A linear (i.e., non-cyclic) analog of biologically active amphibian bombesin, mammalian gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), or mammalian growth hormone releasing factor (GRF), having an active site and a binding site responsible for the binding of the peptide to a receptor on a target cell. Cleavage of a peptide bond in the active site of naturally occurring bombesin, GRP, or GRF is unnecessary for in vivo biological activity. The analog has one of the following modifications: (a) a deletion of an amino acid residue within the active site and a modification of an amino acid residue outside of the active site, (b) a replacement of two amino acid residues within the active site with a synthetic amino acid, a .beta.-amino acid, or a .gamma.-amino acid residue, or (c) a non-peptide bond instead of a peptide bond between an amino acid residue of the active site and an adjacent amino acid residue.

This invention relates to therapeutic peptides useful, e.g., for treatment of benign or malignant proliferation of tissue, for gastrointestinal disorders, and for diabetes.
The amphibian peptide bombesin, pGlu--Gln--Arg--Leu--Gly--Asn--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His--Leu--Met--NH. sub.2 (SEQ ID NO: 1) (Anastasi et al., Experientia 27:166-167 (1971)), is closely related to the mammalian gastrin-releasing peptides (GRP), e.g., the porcine GRP, H.sub.2 N--Ala--Pro--Val--Ser--Val--Gly--Gly--Gly--Thr--Val--Leu--Ala--Lys--Met--T yr--Pro--Arg--Gly--Asn--His--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His--Leu--Met--(NH.sub.2) (SEQ ID NO: 2) (McDonald et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 90:227-233 (1979)) and human GRP, H.sub.2 N--Val--Pro--Leu--Pro--Ala--Gly--Gly--Gly--Thr--Val--Leu--Thr--Lys--Met--T yr--Pro--Arg--Gly--Asn--His--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His--Leu--Met (NH.sub.2)(SEQ ID NO: 3). Bombesin has been found to be a growth factor for a number of human cancer cell lines, including small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), and has been detected in human breast and prostate cancer (Haveman et al., eds. Recent Results in Cancer Research--Peptide Hormones in Lung Cancer, Springer-Verlag, New York:1986). A number of these cancers are known to secrete peptide hormones related to GRP or bombesin. Consequently, antagonists to bombesin have been proposed as agents for the treatment of these cancers.
Cuttitta et al. demonstrated that a specific monoclonal antibody to bombesin inhibited in vivo the growth of a human small-cell lung cancer cell line xenografted to nude mice (Cuttitta et al., Cancer Survey 4:707-727 (1985)). In 3T3 murine fibroblasts which are responsive to the mitotic effect of bombesin, Zachary and Rozengurt observed that a substance P antagonist (Spantide) acted as a bombesin antagonist (Zachary et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA), 82:7616-7620 (1985)). Heinz-Erian et al. replaced His at position 12 in bombesin with D--Phe and observed bombesin antagonist activity in dispersed acini from guinea pig pancreas (Heinz-Erian et al., Am. J. of Physiol. 252:G439-G442 (1987)). Rivier reported work directed toward restricting the conformational freedom of the bioactive C-terminal decapeptide of bombesin by incorporating intramolecular disulfide bridges; however, Rivier mentioned that, so far, bombesin analogs with this modification fail to exhibit any antagonist activity (Rivier et al., "Competitive Antagonists of Peptide Hormones," in Abstracts of the International Symposium on Bombesin-Like Peptides in Health and Disease, Rome, Italy (October, 1987).
Abbreviations (uncommon): ##STR1## Pal=3-pyridyl-alanine .beta.-leu=.beta.-homoleucine
.gamma.-leu=gamma-homoleucine PA1 D-Cpa=D-p-chlorophenylalanine PA1 HyPro=hydroxyproline PA1 Nal=naphthylalanine PA1 Sar=sarcosine PA1 F.sub.5 -Phe=penta-fluoro-Phenylalanine PA1 Sta (statine)=(3S, 4S)-4-amino-3-hydroxy-6-methylheptanoic acid, and has the chemical structure: ##STR2## AHPPA=(3S,4S)-4-amino-3-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoic acid, and has the chemical structure: ##STR3## ACHPA=(3S, 4S)-4-amino-5-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxypentanoic acid and has the chemical structure: ##STR4## R=right (D) configuration; S=left (L) configuration; PA1 racemate=equal mix of R and S PA1 1-methyl-His; PA1 3-methyl-His=methyl (CH.sub.3) group on nitrogen at positions 1 or 3 of Histidine: ##STR5## PA1 A.sup.1 =the D or L-isomer of any of pGlu, Nle, .alpha.-aminobutyric acid, or the D-isomer of any of Ala, Val, Gln, Asn, Leu, Ile, Met, p--X--Phe (where X=F, Cl, Br, NO.sub.2, OH, H or CH.sub.3), F.sub.5 --Phe, Trp, Cys, or .beta.-Nal, or is deleted; PA1 A.sup.2 =pGlu, Gly, Ala, Val, Gln, Asn, Leu, Ile, Met, p-X--Phe (where X=F, Cl, Br, NO.sub.2, OH, H or CH.sub.3), Trp, Cys, .beta.-Nal, His, 1-methyl-His, or 3-methyl-His; PA1 A.sup.4 =Ala, Val, Gln, Asn, Gly, Leu, Ile, Nle, .alpha.-aminobutyric acid, Met, p-X--Phe (where X=F, Cl, Br, NO.sub.2, OH, H or CH.sub.3), Trp, Cys, or .beta.-Nal; PA1 A.sup.5 =Gln, Asn, Gly, Ala, Leu, Ile, Nle, .alpha.-aminobutyric acid, Met, Val, p-X--Phe (where X=F, Cl, Br, OH, H or CH.sub.3), Trp, Thr, or .beta.-Nal; PA1 A.sup.6 =Sar, Gly, or the D-isomer of any of Ala, N-methyl-Ala, Val, Gln, Asn, Leu, Ile, Met, p-X--Phe (where X=F, Cl, Br, NO.sub.2, OH, H or CH.sub.3), Trp, Cys, or .beta.-Nal; PA1 A.sup.7 =1-methyl-His, 3-methyl-His, or His; PA1 A.sup.0 =Gly, D-Phe, or is deleted; PA1 A.sup.1 =p-Glu, D-Phe, D-Ala, D-.beta.-Nal, D-Cpa, or D-Asn; PA1 A.sup.2 =Gln, His, 1-methyl-His, or 3-methyl-His; PA1 A.sup.4 =Ala; PA1 A.sup.5 =Val; PA1 A.sup.6 =Sar, Gly, D-Phe, or D-Ala; PA1 A.sup.7 =His; and PA1 and, where W is (I) and R.sub.3 is CH.sub.2 or CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2, Z.sub.1 is the identifying group of Leu or Phe, where W is (I) and R.sub.3 is CHOH--CH.sub.2, Z.sub.1 is the identifying group of Leu, cyclohexyl-Ala, or Phe and each R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 is H, and where W is (I), V is NHR.sub.6, and R.sub.6 is NH.sub.2 ; where W is (II) and R.sub.4 is CH.sub.2 --NH each Z.sub.1 is the identifying group of Leu, or Phe, and Z.sub.2 is the identifying group of Leu or Phe; where W is (III), Z.sub.1 is the identifying group of any one of the amino acids Leu or p-X--Phe (where X=H, F, Cl, Br, NO.sub.2, OH or CH.sub.3); and each Z.sub.2, Z.sub.3 and Z.sub.4, independently, is H, lower alkyl, lower phenylalkyl, or lower naphthylalkyl; and where W is (IV), each Z.sub.20 and Z.sub.30, is H; and each R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, independently, is H, lower alkyl, or lower acyl. PA1 D-.beta.-Nal--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His--Leu.PSI.CH.sub.2 NH!Phe--NH.sub.2, PA1 D-Phe--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His--Leu--ethylamide, PA1 p-Glu--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His--statine-amide, (SEQ ID NO: 4) PA1 D-Phe--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His--Leu.PSI.CH.sub.2 NH!-D-Phe--NH.sub.2, PA1 D-Cpa--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His-.beta.-Leu--NH.sub.2, PA1 D-Cpa--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--D--Ala--His-.beta.-Leu--NH.sub.2, PA1 D-Cpa--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His--Leu.PSI.CH.sub.2 NH!--Phe--NH.sub.2. PA1 D-Phe--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--N-methyl-D-Ala--His--Leu-methylester, PA1 D-F.sub.5 --Phe--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--D--Ala--His--Leu-methylester, PA1 D-F.sub.5 --Phe--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--D--Ala--His--Phe-methylester, PA1 D-F.sub.5 --Phe--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His--Phe-methylester, and PA1 D-F.sub.5 --Phe--Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--Gly--His--Leu-methylester. PA1 Tyr--Ala.sup.2 --Asp--Ala--Ile--Phe--Thr--Asn--Ser.PSI.CH.sub.2 NH!Tyr--Arg--Lys--Val--Leu--Gly--Gln--Leu--Ser--Ala--Arg--Lys--Leu--Leu--G ln--Asp--Ile--Met--Ser--Arg--NH.sub.2 ; (SEQ ID NO: 5); most preferably, the peptide contains, D-Ala, N-methyl-D-Ala, or a-aminobutyric acid in position 2. (Non-peptide bonds in which the peptide bond is reduced are symbolized herein by ".PSI.CH.sub.2 NH!" or ".PSI.".) PA1 A.sup.1 --Gln--Trp--Ala--Val--A.sup.6 --His--A.sup.8 --O--R,

Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund


The present invention provides a method of forming a titanium polycide gate electrode. The method comprises the step of: forming a gate insulation film a top surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming a polysilicon layer on the gate insulation film; forming a silicon-rich titanium silicide layer on the polysilicon layer by a sputtering process so that a compositional ratio of silicon to titanium of the silicon-rich titanium silicide layer exceeds 2, where preferably the compositional ratio of titanium to silicon is in the range of 1:2.3 to 1:2.5 and more preferably 1:2.4; patterning laminations of the polysilicon layer and the silicon-rich titanium silicide layer to form a titanium polycide gate electrode on the gate insulation film; and subjecting the titanium polycide gate electrode to a rapid thermal oxidation, whereby excess silicon in surface regions of the silicon-rich titanium silicide layer and the polysilicon layers are oxidized, whilst the silicon-rich titanium silicide layer, except for the surface region, remains unchanged in silicon-rich titanium silicide state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a novel titanium polycide gate electrode and a method of forming a titanium polycide gate electrode which has a reduced sheet resistance which is highly stable and also has a high stability in shape.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in order to reduce the resistance of the gate electrode of the transistor, a double layered gate electrode has been used which has a polysilicon layer and a titanium silicide layer on the polysilicon layer. This gate electrode is so called to as titanium polycide gate electrode.
A conventional method of forming a polycide gate electrode will be described with reference to drawings. FIGS. 1A through 1D are fragmentary cross sectional elevation views illustrative of semiconductor devices with polycide gate electrodes in sequential steps involved in a conventional fabrication method for forming the polycide gate electrode.
With reference to FIG. 1A, shallow trench isolations 12 are selectively formed in an upper region of a silicon substrate 10 so that the shallow trench isolations 12 define device regions. A gate oxide film 14 is formed on the device regions of the silicon substrate 10. A polysilicon film 16 is entirely formed on the gate oxide film 14 and also on top portions of the shallow trench isolations 12.
With reference to FIG. 1B, a TiSi2 film 18 having a compositional ratio of Ti:Si=1:2 is then entirely deposited by a sputtering method on an entire top surface of the polysilicon film 16. An SiN film 20 is then entirely formed on an entire top surface of the TiSi2 film 18.
With reference to FIG. 1C, a resist film is entirely applied on the top surface of the SiN film 20. A lithography process is carried out to pattern the SiN film 20, whereby an etching mask 22 is selectively formed on a predetermined area of the top surface of the TiSi2 film 18.
With reference to FIG. 1D, an anisotropic etching is then carried out by use of the etching mask 22 for selectively removing laminations of the TiSi2 film 18, the polysilicon film 16 and the gate oxide film 14 except under the etching mask 22. The used etching mask 22 is then removed. As a result, the gate electrode is formed on the gate oxide film 14, wherein the gate electrode has a double layered structure which comprises the polysilicon film 16 and the TiSi2 film 18.
The above conventional method uses the anisotropic etching process by use of the etching mask 22 for selectively etching the laminations of the TiSi2 film 18, the polysilicon film 16 and the gate oxide film 14 except under the etching mask 22, whereby the top surface of the silicon substrate 10 is shown. The top surface of the silicon substrate 10 receives a damage during the anisotropic etching process for patterning the gate electrode, whereby a surface region of the silicon substrate receives the damage. Namely, a surface damage layer is formed on the surface region of the silicon substrate 10.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation view illustrative of a semiconductor device with a polycide gate electrode after a rapid thermal oxidation process has been carried out to oxidize a damage layer in accordance with one additional step involved in the conventional fabrication method. In order to attempt to solve the above problem with formation of the damage layer, a rapid thermal oxidation process is carried out for oxidizing the damage layer so that the damage layer becomes an extremely thin silicon dioxide layer 24. Particularly if silicon nitride side walls are formed on side walls of the gate electrode, then the silicon dioxide film 24 covering the top surface of the silicon substrate 10 improves the resistivity to the hot-carrier.
It had, however, been reported in IEEE 1998, IEDM 98, pp. 389-392, that it is difficult to carry out the rapid thermal oxidation to the substrate with the titanium polycide gate electrode.
The lamp annealer is used to carry out a rapid thermal oxidation at a temperature of 1000xc2x0 C. for 60 seconds in an oxygen atmosphere in order to oxidize the damage layer on the top surface of the silicon substrate 10 so that the damage layer becomes the extremely thin silicon dioxide film 24 having a thickness of about 50 angstroms. This extremely thin silicon oxide film 24 also serves as a passivation layer for protecting the top surface of the silicon substrate 10 from an ion-implantation to be carried out for forming diffusion layers in upper regions of the silicon substrate 10.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation view illustrative of a semiconductor device with a titanium polycide gate electrode which has been broken by the rapid thermal oxidation process carried out for oxidizing the damage layer on the top surface of the silicon substrate 10. Namely, it is possible that the rapid thermal oxidation process for oxidizing the damage layer on the top surface of the silicon substrate 10 causes the lamination structure of the titanium polycide gate electrode to be broken or one layer of the lamination structure to be peeled. As a result, the sheet resistance of the gate electrode is increased and the stability of the sheet resistance of the gate electrode is reduced. This makes it invalid to form the polycide structure gate electrode, if the polycide structure is to reduce the resistance of the gate electrode.
The above problem is common not only to the polycide gate electrode but also to any polycide layers such as a polycide interconnection.
In the above circumstances, it had been required to develop a novel method of forming a polycide gate electrode free from the above problem.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel a titanium polycide layer free from the above problems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel a titanium polycide layer having a reduced sheet resistance which is highly stable.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel a titanium polycide layer having a high stability of lamination structure or shape.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel titanium polycide gate electrode of a semiconductor device free from the above problems.
It is still more another object of the present invention to provide a novel titanium polycide gate electrode of a semiconductor device having a reduced sheet resistance which is highly stable.
It is yet more another object of the present invention to provide a novel titanium polycide gate electrode of a semiconductor device having a high stability of lamination structure or shape.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a novel semiconductor device with an improved titanium polycide gate electrode free from the above problems.
It is a still additional object of the present invention to provide a novel semiconductor device with an improved titanium polycide gate electrode having a reduced sheet resistance which is highly stable.
It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide a novel semiconductor device with an improved titanium polycide gate electrode having a high stability of lamination structure or shape.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel method of forming a titanium polycide layer free from the above problems.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method of forming a polycide layer having a reduced sheet resistance which is highly stable.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a novel method of forming a polycide layer having a high stability of lamination structure or shape.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a novel method of forming a titanium polycide gate electrode free from the above problems.
It is yet more object of the present invention to provide a novel method of forming a titanium polycide gate electrode having a reduced sheet resistance which is highly stable.
It is still more object of the present invention to provide a novel method of forming a titanium polycide gate electrode having a high stability of lamination structure or shape.
It is further more object of the present invention to provide a novel method of forming a semiconductor device with a titanium polycide gate electrode free from the above problems.
It is moreover object of the present invention to provide a novel method of forming a semiconductor device with a titanium polycide gate electrode having a reduced sheet resistance which is highly stable.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method of forming a semiconductor device with a titanium polycide gate electrode having a high stability of lamination structure or shape.
The first present invention provides a titanium polycide layered structure comprising: a polysilicon layer; and a silicon-rich titanium silicide layer extending on the polysilicon layer, wherein a compositional ratio of silicon to titanium of the silicon-rich titanium silicide layer exceeds 2, where preferably the compositional ratio of titanium to silicon is in the range of 1:2.3 to 1:2.5 and more preferably 1:2.4.
The other present invention provides a method of forming a titanium polycide gate electrode. The method comprises the step of: forming a gate insulation film a top surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming a polysilicon layer on the gate insulation film; forming a silicon-rich titanium silicide layer on the polysilicon layer by a sputtering process so that a compositional ratio of silicon to titanium of the silicon-rich titanium silicide layer exceeds 2, where preferably the compositional ratio of titanium to silicon is in the range of 1:2.3 to 1:2.5 and more preferably 1:2.4 patterning laminations of the polysilicon layer and the silicon-rich titanium silicide layer to form a titanium polycide gate electrode on the gate insulation film; and subjecting the titanium polycide gate electrode to a rapid thermal oxidation, whereby excess silicon in surface regions of the silicon-rich titanium silicide layer and the polysilicon layers are oxidized, whilst the silicon-rich titanium silicide layer, except for the surface region, remains unchanged in silicon-rich titanium silicide state.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following descriptions.

Titanium polycide gate electrode and method of forming a titanium polycide gate electrode of a semiconductor device


A portable vaporization apparatus is a is a compact re-useable apparatus that attaches to an existing electrical source, such as a battery pack of an existing electronic cigarette/personal vaporizer, in order to vaporize a plurality of dried solid compounds as well as liquid compounds with a low viscosity into an inhalable aerosol. The portable vaporization apparatus utilizes a mouth piece, a lower housing which contains an interior chamber, a battery mount, and a wickless ceramic heating element. The ceramic heating element is securely engaged to the battery mount which is engaged to the lower housing forming a hermetic seal at the lower portion. The ceramic heating element is positioned within the interior chamber while the upper portion of the interior chamber is temporarily sealed by the mouth piece. With vaporizable material in the interior chamber, the user would connect the electrical source powering the ceramic heating element.

It is regarded as common knowledge that electrically powered smoking devices can be utilized as a combustion free alternative to existing tobacco smoking devices. These electrically powered smoking devices exist in a plurality of configurations, whose selected construction is generally dependent on the level of portability. One of the most common variants is electronic cigarettes, as known as personal vaporizers. Electronic cigarettes are portable vaporization devices that produce an inhalable aerosol that typically contains nicotine. Generally, electronic cigarettes/personal vaporizers comprise a mouth piece, an atomizer, an electrical source, and a reservoir containing a liquid compound. Of these components, the atomizer is key to the operability of the electronic cigarettes/personal vaporizers. The atomizer is the heating element that vaporizes the liquid compound into the inhalable aerosol. It is positioned between the reservoir and the mouth piece. Typically, atomizers in electronic cigarettes/personal vaporizers incorporate a heated passage that uses capillary action to draw the liquid compound through the atomizer and into the mouth piece. When an electrical current is applied to the system, the atomizer heats up and draws the liquid compound through the heated passage. The liquid compound is vaporized while traversing the atomizer and upon exiting into the mouth piece forms an inhalable aerosol.
While electronic cigarettes/personal vaporizers offer an adequate combustion free alternative to existing tobacco smoking devices, their current design suffers from a lack versatility with regards to the vaporizing compounds. Generally, electronic cigarettes/personal vaporizers are limited to vaporizing highly viscous liquid compounds. This limitation is due to the component arrangement requiring the vaporizable compounds to traverse through the atomizer in order to form the inhalable aerosol. Although alternative means of vaporizing compounds exist, an effective component arrangement for an apparatus or apparatus attachment of similar size and construction to existing electronic cigarettes/personal vaporizers is not currently available. While some variants claim to vaporize dried solid compounds or liquid compounds with a low viscosity, most in fact combust the compounds, negating the purpose of the electronic cigarettes/personal vaporizers.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus sized similarly to existing electronic cigarettes/personal vaporizers that contains a component arrangement that allows for the vaporization of dried solid compound and liquid compounds with a low viscosity into an inhalable aerosol. The present invention accomplishes this through the inclusion of specially designed ceramic heating element that replaces the atomizer and an elastic plate for retaining the vaporizable material to said ceramic heating element. Furthermore, the present invention is provided as a reusable attachment piece for existing electronic cigarettes/personal vaporizers system that utilizes a rechargeable battery source.


In a communication system, a first Downlink (DL) signal to be commonly received by all Mobile Stations (MSs) at a Base Station (BS) is generated. A second DL signal that all the MSs do not need to commonly receive is generated. The first DL signal is applied to an interference cancellation scheme. The first DL signal is transmitted in a first time interval. The second DL signal is transmitted in a second time interval.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving a signal in a communication system, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving a downlink signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since limited resources, such as frequency, code and timeslot resources, are divided and used in multiple cells of a communication system with a cellular structure (hereinafter cellular communication system), Inter-Cell Interference (ICI) may occur. When the frequency resources are divided and used in the multiple cells of the cellular communication system, the ICI results in performance degradation. The frequency resources are reused to increase the overall capacity of the cellular communication system. Herein, the rate at which the same frequency resources can be reused is referred to as a "frequency reuse factor". The frequency reuse factor is defined by the number of cells in which the same frequency resources are unused.
FIG. 1 illustrates the structure of the conventional cellular communication system using the frequency reuse factor of 1.
In FIG. 1, it is assumed that three cells of the cellular communication system, i.e., a first cell 110, a second cell 120 and a third cell 130, have a 3-sector structure, respectively. The first cell 110 has the 3-sector structure of a first sector 111, a second sector 113 and a third sector 115. The second cell 120 has the 3-sector structure of a first sector 121, a second sector 123 and a third sector 125. The third cell 130 has the 3-sector structure of a first sector 131, a second sector 133 and a third sector 135. Assuming that the cellular communication system uses the frequency reuse factor of 1, all the sectors of the first to third cells 110 to 130 use the same frequency resources, i.e., the same Frequency Allocation (FA) F1.
Since the same FA F1 is used in the cells and sectors, a channel state is poor in a cell boundary region. For example, a Carrier-to-Interference and Noise Ratio (CINR) is very low. Thus, the probability of occurrence of a reception error is high even though a signal is transmitted at the most robust Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level supportable in an associated cell.
FIG. 2 illustrates the structure of the DL frame of the conventional communication system.
Referring to FIG. 2, the DL frame includes a preamble field 210, a Frame Control Header (FCH) field 220, a MAP field 230 and a burst field 240.
In the preamble field 210, a preamble signal is transmitted to acquire synchronization between a transmitter, for example, a Base Station (BS), and a receiver, for example, a Mobile Station (MS), and to identify the BS. In the FCH field 220, an FCH is transmitted and contains information about a modulation scheme applied to the MAP field 230 and the length of the MAP field 230. Herein, a size of the FCH field 220 is fixed, for example, to 24 bits. A preset fixed MCS level, for example, a Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) 1/16 level, is applied to the FCH field 220.
A MAP message is transmitted in the MAP field 230 and contains position information about Downlink (DL) and Uplink (UL) burst fields, modulation scheme information, and allocation information about the DL and UL burst fields, i.e., information about whether the DL and UL burst fields are dedicatedly allocated to a specified MS or are commonly allocated to unspecified MSs.
The burst field 240 contains dedicated burst fields 243, 245, 247 and 249 dedicatedly allocated to specified MSs and a common burst field 241 commonly allocated to unspecified MSs. In the dedicated burst fields 243, 245, 247 and 249, dedicated burst data targeting the specified MSs, for example, traffic data and a dedicated control message, are transmitted. In the common burst field 241, common burst data targeting the unspecified MSs, for example, a common control message, is transmitted. In FIG. 2, it is assumed that the dedicated control message is transmitted only in the dedicated burst field 247 and the traffic data is transmitted in the remaining dedicated burst fields 243, 245 and 249.
As described above, the MAP message to be transmitted in the MAP field 230, the common control message to be transmitted in the common burst field 241 and the dedicated control message to be transmitted in the dedicated burst field 247 are mandatory information for communication between the BS and the MSs. Thus, the BS applies the most robust MCS level supportable therein, for example, a QPSK 1/12 level, to the MAP field 230, the common burst field 241 and the dedicated burst field 247. Therefore, all the MSs at the BS can receive the MAP message, the common control message and the dedicated control message without error.
MCS levels mapped to channel states of target MSs are applied to the dedicated burst fields 243, 245 and 249 targeting the MSs. That is, the BS sets the MCS levels to be applied to the dedicated burst fields 243, 245 and 249 on the basis of the channel states fed back from the target MSs, i.e., Channel Quality Indications (CQIs). When setting the MCS levels based on the CQIs, the BS can use a link curve of a short-term CQI or an average CQI over a preset time interval.
The most robust MCS level supportable in the BS is applied to the dedicated burst field for transmitting the dedicated control message among the MAP field, the common burst field and the dedicated burst field as described with reference to FIG. 2 such that all the MS at the BS can normally receive the MAP message, the common control message and the dedicated control message. As the most robust MCS level supportable in the BS is applied to transmit the MAP message, the common control message and the dedicated control message, an amount of resources for a traffic data transmission, i.e., a size of the dedicated burst fields, is reduced. The dedicated control message is a control message targeting only a specified MS. However, as the most robust MCS level supportable in the BS is applied to the dedicated control message, a significant waste of resources may occur.
When the frequency reuse factor of 1 is used as described with reference to FIG. 1, the ICI may be caused by a neighbor BS. The MAP message, the common control message and the dedicated control message may not be normally received due to the ICI even though the most robust MCS level supportable in an associated BS is applied. In particular, when there is a region where the MAP message and the common control message are not normally received, the region is a service shadow region at the associated BS. In the service shadow region, service provision itself is impossible and service stability of the overall communication system is degraded.

Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving a downlink signal in a communication system


An electronic circuit device has a high-density mount board, on which are disposed a microcomputer, a random access memory, a programmable device which is a variable logic circuit represented by FPGA, and an electrically-rewritable nonvolatile memory which can store the operation program of the microcomputer. The high-density mount board has external mounting pins on the bottom surface so as to be mounted on a mother board in the same manner as a system on-chip multi-chip module. With an intended logic function being set on the programmable device, a hardware-based function to be realized by the electronic circuit device is simulated. With an operation program being written to the nonvolatile memory, a software-based function to be realized is simulated. Consequently, the device facilitates the debugging at early stages of system development, configures a prototype system, and contributes to the time reduction throughout the system development, prototype fabrication and large-scale production.

Semiconductor integrated circuit devices (LSI) which are amid the trends of enhancement in integration density and performance are encountering the design complexity. For an LSI user who plans to develop an application system, it will take in many cases as long as one year before having a complete LSI. The longer development time is disadvantageous to responding quickly to market demands. In order to reduce the development time, it is crucial to find problems at early stages of design.
The MCM scheme deserves considering for alleviating the design complexity of LSI and realizing an intended electronic circuit device in a relatively short time. The MCM scheme is to mount LSI chips such as a microprocessor and memory on a high-density build-up board, so that a resulting electronic circuit device is comparable in performance to an SOC-based LSI.
For preparing an electronic circuit device to make an intended system in a relatively short time or for preventing in advance problems of an LSI to be design, the use of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is effective. The FPGA implements a designed logic function at an early stage, enabling the finding of functional problems and the swift solution of the problems. For example, an intended logic function, such as the compressive communication protocol, is implemented by loading connection definition data into numerous memory cells of the FPGA, and it is operated to debug the logic function based on the operation result. The FPGA provides per se the intended logic function, or it enables the faster LSI design based on its capability of debugging LSI logic function at early stages.
The CPU operation program can be revised in case it is stored in an electrically-rewritable nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory, allowing slight alterations of the system design promptly. A microcomputer which provides this facility is called FPMC (Field Programmable Micro-Computer).
The inventors of the present invention have studied the organic combination of the MCM, FPGA and FPMC techniques for the debugging at early stages of SOC-based system development and for the configuration of a prototype system. However, such a scheme is yet to be offered.
The inventors of the present invention have revealed problems during the study as follows.
Firstly, the separate use of MCM and FPGA necessitates a larger board for mounting them and a longer wiring, and consequently in some cases does not behave the intended characteristics for implementing the function equivalent to an SOC-based LSI.
Secondly, in the case of implementing high-speed data transfer on the MCM, unmatching of characteristic impedance of the wiring has a larger influence of signal reflection as compared with the board of MCM, and it will be occasionally desirable to tune the output impedance to the output circuit of LSI.
Thirdly, for the case of face-down mounting of surface-mount semiconductor integrated circuits on a high-density board such as a build-up board, it is desirable to simplify the line connection test for the circuits on the mount board and the testing of the mounted circuits.
Fourthly, in order to speed up the data processing, it is necessary to speed up the data transfer between the microcomputer and the memory. The inventors of the present invention have noticed afterward the presence of Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. He. 8-167703. However, the invention described in the above-mentioned patent publication is intended to form a DRAM (dynamic RAM) on two semiconductor chips by dividing it into a memory cell section and a logic circuit section, with both chips being interconnected on the mount board, and this invention differs completely from the present invention from the viewpoint of semiconductor element structure as will be appreciated from the following detailed explanation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic circuit device which is capable of facilitating the debugging at early stages of SOC-based system development and also configuring a prototype system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic circuit device which is capable of altering the logic function and also speeding up the data transfer for data processing.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic circuit device which is capable of readily alleviating the signal reflection attributable to the unmatching of characteristic impedance of the wiring in accomplishing the high-speed data transfer.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic circuit device which is capable of dealing with the case of face-down mounting of surface-mount semiconductor integrated circuits on a high-density board such as a build-up board by facilitating the wiring connection test for the circuits on the mount board and the testing of the mounted circuits.
These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.


A multi-fitting rotatable fluid connection apparatus comprising a fluid entry fitting and first and second fluid discharge fittings. The fluid entry fitting comprises a first end connector threaded for attachment to a fluid source, and first and second distribution connectors. The first fluid discharge fitting has a first intake connector which receives fluid from the first distribution connector. A first rotation member is coupled between the first intake connector and the first distribution connector such that the first fluid discharge fitting is rotatable about a first axis of rotation. The second fluid discharge fitting has a second intake connector which receives fluid from the second distribution connector. A second rotation member is coupled between the second intake connector and the second distribution connector such that the second fluid discharge fitting is rotatable about a second axis of rotation.

While hoses are designed to permit a direct coupling to a spigot or water source, e.g. via the rotatable engagement of male and female ends having complementary threading, it is often desirable to couple more than one hose to a given spigot. This desire is particularly noticeable in the context of residential homes, which typically have only one or two spigots.
Existing solutions typically take the form of a one-to-many style connector, comprising a rigid, hollow enclosure with a single female threaded port at its first end and two or more male threaded fluid ports at its second end. The particular design of these conventional connectors depends upon the number of male ports that are provided. Common designs include two male ports arranged in a 'V' shape, three male ports arranged in a manifold design, and four male ports arranged in a manifold design. In operation, the female port is attached to a spigot or other pressurized fluid source while each male port is attached to a hose. Water fills the hollow enclosure of the connector and is discharged through the male ports and into the coupled hoses, thereby allowing a user to distribute water from a single spigot through multiple different hoses.
However, these conventional connectors are known to be bulky, cumbersome, and difficult to both install and subsequently use. Due to their increased size, and the fact that spigots are typically found in close proximity to an exterior home wall, there may be insufficient horizontal clearance to rotate the entire connector body when attaching it to the spigot. There may also be insufficient vertical clearance to fit a conventional connector underneath a spigot but above a lower surface, such as a lawn, patio, shrubbery, etc. Due to the rigid nature of these connectors, users are often faced with awkward attachment angles at the male ports as compared to the attachment angle of the spigot itself that would otherwise be used. The orientation of the male ports can further force hoses into awkward angles and bends, constricting water flow, causing kinking, and reducing the lifespan of the hose. Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide a multi-port fluid connector that is adjustable to reduce or eliminate these clearance and kinking issues.

Adjustable multi-port connector and valve


A storage device includes a predetermined number of disks on which servo information is recorded, and a predetermined number of heads. The heads are positioned on target cylinders on the basis of the servo information read from the disks through the heads, so that information recording/reproducing can be performed. The disks include outer guard band areas located further out than data areas and inner guard band areas located further in than the data area. Analysis information concerning disk surfaces are recorded on the outer guard band areas. Each of the outer guard band areas is segmented into first and second outer guard band areas in a radial direction. The analysis information is recorded on the first outer guard band area. The servo information for an off-track correction is recorded on the second outer guard band area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to storage devices, and more particularly to a storage device which performs a data recording/reproducing operation on a disk-shaped medium while a head seek operation is performed on the basis of control information recorded on the disk-shaped medium.
Recently, the recording density of storage devices as described above has been increased and various improvements have been proposed and employed. Examples of such improvements are a data-recorded-surface servo for compensating for off-track of a head with respect to the disk medium, a magnetoresistive effect (MR) head, and ID-less (ID is information for writing and reading) format. When the MR head is used as a data head, the characteristic of the MR head is varied each time the write operation is performed. If a read error occurs, a dummy write is executed as a retry process, so that the characteristic of the MR head is recovered to the normal state. A process is also employed in which servo information is written into a guard band of the disk medium in order to prevent an erroneous detection of an index due to write noise.
2. Description of the Related Art
A magnetic disk drive is one of the storage devices, and a predetermined number of magnetic heads provided to a predetermined number of magnetic disks. In a seek operation, the magnetic heads are moved in the radial direction of the magnetic disks, and information recording/reproducing operations are carried out on the target cylinders. A seek control is performed in order to correctly position the magnetic heads on the target cylinders. In such a seek control, a closed-loop servo control is performed while servo information recorded on the magnetic disks beforehand is read. Such a servo control is classified into a servo-surface servo or a data-recorded-surface servo. In the servo-surface servo, servo information is recorded on a specific servo surface. In the data-recorded-surface servo, servo information is recorded on a data surface.
FIGS. 1A and 1B show a conventional magnetic disk related to the servo-surface servo. More particularly, FIG. 1 shows a servo disk 11, and FIG. 1B shows a data disk 21. In the servo-surface servo, a single servo disk and a predetermined number of data disks are used.
The servo disk 11 shown in FIG. 1A records servo information for the seek operation. A servo area on which servo information is recorded is divided, according to combinations shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, into an outer guard band OGB, a data area and an inner guard band IGB. A first OGB (Outer Guard Band) area 13 and a second OGB area 14 are arranged further out than a data area 12. First outer guard band information is recorded on the first OGB area, and second outer guard band information is recorded on the second OGB. An IGB (Inner Guard Band) area 15 on which inner guard band information is recorded is located further in than the servo area 12.
The data disk 21 shown in FIG. 1B has a data area 22 on which data is recorded. A first OGB area 23 and a second OGB area 24 are located further out in a radial direction from a center of the data disk 21 than the data area 22. Servo information for correcting an off-track due to errors of the positions of the magnetic heads is recorded on the first OGB area 23. No information is recorded on the second OGB area 24. An IGB area 25 on which no information is recorded is located further in than the data area 22 in a radial direction from a center of the data disk 21.
The data-recorded-surface servo does not use the servo disk 11 shown in FIG. 1A, but uses a predetermined number of data disks 21 only. On the data disk, provided are servo information areas 26 which extend radially from the disk center. On the servo information areas 26, recorded are information concerning sectors, cylinders, head addresses, indexes and guard band information.
A single index is recorded on each of all the cylinders (including the OGBs) of the servo disk 11 in the servo-surface servo. A single index is recorded on each of the cylinders (including the OGBs) of each data disk in the data-recorded-surface servo. Surface analysis information, which may include information of a defective sector and various types of information, is recorded on a predetermined number of cylinders located further in than the data area of each data disk irrespective of whether the servo is the servo-surface servo or the data-recorded-surface servo.
The above-mentioned structure in which the servo information is recorded on the first OGB areas 13 and 23 of the magnetic disks 11 and 21 in the servo-surface servo and the data-recorded-surface servo is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 52-46805, 4-40678, 4-205977 and 5-225725. Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2-10601 discloses that the first OGB area 23 of the data disk is used as a data area, and can also be used as an effective data area.
The index is detected in the magnetic disk drives using the servo disk 11 and the data disks 21 related to the servo-surface servo or the data disks related to the data-recorded-surface servo. The servo control directed to positioning the magnetic heads on the target cylinders is carried out with respect to the position of the detected index. In this way, the recording/reproducing operation can be performed.
When an MR head is used as a data head as has been described previously, a read error may take place because the head characteristic is varied each time the write operation is performed. In this case, a dummy write operation on a specific dummy write cylinder is performed as a retry process after the occurrence of the read error. Hence, the head characteristic can be recovered to the normal one. In this case, the dummy write operation is carried out with respect to the data cylinders and the first OGB area 23 on each of the data disks 21 irrespective of whether the servo is the data-recorded-surface servo or the servo-surface servo.
FIG. 2 is a timing chart of the conventional dummy write operation. More particularly, FIG. 2 shows a dummy write operation on the first OGB area 23 in the servo-surface servo. Index information (index pattern "01011") of a cylinder on the servo disk 11 on which the dummy write operation is carried out is detected. Then, a write gate is maintained in the open state until the next GB information over the first GB information (GB pattern "01010") after the detection of the above index information. In this state, the dummy write operation is performed. After the dummy write operation, the servo information concerning the data surface for the off-track correction is read.
However, in the dummy write operation in the data-recorded-surface servo, the ID information cannot be correctly read in such a state where a read error occurs. Hence, it is not possible to determine whether the data head is correctly positioned on the dummy cylinder. Hence, there is a possibility that the dummy write operation may be carried out on a data cylinder and data may be deleted.
In the following case, servo information concerning the data surface for the off-track correction and/or the surface analysis information may be deleted if the cylinder address has an error. That is, an area subjected to the dummy write operation is provided in the first OGB area 23 or the area on which the surface analysis information is recorded in order to perform the reading of the dummy write operation and reading of the servo information and the surface analysis information with respect to the same cylinder. In this case, the dummy write can be unconditionally performed.
When the servo information is written or the dummy write operation is performed in the servo-surface servo, the index pattern, e.g. "01011" and the GB information, e.g. "01010" are set, as shown in FIG. 2.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show bit patterns. More particularly, FIG. 3A shows bit "0", and FIG. 3B shows bit "1". When a missing pulse as indicated by the broken line in FIG. 3B is detected with respect to bit "1", the bit pattern becomes bit "0" shown in FIG. 3A. The difference between the index pattern and the GB pattern is one bit (normally, the difference is represented by one bit or two bits). Hence, if the missing occurs due to write noise, the GB pattern is mistakenly detected as the index pattern. This problem is serious in not only the dummy write operation but also the recording of the data-recorded-surface servo information.
If the index pattern is mistakenly detected when the dummy write operation is carried out on the first OGB area 23 of the servo disk 11 on which the servo information is recorded, the servo information is deleted.

Method for reliably positioning a head in a disk drive to a guard band area


An air cycle machine has a housing which holds a compressor section, and a turbine section having an expansion area, and a fan section disposed outside of the housing. A shaft, which attaches to and is coaxial with the compressor section, the turbine section and the fan section, is supported by an air journal bearing and an air thrust bearing. The shaft has a hollow core for porting cooling air from the air journal bearing and the air thrust bearing, and a tube that extends into said expansion area and communicates cooling air from the turbine expansion area to the thrust bearing.

This application relates to air bearings incorporated into an air cycle machine and more particularly to air seals that enable cooling of the air bearings.
Air cycle machines are known, and may include a centrifugal compressor driven by compressed air and a centrifugal turbine that lowers the temperature of the compressed air. The output of the turbine is utilized as conditioned supply air for a space or components to be conditioned.

Bearing cooling control in an air cycle machine


An apparatus caused at least to acquire information indicating first indoor magnetic field vectors measured by a first portable device inside a building; generate a first indoor magnetic field sequence, IMFS, on the basis of the first indoor magnetic field vectors; acquire information indicating second indoor magnetic field vectors measured by a second portable device inside the building; generate a second IMFS on the basis of the second indoor magnetic field vectors, wherein the first and the second IMFSs represent at least one of the magnitude and the direction of the Earth's magnetic field; perform a comparison between at least part of the first IMFS and at least part of the second IMFS; and acquire information on the relative movement of the first portable device with respect to the second portable device inside the building on the basis of the comparison result.

It may be possible to locate or track a person associated with a specific device indoors via a radio frequency (RF)-based tracking. Tracking people indoors on the basis of variations in the Earth's indoor magnetic field has also been proposed. This type of location discovery typically applies magnetic field strengths measured by a magnetometer carried by the person. The measured strength is compared to an existing indoor magnetic field map to derive the location of the magnetometer, and thus, the person. However, the above techniques for detecting persons' movements require knowledge of an indoor map, which may not be initially available.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Applying indoor magnetic fields for acquiring movement information


This invention allows focus detection devices to be smoothly and quickly switched even if different image capturing frame counts or image capturing field counts are set in accordance with image capturing purposes. An AF system selection unit switches focus detection methods based on a direct distance measurement AF unit and captured signal AF detection unit in accordance with the frame count or field count of a captured signal.

Conventionally, a TTL autofocus (to be referred to as AF hereinafter) system has been proposed, in which a high frequency component is extracted from a captured signal, a search is then made for a place where it is maximized (the top of a hill), and the place is determined as an in-focus point. AF based on this system will be referred to as captured signal AF hereinafter.
According to the characteristic features of this system, it requires no mechanical members or the like for automatic focus detection, and hence can be implemented at a low cost. In addition, since focus determination is performed by using a captured signal itself, the system is accurate, free from deterioration with time, and the like. Captured signal AF which is free from the influence of deterioration of mechanical members with time is very effective for image capturing operation by a high-pixel count image capturing device because it requires severe focusing accuracy.
In this system, in order to discriminate the top of a hill, i.e., an in-focus point, the entire region is scanned from end to end to comprehend its shape or so-called hill-climbing operation is performed. Comprehending the shape of a hill by scanning makes the operator see in-focus and out-of-focus events. This operation is therefore inappropriate for a state wherein moving images are captured or previewed on a monitor. Hill-climbing operation is often used for moving image capturing or monitor previewing operation. When, however, this operation starts from a lens position distant from an in-focus point, it starts from a flat portion of a hill. It is therefore difficult to discriminate the direction of the top of the hill. If a mistake is made on the direction of the top of the hill, awkward operation occurs, for example, a search goes to an end opposite to the top of the hill and then returns. In addition, it takes much time to achieve focusing.
Since autofocus based on TTL or a direct distance measurement system (to be referred to as direct distance measurement AF hereinafter), which uses an infrared triangular distance measurement system or pupil division phase difference detection system, can directly measure a distance, scanning operation or hill-climbing operation is not required to detect the position of a in-focus point. This technique allows fast discrimination of an in-focus point. However, the technique requires mechanical members and the like for automatic focus detection, and distance measurement is performed by using a system different from the image capturing system, and hence has the drawbacks of being vulnerable to a shift in in-focus position due to deterioration with time or temperature, causing parallax in a captured image and distance measurement position in accordance with the distance, and the like. When the technique is applied to a high-pixel count image capturing device, in particular, a shift in in-focus position due to deterioration with time or temperature may sometimes lead to critical blurring.
As a means which improves AF performance, hybrid AF has been proposed, which is obtained by combining captured image AF and direct distance measurement AF to realize fast, accurate autofocus by combining the merits of the two AF systems. As a selection method for these two AF systems, a system of switching from external distance measurement AF to captured signal AF in response to the operation of an image capturing switch has been proposed (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-264622).
This system is suitable for still image capturing operation but is not suitable for moving image capturing operation of sequentially changing objects to be image-captured in accordance with panning and the like without operation of the image capturing switch. In addition, there has been proposed a method in which in-focus positions are detected by using the two systems, and when the measurement results obtained by the two systems differ by a predetermined amount upon comparison, one of the systems is selected in accordance with a condition (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-264622). This system is, however, based on the system of performing scanning in advance to detect an in-focus position, and is not suitable for AF for moving images. This is because scanning operation is noticeable, and undesirable images are obtained.
There has also been proposed a technique of driving a lens toward the front-focused/rear-focused position by a predetermined amount by direct measurement AF, then switching to captured signal AF, and if contrast detection cannot be done after switching, switching again to direct measurement AF (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-141984).
There has further been proposed a technique of performing direction discrimination/motor speed control by the phase difference system if the focus has greatly shifted, and performing AF by captured image AF if a high frequency component is detected (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-81713).
Since the TV systems are limited to NTSC, PAL, and the like, conventional digital video cameras designed to capture moving images generally perform interlaced image capturing (60I) at a rate of almost 60 fields per sec according to the NTSC system, and perform interlaced image capturing (50I) at a rate of almost 50 fields per sec according to the PAL system. Image capturing devices are also driven in synchronism with these periods. However, with generalization of TV digital broadcasting, high-definition broadcasting, movie digital image capturing, and the like, digital video cameras have been designed to perform image capturing in various image capturing formats.
With regard to TV broadcasting systems alone, with resolutions of 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i, some area is assigned 60 fields/frames, and the other area is assigned 50 fields/frames. Note that in the case of progressive scanning, 60 frames and 30 frames are respectively expressed as 60P and 30P using frame counts. In the case of interlaced scanning, 60 fields and 50 fields are respectively expressed as 60I and 50I using field counts. Consider a case wherein moving images are replayed on a personal computer. Moving images with frame counts less than 30 (e.g., 20P, 15P, and 10P) are generally captured by progressive image capturing. In addition, in consideration of compatibility with film movies, image capturing at a rate of 24 frames per sec, i.e., 24P image capturing, is becoming popular.
High-sensitivity image capturing is performed as image capturing in dark places and the like. In this case, a moving image capturing technique called slow-shutter image capturing is generally performed, in which long-time exposure image capturing is performed by decreasing the field/frame count of an image capturing device to a count smaller than the recording field/frame count. In this case, although the field/frame count of the image capturing device is decreased for long-time exposure, the field/frame count of a final video signal is kept constant in conformity with a broadcasting system or TV interface.
When conventional captured signal AF is used for moving image capturing, a moving captured signal used for display and recording is generated, and at the same time AF evaluation value is obtained from part of the signal. The amount of obtained information depends on the field count/frame count of a captured image. When the field count/frame count of a captured image is large, smooth focusing operation can be performed. If, however, the field count/frame count is small, the focusing speed decreases, resulting in difficulty in performing smooth focusing operation. In addition, the follow-up speed decreases with respect to a moving object. In the case of captured signal AF for a still image, the frame count can be temporarily increased by changing the driving method for the image capturing device for AF only at the time of AF. However, such a technique cannot be applied to moving image capturing because AF and moving image recording are simultaneously performed.

Image capturing apparatus having a plurality of focus detention devices and control method therefor


Removable cases for portable electronic devices incorporating memory tags (e.g., NFC memory tags) capable of being read by an electronic reading device are disclosed. The memory tags may be pre-programmed or programmable to contain one or more readable items of identification data associated with the custodian of the device or protective case. The memory tags may also or alternatively include code or executable commands that effectuate certain functionality (e.g., go into silent or airplane mode, call home or a particular person, turn off, check email, set alarm, play music or video, etc.) in another of the user's device. The protective case may protect, shield, and/or conceal the tag visually in part or in whole while allowing the tag to be read and the tags position visually identified. Systems and methods to recover lost or misplaced electronic devices using information contained in the memory tag of the protective enclosure are also disclosed.

Hand-held, mobile, and portable electronic devices such as smart and cellular phones, portable gaming, laptops, and electronic tablets are becoming more and more ubiquitous in today's society. In part due to their mobility and hence accessibility, users of such devices are increasingly relying on them to store and maintain personal and business data such as contacts, email, photos, account information, passwords, client, patient, or customer files, and various other important or difficult-to-regenerate information. As those who have ever lost such a device can attest, the cost of the lost device (while often not insignificant) frequently pales in magnitude to the grief the owner suffers as a result of the loss of and/or the inability to access the data or information contained on the lost device.
This problem is often exacerbated by the fact that the return of lost devices to their rightful owners is often not an easy task. Frequently, the lost device is password protected or protected by other means (e.g., biometric sensors or other security measures) that preclude even the best intentioned person from determining who the device should be rightfully returned to. Indeed, common carriers like airlines and the like have reported large quantities of unreturned electronic devices, which they have been unable to trace back to their rightful owners or passengers due to lack of identification information or their inability to access the device because of password or security protection. Some users, perhaps to improve their chances of recovery, provide contact information on the exterior of the electronic device, for example by scribing or placing a sticker on the device that contains the name, company, address and/or telephone number of the user and/or owner. Many users, however, prefer not to do so for reasons of privacy or as an added security precaution to avoid making the device a target for theft, misappropriation, and the like. Moreover, such exteriorly positioned labels are frequently inadvertently damaged, removed, or become unreadable with time.
While conventional protective cases for such devices provide protection from loss of the device as a result of physical damage from the environment or impacts and the like, they do not assist in the return of such valued property to their rightful owners while also overcoming the foregoing privacy and security concerns.
Applicant here recognizes that there is a need in the art for protective cases or enclosures that can assist in the return of the device to its proper custodian (e.g., user or owner or agent thereof) and do so without indiscriminately revealing personal contact information. Applicant has also recognized that there is a need in the art for protective cases or enclosures that are capable of electronically instructing another of the user's electronic devices to perform a specified task or function.

Protective case for portable electronic device


The present invention relates a vascular prosthesis and related assembly methods that includes a plurality of modular segments inter-engaged by flexible, and preferably lockable, inter-engageable elements forming joints or other connector areas. The segments may have a number of different mechanical properties and may be assembled by the clinician, through mechanical or chemical joining, to customize the prosthesis for a specific patient or application.

Numerous stent designs are known in the art, of which self-expanding and balloon-expandable stents are the predominant commercially available types. Self-expanding stents, such as the stents described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,568 to Gianturco, generally provide good crush-resistance and axially flexibility, thus permitting delivery through tortuous anatomy, but provide lower radial strength once deployed. Balloon-expandable stents, such as the stents typified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,762 to Palmaz, provide high radial strength, but tend to have increased axial rigidity that affects deliverability through tortuous vessels. It has therefore been a goal of many expandable stent designs to enhance axial flexibility of the stent to improve deliverability, and thus the number of potential applications for the device, while retaining an acceptable level of radial strength.
Previously known stents are generally supplied in a variety of lengths and diameters, so the clinician can select the stent most appropriate for a specific patient. Such stents typically have homogeneous properties along the length of the stent and provide limited options for customization responsive to the needs of a particular patient.
In certain applications, the best solution for a particular patient would involve a combination of the mechanical and operating properties of both balloon-expandable and self-expanding stents. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a modular stent that permits the clinician to "mix and match" stent modules to build a stent having specific characteristics tailored for a specific patient or application.
For example, it may be desirable to provide a stent having axial modules of variable rigidity and crush-resistance, such as for use in the carotid arteries. Due to the generally exposed nature of these arteries in the region of the neck, situations have been reported where balloon-expandable stents have been subjected to partial crushing. On the other hand, self-expanding stents are susceptible to migration. Therefore, it would be desirable in certain applications to provide a stent having a resilient, self-expanding central portion and balloon-expandable end regions that permit the stent to be anchored in position.
The ability to vary the mechanical properties of the stent also would permit a stent to include non-metallic components, such as biodegradable or bioabsorbable segments. This ability might prove particularly advantageous where it is desired to deliver a predetermined dose of drug to via drug-eluting segments, for example, by incorporating a specified number of drug-eluting segments into the prosthesis that eventually dissolve in the fluid stream through the vessel.
As yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,361 to Von Oepen describes a stent designed for use in bifurcated vessels having a side branch aperture. As described in that patent, the stent is manufactured with fixed length regions proximal and distal to the aperture. Thus, the stent may not be suitable in some patients because the fixed length of the proximal or distal region may interfere with collateral vessels upstream or downstream of the bifurcation. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a vascular prosthesis that includes a side branch aperture, but which has proximal and distal regions that may be tailored for a specific patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,037 to Fogarty et al. describes a modular intralumenal prosthesis, such as for a stent-graft, that includes a plurality of modules having standard interface ends for engaging adjacent modules. The modules employed in the prosthesis may include variations in axial length, cross-section, perimeter, resilient expansive force and axial flexibility. The modules are "locked" together by stitching a liner material.
One drawback of the prosthesis described in the Fogarty et al. patent is that the prosthesis may lack structural rigidity in the expanded configuration. In particular, the patent describes no mechanism to positively engage the modules other than the liner material. It therefore would be desirable to provide a modular stent wherein the modules cannot be locked together without stitching or a liner material.
The foregoing patent also does not teach that a modular stent may be used to improve conformance of the stent to a patient's vasculature when used in a bifurcated region, or the desirability of intermixing segments including different materials, including bioabsorbable or drug-eluting segments.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a vascular prosthesis including a plurality of modular segments interconnected by lockable joints that enhance articulation between adjacent segments during delivery of the prosthesis and enhance structural rigidity of the prosthesis in the deployed configuration.
It also would be desirable to provide a vascular prosthesis that includes a plurality of modular segments interconnected by a plurality of joints, in which the modular segments include different materials or strut configurations, thereby permitting the structural rigidity of the vascular prosthesis in the deployed configuration to be tailored for a specific patient or application.
It further would be desirable to provide a vascular prosthesis including a plurality of modular segments, wherein one or more segments may be bioabsorbable or drug-eluting, to provide predetermined doses of drug to the vessel wall or intravascularly to a desired tissue region.
Still further, it would be desirable to provide a vascular prosthesis that includes a plurality of modular segments, wherein one or more segments of customizable length may be intermixed to provide a desired feature, for example for the treatment of bifurcated vessels or aneurysms.
Still further, it would be desirable to provide a method for assembling a device wherein a physician could intermix device components formed of one or more interlocking modular segments, in order to provide a vascular prosthesis with radial force and structural rigidity tailored to a specific patient or application.
Still further, it would be desirable to provide a method for assembling a device wherein a physician could intermix device components that include one or more interlocking modular segments to make a customizable vascular prosthesis by snapping the components together without the need for assembly tools.
Still further, it would be desirable to provide a system for assembling a device that includes interlocking modular segments and interlocking modular end segments that can be joined to form a device having a customizable length, configuration or structural rigidity.
It also would be desirable to provide device components that include modular segments configured to be welded together, so to eliminate the need for traditional laser cutting of long tubular members.

Modular vascular prosthesis and methods of use

Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises Limited


Embodiments described herein provide an optimal communication channel recommendation engine by assessing whether the environment the customer is situated in is conducive to the channel selected by the customer. Specifically, the optimal channel recommendation engine obtains data artifacts indicative of ambient noise, motion, customer sentiment, network quality, customer focus, and/or the like to assess quality of the environment and recommend an optimal channel for the communication between the customer and the call agent. With the recommendation to switch to a different channel, the client component resumes communication with the new channel and retains the context of the interaction.

Customers usually have a variety of ways to connect with organizations, such as voice, email, chat, text or social media. For example, a customer may initiate an audio call, an online chat session, a video call, and/or other real-time interactive communication session with a customer service agent for a bi-directional dialog to follow up questions. However, when call center agents (as well as customers) work from home or on the go, as often permitted in the modern workplace, the quality of a communication such as an audio call to a contact center can be seriously impacted. For example, the agent or the customer may be calling from an environment with significant background noise, with limited network conductivity, and/or the like. Thus, due to impaired communication and disruption, customer and agent usually need to repeat portions of the conversation, which is frustrating and time consuming. Similar problems may also arise in video calls or voice conferences—thus leading to unsatisfactory quality of service affecting business metrics like Customer Satisfaction and Average Handle time for interactions.
Accordingly, a need exists for methods and systems for improving the quality of communication between customers and call agents.

Systems and methods for optimal channel selection


There is disclosed an aircraft engine having: an engine shaft; a first transmission shaft in driving engagement with the engine shaft and a second transmission shaft concentric with the first transmission shaft and in driving engagement with the first transmission shaft, the second transmission shaft drivingly engageable to an engine accessory, the first and second transmission shafts rotatable about an axis; and at least two axially spaced apart annular ring seals disposed radially between the first and second transmission shafts, the at least two annular ring seals biased against both of the first and second transmission shafts.

A gas turbine engine is configured to drive a main rotatable load, such as a propeller or a fan. In some cases, the gas turbine engine further drives an accessory, such as a gearbox. A shaft is used for coupling a shaft of the gas turbine engine to an accessory gearbox of the gas turbine engine.


Techniques are provided for serializing replication operations. A plurality of operations are implemented upon a first storage object and are replicated as a plurality of replication operations. An order with which the plurality of replication operation are to be executed upon a second storage object is determined. Execution of the plurality of replication operations upon the second storage object is serialized according to the order.

Many storage systems may implement data replication and/or other redundancy data access techniques for data loss protection and non-disruptive client access. For example, a first computing device may be configured to provide clients with primary access to data stored within a first storage device and/or other storage devices. A second computing device may be configured as a backup for the first computing device in the event the first computing device fails. Data may be replicated from the first computing device to the second computing device. In this way, the second computing device can provide clients with access to replicated data in the event the first computing device fails.
One type of replication is asynchronous replication. When the first computing device receives an operation from a client device, the first computing device transmits a replication of the operation to the second computing device for execution. Irrespective of whether the second computing device has executed the replicated operation, the first computing device will transmit an acknowledgment of successful performance of the operation to the client device once the first computing device has executed the operation.
Another type of replication is synchronous replication, which provides a greater level of data protection guarantees, such as a zero recovery point objective (RPO). This is because the first computing device does not transmit the acknowledgment until the operation has been executed by the first computing device and the replicated operation has been executed or acknowledged by the second computing device. In this way, two copies of data and/or metadata resulting from the operation are maintained before the client receives acknowledgment that the operation was successful.

Serializing execution of replication operations


An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit for forming and transferring an image of a document to a copy sheet, fixing unit including a fixing roller for fixing the document image to a copy sheet while transporting it, a heater for heating the fixing roller, and heater control unit for turning on and off the heater at specified timings so as to increase and maintain temperature of the fixing roller to and in a predetermined steady-state temperature range whose upper limit is a fixing temperature, the copy sheet being heated by the fixing roller having temperature of about the predetermined fixing temperature while transported, whereby the document image transferred to the copy sheet is fixed thereto, and control unit for controlling the heater control unit to control the heater within a copying period during which a copying operation is completed. The heater control unit on-off controls the heater only during the copying operation. Accordingly, power consumed by the heater is reduced and a temperature increase within the apparatus can be suppressed.

This invention relates to a copying machine or like image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a control system for controlling a fixing unit provided in the image forming apparatus.
A fixing unit provided in an existing image forming apparatus such as a copying machine includes a fixing roller and a pressing roller. The fixing unit heats a copy sheet at a predetermined fixing temperature while transporting it. whereby fixing a transferred image onto the copy sheet. The fixing roller is provided with a heater for heating the fixing roller and a temperature detector including a thermistor for detecting the temperature of the fixing roller. The temperature of the fixing roller is maintained in a predetermined temperature range by turning on and off the heater at appropriate timings, i.e., on-off controlling the heater in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detector.
The fixing unit is activated when the image forming apparatus is powered on. While power is applied to the image forming apparatus, the temperature of the fixing roller is maintained at a predetermined stand-by temperature near the fixing temperature so that a copying operation can be executed any time. Upon start of the copying operation, the temperature of the fixing roller is increased from the stand-by temperature to the fixing temperature, and decreased from the fixing temperature to the stand-by temperature again upon completion of the copying operation.
Recently, a multitude of functions and high performance have been required for an image forming apparatus as an office machine. However, there has also existed an increasing demand for a low cost image forming apparatus having a simplified and small-sized construction. A simplified and small-sized image forming apparatus is realizable by reducing the number of various functions and sensors or making them smaller. Such an apparatus will be power-saving and can be manufactured at a low cost.
For example, the image forming apparatus may have a simple construction by reducing the number of complicated control mechanisms such that copy sheets are manually fed one by one thereto. Further, detection of jam of a copy sheet may be left in an operator's hand. In other words, the operator may discriminates whether the jam has occurred based on whether or not the copy sheet has discharged within a specified period following start of a copying operation. In this way, a jam sensor can be dispensed with. Furthermore, the image forming apparatus can be manufactured at a low cost if various components as well as a main body of the apparatus are formed with low cost resin.
However, promotion of small-sized and low cost image forming apparatus is at variance with the use of material having high heat resistance and makes it difficult to provide a space for releasing the heat and heat releasing members within the apparatus. This requires measures to reduce an amount of heat generated within the apparatus.
Particularly, in the case where a fixing unit provided with a conventional control system is applied in a simple and small-sized image forming apparatus, the temperature of a fixing roller is controlled using a heater all the time while power is applied to the apparatus. Accordingly, it is difficult to suppress a temperature increase within the apparatus.
Further, in this apparatus, the heater is kept energized even during the time while the copying operation is not executed as long as power is applied to the apparatus. Accordingly, the apparatus is obliged to consume more power than necessary.
Moreover, in the case where, for example, power outage occurs while the copy sheet is being transported in the fixing unit causing a copy sheet jam therein, it is not to be discriminated whether the copy sheet has been discharged within a predetermined period. Therefore, the apparatus cannot detect the jam. The copy sheet remaining in the fixing unit is heated by the fixing roller for a long time until a next copying operation, thereby causing problems such as burning of the copy sheet and fire.

Image forming apparatus provided with a controller for fixing roller heater


Disclosed are various examples for performing actions using augmented reality. In some examples, a user interface that includes a field of view is generated. The field of view is currently captured using a camera of a client device. Object data in the field of view is detected. Position data is determined. The position data includes a location of the client device and an orientation vector that indicates a direction the camera of the client device. A request for actions is transmitted to a management service. The request includes the object data and the position data. An action and an identity of a managed object are received from the management service. The user interface is updated to include an identity of a managed object, and a user interface element that when selected causes an action to be performed.

Appliances, vehicles, sensors, controllers, actuators, and other devices can gather data and interact with the physical world. This network of devices or Internet-of-Things (IoT) can be utilized to improve operations and provide new services. In order to ensure the security and reliability of IoT device connections in an enterprise setting, the enterprise can utilize a management service capable of protecting client devices, IoT devices, as well as email, corporate documents, and other enterprise data from theft, data loss, and unauthorized access. While managed devices are becoming more ubiquitous, controlling and managing their interactions with the physical world can present difficulties.
In order for a user to interact with a managed location, object, or device, a user may need to know or have access to its identity and other information. It can be a security risk to post this information in a public location or in view of all users in an enterprise setting. In addition, it can be inefficient to require users, administrators, or technicians to manually look up and enter this information to allow interactions to take place. Interactions can also require installation of applications, drivers, or other instructions. This can cause delays in time and lost efficiency in the interaction process.


A method and apparatus for assembling a photographic camera having a cartridge chamber and a film chamber. In the method, a film cartridge is positioned in the cartridge chamber. The film cartridge includes a spool and a filmstrip. A leading portion of the filmstrip is curled about a curling axis internal to the supply chamber. During the curling, deflection of the leading portion in directions radial to the axis beyond a predetermined preliminary radius is limited. A main portion of the filmstrip is wound around the leading portion to form a film roll. The film roll has an outermost turn defining a first film roll radius larger than the preliminary radius. Following the winding, the film roll is allowed to expand to a second film roll radius larger than the first film roll radius. Outward telescoping of the film roll is limited.

Single use cameras are commonly sold preloaded with a cartridge of film. In order reduce complexity and costs, a rewind mechanism is omitted from the camera. Instead, the film is prewound and during use is advanced back into the film canister. A number of approaches have been followed in loading and prewinding film cartridges for single use cameras. In some approaches, such as one taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,649; film is prewound into a roll outside the camera body and then loaded. A shortcoming of these approaches is that the film roll must be handled after it is formed. This presents a risk of film damage and may add complexity to necessary equipment. In some other approaches, also taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,649; the cartridge is loaded, the camera is light-tightly closed, and the film is then prewound. In still other approaches, such as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,231; the cartridge is loaded and then the rear opening of the camera body is closed and the film is prewound through a bottom opening, which is later sealed. The latter two approaches have the shortcoming that film guiding is provided primarily by the camera body, rather than loading apparatus. This places constraints on the camera body in terms of required tolerances and the like and may, in addition, slow throughput speeds. Still another approach is taught by Japanese Kokai 6-295022, European Patent Application No. 0743546-A, and Japanese Kokai 8-171180. In this approach, the film is wound onto a second spool, rather than being wound into a film roll. The back of the camera is not mandatory for guiding the film, since the second spool tends to restrain the film.
One of the risks presented in loading and prewinding film cartridges into single use camera assemblies has been damage due to pinching of the filmstrip during assembly. In approaches, such as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,231, pinching can result from outward telescoping of the film roll after prewinding.
It would thus be desirable to provide camera assembly methods and apparatus in which a spoolless film roll is wound, from a cartridge, into an open camera assembly, using apparatus components to guide winding and reduce the risk of filmstrip pinching, including pinching due to outward telescoping of the film roll.

Apparatus and methods using mandrel to roll film in camera chamber


An image projecting candle apparatus which is constructed of a generally elongated cylindrical body with a candle positioned therein and an annular display unit mounted on a top rim of the cylindrical body with colored transparent film mounted in the display unit and for turning by heated air rising out of the cylindrical body such that a team color of a person's favorite sports team can be projected either on the ceiling or on a wall.

Professional and college sports are popular past times for a large segment of the population here in the United States. Each person may have a favorite sports team, regardless of a college or of a professional team associated with a city. Each sports team usually has a specific color related to and representative of the team. For the sports enthusiasts, it would be desirable that a decorative lighting apparatus is provided such that the specific color of his favorite sports team can be projected either onto the ceiling or onto the wall of a room.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image projecting candle apparatus that is capable of projecting a color of a specific sports team.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image projecting candle apparatus that is capable of projecting different colors by interchangeable display unit on the candle apparatus.


While suppressing the frequency of a signal line driver circuit, a blur of a moving image of a light-emitting device using a light-emitting transistor can be prevented, without reducing a frame frequency. A switching element is provided in a path of a current which flows between a source and a drain of a light-emitting transistor, and the light-emitting transistor is made not to emit light by turning off the switching element, whereby pseudo-impulse driving is performed. Switching of the switching element can be controlled by a scan line driver circuit. In a specific structural example, the light-emitting device includes, in a pixel, a light-emitting transistor, a first switching element which controls supply of a potential of a video signal to a gate of the light-emitting transistor, and a second switching element which controls a current which flows between a source and a drain of the light-emitting transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting device using a light-emitting transistor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since light-emitting devices using light-emitting elements as display elements have high visibility, are suitable for reduction in thickness, and have a wide viewing angle, they have attracted attention as display devices which can take the place of cathode ray tubes (CRTs) or liquid crystal display devices. In particular, a light-emitting element having a transistor structure, which is called a light-emitting transistor, has both a function of a light-emitting element and a function of a transistor. Therefore, a light-emitting device including a light-emitting transistor in a pixel has a higher aperture ratio than a light-emitting device including both a light-emitting element and a transistor which controls a current supplied to the light-emitting element in a pixel. In addition, compared to the case of manufacturing both a transistor and a light-emitting element, fewer elements are needed to be formed in a light-emitting device using a light-emitting transistor; therefore, a light-emitting device using a light-emitting transistor is advantageous also in the yield and manufacturing cost of products.
Reference 1 (PCT International Publication No. 03/071608) and Reference 2 (Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2006-252774) each discloses a specific structure of a light-emitting transistor.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A bearing device where a sliding bearing rotatably supporting a shaft is molded with an inexpensive sintered material, three asymmetrical circular arc-shaped radial bearings are formed in the inner peripheral surface of the shaft, taper land-shaped thrust bearings are formed in the opposite end surfaces of the radial bearing surface, T-shaped bubble removing means which is constituted by axial and radial flow passages formed in the shaft opposed to the radial bearing is provided, and magnetic fluid is used as a lubricant. A magnetic disk unit using the bearing device is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a bearing device using a dynamic-pressure bearing where a lubricant is sealed to the bearing surface and also relates to a spindle motor provided with the bearing device.
In most of the spindle motors used in information equipment, ball bearings have been employed for supporting a rotating body. However, the ball bearing has limitations on high-accurate rotation and high-speed rotation and has become an obstacle to the high-accurate and high-speed operation of information equipment. When, on the other hand, a rotating body is supported by a sliding bearing, very high accurate rotation is possible because the rotating body can be supported by a film of dynamic-pressure oil with non-contact, and the sliding bearing is suitable for high-speed rotation.
A bearing device adopting the sliding bearing is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 61-201916. In this publication, axial and radial gaps are provided between a rotational shaft and a housing as a means of preventing axial and radial vibrations, and magnetic fluid is sealed in the gaps so that the rotational shaft can be rotatably supported. In addition, seal devices are provided on the opposite ends of the housing, and step-shaped bearing-force generating members are provided on the surface and the opposite ends of the rotational shaft. With the dynamic-pressure effect caused by rotation, accuracy of rotation is stably maintained while suppressing vibration.
Although a sliding bearing is not employed, in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 3-117120 there is disclosed a method of lubricating a radial bearing. A rotational shaft is made hollow and one end thereof is immersed in an oil collecting portion provided in the lower portion of the radial bearing. Oil is drawn up by the pumping effect caused due to rotation and is supplied to holes opened at positions corresponding to upper and lower radial bearings, whereby the lubrication of the radial bearings disposed on upper and lower sides of the rotational shaft is performed.
In addition, in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 6-187720 there is disclosed a structure where a pre-load is applied to a spindle in the radial direction by a magnetic pre-load device disposed eccentrically with respect to the spindle to enhance the rigidity of the bearing. Axial and radial flow passages are provided in the spindle. One end of the axial flow passage is communicated with the surface of a thrust bearing, and the radial flow passage is communicated with the oil chamber and the space between upper and lower radial bearings. A lubricant is supplied from one end of the axial flow passage to the bearing portion and then sealed with a plug.
When the spindle is supported by the sliding bearing, the spindle needs to be positioned in the radial and axial directions and also radial and thrust bearings are needed as a means of preventing vibration, and a lubricant is sealed by using a seal device in the radial and thrust bearings.
On the other hand, when the spindle is assembled or the lubricant is sealed, there is the problem that air remains on the bearing portion and bubbles flow to the sliding surface of the bearing. In this case, the oil film breaks on the bearing surface, the rigidity is remarkably reduced, and unstable vibration occurs. If temperature rises, bubbles will grow and this tendency will be further accelerated.
In the aforementioned technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 61-201916, the rigidity of the oil film is increased by the dynamic-pressure effect of the step-shaped bearing-force generating groove to enhance accuracy of rotation, however, a means of removing bubbles from the bearing during rotation is not provided. Therefore, if air particles remain unremoved in the bearing when a lubricant is sealed, the air particles will grow into bubbles. As a result, there is the possibility that the bubbles flow to the lubrication surface, impede the dynamic-pressure effect of the bearing-force generating groove, reduce the rigidity of the lubricant, and give rise to unstable vibration.
In the aforementioned technique disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 3-117120, a lubricating oil is drawn from the end of the hollow shaft by the pumping effect caused due to rotation and is supplied to the ball bearing, and the problem of the dynamic pressure reduction in the bearing portion caused by bubbles does not exist. Therefore, this technique pays no regard to the means for removing bubbles.
In the aforementioned technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 6-187720, axial and radial flow passages are provided in a spindle, and a lubricant is supplied from one end of the spindle to radial and thrust bearings and then sealed with a plug. The other end of the spindle is disposed in contact with the thrust bearing, so when the spindle is rotated, a pumping effect of sucking the lubricant from the other end of the spindle into the axial flow passage cannot be expected. Therefore, the axial and radial flow passages do not serve as a means of removing bubbles.

Bearing device and spindle motor provided with the bearing device