A muffler for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, comprises a housing comprising a shell having an inner wall, an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe extending into an inner space of the housing, for conveying an exhaust gas stream into and out of the inner space of the housing, at least one baffle arranged in the inner space of the housing, the baffle comprising a baffle plate, the baffle plate having a circumference, and a baffle lip arranged at the circumference of the baffle plate, the baffle lip engaging the inner wall of the shell and having an end portion, wherein the end portion of the baffle lip is curved inwardly away from the inner wall of the shell.

Mufflers are used, for example, as components of exhaust systems of motor vehicles in general, and in particular as components of exhausts systems of cars. The muffler is designed to reduce the noise levels generated by the internal combustion engine. To this end, the acoustical waves propagate through a series of resonating chambers tuned to attenuate the noise. Alternatively or in addition, fibrous material may be arranged in one or more chambers of the muffler to attenuate the loudness of the sound pressure. The chambers within the muffler are formed by sectional plates called baffles which are inserted into a shell during assembly of the muffler. The baffles additionally may support various pipes within the muffler, for example the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe of the muffler.
Generally, a chamber of the muffler is bounded by a pair of baffles or between baffle and endcap and the shell. A first pipe may be arranged to extend through the baffle plate of one baffle of the pair and may have a discharge end opening out into the chamber. A second pipe may extend through the baffle plate of the other baffle of the pair into the chamber and may have an inlet end also opening out into the chamber for allowing exhaust gas and acoustic waves to exit from the chamber. In some embodiments of mufflers, a perforated flow pipe may extend completely through the chamber bounded by the two baffles and the shell, allowing exhaust gas and acoustic waves to enter and exit the chamber through these perforations. In still further embodiments of mufflers, the flow pipe is not perforated and constitutes a bypass of the chamber, so that exhaust gas and acoustic waves may enter and exit the bypassed chamber either through discharge and inlet ends of other pipes opening out into this chamber, or through perforations provided in the baffle plates bounding this chamber.
During assembly of the muffler, the baffles are inserted into the shell by a process called "stuffing". The baffles not only comprise the baffle plate but in addition comprise a bent edge called "baffle lip" which upon being stuffed into the shell is in a frictional sliding contact with the shell.
As is evident, the baffles have different functions. First, the baffles divide the muffler into acoustical compartments. The baffles may additionally contain holes which create an acoustical connection between the acoustical compartments. Second, the baffles support the pipes. Third, the baffles to some extent decouple the elements arranged in the interior of the muffler and the shell with respect to thermal expansion by providing a sliding contact between the interior elements of the muffler and its housing.
During stuffing in the assembly of the muffler as well as upon thermal expansion or contraction in operation, frictional forces are exerted on the baffle lip. These frictional forces may increase due to "baffle edge gripping" (the edge of the baffle "grips" into the inner wall of the shell). Baffle edge gripping may lead to different sliding properties of the baffle edge in the two opposite directions along the inner wall of the shell and is a consequence of the process of manufacturing the baffles (including stamping and cutting of metal sheets which results in spring-back of the tips of the baffle lip). This process of manufacturing the baffles lead to baffle lip tips which are bent outwardly towards the inner wall of the muffler shell.
The afore-described outwardly bent baffle lip tips also have a negative impact on the "stick and slip" movement of the baffle. The stick and slip movement of the baffle typically occurs during the heat-up of the muffler during operation, or the cooling down of the muffler after operation and generates the well-known "tick and ping" noise.
The frictional forces may result in bending of the baffle plate. Accordingly, reduction of the wall thickness of the baffle (and an associated saving of weight) is very limited only, since a further reduction of the wall thickness of the baffle would increase the tendency of the baffle plate to bend due to reduced stiffness of the baffle plate which may create problems regarding the stuffing of the baffle plate into the muffler shell during assembly of the muffler and which may also create loss of the function of the muffler due to thermal cycling.

Muffler for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine


A dialysis seating unit has a base that is adapted to receive and support a user; a back support connected with the base, that is adapted to receive and support the user's back; and a pad that is interposed between the user and at least one of the base and the back support. The pad has a grid-pattern array of compartments with alternating compartments being filled with a pad stuffing, to present a checkerboard-like pattern of compartments that have the pad stuffing. In another aspect of the invention, a dialysis seating unit has a back support insert that releasably couples with the back support to effectively narrow the support for a relatively smaller user's back. In yet another aspect of the invention, a dialysis seating unit has a seat insert that releasably couples with the base to effectively narrow the seating area.

The invention relates to a dialysis seating unit to support a dialysis patient during blood dialysis treatment. More particularly, the invention relates to an adjustable seating unit to accommodate patients of different sizes.
Dialysis patients must frequently have blood treatment that involves sitting for extended lengths of time, about four hours for example. Dialysis patients also cover a broad range of age and physical size. Seating that does not accommodate the dialysis patient will result in fidgeting and continuing shifting by the patient to find a comfortable position. Further, skin irritations and sores may actually develop by use of a chair or the like that does not properly accommodate the patient. Thus, accommodating the dialysis patient with a comfortable seating unit is of significant concern.


The invention provides a method for converting sesquiterpene. The method includes reacting a sesquiterpene substract with a sesquiterpene converting enzyme. The enzyme is from a species or organism containing sesquiterpenes. The sesquiterpene substrate is not naturally present in the species or organism.

The invention relates to the field of bioconversion, using plant enzymes for the production of flavor, fragrance, pharmaceutical or bio-control agents from less valuable substrates. More specifically it relates to a process for production of terpenoid compounds by the use of plant enzymes.
Modern chemistry strongly depends on the use of catalysts in order to have efficient and clean reactions with a minimum of waste. Especially the use of biocatalysts (enzymes, cells) is strongly increasing, also in industry. The most important features of biocatalysts are (Faber, 2000):                1. they are very efficient;        2. they are environmentally acceptable;        3. they operate under mild conditions;        4. they are selective.
Up to now, the large majority of enzymes used in bioconversion employing biocatalysis for industrial and laboratory applications is obtained from microbial sources. A minor fraction of enzymes is obtained from plant sources (Faber, 2000). Nevertheless, the plant kingdom is an important source for the chemist and the biotechnologist because plants produce a unique variety of chemicals (Franssen and Walton, 1999). The rationale for this is simple: there is no way plants can escape from their predators, so they have to defend themselves by chemical ways. Plants make compounds with the most fantastic chemical structures: the antitumor drug TAXOL® (paclitaxel) (from Taxus brevifolia), the insect feeding deterrent azadirachtin (from the Indian neem tree Azadirachta indica) and the analgesic morphine (from Papaver somniferum). It is mainly because of the tremendous importance of compounds like these that science has been, and still is, interested in the application of plant cells and enzymes, irrespective of the disadvantages they sometimes have (Walton and Brown, 1999). By far the most important group of secondary metabolites, containing a vast number of components that act as flavor, fragrance, pharmaceutical or bioactive (insecticidal, anti-microbial, repellent, attractant, etc, etc) compounds, are the terpenoids. The terpenoids belong to the isoprenoids. By definition isoprenoids are made up of so-called isoprene (C5) units. This can be recognized in the number of C-atoms present in the isoprenoids which usually can be divided by five (C5, C10, C15, C20, C25, C30 and C40), although also irregular isoprenoids (e.g. C13, C16) and polyterpenes (Cn) have been reported.
The terpenoids consist of a.o. monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, tetraterpenes and polyterpenes (rubbers), etc. Mono- and sesquiterpenes, the C10 and C15 branch of the isoprenoid family, are economically interesting as flavor and fragrance compounds in foods and cosmetics, and can have anti-carcinogenic effects and antimicrobial properties. Mono- and sesquiterpenes have also been shown to be of ecological significance, for instance in the interaction and signaling between plants, plants and insects/spider mites and plants and microorganisms.
The sesquiterpene lactones are an important subgroup of the sesquiterpenes, and over 4000 differentstructures have been identified. A wealth of information is available about the structural aspects and biological activities of these type of compounds (e.g. Picman, 1986; Harborne et al., 1999; Seigler, 1995).
Sesquiterpene lactones may constitute up to 5% of the dry weight of the plant and occur mainly in members of the Asteraceae (in about 450 species), the largest of all plant families, but also occur in other higher plant families such as the Apiaceae (12 species) and lower plants such as liverworts, for examnple the genus Frullania (Harborne et al., 1999). Sesquiterpene lactones may occur throughout a plant, but are most commonly associated with leaves, flower parts and taproots.
The Asteraceae contain 1317 genera and 21000 species. They are mainly herbaceous plants, sometimes shrubs or trees, usually with a taproot, sometimes with tubers. Many of the Asteraceae contain (essential) oil bearing organs, such as ducts or trichomes, some of them contain latex. The Asteraceae contain many economic and ornamental plants, such as Sunflower (Helianthus annuus; for the production of seeds and sunflower oil), Jerusalem-Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus; of which the tubers are eaten and that is also used for the fructan production), and Artemisia annua (for the production of the effective anti-malarial artemisinin. Also used as food are the roots of Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) and Scorzonera (Scoizonera hispanica), the young flower-heads of Globe Artichoke (Cynara scolymus), and the leaves of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa), Endive (Cichorium endiva) and Radicchio and Brussels Endive (Cichorium intybus). In addition, there are many ornamental Asteraceae, for example in the genera Dahlia, Doronlicum, Heleniumn, Tagetes, Helianthus, Aster, Centaurea, Gerbera, etc.
The occurrence of sesquiterpene lactones in the tribes of the Asteraceae is of taxonomic interest. They are common in the Heliantheae, occur frequently in the Anthemideae, Cichorieae; Cynareae, Senecioneae, Inuleae and Vernonieae, only infrequently in the Eupatoriaea and not in the Astereae, Mutisieae, Tageteae and Arcoteae-Calenduleae (Seigler, 1995). Crop species that have been shown to contain sesquiterpene lactones are for example: Artichoke, Lettuce, Endive, Radicchio, Brussels Endive, Sunflower, Jerusalem Artichoke, Artemisia annua, Matricaria recutita. Some wild (or ornamental) Asteracea species containing sesquiterpene lactones are: Lactuca virosa, Achillea spp., Ambrosia spp. Cnicus benedictus, Artemisia spp., Xanthium spp., Iva axillaris, Parthenium spp., Helenium spp., Hymenoxys odorata, Vernonia spp., Vanillosmopsis spp., Eremanthus spp., Moquinea spp., Parthenium spp., Arnica spp., Atractylodis macrocephala, Eupatorium cannabium, Achillea millefolium, Tanacetum (Chrysanthemum) vulgare, Inula helenium and Taraxacum officinale (Seigler, 1995; Van Genderen et al., 1996).
One example of an Asteraceous species that contains large amounts of sesquiterpene lactonesis Chicory. The roots of chicory are extremely bitter, due to these sesquiterpene lactones.
Chicory is a blue-flowered composite plant that has spread all over the world from the Mediterranean and east Asia. Since the seventeenth century it has been cultivated (var. sativum) for its bitter roots that were roasted and used in hot 'coffee-like' beverages. While the use of its roots was displaced by genuine coffee from Coffea arabica, sprouts of chicory (var. foliosum) that are grown in the dark became popular as a vegetable (Belgian endive) halfway through the nineteenth century. Nowadays it is a common crop in Belgium, northern France and The Netherlands (Weeda et al., 1991; Vogel et al., 1996). During the first year of growth, the plant develops a deep taproot and produces a rosette of leaves on a short stem. Following a period of cold exposure, the plant develops a floral meristem. Commercial production involves harvesting the plant following the attainment of a proper stage of maturity of the root, followed by floral bud induction (cold storage) and then an accelerated but controlled development of the floral axis and surrounding basal leaves in the dark (forcing). The end product of forcing is a chicon, a small white head of leaves ringed with regions of yellow-green. This Belgian endive is known for its slightly bitter taste originating from sesquiterpene lactones (Pyrek, 1985; Seto et al., 1988; van Beek et al., 1990; Price et al., 1990). The major sesquiterpene lactones of chicory are guaianolides, but smaller amounts of eudesmanolides and germacranolides are also present. The bitter taste of chicory is in particular associated with the presence of the guaianolides lactucin, 8-deoxylactucin, and lactucopicrin.
Although a lot of information is available about the structural aspects and biological activities of the sesquiterpene lactones, little is known about their biosynthesis. By far the largest group of naturally occurring sesquiterpene lactones is the group of germacranolides, and the majority of sesquiterpene lactones are thought to evolve from this group. The simplest member of the germacranolides, (+)-costunolide, is generally accepted as the common intermediate of all germacranolide-derived lactones (Geissman, 1973; Herz, 1977; Fischer et al., 1979; Seaman, 1982; Song et al., 1995).
(+)-Costunolide was first isolated from costus roots (Saussurea lappa Clarke) by Paul et al. (1960) and Somasekar Rao et al. (1960), and has since been found with other sesquiterpene lactones in various plants (Fischer et al., 1979). Amongst them is lettuce (Lactuca sativa), a species that is closely related to chicory and also contains the bitter tasting compounds lactucin and lactucopicrin (Takasugi et al, 1985; Price et al., 1990).
Recently we have demonstrated that the sesquiterpenoid backbone of the sesquiterpene lactones in chicory is formed by a (+)-germacrene A synthase which cyclizes FPP to (+)-germacrene A (de Kraker et al., 1998; Bouwmeester et al., 1999b). This (+)-germacrene A is not further transformed into a guaiane or a eudesmane skeleton, indicating that functionalization of the molecule precedes its cyclization. Studies on the biosynthesis of santonin (Barton et al., 1968) suggested that lactone formation precedes any other oxidation of the sesquiterpenoid ring system (Cordell, 1976), and various authors have proposed a biosynthetic route from (+)-germacrene A (8) toward (+)-costunolidce ((Geissman, 1973; Herz, 1977; Seaman, 1982; Fischer, 1990; Song et al., 1995). In this hypothetical route (+)-germacrene A is hydroxylated to germacra-1(10),4,11(13)trien-12-ol that is further oxidized via germacra-1(10),4,11(13)-trien-12-al to germacra-1(10),4,11(i3)-trien-12-oic acid. The germacrene acid is thought to be hydroxylated at the C6-position andsubsequent loss of water leads to the formation of a lactone ring such as present in (+)-costunolide.
Unfortunately, germacrenes are notoriously unstable compounds, susceptible to proton-induced cyclizations and heat induced (e.g. steam distillation, GC-analysis) Cope rearrangement (Takeda, 1974; Bohlman et al., 1983; Reichardt et al., 1988; Teisseire, 1994; de Kraker et al, 1998). None of the intermediates between (+)-germacrene A and (+)-costunolide has ever been isolated, apart from germacra-1(10),4,11(13)-trien-12-al that was isolated with greatest difficulty from Vernonia glabra and could not be separated from its cyclization product costal (Bohlman et al, 1983). Probably as a result of this instability, the hypothetical biosynthetic route for (+)-costunolide has merely been based on the isolation from costus roots of the Cope-rearrangement products (−)-elema-1,3,11(13)-trien-12-ol and (−)-elema-1,3,11(13)-trien-12-al, and the proton-induced cyclization products costol, costal and costic acid (Bawdekar and Kelkar, 1965; Bawdekar et al., 1967; Maurer and Grieder, 1977).
The next step in the biosynthesis of sesquiterpene lactones is catalysed by a cytochrome P450 enzyme (D)e Kraker et al., 2001). Cytochrome P450 enzymes (Mr=±50,000) mostly catalyzes oxidation reactions, but also reductions. Most vertebrate genomes contain more than 30 different structural genes for cytochromes P450 (Mathews and van Holde, 1996), maiing this a large and diverse protein family. These proteins resemble mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase in being able to bind both O2 and CO. Cytochromes P450, however, strongly absorb light at 450 nm when they are in the reduced state and complexed with CO. Light of 450 nm displaces CO from the heme, hence CO binding is photoreversible. For this reason, cytochrome P450 enzymes exhibit photoreversible inhibition by CO (Donaldson and Luster, 1991). Plant cytochrome P450 monooxygenase systems are associated with the endoplasmic reticulum or a prevacuole, and consequently are located in the light membrane (microsomal) fraction of the cell.
Cytochrome P450 enzymes are involved in the hydroxylation of a large variety of compounds. There are two classes of cytochrome P450 activities known: those involved in biosynthetic routes and those involved in detoxification of xenobiotics (Donaldson and Luster, 1991; Mihaliak et al., 1993; Schuler, 1996). These reactions include the hydroxylations of steroid hormone biosynthesis, and the synthesis of hydroxylated fatty acids and fatty acid epoxides. In addition, cytochromes P450 act upon thousands of xenobiotics, including drugs such as phenobarbital and environmental carcinogens such as benzopyrene, a constituent of tobacco smoke. Hydroxylation of foreign substances usually increases their solubility and is a step in their detoxification, or metabolism and excretion.
Cytochrome P450 systems participate in a wide variety of additional reactions, including epoxidation, peroxygenation, desulfuration, dealkylation, deamination, and dehalogenation. These reactions are particularly active in the liver, where a number of cytochromes P450 are xenobiotic-inducible; that is, their synthesis is stimulated by substrates that are metabolized by these enzymes (Mathews and van Holde, 1996). Inducers include drugs such as phenobarbital and other barbiturates.
The amino acid residues that constitute the active site of the enzyme determine the specificity of a given P450. They can vary widely between different cytochromes P450; however, the principal component of the active site of all these enzymes is a heme moiety. The iron ion of the heme moiety is the site of the catalytic reaction, and is also responsible for the strong 450 nm absorption peak in combination with CO. The substrate specificity of cytochrome P450 enzymes depends on their function in the organism: the biosynthesis of metabolites or the breakdown of xenobiotics in animals. The enzymes that take care of the breakdown of xenobiotics have a low specificity, so that a few enzymes can protect the organism against a large diversity of xenobiotics. How the detoxification of xenobiotics in plants is accomplished is not clear yet. Enzymes that are involved in biosynthetic routes of metabolites in plants or animals in general have a very high substrate specificity (Donaldson and Luster, 1991; Mihaliak et al., 1993; Schuler, 1996).
Many different enzymes are involved in the biosynthetic pathways of complex plant metabolites. The enzymes catalyse, among others, stereo- and regioselective hydroxylations, (ep)oxidations, reductions, glycosylations, esterifications and cyclisations. Especially the enzymes that are involved in hydroxylations and oxidations have great potential in chemistry, since the corresponding chemical transformations involve the use of toxic reagents and halogenated solvents, which is undesirable because of safety and environmental reasons (March, 2001). For example, allylic hydroxylations are usually performed using selenium diooxide in methylene chloride (Jerussi 1970). The direct introduction of a carbonyl function next to a carbon-carbon double bond requires the use of toxic chromium trioxide (March, 2001) or the expensive and highly toxic ruthenium tetroxide (e.g., Petit and Furstoss, 1995). Furthermore, hydroxylating and oxidizing enzymes usually have far greater regio- and stereoselectivity than the chemical reagents. A few examples are given below.
Partly on account of their importance in fragrance and flavour industries, the hydroxylation and further biotransformation of terpenoids has been particularly well studied, using cell cultures of essential oil producing species and of other plants, such as Nicotiana tabacum (Suga and Hirata, 1990). Stereospecificity was shown, for example, by the formation of only trans isomers from hydroxylation occurring at C4 of β-terpineol and its acetate and by the predominant formation of a trans-diol as a result of hydroxylation of the endocyclic double bond of α-terpinyl acetate (FIG. 4).
Digitoxin is a cardiac glycoside from Digitalis sp. Its β-hydroxylation on the 11-position yields the more potent digoxin. This has been achieved by purified, reconstituted and immobilized digitoxin 12β-hydroxylase (a cytochrome P450 enzyme complex) from Digitalis lanata in a bioreactor (Petersen and Seitz, 1988; Petersen et al., 1987).
Sesquiterpene alcohols and ketones are an interesting group of compounds for a number of reasons. Sesquiterpene alcohols, for example have been shown to be involved in resistance against micro-organisms: the Solanaceae for example produce sesquiterpene alcohol phytoalexins upon infection with pathogenic fungi and in vitro assays have shown that these sequiterpene alcohols have a strong antifugal activity. Also a number of sesquiterpene alcohols are important in the flavor and fragrance industry, for example santalol, typical for the very expensive sandalwood essential oil, and khusimol, patchoulol, etc. Also the sesquiterpene ketone, nootkatone is a commercially important compound. Because of its excellent organoleptic qualities and in particular its typical grapefruit taste, nootkatone is a widely used ingredient in perfumery and the flavor industry. Nootkatone was also shown to inhibit gastric lesion which explains that it is a constituent of some stomach medications (Yamahara et al., 1990). Although nootkatone can be obtained from valencene or other substrates using chemical synthesis (Hunter and Brogden, 1965; Wilson and Shaw, 1978; Canadian patent no 901601; M. Pesaro et al., 1968; Birch, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 5,847,226) there is a large demand for natural nootkatone. At present, such a quality can only be obtained by extraction of natural products containing nootkatone, in particular grapefruit, a method which is hardly economic. With the enzymes lignin peroxidase (from Phanerochaete chrysosporium) and lactoperoxidase it is possible to convert (+)-valencene into nootkatone under certain conditions. In this way, the conversion is very low and is most probably due to singlet oxygen that is formed by these two enzymes (Willershausen and Graf, 1991). Several microorganisms, bacteria and fungi, were also screened for their capability to transform (+)-valencene into nootkatone all without much success. (Balfoort, 1994). Two bacteria of the genus Enterobacter from a Dutch soil and an infected local beer were isolated by enrichment cultures on (+)-valencene. These bacteria transformed (+)-valencene into nootkatone (12% yield) and many other valencene derivatives (Dhavlikar and Albroscheit, 1973). Also other methods for the bioconversion of valencene to nootkatone using inicro-organisms have been studied, but none of these methods have proven commercially viable (Dhavlikar et al., 1973; Drawert et al., 1984).


A control device sets parameters “n”, “ad”, “pd”, “aq”, “pq” and the like of a motor parameter setting unit, corrects a d-axis current command value outputted from a d-axis current instructing unit and a q-axis current command value outputted from q-axis current instructing unit based on these parameters of the motor parameter setting unit, on a detection result of a rotation angle detection unit, and makes a (6×n)f sine component, (6×n)f cosine component, (6×(n+1))f sine component, and (6×(n+1))f cosine component of torque to zero. In such a way, 6×n and 6×(n+1) ripple components and the like, which are generated in a motor provided in elevator equipment or the like, are suppressed, and a torque ripple of the motor is reduced to a large extent.

In general, a permanent magnet synchronous motor can be fabricated to be more compact than an induction motor with respect to the same output, and accordingly, has been going to be used for drive units of a variety of systems in recent years.
Incidentally, in the permanent magnet synchronous motor, a change of an armature magnetic flux that rotates a magnetic pole is not a sine wave of a rotation angle, but contains a distortion. Therefore, torque generated by the motor pulsates since such a magnetic flux change that should originally have a sine wave shape contains the distortion, and this causes an uneven rotation and the like. Moreover, unbalance of a coil of the motor, an error in a sensor system that detects a current, and the like also cause such a torque ripple.
As a reduction method of the torque ripple, there is a method as disclosed in "Patent Document 1", in which, since the torque ripple has association with the rotation of the motor, this association is stored in a storage device, data on the torque ripple, which corresponds to the association, is read out based on the rotation angle of the motor, and one obtained by subtracting an amount of the ripple from a torque command value is set as a new torque command value. Moreover, there is a method as disclosed in "Patent Document 2", in which a torque ripple correction signal "Tcomp=A×sin(n×θ+p)" is arithmetically operated from such a motor rotation angle "θ", an adjustment gain "A", and an adjustment phase "p", the torque ripple correction signal thus obtained is added to a target torque command in a feed-forward manner in synchronization with a rotation cycle of the motor, and the torque ripple is cancelled.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H11-299277
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H7-129251


An avionic tray is fixed to a shelf and comprises a base plate, side rails and a back plate. At least a forward end of the base plate of the tray is reinforced by a reinforcing plate fixed to the upper surface of the base plate. The part of the base plate carrying the reinforcing plate is stepped downwards so that the upper surface of the reinforcing plate is level with the surface of the base plate to the rear of the reinforcing plate. Fixing holes are provided in the reinforcing plate and the base plate for fixing the tray to the shelf by means of screws whose heads are housed in housings in the reinforcing plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an avionic tray.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Avionic equipment is housed in standard size cases. There are various standard case sizes of various widths. Each case is an interchangeable removable modular unit which is placed in a tray. The tray has latches at the front which attach to fixing lugs on the case and at the rear of the case is an electrical connector which plugs into a complementary connector fixed to the rear of the tray. The trays are fixed side by side along shelves.
The present invention concerns a tray of this kind. Given their use in aerospace applications, they must be light in weight. They are therefore made from thin aluminum. The standard thickness is 1.6 mm. The trays are subject to high mechanical loads, however, and so must be strong and resistant to metal fatigue. Some parts of the tray are therefore reinforced, in particular the front and rear parts of the base plate of the tray where it is screwed to the shelf.
The appended FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the front part of a known type tray 1. The bottom or base plate 2 of the U-shape tray front part is reinforced underneath by a reinforcement plate 3 riveted and/or spot welded to the base plate 2 of the tray. The tray 1 is fixed to the shelf 4 by screws 5. The screwheads must be flush to allow insertion of the equipment case. The screws are therefore countersunk and are accommodated in a countersink 6 at the upper end of the screw hole 7. An alternative is to stamp a well to accommodate the screwhead.
This arrangement is satisfactory in terms of increasing the stiffness of the tray but is not satisfactory with respect to resistance to metal fatigue caused by vibration, and cracks appear at the edges of the holes through which the screws fixing the tray to its shelf pass. As already mentioned, the metal of the tray is thin and the thickness is reduced around the fixing screw holes by the countersink to accommodate the screwhead. In the case of a stamped housing for the screwhead, this area is also more fragile. The fixing of the reinforcing plate 3 to the bottom of the base plate 2 of the tray 1 is not an intimate fixing over all of the reinforcement surface but rather a fixing at individual points (spot welds and/or rivets, as mentioned above). When the tray is subject to transverse loads the reinforcement plate 3 under the base plate 2 takes much less of the load than the base plate which is directly under the screwheads. As already mentioned, this causes cracks to appear at the edges of the screw holes in the base plate 2.
An object of the present invention is to overcome this drawback.


Peptides which will inhibit the reaction between the RGD tripeptide of FHA and the integrin receptors of endothelial cells and their utility as therapeutic agents are described.

Filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) is a 220 kD, non-fimbrial surface associated protein produced and secreted by Bordetella pertussis (BP). It is a necessary factor for BP to adhere to ciliated respiratory epithelial cells during whooping cough, Tuomanen et al., J. Infec. Dis. 152:118-125 (1985). FHA has also been shown to interact with the integrin complement receptor 3 (CR3) on macrophages and other leukocytes, Relman et al., Cell 61:1375-1382 (1990). CR3 is also known as Mac-l,.alpha..sub.M .beta..sub.2 and CD 11b/CD18. Distinct portions of FHA are responsible for its binding to ciliated respiratory epithelial cells and to leukocytes.
BP binds to two cell types during infection: leukocytes and ciliated cells. Adherence to cilia of the ciliated cells depends on recognition by BP of carbohydrates such as galactose containing glycolipids, Tuomanen et al., J. Exp. Med. 168:267-277 (1988).
The BP organism binds to leukocytes by two means. For the first, it binds to the integrin CR3, a step which precedes entry of the bacteria into the leukocyte, as discussed in more detail below. For the second, BP binds to leukocyte carbohydrates. This carbohydrate binding is analogous to that when BP adhere to cilia. Galactose is the minimum requirement for a carbohydrate receptor. It is found, for example, in such blood group determinants as Lewis a.
There are two aspects of a BP infection. One is the invasion of the leukocytes which takes place when BP binds to the integrin of leukocytes. It is a protein/protein interaction. The other aspect is adhesion of BP to the leukocyte or the cilia through a protein/carbohydrate interaction.
The FHA gene of BP has been sequenced, Relman et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:2637-2641 (1989) and Domenighini et al., Molec. Micro. 4:487-800 (1990), and a number of expression products have been produced, Delisse-Gathoye et al., Infect. Immun. 58:2895-2905 (1990).
FHA and the integrin on leukocytes interact in a protein-protein recognition event. The interaction between FHA and leukocyte integrin involves recognition of the arginyl-glycyl-aspartyl sequence at amino acid positions 1097 to 1099 in FHA. This sequence will hereinafter be identified as the RGD sequence or simply, RGD, and the region of FHA or FHA segment on which it occurs as the RGD region. R, G and D are the standard one letter abbreviations for arginine, glycine and aspartic acid.
It has long been known that leukocytes can invade or pass through vascular endothelial tissue by a process in which integrins, such as CR3, bind to receptors for integrins on the surface of endothelial cells as a step in a sequence of reactions which results in a widening of the junctions between such cells to permit passage by the leukocytes. The receptors for CR3 on endothelia are referred to herein as integrin receptors. There may be one or more than one such integrin receptor.
Another molecule which binds to the integrin CR3 is the serum complement component C3bi, an opsonin. Bacteria which have the C3bi component fixed to their surface by any means, such as a binding event during a host recognition process, are bound to the leukocyte integrin in such a way that the bacteria are taken up and killed by the leukocyte.
In addition to the ability to recognize C3bi, FHA and integrin receptors on endothelial cells, CR3 also binds to Factor Ten of the coagulation cascade (Altieri et al., Science 254:1200-1202, 1992). The coagulation cascade is involved in inflammation since procoagulant activity arises on endothelial cells during infection or other noxious stimuli. Three regions-of Factor Ten participate in recognition of CR3.
To summarize, FHA, C3bi, Factor X and endothelial cell integrin receptors are molecules with binding regions for CR3.
A particular infection in which leukocyte mediated damage contributes to morbidity and mortality of disease is bacterial meningitis. Depending upon the infecting organism, thirty percent of the cases of meningitis per year die despite sterilization of the infection by antibiotics. Over fifty percent of the survivors have permanent and severe sequelae such as paralysis, deafness, and learning disabilities. Obviously, the prevention and/or diminishment of such damage would greatly enhance the quality of life for the survivors of this disease.
Activated leukocytes also contribute to cerebral edema and blood-brain barrier injury. Neutropenic animals (animals in which the leukocytes have been artificially diminished) have been found to have improved survival rates in experimentally induced disease. A high amount of inflammation in the subarachnoid space correlates directly with a poor outcome of disease. Inhibition of the accumulation of leukocytes in cerebrospinal fluid directly correlates with improved morbidity and mortality of experimental pneumococcal meningitis and of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis and bacteremia in children.
Clearly, an agent which would inhibit the influx of leukocytes into infected sites would be a therapeutic tool of immense value particularly if non-leukocyte mediated defense systems are left functionally intact. It would further be beneficial to block leukocyte diapedesis only at inflamed sites and not at other sites throughout the body. Thus, treatment directed at inflamed endothelia would be advantageous over that directed to leukocytes.
The use of antibiotics magnifies the deleterious effects of inflammation during infectious diseases. This is due to the mechanism by which such agents exert their antiinfective effects. For example, following the administration of a beta-lactam antibiotic (or another cell-wall directed antibiotic), the bacteria disintegrate due to lysis by the antiinfective agents. The resulting fragments of bacteria initiate a dramatically enhanced inflammatory response. Earlier research has indicated that inhibition of this enhanced level of inflammation correlates with improved morbidity and mortality, Tuomanen et al., J. Infect. Dis. 155:985-990 (1985) and Kadurugamuwa, Program and Abstracts of the 27th ICAA Meeting, p. 205 (1987). In penumococcal meningitis, for instance, mortality can be directly correlated with the amount of meningeal inflammation, McAllister et al., J. Infect. Dis. 132: 355-360 (1975). Thus, a method of dampening inflammation during the course of therapy with an antibiotic would be advantageous in treating infections, particularly meningitis, septic arthritis, and endophathalmitis.

Antibody recognizing endothelial cell ligand for leukocyte CR3


A textile thread having a core and a sheath surrounding the core. The core, formed of high-tenacity synthetic organic endless fibers, is tightly wound by slit film tapes made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in the S-direction and the Z-direction, or vice versa, and the slit film tapes forms a sheath.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a textile thread with a core and a sheath surrounding the core.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Textile threads are used in very different fields of technology having various requirements. In particular, there is a demand for high-quality textile threads, which have high tensile strength along with a low elongation at tear and which are weatherproof and water-repellent and moisture-repellent, because they are exposed to greatly changing weather effects and must also absorb large dynamic stresses. Examples of these threads include fishing lines, particularly when used in salt water, or textile thread made into woven textiles, such as ground sheets or membranes for free-standing support devices in the form of sun shades, or heat-proof and fire-proof protective clothing, and the like.
Textile threads of high tensile strength are known, which are either monofilaments or multifilaments or are of pleated strings of a multitude of filaments, wherein synthetic fibers of high strength, such as aramid fibers, for example, are used. Such threads and strings have a sheath, for example by coating or extrusion, as protection against damage. It is known, for example from PCT International Publication WO 92/03922 A1, to enclose a fishing line in a PTFE layer, which increases the abrasion resistance, and which is extruded around the fiber strands and for improving the adherence between the PTFE and the fiber strand has an adhesion layer/adhesive layer. However, it is disadvantageous because for achieving the appropriately solid linkage between the sheath made of PTFE and the inside located core made of a thermoplastic material, this adhesion layer has negative effects on the sturdiness properties and is also prone to decomposition effects and dissolution effects over time.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Textile thread having a polytetrafluoroethylene wrapped core


A semiconductor memory device includes a primary output driver which outputs a data signal through an output terminal; a secondary output driver which is connected to the output terminal and performs a pre-emphasis operation; and a pre-emphasis signal generator which outputs a pre-emphasis signal to enable the secondary output driver The pre-emphasis signal generator includes a auto pulse generator which generates an auto pulse in response to a transition of a control signal; a delay circuit which receives the auto pulse output from the auto pulse generator, delays the auto pulse by a predetermined period, and outputs a pre-emphasis signal; and a delay control unit which applies a delay control signal to the delay circuit and controls a delay amount of the delay circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device which can efficiently remove noise due to signal reflection.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor memory device such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) includes an output driver for driving data generated within the memory to another device external to the memory.
FIG. 1 illustrates an output driver of a memory device. As shown in FIG. 1, the output driver includes an inverter 1, a NAND gate 2, a NOR gate 3, a PMOS transistor MP, and an NMOS transistor MN.
The PMOS transistor MP is connected to a power supply voltage VDD and the NMOS transistor MN is connected to a ground voltage VSS. In addition, the PMOS transistor MP and the NMOS transistor MN are connected to each other, and a node a between the PMOS transistor MP and the NMOS transistor MN is connected to an output terminal 4.
The output driver is generally enabled in response to an enable signal OEB having a low level and supplies sourcing current to a load capacitor (not shown) of the output terminal 4 through the PMOS transistor MP used as a pull-up transistor to charge the load capacitor when an input data D is high. In addition, when the input data D is low, the output driver supplies sinking current to the load capacitor to discharge the load capacitor of the output terminal 4 through the NMOS transistor MN used as a pull-down transistor, thereby lowering the potential of the output terminal 4.
When a semiconductor memory device is operated at higher speed, noise in an interface between a memory controller and a memory core module reduces a timing margin and therefore needs to be minimized. In a dual-rank or a multi-rank DRAM, there are more parasitic components and there are more noise as compared with a single-rank DRAM.
Another source of noise is signal reflection due to impedance mismatch. When the signal reflection is large, the inter-symbol interference (ISI) degrades the integrity of the data output signal.
In order to prevent this phenomenon, the data output signal is pre-emphasized. U.S. Pat. No. 6,759,868 and Japanese Unexamined Application Publication No. 2002-094365 disclose an output driver having a pre-emphasis function.
FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional semiconductor memory device including a pre-emphasis function. As shown in FIG. 2, the conventional semiconductor memory device includes a primary output driver having a first PMOS transistor MP1 and a first NMOS transistor MN1. In addition, the conventional semiconductor memory device further includes a secondary output driver for performing a pre-emphasis operation on a data signal output from the primary output driver. The secondary output driver includes a second PMOS transistor MP2 and a second NMOS transistor MN2.
The primary output driver and the secondary output driver are connected to a transmission line L through an output terminal and output a data signal. One end of the transmission line L may be connected to one side of a termination resistor RT. The other end of the resistor RT is electrically connected to a power supply voltage VDD.
Signal waveforms shown in FIG. 2 represent control signals applied for driving the primary output driver and the secondary output driver. The PMOS transistors MP1 and MP2 of the primary output driver and the secondary output driver are turned on by a control signal having a low level and the NMOS transistors MN1 and MN2 thereof are turned on by a control signal having a high level.
The pre-emphasis operation is performed by turning on the PMOS transistor MP2 or the NMOS transistor MN2 of the secondary output driver for a short time when the PMOS transistor MP1 or the NMOS transistor MN1 of the primary output driver is turned on. Since the pre-emphasis operation is performed to increase the voltage level of the data output signal, it better compensates the signal when it is attenuated due to the signal reflection phenomenon and reduces errors from being generated when the signal is restored.
The pre-emphasis operation is performed on the data signals having a low level and a high level. However, when the semiconductor memory device outputs the data signal, skew may be present when the data signal transitions between the low level and the high level due to a difference between components.
However, in the conventional device, the pre-emphasis operation is performed when the primary output driver is turned on, but not when the signal reflection phenomenon is occurring. If the pre-emphasis operation is not performed when the signal is reflected and attenuated in a transmission line, an attenuated signal cannot be adequately compensated. With the signal reflection, an aperture window is reduced and a safe timing margin with which to reliably operate is reduced.

Semiconductor memory device having pre-emphasis signal generator


A sever with processor(s) and memory provides a user interface to a client device for presentation to a user including user interface objects corresponding to functions of an online application. The server obtains a user profile for the user, including performance metrics of the user and determines whether to provide informative materials to the client device based on the user profile. In accordance with a determination that the informative materials are to be superimposed on the user interface, the server: determines a portion of the informative materials to be provided to the client device based on the performance metrics of the user; and provides the portion of the informative materials to the client device for presentation to the user, including media content overlaid on the user interface. The server responds to user interaction with any of the user interface objects by performing corresponding functions of the online application.

As cloud computing has improved and become ubiquitous, users are increasingly able to use web-based applications in place of native software stored on the users' computing device. For example, users can access applications (or, more generally, software) via the Internet on a variety of computer based electronic devices. In addition, advances in network technology have increased the speed and reliability with which web-based software can be accessed.

System and method for superimposing a context-sensitive virtual agent on a web-based user interface


To enable high acceleration and high moving speed of a pattern support or a substrate table of a lithographic apparatus, one of the pattern support and the substrate table is supported by an actuator for relatively large displacements, whereas an actuator for accurately positioning is omitted. The other one of the pattern support and the substrate table is supported by an actuator assembly including an actuator for accurate positioning and an actuator for relatively large displacements. An alignment accuracy of a patterning device and a substrate is achieved by providing a control system that is adapted to position the other one of the pattern support and the substrate table such that a positioning error of the one of the pattern support and the substrate table is compensated by the positioning of the other one.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lithographic apparatus and methods.
2. Description of Related Art
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. including part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Conventional lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
To project the pattern on the substrate, it is desirable that the patterning device and the substrate be accurately aligned, i.e. positioned with respect to each other. Further, the patterning device and the substrate may need to be aligned with respect to the radiation beam and/or other devices that are included in the lithographic apparatus.
In conventional lithographic apparatus, both the substrate table and the pattern support are provided with an actuator assembly that is configured to accurately position the substrate and the patterning device with respect to a reference point. The actuator assembly may include a long stroke actuator and a short stroke actuator. The long stroke actuator and the short stroke actuator are operatively coupled to enable to move the substrate or patterning device over a relatively large distance using the long stroke actuator and to accurately position the substrate or patterning device using the short stroke actuator. It is noted that an actuator for moving an object over a large distance, such as the long stroke actuator, is by itself generally unsuited for accurately positioning.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method


An inspection apparatus measures a property of a substrate including a periodic structure. An illumination system provides a beam of radiation with an illumination profile including a plurality of illuminated portions. A radiation projector projects the beam of radiation onto the substrate. A detector detects radiation scattered from the periodic structure and separately detects first order diffracted radiation and at least one higher order of diffracted radiation of each of the illuminated portions. A processor determines the property of the substrate from the detected radiation. The plurality of illuminated portions are arranged such that first order diffracted radiation arising from one or more of the illuminated portions are not overlapped by zeroth order or first order diffracted radiation arising from any other of the illuminated portions. Furthermore, the plurality of illuminated portions are arranged such that first order diffracted radiation arising from the one or more of the illuminated portions are overlapped by at least one of the higher orders of diffracted radiation arising from any other of the illuminated portions.

A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g., comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g., a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning"-direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
In order to monitor the lithographic process, parameters of the patterned substrate are measured. Parameters may include, for example, the overlay error between successive layers formed in or on the patterned substrate and critical linewidth of developed photosensitive resist. This measurement may be performed on a product substrate and/or on a dedicated metrology target. There are various techniques for making measurements of the microscopic structures formed in lithographic processes, including the use of scanning electron microscopes and various specialized tools. A fast and non-invasive form of specialized inspection tool is a scatterometer in which a beam of radiation is directed onto a target on the surface of the substrate and properties of the scattered or reflected beam are measured. By comparing the properties of the beam before and after it has been reflected or scattered by the substrate, the properties of the substrate can be determined. This can be done, for example, by comparing the reflected beam with data stored in a library of known measurements associated with known substrate properties. Two main types of scatterometer are known. Spectroscopic scatterometers direct a broadband radiation beam onto the substrate and measure the spectrum (intensity as a function of wavelength) of the radiation scattered into a particular narrow angular range. Angularly resolved scatterometers use a monochromatic radiation beam and measure the intensity of the scattered radiation as a function of angle.
Diffraction based scatterometry within the semiconductor industry is up until now used mainly for overlay and critical dimension (CD) measurements within metrology.
In angular resolved scatterometry, a periodic mark on a substrate is simultaneously illuminated at various angles. The light diffracted by this mark is used to measure particular characteristics of that mark. If the period of the mark is sufficiently large, the diffracted light will contain higher diffraction orders. However, part of the first diffraction order is often mixed with part of the zeroth diffraction order, as shown in accompanying FIG. 5. This overlap of diffraction orders generally yields a less robust reconstruction of the characteristics of the mark. In order to separate out the different diffraction orders annular illumination can be used, and this results in separated zeroth and first order diffraction patterns as shown in FIG. 6. However, it has been found that the use of such annular illumination may lead to errors in the measured mark characteristics since annular illumination provides less information in the diffracted light. For example, in annular illumination, there are no light beams near normal incidence that also contain information that is valuable for measuring the mark characteristics.
In typical scatterometers, it is a problem that illumination is limited to apertures that are suitable for small pitches, for example smaller than approximately 1000 nm, if separation of the individual orders is required with sufficient pixels in the separated orders.
It is desirable to characterize alignment targets and also overlay targets with large pitch with an angular resolved scatterometer. However, alignment targets normally have gratings with pitches larger than 1000 nm. This means that the known apertures do not (or only partly) separate the diffraction orders. For such large pitches, as well as the first diffraction order, higher diffraction orders such as the second third, etc. may be detected. It would be desirable to make separation of orders possible while keeping the number of detector pixels for these orders sufficiently large for accurate alignment target asymmetry reconstruction.
One of the assumptions that are commonly made with the overlay calculations and CD reconstructions are that of a symmetrical grating which is also uniform across the entire wafer. This assumption of symmetrical gratings has been found through experimental data to be incorrect and a more comprehensive understanding of these grating asymmetries has been found to be necessary to produce more accurate results. A number of lithographic and in-line processing variables can lead to asymmetry both within the upper and lower target grating of an overlay grating stack. These asymmetries are convoluted within in the output overlay result and can have contributions from the bottom target grating asymmetry, the top target grating asymmetry and the relative overlay between the two targets. It would be desirable to de-convolute these single grating asymmetries from the actual relative overlay.
Furthermore, more accurate knowledge of grating asymmetry distributions across the wafer is more and more desirable for process control within semiconductor manufacturing.
Grating asymmetry affects accuracy on alignment, overlay and critical dimension measurements in diffraction based scatterometry. Current methods to detect this are both time consuming and/or destructive.
Grating asymmetries and their distributions across the wafer are a good indicator of process variations caused by various semiconductor manufacturing steps, for example Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) and etch. A fast and easy to use method of detecting this phenomena and it's variation across the wafer is desirable.
There is currently no known method to feed forward information of grating asymmetry and its distribution across the wafer.
There is currently no known method of accurately, quickly and non-destructively characterizing grating asymmetry and its distribution across the wafer.

Inspection apparatus and method for measuring a property of a substrate


A rotational boot binding for mounting on a free style snowboard. The binding allows the user of the snowboard to wear hard shell boots and while boarding rotate both feet in a vertical plane for shifting his or her weight to the toe or the heel of the board. The binding includes a base plate having a plurality of holes therein for attaching and adjusting the base plate at an angle from 30 to 120 degrees to an axis along a length of the snowboard and centered thereon. The base plate is attached to a foot plate by a horizontal pivot pin. The pivot pin allows the foot plate to rotate on the base plate in a vertical plane thereby allowing a shift of weight to the toe or to the heel of the snow board and thus control the movement of the snowboard. The binding includes a toe base plate, a toe foot plate, a heel base plate and a heel foot plate. By having separate toe plates and heel plates, the binding can be adjusted on the snowboard for a wide range of different lengths of boot. A pair of the subject bindings for the front foot and the rear foot are mounted on the snowboard for different types of foot stances such as a duck foot stance. Also, the bindings can be used for a regular foot mounting with the left foot forward on the snowboard or a goofy foot mounting with the right foot forward on the snowboard.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ski and snowboard bindings and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a snowboard boot binding for a free style snowboard.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
The snowboard was first developed and patented by an inventor from Michigan in the mid 1960's. The patent was sold to a company called Brunswick-Baldwin who in turn sold the rights to Jake Burton Carpenter who makes a Burton snowboard.
Snowboards didn't catch on until the very early 1980's when Sims Skateboard Company and Burton Snowboard Company saw the possibility of using a "skateboard" on the ski slopes. Since there was already a pool of several million young skateboarders in the United States, the rest is now history as to this new popular outdoor winter sport.
Almost all free style snowboards today resemble a modified mono ski with a ski tip and ski tail turned up and the boot bindings placed on the snowboard sideways a la skateboard style. Snowboarding being a mountain sport and initially riding in snow powder only, it was natural for the user of the snowboard, predominantly a skateboarder, to wear soft winter boats such as a trade brand sold by the name of SORRELS. Plastic bindings, even though many of them broke, seemed to fit the bill for snowboards and even after groomed ski slopes were opened to snowboarders, the plastic bindings and soft winter boots continued to be used. While the snowboard industry is addressing the plastic binding problem by going to a step-in soft boot, the problem of protecting feet and ankles remains.
Attempts to use regular hard shell ski boots have been unsuccessful because the boot, which has a flat sole, is fastened flat to the top of the snowboard and the user is unable to shift his or her weight to the toe or heel of the board when standing sideways on the board when free style boarding. The shifting of the weight to the toe or heel of the board is necessary to control the board and is easy to do in soft winter boots. But soft winter boots provide less control and no protection for injuries to a boarder's feet and ankles. In fact, the term "snowboarders fracture" is now in common usage when referring to a broken ankle by a snowboarder.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,354 to Lion, a combination ski and binding plate assembly is described. In this patent, a front linkage and a rear linkage are used to shift weight from one ski to the other ski. U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,785 to Hottel describes a monoski having releasable bindings. The bindings allow the skier to rotate his or her feet and pivot the feet up and down.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,781 to Dykema et al. describes a snowboard that has a support deck that allows a user to pivot a foot along a longitudinal axis of the board but not side to side in a vertical plane. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,593,974 and 2,564,420 to Brown disclose ski sleds that allow the user's foot to pivot up and down but not side to side. U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,550 to Dennis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,355 to Henry and U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,077 to Dodge describe different types of snowboard bindings but not the features of the subject invention.
None of the above mentioned patents individually or in combination disclose or teach the unique structure, the function, advantages and benefits of the rotational boot binding for a snowboard as described herein.

Rotational binding for a free style snowboard


A gown of the type having an opening to enable enrobement and at least one gown closure means for substantially closing the opening of the gown, comprising a flap adapted, in use, to substantially cover the gown closure means. A flap closure means operable to hold the flap in a position where it substantially covers the gown closure means, a shielded closure device removably attached to the flap and/or the flap closure means to enable operation of the flap closure means. A method of enrobement using the gown and a shielded adhesive closing device are also disclosed.

Operating gown design must consider the protection of the surgeon from fluid penetration by providing an impervious barrier for the torso and forearm. The gown must be easy and quick to put on for both the wearer and gown assistant. It must be more convenient, cheaper and ecologically sound than the non-disposable cloth gowns. The highest reasonable standard of sterility of the operating field must be achieved to avoid surgical patient contamination and post operative wound infections.
Current disposable gown manufacturers have all adopted the same overall design which is similar to that of the traditional cloth gown. The only apparent innovations are in the manufacturing techniques adopted and material types used.
FIGS. 1a to c illustrate the front, back and top views respectively of the current gown design which is used extensively. It consists of neck ties 1 (hook and loop type fasteners are sometimes used here instead of ties), mid-back ties 2, sterile ties 3 and 4, and a sterile paper tie link 5, 6 and 7 are the non-sterile and sterile flaps respectively. The sterile flap 7 is folded back and held there by the connection of the sterile tie 3, paper link 5 and left side sterile tie 4, in the front of the gown. FIGS. 2a and b illustrate the applied gown from the front and the back respectively. The closure of the unfolded sterile flap 7 is shown in FIG. 2b. The sterile flap 7 covers the non-sterile flap 6 and non-sterile tie connections 2. The neck tie closure 1 is exposed. FIG. 2a also shows the sterile tie connection between ties 3 and 4.
The sterile zone 8 can be defined as a three-dimensional arc wedge as shown in FIGS. 3a and b. The base and the top of the wedge extends from the waist to the nipple line with the tip at the centre of the surgeon. The sides of the wedge radiate at an angle 13 of approximately 40.degree. to the back plane of the surgeon.
Prior to putting on the gown, the surgeon is first scrubbed and then proceeds to unfold the gown. This is done by holding the gown at the neck and letting it unfold towards the ground without actually reaching it. The surgeon then proceeds to pass both arms through the respective arms of the gown alone. The gloves are put on next by the surgeon. The gown assistant steps behind the surgeon while they are applying the gloves or right afterwards and begins to apply the ties at the rear of the gown. The assistant first applies the neck tie 1 and then proceeds to tie the mid-back tie 2 (see FIG. 1). Both are non-sterile ties. Once this is complete the gown assistant 10 then moves to the front right side of the surgeon 9 as shown in FIGS. 4a and b. The surgeon 9 then undoes the connection of the sterile tie 4 from the paper tie link 5 while maintaining its connection with the sterile tie 3. The tie link 5 is held in the right hand of the surgeon 9 who then reaches it out to the assistant 10 to hold. At this point, either the surgeon 9 turns counter clockwise on the spot 11 with arms raised high while the assistant 10 stands still as in FIG. 4a, or the surgeon 9 stands still with the arms raised high while the assistant 10 walks clockwise 12 around the back of the surgeon. In either case, the assistant will end up on the front left side of the surgeon while still holding the paper tie link 5. The surgeon then pulls the sterile tie 3 off the link 5 and proceeds to tie it to the sterile tie 4 and thus makes the final connection as shown in FIG. 2a. Gown assistants are usually unscrubbed (i.e. unclean). Sometimes the final tie is assisted by a scrubbed (i.e. clean) assistant.
The current gown design presents a number of problems requiring attention. The surgical gowns are commonly put on in the operating theatre or at least the final sterile tie is completed in the theatre. Discipline in the operating room is important to minimise accidental contamination of the gown and by the gown. One way of decreasing contamination is by reducing air currents and the amount of movement in the operating theatre, thereby decreasing the opportunity for contamination.
The sterile tie 3 may break during the final twirl if the paper link 5 is pulled too tightly or is yanked by the assistant 10 (see FIG. 4). It is more common for the sterile tie 3 to become disconnected with the paper link 5. In both instances, the damaged gown is discarded and a new gown must be put on.
During the application of the sterile flap 7 using the sterile tie 3, air currents are generated during the turning process illustrated in FIG. 4. This is true in either case. The case where the assistant turns around the surgeon while holding the paper link 5 is more severe since the sterile flap 7 acts as a sail, causing air to move, and the general range of movement is much larger.
When the surgeon 9 turns on the spot for the final sterile tie 3 application as shown in FIG. 4a, the unclean back of the surgeon may come into contact with sterile draping in the theatre.
Confusion often occurs as to which direction one must turn during the final step of gown application.
Throughout the application of the current gown it becomes necessary for the surgeon's hands to approach the extremes of the sterile zone a number of times (see FIG. 3). When commencing the sterile flap application, the sterile paper tie link 5 (see FIG. 4) is handed to the gown assistant. The surgeon's right hand is at the right extreme of the sterile zone. When the turn is complete, the surgeon's left hand is at the left extreme of the sterile zone. When the turn is complete, the surgeon's left hand is at the left extreme of the zone as it receives and disconnects the sterile tie 3 from the link 5 and proceeds to tie it to 4 with both hands. Both arms are raised during the turn thus approaching the upper ceiling of the sterile zone. The right hand of the surgeon comes within about 10 cm of the unclean hand of the gown assistant as the assistant receives the sterile tie link 5. The sterile zone of the surgeon is invaded by the body of the assistant during the application of the sterile flap 7. When the final tie 3 is assisted by a sterile assistant, then the unclean back of the surgeon invades the sterile zone of the sterile assistant during the turn.
When the gown is fully worn, the sterile straps (i.e. 3 and 4 in FIG. 2a) on the left side remain exposed. During the operation, these ties may get entangled with the surroundings (i.e. with stands, medical devices, etc.) and cause tearing. A new gown must be used in order to maintain sterility.


A gauge, including a gauge face having indicia; a pointer configured to indicate a position on the gauge face based on input received from measurement; and an instrument for driving the pointer. The instrument for moving the pointer includes a flexible member connected to the pointer; a first pulley configured to respectively wind up both ends of the flexible member; a control device for preventing the flexible member from deviating from the first pulley; a second pulley spaced apart from the first pulley and configured to roll up the center portion of the flexible member; a motor configured to rotate the first pulley based on input received from the measurement and to drive the pointer around the gauge face; and a tension member.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gauge used in, for example, vehicles or ships, and more particularly, a gauge having a pointer configured to travel across a gauge face based upon input received from measurement.
(2) Description of the Related Art
A moving body such as vehicle or ship is equipped with a gauge configured to display multiple types of information on a display field, and to be viewed by a user thereof. The gauge includes a combination meter comprising a speedometer for indicating a vehicle speed, a tachometer for indicating an engine speed, a fuel gauge for presenting fuel level information to user, a temperature gauge for indicating the temperature of cooling water, and so on.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show one example of the foregoing conventional combination meter. This type of conventional combination meter is, for example, disclosed in Japanese Publication of Non-Examined Patent Application 2005-98751.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the vehicle combination meter 100 is shown to include a speedometer A, a tachometer B, and a case 102 for accommodating the speedometer A and the tachometer B.
The speedometer A is shown to include a dial face 104A having a display field consisting of scales 141A and numbers 142A arranged in an arcuate pattern, a pointer 103A configured to travel across the display field and to indicate a position on the display field, a loop belt 111a connected to the pointer 103A, a drive pulley 115A and a driven pulley 118 configured to move the loop belt 111A along its longitudinal direction (indicated by an arrow "E" in FIG. 8) in order to drive the pointer 103A, a motor 113A configured to rotate the drive pulley 115A based on input received from measurement, and a tension member 119A configured to provide the belt 111A with enough tension to prevent sag of the belt 111A.
The device 119A is shown to include a pulley 116A disposed in the outside of the periphery of the loop belt 111A, and a coil spring 117A pulling the pulley 116A toward the inside of the periphery of the loop belt 111A.
The tachometer B is shown to include indicia 141B arranged in an arcuate pattern, a dial face 104B including a display field having numbers 142A and disposed inside the dial face 104A, a pointer 103B configured to travel across the display field and to indicate a position on the display field, a loop belt 114B connected to the pointer 103B, a drive pulley 115B configured to move the loop belt 111A along its longitudinal direction (indicated by an arrow "E" in FIG. 8) in order to drive the pointer 103B, a motor 113B configured to rotate the drive pulley 115B based on input received from measurement, and a tension member 119B configured to provide the belt 111B with enough tension to prevent sag of the belt 111B.
The device 119B is shown to include a pulley 116B disposed outside of the periphery of the loop belt 111B, and a coil spring 117B pulling the pulley 116B toward the inside of the periphery of the loop belt 111B.
Because in the foregoing speedometer A the pointer 103A is driven by means of the belt 111A, there is a space in the center of the speedometer A. The tachometer B can be formed within the foregoing space. Moreover, each of the speedometer A and the tachometer B includes the tension members 119A and 119B respectively, thus preventing the sag of the belts 119A and 119B.
Meanwhile, in the foregoing combination meter 100 mainly used in vehicles, the tension members 119A and 119B are respectively configured to draft or pull the pulleys 116A and 116B by means of the coil springs 117A and 117B. With the foregoing construction, frictional resistance between a shaft for supporting the pulleys 116A and 116B and a shaft bearing is inclined to increase, and therefore the higher torque-motors 113A and 113B are required. Furthermore, the belts 111A and 111B cannot move smoothly, and thus allowing the imprecise pointing of the pointers 103A and 103B.

Vehicle gauge having a pointer configured to travel about a gauge face


A linearly-displacing dual dial rods speed changing controller comprises a base, a wire hub seat, an advancing member, and a withdrawing member. The wire hub seat is fastened with a guide wire of a speed changer. The wire hub seat is controlled by dial rods of the advancing member and the withdrawing member to displace linearly in a reciprocating manner on the guide rail of the base, thereby actuating the guide wire to bring about a pulling action to attain the speed change.

The present invention relates generally to a bicycle, and more particularly to a dual dial rods speed changing controller of the bicycle, which is capable of linear displacement.
As shown in FIG. 1, a prior art dual dial rods speed changing controller comprises a rotary wire hub seat 1 and a ratchet wheel 2, which are mounted coaxially on a pivot 4 of a base 3 and are fastened together. The wire hub seat 1 is of a round tray like construction and is fastened at one end with a guide wire 5 of the speed changing controller such that the center of the guide wire 5 and the axial center of the pivot 4 are separated by a constant distance r (rotational radius). The advancing dial rod 6 or the withdrawing dial rod 7 is dialed to control the gear change, the ratchet pawl 8 (or ratchet pawl 9) is engaged with a tooth of the ratchet 2, so as to actuate the ratchet 2 to turn. The ratchet 2 actuates the wire hub seat 1 to turn so as to cause the guide wire 5 to pull on the axial center of the pivot 4 serving as a center, thereby resulting in the control of speed change.
The prior art structure described has the following deficiencies.
The precision gear location of the prior art speed changing controller has to do with the magnitude of an interval between the adjoining ratchet teeth and the distance r between the center of the guide wire and the axial center of the pivot 4. The magnitude of the interval of the adjoining ratchet teeth determines the revolving angle of the ratchet 2. Generally speaking, the tooth distance of the ratchet of the same controller and the magnitude of the guide wire diameter are attained by calculation. Their relationship is fixed. The guide wire 5 is vulnerable to detachment from the wire hub seat 1 due to the constant drag. As a result, the guide wire must be replaced with a new one which must be equal in diameter to the old one. If the new guide wire is greater or smaller in diameter than the old guide wire which is replaced, there will be a change in the distance between the center of the guide wire and the axial center of the pivot. As a result, the specified tensile of the guide wire may turn out to be excessive or inadequate, thereby undermining the efficiency of speed change control.
The guide wire is made of a steel filament having a specified rigidity. As the guide wire is wound on the wire hub seat, the guide wire is not in an intimate contact with the rotary wall surface of the wire hub seat due to the insufficient pull force. As a result, there will be a change in the distance between the center of the guide wire and the axial center of the pivot.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a dual dial rods speed changing controller capable of linear displacement and suitable for use in conjunction with guide wires of various diameters.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a dual dial rods speed changing controller capable of linear displacement and suitable for use in conjunction with the guide wires of various diameters.
The controller of the present invention is intended to bring about the action of dragging the guide wire of a speed changer. The controller comprises a base; a wire hub seat mounted on the base such that the wire hub seat moves linearly in a reciprocating manner and that the wire hub seat is fastened at one end with the guide wire; an advancing member mounted on the base and provided with an advancing dial rod capable of swiveling between a first position and a second position so as to actuate the wire hub seat to advance at the time when the advancing dial rod is acted on by an external force. When the advancing dial rod is relieved of the external force, the advancing dial rod swivels back to the first position; a withdrawing member mounted on the base and provided with a withdrawing dial rod capable of swiveling between a third position and a fourth position at the time when the withdrawing dial rod is exerted on by another external force, thereby linking the wire hub seat to displace in reverse. As the withdrawing dial rod is relieved of the external force, the withdrawing dial rod swivels back to the third position.

Dual dial rods speed changing controller capable of linear displacement


An apparatus and method for using non-power of two texture maps is described. Normalized texture map coordinates such as s and t are converted from a floating point format to a fixed point format and wrapping operations are performed to produce unnormalized texture map coordinates such as u and v corresponding to non-power of two texture maps.

Conventional graphics processors are exemplified by systems and methods developed to read and filter texture map samples. Conventionally, normalized texture coordinates, such as s, t, and r corresponding to each pixel within a surface, are processed to compute unnormalized texture coordinates, such as u, v, and p. The unnormalized texture coordinates are represented in a fixed point format and are used to determine indices to access texels within a texture map. The normalized texture coordinates are typically represented using a floating point format and are scaled by the size (width or height) of the highest resolution level of detail (LOD) of a mip mapped texture map to produce fixed point format unnormalized texture coordinates.
Traditionally when a video image is used as a texture map it is first resampled to produce an "n×m" dimension texture map where n and m are each a power of two. Specifically, an "n" or "m" that is a power of two may be expressed as n=2i or m=2i, respectively, where i is an integer. Furthermore, to simplify the texture map filtering performed within a graphics processor, the n×m dimension texture map is filtered and various resolutions of the filtered texture are stored as mip mapped texture maps.
FIG. 1A is a conceptual diagram of prior art showing a mip mapped texture including a highest resolution texture map, such as the n×m dimension texture map Texture Map 101. A Texture Map 102, a Texture Map 103, and a Texture Map 104 are successively lower resolution texture maps, mip maps, each storing filtered texels. Each mip map level texture map dimension is half the size of the previous (finer) mip map level texture map dimension, but not less than one. Traditionally texture map dimensions are powers of two in order to simplify computations used to convert from normalized texture coordinates to unnormalized texture coordinates. Specifically, scaling of a normalized texture coordinate by an LOD width or height may be performed using a bit shift instead of a multiply operation. Performing multiplying an integer (LOD width or height) and floating point value, such as a normalized texture coordinate is more difficult than performing multiplying an integer and a fixed point value. Accordingly, it is desirable to convert the normalized texture coordinates to a fixed point format prior to computing the unnormalized texture coordinates by scaling the normalized texture coordinates by an LOD dimension corresponding to a non-power of two texture map.
Furthermore, when an unnormalized texture coordinate lies outside of the texture map, the unnormalized texture coordinate is modified to lie within the texture map according to a wrap mode. Power of two texture maps are also used to simplify computations used to support the wrap modes shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C. FIG. 1B illustrates a texture map applied to a square surface using a "repeat" wrap mode. FIG. 1C illustrates a texture map applied using a "mirror" wrap mode.
Accordingly, there is a need to apply a video image or other non-power of two texture map to a surface using a wrap mode. Furthermore, it is desirable to compute a fixed point normalized texture coordinate that lies within the texture map, i.e., has been wrapped according to the wrap mode, thereby assuring that the normalized texture coordinate that is computed using the unnormalized texture coordinate will also lie within the texture map.

Method and apparatus for sampling non-power of two dimension texture maps


A CMOS image sensor and a manufacturing method are disclosed. The gates of the transistors are formed in the active region of the unit pixel, and a diffusion region for the photo diode is defined by an ion implantation of impurities to the semiconductor substrate. The patterns of the photoresist that are the masking layer against ion implantation are formed on the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that they have the boundary portion of the isolation layer so as not to make the boundary of the defined photo diode contact with the boundary of the isolation layer. Damages by an ion implantation of impurities at the boundary portion between the diffusion region for the photo diode and the isolation layer are prevented, which reduces dark current of the COMS image sensor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a CMOS image sensor, and more particularly to a CMOS image sensor and method for manufacturing the same, in which a diffusion region of a photo diode is disposed apart from an isolation layer, and thereby a dark current may be reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an image sensor is a semiconductor device for converting an optical image into an electrical signal, and is generally classified into either a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary MOS (CMOS) image sensor.
The CCD is a device constructed in such a manner that each MOS capacitor is adjacently disposed to each other, and that charge carriers are stored on any one of the MOS capacitors and then transferred to another MOS capacitor next to the MOS capacitor stored by the charge carrier. The CCD has various disadvantages, such as complicated drive mode, much power consumption, complicated manufacturing process derived from many photo processes and so forth. Additionally, the CCD has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to make a product compact, due to difficulty in integrating various circuits such as a controlling circuit, a signal processing circuit, analog/digital converting circuit, etc., into a chip for the CCD.
Currently, as a next generation image sensor for overcoming the disadvantages of the CCD, attention is focused on CMOS image sensors. The CMOS image sensor is a device employing a switching mode of forming MOS transistors as many as the number of unit pixels on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology for a controlling circuit, a signal processing circuit, etc as a periphery circuit, and sequentially detecting outputs of each unit pixel by means of the MOS transistors. That is, the CMOS image sensor sequentially detects electrical signals of each unit pixel in a switching mode to realize an image through formation of a photo diode and a MOS transistor within a unit pixel.
The CMOS image sensor has advantages such as low power consumption, simple manufacturing process resulting from decreased photo processes, etc., because it makes use of such CMOS manufacturing technology. In addition, the CMOS image sensor has an advantage in that it is easier to make a product compact by integration of a controlling circuit, a signal processing circuit, an analog/digital converting circuit, etc. into a chip for the CMOS image sensor. For this reason, the CMOS image sensor is presently broadly used in various applications, such as digital still cameras, digital video cameras and so forth.
FIG. 1 shows a circuit for a unit pixel of a general CMOS image sensor. As shown in FIG. 1, the unit pixel 100 of the CMOS image sensor includes a photo diode 110 as a photoelectric transformation section and four transistors. The four transistors may include a transfer transistor 120, a reset transistor 130, a drive transistor 140 and a select transistor 150. An output terminal OUT of the unit pixel 100 may be connected with a load transistor 160. Herein, reference FD may be a floating diffusion region, reference Tx may be a gate voltage of the transfer transistor 120, reference Rx may be a gate voltage of the reset transistor 130, reference Dx may be a gate voltage of the drive transistor 140, and a reference Sx may be a gate voltage of the select transistor 150. Reference VDD is an input voltage, reference Vb is a base voltage, and reference GND is a ground.
FIG. 2 shows a layout of a unit pixel of the conventional CMOS image sensor. As shown in FIG. 2, in a unit pixel 100, an active region may be a region defined by a bold solid line and an isolation region may be a region outside the active region in which an isolation layer (not shown) may be formed. The gates 123, 133, 143 and 153, respectively of the transfer transistor 120, reset transistor 130, drive transistor 140 and select transistor 150 may be disposed as to be across an upper portion of the active region. Also, a region indicated by a dotted line may be a region which is exposed in an opening of a photoresist (not shown) as a masking layer against ion implantation upon the ion implantation process for forming a diffusion region of the photo diode and which may be defined wider than an active region of the photo diode PD. The reference FD may be a floating diffusion region.
FIG. 3 is a structural cross-sectional view showing the photo diode portion of the unit pixel taken along a line A-A of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, a P− type epitaxial layer 11 may be formed on a P++ type semiconductor substrate 10. To define an active region of the semiconductor substrate 10, an isolation layer 13 may be formed on a portion of the epitaxial layer 11 for an isolation region of the semiconductor substrate 10. An n− type diffusion region 111 and a P0 type diffusion region 113 of the photo diode PD may be formed on a portion of the epitaxial layer 11 for a photo diode region of the active region, the P0 type diffusion region 113 being positioned on the n− type diffusion region 111.
The conventional CMOS image sensor 100 with such construction typically has a defect such as degradations of a performance of the device and an electric charge storing capacity, due to an increase of dark current.
Dark current may be generated by electrons transferred to the floating diffusion region from the photo diode in a state that lights are not yet incident to the photo diode. It has been reported that dark current has been caused generally from various kinds of defects, such as a dangling bond and so forth disposed on a neighboring portion adjacent to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a boundary portion of the isolation layer and the P0 type diffusion region, a boundary portion of the isolation layer and the n− type diffusion region, a boundary portion of the P0 type diffusion region and the n− type diffusion region, the p0 type diffusion region and the n− type diffusion region. Dark current may cause considerable problems such as degradations of a performance and an electric charge storing capacity in the CMOS image sensor under a circumstance of low illumination.
Accordingly, the conventional CMOS image sensor has used both the P0 type diffusion region and the n− type diffusion region for the photo diode in order to reduce dark current generated especially from the neighboring portion adjacent to the surface of a silicon substrate.
However, the conventional CMOS image sensor has been greatly affected by dark current generated at the boundary portions of the isolation region and the P0 type diffusion region, and the P0 type diffusion region the n− type diffusion region.
More particularly, as shown in FIG. 3, when patterns (not shown) of a photoresist as a mask layer against an ion implantation for forming the n− type diffusion region 111 and the P0 type diffusion region 113 of the photo diode PD may be formed on the semiconductor substrate 10, the whole active region for the photo diode PD is exposed in an opening of the photoresist patterns. In such state, when impurities for the n− type diffusion region 111 and the P0 type diffusion region 113 are ion-implanted in the active region of the photo diode PD, the impurities for the n− type diffusion region 111 and the P0 type diffusion region 113 are also ion-implanted to the boundary portion between the active region and the isolation layer 13 of the photo diode PD.
Thus, damages by the ion implantation of impurities may be caused at the boundary portion between the n−/P0 type diffusion regions 111 and 113 and the isolation layer 13, further generating defects. The defects may cause a generation of electric charge or hole carriers, and also provide places for re-binding of the electric charges and the halls. Consequently, leakage current of the photo diode and therefore dark current of the CMOS image sensor are increased.
As described above, the conventional CMOS image sensor may have a construction in which impurities for forming the diffusion region of the photo diode are also ion-implanted on the boundary portion between the isolation layer and the active region for the photo diode when the impurities are ion-implanted for forming the diffusion region of the photo diode. Thus, the conventional CMOS image sensor may have a limit in increasing characteristics of the device because it may be difficult to restrict dark current generated at the boundary portion between the isolation layer and the active region for the photo diode, and to maintain device characteristics between the pixels constant.
Meanwhile, Korean Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2003-42303 and 2003-42308 disclose a method for reducing dark current of CMOS image sensor by performing an ion implantation of impurities to an active region for a photo diode, which, however, do not present a solution to restrict an increase of dark current by preventing impurities from being ion-implanted to the boundary portion between an isolation layer and an active region for a photo diode.
Also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,486,521 and 6,462,365, assigned on their face to Omnivision Technologies Inc., entitled "Active Pixel having Reduced Dark Current in a CMOS Image Sensor," disclose a method for restricting an increase of dark current due to a dangling bond at the surface of a photo diode, in which a transparent insulating layer such as an oxide layer is formed on the surface of the photo diode as a passivation layer. However, the methods do not also present a solution to restrict an increase of dark current by preventing impurities from being ion-implanted to the boundary portion between the isolation layer and the active region for the photo diode.

CMOS image sensor having impurity diffusion region separated from isolation region


A computer implemented method for routing a multitude of conductors through a first routing area on a planar surface is presented. The method includes receiving data representing the first routing area bounded by two opposite longitudinal sides each having a different number of a multitude of first vertices. The first routing area includes one or more blockages. The method further includes determining one or more locations on at least one of the two opposite longitudinal sides for adding one or more second vertices, and decomposing the first routing area into a multitude of second routing areas each not including any of the one or more blockages. The method further includes performing a gateway model routing (GMR) of the multitude of conductors in each of the multitude of second routing areas using the multitude of first vertices and the added one or more second vertices.

The present invention relates to electronic design automation (EDA), and more particularly, to techniques for decomposing a gateway model routing (GMR) template of a planar layout, such as for a flat panel display (FPD), into a multitude of balanced sub-templates.
Computer aided design (CAD) tools called routers are used to automatically generate digital patterns corresponding to wire routes on planar surfaces. One such CAD technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,779,379, by Wang, et al., which describes an automated way to route wires within a corridor region according to a GMR routing template. The routing template includes saved data that is associated with user specified constraints such as the shape and location of the corridor region, and wire routing constraints such as the locations of wire terminal or teeth edges, the width, spacing, alignment, resistance, and/or other attributes of the conductors.
In the original GMR template creation flow, a user may just select one start or end teeth edge to create the template with associated gateway segments. However, users should be careful to create a "balanced" GMR template, otherwise the action of GMR template creation may directly fail. "Balanced" means the opposite longitudinal sides, i.e. not the teeth edge sides, of a GMR template each have the same number of edges. The user may not be easily aware of the impending template creation failure due to the un-balanced template issue, especially in some corners of the template with small edges having changes in direction.
Another problem is that a user may be able to set only one routing mode or resistance constraint per GMR template. However, there may be some critical nets such as clocks or power/ground nets that should be routed in a pre-defined region of the template or with different constraints in order to ensure the proper associated signal integrity and/or specifications for those critical nets. To further complicate template creation, there may also be some blockage shapes that the wire routing may need to be detoured around. Therefore, known automated GMR template creation techniques may require arduous manual intervention.
Accordingly, there is a need to be able to automatically generate a balanced GMR template that also comprehends a multitude of constraint requirements each associated with different types of nets, while simultaneously routing around blockage shapes.

Creating gateway model routing sub-templates