A method of controlling an air conditioner includes a step of controlling an opening degree of the expansion valve and/or the number of rotations of an outdoor fan of the outdoor heat exchanger such that the difference Tx (=Te−Ti) between the temperature Te of the outdoor heat exchanger and the temperature Ti of the indoor heat exchanger is within a predetermined range, in a cooling mode in a low outside air temperature environment. Specifically, the opening degree of the expansion valve is adjusted, with the number of rotations of the outdoor fan being reduced to be smaller than that in a normal cooling mode, and then, the number of rotations of the outdoor fan is adjusted with the opening degree of the expansion valve being fixed, thereby controlling the difference Tx to be substantially constant.

The present invention relates to a method of controlling an air conditioner, and more particularly, to a method of controlling a cooling operation of an air conditioner in a low outside air temperature environment.
In general, air conditioners have a refrigerating cycle including a compressor, a four-way valve, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger. In the winter in which the outside air temperature is low, generally, the air conditioner performs a heating operation to circulate a high-pressure and high-temperature refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor in the order of the four-way valve, the indoor heat exchanger, the expansion valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the four-way valve, and the compressor, thereby using the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger as a condenser and an evaporator, respectively.
On the other hand, in the summer in which the outside air temperature is high, generally, the air conditioner performs a cooling operation to circulate a high-pressure and high-temperature refrigerant gas discharged from the compressor in the order of the four-way valve, the outdoor heat exchanger, the expansion valve, the indoor heat exchanger, the four-way valve, and the compressor, thereby using the outdoor heat exchanger and the indoor heat exchanger as the condenser and the evaporator, respectively. In addition to this type of air conditioner, air conditioners having a dehumidifying function or a reheating and dehumidifying function are put on the market.
In recent years, particularly, a lot of heat sources, such as illuminators or electronic apparatuses, have been provided in the room, such as an office. Therefore, in many cases, the air conditioner is operated in a cooling mode even in a low outside air temperature environment in which the outside air temperature is equal to or smaller than, for example, 10° C.
In the cooling operation performed in the low outside air temperature environment, assuming that an indoor load is constant, when the outside air temperature falls, the refrigerant in the outdoor heat exchanger is excessively supercooled, and a refrigerant flows into the outdoor heat exchanger as a liquid refrigerant, which results in a reduction in the amount of refrigerant circulated. Therefore, it is necessary to open the expansion valve (in many cases, an electronic expansion valve).
In a case in which the outside air temperature falls to be lower than the freezing point, even when the expansion valve is fully opened, only a gas refrigerant is circulated, and the indoor heat exchanger is superheated, which makes it difficult to obtain desired cooling capability. In addition, the temperature around an inlet of the indoor heat exchanger is lower than the freezing point, and the inlet is frozen.
In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to reduce the number of rotations of the outdoor fan to prevent supercooling of the outdoor heat exchanger, and circulate the liquid refrigerant through the indoor heat exchanger. That is, in the cooling mode in the low outside air temperature environment, it is necessary to control the expansion value to be opened larger than that in a normal cooling mode, and control the outdoor fan to rotate at a lower rotational speed than that in the normal cooling mode.
In a method of controlling a cooling operation in the low outside air temperature environment according to the related art, for a predetermined number of rotations of the compressor determined by an indoor unit, when the outside air temperature falls, the number of rotations of the outdoor fan is reduced. Therefore, a target discharge temperature of the compressor is calculated using the outside air temperature, the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger, the number of rotations of the compressor, and the predetermined degree of superheat as variables. Then, the opening degree of the expansion valve is adjusted, on the basis of the difference between the calculated value and a detected discharge temperature, to control the amount of refrigerant circulated, thereby preventing the excessive superheating of the indoor heat exchanger (a discharge temperature control method).
Patent Document 1 discloses the following configuration: in a cooling mode in a low outside air temperature environment, in order to prevent the indoor heat exchanger from being frozen and to widen a cooling operation range, a set temperature is compared with the outside air temperature; and on the basis of the result of the comparison, when the operating frequency of the compressor is higher than a predetermined value, the expansion value is opened, but when the operating frequency of the compressor is lower than the predetermined value, the expansion value is closed.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a structure including: a first pressure difference adjusting apparatus that, in a cooling mode in an environment in which the outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined value, when the difference between the high pressure and the low pressure of a compressor is lower than a predetermined value, reduces the number of rotations of an outdoor fan to prevent the difference between the high pressure and the low pressure of the compressor from being reduced; and a second pressure difference adjusting apparatus that increases the operating frequency of the compressor when it is difficult to maintain the difference between the high pressure and the low pressure to be larger than a predetermined value by using only the first pressure difference adjusting apparatus.
[Patent Document 1]
    Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei7-158980[Patent Document 2]    International Application Publication No. WO2003/083376
However, in the discharge temperature control method according to the related art, the same control method is used for a normal cooling mode (at the room temperature) and a cooling mode in a low outside air temperature environment. Therefore, when the outside air temperature falls, it is difficult to control the amount of refrigerant circulated due to the following factors.
(1) The number of rotations of the outdoor fan is reduced to increase a condensation temperature. Therefore, the detection of the outside air temperature is greatly affected by the temperature of the outdoor heat exchanger. (2) As the outside air temperature falls, the discharge temperature falls. Therefore, there is little variation in the amount of refrigerant circulated through the refrigerating cycle that is suitable when the above-mentioned variables vary and a target discharge temperature when these variables do not vary. (3) Since the amount of refrigerant circulated through the refrigerating cycle is reduced, the response of a discharge temperature detection value to a change in the variables is slow. (4) When an inlet of the indoor heat exchanger is superheated, a unit for detecting the superheating of the inlet is not provided.
When the above-mentioned factors (1) to (3) are combined with each other, outside air temperature that is higher than the actual outside air temperature is detected, so that a higher discharge temperature than a discharge temperature at which the optimum amount of refrigerant circulated is obtained is calculated. As a result, the expansion valve is closed to increase the discharge temperature up to a target value. Since the difference between the discharge temperature and the ordinary temperature is small, the expansion valve is narrowed. As a result, the amount of refrigerant to be circulated is considerably reduced.
As the detecting unit described in (4), generally, a temperature sensor is provided in the indoor heat exchanger to detect the temperature of the center of a pipeline passing through the indoor heat exchanger. Therefore, in order to detect the superheating of an inlet of the indoor heat exchanger, an additional temperature sensor needs to be provided in the vicinity of the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is necessary to change the outside air temperature detecting method, improve a method of detecting and controlling the discharge temperature, and additionally provide a temperature sensor for monitoring the temperature of the inlet of the indoor heat exchanger. Therefore, the specifications and the design of the air conditioner according to the related art should be significantly changed.
An object of the invention is to provide a method of appropriately controlling the amount of refrigerant circulated in a cooling mode in a low outside air temperature environment without significantly changing the specifications and the design of the existing air conditioner.

Method of controlling air conditioner cooling load utilizing controlling the opening degree of an expansion valve and/or the number of rotations of an outdoor fan


A semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate with a base region, a collector region and an emitter region in a lateral arrangement. The base region having a first conductivity type, and the collector and emitter regions having a second conductivity type. A first conductor layer is patterned over the substrate with a base contact portion, a collector contact portion and an emitter contact portion, with the base contact portion, the collector contact portion and the emitter contact portion contacting the base region, the collector region and the emitter region, respectively. A second conductor layer is patterned over a portion of the base region and is electrically coupled to the emitter contact portion, whereby the second conductor layer functions as an electrostatic shield for the base region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to an improved performance, lateral, high-voltage PNP transistor.
2. Related Art
The design of lateral PNP transistors is complicated by the need to produce transistors which satisfy various performance requirements. One requirement is for high-voltage operation. Such devices must also produce sufficient current gain. Because the lateral PNP transistor (also referred to herein as "the transistor") is designed for high-voltage capability, the base drift region of the device must be lightly doped to sustain these high voltages. This low doping in the base drift region causes the base drift region to be vulnerable to electrostatic build-up in the overlying oxide. Such build-up can result in excessive off-state leakage current, degradation in breakdown voltage and a reduction in current gain from the overlying oxide into the base drift region. Thus, a further requirement is the need for full electrostatic charge shielding of the base drift region from chargers that can exist primarily in the dielectric layers (e.g., silicon dioxide layers) on top of the silicon surface.
To satisfy these requirements, a polycrystalline silicon shield (hereafter called a polysilicon shield) is used to protect the base drift region from presence of charges from the overlying the dielectric layers. However, lateral, high-voltage PNP transistors formed according to a BCDMOS (bipolar complementary double diffusion metal oxide silicon) technology demonstrate a kink in the I.sub.C -V.sub.CE characteristic curves and low early voltage due to the potential of the polysilicon field plate needed to electrically shield the base surface region. (See "An Analog/Digital BCDMOS Technology with Dielectric Isolation--Devices and Processes," Lu et al., I.E.E.E. Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 35, No. 2, p. 230-239 (Feb. 1988).) The kink in the collector-emitter characteristics of the transistor disturbs the output impedance and current gain in the active region of operation of the transistor, and lower early voltage.
Thus, what is desired is a lateral, high-voltage PNP transistor having a structure which eliminates the "kink" demonstrated by existing devices.


A photosensitive element has a two tier passivation layer disposed between the top contact layer and the amorphous silicon photosensor island. The passivation layer includes an inorganic moisture barrier layer which is disposed at least over the sidewalls of the photosensor island. The inorganic material forming this layer is preferably silicon nitride or silicon oxide. An organic dielectric layer is disposed over the moisture barrier layer and the photosensor island except for a selected contact area on the top surface of the photosensor island where the top contact layer is in electrical contact with the amorphous silicon material of the photosensor island. The organic dielectric material is preferably a polyimide.

Photosensitive elements (for converting incident radiant energy into an electrical signal) are commonly used in imaging applications, for example, x-ray imagers and facsimile devices. Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si) and alloys of a-Si are commonly used in the fabrication of photosensitive elements due to the advantageous photoelectric characteristics of a-Si and the relative ease of fabrication. In particular, photosensitive elements, such as photodiodes, can be formed in conjunction with necessary control or switching elements, such as thin film transistors (TFT's), in relatively large area arrays.
Photodiodes typically include an island or body of photosensitive material, such as a-Si, disposed between two electrodes electrically coupled to opposite surfaces of the photodiode body. As incident radiation is absorbed in the a-Si, holes and electrons are produced and move toward the upper or lower surface of the photodiode dependent on the electric filed established by the electrodes. The amount of charge collected at the electrodes is a function of the energy flux of the incident light. Periodic measuring of charge collected on a photodiode, and resetting the diode to a known charge condition, is used to process electrical signals generated by the photodiode in response to incident radiation.
Charge leakage is a critical factor in photodiode performance as the loss of charge during a sampling cycle lessens a photodiode's sensitivity and increases the noise. The two significant components of charge leakage are area leakage and sidewall leakage. Particularly in smaller diodes in which the area of the sidewalls is relatively large with respect to the overall area of the photodiode, sidewall leakage constitutes the primary source of leakage, although degradation of sidewall surfaces due to exposure to moisture can make sidewall leakage a significant leakage source in almost any size photodiode. It is thus desirable to cover the photodiode body, and in particular the sidewalls, with a passivating layer to limit this type of charge leakage.
It is desirable that the passivating layer have the following characteristics: First, it should act as an electrically insulating barrier between the upper electrode, the a-Si photodiode body, and other underlying electrically conductive components, such as address lines and TFT's which are used in reading and processing electrical signals generated by the photodiode. Second, the passivating layer should be capable of being selectively etched with respect to the a-Si to enable formation of a non-leaky contact connection between the upper electrode and the upper surface of the photodiode body. Third, the passivating layer should cover the photodiode body without cracking or inducing stresses that adversely affect photodiode performance or the dielectric integrity of the passivating layer. Fourth, the interface between the passivating layer and the sidewalls of the photodiode body should have minimal conductivity so that photodiode leakage in reverse bias is not degraded by the presence of the dielectric. Fifth, the passivating layer should be thick enough (on the order of 1 micron) so that the capacitance between the upper electrode and underlying address lines is kept to a level that allows the signal on the photodiode to be completely read out in the relatively short allowed system sampling time (e.g., about 10 microseconds). Sixth, the passivating layer should be capable of being deposited at temperatures that do not cause significant degradation of the a-Si photodiode properties, e.g., less than about 250.degree. C. Seventh, the passivating layer should desirably protect the photodiode sidewall surfaces from degradation due to humidity, moisture, or chemical attack from materials in the environment or present on the substrate. This latter concern is present both during fabrication and also over time as the device is exposed to a variety of environments.
Passivating layers are commonly made up of one layer of material. Certain polyimides, particularly preimidized polyimides, have been found to provide a satisfactory passivating layer with regard to several of the desirable characteristics listed above. Drawbacks to polyimide passivating layers include constraints of temperature in the formation process relative to the optimal cure temperature for the polyimide, and the poor moisture barrier provided by polyimides. Indeed, most polyimides providing otherwise satisfactory passivating layer characteristics are hygroscopic, that is they tend to absorb moisture from the environment. This characteristic is particularly undesirable in light of the increased leakage resulting from degradation of the photodiode sidewalls in contact with polyimide. Single layer inorganic dielectrics have been used in some situations, but typically such layers cannot be deposited to a sufficient thickness to provide the desired capacitance in the device without experiencing debilitating stresses that affect the structural integrity of the dielectric layer and degrade device performance and longevity.
It is thus an object of this invention to provide a photosensitive element having a passivating layer that provides a high integrity moisture barrier for the sidewalls of the photodiode body.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a passivating layer for a photosensitive element that provides a high integrity dielectric layer that is structurally sound.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a passivating layer for a photosensitive element that can be fabricated at temperatures that are consistent with minimal degradation of a-Si photodiode properties.
Another object of this invention is to provide a low sidewall leakage photodiode.

Photosensitive element with two layer passivation coating


A substrate holding device according to the present invention includes an elastic membrane to be brought into contact with a rear surface of a substrate, an attachment member for securing at least a portion of the elastic membrane, and a retainer ring for holding a peripheral portion of the substrate while in contact with the elastic membrane. The elastic membrane comprises at least one projecting portion, and the attachment member comprises at least one engagement portion engaging side surfaces of the at least one projecting portion of the elastic membrane. The elastic membrane further comprises bellows portions expandable in a pressing direction so as to allow the elastic membrane to press the substrate, and contractible along the pressing direction.

In recent years, semiconductor devices have become small in size and the structure of semiconductor elements have become more complicated. In addition, the layers in multilayer interconnects used for a logical system have increased in number. Accordingly, irregularities on a surface of a semiconductor device are likely to increase and step heights are also likely to increase. This is because, during a manufacturing process of the semiconductor device, a thin film is formed on the semiconductor device, then micromachining processes, such as patterning or forming holes, are performed on the semiconductor device, and these processes are repeated many times to form subsequent thin films on the semiconductor device.
When irregularities on the surface of the semiconductor device increase, the following problems arise. When a thin film is formed on the semiconductor device, the thickness of the film formed on the step portions is relatively small. Further, an open circuit may be caused by disconnection of interconnects, or a short circuit may be caused by insufficient insulation between interconnect layers. As a result, it is difficult to obtain good products, and the yield tends to be lowered. Even if a semiconductor device initially works normally, reliability of the semiconductor device is lowered after long-term use. Further, at a time of exposure during the lithography process, if an irradiation surface has irregularities, then a lens unit in an exposure system is locally unfocused. Therefore, if the irregularities on the surface of the semiconductor device increase, it becomes problematically difficult to form the fine pattern itself on the semiconductor device.
Thus, it becomes increasingly important in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device to planarize the surface of the semiconductor device. One of the most important planarizing technologies is chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). The chemical mechanical polishing is performed using a polishing apparatus. Specifically, a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, is brought into sliding contact with a polishing surface while a polishing liquid containing abrasive particles such as silica (SiO2) is supplied onto the polishing surface, so that the substrate is polished.
This kind of polishing apparatus comprises a polishing table having a polishing surface formed on a polishing pad, and a substrate holding device, which is called a top ring, for holding a semiconductor wafer. The polishing apparatus polishes a semiconductor wafer as follows. The substrate holding device holds the semiconductor wafer and presses the semiconductor wafer against the polishing surface at a certain pressure. In this state, the polishing table and the substrate holding device are moved relative to each other to bring the semiconductor wafer into sliding contact with the polishing surface, whereby the semiconductor wafer is polished to have a flat and mirror-finished surface.
In the above polishing apparatus, if the relative pressing force between the semiconductor wafer and the polishing surface of the polishing pad is not uniform over an entire surface of the semiconductor wafer during polishing, then the semiconductor wafer may be insufficiently polished or may be excessively polished at some portions depending on the pressing force applied to those portions of the semiconductor wafer. In order to avoid such a drawback, it has been attempted to form a substrate-holding surface of the substrate holding device with use of an elastic membrane made of elastic material such as rubber, and to apply fluid pressure such as air pressure to a backside surface of the elastic membrane so as to provide a uniform pressing force over the entire surface of the semiconductor wafer.
However, use of such an elastic membrane may meet the following problems. When the semiconductor wafer is being rotated, the elastic membrane is twisted and deformed. As a result, a polishing rate, i.e., a removal rate, at a peripheral portion (edge portion) of the semiconductor wafer is greatly lowered compared with other portions. Further, due to such twisting and deformation of the elastic membrane, a polishing profile may not be symmetrical, especially at the edge portion, about a center of the semiconductor wafer. Furthermore, individual differences of elastic membranes and retainer rings, which hold a peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer, may cause a variation in polishing profiles among the top rings.

Substrate holding device and polishing apparatus


A technology for testing a computing resource is provided. In one example, services available for the computing resource are identified. The services may be automatically tested on the computing resource and metrics for testing of the services may be collected. Performance of the services may be determined based on the metrics.

Applications and computing services are often made available over the Internet or other computer networks. Content providers, application providers, and/or computing service providers often utilize remote computing services to provide access to electronic resources, such as internet services. Electronic resources may include processing services, memory services, storage services, networking services and generally any computing services supported by a hardware substrate that is used in a computing environment. Often hardware and/or software used to support the desired services are dynamically scalable to meet the changing load for the services at any given time. Users, for example, may rent, lease, or otherwise pay for access to networked computing resources and computing services, and thus reduce the burden of providing local hardware and/or software for computing services, as compared with implementations without network accessible computing services.
To facilitate increased utilization of network accessible computing resources provided via a data center, virtualization technologies can allow a single physical computing machine to host one or more instances of virtual machines that appear and operate as independent machines to a connected computer user. With virtualization, the single physical computing device can create, maintain or delete virtual machines in a dynamic manner. In turn, users can request computer resources from a data center and be provided with varying numbers of virtual machine resources on an "as needed" basis or at least on an "as requested" basis. As the scale and scope of data centers has increased, the task of provisioning, administering, and monitoring the physical and virtual computing resources of the data center has become increasingly complicated.


Interference and bit error rate measurements are made on the uplink and downlink to determine communications quality. Mobile station mobile assisted hand-off (MAHO) functionality is utilized to make the downlink measurements. Following filtering, the measurements are evaluated to identify potential candidates for reallocation. In one type of evaluation, when measured downlink bit error rate on a selected frequency is lower than a threshold and is worse than measured uplink bit error rate, then a better quality candidate is chosen to replace the selected frequency. In another type of evaluation, when a best available candidate has better interference than a worst quality one of the selected frequencies, that best candidate is chosen to replace the selected frequency.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cellular telephone systems and, in particular, to an automated and autonomous method and tool for assigning frequencies to transceivers in cells of a cellular telephone system supporting analog and/or digital communications channels.
2. Description of Related Art
Cellular telephone systems divide a large service area into a number of smaller discrete geographical areas called "cells" each typically ranging in size from about one-half to about twenty kilometers in diameter. Each cell is at least contiguous and/or overlapping with multiple adjacent cells to provide substantially continuous coverage throughout the service area. A base station including a plurality of transceivers capable of operating independently on different assigned radio frequencies is provided for each of the cells. Via the transceivers, the base stations engage in simultaneous communications with plural mobile stations operating within the area of the associated cell. The base stations further communicate via data links and voice trunks with a central control station, commonly referred to as a mobile switching center, which functions to selectively connect telephone calls to the mobile stations through the base stations and, in general, control operation of the system.
Each cell is assigned use of a predetermined set of frequencies from the cellular frequency band for use in providing its control and voice/data (traffic) channels. The assignment is typically made in accordance with a certain frequency plan. The frequencies used for the control and traffic channels assigned to a given cell are preferably spaced apart from each other across the frequency spectrum of the cellular frequency band. This serves to minimize the instances and adverse affects of adjacent channel interference.
Because only a limited number of frequencies are available in the cellular frequency band, the same frequencies that are assigned to one cell are also assigned to (i.e., reused by) other cells in distant parts of the service area. Typically, adjacent (i.e., neighbor) cells are not assigned to use the same frequency by the frequency plan. Furthermore, the power levels of the signal transmissions on any given frequency are limited in strength so as to limit propagation beyond the cell area. The foregoing precautions serve to reduce instances of co-channel interference caused by reuse of that same frequency in a distant cell. It is further noted that careful power level and distance assignment also assists in reducing instances of adjacent channel interference.
In spite of the precautions taken by service providers in the frequency plan assignment for a frequency reuse cellular telephone system and in the regulation of system operation, it is known that instances of co-channel interference do occur. This interference may be affected by a number of factors including: terrain irregularities; radio propagation changes; fading; multipath propagation; reflection; existence of human and natural obstructions; the number of available transceivers per cell; and variations in demand. This interference often adversely affects system operation by, for example, degrading voice quality on the traffic channels or interfering with the transmission and reception of control signals on the control channels. Service providers accordingly monitor on a cell by cell basis for instances of adjacent channel and co-channel interference on the assigned frequencies, as well as for instances of relatively low interference on other frequencies, and in response thereto make requests for a revision in the frequency plan assignment of frequencies for that cell. Before a retune, such a revision is often referred to in the art as a "proposal" for change.
Now that both digital, analog and dual mode systems are being implemented, the process for making and implementing a request for a revision in the frequency plan assignment is becoming more complicated. The primary reason for the added complication relates to the fact that certain frequencies in the cellular frequency band may be specified solely for use with analog control or traffic channels, while other frequencies are specified solely for use with digital control or traffic channels. Still other frequencies in the cellular frequency band may be specified for dual mode use. At the same time, the transceivers comprising the cell configuration of a cell may be assigned for either analog or digital control/traffic channel use. The heart of the problem resides in the fact that mode authorizations for the frequencies included in the proposal may not necessarily coincide with the mode capabilities of the transceivers. Accordingly, it is imperative that any revision in the frequency plan assignment take into account the specified modes of the frequencies within the proposal in the context of the specified operating modes of the transceivers for the cell configuration. Another problem lies in the fact that each cell evaluates interference, and makes requests for frequency plan assignment revisions by considering only its own needs, and failing to consider the effect of such assignment revisions on other cells within the network.
What is needed then is a method that validates from a frequency mode perspective the frequencies of a given proposal in view of the transceiver mode requirements of a given cell, and further coordinates the cell based requests for revision to the frequency plan assignment to the benefit of the each of the cells of the network rather than the benefit of just an individual cell. Preferably, this method should be implemented in an automatic fashion without need for service operator or service provider supervision (i.e., autonomously).

Automated tool method for frequency plan revision within a cellular telephone system


A fastening device for heating plates of a heating device of a corrugated board plant. Each heating plate is fastened on a form-stiff and fixed frame. The ends of the heating plates are supported by loose support devices. Thus, a flat heating surface for the strip of corrugated board guided over the heating surface is maintained even during a limited expansion of the heating plates due to the effect of heat.

The heating plates in conventional heating devices for corrugated board plants are loosely stored on longitudinal carriers. Their upper sides form a flat, horizontal heating surface, over which the corrugated board strip, which is to be dried, is guided. These heating plates are heated, for example, by means of super-heated steam. Because of differences in the temperature between the upper side and the lower side, there exists the risk that the upper side and thus the heating surface of the heating plates will buckle. This will result in an uneven heating of the strip of corrugated board.
The basic purpose of the invention is to fasten the heating plates by means of a fastening device in such a manner that they can be adjusted to provide a flat, horizontal heating surface, the flat plane being maintained also upon expansion in axial direction due to the effects of heat.
The fastening device permits an easy adjustment of the upper side of the heating plate to achieve a flat, horizontal heating surface. Its design is relatively simple. In addition, the fastening device guarantees the demanded flatness of the heating surface also during expansion of the heating plates due to the effects of heat.

Fastening device for heating plates of a heating device of a corrugated board plant

BHS Corrugated Maschinen-- und Anlagenbau GmbH


An exhaust gas temperature measuring system for an internal combustion engine derives temperature from an oxygen sensor having a temperature dependent internal resistance disposed in an exhaust gas stream. The oxygen sensor produces an intrinsic voltage which is divided between the internal resistance and an external resistive load. An approximation of the oxygen sensor internal resistance is made from the value of the resistive load providing a value of the loaded sensor voltage having a predetermined relationship to the unloaded sensor voltage; and the internal resistance indicates the exhaust gas temperature.

Legislation mandating stringent limits on certain exhaust emissions from motor vehicle internal combustion engines has resulted in widespread use of closed-loop fuel control systems and three-way catalytic converters for oxidizing hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide while simultaneously reducing oxides of nitrogen in the exhaust gas. Exhaust emissions are influenced by, among other things, the air/fuel ratio of the engine fuel charge, combustion temperature and converter temperature.
The air/fuel ratio of the engine fuel charge affects the efficiency of three-way catalytic converters and, therefore, influences the exhaust emissions. Thus, a vehicle so equipped is also equipped with a closed-loop fuel control system for maintaining a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio which maximizes the efficiency of catalytic converter operation. The exhaust emissions of such vehicles are also influenced by combustion temperature and converter temperature. Elevated combustion temperature is known to increase the production of oxides of nitrogen in the exhaust gases. However, elevated converter temperature is desirable for proper converter operation; but converter temperature above a certain limit may damage the converter and thus permanently reduce its efficiency. Exhaust gas temperature is a good indicator of both combustion temperature and converter temperature, since it is a direct result of the former and a significant contributor to the latter. An exhaust gas temperature sensor may, therefore, be useful for additional control or monitoring functions in engine controls using three-way catalytic converters and closed-loop fuel control systems. In prior art devices, dedicated thermocouples or thermistors have been employed for sensing exhaust gas temperature; but their addition, along with required external amplification circuitry, can significantly increase the expense of a fuel control system intended for mass production.

Exhaust gas temperature measuring system utilizing existing oxygen sensor


A method of forming a semiconductor device includes depositing a titanium-containing material over a source/drain (S/D), wherein an energy of depositing the titanium-containing material is sufficient to cause re-deposition of a material of the S/D along sidewalls of a dielectric layer adjacent the S/D to form protrusions extending from a top surface of the S/D. The method further includes annealing the semiconductor device to form a silicide layer in the S/D and in the protrusions.

Semiconductor devices including strained source/drain (S/D) regions help to increase conductivity in a channel region of the semiconductor device. Strained S/D regions have a different lattice structure from a surrounding substrate. The difference in lattice structure exerts pressure on the channel region of the semiconductor device to increase the conductivity.
Annealing processes are used to form silicide layers in the strained S/D regions of semiconductor devices. The annealing process heats the semiconductor device in order to cause a reaction between at least silicon and a metallic material. Due to the increase in temperature, energy within the strained S/D region increases and the odds of material diffusing increases.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of forming semiconductor device using titanium-containing layer and device formed

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


An optical recording medium includes a recording layer, and a masking layer which is converted to a state having small absorption at the wavelength of a reproducing beam due to progress of decoloration caused by a thermal reaction upon irradiation with the reproducing beam, or due to facilitation of decoloration caused by a photon mode photochromic reaction through temperature rise upon irradiation with the reproducing beam.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical recording medium which can record and reproduce information in high density and a reproducing method therefor.
2. Description of the Background Art
In relation to an optical disk unit and an optical medium, the so-called MSR (magnetically induced super resolution) system has recently been watched with interest as a super resolution means for recording/reproducing information in/from regions smaller than a recording spot which is defined by the diffraction limit of light. Such an MSR system is disclosed in Technical Digest of Optical Data Storage Topical Meeting, 1991, Vol. 5, pp. 112 to 115 (Lecture No. TUB-3) and pp. 116 to 119 (Lecture No. TUB-4), for example. This system is characterized in that a plurality of magneto-optical recording films are employed with provision of a masking layer for masking peripheral information other than that for an information recording layer. Recorded information (recording marks) is transferred to the masking layer, whose temperature is increased by irradiation, by means of a relatively intense reproducing beam, whereby influences, caused by adjacent tracks and recording marks, in the linear density direction, are suppressed even if the recording density is increased, and therefore the optical resolution is improved.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-225611 (1993), for example, discloses an optical recording medium which is provided with a masking layer including a light absorption center causing a nonlinear light absorption phenomenon such as a saturable absorption property, as an optical recording medium for attaining a similar super-resolution effect. Further, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-242524 (1993) discloses a recording/reproducing method similarly utilizing a nonlinear optical phenomenon, employing a spiro-selenazolino-benzopyran which exhibits inverse photochromism. In addition, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-266478 (1993) proposes a method employing a masking layer which is generally non-transmittable with respect to a reproducing beam, but exhibits partial transmission only in its central portion upon irradiation with a reproducing beam, which is controlled to exceed prescribed intensity on the central portion and again returns to the opaque state after passage of the reproducing beam. This reference discloses using an indoline spiropyran which exhibits inverse photochromism as a material for the masking layer.
In the conventional method employing the MSR system, however, the recording medium is disadvantageously limited to a magneto-optical recording medium.
Further, the method employing the nonlinear light absorption phenomenon generally requires extremely high light intensity, and hence information which is already recorded in the recording layer may be destroyed by heat generated when new or further information is applied.
In the super-resolution system utilizing inverse photochromism, in addition, reproduction is carried out by scanning the recording layer with a laser beam spot for decoloring the masking layer by a photochromic reaction. However, the masking layer thereafter naturally returns to a colored state due to a thermal reaction, and hence it is difficult to attain compatibility with a medium having no masking layer, i.e., employing no super-resolution optical recording technique. When the beam is impinged on the medium in reproduction, further, a coloring reaction is also caused by a thermal reaction with progress of decoloration by a photochromic reaction, and hence transmittance of the masking layer may be insufficiently improved.

Optical recording medium and reproducing method therefor


A well pump sucker rod guide which is a tubular integral body element formed of an elastic minimum friction type material and provided with a longitudinal bore formed along the longitudinal axis of the body, a transverse mounting slot opening from a side of the body into the bore dividing the body into opposite end portions, and a longitudinal mounting slot in each end portion extending radially inwardly into the bore and opening at one end through an end of the body and at the other end into the transverse slot, one of the longitudinal slots extending in the opposite radial directions from the other longitudinal slot, and each said slot being defined by radially outwardly diverging guide walls which also diverge toward the transverse mounting slot. The guide is mounted on sucker rod sections to centralize the reciprocating rod in a production tubing in which a pump is mounted and operated by the rod.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to well tools and more particularly relates to guides for sucker rods used to drive a sub-surface well pump in the production tubing of a well for lifting well fluids through the tubing to the surface.
2. History of the Prior Art
Well fluids, particularly oil, in situations where there is no natural formation drive, are often produced by reciprocating pumps positioned in the well at a depth at which the oil and related fluids flow into the well bore. The pump is driven by a sucker rod connected between a pumping jack at the surface end of the well and the pump plunger. The sucker rod is a string of end-to-end connected rod sections extending downwardly in the well production tubing. More often than not the production tubing of a well is not straight but rather deviates in a number of different configurations sufficiently to cause the sucker rod to rub against the tubing wall surface. Such rubbing produces wear along some of the sucker rod sections and the production tubing wall. It has been standard practice for many years to minimize sucker rod and production tubing wall wear as well as to improve the efficiency of operation of a sucker rod by holding the sucker rod centrally disposed in the production tubing with rod guides. The rod guides are fabricated of materials which minimize friction and are configured to permit well fluids to flow past the guides within the production tubing. Such guides are normally slotted to permit installation of the guides on the rod by pressing them laterally from the side of the rod rather than requiring insertion of the rod at one end through the guides. Once the guides are pressed on the sucker rod they preferably grip the rod sufficently tightly to prevent slippage of the rod in the guide as the rod and guides reciprocate. Typical prior art sucker rod guides formed of soft materials such as oil resistent rubber and requiring metal inserts for holding the guides on the sucker rods are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,655,113; 2,793,917; 2,928,472; 3,001,834; 3,186,773; and 3,650,579. In some of the guides shown in these prior art patents, the insert fits within the bore of the guide and grips the surface of the sucker rod. In other prior art patented rod guides the insert is embedded within the guide material squeezing the guide against the sucker rod surface. Such rod guide designs are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,001,834 and 3,414,337. The use of such guides requires both additional manufacturing and assembly costs and precedures. A still further prior art sucker rod guide is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,558 which has upper and lower sections provided with misaligned longitudinal bores each of which communicates with longitudinal, radially extending slots which increases in width from the narrowest portion at the outer surface of the guide to the widest portion where the slot opens into the guide bore.


An arm support and finger positioning stand for use by a manicurist in manicuring the fingernails of a customer has a first transverse arcuate surface B positioned at a level for supporting the hand by engaging the arm just below the wrist to serve as an arm rest; and a second transverse arcuate surface D positioned above and forwardly of the first transverse arcuate surface at a level for receiving the palm of the customer's hand with the fingers extending forwardly and curved downwardly resting upon a forward portion of the second transverse arcuate surface in position for being individually raised for manicuring a respective fingernail with the remaining fingers resting upon the forward position of the second transverse arcuate surface.

This invention relates to an arm supporting and finger positioning stand for use by a manicurist which comfortably positions a customer's hand for protracted periods of time as required for a manicure while making the individual's fingernails readily accessible to the manicurist.
The present practice in manicuring the fingernails of a customer at a beauty parlor and the like is to use whatever is at hand, usually simply a table top in conjunction with a bowl containing liquid for treating the nails. Efforts have been made to provide apparatus for supporting the arm and fingers of a customer which utilizes spaced supports, one located adjacent the wrist while another carries the fingers pointed toward the beauty operator or manicurist. U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,331 illustrates the use of a transverse arcuate bar for supporting the arm adjacent the wrist and a fixture for supporting the hand upon a vertical pedestal which has indentations positioning the fingers in spread horizontal relationship. Such a device is relatively complicated and expensive for performing a simple task and its disadvantages appear to offset the conveniences achieved through its use.
Other U.S. Pat. Nos. which illustrate the state-of-the-art include the following: 915,047; 2,169,990; 2,392,626; and 2,561,001.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an effective manicure stand for supporting the arm and fingers of a customer comfortably and conveniently accessible by the operator, and which is of simple inexpensive construction.
Another important object of the invention is to provide a manicure stand which is portable and which is capable of accommodating various sizes and shapes of customers.
Another important object of the invention is the provision of a manicure stand which has first and second arcuate surfaces, the second of which is spaced forwardly of and above the first and positions the hand comfortably with fingers curved downwardly for being raised individually for access by the operator during treatment of respective nails.


This method for manufacturing a lead-free niobate-system ferroelectric thin film device includes: a lower electrode film formation step of forming a lower electrode film on a substrate; a ferroelectric thin film formation step of forming a niobate-system ferroelectric thin film on the lower electrode film; an etch mask pattern formation step of forming an etch mask in a desired pattern on the niobate-system ferroelectric thin film; and a ferroelectric thin film etching step of shaping the niobate-system ferroelectric thin film into a desired fine pattern by wet etching using an etchant comprising: a predetermined chelating agent including at least one selected from EDTMP, NTMP, CyDTA, HEDP, GBMP, DTPMP, and citric acid; an aqueous alkaline solution containing an aqueous ammonia solution; and an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution.

Ferroelectrics are very attractive substances because of their peculiar characteristics (such as very high relative permittivity, and good pyroelectric, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties). So, various devices (such as ceramic multilayer capacitors, pyroelectric devices, piezoelectric devices and ferroelectric memories) have been developed and put into use utilizing such peculiar properties. Typical ferroelectrics are perovskite materials such as barium titanate (BaTiO3) and lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr1-xTix) O3, PZT). Of these, lead zirconate titanates (PZTs) provide relatively excellent polarization and piezoelectric properties and are therefore most widely used.
Lead-containing PZTs are specified hazardous substances. However, because there are currently no suitable commercially available alternative pyroelectric or piezoelectric materials, PZTs are exempt from the RoHS directive (the directive on the restriction of the use of specified hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment enforced by the European Union and Council of Europe). However, with the growing worldwide responsibility towards global environment conservation, a strong demand exists for development of pyroelectric and piezoelectric devices using lead-free ferroelectric materials.
Also, with the recent trend toward smaller and lighter electronic devices, there is an increasing need for ferroelectric thin film devices in which a thin-film technology is utilized.
Herein, pyroelectric and piezoelectric thin film devices will be described below as representatives of such ferroelectric thin film devices. Piezoelectric devices utilize the piezoelectric effect of a ferroelectric material, and are widely used as functional devices such as actuators and stress sensors. Actuators generate a displacement or vibration in response to an applied voltage to a ferroelectric (piezoelectric) material. Stress sensors generate a voltage in response to a strain produced in a piezoelectric material. Pyroelectric devices detect light (including infrared light) utilizing the pyroelectric effect of a ferroelectric material, and are widely used as infrared human body sensors, etc.
Examples of piezoelectric devices utilizing a lead-free piezoelectric material are described below. Patent Literature 1 discloses a piezoelectric thin film device including, on a substrate, a lower electrode, a piezoelectric thin film and an upper electrode. The piezoelectric thin film is made of an alkali niobate-based perovskite dielectric material of a chemical formula (NaxKyLiz)NbO3 (where 0<x<1, 0<y<1, 0≤z<1, and x+y+z=1). A buffer layer of a perovskite crystal structure material is formed between the piezoelectric thin film and the lower electrode. The perovskite buffer layer is highly preferentially (001), (100), (010) or (111) oriented. According to this Patent Literature 1, the piezoelectric thin film device utilizing the lead-free lithium potassium sodium niobate thin film exhibits sufficient piezoelectric properties.
Piezoelectric devices have a basic structure of a piezoelectric material sandwiched between two electrodes and are micro-fabricated into a beam shape or a tuning fork shape depending on their application. So, micro fabrication processes are important in order to put piezoelectric devices using lead-free piezoelectric materials to practical use.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a method of processing a wafer having thereon a piezoelectric thin film of a chemical formula (K1-xNax)NbO3 (where 0.4≤x≤0.7). The method includes the first step of ion etching the piezoelectric thin film on wafer in an Ar gas atmosphere and the second step of reactive ion etching the resulting wafer in a fluorine based reactive gas/Ar mixture atmosphere. According to this Patent Literature 2, a fine pattern of the piezoelectric thin film can be formed, thereby providing a highly reliable and low cost piezoelectric thin film device.
Patent Literature 3 discloses a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric film device, which includes the steps of: forming a lower electrode on a substrate; forming, on the lower electrode, a piezoelectric film of an alkali niobate-based perovskite material represented by a chemical formula (K1-xNax)NbO3; and wet-etching the piezoelectric film using a hydrogen fluoride-based etchant and a Cr film etch mask. According to this Patent Literature 3, the Cr mask and the lower electrode are not etched by the hydrogen fluoride-based etchant; therefore, the piezoelectric film alone can be selectively etched. Thus, a fine pattern of the piezoelectric film can be accurately formed in a short time.

Method for manufacturing niobate-system ferroelectric thin-film device


A method is disclosed for determining a driving range for a motor vehicle. Initially, extra-vehicle data are received, whereby the extra-vehicle data include at least one weather parameter value. A vehicle-dependent parameter value, which depends on the extra-vehicle data, is determined. The driving range for the motor vehicle, which depends on the vehicle-dependent parameter value, is determined. Also disclosed is a motor vehicle that is configured to receive extra-vehicle data, including at least one weather parameter value. The motor vehicle is configured to determine a vehicle-dependent parameter value from the extra-vehicle data. The motor vehicle is configured to determine a driving range from the vehicle-dependent parameter value. In the method and motor vehicle embodiments, the extra-vehicle data are obtained from at least one additional motor vehicle.

Maximum availability of a driving range for a motor vehicle depends upon, among other things, the environmental conditions around the motor vehicle. The driving range for a motor vehicle is intended in particular to depend on a remaining amount of energy, such as an amount of fuel in a motor vehicle having a combustion engine, or such as the energy stored in a battery of an electric vehicle. Because the environmental conditions, which depend on the position of the motor vehicle and/or on the weather, can be constantly changing, the previously determined driving range can change accordingly.
To adjust the driving range for the motor vehicle, which depends on the environmental conditions around the motor vehicle, it is known to determine the ambient temperature around the motor vehicle by means of in-vehicle temperature sensors. A change in the power demand for the vehicle, which depends on the change in temperature, can be deduced. The disadvantage of this method is that, especially at the beginning of a trip in a motor vehicle, the temperature sensors are correcting a sensed value at specific intervals in time until the value approaches a constant value. As a result, the actual driving range can only be determined following a certain duration after the beginning of the trip. Thus, there is a delay in time.
To determine the driving range for a motor vehicle in a reliable manner, DE 10 2009 048 821 A1 proposes a method for establishing the range for a motor vehicle having an energy storage device used for supplying motive power. In this case, the method takes two different parameters into account. One of the two parameters characterizes a status parameter for the energy storage device. The other parameter is obtained from information relating to weather and other factors.
Described in DE 10 2009 016 869 A1 is a method for operating a vehicle that comprises an electrical drive means and at least one rechargeable and exchangeable electrical energy unit. In this method, a range for the vehicle is calculated on the basis of the state of charge of the electrical energy unit. The method further provides a weather information device for receiving and evaluating weather information as well as a weather data sensing device for sensing weather data. It is, in this way, possible to refer to the weather data to calculate the range.
A method for determining a driving range for a motor vehicle is evident from DE 10 2011 108 385 B3, in which the driving range is determined on the basis of vehicle-dependent and vehicle-independent parameter values. The vehicle-dependent and vehicle-independent parameter values are recorded by the motor vehicle and transmitted to a server.
A method for estimating the range for a vehicle having an electrical drive is evident from DE 10 2014 204 308 A1. The method bases the range estimate on an energy consumption model for the vehicle, the remaining amount of energy available in the vehicle's energy storage device, and a road database. The range estimate takes into account an expected route of travel for the vehicle and location-specific environmental data along the expected route of travel.
A method for monitoring at least one sensor of a vehicle is described in DE 10 2013 225 563 A1. The method compares values measured by the sensors with values measured by at least one comparison vehicle.
A method for determining a range for a vehicle comprising an electric motor as a drive means is evident from DE 10 2011 116 115 A1. The method initially determines or specifies a route of travel for the vehicle. A further method step determines the recuperation events taking place along the route of travel. Finally, the range is determined as a function of the route of travel, the recuperation events, and the environmental conditions along the route of travel.
The disadvantage of a method of this kind is that the data, which are obtained from a server device, are only recorded by the server device on a regional level and contain no location-specific information.
The features and advantages of the present embodiments will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which like reference characters identify corresponding elements throughout. In the drawing, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements.

Method for determining a driving range of a motor vehicle, and motor vehicle


A command file processing system includes a terminal which inputs a password and commands which are to be executed. A command table prestores command names in correspondence with information which indicates passwords authorized to execute the commands. A command made up of the commands are to be executed and are registered in the command file. A judging part judges whether or not the password input from the terminal has authority to execute an arbitrary command which is to be registered in the command file when registering the commands in the command file. The judging part controls the command file creating part to reject the registration of the arbitrary command in the command file when the password has no authority to execute the arbitrary command.

The present invention generally relates to command file processing systems and methods and command file authorizing systems, and more particularly to command file processing system and method which reject registration of a command which is unauthorized to an operator into a command file when creating the command file and a command file authorizing system which authorizes access to the command file.
Recently, maintenance services for information processing systems are rapidly becoming more advanced and complex. Hence, more advanced skills are required of the maintenance person. On the other hand, the security of the system is also becoming an extremely important factor due to the effects on society.
Accordingly, it is necessary to efficiently carry out the maintenance and also ensure security by using passwords and the like so as to permit access to the system only to authorized person.
Conventionally, in order to ensure security of the system, the authorization to execute a command is restricted by use of the password so that the system is protected from a human fault such as an erroneous operation. In other words, in order to ensure security of the system, each maintenance person has a password known only to him, and the password is first input when inputting the command. The system then judges whether or not a command may be input by use of the password and the command is executed only when the password is authorized to execute the command.
As an effective means for efficiently carrying out a routine maintenance service, there is the command file function which collects a series of commands into one file and executes the commands in a batch. In the case of the command file in which a plurality of commands are collected into one file, it is inconvenient from the point of view of operation to input the password every time each registered command within the command file is to be executed. For this reason, the password is input only once when executing the command file, and the password is successively collated with authorizations of the commands within the command file when executing the commands. Consequently, when a command which is unauthorized by the password is registered within the command file, the execution of this command is rejected even during the execution of the command file.
In addition, some systems have an access level assigned to each command. In other words, commands having certain access levels are only accessible by the password of a skilled person and not by the password of a non-skilled person. In such systems, the command file itself needs to keep, in addition to the authority to execute the commands, the correspondence with the authorized passwords, that is, the authority to execute the command file. In this case, only the password which is registered at the time of creating the command file is authorized to execute the command file, and this command file cannot be executed when the person who created the command file is not present.
According to the prior art, an access level is assigned to each command depending on the importance of the command. For example, an access level which is assigned to a command such as "display" is a non-skilled level which can be executed by anyone, that is, even a non-skilled person is authorized to execute the command having the non-skilled level. On the other hand, an access level which is assigned to a command which corrects or modifies the command of the command file, a command which requires a high-level knowledge, a command which is important from the point of view of security of the system or the like is a skilled level which can only be executed by a skilled person, that is, an authorized person who is authorized to execute the command having the skilled level. The provision of such access levels is essential to maintain the system security, however, various problems are introduced by the provision of such access levels.
For example, when creating a command file of typical daily work, there are cases where a command which can only be executed by a password corresponding to the skilled level is included in the series of work of the command file. In such cases, when this command file is executed by a password corresponding to the non-skilled level, the command which can only be executed by the password corresponding to the skilled level is encountered during the execution of the command file and the execution of this command is unauthorized. As a result, there is a problem in that the work of the command file may be incomplete.
On the other hand, when there is a need to register in the command file a command which can only be executed by the password corresponding to the skilled level, this command file can only be created and be executed by the skilled person. However, the number of skilled persons especially in the case of large scale systems is limited, and there is a problem in that the important but typical daily work may be hindered if the skilled person is not present.

Command file processing and authorizing system and method with variable access levels


A viscous coating such as ink or material for surfacing a medium is transferred under pressure from a pressure chamber within a wetting container through a regulating opening and impinges on the surface of a transfer roller in such manner that the flow from the regulating opening is counter to the direction of rotation of the applicator roller. The required quantity of viscous coating medium on the applicator roller is transferred directly onto either a medium conveyor, a printing form or an inking roller.

Various coating and printing procedures are known wherein the viscous coating medium is transferred from a container onto a roller, in which the roller is partly submerged in the viscous coating medium and also forms one wall of the container.
In order to regulate the amount of viscous coating medium, it is customary to utilize an adjustable doctor blade system against the roller surface. When using a smooth surface roller, the required film thickness is adjusted by the distance between the doctor blade and the roller surface, resulting in a regulated transfer of the coating medium thickness. But, when using an etched roller, the quantity of coating medium transferred is determined by the size and quantity of screened etchings on the roller surface. The doctor blade is brought into scraping contact with the roller surface to preserve the uniformity of coating medium as determined by the recesses formed by the etching on the roller.
The transfer of a viscous coating medium onto a medium conveyor is never complete whether a smooth or an etched roller is used. Experience has shown that a certain percentage of the viscous coating medium remains in the fine etching cells, and that after each new coating, a small build-up of the viscous coating medium results. This build-up of coating medium must be regularly cleaned out, which is a very time consuming operation.
When the coating medium is an ink used in printing operations, the transfer of the coating medium has been performed by means of inking rollers, oscillating rollers and transfer rollers and, then, finally onto a printing form or plate. The more modern viscous coating media for direct or indirect letterset and planographic printing processes are manufactured with such fine distribution and transfer properties that the use of extra distributing rollers can be eliminated, thus simplifying the inking units considerably.

Mechanism to transfer a viscous coating medium


An optoelectronic device comprising a laser and a lens for generating collimated light, a locker including an etalon for wavelength locking the collimated light, a first thermoelectric cooler coupled to the laser, and a second thermoelectric cooler coupled to the locker, wherein the first and second thermo-electric coolers arc independently controlled and the second thermo-electric cooler provides for temperature tuning of the etalon.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to microelectronic and optoelectronic packaging. More particularly the present invention relates to an integrated dual thermoelectric cooler and a method of manufacture.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
A thermoelectric cooler (TEC), or Peltier cooler has been widely used in optoelectronic and microelectronic industries for many years. TEC maintains devices such as laser, CCD, and microprocessor at temperatures at which the devices perform the best. When multiple devices are assembled in one enclosure, especially when optical alignment among the devices is critical, however, packaging design and processing become complicated.
Maintaining a device at its best performing temperature, while being able to vary temperatures of other devices is a key application of the current invention. A thermoelectric cooler functions based upon the Peltier effectxe2x80x94a phenomenon discovered in early 19th century that, accompanying electric current flow through conductors, heat flows in the direction of charge carriers. As depicted in FIG. 1, the electric-flow induced thermal flow is more pronounced in circuits containing DC power supply and dissimilar conductors as shown in FIG. 1. In n-type conductors, electrons are charge carriers flowing from negative pole of DC power supply through conductors A and B to the positive pole. Heat flows from the bottom of conductor B to its top, hence the term heat pump. In p-type conductor, holes are charge carriers; holes and heat flow from the end linked to positive pole of power supply to the end that is connected to the negative pole.
In circuits that contain both n- and p-type conductors in series, electrons and holes flow in opposite directions, as shown in FIG. 2. Heat flows from the bottom to the top in both B and C conductors resulting in constructive heating and cooling effect. When many of these thermal couples are assembled together in series electrically and in parallel thermally; the product, thermoelectric cooler, has enough heating and cooling power for engineering applications.
TECs typically require 3 to 10 V and 1 to 2 A DC power to achieve 60 to 80xc2x0 C. xcex94T cooling. xcex94T, temperature differential between cold and hot side of TE cooler, is a measure of the cooling power of TEC.
Space is at a premium in optoelectronic packaging. As such, what is needed in the art is a TEC that takes up a minimum of space, that can provide multiple controls along its length, and is easily manufactured and maintained.
Thus, what is needed in the art is a multiple-TEC concept that encompasses TEC design, manufacturing, and applications. This concept simplifies multiple-TEC design and manufacturing process; it also enhances optoelectronic device packaging process flexibility. Additionally, the overall component assembly time and cost are reduced, and the quality and reliability of the component assembly is increased.
An object of the invention is to provide a process for thermal control of a plurality of separate components that can be accomplished by a single TEC assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for thermal control that minimizes the risk of potential failure.
And yet another object of the present invention is to provide a TEC the configuration of which has a consistent optical centerline.
Another object of the invention is to provide for reduced assembly time, reduced cost, and increased quality and reliability of a TEC.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts and where:

Dual thermoelectric cooler optoelectronic package and manufacture process


A doll having the likeness of a person or animal, wherein the doll form includes a body and head in the general shape of a human or animal is provided. The head includes a facial portion comprised of a first support having a receiving surface for receiving a face member. The face member is made of a second support having a transfer surface for transfer of facial features having the likeness of a particular person or animal. The first and second supports are compatible such that the face member is attached and secured to the receiving surface. The face member can be easily removed and changed with another face member having different facial features. Other exchangeable accessories, including hair and clothing, are used to customize the doll to become anyone so desired. The doll may also contain a voice recording mechanism to correlate to the voice of the individual whose facial features are on the face member. In an alternate embodiment the doll form is a hand or finger puppet.

Dolls bring enjoyment to children of all ages through playing with them, and for their owners they often seem to take on their own personality. Further, dolls, and in particular, a set of dolls, sometimes become collector's items and gain value when collected as an entire set. The particular use for a doll (i.e., play or collect) is determined by the preference of the owner. For example, Cabbage Patch Kids® dolls and Beanie Babies® were purchased for enjoyment by some and for their potential future value by others (i.e., collectors).
In general, dolls may be constructed in many shapes and forms, including as cartoon characters, super heroes, celebrities and even ones providing customizable features (e.g., Mr. Potato Head®). However, even though these dolls can provide hours of enjoyment, they are usually "generic" and generally lack a personal character. Even when the facial features on these dolls are recognizable, they are typically of a well-known or famous figure. Further, these dolls generally do not provide for customization for a particular person.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,319 to Blair describes a process for making a three-dimensional doll face sculpture by using a photographically printed face module.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,626 to Katz discloses a process for making a three-dimensional doll head using a head sack made of a flexible sheet fabric material bearing an imprint (by a photograph) of the head portion of a real life subject. The head sack is filled with a molding material to make a three-dimensional head.
Use of photographs of an individual in a doll form is known in general. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,187 to Wilson discloses a doll imprinted on the fabric face surface with the photograph of an individual; U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,224 to Gintling describes a doll having a pocket secured to the face portion of the doll for displaying a photograph; U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,788 to Penberthy et al. discloses ceramic figurines with a picture image for a face; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,338 to Mallette describes a doll head with a recessed area where a sheet having facial characteristics can be inserted.
As described above, dolls that include photographs or likeness to a real life subject are either directly imprinted to the facial surface of the doll or are essentially picture frames in a doll shaped form that contain photographs. The present invention is an improvement over these dolls in that it provides of a customizable doll that is easily personalized and readily made into different dolls having different features as desired by the owner. It is desirable for such a doll to have the appearance, and in particular, the face or faces of a person known to the doll owner (e.g., grandchild, niece or nephew).
Also in contrast to the known art the invention doll encompasses creation of multiple dolls from the same doll form using interchangeable faces along with exchangeable accessories including hair and clothing.
It therefore is a general object of the invention to provide a customizable doll that has the likeness of a person, where the face of the doll has the likeness of that person. For example, the face may be of someone known to the doll owner or the recipient of the doll. Multiple exchangeable faces of the same family or related members can be prepared and the doll customized as desired to create a different doll using the same doll form.
Another object is to provide for transferring the picture of a person onto a face member and attaching to the face of a doll (e.g. rag doll). This face member is easily removed and exchanged with other different face members. Additional customizable elements include the shape of the doll (e.g., male or female), the hair characteristics of the doll (e.g., length and color) and a tag or label identifying the doll, which may include the name and birth date of the doll, which preferably corresponds to the person's face transferred onto the doll or attached to its body.
The face is preferably configured in the likeness of a living person with the identification information associated with that living person whose likeness is transferred to the face. The facial features of the doll can also be configured to provide a three-dimensional appearance.
The label is adapted for recording (e.g., in a blank space or line) the name and birth date of the doll and may have that name and birth date information preprinted thereon. Preferably, the name of the individual who constructed the doll is provided on the label. Accessories (e.g., necklace or earrings) for the doll also may be provided.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a doll form including the body and head in the general shape of an animal. The facial features having the likeness of a particular person or animal is transferred to a face member that is then attached to the facial portion of the doll form.
Another more specific object of the invention is to provide a hand or finger puppet in the general shape of either a human or animal. The facial features having the likeness of a particular person or animal is transferred to a face member that is then attached to the facial portion of the doll form.

Customizable doll with interchangeable faces having likeness of a person


When a user receives potential junk e-mail from an unknown sender address, an active filter installed in or cooperating with the user's e-mail system sends a challenge e-mail back to the sender address. Unless the user receives a correct response e-mail from the sender address and/or a response that meets formal criteria, the active filter rejects the original e-mail and blocks future e-mail from that sender address. The challenge preferably includes a question that the sender must correctly answer in his response. The question is such that only humans can interpret and respond to it correctly. For example, the question may relate to and/or be incorporated in an image in the challenge. Lists of approved and blocked sender addresses are compiled. The user may directly enter addresses in the address lists. Addresses to which the user has sent e-mail may also be included directly in the approved list.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and method for eliminating or at least reducing the amount of unwanted electronic mail messages sent to users of e-mail.
2. Description of Related Art
As the use of electronic mail (e-mail) has grown, so too has the amount of unwanted e-mail. This unwanted e-mail, commonly referred to as "junk e-mail" or "spam," is usually, but not always, some form of solicitation to buy some product or service.
Junk e-mail in the "Inbox" of e-mail programs is analogous to the "junk mail" that fills many mail boxes. The analogy is not perfect, however. Perhaps the greatest difference, besides the obvious difference in media, is that the marginal cost of sending junk e-mail to one more recipient is essentially nil, whereas an address label must be printed and postage must be paid for each additional piece of junk mail sent through normal postal channels. Indeed, the alarming growth of the junk e-mail industry depends on this cost efficiency. Even millions of e-mail addresses can be obtained relatively cheaply, especially since many organizations that have complied such lists for other reasons are often happy to get the "free" money that is to be had simply by selling them. Even absent such straightforward purchase, less scrupulous "junk e-mailers" can still get at addresses by using known computer programs that gain access to and download address lists from servers. Even more disturbingly, junk e-mailers can also launch programs that cause central e-mail servers themselves to propagate the junk e-mail to their own customers.
That junk e-mail is almost universally hated is of little concern to its creators, once again because of the negligible cost: Assume that 9,999 out of 10,000 who receive an e-mail solicitation for a $100 service are irate at having received it at all, but that one actually buys the service. If the junk e-mailer manages to transmit just a million junk e-mails with the solicitation, then he will still have made $10,000, which is typically far more than it would cost to generate the solicitation. Moreover, note that there are even on-line companies that specialize in sending junk e-mail on behalf of others, usually for only a few hundred dollars, thereby reducing the cost of sending mass junk e-mail even further. Even these companies send junk e-mail advertising their service, which constitutes junk e-mail that advertises a service to enable others to send junk e-mail!
It is not just countless recipients of junk e-mail who would like to rid the e-mail system of it: The hundreds of millions of junk e-mail messages sent every day (and perhaps every hour or minute) represent a waste of the bandwidth of the network (usually Internet) and thus a loss to e-mail service providers as well.
There are at present many different systems that attempt to filter out junk e-mail. Some of these systems are incorporated in the user's e-mail program itself, others are installed in the central e-mail server, and still others are separate applications that the user must load into his computer.
Using perhaps the most common system, when a user receives unwanted e-mail, he may direct his e-mail application to put the sender's address in a "blocked" list. Future messages from the same address are then prevented from reaching the user's Inbox, and are instead sometimes routed to a special junk e-mail folder for optional review by the user. The weakness of this filtering method is that junk e-mailers can easily change the address but keep the same domain name. The junk e-mail will then pass this simple filter. Thus, the sender address "firstname.lastname@example.com" might be blocked, but "email@example.com" will not be.
One improvement over simple address filtering is therefore to filter based on domain names. There are two weaknesses to this approach. First, it is possible to change the "Reply to" or "From" address of a sent e-mail message. Automatically generated, fake domain names can therefore be sent along with junk e-mail to bypass domain name-based filters. Second, junk e-mailers often misappropriate common domain names, especially if the junk e-mail is being sent by a "Trojan Horse" program from within a widely used e-mail server; users may not want to block all e-mail from that domain.
Other known junk e-mail filters examine the routing information that accompanies each e-mail in an attempt to identify the original address from which the e-mail was sent. This will still not work when the e-mail is sent from within a central "trusted" server. Even so, junk e-mailers may also use known techniques to cause their messages to be sent through different proxy servers and thereby to disguise their origin.
The "Active SMTP" technology of Escom Corp. represents another approach, according to which a sending e-mail host is probed while it is connected to the recipient's server. If the sending host is a dial-up risk, or an open relay, or is configured not to accept incoming e-mail (typically indicative of a forged address), then the Active SMTP system distrusts the sending host and rejects its e-mail. This system has at least two specific weaknesses: First, it will not block unwanted e-mail such as blatant commercial advertisements if the sender is using regular e-mail sent from a properly configured mail server. Second, this system works only when the sending server is connected to the recipient server; consequently, such a system is not suitable for installation on users' local computer systems that download e-mail from a remote server.
Still other known junk e-mail filters examine not just addresses and routings, but rather (or in addition) some aspect of the content of the messages. Content is usually found either in the "subject line" of the message, or the main text of the message, or both. It may also be found in the message header. Assume such a filter is installed in a central e-mail server. If a filter program notices that a million pending e-mail messages all have the same subject line, or have message texts with identical wording, then it is almost certain that these messages are junk e-mail and can be blocked and deleted. To defeat such filters, junk e-mail senders typically add random strings of characters in the subject line (usually after many blank spaces or asterisks to make them less obvious to recipients) or at the bottom of the texts. Character-by-character or word-by-word comparison of any two of the junk messages will therefore show them to be different, although the only difference is the meaningless, random character strings included specifically to defeat the filters.
Other "tricks" used by senders of junk e-mail include fake personalization of the messages. Thus, by including all or some part of the recipient's name (extracted from his e-mail address or from a bulk address list) in the subject line, the sender attempts to fool the recipient into believing that the message is legitimate. For example, the text "Bob, here is the deal I told you about!" might be in the subject line of a message sent to email@example.com. This ruse alone may defeat some known filters and may induce the unwitting recipient to open the message. This trick of false familiarity is of course also well known from junk mail sent by post. Note that many of the methods used by junk e-mailers resemble those used to transmit computer viruses, which often require that recipients be tricked into opening some executable attachment.
Legislation has done little to combat the plague of junk e-mail. Indeed, there is proposed federal legislation against "unsolicited commercial e-mail," but it lacks provision for effective enforcement and has loopholes through which junk e-mailers easily slip. Like laws, evasion is often a simple exercise in semantics. For example, many junk e-mail messages include false or at best misleading statements indicating that they are not unsolicited, or not commercial. Some particularly brazen junk e-mail even states explicitly that it complies with the very proposed legislation it violates. All such statements are of course intended to confuse recipients or at least make them believe they have no recourse. Examples of actual statements received by the applicant's attorney include:                "Below is the result of your feedback form." (No feedback form was ever submitted.);        "Note: this is not a spam email. This email was sent to you because your email was entered in on (sic) one of our websites requesting to be a registered subscriber." (No such request had ever been submitted.)        "THIS IS NOT AN OFFER OR CONTRACT TO BUY INSURANCE PRODUCTS, but rather a confidential informational inquiry" (attempting to circumvent the prohibition against unsolicited commercial e-mail); and        "This message is being sent in compliance of (sic) the email bill: Section 301.per section, paragraph (a) (2) (c) of S. 1618."
Still other junk e-mail filters work by searching the message for certain predetermined, prohibited keywords. Any messages that contain any of the keywords are blocked and are not passed through to the user's e-mail application. These filters thus operate in the same manner as (and often are) known filters designed to eliminate pornography or other objectionable subject matter. The problems of over- and under-inclusiveness of these systems are well documented.
The general weakness of all of the known junk e-mail filters mentioned above stems from the fact that they are passive: They attempt to determine whether a message is junk e-mail based solely on an analysis of information extracted from and relating to the message and its sending server. As such, the senders of junk e-mail, like car thieves working to defeat alarms, can evolve their techniques so as to defeat the latest filters.
What is needed is a mechanism for eliminating or at least greatly reducing the successful transmission of unwanted e-mail while still making it easy and convenient to receive wanted e-mail. In other words, e-mail from unwanted senders should be effectively blocked, with as little interference as possible with e-mail from approved senders. It should also be impossible—or at least exceptionally difficult—for junk e-mailers to bypass the filter. This invention provides such a mechanism.

Active e-mail filter with challenge-response


A roof insulation structure and method of making the structure for greatly improving the insulation quality of a metal building roof. The structure includes a self-supporting medium density thermal insulation blanket having elongated slits and notches in the top thereof so that the blanket can be folded into a "U" shaped configuration. The "U" shaped blanket is received on the top and the sides of a pair of adjacent and parallel roof purlins and spans the width therebetween. The "U" shaped configuration of the blanket provides means for receiving a thick blanket of low density thermal insulation inside thereof and between the purlins for increasing the insulation "R" factor of the insulated roof.

The invention relates to an improved roof insulation structure and method of making the structure and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a self-supporting medium density thermal insulation blanket adapted for receipt on top of and between parallel roof purlins. The blanket forms a "U" shaped configuration for receiving a blanket of thick low density thermal insulation therein.
Heretofore there have been various types of metal building roof systems and methods of applying insulation such as the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,047,345, 4,047,346, and 3,969,863 to Alderman and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,513,614 and 3,662,509 to Studzinski. Also various types of grooving self-supporting insulation and methods of grooving the insulation are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,385 to Bondra and U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,641 to Wells. Additional roof insulation systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,979,537 to Troyer and U.S. Pat. No. 2,864,324 to Clements.
None of the patented inventions provide means for receiving and holding low density thick blankets of insulation on top of self-supporting medium density blankets constructed to be contoured around the structure of the metal roof purlins.

Roof insulation structure and method of making same


A chip substrate includes conductive portions, insulation portions, cavities and a heat dissipating portion. The insulation portions are alternately bonded to the conductive portions to electrically isolate the conductive portions. The lens insertion portions are formed on an upper surface of the chip substrate at a predetermined depth so as to extend across each of the insulation portions. Each of the lens insertion portions includes a predetermined number of straight sides and a predetermined number of arc-shaped corners formed in regions where the straight sides meet with each other. The cavities are formed inward of the lens insertion portions at a predetermined depth so as to extend across each of the insulation portions. The heat dissipating portion is bonded to a lower surface of the chip substrate.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a chip substrate and a chip package module using the chip substrate.
2. Description of Related Art
In the related art, a space for mounting a chip to a chip substrate is formed on the upper surface of the chip substrate by mechanical processing or chemical etching. That is to say, Korean Patent No. 10-0986211 discloses a method in which mounting spaces are formed by etching an upper portion of an unprocessed rectangular metal plate.
In the case where an optical element chip such as a UV LED or the like is mounted on such a chip substrate, a space having a wide-top and narrow-bottom shape (i.e., a shape where a cross-sectional area thereof becomes smaller as a depth thereof grows larger) is formed in the chip substrate in order to enhance the light reflection performance. After forming the space, a chip is mounted within the space. The space is sealed by a lens in order to enhance the light efficiency.
Since the space for mounting a chip is formed in a circular shape when the chip substrate is viewed from above, the lens is also formed in a circular shape so as to correspond to the shape of the space.
However, it is more difficult to accurately process a lens into a circular shape than to process a lens into a shape having a straight line, such as a rectangular shape or a triangular shape.