such as heat and light that can promote or retard a physical process or chemical reaction on or through a surface or in an ambient and can physically abrade or alter a surface of a solid.
Another such type of process involves additive and subtractive operations through openings in a planar mask. The mask openings are usually lithographically positioned openings in a coating of a masking material.
While both types of processes provide manufacturing benefits and capabilities there have however, been limits encountered in efforts in combining the focused particle beam type processing with the planar masking type processing.
Among the considerations in using focused beam processing has been a need to pump down to a usually fairly high vacuum every time there is a different location or operation. Another consideration is that while the focus of the beam in energy delivery purposes is precise there is usually some scattering at the periphery.
Needs have been developing in the electronic apparatus manufacturing art for being able to use the wide range of localized energy delivery capabilities of focused particle beams with the precision of lithographic planar patterning.
One example of such a need frequently occurs in simple downsizing where it would be useful to be able to pack more devices into each area of an already laid out raster of areas on a surface. Another example of such a need is in the flat panel display technology where flexibility in substrate abrasion would be desirable. In the flat panel display technology, abrading of a surface in the pixel gives a pretilt to the liquid crystal increments and enhances the display. The relatively long standing in the art technique for the abrading has been rubbing the substrate surface with a velvet like material. A step in the art has been provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,826 where a focused particle beam is used to abrade the substrate surface. There is however a further need to be able to give different abrasion textures to different areas within an individual pixel area on a substrate. Each different texture area provides another liquid crystal rotational domain that in turn provides another widening increment to the viewing capability of the display.

Focused particle beam processing for use in electronic apparatus manufacturing

International Business Machines Corporation


A protective and/or splint device, for example a distal radial splint device (200), comprises a protective and/or splint member (201) and a spacer member (13). The protective and/or splint member (201) comprises a composite protective and/or splint material and is formable at a forming temperature and is substantially rigid at ambient temperature. The material comprises a polycaprolactone and a ligno-cellulose additive material. The protective and/or splint member (201) comprises a mesh of elements (202), with a plurality of openings (203) through the protective and/or splint member (201). Away from the periphery of the splint member (201), the openings (203) are diamond-shaped. Two border elements (204) extend along the two sides of the periphery of the splint member (201). The three point bending strength to openness ratio of the member is greater than 0.1 and the unidirectional bending strength to openness ratio of the member is greater than 4. This results in a device (200) with sufficient strength, which is breathable with open surfaces, and the volume of material used is optimized. The strength of the member (201) parallel to the longitudinal direction of the arm is greater than the strength parallel too the circumferential direction. At the forming temperature the member (201) is stretchable. The member (201) is rounded between the outer surface of the member (201) and the edges around the openings (203).

This invention relates to a geometrically apertured protective splint device containing re-mouldable thermoplastic material that can be used as a composite splint material for immobilisation, bracing, casting, protection or support of limbs and body parts on humans and animals.
From here on in the term "device" will be used to denote the term geometrically apertured device containing re-mouldable thermoplastic material.
The term splint employed herein refers to an embodiment of the device in a sheet or a preformed sheet used for limb immobilisation, support and/or protection.
This invention relates to a splint device and to a composite material used for such.
Immobilisation of fractured or injured joints or limbs typically involves the process of restraining the joint or limb in place with a splint, cast, or brace. This is done to prevent the fractured/injured area from moving or being disturbed during the healing process.
Traditionally Plaster of Paris on fabric or gauze bandage has been used to form casts for the immobilisation of limbs. However Plaster of Paris has a number of disadvantages associated with it. For example Plaster of Paris is relatively heavy and bulky, has a slow setting time, cannot be reformed once set, possesses low impact resistance, and is susceptible to deterioration or damage once exposed to moisture thus making bathing and showering difficult. Additional concerns associated with the use of Plaster of Paris casting bandages are that they require a significant amount of time, usually 24 to 72 hours, to achieve their maximum strength, and that heat is generated from the exothermic setting reaction. Plaster of Paris also has poor radiopacity which prevents the continued monitoring of the limb during the healing process. In addition Plaster of Paris is substantially impervious to transmission of water vapour, such as perspiration. Thus Plaster of Paris traps moisture which can result in significant skin maceration.
One partial solution to improve breathability is the use of a thermoplastic mesh disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,655, Custer et al. A negative drawback however with this method is the necessity to apply multiple layers of mesh to achieve adequate strength to support and protect body areas. Another drawback of this method is that the mesh needs to be trimmed in order to fit different body areas and this results in sharp edges that are formed due to trimming. Another disadvantage of this method is that underlying bandages, padding, dressings and gauzes can become wet because the material is usually heated using a hot water bath to soften the material to facilitate moulding. Moist dressings promote bacteria growth and can lead to discomfort and further complications.
It is usually prescribed that thermoplastic mesh and thermoplastic sheets with perforations are heated using a water bath. This will help to reduce the (unwanted) high tack characteristic associated with these materials which makes it otherwise difficult for the user to handle. However this means that these devices and materials are often wet when applied.
In the case of splints and casts it is important that devices and materials have sufficient strength to maintain correct alignment of fractured bones, or to restrict movement of a limb in order to promote healing, or to stabilise and help reduce swelling of injured limbs, or to protect a body area from impact and injury. In the case of fractured bones and where there is swelling or a risk of swelling it is an advantage if the devices or materials used have superior strength in the lateral direction along the limb to maintain firm alignment of the underlying fractured bone whilst it is a further advantage if the same devices or materials used have reduced strength and some slight flexibility around the circumferential direction of the limbs being covered in order that the device can be adjusted to compensate for swelling.
In cases where devices or materials are used to protect body parts from impact and injury it is important that the devices or materials have sufficient strength to withstand an impact and also be capable of transmitting/dissipating the force of the impact onto and across underlying padding or shock absorber materials to reduce or prevent injury to the underlying body part on humans and animals.
Those familiar in the art will recognise the importance of having breathable and open surfaces in devices and materials used for immobilisation, bracing, casting, protection or support of limbs and body parts on humans and animals in order to reduce skin maceration problems and clinical complications and to promote a reduction of healing times.
For wearer's comfort, minimisation of restrictions to natural body movements and to reduce recuperation times it is important that the weight of devices and materials used for immobilisation, bracing, casting and protection is kept to a minimum. Device design, volume of material used and material density are factors that influence the final weight of such devices.
We have discovered that three interdependent factors contribute significantly to the useful service performance of devices used for immobilisation, bracing, casting, protection or support of limbs and body parts on humans and animals.
These factors are:                The device has sufficient strength particularly in the lateral axis parallel to a limb        The device has breathable and open surfaces to facilitate drying and aeration        The volume of material used in the device is optimised for the intended device purpose
We have combined a material with thermoplastic characteristics, and moulded profiled blanks containing geometric apertures to enable cost effective manufacture of devices that improve the useful service performance of devices used for immobilisation, bracing, casting, protection or support of limbs and body parts on humans and animals.
We herein disclose test techniques which produce numerical data showing the interdependent relationship of strength to surface openness as a function of the volume of material used, in optimised and non optimised devices.
Furthermore we disclose a most favourable Strength to Openness Index range whereby the relationship between the open surface area and strength of the revealed devices can be expressed in numerical format to show the superior properties of a geometrically apertured device consisting of a re-mouldable thermoplastic material also herein disclosed.

Geometrically apertured protective and/or splint device comprising a re-mouldable thermoplastic material


A sealing device which is more particularly designed for pneumatic multiway valves. The device comprises a holding sleeve, which both at its outer periphery and also at its inner periphery has a plurality of axially spaced circumferentially extending holding recesses, wherein sealing elements are held and at least the inner sealing elements are constituted by sealing material injected into the associated holding recesses directly. Furthermore the invention provides a method for the simple possible of the such a sealing device.

A multiway valve fitted with such a sealing device is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,115. The multiway valve has housing, which has a substantially cylindrical recess, into which the valve ducts open laterally. The sealing device is arranged in the recess of the housing, such sealing device for its part receiving a piston-like valve spool. Between the sealing device and the valve housing annular sealing elements take effect in order to prevent undersired transfer of fluid between the valve ducts in the housing recess. Adjacent to the inner periphery of the sealing device sealing corresponding sealing elements are also located, which sealingly cooperate with the valve spool, which itself is without any seal. Owing to the change in the axial position of the valve spool it is possible in a conventional way to permit or interrupt a fluid power connection between the individual valve ducts.
The known sealing device consists of a multiplicity of components so that both the production and also the assembly within the housing recess is very complex. It is necessary for a large number of cage-like spacer elements to be placed in a row one behind the other to constitute a sleeve-like holding structure with groove-like holding recesses to receive individual sealing rings. The multipart design by and large leads to an assembly of the sealing rings without damage. In order to securely anchor the sealing rings cooperating with the valve spool the same have to be provided with a special anchoring section, for which reason the associated retaining recesses have a form of cross section which is not simple to produce. All in all, the axially aligned arrangement of the inner sealing elements in the valve housing leads to considerable problems.

Sealing device for a multiway valve and a method for the production thereof


Methods, systems, and devices are described for transmitting or receiving at least one grant to a device. The at least one grant may identify one or more scheduling assignment (SA) resources on which an SA is to be transmitted by the device for device-to-device (D2D) communications. The at least one grant may also identify one or more data resources on which data is to be transmitted by the device for D2D communications.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure, for example, relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to techniques for scheduling of device-to-device scheduling assignment in systems which may utilize direct wireless communications between devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple mobile devices or other user equipment (UE) devices. Base stations may communicate with UEs on downstream and upstream links. Each base station has a coverage range, which may be referred to as the coverage area of the cell. Device-to-device (D2D) communications include direct wireless communications between UEs either within or beyond the coverage area of a base station. D2D communications may be facilitated by scheduling transmissions from a base station if the devices are within a coverage area. In some cases, D2D communications are utilized by public safety officers such as police, fire and rescue teams, for example.
When a UE is in a certain communications mode, it may be required to receive grants from a base station before transmitting data via D2D communications. For example, a UE may be required to receive grants from the base station when the UE is in mode 1. These grants may indicate which resources the UE should use for various transmissions in D2D communications.

Scheduling of device-to-device scheduling assignment for mode1


An apparatus includes a harness, at least one brace that may include an articulated frame coupled to the harness, a pre-tensioning device, a lower assembly coupled to the articulated frame, and an energy-transforming mechanism that may be adjusted to a user and may assist with the user's gait. The energy-transforming mechanism may include an energy storage device coupled to the pre-tensioning device via a superior exotendon and coupled to the lower assembly via an inferior exotendon.

A medical apparatus is often used by a patient that has lost some functionality of one or both of their legs. An orthosis may be used to control, guide, limit and/or immobilize an extremity, joint or body segment for a particular reason; to restrict movement in a given direction; to assist movement generally; to reduce weight bearing forces for a particular purpose; to aid rehabilitation from fractures after the removal of a cast; and/or to otherwise correct the shape and/or function of the body to provide easier movement capability or reduce pain.
An obstacle in orthosis design is to provide the patient with a natural gait. The patient often needs assistance moving the limb that has lost some functionality. Additionally, each patient's natural gait may differ from another patient's gait, each requiring a different response from the orthosis during movement. Finally, as a patient has their functionality improve or worsen, the patient may need to adjust the orthosis to maintain their natural gait.


A dual collimation deposition apparatus and method are disclosed in which the dual collimation apparatus includes at least a long-throw collimator in combination with one or more physical collimators. A new physical collimator and shield design are also disclosed for improved process uniformity and increased equipment productivity.

This invention relates generally to a system and method for depositing a thin film of material onto a surface of an object, such as a semiconductor or thin film head substrate, and in particular to a dual collimation system and method for depositing thin material films onto a semiconductor or a thin film head substrate.
Plasma sputtering is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique for thin film deposition. The process of sputtering a thin film onto an object is well known. The sputtering process may be used to deposit a thin film of material onto a plurality of different surfaces which may include a magnetic media substrate, magneto-optical media substrate, a semiconductor substrate, a thin-film head substrate, a flat-panel display substrate and the like. In the sputtering process, it is desired to place a thin film of atoms of a particular type, such as a cobalt, onto the substrate. A typical sputtering apparatus may include a piece of target material, a vacuum or low-pressure sputtering chamber, and a substrate located on a substrate holder beneath the target material. To cause some of the atoms or compound species from the piece of target material to deposit themselves on the substrate surface, an electrical DC, pulsed DC, AC or RF power supply is connected between the target material (typically via a bonded backing plate) and the chamber, and a low-pressure (c.g., 0.5 mTorr to 30 mTorr) inert gas (e.g., Ar) and/or a reactive gas (e.g., N2, O2 or the like) medium is established within the chamber. When a high enough voltage is applied to the target material, a plasma is formed with the atoms being released by the target material via ion bombardment by the plasma ions. The gas in the chamber may have a low pressure so that a majority of the atoms from the target material travel from the target material onto the substrate surface without colliding with any gas molecules (i.e., negligible or minimal scattering of the sputter species). In many thin-film deposition applications, to obtain the best quality thin films, it is desirable for the atoms to strike the surface of the substrate at a 90xc2x0 angle (i.e., normal incidence) which provides a collimated stream of atoms.
In order to improve the quality of the thin film produced by the sputtering apparatus, the target may be located a greater distance from the substrate, which is known as a long-throw or natural sputtering apparatus. In the long-throw or natural sputtering apparatus, the atoms from the target material travel a longer distance so that the atoms that are not going to strike approximately perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, and within a space cone with relatively narrow angular distribution around the central normal axis, may strike the sides of the sputtering chamber. Thus, a larger percentage of the atoms or sputter species from the target material strike the surface of the substrate close to a perpendicular angle within a narrow angular distribution from the normal axis. The long-throw sputtering apparatus has several limitations. First, because the atoms or sputter species arc traveling a greater distance to the surface of the substrate, they may strike more gas molecules due to scattering collisions and form poorer quality films unless the pressure of the gas in the sputtering chamber is reduced. If the gas pressure is reduced too much, however, there will not be sufficient gas pressure in the chamber to sustain a stable plasma. Typically, the long-throw sputtering processes require gas pressures preferably below 1 mTorr, thus limiting the process window for this technique. Moreover, the long-throw sputtering systems require more stringent vacuum pumping due to larger process chamber volumes and surface area.
Another technique to improve the quality of the thin films (i.e., improving the total number of atoms or sputter species which strike the surface of the substrate at a perpendicular angle or near perpendicular angles) is to place a perforated plate or a physical collimator in the chamber between the substrate and the target surface. This apparatus is called a physical collimation sputtering apparatus. The perforated plate has a predetermined aspect ratio (i.e., the ratio of the height of the hexagonal or circular holes in the plate to the diameter of the holes in the plate) so that most atoms which pass through the plate will strike the surface at approximately a right angle or within a narrow-angle cone around the perpendicular axis. Thus, the perforated plate acts as a spatial filter for the atoms or sputter species and prevents the atoms or sputter species emitted from the target material at more than some predetermined angle (outside a predetermined cone) from striking the surface of the substrate. The atoms or sputter species which strike the plate, but do not pass through the physical collimator holes, are deposited on the plate or within the holes. Therefore, as the plate is bombarded by more and more atoms, the holes of the plate will gradually become coated and eventually plugged up and the plate must be replaced after processing a certain number of substrates. Therefore, the total lifetime of the plate in the chamber is limited and the plate must be replaced often which is time consuming and reduces the overall equipment uptime. With either approach, the maximum collimation that can be achieved is limited.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a sputtering apparatus which provides a more collimated stream of atoms or sputtering species which avoids these and other problems of known devices, and it is to this end that the present invention is directed.
In accordance with the invention, a dual collimated sputtering apparatus and method are provided which improves step coverage and bottom coverage in large aspect ratio contacts and vias in a semiconductor integrated circuit chip, improves bottom coverage and step coverage for barriers, liners in vias, or trenches in a semiconductor device, and reduces encroachment in a lift-off patterning structure for an abutted junction (the latter used in magnetic thin-film heads). The dual collimator in accordance with the invention may have a long-throw collimator combined with one or more physical collimators. The long-throw collimator provides some initial collimation and the subsequent one or more physical collimators provide additional filtering of the sputtered flux which enhances the overall degree of collimation. In addition, since the long-throw collimator already ensures that some non-collimated atoms or sputtered species strike the walls (of shield walls) of the deposition chamber, the perforated plates of the physical collimator block a smaller fraction of the incoming flux (i.e., atoms) so that the overall lifetime of the perforated physical collimator is increased. The dual collimator apparatus may also be operated at low pressures (e.g., such as less than 2 mTorr) so that the probability of atom scattering due to a collision with background gas atoms (within the long-throw collimator) is minimized so that more collimated atoms or sputtered species strike the surface of the substrate.
In addition, the bottom coverage for a 3:1 aspect ratio (AR) semiconductor via hole improves from about 30% using conventional physical collimation to as much as 50% using the dual collimation apparatus in accordance with the invention while the sidewall coverage of the via hole is not significantly affected (resulting in continuous coverage or topological features). As compared to a sputtering process with no collimation, dual collimation in accordance with the invention also reduces encroachment for lift-off structures by a factor or three. The sidewall angle of a metal layer deposited on a lift-off structure with respect to the horizontal plane increases from 10xc2x0 for no collimation and 16xc2x0 for long-throw collimation to 32xc2x0 for dual collimation in accordance with the invention (the exact sidewall angle can be increased or decreased by changing the dual-collimation parameters).
In addition, the full width half maximum value (FWHM) of the sputtered flux incident on the wafer decreases from xc2x155xc2x0 for no collimation and xc2x145xc2x0 for long-throw collimation to xc2x125xc2x0 for dual collimation indicating that more of the flux with the dual collimator strikes the wafer at close to a perpendicular angle. The dual collimation process in accordance with the invention also provides a well defined abutted junction in which the permanent magnet contacts of, for example, a magneto-resistive (MR) sensor may be placed with minimal overlap.
For a chromium (Cr) deposition, the deposition rate decreases from 100 xc3x85/kW/min with a conventional long-throw collimator to only approximately 28 xc3x85/kW/min with the dual collimator in accordance with the invention. This decrease in the rate of deposition may be attributed to the increased degree of collimation of the deposited atoms. In addition, a Cr (30 xc3x85)/Co82Cr6Pt12 (350 xc3x85)/Cr (1150 xc3x85) stack processed using the dual collimation process in accordance with the invention shows excellent magnetic properties with a coercivity of 1630 Oe and a squareness of 0.91.
To further improve the dual collimation process which increases the deposition uniformity and increases the mean number of wafers that may be processed between cleans (i.e., an indication of how quickly the perforated physical collimator plate becomes blocked), a novel perforated plate of a physical collimator and a new collimator shield are disclosed.
In accordance with the invention, a physical-vapor deposition apparatus for depositing material from a target onto a substrate is provided comprising a deposition chamber, a target holder housed within the chamber holding a target from which a deposition flux is generated, a sputtering energy source such as a DC magnetron source, a substrate holder housed within the chamber beneath the target holder, and a physical collimator between the target holder and the substrate holder for controlling an amount of deposition flux impinging on the substrate. The apparatus may further comprise a second collimator to provide, in combination with the physical collimator, a collimated deposition of material onto the substrate.

Dual collimated deposition apparatus and method of use


A method for a radiotelephone to scan for a higher priority (including home) public land mobile network (PLMN) without searching in all possible RATs and frequencies includes a first step of establishing an inclusive list of all frequencies in all radio access technologies (RATs) in use by the higher priority or home public land mobile network. A next step includes camping the radiotelephone on the higher priority or home PLMN. A next step includes obtaining the inclusive list from the establishing step by the camped radiotelephone from the higher priority or home PLMN. Afterwards, when the radiotelephone roams to a lower priority visited PLMN, it can begin scanning for the home (and higher priority) PLMN using only those frequencies from the inclusive list, thereby saving battery power.

As various different types of communication systems have arisen for radiotelephones, it has become beneficial to provide portable and mobile radiotelephone stations that are interoperable between these various communication systems. As a first step, dual-mode phones have been developed that can operate between two radiotelephone systems. For example, the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication and the Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) communication systems are intended to work together in the same mobile terminal equipment operated under a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) environment, wherein a mobile radiotelephone is required to scan for a home Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and higher priority PLMNs in these two alternate radio access technologies (RAT) and all possible frequencies within each. In particular, when a UMTS radiotelephone roams and camps on a visited PLMN, the radiotelephone is required to search for its home PLMN and higher priority PLMNs in all possible frequencies of these two radio access technologies. In this way, a single mobile station radiotelephone can automatically determine the availability of its home PLMN, and thus obtain service on its home PLMN if it is available in a given location. In particular, the 3GPP specifications allow for a mobile station to perform (background) scans for PLMNs other than the one on which it has currently obtained service.
Currently, GSM and UMTS cellular phones are required to perform a periodic search for higher priority PLMN, or their home PLMN (HPLMN) whenever the radiotelephone is camped on a Visited PLMN (VPLMN) and in their home country. This search is required to be performed periodically at a rate which is specified on the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or Universal SIM card and is a multiple of six minutes (with the fastest rate being once every six minutes). This search consumes battery power to perform because the radiotelephone must measure power on all frequencies of all bands which it supports and then synchronize to each frequency on which there is appreciable energy and read the PLMN identification of the cell. Note that for UMTS radiotelephones which support both GSM and WCDMA Radio Access Technologies (RATs), the radiotelephone is currently required by 3GPP specifications to perform the search in both RATs (i.e. the phone must perform the search for the HPLMN in all radio access technologies of which it is capable). This is true even if the HPLMN network has cells of only one RAT. Therefore, the requirement to search for all possible frequencies in all possible RATs wastes significant battery power.
Currently for the GSM Radio Access Technology (RAT), there is an information element (IE) called Broadcast Control Channel Allocation (BA) Range which may be included in a Channel Release message sent to individual radiotelephones (i.e. on a phone-by-phone basis). This information element contains a non-inclusive list of frequencies in use by the network. Similarly, for WCDMA Radio Access Technology (RAT), there is an information element called Radio PLMN (RPLMN) Information that may be included in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Release message sent to individual radiotelephones (i.e. on a phone-by-phone basis). This information element also contains a non-inclusive list of frequencies in use by the network. Neither of these information elements are guaranteed by the specifications to be inclusive lists of absolutely all frequencies in use across an operator's entire network within a country. The specifications only allow the radiotelephone to make use of these information elements to speed up the cell selection process by searching on the frequencies specified by these information elements first, before searching on other frequencies. Specifically, the 3GPP 25.331 specification, version 3.12.0 (September 2002) in section 126.96.36.199 states, in regards to the RPLMN information element, that the radiotelephone may ". . . utilise this information, typically indicating where a number of BCCH frequency ranges of a RAT may be expected to be found, during subsequent RPLMN selections of the indicated PLMN." Although useful to speed up scans, the specification does not state that the radiotelephone may search only on these frequencies, nor that these are the only available frequencies.
Therefore, the need exists for a method to allow a mobile unit to obtain an inclusive list of all available frequencies in all available radio access technologies. Moreover, it would be an advantage to scan for only those frequencies that are in use and are supported by the HPLMN and/or higher priority PLMNs. It would also be of benefit to provide this performance improvement with little or no additional cost.

Method for a radiotelephone to scan for higher priority public land mobile network


A sea wall system incorporated into a continuous and foundation supported structure, including a plurality of panels which are displaced in either of vertical or horizontal fashion from interior locations associated with the foundation structure. The panels are each constructed of a lightweight and fluid resistant material and are each displaceable from a first retracted position to an extended position, whereby the components collectively establish a heightened water barrier. A fluid communicating opening is defined in the foundation support and, in response to a rising water level, vertically displaces the panels.

The present invention is documented with various types of flood retardant barriers, among these including those which can be incorporated in use with an existing base structure. The objective of such designs is that they can be utilized in response to a flood condition and which would otherwise overtop the existing flood retardant structure.
A first example of a known portable seawall system is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,491, issued to Wayne, and which is designed to upwardly extend an existing seawall. A base bracket is designed to attach to the upper edge of the seawall. A wall section is provided to extend upwardly from the existing sea wall. A plurality of triangular brace assemblies each include a portion extending above the base bracket and engaging the wall section, and another portion extending below the base bracket and engaging the existing sea wall. A membrane seals the wall section to the existing sea wall. Multiple wall sections can also be jointed end to end to form a continuous sea wall.
Additional references of note include the transportable and foldable protective barrier of Trisl U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,904, and which discloses a series of supports articulately joined with one another by a number of parallel extending pipe rods, along with number of reinforcement filling elements, such as for bridging the gaps between the pipe rods. The supports are unfolded into bracing triangles and joined with the pipe rods which span a plan which are completed by grids or panels as reinforcement filling elements. The panels are laid over the supports and reinforcement filling elements, such as in response to high water.
Caulfield, U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,442, teaches a seawall extension apparatus for use with a capped seawall. The apparatus includes a wall section and a support assembly for holding the wall section such that it extends generally upwardly from the cap of the seawall and is releasably secured thereto.

Sea wall system with displaceable and water level actuating components


A system for setting and sharpening teeth of a saw blade includes a frame, a sharpening assembly and a setting assembly. A block affixed to the frame defines at least in part a blade path. The sharpening assembly is configured to sharpen a first tooth of the saw blade in a first position of the blade path. The setting assembly configured to set the first tooth of the saw blade in a second position of the blade path, wherein the blade path is defined through the sharpening assembly and the setting assembly. An advancement assembly is configured to move the saw blade along the blade path in an advancement direction to advance teeth of the saw blade into and out of the first position, and into and out of the second position.

Band saws are used for a broad range of range of cutting tasks, for example dimensioning rough lumber or cutting intricate and delicate shapes. Band saws include a motor configured to drive a circular band saw blade in a continuous loop through the object being cut. The band saw blade is a continuous loop of flexible metal with cutting teeth on one edge.
FIG. 10 illustrates a top view of a portion of a typical band saw blade 20. The band saw blade 20 is configured to travel in direction 21, and includes a plurality of teeth, including a first tooth 22, a second tooth 24, and a third tooth 26 shown in FIG. 10. The first tooth 22 is aligned with the center 28 of the saw blade, while the second and third teeth 24, 26 are offset from the center 28 of the saw blade. The displacement of each band saw tooth 24, 26 from the center 28 of the blade is known as the "set" of the tooth. FIG. 11 illustrates the set 32 of the saw tooth 26 in detail. This displacement provides clearance for the blade body to pass through the object being cut and aids in the removal of the waste material from the saw blade 20. The opposing offset of teeth 24, 26 provides equal clearance and dynamic forces on each side of the saw blade 20 as it passes thru the material to be cut and aids the blade in tracking in a straight line through the cut.
Increasing the set of a tooth increases the amount of material removed by the tooth, while reducing the set of a blade tooth reduces the material removed by the tooth. A precise set is desirable since a band saw blade with too much set on each cutting tooth removes more material than necessary, requires more power to drive, and will dull more quickly. Conversely, a blade with too little set will bind and burn in the saw cut kerf.
Over time, the saw blade 20 dulls due to normal wear. The blade 20 must therefore be sharpened periodically to maintain its cutting efficacy. Sharpening is typically performed by grinding off a portion of the tip off the tooth such that a sharp edge remains. FIG. 11 depicts, not to scale, a portion 30 of the saw tooth 26 removed during sharpening. As can be seen, due to the sharpening of the saw tooth 26, the initial set displacement 32 is reduced to a smaller set displacement 34. As a result, after sharpening the saw blade 20, the teeth of the saw blade must be re-set so that the offset of the teeth remains at the desired set position.
After sharpening, therefore, the saw blade must be removed from the sharpener and moved to a setting apparatus. The saw blade is clamped into the separate setting apparatus and the teeth of the saw blade are re-set to the desired offset position. The sharpener and the setting apparatus both require space in the shop. Moreover, removing the saw blade from the sharpener, moving the blade to the setting apparatus, and then clamping the saw blade in the setting apparatus is time consuming for the user performing the maintenance.
What is needed, therefore, is a band saw sharpening and setting assembly having a reduced footprint and that enables more efficient sharpening and setting of a band saw blade.