Provided are a display apparatus and a manufacturing method of the same. The display apparatus includes: a counter substrate, and an active matrix substrate including a pixel area. The active matrix substrate includes, in a non-transmissive region of each pixel, a transparent substrate, a polycrystalline silicon film, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, an interlayer insulating film, and a drain layer including patterned conductive films, and includes, in a transparent region of each pixel, the transparent substrate, the gate insulating film and the interlayer insulating film. The interlayer insulating film includes zones where the interlayer insulating film is thinner than a part of the interlayer insulating film at the middle of each transmissive region. The zones are each located so as to extend between the neighboring patterned conductive films and are further located so as not to overlap with the transmissive regions and regions laid over LDD portions of the polycrystalline silicon film.

In recent years, active matrix display apparatuses, such as a liquid crystal display apparatus and AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode), have been developed actively and put in practical use. In particular, large volume and high resolution active matrix display apparatuses have been attracting attention, and the number of pixels used in such an apparatus has been increasing steadily. Further, with the development, a distance between adjoining pixels has been made remarkably narrow, and the narrowing technique has been developed.
Generally, these display apparatuses are manufactured in such a way that a process of forming a thin film on a substrate, such as glass, a photolithography process of forming a pattern on a photoresist, and an etching process of executing etching processing along the photoresist including the formed pattern are repeated by a number of times. With the narrowing of pixels in recent years, etching is needed to be performed with higher processing accuracy. In particular, in a display apparatus with a minimum space less than 4 μm, a process is essential to be performed with dry etching which causes the reduced amount of side etching and has high processing accuracy.
Further, the narrowing of pixels increases the frequency with which even comparatively-small particles conventionally having not caused any problems cause fatal defects. In particular, particles having been generated in a photolithography process cause a defective pattern. Successively, at the following etching process, since etching processing is executed along this defective pattern, a short circuit may be caused between the same layers. However, it is very difficult to remove thoroughly particles generated in the photolithography process.
Then, in order to suppress the occurrence of a short circuit between the same layers, the photolithography process and the etching process have been performed several times for a target film. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication (JP-A) No. H07-253593 discloses the following processing about forming patterned electrode structures composed of signal wires, a drain portion, and a storage capacitance portion. At the time of the processing, a metal film expected to become the electrodes is formed, and then, the first photolithography and etching processing are executed on the metal film, and thereafter, the second photolithography and etching processing are executed so as to form patterned structures slightly larger than the patterned structures formed at the time of the first photolithography, whereby it is intended to prevent a short circuit in a part of the electrodes, to reduce point defects greatly, to improve the display performance, and to increase the manufacturing yield. In the case of JP-A No. H07-253593, the target film is a drain layer.
Further, JP-A No. H09-230373 discloses the following processing. On a gate electrode formed on a glass substrate, a gate insulating film, an a-Si film, and an n+a-Si film are sequentially laminated, and, patterned structures are formed by the first photolithography. Thereafter, the n+a-Si film, the a-Si film, and the gate insulating film are removed by dry etching, and on the upper portion of the resulting structure, a Cr film is formed. Successively, on the Cr film, patterned structures are formed by photolithography, to form a drain electrode. Then, by utilizing the drain electrode as a mask, the n+a-Si film, the a-Si film, and the gate insulating film which have not been removed by the first photolithography are removed by dry etching. In the case of JP-A H09-230373, the target films are the n+a-Si film, the a-Si film, and the gate insulating film.
Furthermore, JP-A No. 2002-111001 discloses the following processing for a liquid crystal display apparatus in which a top-gate TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) using a polycrystalline silicon thin film in an active layer is employed as a switching element. In the processing, a first photolithography process and an etching process are performed on a metal film on a gate insulating film, and a first photolithography process and a dry etching process are further performed on the remaining metal film with the residue which has not been removed in the first photolithography process and the etching process so as to hold portions corresponding to the form of a gate electrode, the wiring form of a scanning line, the wiring form of an auxiliary capacity line, and the form of a polycrystalline silicon thin film portion and to remove the other part of the metal film. In the case of JP-A No. 2002-111001, the target film is the metal film corresponding to the gate electrode.
In the above-described three articles, dry etching is performed two times in total for the almost entire of the transmissive regions of a display apparatus. Further, in the above-described three articles, the photolithography process and etching process at the second time or the following time are executed for the outside of the TFT. Accordingly, for a portion between a source and a drain on the TFT, the photolithography process and etching process are executed only one time.
On the other hand, in JP-A No. 2005-195891, it is known that color tone of display, i.e., chromaticity changes depending on the thickness of a transparent insulating film. According to FIG. 2 of JP-A No. 2005-195891, chromaticity changes with a period of about 0.2 μm of an insulating film thickness.
However, in the structure or manufacturing method in JP-A Nos. H07-253593, H09-230373 and 2002-111001, although defects due to a short circuit between the same layers of a conductive layer may be prevented, the following two problems take place.
The first problem is a point that the display quality of a display apparatus, in particular, chromaticity at the time of displaying white changes, and a point that a difference occurs in a level of the change depending on a position in a display area or a position in a substrate. The reasons are that an amount of change in the thickness of an insulating film in each transmissive region becomes large due to dry etching performed two times in total for the almost entire of the transmissive regions of a display apparatus, and that a difference in the amount of change of the thickness depending on a position in the substrate surface becomes large in association with it. In particular, in RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) having been used well as dry etching with less side-etched portions, since ions are accelerated at the time of entering a substrate, not only a conductive layer being a processing target, but also, its undercoat insulating film is etched, which necessarily causes excavation into the undercoat insulating film. Accordingly, the thickness of the undercoat insulating film may change. Further, since dispersion exists in an etching rate within a substrate surface, a difference in an amount of change of the thickness of the undercoat insulating film becomes larger depending on a position in the substrate surface.
Here, a change of the thickness of an undercoat insulating film is estimated in the following process model. For example, if an aluminum film (Al film) (with a thickness of 400 nm) on a silicon oxide film (SiO2 film) with a thickness of 440 nm±44 nm is processed by dry etching with an etching rate dispersion of ±15%, a selection ratio of 5, and an over etching ratio of 50%, the SiO2 film is excavated by 40 nm (=400 nm×0.5/5)±6 nm, the thickness of the SiO2 film becomes thin to 400 nm±50 nm, and a range of the film thickness dispersion is expanded. In addition, if the second photolithography and dry etching process are performed in order to prevent a short circuit between the same layers of an Al film, an amount of excavation into the SiO2 film further increases. This is because, in order to separate securely a portion having been not separated at the time of the first dry etching by the second dry etching, it is necessary to perform the second dry etching for the almost same time period as the first dry etching. Therefore, the surface of the SiO2 film of a portion having been normally separated at the time of the first dry etching is etched from the start time of the second dry etching, and then, an amount of excavation into the SiO2 film further increases. In the above example, by the second dry etching, the SiO2 film is further excavated by 120 nm (=400 nm×(1+0.5)/5)±18 nm, that is, excavated by 160 nm±24 nm in total. This is a value almost equivalent to the period of the insulating film according to FIG. 2 of JP-A No. 2005-195891, and the chromaticity of a display apparatus using this insulating film is made to change greatly. In the above example, it would be estimated that the SiO2 film becomes thin finally up to 280 nm±68 nm and a range of film thickness dispersion is made to expand.
With regard to chromaticity when white is displayed by a display apparatus which uses this silicon oxide film (SiO2 film) for transmissive regions of an active matrix substrate, an optical simulation has been used to analyze how the chromaticity changes due to a change of the thickness of the SiO2 film, and FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the result of the analysis. The film constitution of the transmissive regions was made nine layers based on the supposition of a top-gate TFT having used a polycrystalline silicon thin film for an active layer as shown in TABLE 1, and was defined such that the top and bottom of them are sandwiched by air layer. These nine layers was configured such that on a glass substrate (Layer 1), undercoat films (Layer 3, Layer 4) composed of silicon nitride (SiNx) and silicon oxide (SiO2) were disposed, then, thereon, a gate insulating film (Layer 5) composed of silicon oxide (SiO2), a first interlayer insulating film (layer 6) composed of silicon oxide (SiO2), a second interlayer insulating film (Layer 7) composed of silicon nitride (SiNx), further, an organic layer (Layer 8), and an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) film (Layer 9) were laminated. Here, in order to adjust the absorption coefficient of the glass substrate, Layer 2 of BK7 was inserted. Among them, by changing the thickness of the first interlayer insulating film (Layer 6) in a range of from 160 to 640 nm, the optical simulation was performed so as to obtain a change of the chromaticity. In its calculation method, the transmittance when light rays of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) being three primary colors of light pass through a film constituted as shown in TABLE 1 was obtained while changing the thickness of the Layer 6, and then, from these, the chromaticity coordinates (the xyY color coordinate system) x and y at the time of displaying white were obtained, and plotted as illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, in a range of 160 nm to 640 nm of the thicknesses of the Layer 6, the chromaticity x has changed in a range of 0.30 to 0.35, and the chromaticity y has changed in a range of 0.30 to 0.37. Further, the fluctuation period of the chromaticity y was about 160 nm. Further, at the lower portion of FIG. 1, three thickness dispersion ranges A to C are indicated with respective arrow heads based on the example of the above-mentioned process model. The range A corresponds to the case right after the film formation and represents a rage of 440 nm±44 nm (a film thickness fluctuation width of 88 nm), the range B corresponds to the case after the first dry etching and represents a rage of 400 nm±50 nm (a film thickness fluctuation width of 100 nm), and the range C corresponds to the case after the second dry etching and represents a rage of 280 nm±68 nm (a film thickness fluctuation width of 136 nm). Next, comparison was made the influence given to the fluctuation width of the chromaticity by each of the ranges A to C. In this comparison, the chromaticity y which had a specifically large fluctuation width was made a comparison target.
TABLE 1RefractionLayerindexFilm thicknessRemarksAir1Glass substrate1.555mm2BK71.5250nm*13SiNx1.8650nmUndercoat film4SiO21.5100nmUndercoat film5SiO21.5120nmGate insulating film6SiO21.5160 nm toFirst interlayer640 nminsulating film7SiNx1.86400nmSecond interlayerinsulating film8Organic film1.51000nm9ITO240nmAir*1: Inserted for correcting the absorption coefficient of the substrate
First, in the range A immediately after the film formation of the first interlayer insulating film, the chromaticity x has changed in a range of 0.32 to 0.33, and the chromaticity y has changed in a range of 0.30 to 0.37. At this time, the range of fluctuation of the chromaticity y was 0.07.
Next, in the range B after the first dry etching, the chromaticity x has changed in a range of 0.32 to 0.33, and the chromaticity y has changed in a range of 0.30 to 0.35. At this time, the range of fluctuation of the chromaticity y was 0.05. In the range B, as compared with Range A, in spite of the enlargement of the film thickness fluctuation width, the fluctuation width of the chromaticity y has reduced.
The reason is considered that, in contrast to the range A which corresponded to a section in which the chromaticity y has changed from the maximum value to the minimum value, the range B was a section which had the minimum value of the chromaticity y at its almost central portion. In this way, depending on the thickness of the first interlayer insulating film, the fluctuation width of the chromaticity y can be made small. This was because the film thickness fluctuation width was as small as about ⅔ of a fluctuation period of 160 nm of the chromaticity y.
On the other hand, in the range C after the second dry etching, the chromaticity x has changed in a rage of 0.30 to 0.33, and the chromaticity y has changed in a rage of 0.30 to 0.37. At this time, the fluctuation width of the chromaticity y was 0.07. This range C was a section in which the chromaticity y has changed from the maximum value to the minimum value. Further, since the film thickness fluctuation width expanded to about ¾ of a fluctuation period of 160 nm of the chromaticity y, even if the first interlayer insulating film was formed with any size of the film thickness, the range C might be made to become a section in which the chromaticity y might change almost from the maximum value to the minimum value. Therefore, it is difficult to suppress the fluctuation width of the chromaticity y to be small.
As mentioned above, in accordance with the respective structures and manufacturing methods of JP-A Nos. H07-253593, H09-230373 and 2002-111001, if the second dry etching is performed not only for non-transmissive regions, but also for the almost entire region of the transmissive regions, excavation into the undercoat insulating film increases, and the thickness of the undercoat insulating film becomes thinner. Further, dispersion in film thickness is made to expand. Accordingly, the display quality of a display apparatus, in particular, the chromaticity at the time of displaying white is made to change. Further, depending on a position in a display area, or a position in a substrate, a difference is caused on its level.
In addition to that, if taking a micro loading effect into consideration, an amount of excavation into the undercoat insulating film of transmissive regions tends to increase more. That is based on the following reasons. Generally, as compared with the transmissive region, in the non-transmissive regions, since the patterns, such as wiring, are dense, the opening portion of the resist is small as compared with the transmissive regions. Accordingly, due to a micro loading effect, as compared with the transmissive regions, in the non-transmissive regions, an etching rate tends to lower. Therefore, if the etching time is set up in conformity to the non-transmissive regions, the undercoat insulating film of the transmissive regions is etched more, and an amount of excavation tends to increase more.
Then, in order to control the chromaticity of a display apparatus, it is necessary to control precisely the thickness of an undercoat insulating film of transmissive regions. However, dispersion necessarily exists in film formation facilities and dry etching facilities and such dispersion becomes a factor of fluctuation. Therefore, a structure and a manufacturing method configured to reduce the factor of fluctuation as small as possible are required.
The second problem is a point that, in each of JP-A Nos. H07-253593, H09-230373 and 2002-111001, since the photolithography process and etching process are executed multiple times for the outside of the TFT and are executed only one time for the TFT, there is no effect for a short circuit between the source and drain electrodes of the TFT. Further, as the countermeasure for the above point, if a pattern to separate between the source and drain of the TFT is simply added at the second photolithography process, a LDD resistance changes in a TFT having a LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) structure, and it becomes a factor to change the TFT characteristic. The reason is that if an insulating film on an LDD portion is etched two times or more by dry etching, since the film thickness and surface state of the insulating film change, the fixed electric charge and trap level in the insulating film on the LDD portion are made to change, and then, an effective LDD layer resistance is made to change. If the LDD layer resistance changes, since an ON current and OFF current of the TFT change, the display quality of a panel is influenced greatly.
FIG. 2A illustrates the TFT characteristic in the case where the second photolithography and dry etching to separate source and drain electrodes were executed in a TFT having a LDD structure in a P-channel, and FIG. 2B illustrates the TFT characteristic in the case where the second photolithography and dry etching were not executed. In the characteristic in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a leak current between source and drain was measured by replacing the source and drain electrodes while irradiating light on a backlight. In FIGS. 2A and 2B, the gate voltage is given as Vg=8V. As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, it turns out that if the second photolithography and dry etching to separate the source and drain electrodes are executed on the LDD, the symmetric property of the leak current changes. This causes display abnormalities, such as crosstalk and flicker, in the display of a panel.
In addition to the above two points, there exists a point to be worried. That is a point that if etching is performed two times or more for a conductive film by dry etching in order to prevent defects due to a short circuit between the same layers of the conductive film, an amount of excavation into a undercoat insulating film increases, and a difference in level in combination of an amount of excavation into a undercoat insulating film and the thickness of the conductive film is made to increase. In the case where an insulating film is further formed on the conducting film, this affects the coatability of them. That is, in the case of a PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) film, due to the deterioration of coverage is, and in the case of a coating film, due to the abnormalities of fluidity in the difference in level at the time of coating and spreading by a spin coater etc., streak-like coating unevenness, so-called striation may be caused. In this connection, the larger difference in level tends to cause the deterioration of striation. The deterioration of coverage may cause the deterioration of the yield and reliability of a display apparatus, and the deterioration of striation may cause deterioration of display qualities, such as display unevenness. The present invention seeks to solve the problem.

Display apparatus and manufacturing method of the same


A cabinet lock includes a lock shell, a lock frame and a restricting device. The lock shell defines a card insertion space, the lock frame includes a slide portion, a hasp portion, an initiative portion and a core, the hasp portion defines a slide groove, the initiative portion is fixed to the hasp portion within the slide groove. The core extends into the main shell to contact with the hasp portion. A block and a protruding portion are defined where the lock block moves away from the stop portion by an external force displacing the extruding portion. Thus, the key can be removed from the core when the card is inserted, and the block locks the card and does not permit removal of the card. The card can be removed when the key is inserted into the core which avoids the loss of the card and the key together.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of a cabinet lock, and more especially to a structure having two locks and being opened by both cards and keys.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, locks are used widely by the people and have many types, some locks such as key locks, cabinet locks and number locks which are opened by keys, some locks such as card locks which are opened by insertion of cards.
For cabinet locks, which can be used in some special locations, for instance, natatorium, gymnasium, and so on, users can put goods into a cabinet with the cabinet being locked by a key to avoid losing objects put into the cabinet. However, keys of the cabinets can be inserted and withdrawn freely, which leads to the loss of keys, or, the keys of these cabinet locks may be removed and discarded accidently or through the action of hostile third party. In this way, the original function of the cabinet locks is lost and owners of the cabinets have to have the keys made again or have the cabinets changed. Thus it is very important to prevent the keys from being removed freely when the cabinets are not in use in order to avoid the loss of keys or discarding of the keys.
Thus the inventors of the present invention have the invention concept which obviates the disadvantages of prior lock systems and provides an improvement over existing cabinet lock systems.


This disclosure describes a multi-height routing cell and utilization of the multi-height routing in an integrated circuit to reduce routing congestion in a standard cell design floorplan. The multi-height routing cell includes a bypass connection, or “tunnel,” that routes a signal through a non-routing layer and under an impeding power rail. The multi-height routing cell includes bypass connectors on both sides of the bypass connection that provide connection points for which to connect standard cells on opposite sides of the impeding power rail. As such, the multi-height routing cell provides a route underneath the impeding power rail and, in turn, reducing routing congestion in the standard cell design floorplan.

Standard cell integrated circuit design involves several steps such as system-level design, design description conversion/verification, logic synthesis, and physical design. System-level design involves creating a behavioral, or functional specification, which may utilize a variety of languages and tools such as C/C++ models, Transaction Level Models (TLM), etc. The design description conversion/verification process, commonly known as register transfer level (RTL) design and verification, converts the functional specification into a description that describes the behavior of the electronic circuit at a register level on a per clock cycle basis. This process involves verifying a compiled version of the design description to ensure proper design behavior.
The logic synthesis stage involves using a standard cell library to transform the RTL design into a technology-dependent gate level netlist that includes standard cell instances and port connection information. The physical design process uses the gate level netlist to place standard cell instances on a design floorplan and route the design by placing wire segment objects to connect the standard cell instances according to connection data such as the port connection information. The design floor plan is typically based upon a semiconductor process technology corresponding to the standard cell library used to create the design.
Today's semiconductor process technologies use metal layers in a semiconductor wafer to connect the standard cell instances according to the routing results from the physical design stage. A semiconductor wafer's "first" metal layer, referred to as a "metal 1 layer," also includes power rails that run in parallel to power the standard cell circuitry. As such, the place and route design tool typically routes connections around these power rails that, in turn, creates routing congestion areas, or "hot spots," on the metal 1 layer from a high concentration of routing connections.

Routing standard cell-based integrated circuits


In a thrust dynamic-pressure bearing that through pump-in type spiral grooves generates dynamic pressure, a simple configuration to eliminate at the bearing exterior air bubbles liable to build up nearby the central portion of the bearing, yielding stabilized axial bearing force. The configuration lends superior endurance and reliability to the thrust bearing, and to a spindle motor furnished with the bearing. The configuration makes the circularly symmetrical dynamic pressure distribution, created by spiral grooves formed circularly symmetrical with respect to the bearing axial center, asymmetrical by the addition of an asymmetrical auxiliary groove(s). Air bubbles building up near the center of the spiral grooves are thus shifted to the area where the spiral grooves are formed. In the area where the spiral grooves are formed, the more inward the oil the higher the dynamic pressure. Therefore, because air bubbles will tend to shift from a region of high to a region of low oil pressure, the air bubbles get pushed out to the outer circumferential margin of the spiral grooves.

The present invention relates to a thrust hydrodynamic bearing, to a spindle motor equipped with the thrust hydrodynamic bearing, and to a disk drive utilizing the spindle motor, that are capable of eliminating air bubbles that can build up nearby the bearing center.
Spindle motors for driving recording disks such as hard disks include bearing means for supporting axial loads that act on the rotor. Thrust hydrodynamic bearings are conventionally employed as the axial load bearing means. In a fluid such as oil, retained between two axially opposing planar surfaces, thrust hydrodynamic bearings generate dynamic pressure when the rotor rotates. The hydrodynamically generated thrust pressure serves as the axial load bearing pressure.
FIG. 7 depicts a conventional thrust hydrodynamic bearing 1. The dynamic-pressure generating grooves formed in this conventional thrust bearing 1 for generating hydrodynamic pressure are so-called pump-in type spiral grooves 2, which induce radially inward acting dynamic pressure in the oil. By virtue of the spiral grooves, nearby the bearing center a pressure peak where the dynamic pressure becomes quite large appears, while heading radially outward the pressure declines. This pressure peak area in the dynamic bearing supports loads acting on the rotor.
The spiral grooves 2 develop dynamic pressure with comparatively better energy efficiency than herringbone grooves formed by two sets of spiral grooves in combination. In addition, the spiral grooves 2 make diametric reduction of the thrust hydrodynamic bearing 1 possible, which lets the motor be run at low peripheral speeds, and which is a way to decrease bearing losses.
Nevertheless, air bubbles will eventually become present in the area where the spiral grooves 2 are formed. The air bubbles will shift from the high end to the low end along the pressure gradient at which the thrust bearing 1 generates dynamic pressure. Accordingly, the air bubbles shift radially outward, toward where the pressure is lower. Herein, one way to exhaust the air bubbles to the bearing exterior is to arrange a communicating hole in the radially outward area of the bearing, as a communication to the bearing exterior. Because the bearing pressure distribution develops with axial symmetry, however, in the bearing center vicinity there will only be a slight pressure gradient. Despite the communicating hole, therefore, the air bubbles that eventually will be present nearby the center are less likely to be eliminated.
When air bubbles build up like this nearby the center of the bearing under a higher-temperature environment, they increase in volume because the coefficient of thermal expansion of the air bubbles is greater than that of the oil. The expanding air bubbles cause the oil to effuse to the bearing exterior. A similar phenomenon occurs even under a lower-temperature environment. Effusion of oil decreases the amount of oil retained in the bearing. Consequently the rigidity of the bearing declines and moreover the oil reserve depletes prematurely; and other problems, such as deterioration in endurance and degradation in reliability of the bearing, arise.
An object of the present invention is to eliminate air bubbles liable to build up nearby the bearing center, and thereby to yield stabilized axial bearing force, in a thrust hydrodynamic bearing in which dynamic pressure is generated by pump-in type spiral grooves.
Yet another object of the present invention is with a simple structure to eliminate to the bearing exterior air bubbles liable to build up nearby the center of a pump-in type thrust hydrodynamic bearing.
A still further object of the invention is to structure a pump-in type thrust hydrodynamic bearing for superior endurance and reliability of the bearing, and of a spindle motor furnished with the bearing.
An additional object is to provide a disk drive that operates stably over the long term.
In order to achieve the foregoing objects, in a pump-in type thrust hydrodynamic bearing construction according to the present invention an asymnmetrical auxiliary groove is added to spiral grooves formed circularly symmetrical with respect to the axial center. The addition of the asymmetrical auxiliary groove makes the circularly symmetrical pressure distribution created by the spiral grooves asymmetrical. Air bubbles building up nearby the center of the spiral grooves are thereby shifted to the area where the spiral grooves are formed. Around the inside of the area where the spiral grooves are formed, the dynamic pressure of the oil will be high. Air bubbles in a hydraulic fluid tend to shift from a region where the fluid pressure is high to a region where the fluid pressure is low. Owing to this tendency, air bubbles inside the area where the spiral grooves are formed get pushed out beyond the periphery.
This accordingly is a way surely and readily to eliminate air bubbles intermixing with the oil. Thus eliminating air bubbles lets movement of oil in the direction of the bearing center by virtue of the pump-in type spiral grooves occur smoothly, which yields stabilized axial bearing force. In addition, oil leakage from the bearings occurring due to air bubbles is effectively checked, which improves the bearing reliability and endurance.
As far as manufacturing is concerned the spiral grooves and/or the auxiliary groove can by formed by electrochemical machining, cutting, or pressworking processes. Further, the auxiliary groove should be of a shape or configuration that makes the pressure distribution that the spiral grooves develop asymmetric with respect to the axial center. For example, the auxiliary groove may be straight or circularly arcuate, and positioned radially inward of the spiral grooves, asymmetric with respect to the axial center and having a radially outward end from which the auxiliary groove extends towards the bearing center. Alternatively, the auxiliary groove may be formed by extending radially inward a part of the inner edge of the spiral grooves. Furthermore, furnishing in the outer margin of the thrust plate a communication hole that communicates with the bearing exterior is a way to exhaust air bubbles pushed out beyond the periphery of the spiral grooves.
In addition, the present invention can be realized as a spindle motor having a thrust bearing as described above. Spindle motors thus embodied may be employed in spindle motor applications for driving magnetic disks such as hard disks, magneto-optical disks, optical disks such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, and like recording disks. These spindle motors could be used under various environments, particularly in high-temperature, low-pressure environments. Air assimilated into oil under a high-temperature, low-pressure environment is liable to turn into bubbles. Air bubbles generated within the oil are eliminated surely and readily by establishing an auxiliary groove like the foregoing, associated with the thrust bearing spiral grooves. Consequently, problems originating in air bubbles, such as oil effusion and degradation in bearing rigidity, are effectively averted.
From the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Thrust hydrodynamic bearing, spindle motor provided therewith, and disk drive utilizing the motor


A contaminant extraction apparatus, systems and method for extracting contaminants, such as particles and polar molecules, from an air flow containing a contaminated gas such as air so that the contaminants are expelled from the embodiments after they are extracted. One method includes the steps of generating two electric fields in separate air flow channels separated by an extraction grid with the second electric field having a greater potential difference than the first electric field; generating a first air flow through the first air flow channel and a second air flow through a second air flow channel; dispensing charged liquid droplets into the first air flow using at least one charged droplet generator; allowing the droplets to transfer charge to those contaminants; and expelling the contaminants into the second air flow using the potential difference in the second electric field.

A. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the claimed subject matter relate to methods, systems and apparatuses for purifying air, and more particularly, to systems, methods and apparatuses for removing particles and contaminants from an air flow by attracting the particles and contaminants to charged spray droplets of a fluid introduced to the air flow.
B. Description of Related Art
The technique of electrospray ionization is well described and known to those skilled in the art. Prior art air purification apparatuses and methods include U.S. Pat. No. RE 30,479 to Cohen, et al. which illustrates a method for the removal of particulate matter as well as noxious gases and vapors from a gas stream. This is accomplished by means of charged droplets having a size between 60 and 250 microns and preferably between 80 and 120 microns. The droplets are generated by first ejecting a stable jet of liquid such as water and the liquid jet is broken up into charged droplets by applying an electric potential between the jet and the collecting walls of the scrubber.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,962 to Richards describes a method for producing small highly charged droplets without concurrent production of corona by conducting a liquid to a nozzle having a tip from which droplets of the liquid can exit, and forming a substantially uniform electric field over the surface of the liquid on the tip, the field being large enough to pull off droplets from the tip but not so large as to create corona discharge. Selected gas, solid particulates and liquid mists from gaseous effluents such as are produced by smelters, coal or oil-burning steam generators, chemical refineries and the like are removed by means of a unique electrostatic collector using the highly charged droplets. These droplets are caused to drift, by means of an electric field, through the gaseous effluent to a collecting electrode absorbing selected gases and aerosol particles and carrying them to a collecting electrode.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,098 to Richards describes a gas scrubbing apparatus and method, employing highly charged liquid droplets for removal of both particulates and pollutant gases from the gas to be cleaned, that allows scrubbing of uncharged particulates by means of monopole-dipole attractive forces between the charged liquid droplets and the electric dipoles induced in the uncharged particulates by the charged droplets. It also describes employing electrode geometry at the site of droplet production and charging, having spreading liquid sheet electrodes emitting the droplets from the edges of the liquid sheets, interspersed with electrically conductive induction electrodes, with electrostatic potential of no more than about 20 kv existing between the induction electrode array and the array of liquid sheets, and with spacing such that adequately high electric field strength can be maintained at the edges of the liquid sheets to allow adequate charging of the droplets emitted from the liquid sheets, without the occurrence of corona discharges which could deplete droplet charges or interfere with production of the electric field strength required for adequate droplet charging; allowing the particulate and pollutant gas scrubbing procedures to be carried out simultaneously in a single chamber; requiring no substantial power other than that for the blower or other means which moves the gas to be cleaned through the cleaning chamber; and allowing these results to be achieved with low liquid-to-gas flow ratios.
Next, U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,753 (Ahn, et al.) discloses a device for collecting dust using highly charged hyperfine liquid droplets formed through an electro-hydrodynamic atomization process. In the dust collecting device of this invention, a high voltage is applied to capillaries, set within a dust guide duct and having nozzles at their tips. An electric field is thus formed between the capillaries and the duct, and allows the nozzles to spray highly charged hyperfine liquid droplets. Such liquid droplets absorb dust laden in air, flowing in the duct by suction force of a fan. An electrostatic dust collector is detachably coupled to the duct while being insulated from the duct, and forms an electric field having polarity opposite to that of the highly charged liquid droplets, thus electrostatically collecting and removing the dust absorbed by the highly charged liquid droplets. The dust collecting device of this invention easily and effectively removes fine dust having a size smaller than 0.1 cm. This device is also preferably operable at low cost while achieving a desired dust collection effect, and is collaterally advantageous in that it humidifies discharged air, when water is used as the liquid for atomization of the hyperfine liquid droplets.
Willey, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,253 and U.S. Pub. No. 2003/0196552) disclose an apparatus for removing particles from air which includes an inlet for receiving a flow of air, a first chamber in flow communication with the inlet, wherein a charged spray of semiconducting fluid droplets having a first polarity is introduced to the air flow so that the particles are electrostatically attracted to and retained by the spray droplets, and an outlet in flow communication with the first chamber, wherein the air flow exits the apparatus substantially free of the particles. The first chamber of the apparatus further includes a collecting surface for attracting the spray droplets, a power supply, and a spray nozzle connected to the power supply for receiving fluid and producing the spray droplets therefrom. The apparatus may also include a second chamber in flow communication with the inlet at a first end and the first chamber at a second end, wherein particles entrained in the air flow are charged with a second polarity opposite the first polarity prior to the air flow entering the first chamber.
U.S. Published Application No. 2004/0023411 to Fenn describes a method of collecting or "gettering" polar trace species from ambient air devoid of the need for forced convention or pumping of the air sample. This invention utilizes a specialized electrospray source, fed by a wick, which attracts and transfers surface charge from spray droplets to ambient polar molecules and particulates which migrate into the path of the electrospray jet source and the target. Collected species may be detected directly on collection surface using suitable detection methodologies or can be stored for subsequent analysis.
The Richards '803 patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,986,803) describes a process and apparatus for gas cleaning, as in HVAC systems or semiconductor manufacturing clean rooms, for removing 99.999% of particulate and gaseous contaminants, which may be effectively used to remove and neutralize Bio-chem agents introduced by terrorists, having a first stage in which large quantities of positively charged liquid droplets are introduced into the gas to be cleaned so as to remove virtually all negatively charged particulates and at least 90% of neutral particulates and soluble gases; a second stage in which most positively charged droplets from the first stage are removed and remaining particulates are given a positive charge; a third stage in which large quantities of negatively charged liquid droplets are introduced to remove positively charged particulates and more soluble gas contaminants; and a fourth stage in which the negatively charged droplets are removed from the cleaned gas stream.
In use, known air filters used for personal protection and air purification do not allow for sufficient air circulation and heat stress is a significant issue that affects the health, safety, and operational performance of the Soldier, Marine, Sailor, Airman, and Emergency Responder. One issue is the prior art's inability to reject metabolic body heat to the environment due to the insulation characteristics of their personal protective clothing. As a result, body heat is stored, core temperature rises and operational performance can become severely impaired. In collective protection applications, mechanical filters such as High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) or Ultra Low Penetrating Air (ULPA) produce a large pressure drop and significant stress on ducting. They are not universally effective at removing various classifications of contaminants (e.g. bacterial spores versus chemicals). Finally, they are bulky and costly, requiring large blowers and the filters are consumables and, once used, must be disposed of as hazardous waste. Embodiments of the present invention attempt to address the aforementioned issues found in the prior art.

Contaminant extraction systems, methods and apparatuses


A molten steel pouring nozzle having a bore therethrough, at least a portion of the nozzle forming the bore being comprised of a refractory having calcium zirconate: from 20 to 75 weight %, graphite: from 5 to 30 weight %, and calcium silicide: from 0.5 to 15 weight %.

It is generally known in the steel making industry to add aluminum to molten steel as a deoxidizer to remove oxygen from the molten steel. Oxygen may form bubbles or voids within the steel, which detrimentally affect its properties.
When casting an aluminum-killed molten steel, the added aluminum reacts with the oxygen present in the molten steel to produce non-metallic inclusions such as alumina. The aluminum-killed molten steel is typically cast by pouring the molten steel from a conventional ladle into a tundish. A pouring nozzle is secured to the bottom wall of the tundish and directs the molten steel into a mold therebelow. A known problem with aluminum-killed steel is that the .alpha. alumina tends to adhere and accumulate on the surface of the bore of the nozzle. This build-up of alumina on the surface of the bore restricts flow therethrough, thereby affecting production performance, as well as product quality.
Nozzles have been developed utilizing special refractory compositions along the surface of the nozzle bore. For example, calcium zirconate graphite refractories have been used to form the inner portion of the nozzle that forms the nozzle bore. This refractory material basically provides calcium oxide (contained in the calcium zirconate) to react with the a alumina to produce low-melting point compounds, such as CaO.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 3CaO.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. While calcium zirconate graphite nozzles have improved anti-clogging characteristics over conventional nozzles such as alumina graphite, only the calcium oxide near the surface of the bore tends to react with the .alpha. alumina, and once this surface calcium is depleted, the ability of the refractory to prevent adhesion and accumulation of additional a alumina diminishes. It has been known to add calcium silicate (CaO.SiO.sub.2) to the calcium zirconate graphite refractory to add additional calcium to the bore lining to facilitate the calcium oxide/alumina reaction. The calcium oxide contained in the calcium silicate basically provides calcium oxide to drive the calcium oxide/alumina reaction. The amount of calcium oxide in the calcium silicate, however, is important in that any calcium oxide that is not dissolved in the form of a solid-solution into calcium silicate, may react violently with water or moisture in the air to deteriorate the structure of the nozzle.
It is therefore highly desirable to add additional calcium oxide to a calcium zirconate graphite nozzle in a form which is resistant to water and moisture in the air, yet will provide the necessary calcium oxide in the presence of molten, aluminum-killed steel to drive the calcium oxide/alumina reaction.
The present invention provides a refractory material for forming the bore of a molten steel pouring nozzle, which refractory is less susceptible to water or moisture, yet provides additional calcium oxide to prevent adherence of alumina impurities on the bore of the pouring nozzle.

Refractory composition for the prevention of alumina clogging


An apparatus and method for real-time volume processing and universal three-dimensional rendering. The apparatus includes a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) memory units; at least one pixel bus for providing global horizontal communication; a plurality of rendering pipelines; at least one geometry bus; and a control unit. The apparatus includes a block processor having a circular ray integration pipeline for processing voxel data and ray data. Rays are generally processed in image order thus permitting great flexibility (e.g., perspective projection, global illumination). The block processor includes a splatting unit and a scattering unit. A method for casting shadows and performing global illumination in relation to light sources includes sweeping a two dimensional array of rays through the volume can also be implemented with the apparatus. A method for approximating a perspective projection includes using parallel projection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to three-dimensional (3D) graphics and volume visualization, and more particularly relates to an apparatus and method for real time volume processing and universal three-dimensional rendering.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computer rendering is the process of transforming complex information into a format which is comprehensible to human thought, while maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the information. Volumetric data, which consists of information relating to three-dimensional phenomena, is one species of complex information that can benefit from improved image rendering techniques. The process of presenting volumetric data, from a given viewpoint, is commonly referred to as volume rendering.
Volume visualization is a vital technology in the interpretation of the great amounts of volumetric data generated by acquisition devices (e.g., biomedical scanners), by supercomputer simulations, or by synthesizing geometric models using volume graphics techniques. Of particular importance for manipulation and display of volumetric objects are the interactive change of projection and rendering parameters, real-time display rates, and in many cases, the possibility to view changes of a dynamic dataset over time, called four-dimensional (4D) visualization (i.e., spatial-temporal), as in the emerging integrated acquisition visualization systems.
A volumetric dataset is commonly represented as a 3D grid of volume elements (voxels), often stored as a full 3D raster (i.e., volume buffer) of voxels. Volume rendering is one of the most common techniques for visualizing the 3D scalar field of a continuous object or phenomenon represented by voxels at the grid points of the volume dataset, and can be accomplished using two primary methods: object-order methods and image-order methods. Using an object-order approach, the contribution of each voxel to the screen pixels is calculated, and the combined contribution yields the final image. Using an image-order approach, sight rays are cast from screen pixels through the volume dataset, and contributions of voxels along these sight rays are used to evaluate the corresponding pixel values.
Over the past three decades graphics systems have evolved duofold: from primarily two-dimensional (2D) to 3D and 4D (space and time), and from vector graphics to raster graphics, where the vector has been replaced by the polygon as the basic graphics primitive. This has led to the proliferation of polygon-based geometry engines, optimized to display millions of triangles per second. In such systems, however, triangle facets only approximate the shape of objects. Still, the 3D polygon-based graphics market continues to boom, and has become one of the hottest arenas of the personal computer (PC) industry.
In response to emerging demands placed on traditional graphics systems, various techniques have been devised to handle and display discrete imagery in order to enhance visual realism of the geometric model, as well as enhance or replace object shape and structure. Among these techniques include 2D texture and photo mapping, environment mapping, range images for image-based rendering, 2D mip-mapping, video streams, 3D volumes, 3D mip-mapping, 4D light fields and lumigraphs, and five-dimensional (5D) plenoptic functions. All these techniques require some sort of dimensionality-based interpolation (bilinear, trilinear, quadrilinear, etc.) between discrete pixels, texels, voxels, or n-oxels.
Special purpose computer architectures and methods for volume visualization are known in the art. Traditional methods of volume visualization typically operate by scanning through a volume dataset in a sequential manner in order to provide an accurate representation of an object. For example, Cube-4, an architecture developed by Dr. Arie Kaufman, Ingmar Bitter and Dr. Hanspeter Pfister, some of whom are also named inventors in the present application, is a special purpose scalable volume rendering architecture based on slice-parallel ray-casting. Cube-4 is capable of delivering true real-time ray-casting of high resolution datasets (e.g., 10243 16-bit voxels at 30 Hertz frame rate). However, Cube-4 cannot deliver such real-time performance for perspective projections. Presently, in known prior art rendering systems, the use of perspective projections either increases the rendering time or decreases the projected image quality. Additionally, prior architectures do not provide the ability to combine volumes and geometries into a single image.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a conventional volume visualization system 1 is shown. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the volume data is stored on a disk 2 and loaded into memory 4 before rendering. A Central Processing Unit (CPU) 6 then computes the volume rendered image from the data residing in memory 4. The final image is written to a frame buffer 8, which is typically embedded on a graphics card, for displaying on a monitor 9 or similar display device.
The present invention, therefore, is intended to provide a method and apparatus which significantly enhances the capabilities of known methods and apparatus to the extent that it can be considered a new generation of imaging data processing.
Other and further objects will be made known to the artisan as a result of the present disclosure, and it is intended to include all such objects which are realized as a result of the disclosed invention.

Apparatus and method for volume processing and rendering

The Research Foundation of State University of New York


The AC output from a source is rectified and applied to a resistor/Zener diode circuit connection which determines the magnitude of the rectified voltage applied via a circuit to a first MOSFET device. The inverted output of the first MOSFET device is applied to the gate electrode of a second MOSFET device in a manner such that the second MOSFET device is ON even when the AC output passes through zero. The output of the second MOSFET device is connected to a resistor which determines the magnitude of the load applied to the dimmer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a simplified and inexpensive circuit for dimming light emitting diodes utilizing a conventional TRIAC AC dimmer.
2. Background of the Invention
Circuits for dimming incandescent bulbs have been available in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,819 to Wolff discloses a light control/dimmer system that can be touch operated and includes a programmable timer that controls the light attached thereto by switching the device to an "OFF" position after a predetermined time period. In most dimmers, the current will not go to zero unless there is a minimum load provided by the device being dimmed. Thus, the dimmer device typically has a minimum load placed on it of approximately 5 watts.
Light emitting diodes ("LEDs") that provide a specific, focused light output of a predetermined wavelength have been available for a number of years. U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,996 to Lodhie sets forth, inter alia, the advantages of using LEDs when compared to conventional incandescent bulbs. LEDs, in addition to replacing incandescent bulbs used in motor vehicles, have also been used for signage and other display systems. The illumination output from LEDs typically have a single intensity and are not easily adapted to having multiple levels of intensity and thus to dimming. Specifically, LEDs do not provide the minimum load necessary when used with conventional dimmers. Those LED circuits with dimmer devices draw higher power from the AC input source which, in turn, generates relatively higher heat levels which is undesirable in LED based circuits.
What is desired is to provide a circuit which enables LEDs to be dimmed and wherein the power/heat levels generated during LED use is substantially reduced.


An object detection system and a state transition detection system capable of realizing the improved robustness, general applicability, and customizability. In the system, features for the target image are calculated, where the features including at least one of a quantity expressing a difference of contributions by principal axis components and secondary axis components in a distribution of brightness of corresponding points in each target area on the target image and the reference image, and a quantity expressing a difference between a direction of a principal axis with respect to a vector (1, 1) direction in the distribution of brightness of corresponding points in each target area on the target image and the reference image; and the calculated features for the target image is classified into a first class corresponding to a presence of the target object and a second class corresponding to an absence of the target by using a classifier, according to which a detection result indicating the presence or absence of the target object is outputted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting a presence of an object belonging to a prescribed category, in a region defined over the background.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various types of a service using the image data as the inputs are becoming available as a result of the recent advances in the fields of computer and the communication.
Among such a service, the object detection method for detecting a presence of an object in a prescribed region on a basis of an image of the region is the core technique in the following practical applications.
(1) A remote administration support system in which an open space in the parking area or a hall such as a concert hall is detected for the purpose of guiding the customers.
(2) An automatic monitoring system for detecting the occurrence of an abnormality such as an intruding person or object.
(3) An automatic counting system for counting a number of vehicles, persons, or traffic flows.
Now, as a conventional method for detecting an object in a prescribed region on a basis of an image of the region taken from a fixed camera position, the following two methods have been known.
(1) A method in which the presence of the object is estimated by calculating features such as an edge feature or an edge direction obtained from a brightness of the region, or a shape of the object estimated from such features, and then comparing the similar features obtained in advance for the object to be detected.
(2) A method utilizing a mean brightness of the region, a mean brightness of the partitioned regions, or frequency distribution of direction codes in a differential image.
However, these conventional methods are associated with the following problems.
Namely, in the method (1), it is necessary to have a model for the object to be detected in advance. Here, in a case the object to be detected has a specific invariable shape it is possible to devise such a model, but in a case the object to be detected is defined only in terms of a category it belongs to such as a human being or a car, it is difficult to devise a general model applicable to all the objects belonging to the particular category.
In addition, in this method (1), it is further necessary to have the quantities that can be used in characterizing the object to be detected. For example, the difference values and the correlation coefficients have been used as such quantities for characterizing the object to be detected conventionally. However, when these quantities are used to characterize the object to be detected, a satisfactory detection result could not have been obtained under the adverse condition such as a case of detecting a black object in a dark environment or a case of detecting a white object in a bright environment.
On the other hand, the method (2) has been associated with the problems that there is a tendency for the detection result to be affected by the irregular pattern on the background image, the variation of the overall environmental brightness, and the local variation of the brightness.
Generally speaking, the conventional object detection method has been dissatisfactory in the following three points.
(1) A lack of robustness with respect to the environmental variations. The conventional method has been capable of operating properly only at the specific environmental condition for which it is designed to work, so that the detection result could be severely affected by the environmental variations.
(2) A lack of general applicability. The conventional method has been capable of operating only with respect to the specific object to be detected for which it is designed to work, so that the same method was not readily applicable to the detection of other objects.
(3) A lack of customizability. The conventional method has been designed for a specific setting alone, and could not have been adapted to particularities of the other circumstances in which the method may be operated.
Furthermore, as a conventional method for detecting a state transition in a prescribed region on a basis of an image of the region taken by a fixed camera, there has been a method in which the state transition is detected on a basis of the difference of two sequential images.
However, in this method for detection a state transition, a time interval between the two sequential images for which the difference is to be taken must be quite short in order to detect the state transition accurately.
Moreover, in this method for detecting a state transition, it has been difficult to detect a presence of a particular target object along with the state transition.

Method and apparatus for detection of target object with improved robustness

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


Handling virtual memory address synonyms in a multi-level cache hierarchy structure. The multi-level cache hierarchy structure having a first level, L1 cache, the L1 cache being operatively connected to a second level, L2 cache split into a L2 data cache directory and a L2 instruction cache. The L2 data cache directory including directory entries having information of data currently stored in the L1 cache, the L2 cache being operatively connected to a third level, L3 cache. The first level cache is virtually indexed while the second and third levels are physically indexed. Counter bits are allocated in a directory entry of the L2 data cache directory for storing a counter number. The directory entry corresponds to at least one first L1 cache line. A first search is performed in the L1 cache for a requested virtual memory address, wherein the virtual memory address corresponds to a physical memory address tag at a second L1 cache line.

One or more aspects of the invention relate to computing systems, and more particularly, to a multi-level cache hierarchy structure.
Computer systems involving multilevel cache hierarchy structures have become areas of particular interest and technology growth in recent years. Operating such caches to maximize processing performances while maintaining the cache coherence of the composite systems is a requirement.


The invention relates to a primer element, in particular for ammunition or similar, comprising at least one primer composition that has at least one sleeve acting as the housing for the primer element, at least one contact pin and a mass contact. Multiple wires, (at least two) are used, one end of said wires being connected to the contact pin and the other end of said wires to the mass contact. The multiple wires are embedded in the primer composition(s).

The invention relates to a primer element, in particular for the propellant charge of a munition.
DE 199 28 832 A1 discloses an electrical primer device for the propellant charge of a cartridge, in which the arrangement is intended to be simplified and improved by use of the electromagnetic transmission principle.
An encapsulated electrical primer element is described in DE 38 12 958 A1. In order to prevent malfunctions, which can be initiated by radio-frequency interference energy, it is proposed that the conventional metal ring holding disk for a peened closure of the sleeve foot end be replaced by a dielectric in the form of a disk.
The primer system disclosed in DE 39 02 617 A1 deals with an improved primer behavior which can be achieved by a disk which is arranged between the initiation source and the primer charge and is composed of a porous, inorganic material.
An initiation or primer element with an initiation bridge arranged on a chip is disclosed in DE 196 37 587 A1. In order to allow it to be used universally and to avoid uncontrollable blowing out, it is proposed that the pins be passed into the housing of the primer element through a glass bushing.
DE 33 46 146 A1 deals with the problem of making reliable external contact with an initiation element, which is to be fired electrically, in the event of environmental stresses.
A combined primer cap is published in DE 24 43 793 C2. This has a first initiation charge, which can be initiated electrically, and a second primer system with an initiation charge which is sensitive to being pierced.
As a result of the change to the safety requirements, in particular with respect to electrostatic charges, the use of the previously used metal-foil elements as initiation bridges (for example as in DE 42 22 223 C1, DD 283 458 A5) in primer elements must be dispensed with.


The sound box (3) of the stringed instrument surrounds components (6, 8), as a result of which the sound vibrations introduced by the playing strings (4, 5), across the bridge (1), on the top board (2) of the sound box (3) lead to oppositely directed or phase-displaced vibrations of the bottom wall (11). Thus, the pumping and sucking movement exerted by the vibrating (15) top board (2) on the air enclosed in the sound box (3) is supplemented by the sound vibrations of the bottom wall (11). The components enclosed for this purpose in the sound box (3) essentially comprise a lever (6) engaging on the top board (2) at two positions and located below the bridge (1), a support member (16) laterally supporting said lever on the sound box (3) and a supporting arch (8). Due to the fact that the lever (6) acts on the central region of the supporting arch (8), its ends engaging in the corner region between the bottom wall (11) and the peripheral wall (10) exert an expanding force leading to the upward movement of the arched bottom wall (11). Thus, the instrument is given a fuller, richer sound.

The invention relates to a stringed instrument having a sound box, which is bounded upwardly by a top board and downwardly by an arched or planar bottom wall, in which the top board carries a string-supporting bridge and within the sound box are provided at least one lever at right angles to the direction of the strings and a supporting element, in order to transfer joint vibratory movements of the top board in phase-displaced manner to the bottom wall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,329 discloses an instrument of this type, in which the lever and supporting elements provided within the sound box have the function of transferring vibrations acting from the strings, via the bridge onto the sound box top board from the latter to its bottom wall in such a way that the latter performs an oppositely directed or phase-displaced vibratory movement. This has the advantage that the pumping action of the top board acting inwardly on the air in the sound box is supplemented by the consequently simultaneously inwardly directed pumping movement of the bottom wall. However, it is disadvantageous that the sound box required stiffening ribs limiting its vibration capacity in order to absorb the elastic or tensional forces of the strings acting thereon via the bridge. It is also disadvantageous that the oscillations of the top board are only transferred through the components from one position to the bottom wall, so that tilting movements of the bridge in a direction at right angles to the strings lead to deformations to the top board, which have a disadvantageous influence on the sound evolution of the instrument.
The problem of the invention is to provide a stringed instrument of the aforementioned type which, whilst retaining a traditional external shape of the sound box, has a fuller and richer sound. The top board of the sound box, without overloading by the elastic force of the playing strings can be made thinner and therefore more vibratable and the bottom wall of the sound box can perform a relatively large vibratory movement opposing the vibration of the top board.


A backlight module having replaceable lamp module is provided. The backlight module includes a replaceable lamp module, a light-guiding plate, a frame and a positioning and protecting mechanism. The light-guiding plate is disposed over the bottom surface among four sides of the frame, wherein one side of the light-guiding plate and a corresponding side of the frame form a sliding groove. The replaceable lamp module is set in the sliding groove and slidably along the sliding groove. The positioning and protecting mechanism comprises a protecting device set on the replaceable lamp module and a positioning device set on the frame. The protecting device is capable of forming a gap between the replaceable lamp module and the bottom of the sliding groove in order to protect the replaceable lamp module from scraped by the structures of the backlight module while the replaceable lamp module is inserting into the sliding groove. The protecting device and the positioning device are capable of positioning and holding the replaceable lamp module in the sliding groove while the replaceable lamp module reaches the predetermined position in the backlight module, and meantime the gap is disappeared.

A backlight module is an optical device for providing a backlight source in a LCD product. A conventional backlight module includes a light source, a light-guiding plate, an optical film, and a plastic frame. The backlight source can be realized as an electro-luminescence (EL) device, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) device or a light emitting diode (LED) device.
The EL device and LED device are usually used in small-sized and mono-color (green or red lights) LCD products. Although some LCD products use white light (panchromatic) EL device or LCD device as backlight source, the LCD products with EL device or LCD device are only small-sized LCD (e.g. cellular phone, PDA, Gameboy) because the illuminations of EL device and LCD device are lower than which of the CCFL device. Therefore, the large-sized LCD products commonly use the CCFL device as white light backlight source due to the higher reliability and stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,227 discloses a backlight device used in a LCD. The backlight device comprises a light-inducing plate installed on the bottom surface of the LCD, a lamp installed on one side portion of light-inducing plate, and a lamp cover enclosing a part of the outer circumferential surface of lamp for reflecting the light from the LCD to light-inducing plate, wherein the light-inducing plate and lamp cover are directly coupled with each other by a locking structure. The locking structure is comprised of a locking protrusion formed on at least one of the upper and bottom surfaces of light-inducing plate and a locking hole in a corresponding portion of lamp cover. The lamp is fixed by locking the corresponding locking protrusions and locking holes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,372 discloses a back light device built in a compact LCD device. The back light device comprises a light transmitting plate disposed behind a liquid crystal element, a light source disposed in the vicinity of one end of the light transmitting plate, a reflector for reflecting light from the light source towards the light transmitting plate, and a frame for supporting the backlight device. The light source may use a cold cathode tube (CCFT). Both ends of the light source are protected by a resinous protection member. The light source is supplied electric power through a corresponding lead wire and connector.
The light source and the reflector construct a side-slidably light source unit. The backlight device comprises a slide mechanism. The slide mechanism includes a guide rail fitted to an end of the frame. One end of the guide rail is made open so that the reflector is slidably along the guide rail. Therefore, a failure CCFT can be replaced by detaching the light source unit through the slide mechanism. The light source unit can be installed back to the backlight device after replacing with a new CCFT.
In the aforementioned conventional arts, the light source unit only comprises the mechanism for fixing light source without a positioning structure. The light source is easily tilted without the positioning structure so that the optical performance is degraded.
Furthermore, there is a need to replace the failure lamp or tube in the backlight device of LCD. The lead wire and a fixed tape for fixing the lead wire are easily scraped by the frame or back panel of LCD so that a Hi-Pot test will be failed or the fixed tape will be rolled.

Backlight module having replacement lamp module


A resist underlayer film-forming composition includes a polymer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 0 to 180° C. The resist underlayer film-forming composition is used for a multilayer resist process. The multilayer resist process includes forming a silicon-based oxide film on a surface of a resist underlayer film, and subjecting the silicon-based oxide film to wet etching.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a resist underlayer film-forming composition, a pattern-forming method, and a resist underlayer film.
2. Discussion of the Background
A reduction in processing size has progressed by utilizing a multilayer resist process in order to increase the degree of integration of semiconductor devices and the like (see Japanese Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) No. 2001-284209). The multilayer resist process includes applying a resist underlayer film-forming composition to a substrate to form a resist underlayer film, applying a resist composition to the resist underlayer film to form a resist film, transferring a mask pattern through exposure, and developing the resist film using a developer to form a resist pattern. The resist pattern is then transferred to the resist underlayer film by dry etching, the pattern of the resist underlayer film is transferred to the substrate by dry etching to obtain a substrate on which the desired pattern is formed.
In recent years, a further improvement in pattern-forming capability has been desired for the resist underlayer film-forming composition along with a reduction in size of the resist pattern and a reduction in thickness of the resist film. When using a known resist underlayer film-forming composition for the multilayer resist process, the resist underlayer film may be removed from the substrate after forming the resist film probably because the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the resist underlayer film-forming composition is higher than the heating temperature employed when forming the resist film. When wet etching is performed after forming the resist film, the pattern of the resist underlayer film may collapse due to external stimulation caused by wet etching.

Resist underlayer film-forming composition, pattern-forming method and resist underlayer film


A capacitance multiplier includes a cascade of a plurality of current amplifiers with each current amplifier having a respective current gain Ki. In addition, the capacitance multiplier includes a capacitor coupled in parallel across the cascade of current amplifiers. Such a capacitance multiplier occupies a smaller area with higher capacitance gain but with low power consumption.

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2004-43670 filed on Jun. 14, 2004 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a capacitance multiplier, and in particular to a capacitance multiplier with cascaded current amplifiers for enhanced capacitance gain and low power consumption.
2. Description of the Related Art
A PLL (Phase Locked Loop) is commonly used for communication, multimedia, and other applications. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional PLL (Phase Locked Loop). Referring to FIG. 1, the PLL includes a PFD (Phase Frequency Detector) 100, a charge pump 200, a loop filter 300, a VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) 400, and a frequency divider 500.
The PFD 100 generates an up signal SUP and/or a down signal SDN based on a phase (and frequency) difference between a reference signal SIN and a feedback signal SFEED. The charge pump 200 outputs an output signal having a level corresponding to a state of the up signal SUP and/or the down signal SDN.
After high frequency components of the output signal of the charge pump 200 are removed by the loop filter 300, the filtered output signal VFILT is sent to the VCO 400. The VCO 400 outputs a high frequency signal SO having a frequency corresponding to a direct current (DC) level of the signal VFILT.
The divider 500 generates a low frequency feedback signal SFEED based on the output signal SO from the VCO 400. The feedback signal SFEED is fed back to the PFD 100. When the PLL is locked, the output signal SO of the VCO 400 is used for synchronizing the phase of signals in various parts of a circuit.
FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram of the charge pump 200 and the loop filter 300 in the PLL of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the charge pump 200 includes an inverter 210 for inverting the up signal SUP, a PMOSFET (P-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) MP1 having a source coupled to a high power supply VDD, a gate coupled to an output of the inverter 210, and a drain having the signal VFILT generated thereon. The charge pump 200 also includes an NMOSFET (N-channel metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) MN1 having a drain coupled to the drain of the PMOSFET MP1, a gate having the down signal SDN applied thereon, and a source coupled to a low power supply VSS. The low power supply VSS may have a negative voltage or a ground voltage.
The loop filter 300 includes a resistor RLF1 having one end coupled to the drain of the NMOSFET MN1, a first capacitor CLF1 coupled between the other end of the resistor RLF1 and the low power supply VSS, and a second capacitor CLF2 coupled between the drain of the NMOSFET MN1 and the low power supply VSS. When the loop filter 300 is implemented within a semiconductor chip, the first capacitor CLF1 disadvantageously occupies a large area. Thus, it is desired to reduce the size of the first capacitor CLF1.
FIG. 3 shows a circuit diagram illustrating a basic principle of a capacitance multiplier. Referring to FIG. 3, (a) is a circuit diagram of a capacitance multiplier, and (b) is an AC equivalent circuit of the circuit of (a) seen from a node A.
In the circuit of (a), NMOSFETs MN2 and MN3 form a current mirror with a ratio of sizes (Width/Length) of the NMOSFETs MN2 and MN3 being 1:M. A current flowing through the capacitor C1 is substantially the current I flowing through the NMOSFET MN2, and a current flowing through a drain of the NMOSFET MN3 is M times the current I flowing through the NMOSFET MN2.
An input impedance at the node A is represented by the following expression 1:
                    Z        =                                            υ                                                                                in                                      i                                                                                in                                =                      1                          sC1                                            (                                  1                  +                  M                                )                                                                        〈                  Expression                                                              1                〉            Accordingly, an input capacitance at the node A is (1+M)C1 that is scaled up by a scale factor of M.
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a conventional capacitance multiplier as disclosed in IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, titled "A 2.4 GHz Monolithic Fractional-N Frequency Synthesizer With Robust Phase Switching Prescaler and Loop Capacitance Multiplier". An input admittance of the circuit of FIG. 4 is represented by the following expression 2:
                    Y        =                                            i                                                                                in                                      υ                                                                                in                                =                                    g              OA                        +                          s                                            (                                  Cp2                  +                                                            (                                              M                        +                        1                                            )                                                                                Ci                                                                                1                        +                                                  s                                                                                Cp1                                                                                (                                                                  M                                  +                                  1                                                                )                                                                                gm1                                                                                1                        +                                                  s                                                                                Ci                              +                              Cp1                                                        gm1                                                                                )                                                                        〈                  Expression                                                              2                〉
In the expression 2, Cp1 and Cp2 are the capacitances of parasitic capacitors at the nodes A and B, respectively, and gm1 denotes a transconductance of the NMOSFET MN13. gOA denotes a total conductance at the node A, and M denotes a current gain of a current mirror.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are graphs showing a frequency response of the input impedance of the circuit of FIG. 4. FIG. 5A shows a magnitude of the input impedance of the circuit of FIG. 4, and FIG. 5B shows a phase of the input impedance of the circuit of FIG. 4. Dotted lines in FIGS. 5A and 5B represent graphs illustrating an ideal frequency response.
Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the circuit of FIG. 4 may be used as a capacitance multiplier in the range of a frequency greater than fc1 and a frequency less than fc2. The fc1 and fc2 are represented by the following expression 3:
                                                                        fc1                =                                                      g                    OA                                                        2                                                                                π                                                                    (                                                  M                          +                          1                                                )                                                                                Ci                                                              ,                                                          fc2              =                              gm1                                  2                                                                                π                                                                                Ci                                                                                〈                  Expression                                                              3                〉            fc1 is designed to be as small as possible for preventing a decrease in the DC gain of the PLL. In particular, gOA is desired to be small.
In order to maintain a phase margin of the PLL, fc2 is desired to be larger than a zero frequency of the loop filter. Therefore, the value of gm1 and thus the level of current flowing through the NMOSFET MN13 are determined depending on an operating frequency of the loop filter.
For obtaining a large capacitance gain in the circuit of FIG. 4 with a large scale factor (M), the NMOSFET MN14 has current that is M times a current flowing through the NMOSFET MN13. Accordingly, the power consumption of the capacitance multiplier of FIG. 4 increases with the scale factor M. Thus, the scale factor (M) is limited to about 20 in an actual application for acceptable power consumption.
Thus, a capacitance multiplier is desired with higher capacitance gain but with low power consumption.

Capacitance multiplier with enhanced gain and low power consumption


A memory device used attach to a host system includes a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of blocks, each of the blocks being a unit for data erasure and including a plurality of pages, each of the pages including a data section which stores first data supplied from the host system, and a redundancy section which stores at least second data used to manage the first data, a detection circuit which generates a first code used to detect a first error contained in the second data, and detects the first error based on the first code, and a correction circuit which generates a second code used to detect and correct a second error contained in the first data and the second data, and detects and corrects the second error based on the second code.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory device with a nonvolatile memory, and more particularly to a memory card with a flash memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
A secure digital (SD™) memory card is known as a memory device using a NAND flash memory. This memory card exchanges data communications with a host system such as a digital camera via, for example, a command line and data line.
NAND flash memories comprise a plurality of blocks. Each block is a minimum erasable unit and consists of a plurality of pages as minimum write units. Further, each page comprises, for example, a data section of 512 bytes and a redundancy section of 16 bytes. Although the redundancy section can be used for various purposes, it is recommended to write an ECC code to the section to avoid data corruption, which can occur in NAND flash memories.
In NAND flash memories, the use of even smaller memory cells and multi-value memory cells is increasing the probability of errors. Because of this, there is a case where a high-capacity ECC circuit is needed, and an ECC code of 10 bytes is written to the redundancy section. In this case, the remaining 6 bytes of the redundancy section is freely usable, and can be used for a logical block address, flag, etc.
In the prior art, the ECC code is created from data in the data section and redundancy section. Therefore, unless all page data is read and computation is performed based on it, error detection and correction cannot be performed. This applies, even if, for example, only a logical block address stored in the redundancy section is necessary.
To acquire 6-byte data from the redundancy section, data of 528 (512+16) bytes must be read. This means that the time required for data reading is 88 (528/6) times that required for reading 6-byte data from the redundancy section.
This being so, the time necessary to read/write data after the memory card is activated increases as the capacity (number of blocks) of the memory card increases.
Concerning a technique related to the above, see, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-280822, which discloses reducing the time necessary to read/write data from/to a nonvolatile memory.


A process for gathering data from a plurality of users at remote terminals connected to a central database that restricts the data entered into the central database by providing users with predefined responses to scripted prompts and screening the new data entered into the central database for erroneous responses by comparing the data with existing data through a series of rules. In an alternate embodiment, the present invention includes a process for gathering and analyzing information that includes maintaining a central database, accessing the central database from a remote terminal through an interface, entering information into the central database through the interface, validating the entered information against a set of rules and analyzing the validated information to generate performance indicators for the equipment placed into service. The interface preferably restricts the information entering the central database to a controlled group of responses to a series of scripted prompts.

Computerized database systems have been used for decades to acquire, store and manipulate useful information. Initially, databases were housed in computers and attached storage peripherals and accessed via local terminals. With developments in remote access computing, users were able to enter, retrieve or manipulate data stored in a central database from remote locations. Today, centralized databases are accessed by users throughout the world via wireless and broadband optical connections.
Databases have found particular utility in monitoring inventories, performance characteristics and other assorted information about equipment sold or leased by a company. In many cases, each piece of equipment is assigned a unique identifier that is used to associate that piece of equipment within a database. As the equipment is used, sold, moved, repaired or replaced, appropriate information can be entered into the database and correlated with the piece of equipment so that a complete historical record can be maintained. In some instances, databases have permitted the entry of "user comments" that provide additional information about the particular piece of equipment.
Although helpful, information obtained from the field is often subjective and non-standardized. While modern databases can be readily configured to accept and store non-routine information from remote locations, this type of information presents numerous problems during subsequent data analysis. Inconsistent information from a database can lead to large margins of error in subsequent calculations. It is to these and other deficiencies in the prior art that the present invention is directed.

Equipment identification, tracking and failure analysis process


Disclosed are compositions and methods for reducing blood alcohol content following alcohol consumption. The inventive compositions and methods rapidly reduce blood alcohol content and alleviate symptoms of intoxication in a subject having an elevated blood alcohol content due to alcohol consumption.

A. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to methods and compositions for reducing blood alcohol content (BAC) in a subject after the subject has consumed alcohol.
B. Description of Related Art
Alcohol consumption is common, with the average adult consuming 5 liters of pure alcohol each year. Acute alcohol intoxication can result in low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, memory loss, behavioral changes, dizziness, loss of motor skills, confusion, coma, and death. Long-term alcohol overconsumption can cause cardiovascular disease, malabsorption, chronic pancreatitis, alcoholic liver disease, cancer, nervous system damage, alcoholic lung disease, kidney stones, sexual dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, skin disorders, brain damage, and birth defects.
Alcohol is absorbed throughout the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream. The blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reflects the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream. Alcohol that has been consumed is eliminated in a process that involves alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, where the ADH converts alcohol to acetaldehyde, and the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase converts acetaldehyde to acetate. This alcohol elimination process is slow; it can take up to an hour for the body to eliminate the alcohol contained in each standard drink (i.e., 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits) that is consumed.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that are thought to be beneficial to a host organism. Lactic acid bacteria (such as members of the genus Lactobacillus) and bifidobacteria (such as members of the genus Bifidobacterium) are commonly used as probiotics and may aid in improving gastrointestinal health, preventing cancer, lowering cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, improving immune function, and decreasing inflammation.
Some studies have focused on using probiotics to alleviate hangover symptoms, prevent long-term liver damage caused by chronic alcohol consumption, or minimize the increase in BAC that follows alcohol consumption. See U.S. Pat. No. 7,544,356; U.S. Patent Pub. 2006/0263385. One unsolved aspect, however, is how to rapidly and effectively reduce blood alcohol content in a subject that currently has an elevated blood alcohol content.

Compositions and methods for reducing blood alcohol content


A measuring device for measuring a physiological parameter of an aspirate. The device includes a sensor element for measuring the physiological parameter, a connection port for fluid communication with a medical tube, a collection tube for aspirating and/or collecting the aspirate, a housing, wherein the sensor element is mounted within the housing and a communication passage enabling the aspirate to enter the housing from the collection tube such that the sensor element can measure the physiological parameter. Further, a method for measuring the parameter is disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to a measuring device for measuring a physiological parameter of an aspirate. The measuring device comprises at least one physiological parameter sensor element.
In clinical medicine there are many situations where detecting the location of a medical tube within a patient is important. For example, when positioning a feeding tube through the nose of a patient, it is essential that the end of the feeding tube passes into the patient's esophagus and not into the lung/trachea. If the end of the feeding tube is positioned in the trachea rather than in the stomach, aspiration of the feeding solution into the patient's lungs may occur. Further, when positioning a medical tube through the nose of a patient into the patient's trachea/lung, it has to be checked if the end of the medical tube really passes into the lung/trachea and not into the esophagus. In this regard, devices are known for detecting CO2 values of aspirates in order to check if a medical tube is in the trachea or in the esophagus.
Improper positioning of enteral feeding tubes into the trachea resulting in respiratory distress or death has been described in the literature. In practice, tube position should be checked following initial insertion, before administering each feed, before giving medication, following vomiting, retching or coughing or if there is evidence of tube displacement, for example, if the tape is loose or the visible tube appears longer of kinked.
Currently, the location of a medical tube within the body of a patient is routinely detected by the use of imaging equipment, such as X-ray. However, such a procedure requires transportation of the patient to an X-ray facility. This is both inconvenient and costly and is particularly stressful in those instances where the medical tube has repeatedly to be repositioned, thus requiring repeated reinsertion and X-rays.
US 2004/0158138 A1 discloses an implantable monitoring probe having a sensor for detecting pH and a transmitter for transmitting data to an external receiver. The probe is implanted in the esophagus or other body lumen of a patient to aid in the detection of gastroesophageal reflux disease. US 2003/0040671 A1 discloses a medical tube for insertion into a tracheal tube of a patient wherein the medical tube includes a pH sensing element. U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,474 B2 discloses a pharyngoesophageal monitoring system that includes multiple internal references probes detecting acid reflux and monitoring pH levels.
However, these measuring devices have to be inserted into a medical tube and in the patient's body. To evaluate the measured value further equipment, e.g. transmitters and data recorders, is necessary. Such equipment is extensive and costly. The current practice by clinicians of obtaining the pH value of a patient's aspirate is to draw up aspirate fluid with a syringe and place a drop of this fluid onto a pH indicator strip. However, this procedure is critical for clinicians as regards the bacteria contained in the aspirate fluid.

Measuring device for measuring a physiological parameter of an aspirate