In a vehicle control pedal unit comprising a mounting structure having a U-shaped mounting end with spaced parallel leg walls between which one end of a pedal lever having an eyepiece with an opening is pivotally supported, a bearing sleeve is disposed between the leg walls and extends through the eyepiece opening and a slide hub extends through the bearing openings in the leg walls and through the bearing sleeve and is interlocked with the bearing sleeve for retaining the bearing sleeve and the lever arm in position between the leg walls of the mounting structure.

The invention resides in a control pedal unit for vehicles wherein a pedal lever is pivotally supported by a bearing structure and provided with a return spring acting on the pedal lever so as to bias it toward a rest position.
Basically, such control pedal units are known from DE OS 28 15 769 or DE OS 27 28 787. Also EP 04 30 600 B1 discloses such a control pedal unit for vehicles wherein a pedal is provided which is connected to a pedal lever. The pedal lever is engaged by a spiral return spring which biases the pedal lever toward a rest- that is its idle position. All the control pedal levers are mounted on a support structure which is attached to a vehicle wall.
However, the known control pedal units are relatively complicated and include a large number of components which are not very easy to assemble. Generally, the control pedal unit must be assembled from several components during assembly of the vehicle.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a pedal unit without the disadvantages mentioned above, particularly, a pedal unit which can be manufactured by efficient series manufacturing methods and which is suitable for preassembly. Also, the control unit should utilize the well known kinematics to which the drivers are used and it should be suitable for transmitting control impulses to the internal combustion engine electronically or electrically instead of via a mechanical control cable.


A coil segment forming apparatus, a coil segment forming method and a manufacturing apparatus of an electrical rotating machine, whereby coil segments with various kinds of shape can be formed without exchanging a press die, and it is not necessary that a lot of coil segments of various kinds of shape are preliminarily formed and stocked is provided. The coil segment forming apparatus includes a first bending section for bending in the same plane a linear wire rod into a predetermined shape consisting of a pair of slot insertion portions that are substantially parallel to each other and a linking portion for connecting the pair of slot insertion portions. The first bending section has a plurality of jigs arranged on the same plane for supporting the wire rod, and a plurality of drive mechanisms for moving respectively the plurality of jigs on the same plane so that the wire rod is formed in the predetermined shape based on moving amounts respectively set depending on shape conditions of the coil segment to be formed.

Known is a segment-type coil as a stator coil or a rotor coil of the electrical rotating machine. This segment coil is formed by inserting a plurality of segments (hairpins), each obtained by bending a wire rod in a U-shape, into a plurality of slots arranged along the circumferential direction of the stator or the rotor, respectively, and by joining together free ends of these inserted segments by welding.
In Patent Document 1, a U-shaped segment forming method for the segment-type coil is disclosed. In this method, a wire rod already cut into a predetermined length is pressed by using a pressing tool with one-pair configuration, that is a press die or a press bending die, to form a linking portion of the coil segment, and then a pair of slot insertion portions elongated from the linking portion in parallel with each other is formed by moving a pair of shaping rollers along the coil segment.

Coil segment forming apparatus, coil segment forming method and manufacturing apparatus of electrical rotating machine


A class of polymers for delivery of polynucleotides to cells in described. More specifically, amphiphilic polyvinylethers and compositions containing amphiphilic polyvinylethers are described.

The route of cellular entry for most conventional drugs is diffusion across the biological membrane. For this reason, drugs tend to be small (MW<500) and amphipathic, containing both hydrophobic and hydrophilic functionalities. These characteristics engender molecules with water solubility, while allowing them to cross the nonpolar lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. In contrast, the drugs used in antisense and gene therapies are relatively large hydrophilic polymers and are frequently highly negatively charged as well. Both of these physical characteristics preclude their direct diffusion across the cell membrane. For this reason, the major barrier to gene therapy and antisense therapy is the delivery of the drug to the cellular interior. This situation is in contrast to standard drug development in which the identification of the drug is the major barrier in development.
Gene or polynucleotide transfer to cells is an important technique for biological and medical research as well as potentially therapeutic applications. The polynucleotide needs to be transferred across the cell membrane and into the cell. Gene transfer methods currently being explored include viral vectors and non-viral methods.
Viral delivery was first accomplished with mouse retroviruses. However, these vectors cannot infect all cell types efficiently, especially in vivo. Therefore, several viral vectors, including Herpes virus, Adenovirus, Adeno-associated virus and others are being developed to enable more efficient gene transfer different cell types.
For non-viral delivery, polynucleotides can be incorporated into lipid vesicles (liposomes) or complexed with polymers. Other non-viral methods of polynucleotide delivery to cells include electroporation and "gene gun" technologies. One of the several methods of polynucleotide delivery to cells is the use of polynucleotide/polycation complexes. It has been shown that cationic proteins, like histones and protamines, or synthetic polymers, like polylysine, polyarginine, polyomithine, DEAE dextran, polybrene, and polyethylenimine may be effective intracellular polynucleotide delivery agents.
Polycations facilitate nucleic acid condensation. Multivalent cations with a charge of three or higher have been shown to condense DNA. These include spermidine, spermine, Co(NH3)63+, Fe3+, and natural or synthetic polymers such as histone H1, protamine, polylysine, and polyethylenimine. Analysis has shown DNA condensation to be favored when 90% or more of the charges along the sugar-phosphate backbone are neutralized.
The volume which one polynucleotide molecule occupies in a complex with polycations is much lower than the effective volume of the free polynucleotide molecule. The size of a polynucleotides/polymer complex is probably critical for gene delivery in vivo and possible for in vitro as well. For intravascular delivery, the polynucleotide needs to cross the endothelial barrier in order to reach the parenchymal cells of interest. The largest endothelial fenestrae (holes in the endothelial barrier) occur in the liver and have an average diameter of 100 nm. The trans-epithelial pores in other organs are much smaller. For example, muscle endothelium can be described as a structure which has a large number of small pores with a radius of 4 nm, and a very low number of large pores with a radius of 20-30 nm. The size of the polynucleotide complexes is also important for the cellular uptake process. After binding to the cells the polynucleotide/polycation complex is likely taken up by endocytosis. Since endocytic vesicles have a typical internal diameter of about 100 nm, polynucleotide complexes smaller than 100 nm are preferred. The compacted form of the condensed polynucleotide/polycation complexes also protects the polynucleotide from nuclease degradation, both in serum and in acidic intracellular environments.
Polycations may provide attachment of polynucleotides to the cell surface. The polymer forms a cross-bridge between the polyanionic polynucleotide and the polyanionic surface of a cell. As a result, the mechanism of polynucleotide translocation to the intracellular space might be non-specific adsorptive endocytosis. Polycations also provide a convenient linker for attaching specific ligands to the complex, thereby allowing targeting to specific cell types.
Polymers can also facilitate cellular entry of polynucleotides. For instance, some polymers, such as polyethylenimine, are thought to probably disrupt endosomal/lysosomal function through a proton sponge effect. Disruption of endosomal/lysosomal function has also been accomplished by linking endosomal or membrane disruptive agents such as fusion peptides or adenoviruses to the polycation or complex. Polymers that are pH-sensitive have found broad application in the area of drug delivery because of their ability to exploit various physiological and intracellular pH gradients for the purpose of controlled release of drugs. pH sensitivity can be broadly defined as any change in polymer's physico-chemical properties over a range of pH. Narrower definitions demand significant changes in the polymer's ability to retain or release a bioactive substance in a physiologically tolerated pH range (typically pH 5.5-8).

Polyvinylethers for delivery of polynucleotides to mammalian cells


According to the present invention, all terminals can establish synchronization in a radio communications system formed only of a plurality of mobile terminals. This radio terminal communicates by the time division connection method, and comprises a control portion for synchronizing its transmission/reception timing to that of a group including a plurality of radio terminals. The control portion determines the overall cycle including basic cycles in a number corresponding to the number of radio terminals within said group, conducts control to transmit a signal in a basic cycle that is included in said overall cycle and that is set by a unique terminal number allotted in advance to each of said radio terminals, conducts control to receive signals from another radio terminal in another basic cycle, adjusts the transmission/reception timing based on the data received from said other radio terminal in said other basic cycle, and saves the reception timing until a process to adjust the transmission/reception timing is conducted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio terminal that utilizes an intermittent transmission-reception method, a radio synchronization system that has no base station and that is applied to a telecommunications system including a plurality of such radio terminals, and a medium recording the program therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Hei 10(1998)-51376 discloses a synchronization system and method for synchronizing the transmission timing of a plurality of mobile stations to that of a telecommunications system. According to this prior art, a mobile station can be synchronized to a telecommunications system without receiving any synchronization control from a fixed station. Specifically, a mobile station attempting to participate in a telecommunications network detects with its monitor portion the cycle of a slot in use located before the slot used by itself. Thereafter, using the detected cycle, the control portion of the mobile station calculates the deviation Δt of the transmission timing of itself from the slot timing of the telecommunications network. Thereafter, control portion 19 of the mobile terminal adjusts the transmission timing of itself by deviation Δt, thereby synchronizing itself to the telecommunications network.
The system according to the prior art above has the following characteristics.
(1) A method is provided of how a terminal participates in a network where quasi-synchronization is established;
(2) The prior art does not directly receive synchronization control from a fixed station, but detects the timing from a terminal participating in the network, so it indirectly uses the timing from a fixed station. Therefore, the system according to the prior art above requires a reference station for the timing.
(3) The prior art determines the access timing of itself by searching for an unused slot.
As the prior art above indirectly uses the timing from a fixed station, it cannot be applied to a radio communications system structured only of a plurality of mobile terminals.
The present invention aims at solving such problem by providing a radio terminal, a radio synchronization system and a medium recording a program therefor, used in a radio communications system formed only of a plurality of mobile terminals, that allows synchronization between all terminals.

Radio terminal, radio synchronization system having no base station, and recording medium


A PFET having tailored dielectric constituted in part by an NFET threshold voltage (Vt) work function tuning layer in a gate stack thereof, related methods and integrated circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, the PFET includes an n-type doped silicon well (N-well), a gate stack including: a doped band engineered PFET threshold voltage (Vt) work function tuning layer over the N-well; a tailored dielectric layer over the doped band engineered PFET Vt work function tuning layer, the tailored dielectric layer constituted by a high dielectric constant layer over the doped band engineered PFET Vt work function tuning layer and an n-type field effect transistor (NFET) threshold voltage (Vt) work function tuning layer over the high dielectric constant layer; and a metal over the NFET Vt work function tuning layer.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly, to a PFET having a tailored dielectric constituted in part by an NFET threshold voltage (Vt) work function tuning layer in a gate stack thereof and related methods and integrated circuit.
2. Background Art
Referring to FIG. 1, the best known self aligned process flows for complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication with the high dielectric constant (high-k) dielectrics and metal gate stack 10 use a dual field effect transistor (FET) threshold voltage (Vt) work function tuning layers 12, 14 to tune the threshold voltage of adjacent n-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) region 16 (for NFETs) and p-type metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) region 18 (for PFETs). The work function tuning layers 12, 14 have been developed to address instability caused by use of high-k dielectrics 11 with metals 13 in gate stack 10. NMOS region 16 and PMOS region 18 are typically formed in a silicon substrate 20 having doped N-well 22 and P-well 24 separated by an isolation region 26, e.g., a shallow trench isolation (STI) of silicon oxide. The formation of FET Vt work function tuning layers 12, 14 requires masking of one of the adjacent NMOS and PMOS regions to remove the other region's Vt work function tuning layer over one side. In particular, as illustrated, a p-type field effect transistor (PFET) Vt work function tuning layer 14 is formed over PMOS region 18, and a high-k dielectric 11 such as hafnium oxide (HfO2) is formed over both regions 16, 18. An NFET Vt work function tuning layer 12 is then deposited over both regions 16, 18, but removed over PMOS region 18 since the NFET Vt work function tuning layer 12 is undesirable for the PFET. NFET Vt work function tuning layer 12 typically includes lanthanum (La), magnesium (Mg), barium (Ba), strontium (Sr) and other rare earth metals while the PFET Vt work function tuning layer 14 typically includes undoped silicon germanium (SiGe). Patterning of gate stack 10 then completes the process. This process is costly to manufacture because of the two extra lithography steps and disadvantageously increases process variability due to the need for the removal of the Nfet Vt tuning layer from the PFET.

PFET with tailored dielectric and related methods and integrated circuit

International Business Machines Corporation


In a management system, computing devices collect sample performance values that describe utilization or usage of resources or processes. The sample performance values may be in the form of performance data or performance counters. Sample performance values are either sent or not sent to a management server, based on a delta value of a current collected sample performance value and a last current collected sample value. Plots may be constructed based on actual received sample performance values and interpolated, or estimated sample performance values based on a known frequency at which the sample performance values are collected.

Management systems typically include a management server and multiple computers or computing devices. Such computing devices may be known as "clients". The management server may receive performance data from the clients. Performance data may be conveyed through what are commonly known as performance counters.
Exemplary performance data includes utilization as to resources resident at a client, such as a client processor, client memory, client disk storage, etc. Furthermore, performance data may also be provided as certain processes, such as network interconnections between the client and management server.
The received performance data may be used by administrators at the management server to determine the quality of service (QOS) provided at the clients. QOS can include issues related to "denial of service" attacks, data throughput to clients, ability of clients to process received data, etc. Administrators may plot such performance data on a graph over time. For example, percentage of processor usage may be plotted against time to create a processor utilization data plot. By analyzing such data plots, trends can be identified and/or problems can be corrected, leading to improved service for clients.
Performance counters or performance data may be sent to the management server over a defined frequency. In other words, performance data from client devices are sent to the management server over a regular interval of time. The greater the frequency that performance data is sent (i.e., the more performance data that is received over a particular period), the greater accuracy is provided.
Considering that there may be numerous performance data or performance counters that are sent, the amount of information (i.e., performance data or performance counter) that is sent can be significant. Considering that one or more networks that are used to connect the management server and client devices may have bandwidth constraints, and resource constraints at the management server and client devices, the amount of information sent can lead to network congestion and resource problems at the management server and client devices. A need exists to provide performance data to properly allow administrators to monitor client devices; however, limitations should be made as to network and resource usage.

Optimized performance counter monitoring


A fluid handling device includes: an introduction part configured to introduce liquid; an ejection part configured to eject liquid; a channel including one end connected to the introduction part and another end connected to the ejection part; and a valve disposed at the channel. An inner surface of the introduction part has water-repellency, and an inner surface of the ejection part and at least a part of an inner surface of the channel do not have water-repellency.

In recent years, fluid handling devices have been used to analyze trace amounts of substances such as proteins and nucleic acids with high accuracy and speed. Fluid handling devices have the advantage of requiring only a small amount of reagent and sample for analysis, and are expected to be used in a variety of applications such as clinical, food, and environmental testing. Fluid handling devices are known to have a plurality of micro channels and to be able to analyze small amounts of samples (see, for example, PTL 1).
PTL 1 discloses a micro channel device (fluid handling device) including a channel entrance serving as an entrance of fluid, a channel outlet serving as an outlet of fluid, a micro channel connecting the channel entrance and the channel outlet. In the micro channel device disclosed in PTL 1, liquid is introduced from the channel entrance, and the liquid is ejected from the channel outlet.

Fluid handling device and manufacturing method of fluid handling device


A flexible electric line for movable loads is specified which has at least two wires, in each case consisting of an electrical conductor and an insulation surrounding it, as stranded elements which are stranded around a core consisting of insulating material with dents extending in the longitudinal direction in which the stranded elements lie. In the core, a non-metallic tension- and compression-resistant carrier enclosed by a layer of insulating material is centrally arranged. The layer of insulating material consists of an impressible material remaining permanently elastic, which completely fills the internal interstices between the stranded elements, and it is surrounded by a sliding layer of a material having good sliding characteristics compared with the stranded elements.

Such lines are used, for example, for connecting movable devices to a voltage or signal source. Movable devices can be, for example, cranes, machine tools and robots. The lines must be capable of being loaded mechanically, with a flexural strength remaining uniform over a long period. They should also remain easily flexible within a wide temperature range which is, for example, between −40° C. and +80° C. If the lines are used, for example, as drag chain lines in automation technology, they must also survive without damage movements at increased speeds of up to 5 m/sec in the horizontal direction and corresponding accelerations of up to 50 m/sec2 continuously even with relatively great lengths of up to 50 m. "Continuously" means, for example, up to 5 million bending cycles in this context.
The known line according to the EP 1041585 B1 initially mentioned is constructed as a flexible electric power line which has a central core around which power wires, at least one control line and at least one data line are stranded. The core has a central strength element consisting of plastic, over which a sheathing of a cross-linked material is provided in which an indentation extending over the entire axial length of the core is provided which is adapted for each stranded-around element to the contour of the latter. Apart from power and control commands, measurement data can also be transmitted, for example, by means of this electric power line. The good flexibility of the electric power line is supported by the special construction of the core, in the indentations of which adapted to the respective stranded-around element, these elements can slide when the electric power line is bending. This electric power line has been successful in practice. Measures of how a sliding mobility of the stranded elements relative to the core is to be achieved and whether a functional capability of the electric power line is to be maintained even with a great length during movements at high speed and acceleration are not mentioned in the document.


The present invention discloses an adjustment system for forming a repeatedly adjustable hem on a garment. There is provided an adjustment mechanism comprising of a cord with one end that is attached to the garment's inside hem while the other end passes through a holding pocket or channel that is secured to the garment's inside seam. The second end of the cord above the holding pocket or channel is then preferably knotted to provide a stop or limit to adjust and the second end is secured to the garment lining. The fabric lining conceals the adjustment mechanism. A fabric tab is secured to the second end and the lining as a grasping point for making a length adjustment. The bloused lining is smoothed, the garment is pressed, and the adjustment is complete and undetectable. Embodiments are shown for adjusting trouser leg lengths, coat or jacket sleeves or body length as well as skirt and waistband adjustment.

This invention relates to the clothing arts and more specifically to a system that allows multiple adjustments to be made in sleeve and pant lengths. The system is fast and easy for anyone without tailoring skills to use, and the appearance of the garment is the same both before and after the adjustment. The system is particularly applicable to rental clothing (i.e., formal wear), since it frequently is necessary to adjust the length of the pant legs or jacket sleeves to conform to the individual's leg and/or arm length. However, the system also may be used to adjust the length of skirts, dresses and other items of clothing.
The traditional and typical method of adjusting the length of garments involves measuring the individual's inseam or outseam length (for pants) or arm length (from the nape of the neck in the center of the back, over the top of the shoulder down the arm to the wrist bone), and then to hem the garment to the predetermined length. To do this, the garment is folded inwardly until the desired length is reached and then this fold is stitched to the inside of the garment with a stitch such as the blind stitch. Next, the garment is usually pressed to provide a tailored edge.
This traditional method is costly, time-consuming and requires tailoring skills. Furthermore, each time an individual with different length arms and/or legs wears the garment, it is necessary to remove the stitching, readjust the length, and then restitch the hem and repress the garment.
Several solutions have been proposed using various means to effect the adjustment, such as hook and loop material (in either horizontal or vertical strips, or in circular patches), zippers and slide fasteners, permanent and removable stitching, and other fasteners such as snaps and buttons. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,985,936; 4,896,379; 4,200,938; 4,573,218; 3,665,516; 4,259,751; 3,111,681; 3,156,928; 3,170,167; 4,241,461; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,275. One solution uses a detachable separately formed cuff. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,001. The Jones U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,936 uses a number of thin vertically elongated adjuster strips of the hook and loop variety attached to the inside of the garment (i.e., the pant leg). Four strips of the hook and loop material are attached to each pant leg. The garment is then folded to the proper length and the hook material is secured to the loop material.
None of these solutions has been adopted on a wide-spread commercial basis. The reason is believed to be because the bulk added by most fasteners is aesthetically unacceptable and the methods employing removable stitching make multiple adjustments tedious and require tailoring skills.
Therefore, it is the object of this invention to provide a system for the adjustment of garment length that can be used repeatedly, does not require any special tailoring skills, and does not add perceptible bulk to the garment.
One further object of this invention is to provide an adjustment system for garments which is integral with the garment itself and which is virtually concealed from the public or the wearer. It further allows the adjustment in the length of trouser legs, trouser waistbands, jacket sleeve lengths, jacket body length and skirt length in a very simple manner.
These and other advantages and objects of this invention will become apparent from the following disclosure and defined in the appended claims.


The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including the successive steps of: a) forming doped germanium on a germanium layer covering a first support; b) covering said doped germanium with a second support; and c) removing the first support.

Photosensitive devices made up of germanium are used in applications of detection of infrared radiations for example having wavelengths in the range from approximately 0.9 μm to approximately 1.6 μm. Such a device for example comprises a photodiode, that is, a diode conducting a current when it receives an infrared radiation.
Photosensitive devices are often arranged in an array, for example, in an image sensor. Each photosensitive device receives the radiation originating from a portion of a scene. The array then enables to obtain an infrared image of the scene. Each pixel of the image corresponds to one of the photosensitive devices of the array.

Manufacturing of a semiconductor photosensitive device

COMMISSARIAT À L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES


A method for having a modem detect a call waiting signal from a telephone network is described. A first signal detector generates a first signal when detecting a carrier signal from the telephone network, and generates a second signal when not detecting the carrier signal. If the first signal detector generates the second signal for a first predetermined time interval and if the first signal detector generates the first signal for a second predetermined time interval subsequent to the first predetermined time interval a second signal detector is connected to the telephone network to detect if energy is present from the telephone network for a third predetermined time interval subsequent to the second predetermined time interval. The call waiting signal is detected when (1) the second signal detector detects the energy from the telephone network throughout the third predetermined time interval, and (2) the second signal detector does not detect the energy from the telephone network after the third predetermined time interval. The apparatus in the modem for detecting the call waiting signal from the telephone network is also described.

When a computer system is connected to a remote computer system via a public telephone network, a modem is typically used to connect the computer system to the telephone network. The function of the modem is to convert a binary digital signal into an analog signal that is suitable for transmission over the telephone network, and to convert an analog signal back into a digital signal.
Occasionally, a situation occurs in which an incoming call to a particular computer system's modem occurs while that modem is connected to another party via the telephone network. Ordinarily, the calling party receives a busy signal and the called party is not aware that a call is being attempted. In order for the calling party to be connected to the called party, the calling party either needs to dial the called party frequently and repeatedly to find out when the called party's line is no longer busy or to call again at some other time.
Repeated redials by the calling party typically unnecessarily increase the traffic in the telephone network. Another problem is that the calling party wastes time in these unsuccessful repeated redials. A further problem is that if the call is important to the called party, the called party will not be able to respond to it promptly because the called party does not know an incoming call is being attempted.
A call waiting feature offered by many telephone companies alerts a person using a telephone for conventional voice communication that a third party is attempting to call the user while the user is still making a call. In such a system, the called party is notified and has the option to interrupt from the ongoing call to take the waiting call. Typically, the telephone company provides the call waiting feature by sending a call waiting signal of a particular frequency to the telephone user via the telephone line. The user typically hears a sound that indicates a call is waiting.
When a modem is used, however, the call waiting signal is typically not recognized by the modem because the modem is not adapted to recognize the call waiting signal during its data conversion and transfer operation. Typically, the modem is only adapted to detect a carrier signal during the data conversion and transfer operation. The carrier signal is the signal sent by another modem via the telephone network that contains information. Typically, the modem includes a data mode filter that is adapted to detect the presence of the carrier signal during the data transfer operation of the modem (i.e., the data mode), and a call progress management filter to detect incoming signals during the modem's call connection operation (i.e., the call progress mode). The call waiting signal is typically not within the bandwidth of the data mode filter, but the call waiting signal is typically within the bandwidth of the call progress management filter.
A prior art scheme of call waiting signal detection for a modem is disclosed to in U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,151, issued Jul. 25, 1989, and entitled MODEM WITH CALL WAITING. That prior art scheme typically switches the data mode filter to the call progress management filter once the data mode filter detects a loss of the carrier signal. If the call progress management filter then detects energy in its bandwidth, the call waiting signal has been detected.
One disadvantage associated with this prior art scheme is that it switches to the call progress management filter as soon as the data mode filter detects a loss of the carrier signal. Sometimes, however, the carrier signal is temporarily lost due to a telephone line transmission problem. If that is so, there would be no call waiting signal and the carrier signal could return at any time. If the data mode filter is switched off because of the loss of the carrier signal, then subsequent data in the carrier signal would not be detected and therefore would be lost.
Another disadvantage of this prior art scheme is that when the call waiting signal has more than one signal cycle, the data mode filter is switched off more than once and the call progress management filter is switched on more than once to detect more than one call waiting signals. This typically results in unnecessary switching during call waiting signal detection.

Apparatus and method for a modem for detecting a call waiting signal


Filterbank windowing and Fourier transformation are used to distinguish sub-bands of interest from other sub-bands of an input signal. The sub-bands of interest are selected and then subjected to additional windowing and Fourier transformation.

Spectrum analyzers are commonly used to analyze the frequency spectra of electronic devices and components. Typically, the spectrum analyzer receives an input signal in the time domain, converts it to the frequency domain (e.g., by Fourier transform), and then displays the converted signal in a graph.
Unfortunately, certain types of signals may be difficult to measure and analyze in a conventional spectrum analyzer due to their irregular form. For example, frequency hopping signals, which are used in many communications applications, may be sparsely distributed in the frequency domain, making it difficult to display them with adequate time and/or frequency resolution.
Due to this difficulty, conventional approaches to analyzing frequency hopping signals tend to rely on compromises to simplify the analysis. For example, in one conventional approach, a spectrum analyzer examines frequency hopping signals with a wide instantaneous bandwidth. The use of a wide instantaneous bandwidth, however, limits the resolution and thus the visible details of the signals shape/modulation. Moreover, this problem increases as the bandwidth of the signal under test gets smaller compared to the entire hopping bandwidth.
In another conventional approach, a spectrum analyzer analyzes only a fraction of the signals occurring at one specific hop frequency. Analyzing only a fraction of a signal allows it to be analyzed with relatively high resolution. However, it increases the time needed to obtain an accurate measurement as only a tiny fraction of the entire signal is analyzed. Moreover, by not looking at the entire bandwidth it also makes it difficult to link specific effects to particular hopping patterns.
In yet another conventional approach, a device under test (DUT) is altered to avoid hopping (and a sparse use of the frequency domain). Turning off hopping, however, results in testing the DUT outside its normal operation and can thus only provide partial results.
In view of these and other shortcomings of conventional approaches, there is a general need for improved approaches for analyzing frequency hopping signals in spectrum analyzers.

Real-time separation of signal components in spectrum analyzer


A cathode ray tube includes a phosphor screen and an electron gun. The electron gun includes an indirectly heated cathode structure and plural grid electrodes in axially spaced relationship. The cathode structure includes a base metal having an electron emissive material coating and a heater for heating the base metal. The heater includes a major heating portion having a spirally wound heating wire and leg portions disposed at ends of the major heating portion, and each of the leg portions includes a first multilayer winding portion having heating wires wound spirally in plural layers and a second multilayer winding portion disposed intermediate between the major heating portion and the first multilayer winding portion and having heating wires wound in plural layers. The major heating portion and at least a portion of the second multilayer winding portion are covered with an insulating coating, the heater is welded to electrical conductors for applying a voltage thereto at the first multilayer winding portion, and the number of layers in the second multilayer winding portion is at least three and the number of layers in the first multilayer winding portion is larger than that in the second multilayer winding portion.

The present invention relates to a cathode ray tube having an electron gun employing an indirectly heated cathode, and particularly to a cathode ray tube having a heater for the indirectly heated cathode with ease of its welding and its reliability improved.
Cathode ray tubes such as TV picture tubes and display tubes are widely used as a display means in various kinds of information processing equipment because of their capability of high-resolution image reproduction.
The cathode ray tubes of this kind include an evacuated envelope comprising a panel portion having a phosphor screen formed of phosphors coated on its inner surface, a tubular neck portion and a funnel portion for connecting the panel portion and the neck portion, an electron gun housed in the tubular neck portion comprising an electron beam generating section including an indirectly heated cathode, a control electrode and an accelerating electrode, and a main lens section for focusing an electron beam generated in the electron beam generating section onto the phosphor screen, and a deflection yoke mounted around the funnel portion for scanning the phosphor screen with the electron beam from the electron gun.
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shadow mask type color cathode ray tube for explaining an example of a structure of a cathode ray tube. Reference numeral 1 denotes a panel portion, 2 is a funnel portion, 3 is a neck portion, 4 is a phosphor screen formed of phosphors coated on the inner surface of the panel portion, 5 is a shadow mask serving as a color selection electrode, 6 is a magnetic shield for shielding an external magnetic field (the Earth""s magnetic field) for preventing the Earth""s magnetic field from having adverse influences on the trajectory of electron beams. Reference numeral 7 denotes a deflection yoke, 8 is external magnets for beam adjustment, 9 is an electron gun provided with indirectly-heated cathodes for emitting three electron beams and 10 are the three electron beams only one of which is shown.
The three electron beams 10 from the electron gun 9 are modulated by video signals from an external signal processing circuit (not shown), respectively, and are projected toward the phosphor screen 4. The electron beams 10 scan the phosphor screen 4 two-dimensionally by being subjected to the horizontal and vertical deflection magnetic fields generated by the deflection yoke 7 mounted around the transition region between the neck portion 3 and the funnel portion 2. The shadow mask 5 reproduces a desired image by passing the three electron beams through a large number of apertures therein to the phosphor screen such that each beam impinges upon and excites only one of the three kinds of color phosphor elements in the phosphor screen.
FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of an electron gun for explaining an example of a structure of an electron gun used for the color cathode ray tube shown in FIG. 5. The electron gun comprises a control electrode (the first grid electrode or G1) 11, an accelerating electrode (the second grid electrode or G2) 12, focus electrodes (the third grid electrode or G3, the fourth grid electrode or G4, and the fifth grid electrode or G5) 13, 14, 15, an anode (the sixth grid electrode or G6) 16, and a shield cup 17 physically retained in axial predetermined spaced relationship in the order named by multiform glass 20, and the respective electrodes are electrically connected to respective stem pins 18a implanted in a stem 18 by welding a tab or a lead provided to the electrodes, to the stem pins 18a.
In this electron gun, an indirectly heated cathode structure 21 is spaced closely from the electron beam apertures in the control electrode 11 toward the stem 18, and has heaters for heating the electron-emissive surfaces.
Reference numeral 19 denote bulb spacer contacts for centering the central longitudinal axis of the electron gun coincident with the axis of the neck portion by pressing resiliently against the inner wall of the neck portion and for effecting delivery of an anode voltage from the internal conductive coating coated on the inner walls of the funnel and neck portions to the electron gun.
The indirectly heated cathodes 21, the control grid 11 and the accelerating electrode 12 form an electron beam generating section (a triode portion). The focus electrodes 13 to 15 accelerate and focus the electron beams emitted from the electron beam generating section, and then a main lens formed between the focus electrode 15 and the anode 16 focuses the electron beams onto the phosphor screen.
The stem 18 is fused to close the open end of the neck portion 3 of the vacuum envelope, and signals and voltages from external circuits are applied to the respective electrodes via the stem pins 18. The external magnets 8 (the magnet assembly) for beam adjustment shown in FIG. 1 correct errors in landing of the electron beams on the phosphor elements caused by a misalignment in axis or a rotational error between the electron gun and the panel portion, the funnel portion and the shadow mask.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the indirectly heated cathode structure 21 shown in FIG. 6. The indirectly heated cathode structure 21 comprises bead supports 22, an eyelet 23, heater supports 24, a heater 25, a base metal 27 for supporting an electron-emissive material 26, a cathode support sleeve 28 and a cathode cylinder 29.
The indirectly heated cathode structure 21 is fixed on multiform glass 20 by the eyelet 23 and the bead supports 22. The heater 25 housed within the cathode support sleeve 28 are fixed by welding its ends to the heater support 24.
FIGS. 8A and 8B are illustrations of a structure of the heater, FIG. 8A being a side view of the heater and FIG. 8B being an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the encircled portion designated xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d in FIG. 8A. As shown in FIG. 8B, the heater 25 comprises a tungsten wire 31 spirally wound, an alumina insulating layer 32 coated around the tungsten wire 31, and a blackened fine-powder tungsten layer 33 coated around the alumina insulating layer 32. The blackened layer 33 is intended for lowering the temperature required of the heater 25 by improving the heat radiation from the heater 25, and consequently improving the reliability of the heater.
In FIG. 8A, reference character HL denote a leg portion of the heater 25 comprised of tungsten wires spirally wound in three layers, HM is a major heating portion of the heater 25 formed by winding spirally in a large diameter a tungsten coiled wire having been wound initially spirally in a small diameter (hereinafter referred to merely as a coiled coil portion), HA is a portion coated with alumina, HB is a blackened portion covered with the blackened fine-powder tungsten layer 33, HE is a portion not covered with alumina and reference numeral 39 denotes a hollow formed after dissolving and removing a molybdenum mandrel.
A method of forming the leg portion HL of the heater 25 in the three layers of tungsten wires is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 57-34671 (Japanese utility model application No. Sho 51-167255, laid-open date: Jul. 12, 1978, Publication date: Jul. 30, 1982).
FIGS. 9A-9E illustrate sequence of steps in a conventional method of fabricating the conventional heater.
In FIG. 9A, a tungsten wire 31 is wound spirally forward as indicated by an arrow P around a molybdenum mandrel wire 40 up to point A.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 9B, the tungsten wire 31 is wound spirally backward from point A to point B as indicated by an arrow Q.
Then, as illustrated in FIG. 9C, the tungsten wire 31 is wound spirally forward again from point B to point C over a centerline CL for bending in a subsequent process as indicated by an arrow R, forming a three-layer winding portion TWA ranging from point A to point B.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 9D, the tungsten wire 31 is wound spirally backward from point C to point D as indicated by an arrow S.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 9E, the tungsten wire 31 is wound spirally forward from point D to point E as indicated by an arrow T, forming a three-layer winding portion TWB ranging from point C to point D.
The tungsten wire thus wound around the molybdenum mandrel wire 40 is cut at the respective centers F, G of the three-layer winding portions TWA and TWB to provide a tungsten wire winding having a length HQL for one heater with the leg portions THLA, THLB of three-layer winding and is formed into a final shape by folding at the centerline CL as shown in FIG. 8A. Then, the molybdenum mandrel wire 40 is dissolved with acid, leaving a hollow 39 as shown in FIG. 8B.
The heater having the leg portions of the above three-layer winding structure provides the following advantages:
(i) prevention of breaks of a tungsten wire by sparks within a cathode ray tube,
(ii) reduction of power consumption by concentration of heat generation in a coiled coil portion 35 due to low resistance of the three-layer winding portions,
(iii) improvement in workability in the operation of welding a heater,
(iv) suppression of heat generation in the portion not covered with alumina caused by an overcurrent upon power turn on.
The tungsten wire for heaters are very thin, and are usually 30 xcexcm to 50 xcexcm in diameter. The structure of the wound thin wires is very weak in mechanical strength, and welding of heaters to a heater support requires a great deal of skill. The three-layer winding structure improves workability in welding heaters, and suppresses occurrences of breaks of heaters by sparks or overcurrents upon power turn on.
Recently it has been difficult to perform operations requiring skill such as welding of heaters. Although the above prior art has improved the workability in welding of heaters, sufficient consideration has never been given to a following problem in heater welding by unskilled workers or by machines, that is, the mechanical strength of the leg portions wound in three layers of heaters is not sufficient for the operation of manually inserting a heater into a cathode support sleeve or for the automatic operation of detecting weld positions of a heater and then welding the heater.
Cracks sometimes occur in the alumina-coated portion in the vicinity of weld points in the operation of welding the portion not covered with alumina, of the leg portions wound in three layers to a heater support. For prevention of the cracks, rigidity of the three-layer winding portion needs to be reduced by winding the tungsten wires at a coarser pitch in that portion, but a problem arises that the workability in welding deteriorates.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cathode ray tube having an electron gun employing an indirectly heated cathode structure free from cracks in the alumina insulating layer of leg portions of the heater without deterioration in welding workability by solving the above problems with the prior art.
To accomplish the above object, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a cathode ray tube comprising an evacuated envelope comprising a panel portion, a neck portion, a funnel portion for connecting the panel portion and the neck portion and a stem having a plurality of pins therethrough and being sealed to close the neck portion at one end thereof, a phosphor screen formed on an inner surface of the panel portion, an electron gun housed in the neck portion, the electron gun comprising an electron beam generating section comprising an indirectly heated cathode structure, a control electrode and an accelerating electrode, and a main lens for focusing an electron beam from the electron beam generating section onto the phosphor screen, and a deflection yoke mounted around a vicinity of a transitional region between the neck portion and the funnel portion for scanning the electron beam on the phosphor screen, the indirectly heated cathode structure comprising a metal sleeve, a base metal having an electron emissive material coating on an outer top surface thereof and attached to one end of the metal sleeve, and a heater positioned within the metal sleeve, wherein the heater comprises a major heating portion having a spirally wound heating wire and leg portions disposed at ends of the major heating portion, each of the leg portions comprises a first multilayer winding portion having heating wires wound spirally in a plurality of layers and a second multilayer winding portion disposed intermediate between the major heating portion and the first multilayer winding portion and having heating wires wound in a plurality of layers, the major heating portion and at least a portion of the second multilayer winding portion are covered with an insulating coating, the heater is welded to electrical conductors for applying a voltage thereto at the first multilayer winding portion, and layers in the second multilayer winding portion is at least three in number and layers of the first multilayer winding portion is larger in number than layers in the second multilayer winding portion.
The present invention is not limited to the above structure, and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Cathode ray tube having an improved indirectly heated cathode


A vehicle frame structure includes a pair of hat-shaped panels that form a portion of a vehicle, each hat-shaped panel having a hat-shaped cross-section, the pair of hat-shaped panels facing each other and forming a closed sectional portion; a partition panel that is sandwiched by the pair of hat-shaped panels, and divides an inside of the closed sectional portion; and a laser welded portion where all of four or more plates including the pair of hat-shaped panels and the partition panel are overlapped and welded together at an identical position by laser welding.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle frame structure.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-219014 (JP 2011-219014 A) describes technology related to a center pillar in which an outer reinforcement and a belt anchor reinforcement are arranged between a center pillar outer and a center pillar inner. Also, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-049378 (JP 2013-049378 A) describes technology related to a side sill (rocker) in which one portion in a vehicle longitudinal direction that is inside a closed sectional portion formed by a side sill inner and a side sill outer is divided by a plate-like bulkhead. Further, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-105269 (JP 2011-105269 A) describes technology related to a pillar lower portion structure in which a closed sectional portion is formed between a rocker inner panel and an outer panel in which a pillar outer panel and a member corresponding to a rocker outer panel are integrally formed, and the pillar inner panel is arranged inside the closed sectional portion.
Also, in the related art described above, a plurality of panels are integrated by being joined by spot welding.
However, normally, when spot welding is used with plates for a vehicle, no more than three plates can be overlapped and joined at an identical position in view of weld quality. Therefore, when joining four plates, a cutout, a hole or the like must be formed in one of the plates so that there are three plates at the welding point of the spot welding. However, if a cutout or a hole is formed in the plate in this way, the rigidity of the plate will end up decreasing.


By substantially amorphizing a selectively epitaxially grown silicon layer used for forming a raised drain and source region and a portion of the underlying substrate, or just the surface region of the substrate (prior to growing the silicon overlayer), the number of interface defects located between the grown silicon layer and the initial substrate surface may be significantly reduced. Consequently, deleterious effects such as charge carrier gettering or creating diffusion paths for dopants may be suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the fabrication of integrated circuits, and, more particularly, to the formation of raised drain and source regions by means of epitaxial growth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently, critical feature sizes of circuit elements of sophisticated integrated circuits are approaching 0.1 μm and less, wherein, in the field of MOS production, one important design dimension in this respect is the gate length of corresponding field effect transistor elements. A field effect transistor comprises a gate electrode formed on a gate insulation layer that electrically insulates the gate electrode from a channel region, yet also provides a required capacitive coupling to enable the proper control of the channel formation that is initiated upon applying an appropriate control voltage to the gate electrode. The channel region connects two heavily doped regions, which are referred to as a source region and a drain region, that form the required PN junction, wherein a distance between the drain and source region is denoted as "channel length." The channel length roughly corresponds to the gate length, as the gate electrode is used in the presently preferred MOS technology as an implantation mask to form the drain and source regions in a self-aligned manner.
The demand for fast operating integrated MOS circuits, or any other integrated circuits, requires the reduction in size of the involved circuit elements, especially of the field effect transistors, as these transistor elements are usually operated in a switched mode wherein the switching speed is significantly determined by parasitic capacitances and parasitic resistances of the transistor elements and interconnect lines. By reducing, for instance, the channel length and thus the gate length of the transistor elements, a significant improvement with respect to signal processing performance may be obtained along with other advantages, such as increased packing density and thus increased functionality of the integrated circuit with a reduced chip area. The steady decrease of the transistor dimensions, however, entails a plurality of issues that have to be dealt with to not unduly offset the advantages achieved by the size reduction of the circuit elements. For instance, the reduced feature sizes may also lead to reduced cross-sectional areas of lines and contact regions, thereby requiring increased dopant concentrations or other measures to maintain a required conductivity. Another issue arises from the fact that, as a general rule, a reduced gate length of a transistor also requires a reduced thickness of the gate insulation layer and shallow dopant profiles of the drain and source regions to provide the required controllability of the inversion channel.
With reference to FIGS. 1a–1b, some of the issues associated with the extreme size reduction of field effect transistors will now be described in more detail. In FIG. 1a, a field effect transistor 100 comprises a substrate 101, for instance, a silicon-substrate or a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate having formed thereon a crystalline silicon region 103 that is frequently referred to as an "active region." The active region 103 is enclosed by an isolation structure 102, which is usually provided in sophisticated transistor elements in the form of a trench isolation structure. A gate electrode 104 is formed above the active region 103 and is separated therefrom by a gate insulation layer 105. The gate electrode 104 may be comprised of doped polysilicon 106 and a metal silicide region 107 that may be comprised of, for instance, cobalt disilicide. Adjacent to the gate electrode 104, sidewall spacers 108 are located and are formed, for instance, of silicon nitride with a liner 109, for instance comprised of silicon dioxide, disposed between the sidewalls of the gate electrode 104 and the upper surface of the active region 103 and the sidewall spacers 108. The active region 103 further comprises source and drain regions 110, wherein the dopant profile towards the gate electrode becomes shallower and corresponding portions 111 are commonly referred to as "extensions." Metal silicide regions 112, typically comprised of cobalt disilicide or nickel silicide in modern transistor elements, are formed within the drain and source regions 110.
A typical process flow for manufacturing the transistor 100 as depicted in FIG. 1a may comprise the following processes. After the formation of the trench isolation structures 102 by sophisticated lithography, etch and deposition techniques followed by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) sequence, an implantation cycle may be performed to provide a required vertical dopant profile within the active region 103. Corresponding processes are well established in the art and a detailed description is thus omitted herein. Thereafter, the gate insulation layer 105 may be formed by sophisticated oxidation and/or deposition techniques, followed by the formation of the gate electrode 104, which is typically formed by patterning a polysilicon layer by means of advanced lithography and etch techniques. A first implantation cycle may be carried out to form the extensions 111, and subsequently the liner 109 may be formed by, for example, an oxidation process. Next, the sidewall spacers 108 may be formed to serve as an implantation mask for forming the drain and source regions 110. The actually performed implantation cycles may include a plurality of implantation steps, for instance including tilted implantation sequences, to obtain the required complex dopant profile for the drain and source regions 110 and the extension 111. Thereafter, one or more anneal cycles are carried out to activate the dopants implanted into the active region 103 and to, at least partially, re-crystallize portions of the active region 103 damaged by the preceding ion implantation sequence.
Since relatively high temperatures are necessary to activate the dopants, the anneal cycles are accompanied by increased diffusion of the dopants, thereby significantly affecting the finally obtained dopant profile. As the transistor dimensions are steadily reduced, the final dopant concentrations have to be precisely controlled during the manufacturing process of the transistor 100 to assure the required transistor performance. For instance, as the channel length decreases, i.e., the lateral distance of the extensions 111 in FIG. 1a, extensive lateral diffusion is to be precisely controlled. Thus, a so-called thermal budget is established that sets forth the maximum amount of heat treatments that may be applied to the transistor during fabrication without causing unacceptable diffusion of the various doped regions over time during the manufacturing process of the transistor device 100. Consequently, the thermal budget for the transistor 100 should be maintained as low as possible to not unduly "smear" the dopant profile and, hence, compromise the transistor characteristic.
Thereafter, the silicide regions 112 and 107 (see FIG. 1a) may be formed to significantly lower the contact resistance of the drain and source regions 110 as well as the line resistance of the gate electrode 104. As previously explained, in sophisticated transistor elements, extremely shallow dopant profiles for the extensions 111 and the drain and source regions 110 are required that, in turn, restrict the available depth to which the silicide regions 112 may be formed. Furthermore, since typically the silicide regions 112 and 107 are formed simultaneously in a self-aligned manner, the depth restriction with respect to the silicide regions 112 also affects the finally obtained depth of the region 107 in the gate electrode 104, and thus significantly influences the degree of conductivity improvement achieved in the gate electrode 104.
Typically, a layer of refractory metal, such as cobalt, is deposited and a heat treatment is performed to initiate a chemical reaction, thereby forming, for example, cobalt silicide at device regions containing silicon, whereas a reaction of the refractory metal with the sidewall spacers 108 and the isolation structures 102 is substantially prevented. Thereafter, the non-reacted cobalt is selectively removed and a further heat treatment is performed to convert the relatively high ohmic cobalt silicide into a stable and highly conductive cobalt disilicide.
As explained above, the reduced depth of the drain and source regions 110 may not permit the formation of appropriately sized metal silicide regions 112 and 107 to provide the required low contact resistance and sheet resistance, respectively.
As is shown in FIG. 1b, a different approach is, therefore, frequently employed. Here, prior to the formation of the metal silicide regions 112, 107, an epitaxial growth process is performed to selectively increase the thickness of exposed silicon areas, while substantially not affecting the isolation structure 102 and the sidewall spacers 108. As shown, additional silicon regions 113 are formed above the drain and source regions 110 and a corresponding silicon region 114 may be formed on top of the polysilicon gate electrode 104. Finally, a silicidation process is performed as is described with reference to FIG. 1a, wherein a silicide thickness is no longer restricted by the shallow PN junction in the drain and source regions 110. It turns out, however, that the epitaxial growth as shown in FIG. 1b is sensitively influenced by the surface quality of the drain and source regions 110. It has been found that a moderately large amount of surface defects, for instance dislocation sources, dislocation loops, and the like are present in a surface region 115 of the drain and source regions 110, which may substantially prevent a defect-free growth of the additional silicon regions 113. Conventionally, the transistor 100 may be subjected to an anneal cycle at temperatures above 1000° C. in a hydrogen atmosphere to remove contamination, such as carbon and the like, from the surface region 115 having a depth of approximately a few nanometers. The elevated temperatures applied during the anneal cycle prior to the epitaxial growth process, however, significantly contributes to the thermal budget of the transistor 100. Hence, the anneal process may not be continued so as to also efficiently re-crystallize the surface defects in the region 115. As a consequence, the surface defects remain or are also introduced into the grown regions 113 and may then compromise the transistor performance by acting as diffusion paths for dopants and sites for charge carrier gettering.
In view of the above-identified problems, a need exists to provide an improved technique that enables the formation of raised drain and source regions without unduly deteriorating transistor performance owing to crystalline defects after the selective epitaxial growth.

Method of forming an epitaxial layer for raised drain and source regions by removing surface defects of the initial crystal surface


A semiconductor module is obtained in which breakage of the semiconductor module can be detected in advance while suppressing increase in manufacturing cost. A semiconductor module includes a semiconductor element, a circuit board, a resistor, a first wiring member, and a detector. The circuit board includes a circuit pattern. The resistor is connected to a surface of the circuit pattern. The first wiring member directly connects the resistor to the semiconductor element. In the first wiring member, at least part of current flowing from the semiconductor element to the circuit pattern flows. The detector is configured to detect at least one of a change of a voltage drop value in the resistor and a change of a current value in the resistor.

Conventionally, a semiconductor module, such as a power module, has been known. In the semiconductor module, a failure of supply of power may occur due to breakage of a wire connected to an electrode of a semiconductor element, with the result that the semiconductor module may be destroyed. A method for detecting such destruction of the semiconductor module in advance has been proposed conventionally.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-286009 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Literature 1) proposes a method for detecting destruction of a semiconductor module in advance by connecting, in addition to a wire for supplying principal current, a dummy wire to a semiconductor element. The dummy wire in Patent Literature 1 has a joining strength weaker than that of the wire for supplying principal current, and becomes broken prior to the wire for supplying principal current. Thus, by detecting the breakage of the dummy wire before the wire for supplying principal current is destroyed, breakage of the semiconductor module can be detected in advance.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-56130 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Literature 2) discloses a semiconductor module, wherein an emitter electrode of a semiconductor element and each of two leading terminal electrodes are connected to each other via a wire, the two leading terminal electrodes are connected to each other via a resistor, and a voltage value between the two leading terminal electrodes can be measured. In the semiconductor module disclosed in Patent Literature 2, by measuring the voltage value between the two leading terminal electrodes, it is possible to detect deterioration of the connection portion due to electromigration between one leading terminal electrode and the wire.


Provided is a mobile communication system capable of obtaining a diversity effect even when a signal received by a relay station has an error in a corporate relay to which time space encoding is applied. In this mobile communication system, when S1 has no error and S2 has an error, a relay station (1) does not perform relay transmission at time t (Null) and relay-transmits S1* to a base station at time t+T. That is, in this case, the relay station (1) relay-transmits at time t+T only S1 to be transmitted at time t when no error is contained in either S1 or S2. Moreover, when S1 has an error and S2 has no error, the relay station (1) relay-transmits S2 at time t and does not perform relay transmission at time t+T (Null). That is, in this case, the relay station (1) relay-transmits only S2 to be transmitted at time t+T at time t if no error is contained in either S1 or S2.

In recent years, with the multimediatization of information in cellular mobile communication systems as represented by mobile phones for example, transmitting high capacity data such as still images and movies in addition to speech data has become a norm. To realize high capacity data transmission, a technology of realizing a high-transmission rate using a high-frequency radio band is studied actively.
However, when a high-frequency radio band is used, although a high transmission rate can be expected in a short distance, attenuation due to transmission distance becomes greater as the distance increases. Accordingly, when a mobile communication system utilizing a high-frequency radio band is actually operated, the coverage area of each base station becomes smaller, which then requires setting up a larger number of base stations. Since the setup of base stations involves large costs, a technology is strongly demanded for realizing communication services which control an increase in the number of base stations and utilize a high-frequency radio band.
To meet this demand, studies are underway for relay technologies of providing relay stations between a mobile station and a base station, and allowing communication between the mobile station and the base station via these relay stations. Moreover, one of these relay technologies is cooperative relay where a plurality of relay stations relay in cooperation between the relay stations. In cooperative relay, a receiving apparatus receives relay signals from a plurality of relay stations, so that diversity effect can be obtained even when each relay station has a single antenna. Moreover, studies are underway for a technique adopting space time encoding using STBC (Space Time Block Code) for cooperative relay for improving diversity effect, assuming a plurality of relay stations performing cooperative relay a plurality of antennas (see Non-patent Document 1). Cooperative relay may be also referred to as "collaborative relay." Non-patent Document 1: Tsuyoshi MIYANO, Hidekazu MURATA, and Kiyomichi ARAKI, "Cooperative Relaying Technique with Space Time Block Code for Multihop Communications among Single Antenna Terminals," TECHNICAL REPORT OF IEICE, A•P2003-342, RCS2003-365, pp. 71-76, 2004-03)

Radio communication apparatus and radio communication method


An optical filter includes a first layer including a first notch filter arranged to attenuate electromagnetic radiation having a first wavelength λ1 incident normally thereupon. The optical filter includes a second layer including a second notch filter arranged to attenuate electromagnetic radiation having a second wavelength λ2 incident normally thereupon. The first wavelength λ1 and the second wavelength λ2 are different. The second layer is stacked upon the first layer. In use, the first notch filter attenuates the electromagnetic radiation having a predetermined wavelength λ incident thereupon at a first angle of incidence θ1 and the second notch filter attenuates the electromagnetic radiation having the predetermined wavelength λ incident thereupon at a second angle of incidence θ2, wherein the first angle of incidence θ1 and the second angle of incidence θ2 are different.

Coherent electromagnetic radiation sources, for example laser lights or laser pointers, may be used maliciously to harm humans, for example pilots or drivers. The harm may include distraction, dazzle, flash blindness and/or physiological damage.
Conventional optical filters may be provided to attenuate, at least in part, such incident electromagnetic radiation (also known as hostile light) and thereby reduce the harm. A known optical filter provides narrow band notches which reflect the hostile light and allow the rest of the light to pass. This known optical filter has advantages of providing protection while allowing a high visible light transmission and minimal colouration of the light passing through. However, reflection of the hostile light is restricted to a cone of incidence (i.e. a range of angles of incidence), wherein the cone angle depends on a bandwidth of the notch. For example, a 10 nm bandwidth may be used to protect only from hostile light within a cone angle of approximately 30°. In addition, this known optical filter is suitable for use only where a viewing geometry between the optical filter and the viewer (i.e. the eyes thereof) is well controlled or constrained.
Hence, there is a need to improve protection from hostile light.


An air pollutant control system comprises: a denitration apparatus that reduces nitrogen oxide in flue gas discharged from a coal combustion boiler, and that sprays hydrogen chloride into the gas to oxidize mercury, an air heater that recovers heat in gas, a dust collector that reduces dust in gas, a desulfurization apparatus that reduces sulfur oxide in gas from which the dust has been reduced, a hydrogen chloride vaporizer that evaporates concentrated hydrochloric acid to obtain the hydrogen chloride, and a hydrochloric acid neutralization tank where dilute hydrochloric acid discharged from the hydrogen chloride vaporizer or the concentrated hydrochloric acid is neutralized with an alkali agent. Neutralized chloride is supplied to a fuel feeder, mixed with a fuel, and then burned as a fuel in a boiler to produce hydrogen chloride in flue gas. Together with sprayed hydrogen chloride derived from the hydrogen chloride vaporizer, the mercury is reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flue gas treatment system that reduces mercury in flue gas discharged from a boiler, and to a method for removing mercury in flue gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various systems for removing mercury in flue gas have been considered because, for example, coal combustion boilers serving as combustion apparatuses in power stations and other facilities discharge flue gas containing highly toxic mercury.
A coal combustion boiler generally includes a wet desulfurization apparatus for removing sulfur content in flue gas. In flue gas treatment facilities including such a boiler provided with a desulfurization apparatus that serves a flue gas treatment apparatus, as chlorine (Cl) content increases in flue gas, the ratio of water-soluble divalent metallic mercury increases. This facilitates collection of the mercury with the desulfurization apparatus, as is well known.
In recent years, various proposals have been made on denitration apparatuses that reduce NOx, and on methods and apparatuses for treating the metallic mercury in combination with a wet desulfurization apparatus that uses an alkali absorbing solution as SOx absorbent.
As treatment of metallic mercury in flue gas, removal methods using an absorbent such as activated carbon or a selenium filter have been known. These methods, however, require special means for absorption removal, and are not suitable for treatment of a large volume of flue gas, such as flue gas in power stations. As a method for treating metallic mercury in a large volume of flue gas, methods have been proposed that include: gas-atomizing a chlorinating agent in a flue at an upstream process in a high-temperature denitration apparatus, oxidizing (chlorinating) the mercury on a denitration catalyst to be aqueous hydrogen chloride, and then absorbing it in a downstream wet desulfurization apparatus (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-230137 and Japanese Patent No. 3935547). Apparatuses and techniques for spraying gas in a flue have been commercialized as NH3 spray devices of denitration apparatuses, and the same means can be used for gas atomization of a chlorinating agent.
FIG. 7 depicts an example of a conventional mercury removal system. As shown in FIG. 7, a related-art flue gas treatment system 100 includes: a denitration apparatus 13 that reduces nitrogen oxide in flue gas 12 discharged from a coal combustion boiler 11 that supplies coal as a fuel F, and that sprays vaporized hydrogen chloride 23 into the gas to oxidize mercury; an air heater 14 that recovers heat in gas from which the nitrogen oxide has been reduced; a dust collector 15 that reduces dust in gas from which the heat has been collected; a desulfurization apparatus 16 that reduces sulfur oxide in gas from which the dust has been reduced; a smoke-stack 17 from which desulfurized gas is discharged to the outside; and a hydrogen chloride vaporizer 21 that produces the vaporized hydrogen chloride 23. In FIG. 7, indicated by reference numerals 41 and 42 are mercury monitors, 43 is an redox potential measurement controller (an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) controller), 45 is gypsum slurry containing mercury discharged from the desulfurization apparatus, 46 is a belt filter, 47 is gypsum, 60 is a lime feeder, and 61 is lime (particles or slurry).
A proposal has been made of supplying, instead of spraying hydrogen chloride into flue gas, chlorine compounds during combustion in the boiler so as to produce hydrogen chloride (Japanese Patent No. 3698916).
When employing the mercury removal systems that spray hydrogen chloride or the like as proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-230137 and Japanese Patent No. 3935547, 35% hydrochloric acid is evaporated in the hydrogen chloride vaporizer. Accordingly, a large amount of concentrated hydrochloric acid is required, and the resulting by-product, i.e., dilute hydrochloric acid, is discharged by an amount equivalent to about 80% of the concentrated hydrochloric acid (35% hydrochloric acid). This poses a problem that the dilute hydrochloric acid results in a waste product for the power station.
The chlorine concentration varies depending on the type of coal used in the power station (i.e., coal type). Even when a coal type with high chloride concentration is used, a large amount of 35% concentrated hydrochloric acid is necessary, and dilute hydrochloric acid is discharged by an amount equivalent to 80% of the 35% concentrated hydrochloric acid. Thus, to establish recycling plants as ancillary facilities to treat the dilute hydrochloric acid as a waste product, a set of plants needs to be established. This increases costs for establishing and maintaining the plants.
It is also considered to establish recycling plants within power generating facilities. This requires, however, substantial addition in treatment processes because non volatile materials are circulated and concentrated in the treatment of the dilute hydrochloric acid.
In the proposal of Japanese Patent No. 3698916, hydrogen chloride is produced by combustion in the boiler. The efficiency of converting chlorine compounds to hydrogen chloride in the boiler varies depending on the combustion in the boiler, and therefore is not constant. In addition, the mercury concentration in flue gas is not constant all the time. This poses a problem that hydrogen chloride cannot be supplied by a constant amount so that mercury is securely reduced as mercury chloride.
Thus, there is a demand to establish an inexpensive mercury removal system that disposes no dilute hydrochloric acid discharged as a by-product, and that can stably reduce mercury.
The present invention is made in view of the foregoing, and has an object to provide an air pollutant control system and a method for removing mercury in flue gas that reduce operating costs.

Air pollutant control system and method for removing mercury in flue gas


Integrate circuit die terminal arrangements and configurations for mounting an integrate circuit die on a package substrate to reduce package transmission paths. In one embodiment, terminals for signals sensitive to trace length outside a die are arranged at the corners of the die. The die is mounted on a package substrate in an angle with respect to a package substrate to point the corners of the die at the edges of the package substrate to reduce trace length outside the die. The center of the die may or may not coincide with the center of the substrate. In one embodiment, when compare to a centered, non-rotated die mounting position, mounting a die with corners pointing at the edges of the package substrate does not cause significant differences in substrate warpage.

A typical packaged integrated circuit unit includes a die on which the integrated circuit is formed and a package substrate on which the die is mounted on. An interconnect structure connects the terminals of the die from the integrated circuit in the die to the terminals of the package, which can be further connected to other components through a circuit board. The package may be directly mounted on the circuit board, or through a socket or an interposer.
A sophisticated Integrated Circuit (IC) chip such as a microprocessor uses a large number of terminals for connection to a circuit board. Various packaging techniques have been developed to provide the terminals for connection to the circuit board with an increasing number of terminals on a small size package. A grid array type of packaging technique arranges the terminals in a grid array pattern on one side of the package, such as a Pin Grid Array (PGA) package, a Ball Grid Array (BGA) package, a Column Grid Array (CGA) package, or a Land Grid Array (LGA) package. These terminals are typically based on flat pads formed on a dielectric layer of the package. For example, in a land grid array package a solder resist opening defines the land out of a portion of a pad; in a ball/column grid array package a solder ball/column is attached to the pad through a solder resist opening. Other types of terminals, such as pins, can also be used.
When a flip chip packaging technique is used, a die is flipped so that the terminal side of the die faces the substrate and the terminal side of the package. An interconnect structure is typically formed on the substrate to connect the terminals of the die to the terminals of the package. Underfill materials are typically used between the die and the substrate to provide bonding strength and physical protection for the connection between the die and the substrate against external force, moisture, etc.
Mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion of the die, the underfill and the package substrate can lead to warpage of the package substrate. Typically, the underfill materials are applied at an elevated temperature to fill in the space between the die and the substrate, surrounding the electric connections (e.g., solder connections) between the die and the substrate. When the package is cooled down to a room temperature, differences in thermal expansion in the die, the underfill and the substrate can cause the package to bend toward one side.

Integrated circuit die configuration for packaging


An inhalation apparatus, which supplies appropriate volumes of oxygen to a closed breathing system, to replace the oxygen used by a patient. A variable volume enclosure is situated within a container, which has an inlet connected to a ventilator for the supply of oxygen into the container. The interior of the variable volume enclosure is in communication with the breathing system, and the interior of the container is also in communication with the breathing system, via a one-way valve, which opens to replenish the oxygen in the breathing system, when the pressure in the breathing system is lower than that within the container.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an inhalation apparatus which may be used in the measurement of the volume of a patient's blood, or which may be used as a closed anaesthetic system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is often necessary, particularly in the case of critically ill patients in an intensive care unit, to measure the patient's blood volume in order to assess the need for a blood transfusion. One of two generally-used methods involves the measurement of red-cell volume and subsequent calculation of total blood volume from the haematocrit, the other involves the measurement of plasma volume and again subsequent calculation of total blood volume from the haematocrit. Often both methods are used and total blood volume is then obtained by adding the measured red-cell and plasma volumes.
An established method of measuring red-cell volume involves the steps of removing a small sample of blood from the patient, labelling the red cells in the sample with radioactive tracers, and re-injecting the radio-labelled sample into the patient. After a predetermined period of time, the sample will have mixed evenly with all of the blood in the patient's body. Another sample of blood is then removed and the "dilution" of the radioactive tracers is determined, which enables the volume of blood into which the sample was re-injected to be calculated, and hence the blood volume of the patient may be determined.
The above method has been established as a sufficiently accurate method of indicating blood volume, involving relatively simple procedures and using standard equipment. However, this method is time consuming and expensive and cannot be repeated at frequent intervals: therefore, if an error occurs, it may be some time before the test can be performed again. This also means that it is not possible to monitor a patient's blood volume at frequent intervals, which may be required under certain circumstances. Another drawback of the method is that it involves radioactivity, which can be hazardous.
Another known method of measuring red-cell volume again involves the steps of removing a small sample of blood from the patient, labelling the red cells in the sample, and re-injecting the labelled sample into the patient. However, in this case, the red cells are labelled with a small quantity of carbon monoxide (CO) which is injected into the sample of blood. Carbon monoxide binds to haemoglobin in red blood cells to form carboxyhaemoglobin. Thus, once the re-injected sample has been allowed sufficient time to mix evenly with the blood in the patient's body, the "dilution" of the carboxyhaemoglobin in the patient's blood, and subsequently the blood volume, may be determined.
Although the above-described method eliminates the hazards of using radioactivity, it is still time-consuming and cannot be repeated at frequent intervals: it moreover involves the risk of infection to the medical staff handling the blood samples at the bedside. A more convenient method of measuring blood volume has been proposed wherein carbon monoxide saturation of a patient's haemoglobin or carboxyhaemoglobin is first measured and the patient then inhales a small known quantity of carbon monoxide which crosses to the red blood cells through the lungs. The carboxyhaemoglobin is again measured and the total quantity of haemoglobin may thereby be calculated which, in turn, allows calculation of the patient's blood volume. Patients in intensive care units are usually unable to breathe unaided and are thus ventilated artificially by means of a tube passed into the trachea (endotracheal tube). It is therefore necessary to provide apparatus for ventilating the patient artificially whilst administering the required dose of carbon monoxide. Such an apparatus is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings and comprises an elongate pipe 100 connected at one end via a connector 102 to the endotracheal tube, through which the patient is ventilated. A carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) absorber 104 is provided in the pipe 100, downstream of the mouthpiece 102, and a filter 106 is also provided for preventing dust from the CO.sub.2 absorber 104 entering the patient's airways. The apparatus further comprises an oxygen sensor 108, a 2-1 rebreathing bag 110, a first inlet 112 having a one-way valve (not shown) for administering oxygen, and a second inlet 114 having a one-way valve (not shown) for administering the carbon monoxide.
Initially, the rebreathing bag 110 is filled with approximately 2 liters of oxygen and the connector 102 is attached to the endotracheal tube. The rebreathing bag is manually squeezed and the oxygen therein is forced through the pipe 100 and out through the connector 102 to the endotracheal tube to inflate the patient's lungs. Air is automatically exhaled from the lungs by the passive recoil of the chest of the patient and enters the pipe 100 from the endotracheal tube via the connector 102. Carbon dioxide in the exhaled air is absorbed by the CO.sub.2 absorber 104 so that substantially pure oxygen re-enters the rebreathing bag 110, thereby inflating it once again. The procedure described above is repeated in order to ventilate the patient and the oxygen sensor 108 ensures that the patient is receiving sufficient oxygen. As the patient is ventilated, some of the oxygen passed into the patient's lungs is used up thereby: the quantity of oxygen within the rebreathing bag 110 therefore diminishes over a period of time. Human lungs use approximately 250 ml of oxygen per minute. In order to top up the bag 110, oxygen is manually introduced into it via the one-way valve in the inlet 112 at approximately 250 ml per minute. For the purpose of measuring blood volume, a small known quantity of carbon monoxide is introduced into the pipe 100 via the one-way valve in the inlet 114. When the rebreathing bag 110 is squeezed, the carbon monoxide is passed into the patient's lungs along with the oxygen. When the patient exhales, any carbon monoxide which has not crossed the lungs is forced back into the apparatus via the connector 102 together with the rest of the exhaled air. However, carbon monoxide is not absorbed by the CO.sub.2 absorber: therefore, when the bag 110 is squeezed again, any carbon monoxide which has not crossed the patient's lungs is `rebreathed` together with the oxygen. This procedure is repeated until all of the carbon monoxide has been absorbed by the patient's lungs: this usually takes about 15 minutes.
A number of problems occur in use of apparatus of FIG. 1. Firstly, it is inconvenient to have to repeatedly squeeze the rebreathing bag for as long as 15 minutes to manually ventilate the patient. Secondly, it is necessary to manually top-up the oxygen in the rebreathing: this may lead to errors and thus insufficient oxygen reaching the patient, which is clearly dangerous. Thirdly, over-zealous inflation of the patient's lungs may cause air and carbon monoxide to escape past the cuff of the endotracheal tube into the trachea, which would cause the results of the test to be inaccurate. Further, a single dose of carbon monoxide is administered through the one-way valve in inlet 114 by means of a syringe: thus the valve must allow removal of the syringe without permitting any carbon monoxide to escape; if a leak occurs in the one-way valve, carbon monoxide will be allowed to escape, leading to inaccurate results.
We have now devised an inhalation apparatus which may be used for blood volume measurement, and enables the problems outlined above to be overcome.
In the case of anaesthetic systems, it is usual for a predetermined mixture of anaesthetic vapour and oxygen to be supplied from an anaesthetic supply unit to a "circle" which includes a carbon dioxide absorber, one-way valves and a connector to the tracheal tube. A ventilator is connected into the circle and alternately supplies oxygen to the circle, causing inflation of the lungs, and then vents to atmosphere (for exhaled gas to pass into the atmosphere). The patent does not absorb all of the anaesthetic vapour on each inspiration, and accordingly some of the anaesthetic vapour is vented to atmosphere upon exhalation. Accordingly, some of the anaesthetic substance (which is expensive) is wasted, and furthermore pollutes the atmosphere.
We have now devised an inhalation apparatus which may be used as an anaesthetic system to overcome the foregoing problems.


A self-illumination display is provided, including a first substrate, a light-absorbing structure, a filter layer, a driving circuit unit, and a self-illumination unit. The light-absorbing structure and the filter layer are juxtaposedly disposed over the first substrate. The driving circuit unit is disposed over and shielded by the light-absorbing structure. The self-illumination unit is disposed over the filter layer, including a light-transmissible electrode, a light emitting layer, and a black electrode. The self-illumination unit is disposed over the filter layer, including a light-transmissible electrode, a light emitting layer, and a black electrode. The light-transmissible electrode is disposed over the filter layer while the light emitting layer and the black electrode are sequentially tiered on the light-transmissible electrode. The light-absorbing structure, the filter layer and the black electrode together reduce the reflection of the ambient light and enhance the image contrast.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a pixel unit structure of a self-illumination display, and more particularly to a pixel unit structure of a self-illumination display with low-reflection.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the purchasing demand of the slim displays increases day after day, the development of the self-illumination display technique is become more and more important. The technique of the self-illumination display, such as organic light emitting diode (OLED), is now well developed. For example, for the organic light emitting diode, the illumination of the display panel is the main consideration to determine whether the display device is good or not. In the display field, how to efficiently increase the utilizing rate of the self-illumination display is the main target for the engineers.
In regards to the contrast of the display panel, when the contrast is higher, the color and the image performance of the display panel is desirable. However, in the way of enhancing the contrast, the method is to increase the illumination of the self-illumination unit and isolate the reflection of the light from the external environment. Since the light from the external environment can enter the display panel through the display surface and then reflect by the electrode or the transistor within the display panel back to the display surface, the reflective light will affect the performance of the light generated from the display panel and the contrast of the display panel will be reduced. Therefore, how to reduce the reflection of the external environment light is the main issue in the development of the display panel.
As shown in FIG. 1, in order to reduce the reflective rate of the display panel, a polarizing film 30 is installed in the external surface 11 of the substrate 10 of the display panel. When the polarizing film 30 with the low transmitting rate is used, the reflective rate is reduced and the contrast is enhanced. However, the lost of the illumination is needed to recover; therefore the illuminative rate of the self-illumination element 50 must be increased. Yet, in this case, the lifetime of the self-illumination element 50 is reduced. As the polarizing film 30 with the high transmitting rate is used, the utilizing rate of the light is better but the efficiency of the contrast is decreased.

Pixel unit structure of self-illumination display with low-reflection