A multilayer ceramic substrate that includes a laminated structure including a surface layer portion located on a surface of the laminated structure and an inner layer portion located on the inner side of the laminated structure, the surface layer portion including a first layer adjacent to the inner layer portion, the inner layer portion including a second layer adjacent to the first layer. The thermal expansion coefficient of the first layer is lower than the thermal expansion coefficient of the second layer, a first glass contained in the first layer and a second glass contained in the second layer each contain 40% or more by weight MO (where M represents at least one selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, Sr, and Ba), and the difference in softening points between the first glass and the second glass is 60° C. or lower.

In recent years, multilayer ceramic substrates including three-dimensionally arranged conductive leads have been widely used in applications for, for example, modules including electronic components such as semiconductor devices.
Patent Document 1 discloses a multilayer ceramic substrate including a laminated structure that includes an inner layer portion and surface layer portions that sandwich the inner layer portion in the laminating direction, letting the thermal expansion coefficient of the surface layer portions be α1 [ppmK−1] and letting the thermal expansion coefficient of the inner layer portion be α2 [ppmK−1], 0.3≤α2−α1≤1.5, and the, inner layer portion including needle crystals deposited therein. Patent Document 2 discloses a multilayer ceramic substrate having a laminated structure including surface layer portions and an inner layer portion, in which thermal expansion coefficients of the surface layer portions are lower than a thermal expansion coefficient of the inner layer portion, the difference in the, thermal expansion coefficients between the surface layer portions and the inner layer portion is 1.0 ppmK−1 or more, and the content of a component common to both a material contained in the surface layer portions and a material contained in the inner layer portion is 75% by weight or more.
Each of Patent Documents 1 and 2 that disclose the multilayer ceramic substrates says that the use of the surface layer portions each having a lower thermal expansion coefficient than the inner layer portion generates compressive stress in both outermost layers in a cooling process after firing to improve the flexural strength of the multilayer ceramic substrate.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-73728
Patent Document 2: International Publication No. 2007/142112

Multilayer ceramic substrate and electronic component


A method and apparatus for operator messaging within a radio communication system (200) using a resource controller (203), which allocates a plurality of communication resources among a plurality of communication units (213, 215), is disclosed. Each of these communication units may be used by an operator having an operator code (262) and associated with a message (264, 266). This operator code and message, along with identification codes (252) representing each of the plurality of communication resources, are stored in a database (201) within the resource controller (203). The method includes the transmitting of the identification (ID) associated with a transmitting communication unit, matching this ID with one of the stored identification codes (252) in the database (201), and using this code to retrieve the message (254, 256) associated with the operator of this communication unit. This message is then sent, via sub-audible signals on the allocated communication resource, to at least one receiving communication unit (213, 215), which then displays (374) this message to be read by the receiving operator.

FIG. 2A shows a typical trunked radio communication system block diagram 200. Resource controller 203, for example Motorola Smartnet II model number `T5184`, is coupled to a database 201 and is used to allocate communication resources within the system. Resources, including those used for both communication and control, are shown in the form of repeaters 205, 207, 209 and 211. These repeaters, under the direction of the resource controller 203, transmit and receive radio frequency signals to and from communication units 213, 215, for example Motorola Saber portable model series H99QX and Maxtrac mobile model series D35MWA. One of these repeaters, for example repeater 205, may be a dedicated control resource; that is, repeater 205 may be solely used to transmit and receive a predetermined set of communication control signals. This predetermined set of signals are generally sent via a control channel 221 to communication units 213 and 215. In such a system the remaining repeaters 207, 209 and 211 are used as voice/data repeaters which define a set of communication resources, for example, voice channels 223.
The sending of sub-audible signal data to communication units within such a system is known. In today's systems, control data (i.e. data which serves to direct inbound and outbound communication between communication units) is sent via a control resource, or channel. This control data generally includes a fixed identification code (ID) for the requesting communication unit. This code may include fleet information, sub-fleet information, and other parameters directly associated with the communication unit. In one type of system this control data may be transmitted sub-audibly on the same channel as the ensuing voice transmission. In another type of system, this control data may be transmitted on a resource, or channel, separate from the voice channel assigned, and may be dedicated for this purpose.
Currently, the fixed ID cannot be effectively used by the operators of receiving communication units to quickly identify the operator of a transmitting communication unit. This ID is generally not useful to an operator since it has no meaningful relationship to the transmitting operator. Even if a communication unit, or radio, is permanently assigned to an operator, the operator's name is not typically related in any way to the fixed ID of that radio. Worse yet is the case where an operator obtains a different radio daily.
In addition to the aforementioned dilemma, there is another problem with the current systems. The transmission of a communication unit's fixed ID to a receiving, or target, radio is used primarily to direct the other radios in the same fleet, or group, to tune in to the correct voice channel frequency for further communications. Once in this receiving mode, however, a communication unit is unable to monitor control data without potentially missing voice data.
As in any real time system, execution speed and timing are critical elements to the successful operation of that system. Today's trunked radio communication systems are no exception to this general rule. Access time to a voice call, though, is directly related to the amount of congestion currently existing on the control channel granting access to that call. Required information, including for example fleet and sub-fleet information, defines the lower boundaries for this critical access time. Obviously, sending additional information, for example the name of the operator transmitting a particular voice call, on a control channel, or resource, presents the problem of lengthening this critical access time, adding to an already over-burdened control resource.
Accordingly, there exists a dire need for a trunked radio communication system having the capability of sending operator-specific information to all receiving communication units for a particular call. Consideration must be made for minimizing increased access times, flexibility of the information to be sent, and efficiency with respect to a new radio joining an established call and still getting the information.

Method and apparatus for operator messaging using voice channel signalling


The invention discloses a quick release jack stand assembly for releasable attachment to the foot board of a scooter wherein the jack stand assembly further comprises a side bracket having a scooter engagement track, wherein the scooter engagement track substantially conforms to the shape of the scooter footboard, the scooter engagement track further comprising a releasable attachment mechanism device for securing the scooter foot board to the scooter engagement track of the jack stand assembly; and a prop bar for engaging a ground surface when the scooter is to be maintained in an upright position when the prop bar is in a down rest position. In an embodiment, the scooter engagement track is slidable along the length of the scooter foot board when the attachment mechanism is in a release position and can be positioned along any portion of the scooter foot board.

The use of jack stands for maintaining the upright position of a two-wheeled vehicle during periods of non-use of the two-wheeled vehicle is common. Various types of jack stands have been described including those in U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,347 to Cline, U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,848 to Silva, Des. 294,014 to McMurtery, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,472 to Pletscher.
Recently, there has been an increase in use of the two-wheeled vehicles, especially non-motorized foot powered scooters. The reason for the increase in use of these types of scooters has been due to the size of these scooters and their popularity because these foot powered scooters are adjustable and they can be folded into a compact positions. Riders are able to use the scooters for short distances, fold the scooter into a compact assembly during commute in public transportation and quickly assemble the scooter after the public transportation ride for getting to their home or office.
Furthermore, the existing jack stands are attached to their two-wheeled vehicle in a fixed position and cannot be placed in various positions. This poses difficulties for the users who may be either right footed or left footed or would have an easier time manipulating the jack stand if it were on the front or back of the two-wheeled vehicles.
Finally, often when children are not riding their scooters, the scooters are left on the ground surface making the scooters dirty or laid against automobiles, doors, or home interior walls where the surface of the automobile, doors, or home interior walls are scratched causing damage.
Therefore, a first objective of the invention is to provide a jack stand that can be placed in various positions along the length of the two-wheeled vehicle such that manipulation of the jack stand by foot is easiest and most convenient for both left footed and right-footed riders.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a jack stand that is quickly released from the scooter for storage of the scooter during periods of non-use.
A quick release jack stand assembly for releasable attachment to the foot board of a scooter wherein the jack stand assembly further comprises a side bracket having a scooter engagement track, wherein the scooter engagement track substantially conforms to the shape of the scooter footboard, the scooter engagement track further comprising a releasable attachment mechanism device for securing the scooter foot board to the scooter engagement track of the jack stand assembly; and a prop bar for engaging a ground surface when the scooter is to be maintained in an upright position when the prop bar is in a down rest position. In an embodiment, the scooter engagement track is slidable along the length of the scooter footboard when the attachment mechanism is in a release position and can be positioned along any portion of the scooter footboard.
In yet another embodiment, the scooter engagement track has an inner lip elongate, a track member elongate, and an outer lip elongate. In another embodiment, the inner lip elongate, outer member elongate, and track member elongate substantially form an open triangle. In another embodiment, the inner lip elongate, outer member elongate, and track member elongate substantially form a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shape.
In a preferred embodiment the scooter engagement track has a threaded bore and a threaded set screw wherein during attachment of the jack stand assembly to the scooter foot board, the scooter foot board is inserted into the scooter engagement track, the inner lip elongate of the scooter engagement track buttressing against a bottom side of the scooter foot board and the outer lip elongate of the scooter engagement track buttressing against a top side of the scooter foot board.
In this embodiment, the jack stand assembly is releasably attached to a right side or left side of the scooter footboard. In a preferred embodiment the jack stand assembly is releasably attached to any portion along the length of the side of the scooter footboard. In a preferred embodiment, the bumper connected to the prop bar has a ground surface contact area between 0.25 and 21 square centimeters. In a more preferred embodiment, the bumper has a ground surface contact area between 1 and 10 square centimeters.
In an embodiment, the prop bar has an axel end and a stand arm. In a preferred embodiment, the axel end and the stand arm form a 90-degree angle. In an embodiment an up rest position is 180 degrees opposite from the down rest position.
In a preferred embodiment the prop bar rests in three positions. Preferably, the third rest position is 90 degrees from the down rest position and 270 degrees from the up rest position. In another embodiment, the prop bar rests in four positions. In this embodiment, the fourth rest position is 270 degrees from the down rest position and the 90 degrees from the up rest position.

Quick-release variable position slidable scooter jackstand


Antennas suitable for wideband transmission and reception are disclosed that are useful in environments susceptible to vibration and impact motion such as for example vehicles of various types, e.g., automobiles, trains, etc. The apparatus can include a bicone antenna including two cone-shaped elements. The physical shape of at least one of the two cone-shaped elements may be at least partially defined by one or more pleats (e.g., a series) that extend about a portion of the cone. An antenna can further includes a mast for supporting the bicone as well as a second antenna section including a fractalized dipole. The fractalized dipole can be configured as a conformal circuit board conforming to the shape of the mast and can include self-similar portions or extensions. The antenna may also include a counterpoise to balance the electrically conductive conformal portion. The counterpoise may be defined substantially by a repetitive tooth-like pattern.

Antennas are used to typically radiate and/or receive electromagnetic signals, preferably with antenna gain, directivity, and efficiency. Practical antenna design traditionally involves trade-offs between various parameters, including antenna gain, size, efficiency, and bandwidth.
Antenna design has historically been dominated by Euclidean geometry. In such designs, the closed area of the antenna is directly proportional to the antenna perimeter. For example, if one doubles the length of an Euclidean square (or "quad") antenna, the enclosed area of the antenna quadruples. Classical antenna design has dealt with planes, circles, triangles, squares, ellipses, rectangles, hemispheres, paraboloids, and the like.
With respect to antennas, prior art design philosophy has been to pick a Euclidean geometric construction, e.g., a quad, and to explore its radiation characteristics, especially with emphasis on frequency resonance and power patterns. Unfortunately antenna design has concentrated on the ease of antenna construction, rather than on the underlying electromagnetics, which can cause a reduction in antenna performance.
Practical antenna design traditionally involves trade-offs between various parameters, including antenna gain, size, efficiency, and bandwidth. Antenna size is also traded off during antenna design that typically reduces frequency bandwidth. Being held to particular size constraints, the bandwidth performance for antenna designs such as discone and bicone antennas is sacrificed resulted in reduced bandwidth.
In general, a wideband requirement for an antenna, especially a dipole-like antenna, has required a bicone or discone shape to afford the performance desired over a large pass band. For example, some pass bands desired exceed 3:1 as a ratio of lowest to highest frequencies of operation, and typically ratios of 20:1 to 100:1 are desired. Referring to FIG. 1, prior art discone antenna 5 includes a sub-element 10 shaped as a cone whose apex is attached to one side of a feed system at location 20. A second sub-element 30 is attached to the other side of the feed system, such as the braid of a coaxial feed system. This sub-element is a flat disk meant to act as a counterpoise.
Referring to FIG. 2, another current antenna design is depicted that includes a bicone antenna 35, in which a sub-element 40 is arranged similar to sub-element 10 shown the discone antenna 5 of FIG. 1 with a similar feed arrangement at location 50. However, for bicone antenna 35 rather than a second sub-element shaped as a disk, a second cone 60 is attached.
Both discone and bicone antennas afford wideband performance often over a large ratio of frequencies of operation; in some arrangements more than 10:1. However, such antennas are often ¼ wavelength across, as provided by the longest operational wavelength of use, or the lowest operating frequency. In height, the discone is typically ¼ wavelength and the bicone almost ½ wavelength of the longest operational wavelength. Typically, when the lowest operational frequency corresponds to a relatively long wavelength, the size and form factor of these antenna becomes cumbersome and often prohibitive for many applications.
Some investigations have attempted to solve this problem with a shorted discone antenna 65 as depicted in FIG. 3. Here, 'vias' are used to electrically short the disk to the cone at specific locations as 70 and 70′. Typically this shorting decreases the lowest operational frequency of the antenna. However, the gain does not improve from this technique.
Antenna systems that incorporate a Euclidean geometry include roof-mounted antennas that extend from objects such as residential homes or automobiles. Such extendable antennas can be susceptible to wind and other weather conditions and may be limited in bandwidth and frequency range. Additionally, by implementing a Euclidean geometry into these conformal antennas, antenna performance is degraded.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Radio frequency (RF) shields used with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus may experience gradient field induced eddy currents and RF field induced eddy currents. These eddy currents can cause the RF shield to heat up at an undesirable rate. RF shields are designed to have a desired degree of RF shielding and a desired heating attribute. Design goals for RF shields include gradient field transparency and RF field opacity, both of which can be influenced by eddy currents. Example methods identify a gradient field that will induce eddy currents and identify an RF field that will induce eddy currents. If a region on the RF shield is identified where the desired heating attribute will not be achieved, then a pattern of axial cuts and azimuthal cuts can be made in the RF shield to reduce gradient eddy current heating in the RF shield while maintaining desired RF shielding.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus typically employ three gradient coils to produce spatially selective information encoding in a sample. The three gradient coils contain numerous turns of conductive wires and produce gradients that may be pulsed on and off. MRI apparatus also use radio frequency (RE) transmit coils to produce spin excitation in a sample. An RF shield may be placed between a set of RF transmit coils and the gradient coils to prevent the RF field produced by the RF transmit coils from interacting with the gradient coils.
An ideal RF shield would be completely transparent to the gradient field produced by the gradient coils and completely opaque to the RF field produced by the RF transmit coils. Being completely opaque (e.g., completely blocking the RE field from interacting with the gradient coils) is a design goal because an interaction between the RE coils and the gradient coils could produce an RF energy loss that would appear as a lowering of the quality factor Q of the RF coil and would decrease the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of signal received from the sample.
Two types of eddy currents may be produced in an RF shield interposed between gradient coils and RF transmit coils. The gradient coils may induce eddy currents in the RF shield and the RF transmission coils may also induce eddy currents in the RF shield. The eddy currents have different properties. RE shields are designed to disrupt the gradient coil induced eddy currents and to not disrupt the RF transmission coil induced eddy currents.
Conventional RF shields are made of a copper-dielectric-copper laminate structure with slits in both copper layers. The slits on the copper layers of the RF shield are designed to suppress gradient eddy current heating while still allowing the RF shield to reduce coupling between the RE and gradient systems. The slits need to be placed to reduce gradient eddy currents while still allowing a return path for RF eddy currents. Therefore, capacitors may be positioned to span a slit in the copper so that RF eddy currents have a return path and are not disrupted. The capacitors form a high-pass filter that allows the RF eddy currents to flow and thus shield the RE coil field. The capacitors also impede gradient eddy currents that might negatively impact the gradient field. Unfortunately, having too many slits and too many capacitors may produce undesirable results. The undesirable results may be produced in traditional RF shields that have hundreds of capacitors placed around multiple small cross-cuts with both axial and azimuthal directions.
The undesirable results include, for example, capacitors being impacted by ohmic heating. Ohmic heating may affect capacitor lifetimes, capacitor failure rates, and melting of soldered bases. As temperatures increase in hybrid systems using split coils, ohmic heating issues with capacitors may also increase. Therefore reducing the numbers of slits and thus the number of capacitors may produce improved results. Additionally, cutting slits in the copper sheets introduces holes through which RF energy can pass. Having RF energy pass through the RF shield makes the RF shield less opaque to the RF field and allows conditions where there could be an interaction between the RF system and the gradient system.
One conventional RF shield includes slits that follow RF current streamlines on the RF shield. While this conventional shield may be appropriate for some applications, it may not be appropriate for circular or "quadrature" excitation where the RF current streamline rotates with the Larmor frequency over the RF shield. As the current streamline rotates with the Larmor frequency it may pass over slits that are fixed in space and thereby allow RF leakage.
Eddy currents that are induced in an RF shield due to the pulsing gradient field can reduce penetration of the gradient field into the imaging volume and may give rise to ohmic heating in the RF shield. This heating in the RF shield may be more pronounced for some rapid imaging techniques (e.g. echo planar imaging (EPI)) and for hybrid MRI systems configured with split gradient coil designs.
MRI-guided hybrid systems are becoming more important due to advantages they provide over traditional MRI systems. In some MRI-guided hybrid systems, the MRI scanner is split into two halves in order to accommodate complementary diagnostic and therapeutic equipment for performing radiotherapy, positron emission tomography (PET), surgery (e.g., ablation), and other applications. In addition to the gap in the MRI main magnet, the X, Y and Z gradient coils may be split.
Gradient coil patterns for hybrid systems may be bunched more closely near gaps in the split coils. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the bunching of gradient coil wires near the gap forming the split between portions of the gradient coil. The closer bunching of gradient coil patterns may exacerbate heating because of stronger local magnetic fields near the denser collection of gradient coil wires. FIG. 1 illustrates a split transverse gradient coil 100. Coil 100 is separated from RF transmit coils 110 by an RF shield 120. Note the different density of coil wires in regions 112 and 114 of coil 110. FIG. 2 illustrates a split longitudinal gradient coil 200. Coil 200 is separated from RF transmit coils 210 by an RF shield 220. Note the different density of coil wires in regions 212 and 214 of coil 210. The higher density of coil wires in regions 114 (FIG. 1) and 214 (FIG. 2) produce stronger local fields that can increase ohmic heating in specific regions on an RF shield. The ohmic heating is produced by oscillating eddy currents produced by rapid pulses in the gradient coils. The concentration of coil wires in regions 114 (FIG. 1) and 214 (FIG. 2) may concentrate ohmic heating. Thus, the issue of ohmic heating may be exacerbated on RF shields used in split geometries as compared to non-split geometries.


Apparatus, method and program product set output characteristics of at least one device of a multifunction image processing system by displaying an initial output image for setting the output image on the display screen; displaying an output setting menu 230 related to a position on the output image according to an operator's indication input made at the position; updating the output image according to operator's setting operations on the setting menu; and displaying the updated output image as the final output image upon completing the setting. The setting menu is displayed in response to the operator's indication input made at the position on the output image and the setting operation input to the position by the operator.

Multifunction peripherals (MFPs), or digital complex machines (referred to as digital MFPs hereinafter), have recently come into widespread use, which have advanced multifunctionality including a scanner function for reading documents, a copying function for copying documents, a printing function, having a communication facility, for printing external image data, and a facsimile function.
Such digital MFPs require settings on great many functions on their operating screens, including settings on image quality, like monochrome, gray level (darkness or tint), color, and resolution of documents, settings on document pages, like enlargement/reduction ratio, margin, and portrait/landscape (printing direction), and settings on print finishing, like single-sided/double-sided printing, stapling, punching, and N-in-1 (integration function). The user has to open such various setting display screens one by one to determine which function is to be selected for use and to consider how to set the selected function. In other words, the user must repeat the operation of opening individual menu screens for settings, and after the settings, closing the menu, and then opening another menu. This takes great much time.
A recent method for displaying many functions on a small operating screen includes making good use of the operation screen using tabs. However, this method tends to increase the number of user operations, making it difficult to determine where necessary functions are present and what function is to be used, and thus provides low usability.
Therefore, when setting image processing information in the present circumstances, the user must find a desired function from many menu items while considering finished quality, and input correct settings on the respective setting menus. For finished screens, "a preview screen" is present, which, however, is used only for confirmation after various functions have been set on their respective setting menus.
If a desired finishing setting cannot be made, the user must repeat the operation of returning to a mistakenly set menu screen to reset it and reconfirming the setting on a preview screen or cancelling the mistakenly set menu again and again, thus resulting in a very inefficient setting operation.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-87166 describes a method of displaying an output-image quality icon (associated with a print-setting condition item pointed by a pointer) set in an icon display area on a print setting screen before an input value is determined. The output-image quality icon is displayed in a screen area different from that of the setting item.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-67235 describes a method of displaying a finished screen on a display panel, obtaining positional information in response to a touch-panel input, displaying a character menu including available process items with reference to a correlation table obtained from the positional information, and setting the process items.
As described above, for setting the output of image information, methods of displaying a set menu and selecting a setting item on the set menu have been employed. In those cases, the user must repeat displaying and selecting the setting process items in deeper levels. Moreover, the user may not be able to understand the function of the setting items because the setting menu is expressed in characters and must repeat trial and error. That is to say, there is no direct connection between a user's desired final setting and an actual operation in the course of actual output settings; in other words, it is not intuitive visual operation, which makes the setting operation extremely difficult. Particularly, recent digital MFPs pose significant problems of complicated operation screens and difficult setting operations for setting the output of image processing information.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-87166 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-67235

Method and apparatus for setting output image including image processing information and program for controlling the same

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention is directed generally to reduction or inactivation of gene function or gene expression in cells in vitro and in multicellular organisms. The invention encompasses methods for mutating cells using a combination of mutagens, particularly wherein at least one mutagen is an insertional mutagen, to achieve homozygous gene mutation or mutation of multiple genes required cumulatively to achieve a phenotype to create knock-outs, knock-downs, and other modifications in the same cell. The invention is also directed to cells (and libraries thereof) and organisms created by the methods of the invention, including those in which at least one of the genes created by insertional mutagenesis is tagged by means of the insertion sequences thereby allowing identification of the mutated gene(s). The invention is also directed to libraries of mutated cells and their uses. The invention is also directed to methods of identifying mutations with methods of the invention, in cells (and libraries thereof) and organisms, by means of the insertional tag.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the fields of molecular biology, cell biology, and genetics. The invention is directed generally to mutating genes in cells in vitro and in multi-cellular organisms. The invention encompasses methods for mutating genes in cells using a combination of mutagens, wherein at least one mutagen is a polynucleotide that acts as an insertional mutagen. Such methods are used to achieve mutation of a single gene to achieve a desired phenotype as well as mutation of multi-cellular organism. The invention is also directed to methods of identifying one or more mutated genes, made by the methods of the invention, in cells and in multi-cellular organisms, by means of a tagging property provided by the insertional mutagen(s). The insertional mutagen thus allows identification of one or more genes that are mutated by insertion of the insertional mutagen.
The invention is also directed to cells and multi-cellular organisms created by the methods of the invention and uses of the cells and multicellular organisms. The invention is also directed to libraries of cells created by the methods of the invention and uses of the libraries.
2. Background
Mutagenesis has been used to identify the function of a large and growing number of genes. Mutation of one or more genes in a multi-cellular organism or cell allows the artisan to study the mutant organism or cell and compare it to the non-mutagenized (which may be wildtype) parent organism or cell. By identifying phenotypes associated with the mutant organism or cell, the function of the mutated gene(s) can be ascertained. Furthermore, mutagenesis provides a means for altering the genetic make up of a cell or multi-cellular organism to obtain a desired result. For example, it may be desirable to create a physiological disorder in a eukaryotic organism by mutating one more genes and then to identify one or more of the relevant genes. Thus, mutations that have a desired use (e.g., for commercial production of proteins, foodstuffs, or pharmaceuticals, or for production of transgenic animals as models of certain diseases) can be identified and selected. The possibilities for use of this technology, whether in vitro, ex vivo, or in vivo, are well known in the art.
Identification of novel genes and characterization of their function using mutagenesis has also been shown to be productive in identifying new drugs and drug targets. Creating in vitro cellular models that exhibit phenotypes that are clinically relevant provides a valuable substrate for target identification and screening for compounds that modulate not only the phenotype but also the target(s) that controls the phenotype. Modulation of such a target can provide information that validates the target as important for therapeutic intervention in a clinical disorder when such modulation of the target serves to modulate a clinically relevant phenotype.
Animal models exhibiting clinically relevant phenotypes are also valuable for drug discovery and development and for drug target identification. For example, mutation of somatic or germ cells facilitates the production of genetically modified offspring or cloned animals having a phenotype of interest. Such animals have a number of uses, for example as models of physiological disorders (e.g., of human genetic diseases) that are useful for screening the efficacy of candidate therapeutic compounds or compositions for treating or preventing such physiological disorders. Furthermore, identifying the gene(s) responsible for the phenotype provides potential drug targets for modulating the phenotype and, when the phenotype is clinically relevant, for therapeutic intervention. In addition, the manipulation of the genetic makeup of organisms and the identification of new genes have important uses in agriculture, for example in the development of new strains of animals and plants having higher nutritional value or increased resistance to environmental stresses (such as heat, drought, or pests) relative to their wildtype or non-mutant counterparts.
Since most eukaryotic cells are diploid, two copies of most genes are present in each cell. As a consequence, homozygous mutation is usually required to produce a desired phenotype, since mutating one copy of a gene may not produce a sufficient change in the level of gene expression or activity of the gene product from that in the non-mutated or wildtype cell or multicellular organism, and since the remaining wildtype copy would still be expressed at sufficient levels to produce a functional gene product. Thus, to create a desired change in the level of gene expression and/or function in a cell or multicellular organism, at least two mutations, one in each copy of the gene, are required in the same cell.
In other instances, mutation in multiple genes may be required to produce a desired phenotype. In some instances, a mutation in one copy of a gene may affect the expression levels of the gene but not the activity of the gene product to a desired extent, so that the desired physiological effects on the cell or multi-cellular organism is not achieved. However, a mutation in a second gene, even in only one copy of that second gene, can reduce gene expression levels of the second gene to produce a cumulative phenotypic effect in combination with the first mutation, if the expression levels of both genes are sufficiently low. This effect can alter the function of a cell or multi-cellular organism. An example of this phenomenon is the synergy between blood clotting Factors VIII and IX. A mutation in either gene alone could result in levels that are severely reduced but with no effect on the clotting function. Severe reductions in the level of expression of both genes, however, can have a major impact. This principle can be extended to other instances where mutations in multiple (two, three, four, or more, for example) genes are required cumulatively to produce an effect on activity of a gene product or on another phenotype in a cell or multi-cellular organism. It should be noted that, in this instance, such genes may all be expressed in the same cell type and therefore, all of the required mutations occur in the same cell. However, the genes may normally be expressed in different cell types (for example, secreting the different gene products from the different cells). In this case, the gene products are expressed in different cells but still have a biochemical relationship such that one or more mutations in each gene is required to produce the desired phenotype.
Unfortunately, few methods exist for creating cultured cells that contain multiple gene mutations that produce, cumulatively, a desired phenotype. Such methods often are time-consuming and prone to error. In addition, it is often very difficult or impossible to identify the genes that have been mutated using such methods.
Further, methods for making homozygous mutations in cultured cells, where the mutated genes are not known in advance of mutation, are not known to currently exist. Still further, without a way to identify a homozygous mutation, the artisan cannot associate the phenotype with a given mutation. Currently, to associate a desired phenotype with a homozygous mutation in a cultured cell, the location, structure and/or function of the gene must be known to the artisan in advance. Hence, the methods of mutation known in the art are not suitable for homozygously mutating a cell to achieve a desired phenotype and identifying the gene(s) responsible for the phenotype. Nor are there methods suitable for making cells with multiple mutations that cumulatively produce a desired phenotype and identifying the genes responsible for the phenotype.
Several approaches for introducing mutations into eukaryotic genes are currently in use. Each has significant limitations.
One approach is homologous recombination to mutate the level of gene expression or activity of a gene product in a cell. 1: Montgomery et al., Cell. 1991 Feb. 22;64(4):693-702; 2: Riele et al. Nature. 1990 Dec. 13;348(6302):649-51; 3: Mansour et. al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1990 October;87(19):7688-92; 4: Koller et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1989 November;86(22):8927-31; 5: Capecchi M R. Science. 1989 Jun. 16;244(4910):1288-92; 6: Zimmer A, Gruss P. Nature. 1989 Mar. 9;338(6211):150-3; 7: Joyner A L, Skarnes W C, Rossant J. Nature. 1989 Mar. 9;338(6211):153-6; 8: Thompson S, Clarke A R, Pow A M, Hooper M L, Melton D W. Cell. 1989 Jan. 27;56(2):313-21; 9: Doetschman T, Maeda N, Smithies O. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1998 November;85(22):8583-7; 10: Doetschman T, Gregg R G, Maeda N, Hooper M L, Melton D W, Thompson S, Smithies O. Nature. 1987 Dec. 10-16;330(6148):576-8; 11: Thomas K R, Capecchi M R. Cell. 1987 Nov. 6;51(3):503-12.
Typically, this approach is taken in embryonic stem cells or embryonic germ cells, which are used to make transgenic animals carrying the mutation of interest. An important limitation of this approach is that the gene to be mutated must be known in advance of mutation, cloned and sequenced to ensure that the mutagenic vector used in homologous recombination contains the appropriate targeting sequences. Furthermore, the process is laborious and results in only one mutant copy of the gene of interest in the cell. Where a phenotype depends on homozygosity for expression, the heterozygous cell, therefore, cannot be used to screen for a change in a phenotype of interest unless additional work is carried out to eliminate the second copy of the gene by homologous recombination. This additional work is time consuming and expensive, and more importantly can only be done on genes that are known to the artisan in advance.
Such mutated heterozygous cells can be used to make transgenic animals. However, such animals will also be heterozygous and may not express a phenotype different from the wildtype or nonmutant animal. Further breeding of the animals to homozygosity is therefore required if one desires to analyze the phenotypic effect of the mutation. Such breeding is time consuming and expensive.
Another approach involves chemical mutagenesis of cells and/or organisms (see, e.g., Brown et al., Hum. Mol. Genet. 7:1627-1633 (1998); Chen et al., Nature Gen. 24:314-317 (2000); Munroe et al., Nature Gen. 24:318-321 (2000); Nolan et al., Nature Gen. 25:440-443 (2000); the disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for teaching the use of ENU to generate mutations that result in detectable phenotypes in cells or animals). This approach relies upon the use of one or more chemical mutagens that are able to produce one or more mutations in the genome. As is the case for mutation by homologous recombination, however, chemical mutagenesis also typically results in mutagenesis of only a single copy of a given gene. Since in cases where homozygous mutation is required to achieve a desired phenotype, both copies of a given gene must be mutated before a desired phenotype can be achieved, cells or organisms that undergo a single round of chemical mutagenesis typically do not show a desired change in phenotype. Hence, these cells or organisms generally are not useful for achieving for a desired phenotype.
A further problem is that while chemical mutagenesis results in the mutation of one or more genes in a cell, there is no straightforward way to determine the mutated gene(s) responsible for the phenotype. This approach also fails to provide a method for making multiple mutations that cumulatively provide a desired phenotype that also permits the genes responsible for the phenotype to be easily identified.
As discussed above (for homologous recombination mutagenesis) mutated heterozygous cells prepared by chemical mutagenesis can be used to create transgenic animals. However, the animals will also be heterozygous and may not, therefore, manifest a change in a desired phenotype from the wildtype. Time-consuming and costly breeding of the animals to homozygosity is required. Even if a change in the desired phenotype is observed in the transgenic animals (even in homozygous transgenic animals), it is very difficult, if not impossible, to identify the mutated gene(s) responsible for the phenotype. Therefore, a large number of breedings must be carried out to clone the mutated gene by standard positional cloning methods. Hence, this process is slow, expensive, difficult to carry out on large numbers of mutant animals, and has a high failure rate. Thus, chemical mutagenesis fails to provide homozygous mutations in cultured cells (and hence, in transgenic animals produced from such cells) and fails to provide a simple way to identify the mutated gene(s) responsible for a phenotype in cultured cells or in multi-cellular organisms.
Another approach that has been used to mutate genes involves the use of insertional mutagens, such as gene trap vectors, to mutate genes (e.g., Amsterdam et al., Genes Dev. 13:2713-2724 (1999); von Melcher et al., Genes Dev. 6:919-927 (1992); Gogos et al., J. Virol. 71:1644-1650 (1997); Voss et al., Dev. Dyn. 212:171-180 (1998); Zambrowicz et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:3789-3794 (1997); Friedrich et al., Genes Dev. 5:1513-1523 (1991); the disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for teaching the use of gene traps as a mutagenesis technique). These vectors are typically inserted into the genome of a cell by non-homologous recombination. Upon insertion, these vectors are designed to disrupt transcription and/or translation of a gene. Unfortunately, gene trap vectors are inefficient mutagens and mutate only one copy of a given gene. As a result, homozygous mutations typically cannot be created in cell culture with such mutagens. In animals, the mutant animal must be bred to homozygosity of the mutant gene prior to phenotypic analysis. Since it is difficult and expensive to breed large numbers of animals to homozygosity, this approach has only been used on a relatively small number of genes to date.
This approach also fails to provide a method for making multiple mutations that cumulatively provide a desired phenotype and where the genes responsible for the phenotype can be identified. The probabilities of achieving, in a single cell, insertions in each of the genes required, is low and decreases with the number of genes required to be mutated in order to achieve the desired phenotype. Thus, gene traps fail to mutate multiple genes and fail to create homozygous mutations in cultured cells.
Stark et al. (Human Molecular Genetics 8:1925-1938 (1999)), in a review article on forward genetics in mammalian cells with functional approaches to gene discovery, suggested a potential alternative to complementation of mutants by using expression libraries in order to clone the missing gene. They indicated that the alternative involves retrovirus-mediated insertional mutagenesis in conjunction with chemical mutagenesis. They indicated that it was impractical to use insertional mutagenesis de novo to inactivate two alleles of a target gene. However, there was no indication of how this might be achieved and the reference failed to disclose a description of the method having been carried out in practice. It was suggested to obtain a population of heavily mutagenized cells and then insert retroviruses into those cells to inactivate and mark the gene. However, there was no report of this suggestion having been carried out, no guidance regarding how to perform either of the mutagenesis steps to achieve a successful homozygous mutation.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to create homozygous gene mutations on a genome-wide basis in cell culture and in multicellular organisms without knowledge of the gene in advance. There is also a need to provide a way to identify the gene. There is also a need for a method of mutating multiple genes in a cell, required cumulatively to achieve a desired phenotype and to identify one or more of the mutated genes. The ability to mutate multiple genes or to mutate both copies of the same gene in cultured cells or multi-cellular organisms, coupled with the ability to identify the mutant gene(s) would be a highly useful approach to identify novel genes, correlate genes with functions, and use the mutant genes, their wildtype counterparts, and other variants, for example, in drug screening and development, transgenic animal and plant production and in the production of desirable gene products.

Compositions and methods for making mutations in cell lines and animals


A multilayer printed circuit board having resinous insulating layers and conductor layers alternately superposed on a circuit board with ample adhesive strength, a method for the production thereof, and a curable resin composition useful for the formation of resinous insulating layers are disclosed. The manufacture of the multilayer printed circuit board is accomplished by applying the curable resin composition to the surface of conductor layer of the circuit board, thermally curing the applied layer thereby forming resinous insulating layer, then boring a through-hole in the circuit board, treating the resinous insulating layer with a coarsening agent thereby imparting undulating coarsened surface thereto, subsequently coating the surface of resinous insulating layer and the inner surface of the through-hole with a conductor layer as by electroless plating, and thereafter forming a prescribed circuit pattern in the conductor layer. The curable resin composition comprises (A) epoxy resins and (B) an epoxy resin curing agent as essential components thereof and optionally contains a rubber component and a filler capable of being decomposed or dissolved by a coarsening agent. This composition contains in combination a bisphenol A epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent of not less than 400 and an epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent of less then 400.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a curable resin composition which, in a multilayer printed circuit board having conductor circuit layers and insulating layers alternately built up or superposed on a substrate, is capable of forming insulating layers excelling in adhesiveness with conductor layers and also excelling in resistance to heat, a multilayer printed circuit board manufactured by using the curable resin composition, and a method for the production thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For the production of a multilayer printed circuit board, a method which comprises laminating a plurality of circuit boards having a prescribed circuit pattern formed in advance thereon through the medium of prepregs as adhesive insulating layers, pressing the laminate thus obtained, drilling and making plated through-holes to interconnect the circuits in the component layers has been heretofore known to the art (lamination pressing method). The lamination pressing method, however, necessitates use of production facilities which are very voluminous and highly expensive and incurs difficulty in forming fine patterns because the copper used in plating through-holes enters the outer layers and adds to the thickness of copper deposit.
In recent years, strenuous efforts are being continued for the development of a multilayer printed circuit board having conductor layers and organic insulating films alternately built up or superposed on a substrate (build-up method) for the purpose of overcoming such problems as are attendant on the conventional method mentioned above. In this build-up method, such techniques as vacuum deposition and sputtering are generally adopted for the formation of conductor layers on insulating layers. The method, however, is at a disadvantage in betraying inferior productivity and entailing high cost.
In another method of producing a printed circuit board, a xe2x80x9cfully additivexe2x80x9d technique is employed. As one of the xe2x80x9cfully additivexe2x80x9d method, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-6116 discloses a method which forms a conductor layer by electroless copper plating through the medium of an adhesive layer formed on an insulating substrate. In this method, an adhesive agent composed mainly of rubber, a filler, and a thermosetting resin is used for improving the adhesive force to be exhibited by a plating film to the adhesive layer. This adhesive agent is applied to the insulating substrate and allowed to harden thereon to produce the adhesive layer. Then, the adhesive layer is treated as with a mixture of chromate and sulfuric acid and cleansed with hot water to give rise to a surface construction in which the depressions formed in consequence of the removal of filler particles and the protrusions of rubber particles exposed in consequence of the removal of thermosetting resin are uniformly distributed. This method, however, is at a disadvantage in suffering the rubber component to persist within the adhesive layer and cause degradation of such properties as resistance to heat and electrical insulating properties.
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a curable resin composition which, in the production of a multilayer printed circuit board having conductor layers severally bearing a prescribed circuit pattern and resinous insulating layers alternately built up or superposed on a substrate, accomplishes highly satisfactory bonding between the component layers by virtue of an epoxy resin excelling in resistance to heat and electrical insulating properties without requiring the resinous insulating layers to use a rubber component as an essential component and enables the conductor layers to exhibit necessary adhesiveness to the insulating layer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a multilayer printed circuit board having resinous insulating layers and conductor layers alternately built up on a substrate and joined each other with highly satisfactory adhesive strength and enabling the resinous insulating layers to excel in various properties such as resistance to heat and electrical insulation which are expected from a printed circuit board and a method capable of producing the multilayer printed circuit board inexpensively with high productivity.
To accomplish the objects mentioned above, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a curable resin composition which comprises (A) epoxy resins and (B) an epoxy resin curing agent as essential components thereof, the epoxy resins (A) comprising (A-1) a bisphenol A type epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent of not less than 400 and (A-2) an epoxy resin having an epoxy equivalent of less than 400 and containing at least two epoxy groups in the molecular unit thereof in the ratio of the epoxy resins (A-1:A-2) in the range of from 30:70 to 90:10 by weight so that a cured coating film formed of this resin composition can be partially decomposed or dissolved with a coarsening agent and consequently endowed with an undulating coarsened surface, and the epoxy resin curing agent (B) containing at least two active hydrogen atoms in the molecular unit thereof.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the curable resin composition is allowed to contain, in addition to the essential components mentioned above, a rubber component in a proportion of not more than 40 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the epoxy resins (A) and optionally further contain a filler capable of being decomposed or dissolved by a coarsening agent in a proportion of less than 70 parts by weight, desirably not more than 50 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the epoxy resins (A) mentioned above.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is further provided a method for the production of a multilayer printed circuit board having resinous insulating layers and conductor layers severally bearing a prescribed circuit pattern sequentially superposed on a conductor layer of a circuit board having a prescribed circuit pattern formed in advance thereon, wherein the formation of resinous insulating layers and conductor layers comprises the steps of (a) forming the resinous insulating layer by coating a circuit board with the curable resin composition according to the present invention and subjecting the resultant applied layer to a thermal curing treatment, (b) treating the surface of the resultant resinous insulating layer with a coarsening agent thereby imparting an undulating coarsened surface to the resinous insulating layer, and (c) forming a conductor layer on the coarsened surface of the resinous insulating layer. This method for the production of the multilayer printed circuit board, in one concrete embodiment, further comprises the steps of boring prescribed through-holes in the circuit board after the formation of the outermost resinous insulating layer, treating the surfaces of the resinous insulating layer mentioned above and the through-holes with a coarsening agent thereby imparting coarsened surfaces thereto, and thereafter forming the outermost conductor layer on the coarsened surface of the outermost resinous insulating layer.
Preferably, the coating of the resinous insulating layer with the conductor layer is effected by electroless plating and/or electrolytic plating and at least one member selected from the group consisting of oxidizing agent, alkali solution, and organic solvent is used as the coarsening agent.
When the screen printing technique, for example, is used in coating the conductor layer of the circuit board with the resinous insulating layer mentioned above, it will be difficult to obtain an applied film of desired thickness by a single coating work. In the case of this sort, the curable resin composition of the present invention may be applied repeatedly or the resinous insulating layer may be formed preparatorily with an ordinary solder resist possessing adhesiveness to the conductor layer, desirably a curable resin composition composed mainly of an epoxy resin and an epoxy resin curing agent, and then coated with the curable resin composition according to the present invention. Thus, the applied coating consequently formed functions as an adhesive layer for the conductor layer to be formed afterward.
By the aforementioned method, there can be manufactured with high productivity a multilayer printed circuit board which has a resinous insulating layer and a conductor layer bearing a prescribed circuit pattern sequentially superposed on a conductor layer of a circuit board having a prescribed circuit pattern formed in advance thereon, in which the resinous insulating layer is formed of a cured coating film of the resin composition according to the present invention, the surface of this resinous insulating layer which defines the interface with the conductor layer to be applied thereon is formed in an undulating rough surface by a coarsening treatment, and the conductor layer is joined to the resinous insulating layer through the medium of the rough surface thereof.

Curable resin composition, multilayer printed circuit board manufactured by using the composition, and method for the production thereof


Epoxy resin compositions comprising (A) an epoxy resin of formula (1), (B) a curing agent based on a novolak type phenol resin and/or a triphenolalkane resin of formula (2), and (C) an inorganic filler are suitable for encapsulating semiconductor elements because they show good flow behavior upon casting and cure into less stressed products having improved mechanical strength, Tg, and moisture resistance. ##STR1## R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, OG is ##STR2## m is 0, 1 or 2, n is 1 or 2, and l is 0, 1, 2 or 3.

In general, epoxy resin compositions that comprise a curable epoxy resin, a curing agent and various additives, are superior in moldability, adherence, electric properties, mechanical properties, and moisture resistance as compared to other conventional thermosetting resins. Therefore, epoxy resin compositions are often used for the encapsulation of semiconductor devices.
The general trend in the advanced semiconductor device technology is to reduce the size and thickness of packages, although semiconductor elements have become of larger size. If such semiconductor elements are encapsulated with conventional epoxy resin compositions, larger stresses are applied to the semiconductor elements due to the difference in dimensional change between the elements and the compositions caused by changes in temperature. In addition, more or less moisture absorption can occur prior to soldering, causing cracks in the packages.
To overcome these problems, the same assignee as the present invention previously proposed several solutions; for example: an epoxy resin composition having an organopoly. siloxane blended in a curable epoxy resin as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,147, an epoxy resin composition having blended therein a block copolymer of an aromatic polymer and an organopolysiloxane as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,732, and a semiconductor device encapsulated with a composition comprising a novolak type phenol resin or triphenolalkane type phenol resin and an organopolysiloxane as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 226951/1988. These epoxy resin compositions are of less stressing nature. Nevertheless, even these compositions cannot meet all the requirements for the encapsulation of advanced semiconductor devices.
At present, there is a need for the development of a semiconductor encapsulating resin composition which shows improved flow behavior upon casting and forms cured products having improved properties including mechanical strength such as flexural strength and flexural modulus, a high glass transition temperature, and moisture resistance in addition to the less stressing nature.

Naphthalene ring containing epoxy resin composition and semiconductor device encapsulated therewith


A medical system is provided for three-dimensional hemodynamic quantification. Comprehensive three-dimensional (3D) plus time (3D+t) assessment of flow patterns inside the heart are provided by a combination of lumped-parameter modeling and computational flow dynamic modeling. Using medical scanning, the lumped parameter model is personalized to a given patient. The personalized lumped-parameter model provides pressure curves (i.e., pressure as a function of time) for one or more locations. Using geometry of the patients heart segmented from the medical scanning and the pressure curves as boundary conditions, the computational flow dynamics model calculates the absolute pressure for any location (e.g., for a three-dimensional field of locations) in the patient heart at any one or more phases of the cardiac cycle. More accurate absolute pressure may be provided without invasive measurement.

The present embodiments relate to medical assessment of heart function. Heart function is assessed with any of a variety of imaging modalities and/or signals obtained by external scanning or measurements. Pressure, pressure-volume loops in particular, has been shown to characterize cardiac function and the efficiency of pump function. However, intra-cardiac pressure measurement requires invasive examination where a pressure catheter is inserted into the cavity.
Imaging may be used to obtain some pressure information. Flow imaging (e.g. Color Doppler ultrasound or phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) is a common surrogate, enabling the computation of pressure gradients. Yet, the images or scan data used to compute pressure gradients have sources of inaccuracy, such as being unidirectional (ultrasound-based) or being planar (2D PC-MRI) instead of including a three-dimensional pressure or having poor spatial and/or temporal resolution (3D PC-MRI). Furthermore, flow provides only information on pressure gradient (e.g. pressure drop across a valve), but not the absolute pressure. On the other hand, invasive pressure and pressure-volume measurements are sensitive to the position of the catheter inside the heart and to noise.

Three-dimensional quantitative heart hemodynamics in medical imaging


A rotating operation type electronic component has a rotation shaft and a signal generating section. The rotation shaft has a rod-shaped intermediate section, a cylindrical operation section, and a coupling section coupling the upper end of the intermediate section with the operation section. The rotatable operation section covers the upper part of the intermediate section, and has an operation knob mounted thereon. The signal generating section generates an electric signal in response to the rotation of the operation section. The coupling section has strength at which it breaks when a load of a predetermined level or higher is applied to the operation section from an axial direction of the rotation shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotating operation type electronic component used in an input operation section of an on-vehicle electronic device such as a car audio, and an electronic device including the electronic component.
2. Background Art
Recently, in order to secure the safety of a driver and a fellow passenger, demand for safety improvement also in various on-vehicle electronic devices has increased. As an input operation section of such an electronic device, a rotating operation type encoder that is one of rotating operation type electronic components is used. A conventional rotating operation type encoder is described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 11.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the conventional rotating operation type encoder. Case 41 made of insulating resin is provided with an opening in an upper part thereof. A pair of fixed contacts 42 for a push-on switch are disposed at the center position on the bottom surface of the open and recessed section. Cylindrical wall 41A is disposed so as to surround a peripheral position of fixed contacts 42. Contact pattern 43 for an incremental encoder is disposed on the bottom surface of case 41 outside cylindrical wall 41A. Electrically conductive terminals 44 are connected to fixed contacts 42 and contact pattern 43, respectively. Each terminal 44 is extended out of case 41.
The pair of fixed contacts 42 are formed of center fixed contact 42A disposed in the center and outer fixed contact 42B disposed outside separately from center fixed contact 42A. Movable contact 45 is combined with fixed contacts 42. The outer periphery of movable contact 45 is mounted on outer fixed contact 42B, and the center part of movable contact 45 faces center fixed contact 42A while a clearance is left between them.
Elastic body 46 made of silicone rubber or the like is mounted on the outer periphery of movable contact 45. Elastic body 46 has central columnar section 46A and conical section 46B that is open downward and is disposed under columnar section 46A. Conical section 46B is regulated in its position on the inner surface of cylindrical wall 41A, to form a push-on switch.
Rotor 47 has cylindrical section 47A, and circular flange 47B disposed under cylindrical section 47A. A center hole in rotor 47 is noncircular. Slide piece 48 is disposed on the lower surface of flange 47B, and the tip of slide piece 48 is elastically in contact with contact pattern 43. Thus, an incremental encoder section is formed.
Bushing 49 has collar 49B, and the lower surface of collar 49B is mounted on the upper surface of case 41. Cylindrical section 49C that has a substantially cylindrical shape and projects upward is disposed in the center position of bushing 49. The diameter of a lower part of intermediate hole 49A is larger than that of an upper part thereof. Cylindrical section 47A of rotor 47 is rotatably combined with bushing 49 at the larger-diameter part.
Substantially rod-shaped rotation shaft 50 has operation section 50A, intermediate section 50B, and engaging section 50C. Operation section 50A is positioned above bushing 49, and a part positioned under operation section 50A is inserted into intermediate hole 49A of bushing 49 from above Intermediate section 50B having a circular cross section is engaged with bushing 49 at the upper end of intermediate hole 49A, so that rotation shaft 50 is disposed rotatably and vertically movably. Engaging section 50C positioned under intermediate section 50B is inserted into a noncircular hole of driving die 51 in an engaging state. The lower end of engaging section 50C is in contact with the upper surface of columnar section 46A of elastic body 46. Rotation shaft 50 is pressed upward by elastic force of elastic body 46.
Driving die 51 is caulked and fixed to engaging section 50C of rotation shaft 50, and is disposed in cylindrical section 47A of rotor 47. Since rotation shaft 50 is pressed upward, driving die 51 is also pressed upward and pressed onto the inner surface of cylindrical section 47A. Thus, rotation shaft 50 is engaged with rotor 47 by the elastic force of elastic body 46, and hence rotor 47 rotates via driving die 51 when rotation shaft 50 is rotated without being pressed downward.
A bending part of leaf spring 52 for click is elastically in contact with an uneven part disposed on the upper surface of flange 47B. When rotor 47 rotates, the bending part of leaf spring 52 slides on the uneven part and generates click feeling.
Cover 53 is mounted so as to envelop case 41 from the upper surface of collar 49B of bushing 49. Thus, a conventional rotating operation type encoder is formed.
When operation section 50A is rotated, rotor 47 is rotated through driving die 51 caulked and fixed to engaging section 50C. Slide piece 48 disposed on the lower surface of flange 47B of rotor 47 slides on contact pattern 43 on case 41. When slide piece 48 makes contact with and separates from contact pattern 43, a pulse signal is output from corresponding terminal 44 of the incremental encoder section. When leaf spring 52 slides on the uneven part disposed on the upper surface of flange 47B in response to rotation of rotor 47, the click feeling is generated.
When operation section 50A is pressed, rotation shaft 50 moves downward, and engaging section 50C and driving die 51 move downward in the noncircular center hole of rotor 47. Therefore, the engaging state of rotor 47 with rotation shaft 50 is disappeared. Engaging section 50C presses the upper surface of columnar section 46A of elastic body 46 that is in contact with its lower end. When the pressing force exceeds a predetermined value, conical section 46B of elastic body 46 elastically buckles and deforms. In response to this deformation, a projection disposed on the lower surface of columnar section 46A presses the center part of movable contact 45. Thus, the center part of movable contact 45 comes into contact with center fixed contact 42A. As a result, outer fixed contact 42B is electrically conducted with center fixed contact 42A, thereby putting the push-on switch into the ON state. During vertical movement of rotation shaft 50 by the pressing operation, rotor 47 is kept in a stopping state.
As shown by broken lines in FIG. 11, when this rotating operation type encoder is mounted to an electronic device, operation knob 60 is attached to operation section 50A. A user of the electronic device rotates operation knob 60 to operate the incremental encoder section. The user presses operation knob 60 to operate the push-on switch. Using a signal obtained by each of these operations, the user operates a relevant function of the electronic device into a desired state.
In many electronic devices, the projection length of operation knob 60 from the operation panel surface is set to about 13-17 mm so that a user easily operates operation knob 60. While, when a rotating operation type electronic component is used in an input operation section of an on-vehicle electronic device, the projection length of operation knob 60 from the operation panel surface is required to be shorter. This is a safety measure for safety in the event of an accident such as vehicle collision. This prevents a human body from being injured by an operation part projecting from the operation panel surface. In an on-vehicle electronic device in Europe, for example, the specified value of the projection length of operation knob 60 from the operation panel surface is set to 9.5 mm, and the projection length is required to be this specified value or shorter.
When the projection length of operation knob 60 is the specified value or shorter, however, it is difficult for a user to operate it. Therefore, in many cases, operation knob 60 projects longer than the specified value. These cases require a structure where projecting operation knob 60 drops down to the specified value or lower when an excessive load is applied to operation knob 60.
In the conventional rotating operation type encoder, however, even when an excessive load is applied to operation knob 60, rotation shaft 50 simply moves down by the operation distance of the push-on switch. Therefore, the dropping allowance cannot be absorbed by the rotating operation type encoder itself. Therefore, a mechanism for absorbing the dropping allowance has to be on the electronic device side. In the electronic device, however, the space is further saved and mounting density is higher, and hence it is often difficult to dispose such a mechanism.

Rotating operation type electronic component, and electronic device including the same


A sensing device adapted to detect environmental changes and/or an analyte is provided. The sensing device comprising radio frequency sensor circuitry, a protection material disposed on the radio frequency sensor circuitry, and a metallic layer disposed on the protection material. A detection system for detecting an environmental change or an analyte in an article is provided.

The invention relates to devices for physical, chemical, radiological, or biological detection, and more particularly to radio frequency sensor circuitry based sensing devices for physical, chemical, radiological, or biological detection in the presence of metals.
Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are widely employed for identification of animals, garments, consumer goods, combinatorial chemistry reaction products, and detection of unauthorized opening of containers. For such applications, the conventional passive RFID tags are preferred due to their low cost (less than $1). For sensing applications that involve detecting change in temperature, and pressure, traditional RFID tags require a specific redesign of portions of their electronic circuitry. Disadvantageously, such RFID sensors also often require a battery.
In free space, the electromagnetic field of the RFID tag is undisturbed. However, if the RFID tag is placed on or in a metallic surface (in proximity to metal), the magnetic flux through the metal substrate induces eddy currents within the metal that opposes the reader's magnetic field. This dampens the magnetic field in the metal to an extent that communication between the reader and transponder may no longer be possible. A similar issue of impaired readability exists with articles or products composed of water or liquid.
RFID systems have been recently applied for wireless sensing applications. For example, RFID-based temperature sensors, bacterial sensor RFID tags are employed in sensing applications. Similar to RFID tags, sensors based on RFID tags are also negatively affected in presence of metals or liquids. Accordingly, operation of passive RFID based sensors is conventionally prohibited in close proximity to metal surfaces (such as walls of metal containers, etc.).
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device that would enable a RFID based sensor to operate in metallic and/or liquid environments.

Radio frequency sensor circuitry sensing device


Aspects of the disclosure will be described with regard to the processing of DNS queries by a DNS service based on multiple network addresses associated with a single network entity (e.g., a service provider). The DNS service may respond to each DNS query for identifying network addresses associated with the service provider with a respective unique network address from a pool of network addresses. Based on the uniqueness of network addresses, DNS queries and subsequent communications between respective client computing devices and the service can be correlated.

Generally described, computing devices and communication networks can be utilized to exchange information. In a common application, a computing device can request content from another computing device via a communication network. For example, a user at a personal computing device can utilize various types of software applications to request information from server computing devices via the Internet. In such embodiments, the user computing device can be referred to as a client computing device and the server computing device can be referred to as a service provider.
Service providers are generally motivated to provide requested content/services or access to requested content/services to client computing devices with consideration of cost and user experience. For example, service providers often consider performance factors such as latency of delivery of requested content in processing client computing device requests (e.g., as measured from an initial Domain Name System (DNS) query to a completion of content retrieval or rendering) in order to meet service level agreements or to generally improve the quality of delivered service. However, traditional network routing methodologies limit the service provider in providing DNS request routing services and pose difficulties for performance assessment based on correlations between DNS queries and subsequent communications.


A method of preparing a self-aligned block (SAB) structure is described. The method includes providing a substrate having raised features defined by a first material containing silicon nitride and a second material containing silicon oxide formed on side walls of the first material, and a third material containing an organic material covering some of the raised features and exposing some raised features according to a block pattern formed in the third material. The method further includes forming a first chemical mixture by plasma-excitation of a first process gas, and exposing the first material on the substrate to the first chemical mixture. Thereafter, the method includes forming a second chemical mixture by plasma-excitation of a second process gas, and exposing the first material on the substrate to the second plasma-excited process gas to selectively etch the first material relative to the second and third material.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device such as an integrated circuit and transistors and transistor components for an integrated circuit. In the manufacture of a semiconductor device (especially on the microscopic scale), various fabrication processes are executed such as film-forming depositions, etch mask creation, patterning, material etching and removal, and doping treatments, are performed repeatedly to form desired semiconductor device elements on a substrate. Historically, with microfabrication, transistors have been created in one plane, with wiring/metallization formed above, and have thus been characterized as two-dimensional (2D) circuits or 2D fabrication. Scaling efforts have greatly increased the number of transistors per unit area in 2D circuits, yet scaling efforts are running into greater challenges as scaling enters single digit nanometer semiconductor device fabrication nodes. Semiconductor device fabricators have expressed a desire for three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor devices in which transistors are stacked on top of each other.
As device structures densify and develop vertically, the need for precision material etch becomes more compelling. Trade-offs between selectivity, profile, ARDE (aspect ratio dependent etching), and uniformity in plasma etch processes become difficult to manage. Current approaches to patterning and pattern transfer by balancing these trade-offs is not sustainable. The root cause for these trade-offs is the inability to control ion energy, ion flux, and radical flux independently. However, self-limiting processes, such as atomic layer etching (ALE), offer a viable route to escape these trade-offs by decoupling the etch process into sequential steps of surface modification and removal of modified surface regions, thereby allowing the segregation of the roles of radical flux and ion flux and energy.

Method of anisotropic extraction of silicon nitride mandrel for fabrication of self-aligned block structures


A mobile toy is described. The mobile toy includes a wheel assembly having a hubcap removably engaging a wheel of the wheel assembly. The mobile toy may also include a transmitter having a charging pad for charging of a radio-controlled embodiment of the toy. The transmitter comprises an indicator showing certain states of the toy as well as a storage compartment for housing items associated with the toy. Additional embodiments include an assembly for retaining the toy on the charging pad during charging of the toy. A kit for storing the components of the radio-controlled embodiment of the toy is also described.

Many different types of toys are known and have become widespread and popular over the years. In particular, radio-controlled toys, such as radio-controlled cars, have become very popular with children over the years. A disadvantage of such toy cars, however, is that generally speaking they are fixed in design and cannot be changed. This means that a child can often become bored with them after a period of time. Furthermore, many children express satisfaction with being able to build or work on a toy themselves. Yet, many radio-controlled cars are complex and have components which are complicated and not easily adapted to be built or switched out by children. What is needed is a radio-controlled toy having easily interchangeable components such that a child may be able to build or customize their own toys.
Additionally, radio transmitters used by radio-controlled toys are often complex and difficult to operate. Some transmitters are used to charge the radio-controlled toys for use by providing a charging means on the transmitter for connecting to the toy. Often, it is difficult to tell whether charging has been completed, thereby wasting valuable power associated with the charging means. Therefore, what is needed is a transmitter having an easy to understand control panel.
A third aspect of this invention relates to an assembly for retaining a radio-controlled toy on a transmitter while it is being charged. It is often difficult to align the toy with the charging mechanism used to charge the toy. Furthermore, upon alignment, it is difficult to maintain a good connection between the charging mechanism and the toy, which can lead to intermittent, and therefore, inefficient charging. Therefore, what is needed, is an easy to use and reliable means for aligning and retaining the toy on the transmitter during charging.


A circuit breaker includes an interrupter coaxial with a current sensor or transformer, the combined assembly being encapsulated within solid dielectric material and supported by an earthed tube mounted on an earthed housing. Detection by the sensor of a current overload is communicated over conductors to a circuit within the housing to cause an actuator to pull a dielectric linkage in a direction so as to move an armature through a bell crank and open interrupter, thereby opening the main current path between conductors and flexible coupling. The circuit breaker requires no insulating gas or oil.

Circuit breakers at medium voltages usually need to employ current sensing devices or transformers to detect primary current overloads and short-circuits for monitoring and protection. In indoor applications, these may be incorporated in the equipment of which the circuit breaker is a component part On the other hand, in outdoor applications, particularly in rural electrification schemes, where the circuit breaker is often used in overhead line applications, the current sensor or transformer is preferably incorporated as an integral part of the circuit breaker.
This is usually achieved by mounting a current sensor, such as a ring-type current sensor or transformer, coaxial with an insulated conductor or bushing. Typical examples of conventional use are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The interrupting device could be typically a vacuum or gas switch.
The design in FIG. 1 usually requires some form of additional liquid or gaseous insulation, such as oil or SF6, to keep the size of the circuit breaker to acceptable levels and also to ensure that the internal components are maintained free of moisture and contamination. A more recent design is depicted generally in FIG. 2. Here, the need for a tank filled with oil or SF6 is removed. The current transformer or sensor is mounted at the side of the switch and electrically in series with it. This example uses a vacuum switch and current transformer encapsulated in solid insulation.
In both cases, however, it is still necessary for the insulation exposed to outside environmental conditions to have additional "creepage" length compared to insulation that is protected from the external environment. Thus, although the typical design illustrated in FIG. 2 does not need liquid or gaseous insulation material to minimise the overall dimensions, it is still necessary to protect the internal surface 1 of the insulation below the switch from the effects of condensation. In exposed hostile environments, this can only be done in a practical manner by filling the volume below the switch with a controlled environment such as dry nitrogen or SF6. This requires additional seals and monitoring and regular maintenance to ensure that the internal surface does not become contaminated. It is vitally important to ensure that the internal surface is kept clean and free from condensation and contamination, otherwise there is a risk of internal electrical discharge from the live conductor down the insulation to earth.
In FIG. 1, the current flowing through the device is carried by conductors 1, encapsulated in suitable electrically insulating material 2, such as epoxy resin or polymer concrete. Connection 9, flexible connection 4 and switch 7 provide the internal conducting path. Operation to open or close the switch 7 is performed by actuator 8 and lever 5. The integrity of the internal insulation surfaces is maintained by using SF6 gas or oil.
In FIG. 2, the current flowing through the device is similarly carried by conductors 21 and switch 22 through current transformer 23. In order to maintain the integrity of internal surface 24, some form of controlled environment is required, such as SF6 gas or dry nitrogen. Thus, in both cases it is necessary to protect the internal insulation surfaces by using a controlled environment, leading to additional costs and also risks of degradation and failure if the controlled environment is dissipated due to failure of seals and leakage.