In an air conditioner, the air conditioner includes a casing having an indoor space region in which a first heat exchanger is installed and an outdoor space region in which a second heat exchanger is installed; a cross flow fan installed in the outdoor space region and generating air flow so as to make outdoor air pass the second heat exchanger and release heat to the outside; and a condensate water scattering means for scattering condensate water gathered in a bottom region of the casing to the second heat exchanger.

An air conditioner is for adjusting temperature, humidity, air current in a certain space so as to be appropriate for activity of human being and removing dust, etc. from air simultaneously.
The air conditioner consists of an indoor unit for cooling/heating indoor air and an outdoor unit for discharging/absorbing heat generated in the indoor unit to outdoors, the indoor unit and the outdoor unit can be installed separately or as one body.
In particular, an air conditioner having an indoor unit and an outdoor unit as one body is called a single unit type air conditioner or a window type air conditioner (hereinafter, it is referred to a single unit type air conditioner).
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal-sectional view illustrating the conventional single unit type air conditioner.
As depicted in FIG. 1, the conventional single unit type air conditioner includes a casing 10 having an indoor space region 21 and an outdoor space region 31 separately formed by a separation plate 11; a compressor 12 installed in the indoor space region 21 and compressing refrigerant into high temperature and high pressure state; an outdoor unit 30 being installed in the outdoor space region 31 and having a condenser 32 for cooling the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 12; and an indoor unit 20 installed in the indoor space region 21 and having an evaporator 22 performing heat exchange between the refrigerant condensed in the condenser 32 and indoor air.
A motor 13 is installed at the center of the separation plate 11, a fan 23 for generating air flow is installed at a rotational shaft 13a of the motor 13 in the indoor space region 21 in order to make sucked indoor air pass the evaporator 22, and a cooling fan 33 for generating air flow is installed at the rotational shaft 13a of the motor 13 in the outdoor space region 31 in order to make sucked outdoor air pass the condenser 32.
In general, a turbo fan is used as the fan 23, and an axial fan is used as the cooling fan 33.
In the conventional single unit type air conditioner, when power is applied, the compressor 12 compresses the refrigerant in the operation, the refrigerant compressed in the compressor 12 releases heat to the outdoor air sucked by the cooling fan 33 while passing the condenser 32, and accordingly the refrigerant is cooled.
The refrigerant cooled while passing the condenser 32 flows to the evaporator 22, performs heat exchange with the indoor air sucked by the fan 23 and cools the indoor air so as to be at a certain temperature.
Herein, condensate water is generated on the surface of the evaporator 22 while the indoor air is cooled.
The air conditioner includes a condensate water discharge unit (not shown) for discharging condensate water generated in the operation to the outside, and a flow channel (not shown) is formed at a bottom region 14 of the casing 10 in order to make the condensate water flow from the indoor space region 21 to the outdoor space region 31 smoothly.
In more detail, the condensate water condensed on the surface of the evaporator 22 flows to the bottom region 14 of the casing 10 and flows to the outdoor space region 31 along the flow channel.
The condensate water gathered in the bottom region 14 of the outdoor space region 31 is generally discharged to the outside by the condensate water discharge unit (not shown), etc. However, part of the condensate water can be scattered onto the condenser 32 by a scattering unit (not shown), etc. additionally installed or installed at the end of a wing of the cooling fan 33 in order to cool the condenser 32 more efficiently.
In the meantime, the conventional single unit type air conditioner can be installed in any space, but, it is generally installed at a window. However, because of the structure, there is a limit to adjust a width or a height of the air conditioner while securing a certain cooling performance.
In more detail, in the conventional single unit type air conditioner, because it is installed at a window, installation conditions may be intricate, in addition, it may injure the view.


In a plasma etching apparatus, an inactive gas and a reactive gas are supplied from gas spouting holes into a process chamber, and are turned into plasma by means of RF discharge, so that a semiconductor wafer placed on a susceptor is etched by the plasma. An antenna formed of a solenoidal coil is arranged around the side wall of the process chamber, so as to generate an RF inductive electric field in the process chamber. A plurality of barriers are arranged to extend into the skin-depth region of the plasma from the side wall of the process chamber, so as to limit a mean free path of electrons in the skin-depth region. The barriers decrease density of low energy electrons in the skin depth region, so as to suppress progress of dissociation of the reactive gas, thereby obtaining a predetermined etching selectivity.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for subjecting a target object, such as a semiconductor wafer or LCD substrate, to a process, such as etching or deposition, using plasma generated by means of radio frequency (RF) discharge, and in particular to an apparatus which is capable of performing a stable process while suppressing excessive dissociation of a process gas.
In processes of manufacturing semiconductors, various kinds of plasma processes, such as etching, are performed on a target object, such as a semiconductor wafer, in a plasma atmosphere, while plasma is generated in a process chamber. In recent years, as patterns given to the target object have been increasingly miniaturized, demands have come for a plasma process to be performed with a higher accuracy under a design rule of sub-quarter micron.
Along with the demand for miniaturizing semiconductor devices at a high degree in a horizontal direction, it has become necessary for the devices to have a three-dimensional shape. For example, the structure of capacitor devices expands in vertical directions to obtain an electrostatic capacitance of a certain level, while the structure of wirings increases its vertical size to decrease wiring resistance. For this reason, portions to be etched in their manufacturing process becomes deeper, so that a ratio of the depth of the to-be-etched portions relative to the thickness of a photoresist grows higher. In such a case, etching selectivity of a material of the to-be-etched portions relative to the photoresist needs to be high in order to avoid a dimensional shift due to retreat of the photoresist.
Taking account of this demand, plasma sources for generating a high density plasma have been developed. In recent years, it has been attempted to etch, for example, an oxide film on a semiconductor wafer at a high selectivity, using a high density plasma generated by a system of, e.g., the helicon wave type, ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) type, TCP (transformer Coupled Plasma) type, or the ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) type.
A photoresist used with I lines in the ultraviolet domain has a good etching selectivity of about 7 to 8 for SiO.sub.2 relative to the resist, in plasma of an ordinary density, such as about 1.times.10.sup.11 /cm.sup.3. However, in a high density plasma generated by, e.g., the ICP type, the etching selectivity is decreased down to a value of 3 to 4. The photoresist, thus does not have a sufficient durability relative to a high density plasma.
On the basis of the demand for high miniaturization, it has also been proposed to expose a photoresist to ultraviolet radiation, such as Kr excimer laser, having a wavelength shorter than that of the I lines. As compared to the photoresist used with the I lines, the photoresist used with the excimer laser has a lower durability against plasma, in order to suppress the polymerized degree of polymers in accordance with a shorter wavelength. As a result, the latter photoresist presents a lower etching selectivity of SiO.sub.2 to this photoresist.
Further, in a high density plasma generated by the TCP type, an equilibrium state is gradually settled by repeating a cycle in which radicals produced by dissociation are deposited on the inner wall of a process chamber and the deposited radicals are returned into plasma. With this high density plasma, as an etching process is repeated, the deposition on the inner wall grows thicker than that at the beginning, and the radical composition in the plasma is changed. The change of the radical composition brings about a difficulty in obtaining a good reproductivity of etching properties. For this reason, a countermeasure of, e.g., heating the inner wall of the process chamber is carried out in order to form a stable state on the surface of the inner wall, but it is hardly controlled to form the stable state.


Plural transmitter units generate plural currents corresponding to plural logical values, respectively, and propagate the currents to a common signal line. The common signal line synthesizes the currents generated by the transmitter units, and propagates them to a receiver unit as a synthetic current. The receiver unit restores the logical values the transmitter units generated, in accordance with the synthetic current. The values of the currents the transmitter units generate in correspondence with the logical values each differ, so that the value of the synthetic current can be changed for every combination of logical values. Accordingly, the receiver unit can restore the logical values outputted from the respective transmitter units, based on the synthetic current. That is, employing the common signal line enables signals transmitted from the transmitter units to be simultaneously received. Consequently, the number of signal lines laid between the transmitter units and the receiver unit is reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal interface wherein signals transmitted from a plurality of transmitter units are received by a receiver unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a technique which heightens the transfer rate of data from a transmitter unit to a receiver unit without increasing the number of data lines, there has been proposed one wherein the values of currents to be fed to the data lines are changed in accordance with multi-level data (in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-156621 or No. 2002-152029).
Conventionally, in cases where signals were transferred from a plurality of transmitter units to one receiver unit, a signal line needed to be laid for each of the transmitter units, in which case the number of the signal lines became large. Besides, in cases where signals were transmitted by employing a common signal line, arbitration needed to be done to determine the use right of the signal line, to prevent conflict of the signals. Accordingly, a technique in which signals are simultaneously transferred by employing a common signal line has not been proposed yet.


A surgical tack is disclosed for securing a surgical mesh material to body tissue. The tack includes a pair of legs and an arcuate cross-member. A surgical tack applier is also disclosed, for applying the surgical tack. The applier includes an elongate tubular portion having a jacket with a main channel and a pair of longitudinally extending sub channels. A rotatable drive rod having a helical thread is coupled to the applier, and the sub channels receive the legs of the tack. The helical thread receives the arcuate cross-member of the surgical tack. Rotation of the drive rod drives the tack from the distal end of the applier.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a novel tack and, more particularly to a low profile tack having deformable legs for securing a surgical mesh to body tissue. In addition, the present disclosure relates to a surgical tack applier and, more particularly to a surgical tack applier adapted to accommodate and apply a plurality of the surgical tacks of this disclosure.
2. Background of Related Art
A number of surgical procedures require instruments that are capable of applying a surgical fastener to tissue in order to form tissue connections or to secure objects to tissue. For example, during hernia repair it is often desirable to fasten a surgical mesh to the underlying body tissue. In certain hernias, such as direct or indirect inguinal hernias, a part of the intestine protrudes through a defect or an opening in the supporting abdominal wall to form a hernial sac. The opening can be repaired using an open surgical procedure where a relatively large incision is made in the patient and the hernia is closed outside the abdominal wall by suturing. Often, a mesh is attached with sutures over the opening to provide reinforcement.
Less invasive surgical procedures are currently available for hernia repair. In laparoscopic procedures, surgery is performed in the abdomen through a small incision, while in endoscopic procedures surgery is performed through narrow endoscopic tubes inserted through small incisions in the body. Laparoscopic and endoscopic procedures generally require long and narrow instruments capable of reaching deep within the body and configured to form a seal with the incision or tube through which they are inserted.
Currently, endoscopic techniques for hernia repair utilize fasteners, such as surgical staples or clips, to secure the mesh to the tissue thereby providing reinforcement of the repair and providing structure for the encouragement of tissue ingrowth. These staples or clips need to be compressed against the tissue and mesh in order to secure the two together thereby requiring a tool which is positioned on either side of the mesh and tissue in order to deform the staple or clip.
Another type of fastener suited for use in affixing mesh to tissue, during procedures such as hernia repair, is a coil fastener having a helically coiled body portion terminating in a tissue penetrating tip, in which the helical fastener is screwed into the mesh and body tissue. An example of this type of fastener is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,000 to Gianturco.
Yet another type of fastener suited for use in affixing surgical mesh to body tissue is a surgical tack that is driven through the surgical mesh and buried into the body tissue. In some embodiments, the tack comprises a pair of substantially parallel legs interconnected by a suture. Many different instruments for applying the surgical tacks through the surgical mesh and into the body tissue are known.
A need exists for a different surgical tack that firmly secures a surgical mesh to underlying body tissue and is readily removable without damaging the underlying tissue. A need exists for a tack having a low profile that when applied, is substantially in flush contact with the surface of the mesh. A need also exists for a tacking apparatus adapted for securing a surgical mesh to underlying body tissue utilizing the surgical tacks of the present disclosure. A need exists for such a tack applier, wherein each of a plurality of tacks can be applied with a single pull of a trigger, and for a tack applier that can apply a plurality of tacks seriatim through a replaceable tubular portion or jacket or cartridge.


A process for producing a semiconductor having a thin film of a fluorine resin as a protective film, which comprises coating on the surface of a fluorine resin a photoresist solution containing a surfactant, followed by exposure, development and etching for fine processing of the fluorine resin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a semiconductor having a thin film of a fluorine resin as a protective film.
2. Discussion of Background
Heretofore, it has been usually difficult to form a thin film of a fluorine resin by coating, since the fluorine resin is usually insoluble in a solvent. However, fluorine resins soluble in special solvents have been developed as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 238111/1988 and No. 260932/1988 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,009, and their application to semiconductor protective films utilizing their electrical properties and low water absorptivity, has been disclosed in European Patent 0393682.
On the other hand, an organic thin film used as a protective film of a semiconductor is required to be subjected to fine processing such as local perforation processing to take electrical connection or wire bonding, and photolithography using a photoresist is usually employed for this purpose.
However, the above fluorine resins have a high fluorine content and an extremely low surface energy, and therefore they tend to repel a photoresist solution, whereby it has been difficult to uniformly coat it by e.g. spin coating, and it has been difficult to apply fine processing by photolithography.
Further, in order to improve the uniformity in the application of a photoresist, it has been common to employ a method wherein an adhesion-improving agent such as HMDS (hexamethyl disilazane) is coated in a liquid state, and a photoresist is coated thereon, followed by photolithography. However, the above-mentioned fluorine resins tend to repel even such a solution, and it has been difficult to improve the adhesion by coating. Thus, there has been a problem that it is required to heat the adhesion-improving agent to conduct treatment by its vapor, or it is required to improve the wettability of the surface by such a method as vapor deposition of e.g. a metal.


A pipe construction system which utilizes a multiplicity of arcuate pipe segments 11, 12 to form a pipe section 10 and which sections are assembled together to form a length of pipe. Each segment 11, 12 has two longitudinal edges 13 of increased radial thickness and having a groove 14 formed in the circumferential direction whereby an interlocking and sealing member 15 may be located in the aligned grooves 14 of two adjacent segments 11, 12. One end of a pipe section 10 assembled from the segments defines a socket 22 for receiving a spigot 23 defined at the other end of a like section. The spigot end of each segment has a pocket 25 formed along said edge 13 but within the thickness of the major area of the segment, which pocket 25 mates with a corresponding pocket 25 of an adjacent segment whereby sealant may be disposed in the mating pockets.

In the following description and explanation of this invention, reference will be made primarily to the lining of underground sewers, though it is to be understood that the pipe construction system of this invention is not limited to this application, and may be used for a very wide range of different applications. For example, the system may be used to construct an overland or underground pipe, as well as to line a wide variety of ducts, so long as the duct is sufficiently large to permit access by human operators, to effect the lining method.
Many underground sewers in major cities throughout the world were constructed more than 100 years ago. Consequently, those sewers are by now becoming very worn internally, with the brickwork or other constructional materials deteriorating in view of the nature of the liquids and gases present within the sewer. Further, due to ground movements over the years, the structural integrity of those sewers can be seriously compromised. These aspects can lead to failure within sewers, by the walls of the sewers collapsing inwardly. The consequent remedial work necessary to restore the sewer is extremely difficult and unpleasant to perform, since by the time such work is commenced, there is likely to be a large volume of sewage backed up behind a blockage caused by the failure.
It is known to provide a lining within underground ducts such as sewers, in an attempt to restore integrity to the structure. Such a lining technique may be performed before there is a catastrophic failure, by opening the sewer at a convenient point and then fitting into the sewer relatively short lengths of pipe which are connected together end-to-end. In the case of a sewer of circular cross-sectional shape, such short lengths of a pipe may be a sliding fit within the existing sewer so that no further work is required. Alternatively, the external diameter of the assembled pipe may be significantly less than the internal diameter of the sewer and then a grouting material is injected under pressure into the generally annular space between the pipe and the internal sewer wall.
Particularly in the case of relatively large sewers, it is also known to assemble a lining from short lengths of pipe which lengths themselves are assembled from segments each of part-circular shape. One widely used system employs a tongue along one axially-extending edge of a segment and a correspondingly formed groove along the other axially-extending edge of a segment whereby the segments may be assembled together with the tongue of one segment fitting into the groove of the next adjacent segment. This system has the disadvantage that the strength of the segments is much reduced in the area of the inter-fitting tongues and grooves resulting in a relatively weak joint between adjacent segments. Further, it is necessary axially to slide the last segment (or the second segment, where two semi-circular segments form the pipe section) into position and during this sliding movement, there is a relatively high risk that the tongue or one of the groove walls will be broken away from its segment.
An alternative but similar system uses butt or halved joints between adjacent lining segments, each of which joints is reinforced with an elongate internal cover plate secured over the joint. Such a system is slow and inconvenient to install, especially within the confined working space of a sewer.
A disadvantage of the above systems is that the strength and water-tight integrity of a pipe assembled as described is relatively low and so the systems are unsuitable for use other than in a grouted pipe-lining situation, where the strength may be enhanced by the surrounding grout and already existing duct or sewer. Even so, the joint could still leak and over a period of time and so deteriorate the integrity of the surrounding grout.
It has been proposed to strengthen the longitudinal joints between adjacent segments by enlarging the wall thickness in the region of the joints but in order to give a smooth internal surface to the finished pipe, all such enlargement must be effected externally of the pipe. However, this then gives rise to a problem at the ends of the pipe sections where the end of one pipe section forms a spigot which fits into a socket formed at the opposite end of the next adjacent pipe section. The enlarged wall thickness must be cut away and this leads to a very weak area of the assembled pipe, which also is highly likely to leak.


Process for vacuum impregnation of a dry fiber reinforcement with a curable resin to produce a resin-fiber composite, by drawing a vacuum to permit flow of curable liquid resin into and through a fiber reinforcement to impregnate same and curing the resin-impregnated fiber reinforcement at a sufficient temperature and pressure to effect final curing. Both vacuum and positive pressure, e.g. autoclave pressure, are applied to the dry fiber reinforcement prior to application of heat and prior to any resin flow to compact the dry fiber reinforcement, and produce a resin-fiber composite of reduced weight, thickness and resin content, and improved mechanical properties. Preferably both a vacuum and positive pressure, e.g. autoclave pressure, are also applied during final curing.

This invention relates to a process for producing resin impregnated fiber reinforced materials, and is particularly concerned with improved procedure for impregnating dry fiber reinforcement, e.g. carbon or graphite cloth, with a predetermined amount of resin, followed by final curing, to produce a resin impregnated reinforcement material having improved mechanical properties, while having reduced thickness and reduced resin content.
Most structural type composite parts, particularly those made for the aerospace industry, are fabricated from "B" stage resin impregnated woven cloth or tape fibers such as graphite. The resin is partially cured or "staged" to the desired consistency for tack and handling characteristics that will allow a later heat and pressure cycle to complete the fabrication process. This material is cut and laid up ply by ply, placed under a vacuum bag and the assembly is then placed in an autoclave and cured by heat and pressure to form the final "C" stage cured laminate.
The concept of impregnating dry fibrous materials such as woven cloth with a resin under vacuum conditions alone, followed by curing, does not compact the dry fiber preform sufficiently and produces a correspondingly heavy, thick high resin content lower strength product.
Illustrative of the prior art are U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,661, to R. J. Palmer and U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,013, to R. J. Palmer et al.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,661 there is disclosed a vacuum resin impregnation process wherein vacuum pressure only is used to resin impregnate the fiber reinforcement layer and after impregnation, autoclave pressure and heat are applied for curing. The result is a resin-fiber composite which while compacted to some degree during curing under autoclave pressure, still retains a high resin content and such autoclave pressure does not reduce the thickness of the composite to the desired level.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,013 discloses a vacuum resin impregnation process, wherein a liquid resin/catalyst system is impregnated into a dry fiber reinforcement under vacuum pressure alone, and final curing of the resin takes place under vacuum pressure. Here also, the dry fiber preform is densified under vacuum alone to produce a relatively thick heavy composite of relatively high resin content, resulting in a composite having lower strength than desired.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved resin impregnation process for impregnating dry fiber reinforcement material, so as to produce a fiber resin composite having improved mechanical properties.
Another object is the provision of a process for resin impregnation of a fiber reinforcement so as to result in a cured composite of reduced thickness, and reduced weight and resin content.
Yet another object is the provision of an efficient process for fabrication of a resin-fiber composite by uniformly impregnating a fiber reinforcement material with a resin under conditions to reduce the thickness and resin content of the cured composite, and improving the mechanical properties thereof.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Resin impregnation process for producing a resin-fiber composite


Collaboration capabilities (both "push" and "pull" of information) are portably added to World-Wide Web content. In particular, a persistent connection is maintained to a shared state server for retrieving data via a "push" mechanism which maintains the freedom to access arbitrary Web content via the "pull" mechanism. Moreover, the collaboration is provided in a portable manner, in the same way that all other Web content is portable both across hardware platforms and across browser implementations.

Two techniques are in use today for delivering data from a supplier to a consumer: "push" and "pull". Under a "push" model, which is used by services such as PointCast, Castanet, and TIB, information is sent to the recipient whenever it becomes available at the source. Under a "pull" model, which is used by services such as Excite, the data is only transmitted to the recipient in response to an explicit request. These two methods excel at a variety of data retrieval tasks, from supporting random searches ("pull") to delivering dynamic information updates ("push").
However, these data retrieval metaphors are insufficient to support real-time collaboration among multiple users over the Internet. Such applications include shared whiteboards, text and audio chat, shared slide shows, video, distance learning, and collaborative browsing of Web pages. These applications are characterized by the need to establish user groups and exchange information to ensure that all members of a particular group see consistent information (e.g. see the same whiteboard image, see and hear each others' text/audio, see slides/video in a synchronized manner, see the same Web page, etc). In effect, the consistent shared state updates are "pushed" to each client. At the same time, we need to provide freedom for each user to retrieve information by downloading arbitrary Web pages (a "pull" metaphor) and presenting that information to the collaborative application and group.
Typically, these collaborative systems run as stand-alone applications because of their need to exchange specific data types and their special "push" and "pull" requirements. Indeed, these applications provide their own custom user interface and do not interoperate with existing tools.
Systems like America Online's "Virtual Places" (VP) system have attempted to integrate collaboration into existing World-Wide Web browsers such as Netscape Navigator. When the collaboration requires the user to see a new Web page or slide, this system communicates directly with the Web Browser and instructs it to display the particular Web page. To perform this communication, VP relies on a Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) interface exported by the particular Web Browser. DDE enables applications to exchange a pre-defined set of events, as supported by the particular endpoint applications.
The use of DDE restricts the VP functionality, however. First, DDE is only available on Microsoft Windows platforms. Furthermore, because the DDE interface is application-specific, the particular interface used by VP only works with the Netscape Navigator browser. In summary, the VP system does not provide a portable mechanism for integrating collaboration with the World-Wide Web.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and system for portably adding collaboration capabilities (both "push" and "pull" of information) to World-Wide Web content. In particular, a persistent connection is to be maintained to a shared state server for retrieving data via a "push" mechanism which maintains the freedom to access arbitrary Web content via the "pull" mechanism. Moreover, the collaboration should be provided in a portable manner, in the same way that all other Web content is portable both across hardware platforms and across browser implementations.

Method and system for portably enabling awareness, touring, and conferencing over the world-wide web using proxies and shared-state servers


Systems and associated methods for estimating wireless workloads are described herein. Systems and methods provide for generating an estimate of a wireless workload's processing requirements from the combined knowledge of system specific values, such as system parameters, platform details, and implementation details. Systems and methods for estimating wireless workloads may be utilized in various wireless protocols, including, 3G, WiMax, LTE, WiFi, femtocells, and point-to-point wireless links. The estimated workloads may be used for scheduling wireless workloads in a shared computing environment.

Software Defined Radio (SDR) is a paradigm where wireless protocol processing happens on a programmable platform instead of on an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). SDR has many advantages, including cost savings, flexibility, and speed and ease of development. In addition, SDR enables resource sharing for certain wireless protocol processing that is not available under existing technology. This resource sharing allows for multiple wireless standards and multiple service providers to perform wireless processing on a shared computing platform. As such, SDR allows wireless providers to take advantage of the benefits of shared computing, such as those achieved through cloud computing. However, wireless workloads have high computational and stringent real-time requirements which must be followed in a shared computing environment.

Systems and methods for estimating processing workloads

International Business Machines Corporation


A removable electronic drum head for an acoustic drum is disclosed. The electronic drum head includes an elastic strike layer, a rigid plate centered below the elastic strike layer. A first sensor is attached to a bottom surface of the rigid plate. A structural body supports the elastic strike layer, rigid plate and first sensor. The structural body is further adapted to attach to an acoustic drum. Other optional foam layers may be included above and below the rigid plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present patent document relates generally to electronic and acoustic drums and more specifically to a removable electronic drum head that can be attached to a conventional acoustic drum.
2. Background of the Related Art
Professional drummers face a number of problems with their chosen instrument because acoustic drum kits are generally large and take up a lot of space and are very loud when played. Acoustic drums are also limited in the types of sounds they are capable of producing. Additionally, acoustic drums are difficult to record using a microphone.
To solve some of these problems, the electronic drum kit was invented. There are many examples of stand-alone electronic drum kits, including electronic drum kits made by Alesis, Simmons, Roland, and Yamaha. Electronic drum kits are easy to record and are capable of producing a wide range of musical effect, including effects not possible on a conventional acoustic drum kit. However, electronic drum kits are also large and require a lot of space. Electronic drum kits are also electronic only and are not capable of producing conventional acoustic percussion music.
However, most professional musicians and drummers prefer to have both an electronic drum kit and an acoustic kit, which effectively doubles the floor space required to store and use these instruments. Accordingly, there is a perceived need in the art to permit the use of an acoustic drum kit, but includes the advantages of an electronic drum kit.

Removable electronic drum head for an acoustic drum

Alesis, L.P. a Limited Partnership of Delaware


A wheel for a motor vehicle has a wheel spider with spokes defining large air openings therebetween. The spokes extend approximately radially from the wheel hub to the wheel rim. Each spoke comprises at least two outer ribs that extend approximately parallel to one another. At least two inner ribs extend diagonally between the spokes. The inner ribs connect the outer ribs with one another and intersect each other.

The invention relates to a wheel for a motor vehicle, and more particularly to a wheel having a plurality of spokes defining relatively large air openings therebetween, each of the spokes comprising of ribs extending essentially radially from the wheel hub to the wheel rim.
This application claims the priority of German Patent Application No. 196 12 115.9 filed on Mar. 27, 1996 in Germany, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
A wheel for a motor vehicle is known from German Design Patent M 95 03 760, said wheel having spokes between air openings, said spokes each consisting of two outer ribs running radially and extending from the rim flange to the wheel hub, with a continuous elongate air opening provided between the outer ribs.
A goal of the invention is to provide a wheel for a motor vehicle having a wheel spider which provides optimum air throughput and guarantees high strength.
These and other goals have been achieved according to the present invention by providing a wheel for a motor vehicle including a wheel spider having a plurality of spokes extending radially between a wheel hub and a wheel rim, adjacent ones of the spokes and the wheel rim defining air openings therebetween, each of the spokes comprising: at least two outer ribs which extend approximately parallel to each other between the wheel hub and the wheel rim; and at least two inner ribs extending diagonally between the outer ribs, the inner ribs intersecting each other.
These and other goals have also been achieved according to the present invention by providing a mold for a wheel for a motor vehicle, the mold comprising mold openings for receiving a material for forming the wheel, the mold openings defining a wheel hub, a wheel rim, and a plurality of spokes extending radially between the wheel hub and the wheel rim, the mold openings which define each of the spokes including mold openings which define: at least two outer ribs which extend approximately parallel to each other between the wheel hub and the wheel rim; and at least two inner ribs extending diagonally between the outer ribs, the inner ribs intersecting each other.
One advantageous feature achieved by the present invention results from the construction of the wheel spider with a plurality of spokes that join to form a lattice-like composite structure for strength. For this purpose, inner ribs are provided which run diagonally between the outer ribs of each spoke, said inner ribs intersecting with one another. The inner ribs intersect each other in an area between the wheel center point and the wheel rim, for example between 30% and 70% of the radial distance between the wheel center point and the wheel rim, and more preferably between 50% and 70% of the radial distance between the wheel center point and the wheel rim. In one preferred embodiment, five spokes are provided, which achieves a particularly strong wheel structure.
The filigree (i.e., lattice-like) design of the individual spokes with additional internal air openings in each spoke between the outer ribs and the internal ribs advantageously achieves a stable wheel with great strength, especially high torsional stiffness. This is accomplished in particular since the outer ribs of adjacent spokes which are directly opposite each other in a circumferential direction (i.e., the outer ribs of adjacent spokes which define one of the relatively large air openings in the wheel), as well as one diagonal inner rib of each spoke, meet at a node proxima a hole for a mounting bolt. In one preferred embodiment, four internal air openings are provided in each spoke, which achieves a particularly strong wheel structure.
In addition to the relatively large air opening between the individual ribs, smaller air openings are provided within the spokes that are made roughly polygonal, e.g. triangular. The diagonal position of the inner ribs means that in each case two air openings of approximately the same size are located opposite one another with respect to the intersection point between the inner ribs.
The relatively large air openings defined between adjacent spokes of the wheel are essentially triangular and have at their radially outer periphery with respect to the wheel hub an external curved shape determined by the wheel rim. The relatively large air openings are rounded at the vertices of the outer ribs of adjacent spokes, with these rounded areas being located opposite the holes for the mounting bolts, respectively.


An index print includes a recording sheet having positive images corresponding to respective images on an image recording medium and being right-side-up or up-side-down on the recording sheet. The index print further includes eye-readable means on the recording sheet which relate to the positive images. The invention is characterized in that the eye-readable means is positioned relative to the positive images to permit at least a portion of the eye-readable means to be read without being up-side-down on the recording sheet when viewing the positive images right-side-up on the recording sheet, whether the positive images are recorded right-side-up or up-side-down on the recording sheet.

Some cameras on the market require that the film cartridge be loaded on the left side of the camera when viewing the camera from the back (a left-side-load camera). Other cameras require that the film cartridge be loaded on the right side of the camera when viewing the camera from the back (a right-side-load-camera). The film cartridge in the right-side load camera is in an inverted position compared to a film cartridge in a left-side-load camera. As a result, images recorded by a right-side-load camera will be inverted on the filmstrip relative to images recorded by a left-side-load camera.
FIG. 1 shows a processed photographic filmstrip 90 (image recording medium) having a plurality of images 100 which were recorded on the filmstrip by a left side load camera. Filmstrip 90 also includes a human readable manufacturer's information code 110 adjacent a top edge of the filmstrip and, a human readable frame number 120 and machine readable frame number 130 adjacent a bottom edge of the filmstrip. Note that images 100 are right-side up on the filmstrip relative to code 110 and, frame numbers 120 and 130. FIG. 2 shows a processed photographic filmstrip 90 having a plurality of images 100 which were recorded on the filmstrip by a right side load camera. Note that images 100 are up-side down on the filmstrip relative to code 110 and, frame numbers 120 and 130.
An index print can be made from images 100 stored on filmstrip 90. The index print is typically a plurality of small positive images recorded on one or more recording sheets. The positive images correspond to images, stored on an image recording medium, which may be difficult or impossible to view with the unaided eye. FIG. 3 shows an index print 135 which includes a recording sheet 140 on which are recorded a plurality of positive images 150 which correspond to the images 100 on filmstrip 90. The index print also includes eye-readable-indicia such as a header 145 which has information relating to the positive images. Another eye-readable-indicia is a reference symbol 160 which in this case is a frame number corresponding to the frame number on filmstrip 90. Index print 135 was made by utilizing images 100 on filmstrip 90 in FIG. 1. Note that images 150 are right-side-up relative to the eye-readable-indicia.
Index print 135 can be made on the Kodak Digital Index Print System (DIPS). With the DIPS, the filmstrip is always fed into a film scanner in the same orientation. The film scanner does not know whether the filmstrip has images that were recorded by a right-side-load or left-side-load camera. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, an index print made on the DIPS with a filmstrip exposed in a right-side-load camera will have images 150 which are up-side-down relative to the eye-readable-indicia such as header 145 and reference symbols 160. Thus, when viewing the eye-readable-indicia in a right-side-up position the positive images are up-side-down and vice-versa. Such an arrangement is less than optimal.


An electronic alert system and a related method of operation for identifying, determining, and reporting chronically-problematic responses for service request and fulfillment between a service requester and a service performer are disclosed. In one embodiment, the electronic alert system identifies and determines a chronically-problematic response by analyzing two relational data sets. A first set of relational data set correlates time elapsed between a first service request bell press by a service requester from a service request device, and a confirmatory signal of successful service fulfillment from a service request reception device held by the service performer, or from the service request device. Furthermore, a second set of relational data set correlates a number of repeated service request bell presses by the service requester, a time interval between each bell press, and the confirmatory signal of successful service fulfillment from the service request device or the service request reception device.

The present invention generally relates to service request devices and service request reception devices. The present invention also relates to utilizing a service request device to prompt a response from a service performer wearing, holding, or watching a service request reception device. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to improving operational efficiency of an organization by intelligently understanding and managing interactions between a service requester that uses a service request device and a service performer that uses a service request reception device.
Service-oriented and in-person business operations often deploy service request devices to enable a customer to gain attention from a service performer. For example, a classical and conventional form of a service request device is a physical bell placed on a table in a restaurant, on a hotel check-in counter, or on a front counter of a store. When a customer rings the physical bell, the sound of the physical bell alerts a service performer, such as a restaurant worker, a hotel staff member, or a store clerk to be physically present in front of the customer to fulfill a service request. In recent years, electronic service request devices (e.g. electronic service request bells, one-way or two-way pagers, and etc.) are widely deployed in business operations to prompt a service performer via a service request reception device that a service is being requested at a particular location. In many cases, an electronic service request device has a unique device identification number or code that is correlated to a table number, a counter number, or another location-identifying information easily understood by a service performer. These electronic devices can also be utilized in industrial and manufacturing operations. For example, a factory worker can press a bell button from a service request device to prompt attention from a supervisor or a support staff, if there is a problem or an issue in an assembly-line operation.
Unfortunately, these electronic forms of service requests and paging do not necessarily yield faster or efficient response time from a service performer. For example, an unmotivated service performer may intentionally ignore a bell press from a service request device. More damagingly, the unmotivated service performer may persistently ignore or neglect service requests from a multiple number of service request devices used by customers or employees, thereby causing a serious bottleneck or weakness in operational efficiency of a business organization that utilizes electronic service request bells and/or pagers. Furthermore, the unmotivated service performer may exhibit persistently-delayed or sporadic responses to various service requests from customers or other individuals, thereby causing significant operational delays and inefficiencies. Supervising entities or operational quality control staff members presently do not have effective methods or apparatuses to identify and determine a poorly-behaving service performer that ignores service requests or delays service fulfillments.
Therefore, it may be beneficial to devise a novel electronic alert system that identifies and determines a poorly-behaving service performer that exhibits chronically-problematic responses to service requests by customers or other individuals. Furthermore, it may also be beneficial to devise the novel electronic alert system to report the identified, poorly-behaving service performer to a supervising entity or to an operational quality control staff. Moreover, it may also be beneficial to devise the novel electronic alert system to utilize cloud-computing resources available on the Internet for seamless portability, upgrades, and operation with installed base of electronic service request and reception devices. In addition, it may also be beneficial to devise a method for operating this novel electronic alert system.

Chronically-problematic response alert system for service request and fulfillment between a service requester and a service performer


Disclosed is an organic dispersion comprising a flaky titanium oxide particle having a high crystallinity and high light permeability contained in an organic solvent. The dispersion can be prepared by a method comprising preparing an aqueous dispersion of a flaky titanium oxide particle containing an organic cation, centrifuging the aqueous dispersion to produce a precipitate, and adding the precipitate to an organic solvent, or a method comprising lyophilizing the aqueous dispersion to produce a lyophilized material and mixing the lyophilized material to an organic solvent. When the organic dispersion is used, it becomes possible to form a film comprising a monolayer of a titanium oxide nanosheet densely arranged therein by such a simple manner that the dispersion is coated on a base material and drying the dispersion. The film thus produced has a photocatalytic activity and a super-hydrophilic property.

A flaky titanium oxide particle has a shape relatively large in the ratio of a width and a length to a thickness thereof. For example, particles in which a thickness thereof is about 0.5 to 100 nm, and a width and a length are about 0.1 to 500 μm are known. Furthermore, there are flaky titanium oxide particles a thickness of which is made thinner to 10 nm or less and still thinner from 0.5 to 1 nm. Such a flaky titanium oxide particle is called a titanium oxide nanosheet. Such flaky titanium oxide particles are used in the same uses as known titanium oxide, for example, a white pigment, a photocatalyst, a catalyst, a catalyst carrier, an adsorbent and the like, a UV-ray shielding agent blended in sunscreen cosmetics, a paint, a film and the like, a filler for plastic, rubber and the like, a charge control agent for a toner and the like, a viscosity controlling agent for a paint, an ink and the like, an additive to a solid lubricant, a friction controller to a friction material, a synthesis material of fine ceramic or the like. In particular, when the titanium oxide nanosheet is used, a thin layer can be formed; accordingly, the titanium oxide nanosheet can be preferably used, by forming a titanium oxide film on a base material, as a photo-functional material such as a UV-ray shielding agent, a photocatalyst or a light reflection prevention agent. Furthermore, when titanium oxide nanosheets are blended in plastic, mechanical strength, heat resistance, a gas barrier property and the like can be improved.
As to an organic solvent dispersion obtained by dispersing flaky titanium oxide particles, JP 2006-206426A discloses that when a compound which forms organic cations, a titanium source and an organic solvent are mixed, an organic solvent dispersion of organic cation-containing layered titanate nanosheets can be obtained. Furthermore, JP 2005-220001A discloses a metal oxide thin film-forming coating solution in which a layered metal oxide is brought into contact with an alkyl amine or an alkyl ammonium compound having 6 or less carbon atoms in total in an organic polar solvent to expand an interlayer distance by intercalation, followed by adding a shearing force to cleave, and thereby metal oxide nanosheets having a thickness of 1 nm or less are formed.    Patent Document 1: JP 2006-206426A    Patent Document 2: JP 2005-220001A

Organic solvent dispersion containing flaky titanium oxide, method for production of the dispersion, titanium oxide film using the dispersion, and method for production of the titanium oxide film

INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTION NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MATERIALS SCIENCE


Method and system for realizing a correlation, at least in space, of the focal fields of at least two electromagnetic beams at the focus of an optical focusing element, wherein a specific spatial distribution in amplitude, phase and polarization of a focal field combined from the focal fields is generated and a physical response to the generated focal field in a sample placed at the focus is measured. A one- or multi-dimensional spatial shift in the focal field of at leat one of the at least two beams is introduced with respect to the focal field of others of the at least two beams. The relative phase of the beams is controlled by a (periodic) variable optical path length for at least one of the beams. The physical response, as a consequence of a physical process in the sample or as a consequence of scattering of the focal field at the sample, is detected, optionally with the aid of a specific collection function which is a combined image of a specific space/time distribution of the physical response at the focus of the focusing element. Microscopic imaging with increased lateral and/or axial resolution is possible when the physical response of a sample subjected to the above-mentioned focal fields is detected by means of a collection function, which may or may not be specific. In addition, the quantitative structure in space and time, related to the point spread function, of the focal field of the focusing element on and alongside the optical axis thereof can be determined in terms of amplitude, phase or polarization.

The invention relates to a method and a system for realising a correlation, at least in space, of two or more electromagnetic fields at the focus of an optical focusing element.
It is extremely important for manufacturers and users of optical focusing elements, such as lenses and lens systems, to be able quantitatively to determine the properties of a lens. For manufacturers the point at issue here is both the testing of newly designed products and routine control of the quality of products. For the users of lenses and lens systems for various applications, quantitative data are of importance for the interpretation of measurement data. Currently there are various techniques which can be used to determine the quality of lenses. Virtually all of these techniques can be assigned in two main categories: (i) the determination of the optical transfer function (OTF) [K. R. Barnes. The optical transfer function (Adam Hilger, London 1971)]; or (ii) the determination of the point spread function (PSF) [G. J. Brakenhoff, P. Blom and P. Barends. Confocal scanning light microscopy with high aperture immersion lenses. J. Microsc. 117, 1979, pp. 219-232].
The principle of all OTF measurement methods is based on the assumption that a lens system can be considered as a linear filter with regard to two-dimensional spatial frequencies in an object when two conditions are met [M. Born and E. Wolf. Principles of optics (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1980)]: (i) isoplanatism, i.e. the wave front aberrations as a consequence of the imaging lens are independent of the position of the object; and (ii) linear superposition, i.e. the total effect on the image point which is produced by one or more objects is given by a linear summation of the individual values at the image point of each of the objects. Under these assumptions, the PSF is related to the OTF by a Fourier transformation.
There are two basic principles from which all OTF measurement methods are derived: (i) scanning methods; and (ii) shear interferometry.
The scanning methods are based on the use of a sinusoidal grating for the selection of a Fourier component of the object to be tested. The grating can be used either in the object or in the image. The limitations of the techniques which are based on this principle are, in general, a consequence of the low photon efficiency which has an adverse effect on the accuracy of the measurement. Moreover, it is frequently not easily possible to determine the transfer function at spatial frequency zero (necessary for normalization of the OTF) and at high spatial frequencies. The necessary assumption of isoplanatism also constitutes a limiting factor in the applicability of these techniques.
The techniques which are based on shear interferometry determine the autocorrelation function of the exit aperture plane of the imaging system. It is possible to derive [J. J. Stamnes. Waves in focal regions (IOP Publishing Ltd., Bristol, 1986)] that, in the case of incoherent illumination, the OTF is equal to this autocorrelation function. This also applies, with small modifications, to the case of coherent illumination. Limitations of techniques which are based on shear interferometry are that only the monochromatic OTF can be determined and that, in general, highly complex optical systems are needed.
A limitation of all OTF measurement methods is that they are not capable of determining the response of the system in three dimensions. Such information is, in particular, important for, for example, (confocal) microscopy, which is able to make three-dimensional images with sub-micron resolution.
The point spread function (PSF) also can be determined in various ways. In most cases the methods are based on the--three-dimensional--imaging of a point object with a typical size which is much smaller than the characteristic width of the PSF. The PSF is then either determined in the complete field by means of mathematical reconstruction or is measured directly by scanning through movement of point object or detector. Although these methods are able to determine the PSF with high accuracy, they have the significant disadvantage that they are relatively slow--frequently more than one hour is needed for a single determination--and therefore demand long-term (nanometer) stability of the optical measurement set-up. The slowness of this type of method also makes them impractical for routine alignment or test procedures. Since the optical and electronic measurement set-up for these methods is in general highly complex, it is difficult to make the measurements reproducible. Moreover, these methods frequently demand a specific preparation of the sample, whereby, for example, fluorescent--or scattering--latex beads have to be embedded in a specific medium. The choice of the sample is then limited by the availability of fluorescent beads and the typical refractive index of the embedding medium. Consequently, it is frequently not possible when determining the PSF to simulate the specific experimental conditions, both with respect to the properties of the fluorescent substance and with respect to the refractive index of the solvent.

Imaging and characterisation of the focal field of a lens by spatial autocorrelation

Stichtng Voor de Technische Wetenschappen


A projection exposure apparatus for positioning, for each shot provided on a wafer, a pattern formed on a mask with respect to the wafer and also for exposing the pattern on the wafer includes a wafer stage carrying the wafer and movable stepwise for each shot, a mask stage carrying the mask and movable, a stage control unit for making relative positioning between the wafer and the pattern of the mask and maintaining the relative positioning so that the stage control unit moves the mask stage to make the relative positioning before the wafer stage stops for each shot, and an exposure control unit for performing exposure while the relative positioning is maintained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection exposure apparatus and an exposure method and more particularly to a projection exposure apparatus and an exposure method of a step and repeat type used for manufacturing semiconductors, liquid crystal substrates, magnetic heads and the like by a lithographical process.
2. Related Background Art
In order to manufacture semiconductors, liquid crystal substrates by the lithographical process, a projection exposure apparatus of a step and repeat type known as a stepper is used which projects the pattern image of a mask of a photomask, a reticles or the like on a light sensitive substrate mounted on a stage through a projection optical system. With the projection exposure apparatus of a step and repeat type, a wafer stage on which a light sensitive substrate such as a wafer is mounted is moved to and set at a predetermined position, and exposure is repeated to transfer a mask pattern onto a wafer after the wafer stage has stopped.
In the projection exposure apparatus, it has recently been required that a movable stage carrying a wafer or the like be stopped at the required position more accurately at a higher efficiency. Generally, the wafer stage mechanism of the exposure apparatus comprises a supporting mechanism for a wafer including a stage and a driving mechanism for the stage and forms a specific vibration system.
FIG. 7 shows a conventional projection exposure apparatus of this type which will now be described briefly. Illuminating light L1 emitted from a light source (not shown) such as a mercury lamp is incident on a reticle 5 such as a photomask through an illuminating system (not shown). The reticle 5 is mounted on a reticle stage 6 and positioned so that the center of the reticle substantially coincides with the optical axis AX of a projection optical system 8. The illuminating light IL which has passed through the reticle 5 arrives at a wafer 10 through the optical system 8 and focuses, on the wafer 10, the pattern formed on the reticle 5. The wafer 10 is loaded on a wafer stage 11. The wafer stage 11 can make stepping movement two-dimensionally in a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis AX and is finely adjustable along the optical axis AX. The wafer stage 11 is moved by a motor 9. A wafer stage control system (WS control system) 15 outputs a signal S1 for controlling the motor 9 based on aimed position information from a host computer 16. The motor control signal S1 is inputted to the motor 9 through a digital-analog converter (DAC) 14 and a power amplifier 13. The WS control system 15 detects the position of the wafer stage 11 at a predetermined resolving power (for example, 0.01 .mu.m as a unit) by a wafer stage interferometer (WS interferometer 12). The WS control system 15 moves the wafer stage to the aimed position and performs exposure. The aimed position is obtained by a method disclosed in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,617 or the like. Namely, the aimed position is obtained by measuring several shots on the wafer as sample shots by means of an alignment sensor and obtaining arrangement coordinates of each shot by the use of statistical arithmetic analysis.
If the positional accuracy of only the wafer stage increases when the wafer stage is moved to the aimed position in the conventional technology, positioning reproduction accuracy and throughput are likely to be lowered.
Namely, when fine-positioning is made, dynamic characteristic factors such as fluctuation of the wafer stage and play of bolts are likely to vary. Thus, it is difficult to improve positioning reproduction accuracy per shot. For this reason, it is difficult to enhance the positioning reproduction accuracy for only the wafer stage.
Damped oscillation occurs to the wafer stage by an inertia produced by the speed reduction and stoppage of the wafer stage. Thus, exposure cannot be performed until the oscillation is attenuated fully and the wafer stage stops completely, and waiting time for attenuation lowers throughput.
If response of the wafer stage to the motor is improved in order to increase the positioning reproduction accuracy, the damping-force for the oscillation becomes insufficient. Thus, the waiting time for oscillation attenuation increases and the throughput is lowered.
There has been proposed a method for servo-controlling only the mask stage and the wafer stage by using the same length measuring system for measuring the positions of the mask stage and the wafer stage. When, however, deviation between the mask stage and the wafer stage is large, the servo control cannot be performed until the oscillation of the wafer stage is attenuated fully because of the limitation of the driving stroke of the mask stage and the response speed.
In the projection exposure apparatus used for manufacturing semiconductors or the liquid crystal display devices and so forth, especially when forming a circuit pattern on the second and subsequent layers on a wafer (or a glass plate, etc.), it is required that a reticle be aligned with the wafer at a high accuracy. A global alignment conceived as a typical alignment operation involves a step of measuring a position of the wafer (or a relative position of the wafer to the reticle) by use of an alignment sensor and a step of positioning the wafer on the basis of a measured result given by the alignment sensor and exposing it. Even when the alignment sensor performs a correct measurement, it follows that a positional deviation between the reticle and the wafer is caused if positioning of the wafer in a target position can not be effected exactly on the occasion of positioning of the wafer in an exposing position.
Generally, after measuring a position of each shot area on the wafer by, e.g., a TTL (Through The Lens) method or an off-axis alignment sensor, and when positioning of an exposing target shot area in the exposing position is effected, a laser interferometer monitors a position of a wafer stage in a state where the reticle is made static. Then, it is confirmed that the wafer stage exists within a given allowable value with respect to the target position, and, thereafter, the exposure is started. Specifically, for a predetermined fixed time, there is checked whether or not a deviation from the target position of the wafer stage (this may also be conceived as a relative position to the reticle) enters a predetermined window (two-dimensional allowable zone). For example, this is determined by knowing whether or not the deviation falls within .+-.40 nm for a time of 20 ms.
Further, in a projection exposure apparatus equipped with an alignment sensor base on a TTR (Through The Reticle) method, which is capable of directly viewing the relative position of the wafer to the reticle through the reticle and a projection optical system, the TTR alignment sensor detects a deviation in the relative position of the wafer to the reticle, and it is confirmed that the deviation falls within a given allowable value with respect to a target value for a fixed time as in the case of the laser interferometer. Thereafter, the exposure is started.
As explained above, according to the prior art, the exposure is not started if the deviation in the relative position between the reticle and the wafer does not fall within a 100% allowable value for the fixed time. For this reason, if mechanical vibrations are applied to the whole projection exposure apparatus, or if hunting of the stage system is produced, arise problems in which the exposure can not be started for a long time, or the positioning process is remarkably time-consuming.
To avoid this, for instance, even if the positioning allowable value is set larger so as not to reduce the throughput (the number of wafers processed per unit time), the deviation in the relative position between the reticle and the wafer does not invariably converge at a target range during the exposure under a great-vibration environment. It can be also considered that the wafer is located in a deviated position as the case may be.

Projection exposure apparatus and method in which mask stage is moved to provide alignment with a moving wafer stage


A container for holding paint or other liquids and a method for making same. The container includes a body having a bottom wall and a side wall extending from the bottom wall along the periphery of the bottom wall which terminates in an upper rim. The container also includes an annular retaining ring secured to the upper rim. The annular retaining ring forms an outlet/inlet through which a liquid can be placed or removed from the container. The container further includes a lid pivotally and detachably mounted to the annular retaining ring for movement between an open position and closed position with respect to the outlet/inlet and for removing the lid from the annular retaining ring. The lid, body and annular retaining ring are individually molded and secured together by simple fastening means.

Typical prior art containers intended for holding paint and other similar-like liquids typically comprise a cylindrical metal can on which a press-on metal lid having an annular projection is placed into a mating annular groove on the upper rim of the can. The lid is typically removed by placing a screw driver or other similar tool between the lid and the can and prying the lid off the can. The lid is then removed and placed in an area separate from the can. The user may then take the paint and pour the contents into another container or simply using a brush or other similar-like tool to remove paint from the container.
In the typical use of a paint can, the brush is placed in the container to retain the desired amount of paint and the excess paint is wiped off the rim of the container. This causes paint to be trapped in the bottom of the groove in the rim of the container which, when solidified, will cause difficulty in the re-application or removal of the lid at some later time.
Another problem experienced with prior art paint containers is that as the user continues use of the container, the lid is stored at a location distant from the user thus making it extremely inconvenient for the user to go pick up the lid and close the can so as to allow moving of the container from place to place without spilling of the contents. Further, since the lid is typically distant from the user during use of the paint container, there is no convenient place to rest the brush during periods of non use, for example, during scraping or sanding of the object to be painted. This can be particularly troublesome when the user is in an awkward situation, such as on a ladder.
Applicants have invented an improved container that solves many problems of the prior art in a single design. A container made in accordance with the present invention allows the lid to be easily and conveniently carried with the base but also allows the container to be used in a manner that is typical of prior art containers. The lid is secured to the container in such a manner that the lid can be closed at any time so as to minimize spilling of the liquid contained therein. Additionally, means are provided for removing excess paint that may be on the brush and for storing of a brush during periods of non-use which minimizes spillage of paint in the area where the lid is secured to the base. The container is also designed so as to be economical to fabricate and easy to assemble.

Container for paints and similar materials


The present invention provides an optical sheet having one generally planar surface and composed of transmissive material, wherein on the other surface of the optical sheet, a concavo-convex pattern formed of a convex portion having a triangular top portion and a concave portion of a surface parallel to the one surface of the optical sheet is formed alternately in a generally parallel array.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical sheet and a manufacturing method thereof, a backlight, and a liquid crystal display, and in particular to an optical sheet without a sidelobe and having a wide field of view and a manufacturing method thereof, and a backlight and a liquid crystal display using the optical sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display or TV monitor for a PC has changed from a conventional CRT to a planar display satisfying requirements of miniaturization and thinness, and especially, a liquid crystal display is one of the most widely used systems because of its long history in the market.
Because this liquid crystal display is not of a self-luminous type like an EL or plasma display, it includes a backlight composed of a light emitter on the back side thereof to enhance visibility. For this backlight, a type of a backlight called "edge light system" in which a light source such as a cold-cathode tube is disposed on one side or both sides thereof is said to be advantageous from the viewpoints of thinness, lightweight and electrical power saving, and has been widely used.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of the backlight of the edge light system in a cross-section view. This backlight includes a light source 11 which is composed of a plurality of cold-cathode tubes 10 and a so-called "pseudo flat surface light source" in which light emitted from each of the plurality of cold-cathode tubes 10 is configured to be emitted from a surface on one side of the light source 11.
The light emitted from the cold-cathode tube 10 in the light source 11 is dispersed by a diffusing plate 12 and a diffusing sheet 13, and enters an optical sheet 14 which is a prism sheet having a function as a collection sheet. The incident light is refracted by an optical film, emitted with and the twisted angle irradiated to a liquid crystal panel not shown from behind.
However, the optical sheet 14, which is the prism sheet, has a triangular, prismatic and concavo-convex pattern formed continuously thereon, and accordingly, in the light which is emitted from the light source 11 and exits through the diffusing plate 12, the diffusing sheet 13 and the optical sheet 14, the sidelobe is produced to cause a problem of a narrow field of view of a panel, and light interference is generated to raise a problem of nonuniformity in luminance, presenting insufficient visibility of the panel. In order to solve these problems, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. H 8-190806, H 7-294709, H 7-230002 and H 5-313004 have proposed that a shape of the triangular, prismatic and concavo-convex pattern of the optical sheet 14 which is the prism sheet is modified.

Optical sheet and manufacturing method thereof, backlight, liquid crystal display


A feature of an analyzing device is that a peeling portion (14) extending outward is partially connected to the outer edge of a reagent retaining portion (13) that is formed in a separating chamber (6) provided in a main unit case (2) and retains a reagent (8). With this configuration, when a droplet of the reagent (8) is dried and fixed on the reagent retaining portion (13), an external force applied to the droplet can be smaller than that on other portions. The dried reagent (8) starts shrinking from the position of the peeling portion 14. At the completion of drying, the reagent (8) can be smaller in size than the reagent retaining portion (13) in plan view and can be larger in thickness than the related art.

An analyzing device contains a feed passage having a microchannel structure for transporting a liquid to be tested from a sample feed opening to a measuring chamber, a separating chamber containing a reagent reacting with components to be tested, the measuring chamber connected to the separating chamber via a first branch, and a reservoir connected to the separating chamber via a second branch.
The analyzing device is rotated or pivoted about a rotating shaft after collecting a liquid to be tested from the sample feed opening. Thus, the liquid in a mixing cavity is mixed and centrifuged, specific components are separated by the reagent in the separating chamber, the liquid treated in the separating chamber is transported to the measuring chamber, and then the analyzing device is used for reading for accessing the liquid in the measuring chamber.


A method of forming a thiohydantoin from an N-protected amino acid. The method employs a uronium or phosphonium compound to activate the terminal carboxyl group of the amino acid and a thiocyanate reagent to cyclize the activated amino acid to the thio-hydantoin. The thiohydantoin can be cleaved from its N-protecting group, for use in C-terminal peptide sequencing. Particularly preferred uronium compounds include salts of 2-chlorouronium. Preferred thiocyanate reagents include trimethylsilyl isothiocyanate and crown ether adducts of metallothiocyanates, such as the 18-crown-6 adduct of KSCN.

A variety of chemical-reaction methods for converting N-protected amino acids, including the C-terminal amino acid residues of peptides, to a corresponding thiohydantoin (TH) have been proposed TH formation is useful, for example, in C-terminal amino acid sequencing, where a C-terminal amino acid of a peptide is sequentially (a) converted to its corresponding TH, (b) cleaved from the remaining peptide, and (c) identified as to amino acid, e.g., by HPLC. Another use of such reaction methods is in preparing amino acid TH compounds for use as standards, e.g., in C-terminal sequencing.
The conversion of protected amino acids to corresponding amino acid TH's was first proposed in 1011 by T. B. Johnson et al. (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 48:103 (1911), and in 1926 by Schlack and Kumpf [Hoppe-Seyder's Z Phys Chem, 154:125 (1926)]. A number of improvements to this early method have since been proposed (see, e.g., Stark; Boyd et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,368; Hawke, 1987; Hawke, U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,165; Hawke et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,507; Inglis; Miller, 1988; and Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,494).
Stark's chemistry for making 2-thiohydantoins often results in low yields and derivatized products (i.e. acetylation and dehydration). Also, Hawke et al., (U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,507) propose a method of forming a peptidyl-TH in which an acyl-isothiocyanate moiety is used to generate the thiohydantoin. However, this method has the same limitations as are generally associated with acetylation of the terminal carboxyl group (Stark), e.g., degradation of the amino acid side chains of the peptide. Recent efforts to improve thiohydantoin-based methods have focused on improving the efficiency of forming the C-terminal activated ester. For example, Boyd et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,368) propose a method of forming a C-terminal thiohydantoin that employs N-substituted ketenimines, as generated by Woodward's Reagent K, to form the activated ester.

Method of forming N-protected amino acid thiohydantoins


A method of growth according to which a layer of a material having apertures is made on the surface of a substrate. A material is deposited in each aperture. When this material is liquid, it can absorb the material to be grown. Then, the growth is done in vapor phase. The material of the layer is chosen in such a way that there is neither growth nor nucleation on its surface during the growth in vapor phase. The disclosed method can be applied to the making of crystal whiskers positioned with precision, and to the making of tip type microcathodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for the controlled growth of crystal whiskers and its application to the making of tip type microcathodes. More particularly, the invention relates to the field of the controlled growth of filamentary monocrystals or whiskers. By means of a known method (the VLS or vapor-liquid-solid method) developed in the sixties, it makes it possible to obtain regular matrices of whiskers with controlled height and diameter.
One of the possible applications is the making of matrices of microtips for field-effect cathodes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Whiskers are filamentary monocrystals having a length/diameter ratio of more than 10. They have been known for a very long time, but interest in this type of crystals was stimulated at the beginning of the fifties when Herring and Gatt, in the Physical Review 85, (1952), 1060, showed that these crystals have mechanical properties similar to those of monocrystals.
E. I. Givargizov has also provided a complete description of this subject in E. Kaldis ed., Current Topics in Materials Science, Volume 1, North Holland, 1978, p. 79.
Two mechanisms have been put forward to explain filamentary growth in largely anisotropic vapor phase. These are, firstly, a mechanism that postulates the existence of a helicoidal dislocation at the center of the crystal, said dislocation behaving like an unsaturable atomic process (growth of the crystal helicoidally around the axis of the dislocation) and, secondly, a mechanism based on the VLS method wherein there is provision for a liquid phase at the top of the whisker as an essential source of anisotropy.
The principle of the VLS method is shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b for a silicon substrate (111). A layer of liquid, in which Si is soluble, is interposed between the vapor phase and the solid. Since the surface of liquid has a very large number of adsorption sites (each surface atom of the liquid is potentially an adsorption site) that are unsaturable (since there is immediate dissolving of the adsorbate and renewal of the site), this surface of liquid becomes a favored place of deposition which is at the origin of the anisotropy of growth.
The dissolved adsorbate prompts an over-saturation of the liquid which then expels solid matter to the liquid/solid interface, so as to return to equilibrium. The drop of liquid rises little by little on the expelled crystal which takes the form of a whisker with a diameter equal to that of the drop of liquid.
FIGS. 1a and 1b represent the VLS principle applied to the silicon but, quite clearly, it is possible to use a whole variety of different substrates associated with drops of liquid that are also highly varied (see for example Givargizov, already cited).
According to the known techniques, filamentary monocrystals or whiskers can therefore be made to grow on a substrate. However, this growth is not controlled and the points of growth are located randomly and unevenly on the surface of the substrate.
The present invention relates to a method for the controlled growth of whiskers using the VLS method. In controlling this growth, the invention therefore enables the making of whiskers at chosen points of the surface of the substrate and the making of matrices of filaments for example.

Method for the controlled growth of crystal whiskers and application thereof to the making of tip microcathodes


The invention relates to a medical prosthetic device having a metal material, such as titanium or an alloy thereof, where the surface parts of the metal material are coated with a layer of a corresponding hydroxide material, such as titanium hydroxide. Preferably, the hydroxide layer includes one or more biomolecule substances associated therewith. The invention also relates to an electrolytic process for the preparation of a medical prosthetic device.

It has been proposed to improve the biocompatibility of metal prostheses such as a titanium prosthesis by modifying the metal surfaces thereof, e.g. by plasma bombardment, etching or electrolysis.
Anodic oxidation has been described for the formation of a thick oxide layer (i.e. thicker than the naturally occurring oxide layer) on an implant surface. For instance, WO 00/72777 describes an electrolytic oxidation process wherein an implant is immersed in an acidic electrolyte and the implant (anode) is brought into contact with an electric energy source connected to a counter-electrode (cathode) immersed in the same acidic electrolyte.
It has also been proposed to improve the biocompatibility of prostheses and implants by binding or integrating various active biomolecules to the surface of the prosthesis, e.g. on to the metallic surface of a titanium prosthesis. It has been the aim with implants prepared this way that they have improved fit; exhibit increased tissue stickiness and increased tissue compatibility; have a biologically active surface for increased cell growth, differentiation and maturation; exhibit reduced immunoreactivity; exhibit antimicrobial activity; exhibit increased biomineralization capabilities; result in improved wound and/or bone healing; lead to improved bone density; have reduced "time to load" and cause less inflammation.
Such binding has often been carried out using for example chemical reactants having two reactive functionalities such as formalin or glutaraldehyde, but the reactive nature of these agents often leads to the biomolecules becoming biologically inactive and/or with enhanced immunoreactivity which is undesirable.

Medical prosthetic devices having improved biocompatibility


The present invention relates to isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acids which encode Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases, portions thereof, or fusion proteins comprising a Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase or portion thereof. Also disclosed are constructs comprising the nucleic acids of the present invention, host cells comprising a recombinant nucleic acid or construct, and methods of producing a Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase, portion thereof, or fusion protein comprising same. Also described are tester strains, which are cells engineered to rely on the function of a Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase or functional fragment thereof encoded by an introduced cloned gene, and which can be used in a method of detecting an inhibitor of Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase function.. The invention further relates to isolated and/or recombinant Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases, portions thereof, or fusion proteins comprising a Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase or portion thereof, methods of use of these polypeptides in an assay to identify inhibitors of Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase function, and antibodies reactive with Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetases.

Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen and the most common fungus causing systemic infections in man including both bloodstream infections in hospital immunocompromised patients and vaginal infections (for review, see: Mandell, G. L.; Bennett, J. E.; and Dolin, R. (Eds), Principles and Practice of Infectious Disease, 4th ed., Churchill Livingston: New York, 1995; Vol 2, Chapter 237). The increasing use of immunosuppressive therapy for malignancy and transplantation, the increase of intensive care patients receiving broad spectrum antibiotic therapy, and the AIDS epidemic have greatly increased the number of patients susceptible to opportunistic infections caused by C. albicans. In particular, infections due to Candida increased by almost 500% over the decade of the 1980s and continue to rise in the 1990s, becoming the fourth most common blood-stream pathogen (see: Pfaller, M. A. Journal of Hospital Infection 30 suppl. 329-38 1995). It has been reported that 90% of AIDS patients have some type of Candida infection. C. albicans can invade the kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, spleen, brain and eyes. These infections are difficult to detect and can lead to death.
A limited number of antifungal agents are available for the treatment for C. albicans infections. Amphotericin B, the mainstay of antifungal therapy, has limited clinical utility in treating Candida infection due to its associated toxicities and requirement for intravenous administration. Flucytosine too is limited due to its bone marrow toxicity and to the appearance of resistance. The azole antifungal agents have become the first choice of therapy for Candida infection and fluconazole is the most frequent drug prescribed in the 1990's. However, reports of resistance to these azole antifungals have appeared in recent years (see: Dupont, B. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases 8, 424-427 1995). Because of the development of resistance to antifungals and adverse side-effects of current therapies for Candida infection, there is continuing need for new drug targets and new antibiotics.

Candida isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase proteins, nucleic acids and strains comprising same


An operation-related information display method includes storing information for identifying a printed-wiring board and information related to the printed-wiring board, identifying the printed-wiring board, obtaining information related to the printed-wiring board corresponding to the identified printed-wiring board, and when voluntary information is designated in the obtained information related to the printed-wiring board, displaying the designated information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operation-related information display method, operation-related information display system, printed-wiring board operation-related information display system, printed-wiring board operation-related information display method, printed circuit assembly manufacturing method using the display method, computer program for running the display method and recording medium capable of recording the computer program. Particularly, the present invention relates to an operation-related information display method, operation-related information display system, printed-wiring board operation-related information display system, printed-wiring board operation-related information display method, printed circuit assembly manufacturing method using the display method, computer program for running the display method for displaying a working such as an assembling, confirming, exchanging or correcting of a component to a printed-wiring board in operations such as assembly, inspection and repair of a printed-circuit assembly and recording medium capable of recording the computer program.
2. Related Art Statement
With downsized electronic devices, a printed-wiring board has increasingly been complicated, downsized and become high density, so that a space for printing a reference number for identifying a component to be mounted onto the printed-wiring board has gradually reduced.
Therefore, it is increasingly difficult to find a position of component to be mounted and a position of mounted component by reasons that a component to be mounted is separated from a printed position of a reference number, a printed character of a reference number is small and a reference number is not printed. Accordingly, there were problems with generating a miss-operation, operation inability and a long operation time in operations such as assembly, inspection and repair of a printed-circuit assembly.
Conventionally, there has been proposed with a process mounting information composing device including storing means for storing process information for instructing a process that each electronic component is mounted on a substrate for a plurality of electronic components, display means for displaying a mounted development of the electronic components and drawing means for drawing the electronic component onto the display means. When a voluntary process is designated, the drawing means draws an electronic component to be mounted in the designated process by a predetermined drawing state and draws an electronic component to be mounted in a process other than the above process by a drawing state different from the above drawing state (reference to Published Utility Model Application H06-75046).
More particularly, in the related art, a worker can easily recognize an appropriate position and appropriate component onto a substrate in each process.
In addition, conventionally, there has been proposed with a component mounting instructing device having a function for illustrating a position of electronic component to be mounted together with a position of electronic component to be mounted on the periphery with mounting order in the component mounting instructing device to instruct an electronic component to be mounted when mounting an electronic component onto a component mounting member such as a high density substrate and a printed substrate without silk display (reference to Japanese Patent Laid-Open 2003-209392).
The related art illustrates a position of an electronic component to be mounted together with a position of electronic component to be mounted onto the periphery when mounting an electronic component onto a printed-wiring board to improve mounting efficiency.
However, in the above related arts, it was necessary to modify the above devices in order to improve workability such as assembly, inspection and repair of a component of a printed-wiring board.
More particularly, in the related art set forth in Published Utility Model Application H06-75046, a worker can easily recognize an appropriate position and an appropriate component on a substrate in each process, so that a position is displayed with respect to an electronic component to be mounted in a designated process, but a position is not displayed with respect to a voluntary designated component. Therefore, there was a problem with poor workability.
In addition, in the related art set forth in Japanese Patent Laid-Open 2003-209392, a position of an electronic component to be mounted is displayed in mounting order by a relationship with periphery components, but a voluntary designated component could not be displayed. Therefore, there was a problem with poor workability.

Operation-related information display method and operation-related information display system


Oxyalkyne compounds corresponding to the formula I ##STR1## in which the substituent Y in the meta- or para-position is R.sup.1 represents CH.sub.3 or NH.sub.2, R.sup.2 represents H or CH.sub.3, R.sup.3 represents H, C.sub.1-3 -alkyl or COCH.sub.3, and Ar represents an aromatic residue selected from the group ##STR2## with the proviso that the substituents R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are the same or different and each substituent represents H, F, Cl, Br, C.sub.1-6 -alkyl, CF.sub.3 or C.sub.1-6 -alkoxy, and R.sup.7 represents H, F, Cl, Br, C.sub.1-3 -alkyl or CF.sub.3,. in the form of their racemates or mixtures of diastereoisomers or in optically active form, which are suitable active ingredients in pharmaceutical compositions.

This invention relates to oxyalkyne compounds corresponding to the formula I ##STR3## to pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one such oxyalkyne compound, as well as to processes for preparing such oxyalkyne compounds and pharmaceutical compositions.
Polyunsaturated higher fatty acids such as arachidonic acid serve in the metabolism of mammals, including humans, as substrates for the formation of physiologically and pathophysiologically important eicosanoids such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes. The pathway to prostaglandins is initiated by cyclooxygenase, whereas the pathway to leukotrienes is initiated by 5-lipoxygenase.
The prostaglandins are products having known beneficial functions in mammals, while it is known for the leukotrienes that they cause allergic reactions ranging up to anaphylactic and septic shock, bronchoconstriction, and asthma. Due to the numerous harmful effects of leukotrienes, there is a need for chemically and metabolically stable compounds which in the living organism have no effect on the biosynthesis of prostaglandins but selectively inhibit the activity of 5-lipoxygenase and thus prevent the formation of the undesired leukotrienes. Acetohydroxamic acid compounds which significantly inhibit the activity of 5-lipoxygenase but have no inhibitory action on cyclooxygenase are disclosed in Brit. J. Pharmacol. 94, 528 (1988). There remains a need, however, for other compounds exhibiting selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibiting activity.

Oxyalkyne compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and processes for preparing such compounds and compositions