A method of fabricating a photo-device includes the steps of forming an optically nontransparent, electrically conductive layer on the surface of a photoelectric conversion substrate, and transferring a portion of the optically nontransparent, electrically conductive layer using a scanning probe process apparatus to form, over an optical window, a light-permeable protective insulation structure of a region of the optical window on the substrate surface beneath the light-permeable protective insulation structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved photo-receiving device for converting light signals to electrical signals, as required in such fields as communications and information processing, and to an improved method of fabricating a photo-device, which also means a light emitting device for converting electrical signals to light signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The term photoelectric conversion as used herein refers to the function of converting a light signal to an electrical signal in a photo-receiving device, and also to the function of converting an electrical signal to a light signal in a light emitting device. FIG. 8 illustrates the structure of a conventional photo-receiving device 50 as described in the IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics (Vol. 28, pp. 2358-2368, 1992) for converting light signals to electrical signals at a relatively high speed. As shown, the photo-receiving device 50 comprises a substrate 11 that constitutes the photoelectric conversion portion (which can also be referred to as a light-absorbing portion, as this is a photo-receiving device), and a pair of opposed electrode portions 51, each in the form of a thin film of metal, formed on the surface of the substrate 11. The exposed surface of the substrate 11 between the electrodes 51 forms an optical window 13 for the entry of the light I.sub.P to be detected.
When light I.sub.P impinges on the optical window 13 while an appropriate voltage is being applied to the pair of electrodes 51, excited carriers (electrons and holes) are generated in the substrate 11. Holes, shown in the drawing as blank circles, are drawn to the electrode 51 with the relatively negative (-) potential, and electrons, shown as solid circles, are drawn to the electrode 51 with the relatively positive (+) potential, setting up a flow of a photoelectric current (photo detection current) which takes place via the electrodes 51, whereby the incidence of the light I.sub.P is detected.
With this type of conventional photo-receiving device 50 of FIG. 8, which is generally referred to as a MSM (metal/semiconductor/metal) device, the smaller the width W of the optical window 13, that is, the smaller the distance between the electrodes 51, the faster the operating speed of the device is, and raising the applied voltage increases device speed and sensitivity. Also, making the width W of the optical window 13 no larger than the wavelength of the light I.sub.P to be detected imparts an evanescent field to the light I.sub.P impinging on the light-absorbing substrate 11 and causes the incident light I.sub.P to be absorbed in the vicinity of the surface of the substrate 11. At the same time, as the field strength set up by the electrodes 51 is higher at the surface of the substrate 11 than in the interior, the excited carriers generated in the vicinity of the surface of the substrate 11 are drawn rapidly to the electrodes 51, enabling higher speed operation to be achieved and the affect of carrier recombination to be reduced.
In the case of the photo-receiving device 50 of FIG. 8, reducing the width W between the electrodes 51 to around 300 nm by means of electron beam lithography, an existing fine pattern process technology, resulted in a pulse-response full width at half maximum output of 870 fs, which is quite a high speed compared to other photo-receiving devices. However, it is difficult to achieve higher speeds, for the following reasons.
A first problem is that, since the optical window 13 on the surface of the substrate 11 between the electrodes 51 is exposed, applying a higher voltage across the electrodes 51 giving rise to creeping discharge along the exposed surface of the optical window 13 and air-gap discharge, rendering the device unusable. That is, if the width W between the electrodes 51 is reduced beyond a certain limit, even a low voltage causes a dielectric breakdown. On the other hand, even in cases where the width W of the incident light window 13 can be increased, within the limitation that it does not exceed the wavelength of the incident light I.sub.P, there are major constraints on the voltage that can be applied. A second problem is that of the limits of the process technology. Even with existing electron beam lithography, a relatively high precision fine pattern process technology, an electrode gap cannot really be precision-fabricated to a width W of 100 nm or less, and even 300 nm or less is quite difficult.
A conventional method of resolving the first problem is to cover, or bury, the exposed surface portion constituting the optical window 13 between the electrodes 51. This will now be described, with reference to FIG. 9. The following description is not limited to photo-receiving devices, being also applicable to devices, such as light emitting devices, having a light emitting area defined in the form of an optical window. Thus, reference numeral 52 is used to denote the photo-device shown in FIG. 9, the light-absorbing portion 11 of FIG. 8 is the photoelectric conversion portion in the general meaning of the term, and the term metallic film electrodes 51 is encompassed by the term optically nontransparent conductive film (electrodes) 12. To fabricate the photo-device 52, existing lithographic technology is used to remove a prescribed region of an optically nontransparent conductive film 12 formed on photoelectric conversion portion 11, thereby exposing a defined portion that forms an optical window 13.
Sputtering or another such vapor deposition technique is then used to form an optically transparent protective insulation layer 53 over the optical window 13. However, sputtering and other such vacuum vapor deposition apparatuses are costly, so there is no objection to achieving the required result by other means. Also, while the optically nontransparent conductive film 12 in which the optical window 13 region is formed (defined) and the insulation layer 53 to protect the optical window 13 are formed using separate, processes, device fabrication can be simplified by effecting both processes in one step. As described, even with the relatively high patterning precision provided by a technology such as electron beam lithography, the minimum width W of the optical window 13 that can be formed in the optically nontransparent conductive film 12 is in the order of 300 nm.
Non-uniformities in the thickness of the surface deposition film gives rise to variation in device characteristics, and high frequency characteristics can be degraded by dielectric deposits. When a very fine optical window is used, forming a high-quality insulative film over the window that has high dielectric resistance is difficult.
An object of the present invention is to provide a high speed photo-receiving device in which constraints relating to the width W of the optical window between electrodes, and to the applied voltage, are reduced.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a photo-receiving device that is more highly functional and multifunctional than conventional photo-receiving devices.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabricating a photo-device wherein an optical window region and a protective layer over the optical window surface can be formed in one step.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of fabricating a photo-device that enables the above-described drawbacks to be resolved or alleviated and an optical window to be formed to have a smaller width than that of conventional photo-devices.

Agency of Industrial Science & Technology, Ministry of International Trade & Industry


An engine is disclosed. The engine may have an air box. The engine may further have an opening into the air box. The engine may additionally have a baffle positioned adjacent the opening. The engine may also have a cylinder defining an intake port, with the intake port positioned in the air box. The baffle may be configured to deflect air that passes through the opening to direct the air away from the intake port of the cylinder.

Due to the rising cost of liquid fuel (e.g., diesel fuel), engine manufacturers have developed gaseous-fuel and dual-fuel engines that utilize low-cost gaseous fuel (e.g., natural gas). In these types of engines, gaseous fuel is introduced into the engine cylinders for subsequent combustion and production of mechanical power. In some engines (e.g., some dual-fuel locomotive engines), gaseous fuel is injected into each cylinder through air intake ports during an air intake portion of each engine cycle. The gaseous fuel mixes with the intake air to create a mixture that is combustible when ignited, such as via compression or ignition of a small amount of diesel fuel. These engines often include turbochargers that increase the power density of the engine by compressing and increasing the amount of air transferred to the engine and thus the amount of fuel that can be combusted during each engine cycle. The compressed air may be transferred into an air box associated with a cylinder bank and supplied through the air intake ports in the sides of each cylinder.
An example of a dual-fuel engine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,516, which issued to Foster on Jul. 9, 1985 ("the '516 patent"). The '516 patent discloses an engine that includes a supercharger that introduces intake air into an air chamber that surrounds each bank of cylinders. The intake air may be transferred from the air chamber to the engine cylinders through air intake ports. The engine of the '516 patent also includes a gas inlet pipe that introduces gaseous fuel into an engine cylinder through one of the air intake ports. The gaseous fuel mixes with the intake air for subsequent combustion to power the engine.
The engine of the '516 patent may suffer from problems associated with the introduction of supercharged intake air into the air chamber. For example, depending on the arrangement of the supercharger, the intake air flowing through the air chamber of the '516 patent may force gaseous fuel injected by the gas inlet pipe to exit a cylinder through the air intake ports and enter the air chamber. The escaped gas may subsequently enter a different cylinder, causing a uneven distribution of gaseous fuel in the engine cylinders.
This issue may be especially problematic with engines that include a turbocharger (or supercharger) that introduces compressed air into only one end of a cylinder bank. Due to its proximity, the cylinder that is closest to the turbocharger may experience higher variations of air flow rate across its air intake ports than the rest of the cylinders (e.g., higher flow rates at intake ports facing the turbocharger). The higher variation of air flow rate may cause injected gaseous fuel to escape and enter an air box that surrounds the cylinders. Therefore, in these applications, the cylinder closest to the turbocharger may be especially susceptible to experiencing a reduction in gaseous fuel concentration as compared to the rest of the cylinders in the cylinder bank.
The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.


An embodiment of a floating shelf and mounting bracket provides two parts, a hollow metal shelf and a bracket. The metal shelf includes five enclosed sides. The metal shelf back side that mounts to a planar surface is partially open creating an integral mounting tab surface that allows the metal shelf to simply be lowered onto an offset upward bend of the mounting bracket that is attached to the planar surface, providing a quick and secure mounting method of the shelf without any visible brackets or hardware. An alternate embodiment includes notched openings in the metal shelf back side sized to receive and engage spacer posts on the mounting bracket upward bend for further lateral shelf stability.

Efforts to more efficiently use display and storage space using floating shelving attached to walls drives a large industry focused on providing various systems, including boxes, bins, shelves, stacking systems, and similar components. For example, the Danver floating shelf and inner frame includes bent metal tabs that protrude perpendicularly from the wall into the room. Once a shelf is mounted onto the tabs, the weight of the shelf and anything placed upon the shelf puts increased downward pressure on the tab ends. This unnecessary pressure or weight over time tends to slowly pull the screws attaching the wall bracket out of the wall.
Similarly, the BigBoy 1150 includes protruding dowel arms which require mounting hardware into the wall and solid shelving sized to receive the arms. Mounting and assembly depends upon measuring and precise location of the mounting hardware (screws).
Some floating shelf and mounting brackets include the French cleat hanger assembly, which does not lend itself readily to shelf mounting due to the requirement of the cleat element having to be held by the shelf which almost assuredly dictates a solid (and heavy) shelf which again limits the weight of anything placed upon the shelf and which tends to come away from the wall over time.
While the above examples and other known storage solutions demonstrate various approaches to exploiting use of floating shelving on existing wall space, there remain opportunities for developing improved hanging shelf storage solutions that are more easily installed, more easily leveled, and more secure.
Accordingly, there is a need for addressing problems associated with providing display floating shelving on a planar surface that is easy to assemble and install.
There is likewise a need to improve the stability of floating shelving attached to planar surfaces without the use of a wooden or metal support arm or tabs extending from the planar surface.
There is a corresponding need for an apparatus, system and/or method for floating selves and mounting bracketing that is simple, inexpensive, secure and durable.
Further it would be useful if multiple features can be incorporated into one assembly for floating shelves to provide a scalable approach for hanging a hollow floating metal shelf assembly over a range of uses.

Floating metal shelf and mounting bracket


Structures and methods to minimize parasitic capacitance in a circuit structure are provided. The structure may include a substrate supporting one or more circuits and one or more metallization layers above the substrate. The metallization layer includes a conductive pattern defined by an array of conductive fill elements, where the conductive fill elements of the array are discrete, electrically isolated elements sized to satisfy, at least in part, a pre-defined minimum area-occupation ratio for a chemical-mechanical polishing of the metallization layer, and to minimize parasitic capacitance within the metallization layer, as well as minimize parasitic capacitance between the metallization layer and the circuit, and if multiple metallization layers are present, between the layers.

The continually increasing demand for smaller circuit structures and faster device performance continues to drive innovation in improving design and performance of integrated circuits. As the size of circuit structures continues to shrink, parasitic capacitance induced in the circuit structures is increasingly becoming prominent as a source of performance degradation.

Metallization layers configured for reduced parasitic capacitance


Disclosed herein includes a drug delivery system comprising at least one peptide and a targeting ligand for bone fracture and/or for bone healing. Some embodiments include a peptide delivery system comprising at least an acidic, basic, hydrophilic, hydrophobic or neutral peptide linked to an acidic peptide or nonpeptidic polyanion for use in targeting the aforementioned attached peptide to a bone fracture surface. In some embodiments, a conjugated peptide expresses an anabolic function that acts through PTH receptor 1, and various formats of targeting ligands guide the drug to raw hydroxyapatite. This system offsets some side effects caused by free anabolic drug, such as high blood calcium concentration

This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. These statements are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is or what is not prior art.
Healthy bone is a mix of 50-70% mineral, 20-40% organic matrix, 5-10% water, and 1-5% lipids and is constantly being recycled into new bone in order to help healthy bone to maintain its rigidity and flexibility. At the beginning of this recycling process, monocytes receive several signals pushing them to differentiate into osteoclasts. Osteoblasts then express Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor κ B Ligand (RANKL) to the Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor κ B (RANK) surface receptor in monocytes, initiating the TRAF6 cascade, committing the monocytes to osteoclastogenesis. Mature osteoclasts then initiate healthy catabolic bone resorption. Anabolic processes begin as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are stimulated to become osteoblasts by the BMP-2/Runx2 and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Next, matured osteoblasts deposit osteoid, a component of the bone matrix primarily composed of type I collagen, which mineralizes and becomes new bone.
The annual frequency of bone fractures is approximately 6.3 Million in the United States. This alone is a major burden to our health care system. This problem is compounded by the maturing baby boomer generation and a general aging population in much of the developed world. With baby boomers increasing the frequency of osteoporosis, the frequency of complicated and life-threatening fractures will dramatically increase. Hip fractures alone are expected to increase 160% to 500.000/year by 2040. Even now in the 21st century. approximately a quarter of those 65 and older with hip fractures will die due to complications associated with immobility within a year after the injury. This raises a key public health concern.
Current clinical treatment of fractures generally does not include the use site-specific anabolic drugs. In fact, the only drugs approved for clinical use on such fractures are BMP-2 (approved for use only in tibial trauma) and BMP-7 (discontinued), which are applied locally and used in the treatment of open long bone fractures and spinal fusions. The need for broader application of anabolic drugs to treat bone maladies such as osteoporotic fractures is evident when one considers that 85% of the use of anabolics are off-label. (Ong, K. L. et al., Spine 35 (2010) 1794-1800). Still, the FDA judiciously continues to limit approved use of locally administered drugs to fractures that are already open and at risk of infection.
This limitation necessitates a clinically relevant approach to treating these types of fractures. Therefore it would be desirable to have a fracture treatment drug that is administered systemically yet targets the fracture site.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Fracture targeted bone regeneration through parathyroid hormone receptor stimulation


A vehicle control apparatus and methodology relate to an exhaust gas sensor and sensor heater associated with an exhaust passage of a vehicle engine. The exhaust gas sensor is selectively heated to an applicable activation temperature by the heater so that the sensor may output a normal and accurate sensing signal. The heating must take place, however, without causing damage to the sensor such as that resulting from condensation that may occur within the exhaust passage as a result of engine operation and environmental conditions.

In some engines, exhaust gas sensors, such as an air-fuel ratio sensor for sensing the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas and an O2 sensor for sensing the oxygen concentration, are attached to exhaust passages such as exhaust pipes. In order for such an exhaust gas sensor to output a normal and accurate sensing signal, it is generally necessary to raise the temperature of the exhaust gas sensor to an activation temperature. In such a case, an exhaust gas sensor is heated by a separate heating device such as a heater, because it takes a long time to solely heat an exhaust gas sensor by the heat contained in exhaust gas and passing through the exhaust passages.
On the other hand, in such an engine as an exhaust gas sensor is heated by a distinct heating device such as a heater, when condensation (where water vapor within an exhaust pipe is cooled down by outside air, and condensed into water) occurs at the exhaust gas sensor positioned in an exhaust passage while the exhaust gas sensor is being heated, it is possible that a heat shock may be caused in the exhaust gas sensor resulting in undesirable failure such as through cracking of a critical element of the sensor.
Accordingly, in Japanese Patent No. 3636047 an exhaust pipe temperature is estimated. When the estimated exhaust pipe temperature is higher than or equal to a predetermined value, it is judged that the temperature in an exhaust pipe is not at a temperature at which condensation occurs, and electric power supply to a heater is started. Conversely, stopping the supply of electric power to the heater associated with an exhaust gas sensor when the temperature in the exhaust passage is at a temperature at which condensation occurs, minimizes the chance of sensor failure (e.g., cracking of a sensor element), increasing the durability of the exhaust gas sensor.
According the Japanese Patent No. 3636047 the threshold temperature below which condensation occurs within the exhaust pipe is set by experiment to a substantially constant value (about 52° C. to 54° C.).

Vehicle control method and vehicle control apparatus


In ebullated bed hydroprocessing of a distillate hydrocarbon feedstock, it has been found that high pressure and low pressure heat exchange can be separated. Both the high pressure heat exchange and the fired heater fuel consumption are reduced. A control system provides for a constant distillate feedstock temperature in cooperation with heat integration.

1. Field Of The Invention
The invention relates to a hydroprocessing a petroleum distillate in an ebullated bed reactor.
2. Description Of Other Related Methods In The Field
Hydroprocessing is used in petroleum refineries to hydrogenate petroleum derived stocks. Hydrogenation removes sulfur, nitrogen, metals and other undesirable contaminants from the stock. Hydrogenation also saturates olefinic and aromatic compounds rendering the stock more stable to thermal degradation as well as stabilizing color. Hydroprocessing at more severe conditions is used to both hydrogenerate stocks as well as effect mild hydrocracking.
Hydroprocessing is typically carried out in a packed bed of catalyst. Hydroprocessing catalysts typically comprise a Group VI metal or a Group VIII metal such as nickel, cobalt or molybdenum on a porous solid support. Cobalt-molybdenum and nickel-molybdenum on an aluminum support are in wide commercial use in the industry for this purpose. The hydroprocessing reaction is carried out at a hydrogen partial pressure of 100 psia (6.8 atm) to 3000 psia (204 atm) and a temperature of 400.degree. F. (204.degree. C.) to 850.degree. F. (454.degree. C.).
A fixed bed hydrotreater typically comprises a charge pump, a make-up hydrogen compressor, feed/effluent and hydrogen/effluent heat exchanges, a charge heater, one or more reactors, product separators, a recycle hydrogen compressor and product fractionators.
An advancement in the art of packed bed hydrotreating is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,396 to R. M. Steinberg et al.
The ebullated bed process comprises the passing of concurrently flowing streams of liquids or slurries of liquids and solids and gas upwardly through a vertically elongated cylindrical vessel containing a catalyst bed. The catalyst in the bed is maintained in random motion in the liquid and has a gross volume dispersed through the liquid greater than the volume of the catalyst when stationary. This technology has been used commercially in the upgrading of heavy liquid hydrocarbons or converting coal to synthetic oils.
The process is generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 25,770 to Johanson incorporated herein by reference. A mixture of hydrocarbon liquid and hydrogen is passed upwardly through a bed of catalyst particles at a rate such that the particles are forced into random motion as the liquid and gas flow upwardly through the bed. The random catalyst motion is controlled by recycle liquid flow so that at steady state, the bulk of the catalyst does not rise above a definable level in the reactor. Vapors along with the liquid which is being hydrogenated are removed at the upper portion of the reactor.
The ebullated bed process has been found to be applicable to hydrocracking petroleum derived hydrocarbon distillate fractions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,580 to G. Nongbri et al. teaches an ebullated bed for hydrocracking a heavy vacuum gas oil fraction. This distillate fraction is recycled to extinction between an ebullated bed hydrocracker and a fluid catalytic cracker (FCC).

Ebullated bed hydroprocessing of petroleum distillates


The present invention enables a user to develop his/her leadership skills by participating in virtual business meetings with animated characters. The animated characters are managers and/or employees who work for the user in a fictitious corporation. Utilizing real-time animation and an advanced artificial intelligence and physics system, the software program enables the user to introduce, support, and oppose ideas and characters during virtual meetings. The logic of the program is built around a novel three-to-one leadership methodology. The user may participate in a number of meetings—each meeting configured to build upon the prior meeting. The user's progress is measured by metrics that graph various aspects of the user's and the animated characters' activity during each meeting based upon the three-to-one leadership methodology and provide a story-line continuation based upon the outcome of each meeting.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a computer-based simulation learning system that enables a user to interact with computer-generated characters to learn leadership skills and, more particularly, for a computer-based learning system wherein a user's leadership skills are developed through communicating with computer-generated characters by verbal and physical (body language) communication.
2. Background of the Related Art
Leadership training traditionally depended on a teacher/student model where the teacher instructs students from the front of a classroom on the do's and don'ts of leadership, walks students through roll-playing scenarios, and provides a short test to determine whether the students absorbed any of the information disseminated during the training session.
The traditional method has its merits, however, it has a number of drawbacks as well. One drawback is that teachers tend to take a purely pedagogical approach, pontificating on the rules of leadership, and spend little if any time on implementing the lessons they teach. Another drawback is that providing such leadership training requires the expenditure of a significant amount of resources, including the cost of the teacher and the time managers spend away from their jobs to attend training. Yet another drawback is that it is difficult via the traditional method to provide uniform training to a large number of individuals, such as that found in medium to large corporations.
The ubiquitous nature of computer systems in industry has prompted a number of software developers to create computer-based learning systems that attempt to address the deficiencies of traditional leadership training. Examples of such systems are sold by Ninth House Network (San Francisco, Calif.) and Imparta Ltd. (London, UK). In Ninth House's system, video-based simulations play out like TV dramas. Following a brief video to set the stage, users are asked to choose from a series of responses that direct a course of action, made possible by a technique known as branching video. An advantage of these computer-based systems is that they are more accessible to larger numbers of managers since you only need a desktop computer system to use them. A significant disadvantage is that such systems provide little more than high-end video instruction resulting in a lack of user interactivity, that is, the user becomes more of an observer and less of a participant in the learning experience.
There are prior-art computer systems that have attempted to simulate user/computer-animated character interactivity, however, they are not directed toward teaching leadership skills. Furthermore, the prior-art computer systems are intended to reproduce user activity (e.g., create computer-animated character versions of participants in a chat session), or inadequately attempt to provide a computer-animated character that can interact with a user. Examples of such prior-art computer systems follow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,003, to Gechter, discloses an interactive, electronic game apparatus for playing a game in which game characters appearing on a display are responsive to inputs from a game user. The apparatus includes a visual display presenting an observable state of the game and of the game characters to the game user in response to a display signal; an input device for interactively entering user input signals representative of user interaction with game characters; and processing means receiving the user input signals from the input device and generating the display signal and outputting the display signal to the visual display.
The processing means includes an extensible plurality of independent character behavior controllers for determining the behavior of respective game characters, each character behavior controller containing independent behavior logic to determine states and state transitions of its respective game character as represented to the user by the display means. The character behavior controllers are responsive to the user input signals and to game control signals for adjusting the behavior of the respective game characters. The apparatus also includes a game controller for coordinating the behavior of the game characters. The game controller contains logic to determine consistent game states for the game and the characters, and transmit game control signals to the character behavior controllers so that the state of the game and of the game characters is a consistent game state. The apparatus also includes an operating application for operation of the character behavior controllers and the game controller on the processing means. Each character behavior controller includes an independent dynamically-linked procedure invoked by the operating application. The game controller includes logic to add new character behavior controllers to the game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,731, to Liles et al., discloses a system using avatars to represent participants in a graphic chat session that are periodically animated to produce a gesture that conveys an emotion, action, or personality trait. Each participant in the chat session is enabled to select one of a plurality of different avatars to represent the participant in a graphic chat session. Associated with each avatar is a bitmap file that includes a plurality of frames illustrating the avatar in different poses, actions, and emotional states. Selected frames are displayed in rapid sequence in accord with a script file to create an animation effecting each gesture. The same script file is used to define a gesture for all of the avatars used in the chat session. A selected gesture can be transmitted with a text message to convey the user's emotional state. A gesture associated with the avatar is automatically displayed from time to time when the avatar is not otherwise gesturing or moving. The user can determine participants in the chat session with whom the user will interact, e.g., by defining a proximity radius around the user's avatar or by selecting the specific participants from a list. Avatars of participants that are outside the proximity radius (or otherwise not selected) and messages received from them are not displayed on the user's monitor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,306, to Nitta, discloses a network-based animated electronic meeting place for business meetings, education, simulated classrooms, casual encounters, personal meetings, art auctions, parties and game playing, which includes a terminal for each participant on the network and local pre-stored animation graphics, with simulated participants in the form of animated characters or dolls being driven through sensing of each of the participants at their respective work stations, including their position, posture, gestures, audio content and optionally that persona which each individual wishes to be displayed at the animated electronic meeting place. In one embodiment, a user chooses how he represents himself on the screen through the use of a persona or character control. The animated electronic meeting place is provided with real time 3-D graphics renderings, showing the meeting with all of the participants including the individual participant as himself, a microphone to capture the user's speech, digital sound processing for voice localization, and position sensors to detect the participant's gestures and/or facial expressions as well as body movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,743, to Shiio et al., discloses a terminal apparatus for a virtual conference system including a display means for displaying a virtual conference room used for holding a virtual conference and for displaying, in the virtual conference room, animated characters representing attendants at the virtual conference; an indication means for indicating an action of an animated character representing the user; an information output means for outputting action information for the animated character representing the user indicated by the indication means; and character control means for actuating the other animated characters in accordance with input action information for the other animated characters, and for actuating the animated character representing the user in accordance with the indicated action.
What is needed is a learning system that takes advantage of the ubiquitous nature of computer systems so that the learning system can be made available to a large number of users. In addition, a learning system is needed that provides users with a high level of interactivity so that roll-playing remains a part of the learning experience. The learning system should provide real-time feedback to users and a real-life learning experience.
These and other features of the system disclosed herein will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the figures.


A mastopexy implant for maintaining the breast in an elevated and aesthetically pleasing position includes a lower pole support comprising end portions which may be affixed to the chest wall or to a previously installed upper suspension strut. The implant is loaded in an insertion device. The insertion device is inserted through a small incision and into a subcutaneous pocket created in an inferior half of the breast. The lower pole support may have various constructs and in one embodiment includes a unitary conformable mesh having a plurality of arm or band members which are attached across the breast parenchyma and to the chest wall.

Breast ptosis involves an inferior displacement or sagging of breast parenchyma accompanied by an inferior displacement of the nipple-areolar complex (NAC) with respect to the inframammary fold (IMF). Breast ptosis may be found in patients with normal breast size, with relatively small breast size (hypoplasia) or with enlarged breast size (hypertrophy). The combination of ptosis and hypoplasia may be found in the post-partum breast, as the relative breast enlargement of pregnancy and lactation recedes, leaving behind a stretched skin envelope that contains the involuted parenchyma. Hypertrophic breasts typically include some component of breast ptosis in addition to enlarged size.
Breast ptosis is categoried according to the position of the NAC relative to the IMF and relative to the lower pole of breast tissue. Grade 1 ptosis is considered mild, with the nipple just below the IMF but still above the lower pole. Grade 2 ptosis is considered moderate, with the nipple further below the IMF, but with some lower pole tissue below the nipple. Grade 3, severe ptosis, has the nipple well below the IMF, and no lower pole tissue below the nipple. Pseudoptosis, observed with postpartum breast atrophy, includes inferior pole ptosis, with the nipple positioned at or above the IMF.
Mastopexy is a surgical procedure performed to correct breast ptosis. Its goals are to restore the normal contour of the breast mound and to reposition the NAC. To achieve this goal, the excess breast skin is removed or tightened, the parenchymal volume is augmented or reduced as needed, and the NAC is repositioned. The choice of technique is based on the desired final breast size and the degree of ptosis. For minimal ptosis and breast hypoplasia, breast augmentation is sometimes employed in lieu of mastopexy even though it involves the use of a silicone implant. Breast augmentation involves the placement of a breast implant underneath the breast parenchyma, usually through an inframammary fold incision. The implant pushes the parenchyma up and out for a less ptotic and larger appearance. The projection is much more pronounced when the implants are placed in the subglandular position compared to the submuscular position.
When more ptosis correction is required, the traditional mastopexy employs NAC repositioning and/or skin resection. A variety of skin incisions may be used, each leaving its own characteristic scar pattern after healing. Skin incisions include the wise or anchor pattern, the circumareolar incision, and the periareolar incision.
Because it is a voluntary, cosmetic procedure, avoiding or minimizing skin incisions adds to the challenge of mastopexy surgery. Mastopexy surgery has traditionally been accompanied by considerable scarring. The extensive scars of the Wise pattern mastopexy, for example, may be necessary if major repositioning and resection is performed, but they represent a significant drawback to the procedure. Though endoscopic techniques have been devised for mastopexy procedures, open surgery is required in many cases to move the nipple, remove excess tissue, or recontour the breast mound. Even if the "anchor" scars of the Wise pattern can be avoided, other open mastopexy techniques still create visible scars on the breast.
The crescent, or periareolar incision may provide for the least noticeable scars; however, serious areola stretching or tissue necrosis is a not infrequent problem as all of the newly lifted parenchymal weight is supported by suture around the areola.
With traditional mastopexy procedures, the tightened skin envelope provides the main support for the lifted breast. Breast implants can be used to fill out the breast contour superiorly, this procedure is termed the augmentation-mastopexy. The augmentation-mastopexy procedure has higher risk of morbidity and twice the number of scars.
Breast flap repositioning can also be used to fill out the superior contour of the breast; however, this type of breast mound repositioning is a significantly more invasive and complex procedure that involves transposing lower pole tissue bulk and moving it superiorly and securing it to a deeper and higher tissue plane.
Irrespective of the type of mastopexy procedure performed, it is standard procedure that the tightened skin remains the primary support used to keep the breast mound elevated. As the lower pole skin stretches over time as it did in the first instance, ptosis can recur or pseudoptosis ("bottoming out") can take place. Placement of a breast implant leads to additional weight upon the skin of the lower pole, possibly leading to more rapid skin expansion and recurrent ptosis.
For retaining an upright configuration to the lifted breast and avoiding the post-operative sequelae of recurrent ptosis or pseudoptosis, or "bottoming out", certain authors have advocated the use of permanent prosthetics such as polypropylene mesh or silicone sheeting to reinforce the lower pole (see, for example, the Orbix breast lifting kit manufactured by Orbix Medical, Tel Aviv, Israel) or wrap the entire parenchyma (see, for example, the Breform™ device, manufactured by Aspide Medical, St. Etienne, France). Concerns about leaving foreign bodies permanently in the breast have limited the widespread adoption of these techniques somewhat. A permanent foreign body, according to the literature, is prone to infection and can facilitate a chronic inflammatory reaction. Furthermore, chronic foreign body reactions are often linked to hardening of the tissue and capsular contracture in the same manner as that associated with breast implants. Moreover, a permanent foreign body can interfere with breast cancer surveillance and can distort tissue planes if an oncological procedure is required.
Various permanent sheets such as polypropylene or polyester meshes have been wrapped around the parenchyma (see, for example, the Breform™ device, manufactured by Aspide Medical, St. Etienne, France), but lack an anchoring element that removes load from the skin of the lower pole, thus subjecting the wrapped breast not only to the potential chronic inflammatory response but also to the same ptotic forces as before surgery. Permanent silicone sheets have also been used to cradle the lower pole, which is then suspended from screws in the ribcage, placing all of the load force on one or two fixation points high above the nipple. Additionally, various minimally invasive mastopexy procedures are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,670,372 to Orbix and Patent Publication No. 2008/0027273 to Gutterman.
More recently, allograft or xenograft products have been proposed as suitable to provide extra support for breast tissue or breast implants during post-mastectomy reconstruction. For example, acellular cadaveric dermal matrix or crosslinked bovine or ovine dermal matrix or collagen have been proposed. Acellular cadaveric dermal matrix has been used extensively in procedures to extend the skin flap or reposition the breast during reconstruction procedures. Depending upon the degree of processing involved in the formation of these constructs, they gradually degrade and sometimes resorb, and there is anecdotal evidence that they are replaced with tissue. If degradation occurs too quickly, though, these tissue matrices are not replaced by scar tissue and the patient can suffer recurrent ptosis and "bottoming out." And if they do not resorb or resorb quite slowly, there is evidence in the literature that they cause increased seroma formation and infection compared to natural tissue flaps. As with the synthetic mesh, these devices require full open procedures and do not alleviate scarring.
A further challenge for mastopexy surgeons is the evolving aesthetic of the upper pole. While traditional mastopexy techniques focused on elevation of the ptotic NAC and lower pole, there is contemporary demand for a fuller look to the upper pole as well. Upper pole fullness, commonly seen following breast augmentation surgery with silicone and shaped implants, has become the paradigm to which some women aspire when thinking about breast surgery. This aesthetic can motivate a mastopexy patient to seek a fuller upper pole in conjunction with a lifted lower pole, a tightened inferior skin envelope and a repositioned NAC.
There remains a need in the art, therefore, for systems and methods of mastopexy that provide the creation or restoration of an uplifted breast shape in a more durable way, as well as preventing post-operative pseudoptosis or recurrent ptosis without compromising the safety or aesthetic quality of the surgical outcome. Desirably, this solution would avoid the potential complications that can accompany the standard mastopexy procedure, permanent mesh placement and/or breast implants while providing long-lasting support for the reshaped breast. For example, it would be desirable to deploy soft-tissue promoting resorbable scaffolds and supports or a long-lasting resorbable matrix that is elastic enough to permit a natural dynamic appearance to the breast via smaller incisions such that, once placed, they offer a good balance between scarring, tissue ingrowth and ultimate resorption. There is a further need in the art for mastopexy techniques that can provide a fuller contour for the upper pole, to satisfy patient aesthetic demands. And, as previously mentioned, avoiding or minimizing scars remains a desirable goal.


A semiconductor integrated circuit device is configured by eight transistors including the six transistors configuring the data holding section and the two NMOS transistors configuring the reading stage. The threshold voltage of the NMOS transistors configuring the reading stage is set low and the threshold voltage of the six transistors configuring the data holding section is set higher than the threshold voltage of the NMOS transistors configuring the reading stage. The cell current flowing from the bit line to the ground terminal can be set large and the large static noise margin (SNM) can be attained.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a static random access memory (which is hereinafter referred to as an SRAM) and is utilized for a semiconductor integrated circuit device having an SRAM mounted thereon, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various problems appear in the SRAM with an increase in the memory capacity and a lowering in the voltage. The prior art of the SRAM and the problem associated therewith are explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a memory cell (which is hereinafter referred to as an SRAM cell) used to configure a conventional 6-transistor SRAM. The conventional SRAM cell has first and second inverters I1, 12 which are cross coupled and respectively connected to complementary paired bit lines BL, /BL via first and second transfer gate transistors T1 and T2. The first, second inverters I1, 12 are respectively configured by first, second driver transistors D1, D2 and first, second load transistors L1, L2 (for example, refer to FIG. 2 in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-58675). In this case, the transfer gate transistors T1 and T2, driver transistors D1, D2 and load transistors L1, L2 are designed to have the same gate length (L), the same gate width (W) and the same threshold voltage (Vth).
At the read time, cell data is read out to the bit line pair by activating the word line WL to drive one of the paired bit lines BL and /BL to the "L" potential side by use of a cell current Ic. Further, at the write time, data is written into a memory cell by activating the word line WL to bias the paired bit lines BL, /BL to desired data polarities.
FIG. 2 shows a bistable characteristic (butterfly curve) indicating the data storage stability in the conventional SRAM cell. The curve indicates the transfer curve (VNB-VNA static characteristic) of the first inverter I1 obtained by respectively plotting VNB, VNA on the abscissa and ordinate and the transfer curve of the second inverter I2 obtained by respectively plotting VNA, VNB on the abscissa and ordinate where VNA, VNB indicate storage node potentials of the SRAM cell shown in FIG. 1.
At this time, the word line WL and bit line pair BL, /BL are biased to power supply voltage VDD. In FIG. 2, the state in which the SRAM cell holds "1" data, that is, the node potential VNA is set at "H" and the node potential VNB is set at "L" corresponds to an intersection XB of the above two transfer curves and the state in which the SRAM cell holds "0" data corresponds to an intersection XA.
The length of one side of maximum squares which respectively internally touch two regions surrounded by the two transfer curves is defined as a static noise margin (SNM). Generally, the stability of data stored in the SRAM cell becomes higher and data destruction due to power supply voltage noise in the chip becomes more difficult to occur as the static noise margin becomes larger. Therefore, it becomes important to set a large static noise margin when designing the SRAM cell.
Further, the X coordinate of a point A at which the transfer curve starts to drop from the power supply voltage VDD is set to threshold voltage Vthn of the driver transistor D1. As is clearly understood from FIG. 2, the static noise margin can be enlarged by enhancing the threshold voltage Vthn of the driver transistor D1. In this case, however, if the threshold voltage Vthn is enhanced, the cell current Ic is reduced and the operation speed is lowered.
Thus, in the conventional case, an attempt to enhance the stability (increase SNM) of data storage in the SRAM cell and setting a larger cell current are set in a trade-off relation when the threshold voltage of the driver transistor is set. In recent years, as the SRAM cell is miniaturized and the driving voltage becomes lower, the problems that the set window of the threshold voltage of the driver transistor which simultaneously satisfies the above two conditions becomes narrower and the cell designing becomes difficult occur.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device having static random access memory mounted thereon


A gimbal design for a hard disk drive are disclosed. In one embodiment, a gimbal tongue is supported by a gimbal cross bar coupled to a suspension body by a pair of gimbal struts. A pair of grounding pads are mounted on either side of the leading edge of the gimbal tongue. A first limiter tab is coupled to the leading edge of the gimbal tongue and a second limiter tab is coupled to the trailing edge of the gimbal tongue. Notches on either side of the trailing edge limiter tab increase the strength of the tab. One or more cutouts allow the slider to be electrically coupled to bonding pads on the opposite side of the gimbal tongue. Angled slots at the juncture of the gimbal cross bar and the gimbal tongue relieve stress on the gimbal.

The present invention relates to magnetic hard disk drives. More specifically, the present invention relates to a gimbal design.
Hard disk drives are common information storage devices essentially consisting of a series of rotatable disks, or other magnetic storage mediums that are accessed by magnetic reading and writing elements. These data transferring elements, commonly known as transducers, are typically carried by and embedded in a slider body that is held in a close relative position over discrete data tracks formed on a disk to permit a read or write operation to be carried out. In order to properly position the transducer with respect to the disk surface, an air bearing surface (ABS) formed on the slider body experiences a fluid air flow that provides sufficient lift force to "fly" the slider and transducer above the disk data tracks. The high speed rotation of a magnetic disk generates a stream of air flow or wind along its surface in a direction substantially parallel to the tangential velocity of the disk. The air flow cooperates with the ABS of the slider body which enables the slider to fly above the spinning disk. In effect, the suspended slider is physically separated from the disk surface through this self-actuating air bearing.
Some of the major objectives in ABS designs are to fly the slider and its accompanying transducer as close as possible to the surface of the rotating disk, and to uniformly maintain that constant close distance regardless of variable flying conditions. The height or separation gap between the air bearing slider and the spinning magnetic disk is commonly defined as the flying height. In general, the mounted transducer or read/write element flies only approximately a few micro-inches above the surface of the rotating disk. The flying height of the slider is viewed as one of the most critical parameters affecting the magnetic disk reading and recording capabilities of a mounted read/write element. A relatively small flying height allows the transducer to achieve greater resolution between different data bit locations on the disk surface, thus improving data density and storage capacity. With the increasing popularity of lightweight and compact notebook type computers that utilize relatively small yet powerful disk drives, the need for a progressively lower flying height has continually grown.
FIG. 1 illustrates a hard disk drive design typical in the art. Hard disk drives 100 are common information storage devices consisting essentially of a series of rotatable disks 104 that are accessed by magnetic reading and writing elements. These data transferring elements, commonly known as transducers, are typically carried by and embedded in a slider body 110 that is held in a close relative position over discrete data tracks formed on a disk to permit a read or write operation to be carried out. The slider is held above the disks by a suspension. The suspension has a load beam and flexure allowing for movement in a direction perpendicular to the disk. The suspension is rotated around a pivot by a voice coil motor to provide coarse position adjustments. A micro-actuator couples the slider to the end of the suspension and allows fine position adjustments to be made.
In order to properly position the transducer with respect to the disk surface, an air bearing surface (ABS) formed on the slider body 110 experiences a fluid air flow that provides sufficient lift force to "fly" the slider 110 (and transducer) above the disk data tracks. The high speed rotation of a magnetic disk 104 generates a stream of air flow or wind along its surface in a direction substantially parallel to the tangential velocity of the disk. The airflow cooperates with the ABS of the slider body 110 which enables the slider to fly above the spinning disk. In effect, the suspended slider 110 is physically separated from the disk surface 104 through this self-actuating air bearing. The ABS of a slider 110 is generally configured on the slider surface facing the rotating disk 104, and greatly influences its ability to fly over the disk under various conditions. To control the in-plane motion of the slider, especially to access various data tracks on the disk surface, the head suspension assembly (HSA) typically incorporates a primary actuator. The primary actuator may be a voice coil located at the end opposite the read/write head. Due to the large inertia of the HSA, the primary actuator has limited bandwidth. Vibration of the suspension makes it difficult to control the read/write head position from a distance. The primary actuator along has difficulty achieving the speed and accuracy of position required.
Advanced disk drive design incorporates a secondary actuator, or micro-actuator, between the read/write head and the pivotal axis of the HSA. The stroke, or distance of displacement in relation to the voltage applied, of these micro-actuators is typically in the order of 1 μm. FIG. 2a illustrates a micro-actuator with a U-shaped ceramic frame configuration 201. The frame 201 is made of, for example, Zirconia. The frame 201 has two arms 202 opposite a base 203. A slider 204 is held by the two arms 202 at the end opposite the base 203. A strip of piezoelectric material 205 is attached to each arm 202. A bonding pad 206 allows the slider 204 to be electronically connected to a controller. FIG. 2b illustrates the micro-actuator as attached to an actuator suspension flexure 207 and load beam 208. The micro-actuator can be coupled to a suspension tongue 209. Traces 210, coupled along the suspension flexure 207, connect the strips of piezoelectric material 205 to a set of connection pads 211. Voltages applied to the connection pads 211 cause the strips 205 to contract and expand, moving the placement of the slider 204. The suspension flexure 207 can be attached to a base plate 212 with a hole 213 for mounting on a pivot via a suspension hinge 214. A tooling hole 215 facilitates handling of the suspension during manufacture and a suspension hole 216 lightens the weight of the suspension.
In most gimbal designs, epoxy potting and Gold Ball Bonding (GBB) are used to mount the slider and transducer to the suspension tongue. Epoxy has a tendency to expand when exposed to a high ambient temperature, causing slider crown change and affecting the slider flying height above the disks. GBB requires a large force to be applied on the suspension, and may lead to changes in the pitch static attitude. Moreover, sparks may occur causing damage to the transducers, which are highly sensitive to Electrostatic Discharge (ESD).

Gimbal design with solder ball bond pads and trailing edge limiter tab for a recording head


A microporous, hydrophilic polymer film has a morphology composed of distinctively interconnected pores, which are desirably surface-open. In particular aspects, the film can provide for a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) value of at least about 1000 grams per square meter per 24 hours per mil (0.00254 cm) of film thickness. The film can exhibit a modulus of not less than about 1 MPa, and may also exhibit an elongation strain at break of at least about 100% in both its machine and transverse directions. The film can also provide for a water contact angle of not more than about 80 degrees. In other aspects, the porous film can also include other properties or characteristics, such as a desired tensile strength at break, a desired elongation-at-break, and voids or pores having distinctive shapes, sizes, distributions and configurations.

Polyolefins, such as polyethylene and polypropylene-based films and nonwovens, have been widely used as structural components of disposable personal care products. Polyolefins provide many functional benefits, such as low cost, improved processibility, and a broad range of grades having tailored melt and solid state properties. Conventional polyolefins, however, are hydrophobic and do not provide a desired water responsive functionality.
Porous materials can be made by a variety of conventional techniques. For example, conventional phase separation methods have involved a mixing of a polymer resin with diluent or plasticizer, a quenching the polymer blend to induce phase separation, and a washing away of the diluent to leave a developed porous structure. The morphology of the porous structure can mainly depend on the type and amount of the diluent, the mixing efficiency and the washing technique. Other techniques have involved a multi-step stretching of polymer films, environmental crazing, and an addition of a blowing or swelling agent to create the microporous structure. Conventional techniques, such as those described above, however, have been limited in their ability to control the microporous morphology and the properties of the material. The techniques have also been unable to produce microporous films at a sufficiently high speed, and have not been adequately cost efficient for producing materials having desired physical and performance characteristics.
Porous films have been also made by incorporating filler particles into a polymer material and stretching the material to form a film with the voids induced by the filler. Technologies based upon the incorporation of filler particles introduces a range of variables, such as the type of filler, the amount of filler, the filler particle size and size distribution, any surface-modifications made to the filler particles, the mode or method of stretching the film, and the like. Each of these factors can affect the morphology and properties of the porous film.
Conventional porous films, such as those described above, have not been able to provide desired combinations of mechanical properties and water accessibility. In addition, the techniques have not adequately produced porous films having desired combinations of high wettability, high permeability to liquid, and high tensile strength. As a result, there has been a continuing need for polymer films, such as polyolefin-based films, having improved porous structures, such as porous films can have a microstructure which provides rapid water access into the material systems, can have high flexibility and low friction for flushability, and can have high strength, durability and softness to provided desired levels of in-use performance.

Microporous film with improved properties


An aqueous parts washing machine includes a main tank and a submersion tank disposed within the main tank. The submersion tank is supported in spaced relation from the walls and floor of the main tank. An aqueous cleaning solution fills the submersion tank and partially fills the main tank. A pumping system circulates the cleaning solution within the submersion and main tank. The pumping system includes a pump for drawing solution from the main tank and a solution agitation member for receiving solution from the pump and injecting the solution into the submersion tank to agitate solution within the submersion tank. The pumping system further includes a sparging mechanism for projecting solution from the pump across an upper surface of solution within the submersion tank to skim an oil deposit on the upper surface over an edge of the submersion tank.

1. Field of the Invention
This application pertains to an apparatus for washing (e.g., machine parts) parts. More particularly, this invention pertains to such an apparatus which uses an aqueous washing solution.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the machine tool industry, it is necessary to clean machined parts after they have been manufactured. Typically, during the machining process, cooling oils and other fluids are applied to the parts during the machining process. These oils and fluids must be cleaned from the parts before inventory and shipment. Also, parts cleaning is needed in other industries (e.g., the automobile service industry and maintenance industries).
In the past, cleaning solutions were primarily petroleum distillates. However, due to environmental concerns, the industry has moved to a preference for aqueous cleaning solutions. The use of aqueous solutions has provided a need to heat the solution to increase its cleaning capability as well as means to remove oils from the solution.
A typical parts washer may include a submersion tank which is placed within a larger tank of cleaning fluid. It is desirable to provide a mechanism to permit ready access to all internal elements for maintenance and cleaning.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an aqueous parts washer which efficiently removes oil contaminants and permits ready assembly and disassembly for purposes of maintenance and cleaning.


A system and method of calibrating a phase-locked loop (PLL) having at least a phase detector, a frequency divider and a local oscillator are provided. The disclosed example includes generating a lock window signal based on a feedback signal generated by the frequency divider where the lock window signal may form an active lock window relative to each significant edge of the feedback signal, generating a sampled window signal based on samples of the lock window signal at each significant edge of a reference signal, and estimating a phase offset between the reference signal and the feedback signal based on a number of consecutive samples of the sampled window signal that are active.

Phase-locked loop circuits are commonly used in applications that rely on stable and programmable output frequencies. A typical PLL may be provided in conjunction with a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to produce a desired output frequency that is phase-locked to a reference frequency from a local oscillator, for example. More specifically, a PLL may include a feedback divider for generating an output frequency as a function of programmable ratios and the VCO output, and a phase detector for monitoring phase differences between the reference frequency and the divided output frequency. In addition, a PLL may include a charge pump for generating a signal that is proportional to the phase difference assessed by the phase detector. In response to the charge pump signal, a loop filter of the PLL can be used to output the appropriate voltage or current to adjust the VCO and the output frequency thereof to match the phase of the reference frequency.
Due to the initially arbitrary phase-offset, there are certain delays inherently associated with the phase-matching processes of conventional PLL circuits. For instance, during frequency calibration and phase-lock detection, there can be inherent delays associated with determining whether the output frequency is higher or lower with respect to the reference frequency, and determining whether the phase-offset exceeds predefined limits. Such delays can adversely affect not only the overall performance of the PLL, but may also contribute to the collective delays associated with other devices relying on the accuracy of the PLL. These delays may further translate into an increase in overall energy consumption, and in relation to mobile or portable electronic devices, a decrease in battery life. A need therefore exists for more efficient PLLs.

Apparatus and methods for phase-locked loop oscillator calibration and lock detection


To provide a semiconductor integrated circuit in which a clock signal supplied to each flip-flop will not be adversely affected when a functional change is made using a spare flip-flop. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of main flip-flops which contribute to a predetermined function, a plurality of spare flip-flops, and a clock tree synthesis circuit that generates a clock signal which is adjusted for synchronizing the plurality of main flip-flops and the plurality of spare flip-flops and supplies the adjusted clock signal to the plurality of main flip-flops and the plurality of spare flip-flops.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit in which spare flip-flops are contained beforehand as repair cells.
2. Related Art
With a rapid expansion of the market of products that carry semiconductor integrated circuits in recent years, the semiconductor integrated circuit products are increasingly diversified and sophisticated and their life cycles are shortening. Under such circumstances, short-term development and high functionality are required of semiconductor integrated circuits.
Also, as semiconductor manufacturing technologies progress, a large-scale circuit previously uncontainable in a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip can now be implemented in a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip through microfabrication.
This creates a demand for semiconductor integrated circuit design techniques that enable an enormous size of circuit to be packed on a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip in a short time.
The use of a most advanced microfabrication technique in semiconductor integrated circuit design has advantages such as reducing a total semiconductor cost in a product system and allowing a large-scale circuit to be packed on a single semiconductor integrated circuit chip, but also has disadvantages such as a longer diffusion period, a higher mask price, greater difficulty in timing design for signal integrity, and a longer functional inspection period.
In view of this, the following method is conventionally used to develop a high-performance large-scale semiconductor integrated circuit in a short time. In addition to logic circuits that achieve a predetermined function, logic circuits for functional changes are placed beforehand in a semiconductor integrated circuit as repair cells, so that a functional change can be easily made in a short time by changing a wiring layer after placement of an order for masks for composing transistors.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-150659 discloses one example of layout design method that uses repair cells.
According to this method, in an initial circuit design stage, spare standard cells for circuit changes are inserted in a layout in anticipation of circuit changes which may later become necessary, so that a circuit change can be made to remove a timing constraint violation or the like found after layout design or manufacture of a semiconductor integrated circuit. This being so, when a circuit change becomes necessary, the change can be made by using only a repair standard cell and wiring.
According to this conventional technique, the spare standard cells are placed beforehand, so that a circuit change can be made by using only a spare standard cell and wiring. However, to supply a clock signal to the spare standard cell used for the circuit change, it is necessary to form a new wire for supplying the clock signal to the spare standard cell. This may disturb the balance in timing adjustment of the clock signal supplied to main standard cells used for achieving the original function of the semiconductor integrated circuit. Also, crosstalk may occur between the new wire and its neighboring signal line, which can further disturb the balance in timing adjustment of the clock signal.
Due to these problems, it is difficult to perform a circuit change without disturbing synchronization. This makes it impossible to reduce a design time.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The invention provides an automatic ligation tool which comfortably and quickly fastens ligature wires to brackets. There is provided an automatic ligation tool for orthodontists for fastening ligature wires to a bracket, that includes a tube with a first end portion having a side provided with first and second openings, a second end portion having an outer surface and an external screw thread on the outer surface, and an inner surface provided with a protuberance; a body including an inner surface provided with an internal screw thread associated with the external thread of the tube, guide grooves formed along the longitudinal direction on the inner surface of the body and a circumscribed groove formed between the internal screw thread and the guide grooves on the inner surface of the body; a rotation shaft inserted into the tube and the body, the shaft having first and second end parts, the first end part formed as a hook which extends out of the first opening, the first end part having an end extending into the second opening, the shaft having guide pins fitting in and sliding along the guide grooves; an elastic device positioned between the protuberance and the guide pins for providing a return force for the shaft; and a driving mechanism connected with the second and part of the shaft for rotating the shaft to fasten the ligature wire gripped by the hook to the bracket.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic ligation tool, and more specifically, to an automatic ligation tool capable of fastening ligature wire to an orthodontic bracket using a driving apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the important functions of orthodontics is to correct irregular arrangements of teeth in the dental arch. The is conventional technique for correcting such irregular arrangements of teeth includes the use of mounting a metal arch wire with a bracket an each tooth. Corrective forces are then imparted to selected teeth by means of ligature wires, springs and tensioning devices including elastic ligatures in the form at elastic O-rings and the like.
Generally, as can be seen in FIG. 1, an orthodontic bracket is composed of a base 31, a slot 32a, an identification mark 34, and a stem 32 having tie wing 32b. The base 31 is slightly larger than the center section of the bracket 102 and is concave to conform to the surface of the patient's tooth. The slot 32a is slightly angled to the horizontal center line of the bracket 102 to receive an arch wire 33 which makes an ideal dentition. The tie wing 32b is of rhomboidal construction and is used for securing and coming in contact with a ligature wire 35. The identification mark allows an orthodontist quicker identification when rebinding a loose bracket. The ligature wire 35 holds the arch wire 33 which makes an ideal dentition after the bracket 102 is set to the patient's teeth. The stem is an integral part of the base 31, which receives the ligature wire 35 or an elastic ligature.
As more clearly shown FIG. 2B a ligature wire 42, to be fastened to the bracket 102, has an elongated portion to receive and fix the arch wire, and a rectangular or oblong portion to receive the bracket. In fastening the ligature wire 42 to the bracket 102 to impart corrective forces, the steps for operating the ligature wire 42 are as follows: the first step is to grasp the end portion of the ligature wire 42 and to mount the rectangular portion on the stem formed between the tie wings 32a and the base 31; and the second step is to stretch the ligature wire 42 and rotate the end portion about 10 to 13 times. Therefore, in order to fasten such ligature wires to the bracket, an orthodontic ligature plier 41 known in the prior art has been used, as shown in FIG. 2A.
However, the prior art system for fastening the ligature wire by means of the aforementioned ligature plier has problems in that the operator easily fatigues when he fastens a lot of ligature wires to the brackets, and it takes the operator a lot of time to rotate each ligature wire by using the ligature plier. To overcome these disadvantages of the prior art of fastening the ligature wire to the bracket by means of the ligature plier, the dentist attaches the elastic ligature 43 onto the stem of the bracket, as shown in FIG. 2C. The elastic ligature 43 fastens the bracket 102 to the arch wire 33. The elastic ligature 43 having a high friction coefficient, however, hinders the bracket 102 from moving along the arch wire 33. Also, the elastic ligature 41 will change its color in an oral cavity and decrease its elasticity with the absorption of moisture.
The present invention provides an automatic ligation tool which overcomes the above mentioned problems of the prior art system for attaching the bracket. The automatic ligation tool according to the present invention allows the dentist to comfortably and quickly fasten the ligature wire to the bracket, and will serve well in the orthodontic field.

Automatic ligation tool to fasten ligature wire to orthodontic bracket using driving apparatus


The present invention provides a method of correcting coordinates so as to quickly and properly arrange a sample in a field of view in a review apparatus for moving a sample stage onto the specified coordinates to review the sample. A review apparatus according to the present invention, which is a review apparatus for moving a sample stage onto coordinates previously calculated by a checking apparatus to review the sample, has a function of retaining a plurality of coordinate correction tables to correct a deviation between a coordinate value previously calculated by a checking apparatus and an actual sample position detected by the review apparatus. The review apparatus evaluates correction accuracy of the plurality of coordinate correction tables and applies one of the coordinate correction tables with the maximum evaluation value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for correcting coordinates so as to arrange a sample in a field of view in a review apparatus for moving a sample stage onto the specified coordinates to review the sample. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for deciding a position for review based on information of a position of a defect detected by a higher-level checking apparatus like an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) based defect review apparatus.
2. Background Art
In semiconductor manufacturing, it is important to find defects appearing during a manufacturing process in early phases and take measures against the defects in order to ensure yield enhancement. In recent years, even slight defects have nonnegligible effects on yields as semiconductors become smaller, hence making the size of defects to be reviewed smaller.
An SEM-based defect review apparatus is an apparatus for reviewing such slight defects. The apparatus generally reviews defects based on positions of the defects detected by an optical checking apparatus. In this way, before the SEM-based defect review apparatus reviews in detail the defects detected by the checking apparatus, the checking apparatus executes the defect detecting processing as preprocessing. So the detecting apparatus is herein defined as a "higher-level" apparatus.
A defect is reviewed manually using the SEM-based defect review apparatus as follows: a sample stage is moved onto coordinates outputted by the higher-level checking apparatus for image pickup at a low magnification (in a wide field of view); after a position of the defect is confirmed visually, the sample stage is moved such that the defect position is in the middle of the field of view; and a defective image is picked up at a high magnification (in a small field of view). These steps have been automated as the ADR (Automatic Defect Review). In the ADR, a defect appearing in a field of view of an image at a low magnification is detected using image processing, and then a sample stage is moved such that the detected defect is in the middle of the field of view to pick up a high magnification image at a relevant magnification for review of details of the defect. From the perspective of the image processing, a low magnification image is preferably magnified to fully magnify the defect for the review. However, a too high magnification may cause the defect to be out of the view field if a deviation of the position is substantial. Because of this, ADR configuration has a difficulty in setting a parameter of a magnification for a low magnification image, so that user experience is needed for the setting. This is not preferable since the ADR steps depend on user's skill based on the user experience.
To address the above problem, JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-338601 (2001) proposes a method of efficiently performing a task of setting a magnification for a low magnification image including: a function of visualizing a deviation between a defect position outputted by a higher-level checking apparatus and a defect position detected in the ADR by displaying the deviation as a vector on a wafer map; a function of correcting a coordinate system such that the deviation is minimum; and a function of optimizing the magnification for the low magnification image depending on the amount of the detected deviation. These functions can visualize a deviation, optimize a correction table, and optimize a magnification for a low magnification image.
However, if there are a plurality of higher-level checking apparatuses, or if different deviation tendencies are shown depending on, for example, check conditions or a deviation tendency changes over time even in the case of that there is only a single checking apparatus, the optimal correction result cannot be obtained using a single correction table.

Method of correcting coordinates, and defect review apparatus


The present invention discloses a Gamma voltage driving circuit, which comprises a voltage dividing resistor string, which comprises 2n resistors connected in series sequentially, used to divide a reference voltage into 2n Gamma voltages; wherein, n is an integer not less than 1; a reference voltage module, which provides the reference voltage for the voltage dividing resistor string; a voltage selecting module, which is used to selectively output one of the 2n Gamma voltages. The reference voltage module comprises a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, the first reference voltage is coupled to one end of the voltage dividing resistor string, the second reference voltage is coupled between the 2n/2-th resistor and the (2n/2+1)-th resistor; wherein, the voltage selecting module comprises 2n−1 transmission lines, which respectively connects the voltage dividing nodes of the first to (2n/2−1)-th resistors and the (2n/2+1)-th to 2n-th resistors in the voltage dividing resistor string to a output terminal; and each transmission line is provided with n−1 switching units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the technology fields of liquid crystal display, and in particular to a gamma voltage driving circuit, a source driving module, and a liquid crystal panel comprising the source driving module in the liquid crystal display.
2. The Related Arts
Liquid crystal display (LCD) is a flat and thin display device. It is consisted of color or monochrome pixels with a certain amount, which is placed in front of the light source or the reflector. Liquid crystal display has low power consumption, high image quality, small size, and light weight, so it is favored to become the mainstream of display. The existing liquid crystal display is mainly thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display, and the liquid crystal panel is the main component of the liquid crystal display.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the structure of a liquid crystal panel, which comprises an upper glass substrate 1, a down glass substrate 2, and a liquid crystal layer 3 between the upper glass substrate 1 and the down glass substrate 2. One side of the liquid crystal layer 3 is provided with an ITO common electrode 4. The ITO common electrode 4 is connected to the Vcom voltage. The other side of the liquid crystal layer 3 is provided with multiple pixel electrodes 5. Each pixel electrode is connected to a Gamma voltage. The Gamma voltage is used to control the display grayscale of the liquid crystal panel. The voltage difference between different Gamma voltages and the Vcom voltage results in different rotation angles of liquid crystal, which forms the brightness difference. That is, the Gamma voltage divides the changing process from white to black into 2n equal parts.
For example, FIG. 2 is a Gamma voltage driving circuit according to the prior art, which comprises a reference voltage module 10, a voltage dividing resistor string 20, and a voltage selecting module 30. The circuit corresponds to 3 bit binary code, that is, the voltage dividing resistor string 20 divides the reference voltage into 8 Gamma voltage V1˜V8 (divide the changing process from white to black into 23 equal parts), the voltage selecting module 30 selectively outputs one of the Gamma voltage. The voltage selecting module 30 is consisted of multiple MOS transistors 301. In the 3 bit driving circuit, each transmission line of the Gamma voltage provides with three MOS transistor, which is total 8*3=24 MOS transistors. In FIG. 2, when it selectively outputs the Gamma voltage V8, the corresponding binary code is (111), the voltage selecting module 30 turns on the MOS transistors b2, b1, and b0, and then the Gamma voltage V8 connects to the output terminal. In the driving circuit, when it utilizes 10 bit binary code, as shown in FIG. 3, the voltage dividing resistor string 20 divides the reference voltage into 1024 Gamma voltages V1˜V1024 (divide the changing process from white to black into 210 equal parts), the voltage selecting module 30 totally needs 1024*10=10240 MOS transistors 301. A large number of MOS transistors increase the difficulty of the design of driver IC and the production process, which increases the costs.

Gamma voltage driving circuit, source driving module, and liquid crystal panel

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology, Co., Ltd


A method and system for calculating the free energy difference between a target state and a reference state. The method includes determining one or more intermediate states using a coupling parameter, performing molecular simulations to obtain ensembles of micro-states for each of the system states, and calculating the free energy difference by an analysis of the ensembles of micro-states of the system states. The method can be particularly suited for calculating physical or non-physical transformation of molecular systems such as ring-opening, ring-closing, and other transformations involving bond breaking and/or formation. A soft bond potential dependent on a bond stretching component of the coupling parameter and different from the conventional harmonic potential is used in the molecular simulations of the system states for the bond being broken or formed during the transformation.

Free energy is a fundamental molecular property that plays an essential role in characterizing chemical and biological systems. An understanding of the free energy behavior of many chemical and biochemical processes, such as protein-ligand binding, can be of critical importance in endeavors such as rational drug design (which involves the design of small molecules that bind to a biomolecular target).
Computer modeling and simulations are often used in free energy studies. In most instances, evaluation of accurate absolute free energies from simulations is extremely difficult, if at all possible. Hence, the free energy difference between two well-delineated thermodynamic states, or relative free energy, are often used as a study system to provide insight to particular systems, such as a relative binding affinity of a ligand predicated on the measured affinity of a different but similar ligand (e.g., a congeneric ligand).
In the relative free energy calculations, the two thermodynamic states can be referred to as a reference system state and a target system state, which can represent respectively an initial state of a molecular system, such as a first molecule, and an ending state of the molecule after one or more transformations have taken place (such as a conformational change, topological change, or a replacement of one atom or chemical group with another (i.e., a mutation)). It is noted that such transformations may not always represent realistic physical transformations, but may involve nonphysical or "alchemical" transformations. Different frameworks have been developed for calculating free energy differences, such as free energy perturbations (FEP), thermodynamic integrations (TI), and umbrella sampling.
Within the FEP framework, the free energy difference ΔFa→b between the two system states a and b can be expressed by:
                              Δ                                                                          F                          a              →              b                                      =                              -                          1              β                                          ln                                              〈                              exp                                                  {                                      -                                          β                                                                    [                                                                                ℋ                              b                                                                                (                                                              x                                ,                                                                  p                                  x                                                                                )                                                                                -                                                                                ℋ                              a                                                                                (                                                              x                                ,                                                                  p                                  x                                                                                )                                                                                ]                                                                              }                                            〉                        a                                              (        1        )            where β−1=kBT, whereis kB is the Boltzmann constant, T is the temperature. a(x, px) and b(x, px) are the Hamiltonians characteristic of states a and b respectively.  . . . a denotes an ensemble average over configurations representative of the initial, reference state, a.
In practical applications of FEP, the transformation between the two thermodynamic states is usually achieved by a series of transformations between non-physical, intermediate states along a well-delineated pathway that connects a to b. This pathway is often characterized by a general extent parameter, often referred to as a coupling parameter, λ, which varies from 0 to 1 from the reference state to the target state, and relates the Hamiltonians of the two states by:(λ)=(1−λ)a+λb  (2)where (λ) is the λ-coupled or hybrid Hamiltonian of the system between the two states (including the two states, when λ takes the end values of 0 and 1). Hence, the free energy difference ΔFa→b between a and b will be:
                                                                        Δ                                                                                F                                      a                    →                    b                                                                                =                                                                                -                                      1                    β                                                                  ln                                                                      〈                                          exp                                                                    {                                                  -                                                      β                                                                                [                                                                                ℋ                                                                                (                                                                          λ                                      =                                      1                                                                        )                                                                                -                                                                  ℋ                                                                                (                                                                          λ                                      =                                      0                                                                        )                                                                                ]                                                                                }                                                              〉                                                        λ                    =                    0                                                                                =                                                                                -                                      1                    β                                                                                ∑                                          i                      =                      0                                                              N                      -                      1                                                                                ln                                                              〈                                              exp                                                                          {                                                      -                                                          β                              [                                                                                ℋ                                                                                (                                                                          x                                      ,                                                                                p                                          x                                                                                ;                                                                                λ                                                                                i                                            +                                            1                                                                                )                                                                                -                                                                                ℋ                                                                    (                                                  x                          ,                                                                                p                              x                                                        ;                                                          λ                              i                                                                                )                                                              ]                                    }                                〉                            i                                                          (        3        )            where N stands for the number of "windows" between neighboring states between the reference (initial) state and the target (final) state, and λi is the values of the coupling parameter in the initial, intermediate, and final state.
The free energy difference between the reference system state a and the target system state b can also be calculated using thermodynamic integration method, where the free energy difference is calculated using the following formula:
                              Δ                                                                          F                          a              →              b                                      =                              ∫                          λ              =              0                                      λ              =              1                                                      d                                                                          λ                                                      〈                                                      ∂                                          ℋ                                                                    (                        λ                        )                                                                                ∂                    λ                                                  〉                            λ                                                          (        4        )            where λ is the coupling parameter which varies from 0 to 1 from the reference state to the target state, (λ) is the λ-coupled or hybrid Hamiltonian of the system between the two states (including the two states, when λ takes the end values of 0 and 1), and
      ∂          ℋ                    (        λ        )                  ∂    λ  is the first derivative of the coupled Hamiltonian with respect to the coupling parameter λ. In practical applications of TI, the transformation between the reference system state and the target system state is achieved by a series transformations along a well-delineated pathway that connects a to b, and the ensemble average of
      ∂          ℋ                    (        λ        )                  ∂    λ  is calculated for all the states sampled, including the reference system state, the intermediate non-physical states, and the target system state. The free energy difference between the reference system state and the target system state is then approximated by numerical integration of the above integral based on the value of the
            〈                        ∂                      ℋ                                      (              λ              )                                                ∂          λ                    〉              λ      i        ,where λi is the values of the coupling parameter in the initial, intermediate, and final states.
Under conventional methods, calculating the free energy to open a ring of a molecule into a linear structure or close a linear structure of a molecule to form a ring can be difficult. In these cases, the reversible work of turning on and off a valence bond connecting two ring atoms needs to be computed. Although one possible approach might be to annihilate a whole ring and grow a corresponding linear structure from scratch, it is computationally very inefficient and sometimes impossible when the ring is very large or the ring is fused with other rings.

Rational drug design with computational free energy difference calculation using a modified bond stretch potential