Modulation-demodulation format selectable (MFS) processor, cross-correlator and transmit filter for processing, cross-correlating and filtering in-phase and quadrature-phase baseband signal and providing a first bit rate and a second bit rate baseband signal to a modulator and a transmitter for modulation and transmission of the processed filtered baseband signal. Transmit amplifier operated in a first radio frequency (RF) band for amplification of the first bit rate modulated signal and a second RF amplifier operated in a second RF band for amplification of the second bit rate modulated signal. Switch for selecting the first or the second bit rate or first or second modulation format signal and providing selected signal to a transmitter. Receiver for receiving transmitted signal. Demodulator and demodulator filter mis-matched to transmit baseband filter. Receive processor for receiving and processing quadrature demodulator demodulated baseband filtered signal and for providing first and second format cross-correlated in-phase and quadrature-phase baseband signal. Time division multiplex (TDM) and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) processor and transmit baseband filter for processing, filtering and providing TDM and OFDM processed and filtered signal to a modulator, transmitter and receiver. Receiver and demodulator for demodulating and baseband filtering received modulated TDM signal. Demodulator of TDM signal has a demodulator baseband filter which is mis-matched to the transmit baseband filter and provides demodulated baseband mis-matched filtered cross-correlated in-phase and quadrature-phase signal.

The most important objectives of wireless communications, broadcasting, telemetry, infrared and in general "radio" systems as well as "wired" systems include: power and bandwidth or spectrum efficiency combined with robust Bit Error Rate (BER) performance in a noisy and/or strong interference environment. These system objectives are specified in numerous systems including wireless communications and cellular systems, satellite systems, mobile and telemetry systems, broadcasting systems, cable, fiber optics and practically all communication transmission systems. A partial list of publications, references, and patents are provided separately below. The cited publications, references [1-23] and patents [P1-P8], and the references within the aforementioned publications contain definitions and descriptions of many terms used in this new patent disclosure and for this reason these conventional terms and definitions will be described only briefly, and highlighted on a case by case basis.
Robust or high performance Bit Error Rate (BER) specifications and/or objectives are frequently expressed in terms of the required BER as a function of Energy per Bit (Eb) divided by Noise Density or simply noise (No), that is, by the BER=f (Eb/No) expression. Low cost, reduced size, and compatibility and/or interoperability with other conventional or previously standardized systems, also known as "legacy systems," are highly desired. Several standardization organizations have adopted modulation techniques such as conventional Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK), Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), Offset Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (OQPSK) also designated as Staggered Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (SQPSK), and pi/4-QPSK (or π/4-QPSK) techniques including differential encoding variations of the same. See publications [1-23] and referenced patents [P1-P8] for examples and further description. For spectrally or spectrum efficient signaling (such as band-limited signaling), these conventional methods exhibit a large envelope fluctuation of the modulated signal, and thus have a large increase in peak radiated power relative to the average radiated power. For these reasons such systems are not suitable for BRA, robust BER performance NLA operated RF power efficient systems.
Within the present state of the technology, for numerous BRA Transceiver applications, it is not practical to introduce band-pass filtering after the NLA power efficient Radio Frequency (RF) final amplifier stage. Here we are using the term "Radio Frequency" (RF) in its broadest sense, implying that we are dealing with a modulated signal. The RF could be, for example, as high as the frequency of infrared or fiber optic transmitters; it could be in the GHz range, for example, between 1 GHz and 300 GHz or more, or it could be in the MHz range, for example, between about 1 MHz and 999 MHz, or just in the kHz range. The term RF could even apply to Quadrature Modulated (abbreviated "QM" or "QMOD") Base-Band (BB) signals or to Intermediate Frequency (IF) signals.
In conventional BPSK, QPSK, OQPSK or SQPSK, and differentially-encoded phase-shift keying systems variants of these systems, such as DBPSK and DQPSK, as well as in pi/4-DQPSK and trellis coded QPSK and DQPSK, large envelope fluctuations require linearized (LIN) or highly linear transmitters including frequency up-converters and RF power amplifiers and may require expensive linear receivers having linear Automatic Gain Control (AGC) circuits. A transmitter NLA reduces the time domain envelope fluctuation of conventional QPSK type of band-limited signals and this reduction of the envelope fluctuation, being a signal distortion, is the cause of spectral restoration or spectral regrowth and the cause of unacceptably high levels of out-of-band spectral energy transmission, also known as out-of-band interference. Additionally, for conventional BPSK, QPSK, and also Quadrature Amplitude Modulation number (QAM) signals, undesired in-phase channel (I) to quadrature channel (Q) crosstalk is generated. This crosstalk degrades the BER=f(Eb/N0) performance of the modulated radio transmitter.
Experimental work, computer simulation, and theory documented in many recent publications indicates that for band-limited and standardized BPSK, QPSK, OQPSK or SQPSK or pi/4-QPSK, and QAM system specifications, very linear amplifiers are required to avoid the pitfalls of spectral restoration and of BER degradation. Linearized or linear amplifiers are less RF power efficient (during the power "on" state, power efficiency being defined as the transmit RF power divided by DC power), are considerably more expensive and/or having less transmit RF power capability, are larger in size, and are not as readily available as NLA amplifiers. The advantages of NLA over LIN amplifiers are even more dramatic at higher RF frequencies, such as frequencies above about 1 GHz for applications requiring low dc voltage, for example applications or systems operating on size "AA" batteries having only 1.5 Volt dc and for high RF modulated power requirements, for example transmit RF power in the 0.5 Watt to 100 Watt range.
Published references [P1 to P8] and [1 to 23] include additional background information. These references include descriptions of binary-state and multiple-state Transmitter/Receiver (Transceiver) or for short ("TR") systems that are suitable for NLA. In the aforementioned references Processors, Modems, Transmitters, Receivers and Transceivers, suitable for NLA, have been described, defined and designated as first generation of Feher patented Quadrature Shift Keying (FQPSK). For example, in reference [22] published on May 15, 1999 the authors Drs. M. K. Simon and T. Y. Yan of JPL/NASA-Caltech present a detailed study of Unfiltered Feher-Patented Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (FQPSK). In references [1-22] and patents #[P1-P8] numerous first generation FQPSK technology based terms, and terms other than the FQPSK abbreviation/acronym have been used. In addition to FQPSK Transceivers, these first generation of systems have been also described and/or defined as: Feher's Minimum Shift Keying (FMSK), Feher's Frequency Shift Keying (FFSK), Feher's Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (FGMSK), Feher's Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (FQAM) and/or Feher's (F) Modulation Amplification (FMOD). Additionally terms such as Superposed Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (SQAM), Intersymbol Interference and Jitter Free (IJF) and/or IJF-OQPSK have been also described in Feher et al's prior patents and publications, each of which is incorporated by reference.
In the cited patents and other references, among the aforementioned abbreviations, acronyms, designation, terms and descriptions the "FQPSK" abbreviation/term has been most frequently used to describe in most generic terms one or more of these afore described Feher or Feher et al. first generation of Non-Linearly Amplified (NLA) inventions and technologies. The 1st generation of FQPSK systems have significantly increased spectral efficiency and enhanced end-to-end performance as compared to other NLA systems. RF power advantages, robust BER performance, and NLA narrow spectrum without the pitfalls of conventional BPSK and DBPSK, QPSK and OQPSK have been attained with these 1st generation FQPSK systems and methods. The generic 1st generation terms such as FQPSK, as well as other previously mentioned terms/acronyms are retained and used in this description to describe the new BRA, Code Selectable (CS), Modem Format Selectable (MFS) and modulation-demodulation Mis-Matched (MM) filtered architectures and embodiments of "2nd generation" FQPSK Transceivers.
While these earlier issued patents and publications describe material of a background nature, they do not disclose the original new enhanced performance bit rate agile and modulation agile/selectable technologies disclosed in this new invention.
Partial List of Relevant Literature
Several references, including United States patents, International or Foreign Patents, publications, conferences proceedings, and other references are identified herein to assist the reader in understanding the context in which the invention is made, some of the distinctions of the inventive structures and methods over that which was known prior to the invention, and advantages over the invention. No representation is made as to whether the contents of the cited references represent prior-art as several of the cited references have a date after the effective filing date (priority date) of this patent application. This list is intended to be illustrative rather than exhaustive.
United States Patents
[P1] U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,402 Issued July 1998 to Feher
[P2] U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,457 Issued February 1996 to Feher
[P3] U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,839 Issued January 1988 to Feher et al.
[P4] U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,565 Issued February 1987 to Seo/Feher [P5] U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,602 Issued January 1986 to Kato/Feher
[P6] U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,379 Issued September 1982 to Feher [P7] U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,724 Issued July 1982 to Feher
[P8] U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,926 Issued March 1976 to Feher
Foreign Patent Documents:
[PF1] Canadian Patent No. 1130871 August 1982 [PF2] Canadian Patent No. 1211517 September 1986
[PF3] Canadian Patent No. 1265851 February 1990
Other Publications:
    1. Feher, K.: Wireless Digital Communications: Modulation Spread Spectrum. Prentice Hall, 1995.    2. Feher, K.: Digital Communications: Satellite/Earth Station Engineering. Prentice Hall, 1983. Available from Crestone Engineering—Noble Publishing, 2245 Dillard Street, Tucker, Ga. 30084.    3. Feher, K.: Advanced Digital Communications: Systems and Signal Processing. Prentice Hall, 1987. Available from Crestone Engineering—Noble Publishing, 2245 Dillard Street, Tucker, Ga. 30084.    4. Feher, K.: Digital Communications: Microwave Applications. Prentice Hall 1981. Since 1997 available from Crestone Engineering—Noble Publishing, 2245 Dillard Street, Tucker, Ga. 30084.    5. Feher, K. and Engineers of Hewlett-Packard: Telecommunications Measurements, Analysis, and Instrumentation: Prentice Hall 1987. Since 1997 reprints have been available from Crestone Engineering—Noble Publishing, 2245 Dillard Street, Tucker, Ga. 30084.    6. Feher, K., Emmenegger, H.: "FQPSK Use for Electronic News Gathering (ENG), Telemetry and Broadcasting," Proc. of the National Association of Broadcasters NAB'99 Broadcast Engineering Conference, Las Vegas, Apr. 19-22, 1999.    7. Feher, K.: "FQPSK Doubles Spectral Efficiency of Operational Systems: Advances, Applications, Laboratory and Initial Air-to-Ground Flight Tests" (Date of Submission: Aug. 14, 1998). Proc. of the International Telemetry Conference, ITC-98 ITC USA 98, San Diego, Calif., Oct. 26-29, 1998.    8. W. Gao, S. H. Wang, K. Feher: "Blind Equalization for FQPSK and FQAM Systems in Multipath Frequency Selective Fading Channels," Proc. Internat. Telemetry Conf. ITC/USA'99, Oct. 25-28, 1999, Las Vegas, Nev.    9. Terziev, G., Feher, K.: "Adaptive Fast Blind Feher Equalizers (FE) for FQPSK," Proc. Of the International Telemetry Conference ITC/USA'99, Oct. 25-28, 1999, Las Vegas, Nev.    10. Feher, K.: "FQPSK Transceivers Double the Spectral Efficiency of Wireless and Telemetry Systems" Applied Microwave & Wireless Journal, June 1998.    11. Seo, J-S. and K. Feher: "Bandwidth Compressive 16-State SQAM Modems through Saturated Amplifiers," IEEE Radio Commun., ICC '86, Toronto, June 1986.    12. Kato, S. and K. Feher: "XPSK: A new cross-correlated PSK," IEEE Trans. Com., May 1983.    13. Law, E. L., U.S. Navy: "Robust Bandwidth Efficient Modulation" European Telemetry Conference, ETC-98, Germany, May 1998.    14. Feher, K.: "FQPSK Doubles the Spectral Efficiency. of Operational Telemetry Systems," European Telemetry Conference, ETC-98, May 1998, Germany.    15. Do, G. and K. Feher: "FQPSK-GMSK: Wireless System Tests an ACI Environment," Proc. of Wireless Symposium, Santa Clara, Calif., Feb. 9-13, 1998.    16. Law, E. and K. Feher: "FQPSK versus PCM/FM for Aeronautical Telemetry Applications: Spectral Occupancy and Bit Error Probability Comparisons" Proc. of ITC-97, Las Vegas, October 1997.    17. Feher, K "FQPSK Doubles Spectral Efficiency of Telemetry: Advances and Initial Air to Ground Flight Tests," ITC USA 98, Proc. of the Internat. Telemetry Conference, San Diego, October 1998.    18. Law, E. and K. Feher: "FQPSK versus PCM/FM for Aeronautical Telemetry Applications; Spectral Occupancy and Bit Error Probability Comparisons," Proc. of the Internat. Telemetry Conf., Las Vegas, Nev., Oct. 27-30, 1997.    19. Martin, W. L., T-Y. Yan, L. V. Lam: "Efficient Modulation Study at NASA/JPL," Proc. of the Tracking, Telemetry & Command Systems Conference, European Space Agency (ESA), June 1998.    20. Law, E. L., ITC-98 Session Chair: "RCC Alternate Standards and IRIG106 update," Briefings by DoD during ITC/USA 98 Internat. Telemetry Conference, San Diego, October 1998.    21. K. Feher: "FQPSK Doubles Spectral Efficiency of Operational Systems: Advances, Applications, Laboratory and Initial Air to Ground Flight Tests", File: ITC.98.Final Paper. Rev. 5. Aug. 14, 1998 (Date of Submission) for publication in the Proc. of the International Telemetering Conference, ITC-98; San Diego, Oct. 26-29, 1998    22. Simon, M. K, Yan, T. Y. "Performance Evaluation and Interpretation of Unfiltered Feher-Patented Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying (FQPSK)," California Institute of Technology, JPL-NASA publication, TMD Progress Report 42-137, Pasadena, Calif., May 15, 1999.    23. Winters, J. H.: "Adaptive Antenna Arrays for Wireless Systems," Tutorial Notes presented/distributed at the 1999 IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, Houston, Tex., May 16, 1999.

Mis-matched modulation-demodulation format selectable filters


A Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Direct connection method for a User Equipment (UE) is provided. The method includes receiving a probe signal from at least one device; comparing location information in the probe signal with location information of the UE; and performing the Wi-Fi Direct connection for the at least one device transmitting the probe signal including location information that is the same as that of the UE. In addition, a method of supporting a Wi-Fi Direct connection for a wireless Access Point (AP) is provided. The method includes receiving common location information from at least one gateway; and transmitting unique identification information of the wireless AP and the common location information to at least one Wi-Fi Direct support device, wherein the unique identification information and the common location information are used to create location information, which is included in a probe signal, in the Wi-Fi Direct support device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for discovering a device based on location information, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for discovering a device based on location information in Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Peer to Peer (P2P) communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with development of wireless technology, wired networks have been replaced by wireless networks. That is, since mobility problems with wired networks were able to be solved using wireless technology, studies on a variety of technologies using wireless networks have been increasingly conducted. Thanks to the remarkable development of information and communication technologies and semiconductor technologies, the supply and use of various portable terminals has rapidly increased. In particular, portable terminals have reached a mobile convergence stage of encompassing areas of other types of user equipment without being confined to their traditional unique areas. Mobile communication terminals provide various additional functions, such as a TV viewing function (e.g., mobile broadcasting such as Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) or Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB)), a music reproduction function (e.g., Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Audio Layer-3 (MP3) player), a photography function, and a Wi-Fi access function, in addition to a typical communication function, such as a voice call or message transmission/reception.
A significance of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), which is also referred to as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), is that wireless networks are easy to use, and the Internet can be used via portable terminals or notebooks within a predetermined distance from wherever an Access Point is installed. Particularly, the wireless LAN, which has potential as an open wireless network, is being rapidly proliferated with the popularization of portable terminals, and Wi-Fi is used to provide high-speed data services to entire cities including schools, airports, hotels, and offices.
Typical wireless communication using Wi-Fi is only aimed at Internet connection via an access point and lacks consideration for direct communication between devices providing Wi-Fi functions. Accordingly, functions referred to as Wi-Fi P2P or Wi-Fi Direct are being developed to provide direct communication functions between devices. Although direct communication functions between devices are similar to those provided by such technologies as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi P2P is more advantageous due to its transmission range and data transmission rate as compared to Bluetooth, and therefore, Wi-Fi P2P communication is becoming more important.

Method and apparatus for discovering device based on location information


A portable panel-frame construction kit, system and method are described. A multiplicity of elongated frame members are releasably interconnectable to form a wall frame segment having at least one aperture therethrough, wherein facing sides of the frame members are coplanar with one another and at least a pair of the frame members are disposed on opposite sides of the aperture. A gasket channel is formed at the facing side of each frame member. Each gasket channel has a respective insertion axis oriented generally parallel to its respective facing side, and may be formed by fixed engagement between a cladding element and facing side of the respective frame member. A panel member is tautly securable to the wall frame segment by initial stretching of the panel member and insertion of mounting gaskets into respective gasket channels. A pull tab may be provided to facilitate removal of the gaskets from the channels.

Portable display systems incorporating extruded Aluminum frameworks and fabric panel walls are well known. In such systems, the fabric panel wall typically includes a series of gaskets disposed about its periphery, the gaskets being insertable into grooves extending and opening laterally from respective frame members. However, problems may arise when such conventional display systems are used outdoors where the wind can pick up. Wind forces imposed in a direction normal to the fabric panel in conventional systems can result in the perpendicularly-oriented panel gaskets being pulled out of their respective gasket channels. The larger the panel-frame system, the more panel surface area may be exposed to the wind, thereby generating increased forces capable of easily and suddenly dislodging the panel from the frame, even in low to moderate winds. This effectively ruins the commercial value of having an advertising graphic on a frame structure.
What is needed is an improved portable panel-frame system, kit and method which results in a substantially more wind-resistant display structure than previous expedients, while remaining lightweight, inexpensive to produce and quick to assemble and disassemble.

Portable wind-resistant panel-frame kit, system and method


First and second premixed burners having annular injection slots are concentrically adjacent and the injection slots are substantially aligned with each other in a longitudinal direction of the burners. A pilot burner is provided substantially in the center of the annular first premixed burner so that the injection slot of the pilot burner is substantially aligned with the injection slot of the first premixed burner in a longitudinal direction of the burner. A flame holder which forms a circulating flow of combusted gas Gh downstream of the flame holder is disposed at the downstream end of a boundary wall between the premixed burners so that the flame holder is co-used by the premixed burners. Flow rate adjusting means for adjusting the flow rate of fuel supplied to the first, second premixed burner and the pilot burner, respectively are provided. The fuel can be substantially uniformly mixed with a combustion gas. Reduction in NOx and stabilization of premixed flame can be achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combustor system and in particular to a combustor system including premixed burners.
2. Prior Art
Conventional low NOx combustors for gas turbine perform only diffusion combustion having a wide range of combustible air/fuel ratio on starting and perform premixed combustion in the course of combustion to achieve reduction in NOx omission as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Takkai-Sho 59-143852.
Recently environmental pollution problems have been taken up. Demands for low NOx combustors have become stronger. In order to meet these demands, it is necessary to increase the ratio of the premixed combustion to the diffusion combustion.
In order to prevent blow off or backfire, etc. from occurring, it is necessary to keep the speed of premixed gas flow at a burner injection slot within a predetermined range. Accordingly, it is necessary to increase a premixed burner injection slot in size to increase the flow rate of the premixed gas for increasing the ratio of the premixed combustion to the diffusion combustion. If the premixed burner injection slot is merely increased, non-uniform distribution of the concentration of the premixed gas may occur due to non-uniformity of the flow speed distribution. Combustion at higher temperatures may occur where the concentration is higher, i.e. the fuel is rich. This results in an increase in NOx. Specifically, some data show that the area of the injection slot is doubled, the non-uniformity in concentration increases by about 10%, with the result that NOx omission is doubled.
Therefore, a combustor in which premixed burners are provided upstream and downstream of the combustor to adjust the flow rate of fuel for each premixed burner in response to a load has been proposed as described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Tokkai-Sho 62-267529. Although the total area of the injection slots of the premixed burners is increased, the fuel is uniformly mixed with combustion air without increasing the injection slot area of each premixed burner.
Since the premixed gas which is injected from a downstream premixed burner is directly fired with an upstream premixed flame in such a prior art although the premixed flame is instinctively unstable, the upstream premixed flame is directly cooled and becomes unstable, which at most may result in the quenching of a flame.

Combustor system for stabilizing a premixed flame and a turbine system using the same


An apparatus for drying a web of roll material has two rows of comparatively low and high temperature cylinders, and a metal belt and a felt belt entrained in parallel for transporting the web on a serpentine path around the cylinders. The metal belt is pre-heated at an input side to each low temperature cylinder to a temperature from 140.degree. C. to 170.degree. C. An input press roll applies a nip pressure to the metal belt against the web, felt belt, and low temperature cylinder from 60 to 200 pli (pounds per linear inch). The surface of the low temperature cylinder is heated to an intermediate temperature from 100.degree. C. to 140.degree. C. The temperature of the heated belt at an input side is maintained only about 20.degree. C. higher than that of the low temperature cylinder. The low temperature cylinder has air pressure grooves for maintaining a negative air pressure in the range of 0.1 to 0.7 bar at its surface for lowering the vapor pressure for water evaporated from the web. A uniform drying and densification of the web is obtained, without excessive buildup of web pressure or breaking or delamination of the web.

The fabrication of many types of paper, board, fabric, and other roll materials usually includes a drying stage for drying a web of material formed in a wet process. Many different systems have been devised for such drying of roll materials. Commercial systems typically have employed one or more heated, rotating drums and a porous wire or felt belt for supporting a web fed between the heated drum surface and the belt. However, web breaks have been a problem with such systems, particularly with lighter webs. If the drums were heated to high temperatures to effect a higher drying rate, uneven drying and curling of the roll material could result. The older systems also do not provide desired high strength properties of the web.
Other systems, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,139 of Mahoney, have employed dual rows of alternating high temperature (heating) and low temperature (cooling) drums, with an entrained wire or felt belt for transport of the web in a serpentine path around the drums, in order to effect a more gradual evaporation of water from the web. However, these systems had problems with breaking of the web as it is repeatedly moved in and out of contact with the high and low temperature drum surfaces. Some improved systems, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,906 of Chance et al., have employed two wire or felt belts in parallel for holding the web more stably between them as it is transported around the drums. Heated belts combined with porous drums for removal of vapor have also been used. However, the maintenance of an adequate transfer of heat and evenness of drying of the web along the transport path around the drums has been a major problem. Another approach has been to transport the web held between belts along a linear path between stationary heated elements, but this raises other problems in terms of adequate ventilation and vapor removal from the web path.
One recent system, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,758 of Lehtinen et al., has employed transport of the web between a heated metal belt and a felt belt around a cooling cylinder for evaporating water from the web for condensation into the felt belt and onto the cooling cylinder. As illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings, this system of Lehtinen et al. has a metal belt 6 entrained around four spaced-apart heated drums 1, 3, 4, 5. A paper web 8 is transported by a wire or felt belt 9 to a nip with the metal belt 6 around the first drum 1. The web held between the belts is then transported around the cooling cylinder 2 where a semi-circular air pressure chamber 16 is used to apply pressure to increase the temperature of the evaporated steam and to force evaporation of water from the web. Condensate is removed by a scraper 13 from the drum, while condensate in the wire or felt belt 9 is removed by a downstream suction box 23. After leaving the cooling cylinder, the web 8 is separated from the belts and passed to a second drying unit.
The system of Lehtinen et al. suffers from the following drawbacks. The semi-circular air pressure chamber 16 can exert excessive loading on the rotating cooling cylinder 2, and the system requires a second pressure box 20 located opposite the first one to counterbalance the load on the cylinder. As the web leaves the area of the pressure chamber 16 and the cooling cylinder 2, the external pressure on the web is suddenly released, while the temperature and vapor pressure within the web remains high. As a result, the vapor pressure can explode outward, thereby causing damage or at least delamination to the web. In addition, since the high pressure of the pressure chamber 16 and the high temperature of the heated metal belt 6 are applied only to one side of the web 8, and low temperature exists at the other side, the material on the heated side dries first, leading to non-uniform densification and resistance to further drying on that one side of the web. When the web is removed from the belt, the steam has to go through the densified layer, thereby leading to delamination. Further, removal of the web 8 from the metal belt 6 after leaving the cooling cylinder 2 can lead to sticking and breaks in the web as it is separated and transported to subsequent stages.
The temperature of the cooling cylinder has to be kept low in order to obtain the necessary condensation of moisture. The intensity of drying has heretofore been controlled by the temperature of the cylinders, but because of the very high, heat inertia of the cylinders, control by cylinder temperature has proven to be slow and inefficient. The condensed vapor will also become collected in the voids of the wire belt, and will limit the amount of water that can be removed from the web. This may require increased thickness of the wire, and may cause secondary re-wetting of the web after it leaves the cylinder. Therefore, the problems of non-uniformity of drying and uneven web densification have been difficult to solve.


An aqueous coating composition useful as electro-deposition coatings includes (A') an aqueous dispersion of a resin (A) having functional groups which are reactive toward isocyanate, and (B') an aqueous, solvent-free dispersion of a solubilized masked polyisocyanate (B). The coating is cured by baking at a temperature which regenerates the isocyanate groups.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to aqueous coating compositions, their preparation, and their use.
2. Description of Related Art
Since it is necessary, in order to reduce and avoid pollution, to bring about a continual reduction in the content of organic solvents, aqueous coating compositions are increasingly being employed for all functions in enhancing the quality of surfaces.
When solvent-containing coating systems are replaced by solvent-free or low-solvent systems, the advantageous performance properties of the previous solvent-containing systems and their good protective action must be retained or, where possible, exceeded.
To prepare the individual binder components of the coating compositions, it is frequently necessary for reasons of viscosity or reactivity, to employ solvents. Thus, in the synthesis of the base resins, it is preferred to use protic, such as alcohols and glycols, and aprotic solvents, such as ketones, esters, or aromatic compounds, and to use aprotic solvents in the synthesis of the crosslinking component.
As is known, however, an increase in solvent content leads, for example, in cathodic deposition coating baths, to a deterioration in the throwing power (coating of cavities), to instances of excess coating and to the increased passage of solvent into the waste water and/or the waste air. As a consequence it is necessary to remove the solvents from the binders before and/or after the step of dispersion in water, for example, by distillation or ultrafiltration. With these methods, some of the solvent remains in the dispersions, and, especially in the case of so-called stripping from the aqueous phase and in the case of ultrafiltration, relatively large quantities are produced of a solvent/water mixture which has to be disposed of or reprocessed.
The crosslinking agents of the prior art are present as a solution in organic solvents or as an aqueous dispersion, but a considerable proportion (in a typical example about 30% of the mass of the dispersion) of solvents must remain in the dispersion. This quantity of solvent is the largest component in the finished coating system which comprises, for example, binder, curing, agent and pigment paste.

Aqueous coating compositions comprising curing agents which can be dispersed without solvent


The present invention provides methods for preparation of metallic amino acid chelates that are electrically neutral and free of interfering ions, by reacting a metal carbonate and an acidic amino acid in an aqueous solution, and the uses of said metallic amino acid chelates. The metallic amino acid chelates can be added to a product such as medical supplies, foods, beverages, cosmetics, feeds, etc., with maintaining the stability of the product at a variety of temperature and pH ranges and also having no effect on the properties of the product, including taste and appearance.

In general, an advantage of amino acid chelates is the fact that they are readily absorbed into absorptive mucosal cells or plant cells by means of active transport or other known mechanisms. In other words, where minerals are absorbed along with amino acids as carrier molecules, it is possible to avoid problems associated with the competition of ions for active sites and the suppression of specific nutritive mineral elements by others.
Amino acid chelates are generally made by reacting alpha-amino acids and metal ions, where the metal ion has a valence of 2 or more, to form a ring structure in a chelate. In such a reaction, the cationic charge of the metal ion is neutralized by the free amino group or carboxyl group of the alpha-amino acid.
These metallic amino acid chelates are represented as the formula below.
wherein M is a divalent metal ion, and R is a side chain of naturally occurring amino acids or peptides. The metal ion includes, for example, calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, cobalt, manganese, chromium, etc.
Typically, the term "chelate" is defined as a combination of a metal ion and one or more ligands bonded thereto to form a heterocyclic ring structure. In accordance with a definition in the American Association of Feed Control Officials ("AAFCO"), "amino acid chelate" is a product resting from the reaction of a metal ion from a soluble metal salt with amino acids at a molar ratio of two or three moles of amino acid to one mole of metal to form coordinate covalent bonds. In general, the average weight of the hydrolyzed amino acids must be approximately 150 and the resulting molecular weight of the chelate must not exceed 800.
The structure, chemistry and the bioavailability of amino acid chelates are described in a variety of documents, for example, Ashmead et al., Chelated Mineral Nutrition, (1982), Chas. C. Thomas Publishers, Springfield, III.; Ashmead et al., Intestinal Absorption of Metal Ions, (1985); Ashmead et al., Foliar Feeding of Plants with Amino Acid Chelates, (1986); U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,158; U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,564; U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,143; U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,644; U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,152; U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,089; U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,716; U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,898; U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,427 etc.
For reference, it should be understood that the terms "mineral" and "metal ion" as described in this disclosure are used interchangeably.
In the existing methods for preparation of amino acid chelates, where a water soluble salt such as mineral chlorides or sulfates is employed, the reaction condition must be alkaline to more easily perform the reaction. In this case, byproducts tend to be contained in amino acid chelates which may interfere with the synthesis of amino acid chelates or have a negative effect on the absorption thereof in vivo. The reaction formula below as a known method is referred to.
wherein M is a divalent metal ion, and R is a side chain of naturally occurring amino acids or peptides.
Even though the above method provides an electrically neutral amino acid chelate, sulfuric acid dissociates to form anionic sulfate ions and this byproduct interferes with the overall reaction, regardless of whether or not it is present in the form of alkali metal salt and whether or not the sulfate ion takes part in the reaction, and also hinders the adsorption of chelate, per se, in vivo. Moreover, this byproduct is very difficult to separate from the product because the sodium sulfate is water soluble. Furthermore, the reaction of metal sulfate and amino acids does not proceed to 100% completion, thus the sulfuric acid is always present in the reaction system. The same holds true for the presence of chloride ion when utilizing a metal chloride salt, e.g., MCl2, for amino acid chelate preparation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,407,138 and 6,458,981 employ calcium hydroxide and calcium oxide instead of sodium hydroxide, thereby providing an amino acid chelate free of byproducts, but it cannot practically be said that the resulting amino acid chelate is electrically neutral.
The reaction mechanism in U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,138 as mentioned above is represented below.Ca(OH)2+2H(AA)→Ca(AA)2+2H2OCa(AA)2+MSO4→M(AA)2+CaSO4CaO+2H(AA)→Ca(AA)2+H2OCa(AA)2+MSO4→M(AA)2+CaSO4
The reaction mechanism in U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,981 as mentioned above is represented below.Ca(OH)2+H(AA)→Ca(AA)+OH−+H2OCa(AA)+OH−+MSO4→M(AA)+OH−+CaSO4CaO +H(AA)→Ca(AA)+OH−Ca(AA)+OH−MSO4→M(AA)+OH−+H2O
In the above reaction formulas, "AA"s are an amino acid and "M"s are a metal ion.
Referring to these reaction mechanisms, where an amino acid chelate is prepared using calcium hydroxide or calcium oxide, a reaction mixture comprising an electrically neutral amino acid chelate, a cationic amino acid chelate and an anionic hydroxyl group is obtained. Accordingly, it cannot practically be said that the amino acid chelate obtained from these reactions is electrically neutral, as stated previously.

Method for preparation of amino acid chelate


The present invention provides an antenna apparatus which can realize favorable communication properties while achieving downsizing of a casing of an electronic device when incorporated in an electronic device. An antenna module (1a) which is incorporated in a mobile phone (130) and which is enabled to perform communication by receiving a magnetic field transmitted from a reader/writer (120) comprises an antenna coil (11a) which is wound in a clearance (132) between an end portion (133b) of a metallic plate (133a) opposing the reader/writer (120) within a casing (131) of the mobile phone (130) and an inner peripheral wall (131a) of the casing (131) so as not to surround an outer peripheral portion of the metallic plate (133a) and which is inductively coupled with the reader/writer (120).

Antenna modules for RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) are used in electronic devices such as mobile phones for installing functions of near field non-contact communication.
Such an antenna module performs communication by utilizing inductive coupling with an antenna coil installed in a transmitter such as a reader/writer. More particularly, when the antenna coil receives a magnetic field from the reader/writer, the antenna module converts the magnetic field into power so as to drive an IC that functions as a communication processing portion.
In order to reliably perform communication, the antenna module is required to receive a magnetic flux of a certain value or more from the reader/writer by using the antenna coil. Therefore, an antenna module according to the prior art is provided with a loop coil in a casing of a mobile phone so as to receive a magnetic flux from the reader/writer by using the coil.
For instance, Patent Document 1 suggests a method in which a flexible cable or a flat cable is disposed around a built-in battery as a method for improving properties of a loop antenna incorporated in a mobile phone apparatus.

Antenna apparatus and communication apparatus


Implementations set forth herein relate to an automated assistant that can be customized by a user to provide custom assistant responses to certain assistant queries, which may originate from other users. The user can establish certain custom assistant responses by providing an assistant response request to the automated assistant and/or responding to a request from the automated assistant to establish a particular custom assistant response. In some instances, a user can elect to establish a custom assistant response when the user determines or acknowledges that certain common queries are being submitted to the automated assistant—but the automated assistant is unable to resolve the common query. Establishing such custom assistant responses can therefore condense interactions between other users and the automated assistant. Furthermore, as such interactions are more immediately resolved, the automated assistant can avoid wasteful consumption of computational resources that may otherwise occur during prolonged assistant interactions.

Humans may engage in human-to-computer dialogs with interactive software applications referred to herein as "automated assistants" (also referred to as "digital agents," "chatbots," "interactive personal assistants," "intelligent personal assistants," "conversational agents," etc.). For example, humans (which when they interact with automated assistants may be referred to as "users") may provide commands and/or requests using spoken natural language input (i.e., utterances) which may in some cases be converted into text and then processed, and/or by providing textual (e.g., typed) natural language input.
In some instances, interactions between a user and an automated assistant can result in the automated assistant promptly answering certain queries but being unable to adequately fulfill other queries. When the automated assistant is unable to adequately fulfill certain queries, the automated assistant may unnecessarily prolong an interaction in order to provide a suitable response—which may or may not be available to the automated assistant. For example, certain queries can be sincerely provided by a user with the expectation of receiving a useful response—but may ultimately result in an interaction that unnecessarily consumes computational resources. This issue can be particularly concerning for queries that are common among a large population of users, such as when children across various households inquire about their bedtime (e.g., "Assistant, when is my bedtime?"). For instance, in response to the query regarding bedtime for a child, the automated assistant may indicate that the query could not be resolved (e.g., "I'm sorry, I'm not sure . . . ") and offer other similar queries for the child to provide (e.g., " . . . but you can ask me to play relaxing music by saying 'Assistant, I'm going to bed.'"). Although these engagements have utility in certain situations, such responses can unnecessarily prolong interactions that were initially intended to be brief.
In some scenarios, a user may not be able to engage with another member of their household because they have other tasks to attend to in order to ensure their home is being safely managed. For instance, a user may not be able to always remind their child to finish their homework before the child accesses a game application—especially when the user is cooking or video conferencing, and therefore momentarily unable to view the child. Should the user pause an ongoing task, such as cooking or video conferencing, the task may be prolonged, thereby leading to an increase in consumption of resources such as power, network bandwidth, and/or other resources.

User-assigned custom assistant responses to queries being submitted by another user


An automatic power supply converting circuit includes a live input terminal, a neutral input terminal, a relay, a regulator, a voltage divider circuit, an identifying circuit, a switch circuit and a voltage doubling circuit. The live input terminal and the neutral input terminal are configured for receiving a first alternating current (AC) voltage. The regulator is configured for filtering and steadying the first AC voltage and outputting a regulated voltage. The voltage divider circuit is configured for sampling the first AC voltage and outputting a divided voltage. The identifying circuit is configured for comparing a divided voltage with a reference voltage, and outputting a control signal. The switch circuit is configured for controlling the relay to be conductive or not. The voltage doubling circuit is capable of being controlled by the relay and outputting a doubled voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic converting circuit of a power supply.
2. Description of Related Art
There are different types of AC power supplies, such as 110V and 220V. Some power circuits of computers integrate a voltage doubling circuit therein to satisfy different power supplies. For example, when the AC power supply is 110V, the users select the voltage doubling circuit through a manual switch, then the voltage doubling circuit converts the AC power supply 110V in 220V, and the load circuit receives the 220V voltage. However, there is a risk of error because the manual switch depends on the users.
What is needed is to provide an automatic power supply converting circuit which can automatically convert 110V to 220V.

Automatic power supply converting circuit

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


An active matrix organic electro luminescent display (ELD) device comprises a substrate, first and second active layers formed of polycrystalline silicon on the substrate, first source and drain regions and second source and drain regions, the first source and drain regions neighboring the first active layer and the second source and drain regions neighboring the second active layer, a gate insulating layer on the first and second active layers, first and second gate electrodes on the gate insulating layer, a first inter layer on the first and second gate electrodes, an anode electrode and a capacitor electrode on the first inter layer, a first passivation layer on the anode electrode and the capacitor electrode, a power line on the first passivation layer, first source and drain electrodes on the first passivation layer, the first source electrode being connected to the first source region and the first drain electrode being connected to the first drain region, second source and drain electrodes on the first passivation layer, the second source electrode being connected to the second source region, the power line and the capacitor electrode and the second drain electrode being connected to the second drain region and the anode electrode, and a second passivation layer on the first source and drain electrodes and the second source and drain electrodes, the second passivation layer having a bank that exposes the anode electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat panel display device and more particularly, to an active matrix electro luminescence display (ELD) device having thin film transistors and manufacturing method for the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
As the information age has been evolved rapidly, the necessity for flat panel display, which has advantages such as thinness, lightweight and lower power consumption, has been increased. Accordingly, various flat panel display devices such as liquid crystal display (LCD) devices, plasma display panels (PDPs), field emission display devices and electro luminescence display (ELD) devices have been researched. The electro luminescence display (ELD) device makes use of electro luminescence phenomenon in which light is generated when an electric field of certain intensity is applied to a fluorescent substance. The electro luminescence display (ELD) devices can be classified into inorganic electro luminescence display (ELD) devices and organic electro luminescent display (ELD) devices depending on the source that excites careers. Attention recently has focused on the organic electro luminescent display (ELD) device as a displaying device for natural colors because it can display every colors in the visible range and has a high brightness and a low action voltage. In addition, because the organic electro luminescence display (ELD) device is self-luminescent, it has a high contrast ratio and is suitable for an ultra-thin type display device. Moreover, because it has a simple manufacturing process, the degree of environmental contamination is relatively low. Besides, the organic electro luminescence display (ELD) device has a few microseconds (ps) response time so that it is suitable for displaying moving images. The organic electro luminescence display (ELD) device has no limit in a viewing angle and is stable in low temperature conditions. Because it is driven with a relatively low voltage between 5V and 15V, manufacturing and design of a driving circuit is easy. A structure of the organic electro luminescent display (ELD) device is similar to that of the inorganic electro luminescence display (ELD) device but the light-emitting theory is different from that of the inorganic electro luminescence display (ELD) device. That is, the organic electro luminescence display (ELD) device emits light by recombination of an electron and a hole and thus it is referred to as an organic light emitting diode (OLED). Recently, an active matrix type display in which a plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix form and a thin film transistor is connected thereto has been widely applied to the flat panel display devices. The active matrix type display is also applied to the organic electro luminescent display (ELD) device and this is transferred to as an active matrix organic electro luminescent display (ELD) device.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a pixel of a related art active matrix organic electro luminescent display device. In FIG. 1, a pixel of the active matrix organic electro luminescent display device has a switching thin film transistor 4, a driving thin film transistor 5, a storage capacitor 6 and a light emitting diode (LED) 7. The switching thin film transistor 4 and the driving thin film transistor 5 are formed of p type polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor. A gate electrode of the switching thin film transistor 4 is connected to the gate lane 1 and a source electrode is connected to the data line 2. A drain electrode of the switching thin film transistor 4 is connected to a gate electrode of the driving thin, film transistor 5 and a drain electrode of the driving thin film transistor 5 is connected to an anode electrode of the light emitting diode (LED) 7. A source electrode of the driving thin film transistor 5 is connected to a power line 3 and a cathode electrode of the light emitting diode (LED) 7 is grounded to earth. A storage capacitor 6 is connected to the gate electrode and the source electrode of the driving thin film resistor 5. If a signal is applied to the gate line 1, the switching thin film transistor 4 is turned on. If a signal of the data line 2 is applied to the gate electrode of the driving thin film transistor 5, the driving thin film transistor 5 is turned on and thus the light emitting diode (LED) 7 emits light. The storage capacitor 6 serves to keep a gate voltage of the driving thin film transistor 5 constant while the switching thin film transistor 4 is turned off.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the related art active matrix organic electro luminescent display device. In FIG. 2, a polycrystalline silicon layer 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 having an island shape is formed on a substrate 10. The polycrystalline silicon layer 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 is divided into an active layer 11 and 14 of the thin film transistor and source and drain regions 12, 13, 15 and 16 on which impurities doped. A gate insulating layer 20 is formed on the polycrystalline silicon layer 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16. First and second gate electrodes 21 and 22 are formed on the gate insulating layer 20 over the active layer 11 and 14. An inter layer 30 is then formed on the first and second gate electrodes 21 and 22. The inter layer 30 and the gate insulating layer 20 has first, second and third contact holes 30a, 30b and 30c that respectively exposes a portion of a first source region 12, a second drain region 15 and a second source region 16. A first source electrode 41, a second drain electrode 42 and a second source electrode 43 are formed of conductive metal material on the inter layer 30. The first source electrode 41 is connected to the first source region 12 through the first contact hole 30a, the second drain electrode 42 to the second drain region 15 through the second contact hole 30b and the second source electrode 43 to the second source region 16 through the third contact hole 30c. A first drain electrode (not shown in the figure) is further formed of same material as the first source electrode 41 over the first drain region 13 and connected to the first drain region 13. The first drain electrode (not shown) is also connected to the second gate electrode 22. The second source electrode 43 is connected to the power line 3 of FIG. 3 and it may be extended from the power line 3 of FIG. 1 or be a portion of the power line 3 of FIG. 1. A portion of the second source electrode 43 is overlapped with the second gate electrode 22 and thus forms the storage capacitor Cst. The first gate electrode 21, the first source electrode 41 and the first drain electrode (not shown) constitutes the switching thin film transistor 4 of FIG. 1 and the second gate electrode 22, the second source electrode 43 and the second drain electrode 42 constitutes the driving thin film transistor 5 of FIG. 1. A first passivation layer 50 is formed on the first source electrode 41, the second drain electrode 42 and the second source electrode 43 and the first passivation layer 50 has a fourth contact hole 50a that exposes a portion of the second drain electrode 42. An anode electrode 60 is formed of transparent conductive material on the first passivation layer 50 and the anode electrode 60 is connected to the second drain electrode 42 through the fourth contact hole 50a. A second passivation layer 70 is then formed on the anode electrode 60 and the second passivation layer 70 has a bank 71 that exposes the anode electrode 60.
FIGS. 3A to 3G are cross-sectional views illustrating a fabricating sequence of the related art active matrix organic electro luminescent display device. In FIG. 3A, a semiconductor layer 17 and 18 are formed by forming a polycrystalline silicon layer and patterning it with a first mask on the substrate 10. A buffer layer (not shown) may further be formed of material such as silicon oxide (SiO2) between the substrate 10 and the semiconductor layer 17 and 18.
In FIG. 3B, the gate insulating layer 20 is formed on the semiconductor layer 17 and 18. The fast and second gate electrodes 21 and 22 are formed by depositing material such as metal and patterning it with a second mask. The active layers 11 and 14 and the source and drain regions 12, 13, 15 and 16 are formed by doping impurities into the semiconductor layer 17 and 18 of FIG. 3A using the first and second gate electrodes 21 and 22 as a mask. The impurities are not doped into the active layer 11 and 14.
In. FIG. 3C, the inter layer 30 is formed on the first and second gate electrodes 21 and 22 and the first, second and third contact holes 30a, 30b and 30c are formed by patterning the inter layer 30 with a third mask. The first contact hole 30a exposes the first source region 12, the second contact hole 30b the second drain region 15 and the third contact hole 30c the second source region 16.
In FIG. 3D, the first source electrode 41, the second drain electrode 42 and the second source electrode 43 are formed by depositing conductive material such as metal on the inter layer 30 and patterning it with a fourth mask. The first source electrode 41 is connected to the first source region 12 through the first intact hole 30a, the second drain electrode 42 to the second drain region 15 through the second contact hole 30b and the second source electrode 43 to the second source region 16 through the third contact hole 34c. The second source electrode 43 forms the storage capacitor Cst by overlapping with the second gate electrode 22. In addition, the first drain electrode (not shown) and the power line (not shown) are formed at this time. The first drain electrode is connected to the first drain region 13 and the second gate electrode 22, and the power line is connected to the second source electrode 43.
In FIG. 3E, the first passivation layer 50 is formed on the first source electrode 41, the second drain and source electrodes 42 and 43. The fourth contact hole 50a, which exposes a portion of the second drain electrode 42, is formed by patterning the first passivation layer 50 with a fifth mask.
In FIG. 3F, the anode electrode 60, which contacts the second drain electrode 42 through the fourth contact hole 50a, is formed by depositing transparent conductive material on the first passivation layer 50 and patterning it with a sixth mask. The anode electrode 60 becomes a pixel electrode of the active matrix organic electro luminescent display device.
In FIG. 3G, the second passivation layer 70 is formed on the anode electrode 60 and the bank 71 is formed in the second passivation layer 70 by patterning the second passivation layer 70 with a seventh mask. After forming an array substrate of the active matrix organic electro luminescent display device as stated above, the active matrix organic electro luminescent display device is completed by further forming organic luminescent layer over the bank 71 and forming a cathode electrode thereon.
The storage capacitor Cst is for keeping a gate driving voltage of the driving thin film transistor stable and is an important element for displaying high quality images by restraining a pixel voltage fluctuation that is induced by a kick-back voltage of the switching thin film transistor and a leakage current. A storage capacitance of the storage capacitor is proportional to an area of electrodes and a dielectric constant of a dielectric substance between two electrodes, and inverse proportional to a distance between the two electrodes, i.e., a thickness of the dielectric substance. The inter layer 30 is usually formed of silicon oxide (SiO2) and its thickness is about 7,000 Å (angstrom). If the thickness of the inter layer 30 is small, the power line becomes winding and thus electric resistance is increased. Besides, the power line may be broken. Accordingly, there is a limit in reducing the thickness of the inter layer 30. If the area of the electrode of the storage capacitor is increased, it results in a decrease of an area of the pixel electrode, i.e., the anode electrode 60, and thus an aperture ratio is decreased. An active matrix organic electro luminescent display device has been suggested to overcome this problem and it is illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of other related art active matrix organic electro luminescent display device. Because the active matrix organic electro luminescent display device of FIG. 4 has a similar structure with that of the above mentioned one of FIG. 2 except a storage capacitor portion, a detailed explanation on a same structure will be omitted. In FIG. 4, a first inter layer 31 is formed on the first and second gate electrodes 21 and 22. A capacitor electrode 80 that is overlapped with the second gate electrode 22 is formed on the first inter layer 31. A second :inter layer 32 is formed on the capacitor electrode 80. The second inter layer 32 together with the first inter layer 31 and the gate insulating layer 20 has first, second, third and fourth contact holes 32a, 32b, 32c and 32d. The first contact hole 32a exposes a portion of the first source region 12, the second contact hole 32b the second drain region 15, the third contact hole 32c the capacitor electrode 80 and the fourth contact hole 32d the second source region 16. The first source electrode 41, the second drain electrode 42 and the second source electrode 43 are formed on the second inter layer 32. The first source electrode 41 is connected to the first source region 12 through the first contact hole 32a and the second drain electrode 42 is connected to the second drain region 15 through the second contact hole 32b. The second source electrode 43 is connected to the capacitor electrode 80 and the second source region 16 respectively through the third and fourth contact holes 32c and 32d. The first and second inter layers 31 and 32 are usually formed of silicon oxide (SiO2). A thickness of the first inter layer 31 is about 3,000 Å (angstrom) and a thickness of the second inter layer 32 is about 4,000 Å (angstrom). A summation of the thickness of the first inter layer 31 and the thickness of the second inter layer 32 has a similar value with that of the inter layer 30 of FIG. 2. Because the capacitor electrode 80 is formed between the first and second inter layers 31 and 32 and the capacitor electrode 80 and the second gate electrode 22 form the storage capacitor, a thickness of the dielectric substance is reduced and thus the storage capacitance of the storage capacitor can be increased. However, this active matrix organic electro luminescent display device is manufactured by iterating a photolithographic masking process several times. Because the photolithographic masking process includes many minor processes such as cleaning, deposition of the photoresist layer, exposure, development and etching, manufacturing time and cost depends on the number of masks needed. That is, if only one mask can be omitted for the total manufacturing process, the manufacturing time and cost can be greatly saved. The active matrix organic electro luminescent display device of FIG. 2 needs seven masks and the active matrix organic electro luminescent display device needs 8 masks because the capacitor electrode 80 must be formed of separate metal material. Accordingly, the manufacturing time and cost are increased according to the related arts.

Active matrix organic electro luminescence display device and manufacturing method for the same


A method of re-establishing a cellular connection between a vehicle telematics unit and a wireless carrier system includes detecting a loss of cellular connection between a vehicle telematics unit and a wireless carrier system; accessing a technology order table (TOT) that orders a plurality of radio access technologies (RATs) capable of use at the vehicle telematics unit according to desirability; attempting to re-establish the cellular connection by: determining the RAT used by the vehicle telematics unit when the loss of cellular connection was detected; searching the TOT to locate a less desirable RAT relative to the RAT used by the vehicle telematics unit when the loss of cellular connection was detected; attempting to connect with the wireless carrier system using the less desirable RAT and a group of PLMNs that is limited to home and home-equivalent PLMNs; and if that attempt fails, attempting to connect with the wireless carrier system by iterating through each of the RATs ordered in the TOT beginning with a next less desirable RAT and including in the iteration the RAT used by the vehicle telematics unit when the loss of cellular connection was detected, wherein step (c4) uses all non-forbidden PLMNs.

Wireless devices, such as cellular telephones, are commonly found in a variety of applications. In the past, cellular telephones have usually operated using only one of several cellular protocols, such as CDMA or GSM. However, more recent cellular telephone designs include cellular chipsets capable of communicating using two or more different cellular protocols so that a single device can operate on more than one cellular network. These cellular telephones are sometimes referred to as multimode phones.
Cellular or multimode telephone applications include handheld cellular telephones as well as vehicle telematics units. Yet, regardless of whether cellular telephones are used in handheld or vehicular environments, each cellular telephone application is often implemented using similar software/hardware, such as a common cellular chipset. Given that cellular/multimode telephones are used in handheld applications more frequently than vehicular applications, cellular/multimode telephone software/hardware is often optimized for handheld operation. However, this cellular/multimode telephone software/hardware can be used in a vehicle telematics unit, which may operate the software/hardware despite the handheld bias of the cellular telephone software/hardware. It can be helpful to design and implement applications for controlling the software/hardware that compensates for the handheld bias.


A plasma processing apparatus includes a heater in thermal contact with a showerhead electrode, and a temperature controlled top plate in thermal contact with the heater to maintain a desired temperature of the showerhead electrode during semiconductor substrate processing. A gas distribution member supplies a process gas and radio frequency (RF) power to the showerhead electrode.

Plasma processing apparatuses are used to process substrates by techniques including etching, physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), ion implantation, and ashing or resist removal. Recently, due to shrinking feature sizes and the implementation of new materials, improvement in plasma processing apparatuses to control the conditions of the plasma processing is required.

Apparatus including showerhead electrode and heater for plasma processing


An operational amplifier including: a differential pair of transistors coupled to a pair of input signals; and a pair of floating-gate transistors coupled to the differential pair of transistors, wherein the pair of floating-gate transistors are operable for reducing an offset voltage of the operational amplifier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to offset cancellation in amplifiers, and more specifically to method and device for performing offset cancellation in an amplifier using floating-gate transistors.
2. Description of Related Art
An operational amplifier, usually referred to as an 'op-amp', is a DC-coupled high-gain electronic voltage amplifier with differential inputs and, usually, a single output. In its ordinary usage, the output of the op-amp is controlled by negative feedback which, because of the amplifier's high gain, almost completely determines the output voltage for any given input. Op-amps are among the most widely used electronic devices today, being utilized in a vast array of consumer, industrial and scientific devices. General-purpose integrated op-amps of standard specification sell for well under one U.S. dollar. Modern designs are electronically more rugged than earlier implementations and some can sustain direct short-circuits on their outputs without damage.
A practical concern for op-amp performance is voltage offset. That is, effect of having the output voltage something other than zero volts when the two input terminals are shorted together. Operational amplifiers are differential amplifiers which are designed to amplify the difference in voltage between the two input connections and nothing more. In an ideal situation, when that input voltage difference is exactly zero volts, zero volts are expected to be present on the output. However, in the real world the ideal case rarely happens, even if the op-amp in question has zero common-mode gain, the output voltage may not be at zero when both inputs are shorted together.
Mismatches between MOS transistors pose a serious challenge to analog circuit designers and most commonly manifest themselves as an offset voltage in operational amplifiers. Techniques commonly used to reduce the offset voltage include auto-zeroing, correlated double sampling and chopper stabilization. Auto-zeroing and correlated double sampling are techniques applicable to sampled data systems while chopper stabilization allows continuous-time operation of the amplifier. Alternate techniques include resistor trimming through the use of poly-fuses or laser trimming. These typically involve special processing steps and are usually expensive.

Method and device for performing offset cancellation in an amplifier using floating-gate transistors


System and method for calculating a transmitter beamforming vector related to a channel vector h under per-antenna power constraints combined with total power constraint, under per-antenna power constraints combined with overall line of site (LOS) effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) and under all three constraints. Calculating a transmitter beamforming vector may be done in the transmitter, in the receiver and feedback to the transmitter or in both. The method may be adapted to perform with a multi-antenna receiver and with multi-carrier systems.

In a communication system with a multi-antenna transmitter and, for example, a single-antenna receiver, the transmitter may have an estimate of the channel between each of its antennas and the receiver antenna. Alternatively, in case of multi antenna receiver the transmitter can assume a receiver beamforming vector that emulates a single effective antenna. To optimize the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the receiver, the transmitter should appropriately design the TX beamforming vector, that is, the vector of complex coefficients that multiply the single data symbol before sending it for transmission in each antenna.
The designed beamforming vector is subject to physical and regulatory constraints. The physical constraints may include a limitation on the TX power of each power amplifier (PA), a limitation on the overall TX power due to packaging and thermal constraints, etc. The regulatory constraints include any limitation imposed by a regulator, such as FCC or ETSI. Typically, regulatory constraints include limitations on the overall line of site (LOS) effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) and the overall TX power.
Thus, practical beamforming design problem is typically subject to three types of constraints: per radio-frequency (RF) chain constraints, also referred to as Per-antenna power constraints, an overall power constraint, and an EIRP constraint. Therefore, it is desirable to have an efficient method to design a beamforming vector that satisfies all constraints while substantially maximizing SNR.
Additionally practical beamforming design problem may be subject to a subset of two constraints. For example, ETSI standard enforces only EIRP constraint. However, per-antenna power constraint may arise from physical limitation of the practical communication system. Thus, a practical communication system that conforms to ETSI standard may require a beamforming design under per-antenna power constraints and EIRP constraint. Moreover, in many practical situations, satisfying one constraint does not guarantee conforming to the other constraint. For example, in the 5470-5725 MHz band, the EIRP limitation of ETSI is 1 W. For a system with 4 isotropic antennas and with 100 mW power amplifiers, satisfying only the per-antenna constraints does not guarantee satisfying the EIRP constraint, because if all 4 antennas transmit in full power, the EIRP might be as high as 42·0.1=1.6 W. In addition, satisfying only the EIRP constraint does not guarantee satisfying the per-antenna constraints, as transmitting from a single antenna in 1 W satisfies the EIRP constraint but not the per-antenna constraints. Thus, a beamforming design under the per-antenna power constraints and an EIRP constraint is needed.
According to the following scenario, beamforming design problem may be subject to per-antenna and the overall power constraints. In FCC both the EIRP and the overall power are limited, and the limit on the EIRP is 6 dB higher than the limit on the total power. For a system with 3 isotropic antennas, satisfying the total power constraint assures that the EIRP constraint is satisfied. Hence, it follows that the only effective regulatory constraint is the total power constraint. Writing P for the total power constraint, if the maximum allowed per-antenna power levels are in the interval (P/3, P), both the per-antenna and the overall power constraints should be considered. Thus, a beamforming design under per-antenna and overall power constraints is needed.
The following example presents a case where all three types of constraints should be accounted for. Consider transmission in the 5.25 GHz-5.35 GHz sub-band under FCC regulations. In this sub-band, FCC requires that total TX power is below 24 dBm, and that EIRP is below 30 dBm. Suppose that the maximum output power of each power amplifier of the transmitter is 22 dBm, and that the transmitter has 4 antennas, each with a gain of 1.5 dBi. Here, satisfying two constraints does not assure that the third constraint is also satisfied. Hence a beamforming design under all three constraint types is needed.
Unfortunately, existing methods are either far from optimum or too complicated for real time software implementation. On the one side of the scale, there are methods that start with well-known solutions to a single type of constraint, and then scale down the entire beamforming vector to meet the other constraints. On the other side of the scale, there are convex optimization methods that are very complicated both computationally and conceptually.
In detail, when the only limitation is on the total power, it is well known in the art that the optimum transmit beamforming vector is the maximum ratio combining (MRC) vector related to the channel vector and the maximum allowed power. Also, if only the per-antenna powers are constrained, then an optimum beamforming vector is obtained by using all available power of each antenna, while choosing phases that assure coherent addition at the receiver. Such a beamforming vector will be referred to as a full per-antenna power (FPAP) vector throughout this application.
In a communication system with multi antenna receivers the equivalent of an MRC vector is typically computed using the singular value decomposition (SVD) of the channel matrix. The first column of the transmit matrix V, obtained from the SVD, corresponding to the largest singular value of the channel, is the transmit MRC vector to the best RX effective antenna. According to IEEE 802.11n/ac explicit matrix feedback, the receiver usually returns the V matrix to the transmitter.
A simple, yet suboptimum, method for finding the beamforming vector in case of multiple constraints is to start by considering only the total power or the per-antenna power constraints, and then to scale the resulting MRC or FPAP vector in order to satisfy the other constraints. While simple, this method, referred to as the scaling method throughout this application, is typically quite far from optimal.
Alternatively, it is possible to aim at the true optimum of the beamforming design problem, at the cost of considerably higher complexity. Since this problem is a convex optimization problem, existing convex optimizations algorithms can be used to solve it. While such algorithms have time complexity that is polynomial in the number of variables, they are still considerably more complicated than the above MRC/FPAP+scaling solutions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for single stream beamforming with mixed power constraints


Process for obtaining a metallic phase from a dispersed mixture composed of one of (a) at least one metal selected from the group consisting of a light metal or an alloy of the at least one metal, and mixtures thereof, and (b) at least one non-metallic phase composed of at least one member selected from the group consisting of at least one oxide, an oxide compound, and other compounds of the at least one metal at higher temperatures. The process includes introducing the dispersed mixture into a metallurgical vessel; at least one of heating and adjusting a temperature of the dispersed mixture to between 20 and 250.degree. C. above the liquidus temperature of the metallic phase; rotating the metallurgical vessel to homogenize the dispersed mixture and to produce a pourable dispersed mixture; uniformly distributing the pourable dispersed mixture around a rotational axis of the metallurgical vessel; and increasing a radial acceleration of the pourable dispersed mixture of at least 1 g. The process further includes maintaining the radial acceleration for at least 0.015 hours to one of separate the metallic phase of the pourable dispersed mixture from the non-metallic phase of the pourable dispersed mixture and de-metallize the pourable dispersed mixture; decreasing the radial acceleration to a value of 0 in a span of time greater than 0.03 hours; pouring the metallic phase as a fluid out of the metallurgical vessel; and after pouring the metallic phase out of the metallurgical vessel, removing the at least one non-metallic phase from the metallurgical vessel.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for obtaining the metallic phase from a dispersed mixture comprised of at least one light metal, in particular aluminum, or comprised of an alloy of this metal or metals and at least one non-metallic phase, constituted by at least one oxide or an oxide compound and/or other compounds of this metal or metals, if need be one or more other substances, e.g. salts or salt mixtures and the like, at higher temperatures, in particular, comprised of dross obtained in processes for producing, processing, and reclaiming aluminum and aluminum alloys when acceleration forces are used. Furthermore, the invention includes a device particularly for carrying out the above-mentioned process, essentially comprised of a metallurgical vessel that can be rotated and tilted.
2. Discussion of Background Information
A melting and in particular a processing of light metals such as aluminum, silicon, magnesium, and this type of alloys in the molten state as well as a reclaiming of these metals by means of melting scrap and materials of that kind in air produce an oxidation and a nitride formation on the surface of the melting pieces and the molten mass, because light metals have a high affinity to oxygen and nitrogen. The oxides produced and non-metallic phases develop with an angular crystalline macrostructure and have a higher specific weight than the metals. The surface tension of fluid light metal and in particular the interfacial surface tension to the high-melting oxides as well as the cavities between the crystals, though, cause the non-metallic phase to float on the fluid metal despite the comparatively higher specific weight.
The surface tension and interfacial surface tension of "fluid metal/solid non-metallic crystals", though, also cause metal particles to be held between the non-metallic crystals, by means of which the slag disposed or formed on the fluid metal bath, a so-called dross, has a high metal content, which can often be up to 80 weight %. As a result, valuable metal is taken out when the dross is removed from the surface of the molten bath, which can produce economic disadvantages when the dross is disposed of and can also cause ecological problems.
Since the beginnings of the technical employment of light metals in large quantities and a use of molten metallurgical processes, great effort has been expended for recovering the metallic phase from the dross or slag that represent a dispersed mixture.
In order to reduce the metal content of the dross, it is possible to add salt to it. This measure is in fact almost completely successful, but for the most part, though, the low-melting salt and the compounds cannot be economically reused and are water soluble as well, and bring great difficulties in handling and disposal.
It has also been proposed (U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,820) that the addition of salts be eliminated and that metal be removed from dross in a horizontal revolving cylindrical furnace that can be heated. By means of a staggered, slow movement of the dross or the dispersed mixture in the furnace, the metal particles should be brought together, united with a fluid metal part, and poured off with it. However, the metal removal gradient of the mixture was low and there were economical problems.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,850, it has been proposed that the work be likewise carried out without salt in the essentially horizontally disposed rotary furnace, that dross be placed in this furnace, that it be heated to a temperature above the liquidus temperature of the metal by means of plasma heating, and that the metal particles disposed in it be agglomerated and united with one another by means of a mixing motion. A clump formation of the charge should be counteracted by various speeds of the cylindrical furnace, wherein the metallic part formed is removed by means of a tap hole and the residual remainder of dross can be removed by means of de-drossing with a slight inclination of the furnace. The high expenditure and an insufficiently high metal removal gradient of the dispersed mixture are disadvantageous.
GB-2 228 014 A has disclosed a process in which dross or aluminum scrap is heated in a vertical revolving cylindrical furnace by means of plasma energy or a plasma torch, is partially melted, and the fluid metal particles are agglomerated by rotating the furnace, and thus the metal is removed from the dispersed mixture, wherein metallic aluminum and alumina, that is aluminum oxide, are obtained. Air or air that has been enriched with oxygen, nitrogen, and gases of this kind, which react with aluminum, in particular gases that have an oxidizing action, is used as the plasma gas. As a result of an exothermic reaction with the plasma gas, the heating time and melting time of the charge is in fact reduced, however a metal loss occurs due to a melting loss or oxidation and as a result, a dedusting of the exhaust gases is required for the most part and the metal yield is reduced.
Furthermore, processes for obtaining the metal phase from a dispersed mixture have been disclosed in which the fluid metal is coalesced and then solidified. According to WO-A2-93/01321, in a first step, a disintegration of the mixture disposed in an ingot mold at an increased temperature and a coalescing of the fluid metal portion is achieved by centrifuging, after which in a second step, a solidification of the metal into a hollow body is carried out. An improvement and simplification of a process of this kind can be achieved (EP-626 458 A1) if the dispersed mixture is disintegrated at high temperature in one step with the use of an acceleration in an ingot mold, the metallic phase is coalesced and collected in the region of the ingot mold surface, cooled and allowed to solidify.
In order to improve a metal removal from dispersed mixtures of light metal and non-metallic phases, as has been disclosed by AT 400 448 B or EP-548 654 A1, to form a charge, the mixture is introduced into a processing or preparation vessel, the charge is superheated, a uniform temperature distribution is adjusted, and the phases are kept dispersed by movement, after which the homogenized charge is removed from the preparation vessel and placed in a disintegration device. The expenditure, which is high for technical machining reasons, and the complex course of the process, though, can be seen as disadvantageous.
All previously disclosed metal removal processes as well as devices for carrying out a metal removal from dispersed mixtures, in particular from dross, produce an insufficiently high metal yield and/or require a high expenditure for technical machining reasons and/or have a poor thermal efficiency when the metal is put back into a molten mass, and for the most part, cannot sufficiently prevent problems in a removal of residues.

Process for obtaining fluid light metal from a dispersed mixture


An encryption proxy is instantiated in a first computing environment and includes encryption proxy authentication data for identifying itself to a secrets distribution management system in a second computing environment as a trusted virtual asset to receive and cache encryption key data in a secure encryption key cache outside the second computing environment. The encryption proxy requests one or more encryption keys to be cached and is then provided encryption key data representing the requested encryption keys in the encryption key cache. The encryption proxy then receives application request data from a second virtual asset instantiated in the first computing environment requesting one or more encryption keys be applied to second virtual asset data. The encryption proxy then obtains the required encryption keys from the secure secrets cache and coordinates the application of the encryption keys to the second virtual asset data.

As various forms of distributed computing, such as cloud computing, have come to dominate the computing landscape, security has become a bottleneck issue that currently prevents the complete migration of various capabilities and systems associated with sensitive data, such as financial data, to cloud-based computing environments, and/or other distributive computing models. This is because many owners and operators of data centers that provide access to data and other resources are extremely hesitant to allow their data and resources to be accessed, processed, and/or otherwise used, by virtual assets, such as virtual machine and server instances in the cloud.
One mechanism historically used to control access to the data and other resources is the use/application of secrets such as, but not limited to, passwords, encryption keys, and digital certificates, to control and authenticate entities desiring to access various types of data and resources.
There is little doubt the use of secrets is an effective method for ensuring that data and other resources are only accessible by an authorized entity. However, the management and selective application of secrets in a timely manner is a complicated and time consuming task with significant latencies occurring as the secrets data is obtained from secrets distribution systems, often existing in a computing environment, such as a data center, that is remote and distinct from the computing environment, such as a cloud, where the virtual assets needing the secrets exist, and where the secrets are typically used/applied. This is particularly problematic given that, currently, secrets management and processing is largely a manual process.
What is needed is a method and system to manage secrets data, and the data and objects acted on, or associated with, the secrets data, that is highly automated, minimizes latencies, and can operate in multiple environments, without compromising the secrets, the resources accessed using the secrets, and/or any data or objects associated with the secrets.

Method and system for providing an encryption proxy


An impedance-assisted electrochemical method is employed for selectively removing certain material from a structure without significantly electrochemically removing certain other material of the same chemical type as the removed material.

A field-emission cathode (or field emitter) contains a group of electron-emissive elements that emit electrons upon being subjected to an electric field of sufficient strength. The electron-emissive elements are typically situated over a patterned layer of emitter electrodes. In a gated field emitter, a patterned gate layer typically overlies the patterned emitter layer at the locations of the electron-emissive elements. Each electron-emissive element is exposed through an opening in the gate layer. When a suitable voltage is applied between a selected portion of the gate layer and a selected portion of the emitter layer, the gate layer extracts electrons from the electron-emissive elements at the intersection of the two selected portions.
The electron-emissive elements are often shaped as cones. Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1a-1d illustrate a conventional technique as, for example, disclosed in Spindt et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,704, for creating conical electron-emissive elements in a gated field emitter for a flat-panel CRT display. At the stage shown in FIG. 1a, the partially finished field emitter consists of an electrically insulating substrate 20, an emitter electrode layer 22, an intermediate dielectric layer 24, and a gate layer 26. Gate openings 28 extend through gate layer 26. Corresponding, somewhat wider dielectric openings 30 extend through dielectric layer 24.
Using a grazing-angle deposition procedure, a lift-off layer 32 is formed on top of gate layer 26 as depicted in FIG. 1b. Emitter material is deposited on top of the structure and into dielectric openings 30 in such a way that the apertures through which the emitter material enters openings 30 progressively close. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,704, a closure material is simultaneously deposited at a grazing angle to help close the deposition apertures. Generally conical electron-emissive elements 34A are thereby formed in composite openings 28/30 over emitter layer 22. See FIG. 1c. A continuous layer 34B of the emitter/closure material forms on top of gate layer 26. Lift-off layer 32 is subsequently removed to lift off excess emitter/closure-material layer 34B. FIG. 1d shows the resultant structure.
Utilization of lift-off layer 32 to remove excess emitter/closure-material layer 34B is disadvantageous for various reasons. Portions of the lift-off material invariably accumulate along the side edges of gate layer 26. This reduces the size of the openings through which the emitter material is initially deposited and makes it difficult to scale down electron-emissive elements 34A. The grazing-angle deposition of lift-off layer 32 becomes increasingly difficult as the lateral area of the field emitter increases and thus presents an impediment to scaling up the field-emitter area.
The lift-off material deposition must be performed carefully to assure that no lift-off material accumulates on emitter layer 22 and causes cones 34A to be lifted off during the lift-off of excess layer 34B. Since layer 34B is removed as an artifact of removing lift-off layer 32, particles of the removed emitter material can contaminate the field emitter. Furthermore, deposition of the lift-off material takes fabrication time and therefore money.
Wilshaw, PCT Patent Publication WO 96/06443, discloses a process for manufacturing a gated field emitter in which each electron-emissive element consists of a molybdenum cone situated on a cylinder. The electron-emissive elements are formed over a bottom metal layer. Using an aqueous electrolytic solution, Wilshaw applies a potential of 2-4 volts to a niobium gate layer in order to electrochemically remove a layer of excess molybdenum that accumulated over the gate layer during the deposition of molybdenum through openings in the gate layer to form the conical portions of the electron-emissive elements.
Just before electrochemically removing the excess molybdenum, Wilshaw removes the bottom metal layer. Consequently, Wilshaw's electron-emissive elements are electrically isolated from one another during the electrochemical removal of the excess emitter material. Inasmuch as some electron-emissive elements may be electrically shorted to the excess molybdenum during the electrochemical removal step, Wilshaw needs this isolation to protect the unshorted electron-emissive elements since they could otherwise be electrically shorted through the back metal layer and the shorted elements to the excess molybdenum and thus could be electrochemically attacked in removing the excess molybdenum. Later, Wilshaw performs an operation on the back surface to nullify the presence of shorted electron-emissive elements. Finally, Wilshaw forms a resistive layer over the bottoms of the electron-emissive elements, and a layer of emitter electrodes over the resistive layer.
Wilshaw's electrochemical removal technique avoids the necessity to use to use a lift-off layer for removing the layer of excess emitter material. However, removing the back metal layer before electrochemically removing the excess molybdenum and then creating emitter electrodes after completing the electrochemical removal is time-consuming and requires several complex processing steps. Performing the additional electrical-short nullification operation further increases the fabrication time and complexity. In fabricating a gated field emitter having electron-emissive elements at least partially shaped as cones, it is desirable to have a technique for removing a layer that contains excess emitter material without incurring the fabrication inefficiency of Wilshaw or the fabrication difficulty involved in utilizing a lift-off layer.

Impedance-assisted electrochemical removal of material, particularly excess emitter material in electron-emitting device


A trapping technique which accepts a Postscript or other page description language (PDL) file and outputs a file in PDL format having the correct traps. The input page is first divided into sub-portions, or tiles, and the tiles are individually processed by evaluating the input file in a corresponding clipping window. Each tile is then analyzed to determine where edges exist. The edge data is fed to an edge converter which produces a list of color transitions consisting of the analytic description of each edge and the color information along the sides of the edge. The color transition information is fed to a trapping analyzer which generates trap vectors in accordance with a set of desired trapping rules. The trap vectors are then converted to PDL form. As a final step, the trap vectors are added to the original PDL file. The final trapped page may be printed on standard typesetters without the need for special trap generator hardware.

For many years, the preferred process for color printing on paper has been to process the page in multiple exposures, or separations. Each separation exposes selected areas of the paper to an ink of a different color--the usual process ink colors are cyan, magenta, yellow and key (CMYK). Additional color inks are often used as spot colors in additional separation.
High-quality printing, such as that required by the publishing industry, poses many difficult problems in controlling the separations. For example, there is often a problem with positional registration of the various separations. As a result, the several inks are never perfectly aligned with one another, and a small gap between regions of different colors occurs, which is often quite visible to the eye as a white line.
One common solution to the registration problem is to perform a technique known as trapping. As the separations are built, regions of a particular color are expanded or "spread" beyond their nominal boundaries, or contracted or "choked" within such boundaries. Various photographic trapping techniques are well known. Although these are sometimes tedious to apply, they are justified in applications such as magazine and newspaper publishing, where the time and labor is available to create individual traps for each printed page.
With the current widespread use of computers in publishing, various systems now perform choking and spreading electronically. The usual approach is to first render the page in pixels at the desired output resolution and to store the rendition in a memory referred to as a "frame buffer". Typically, a frame buffer is assigned to each of the four process separations. If spot colors are used, additional frame buffers are necessary for each of these as well. Each frame buffer is then choked and spread on a pixel-by-pixel basis, and then used to control the printing of its respective color. While this approach requires a frame buffer for each of the output inks, the cost of such hardware is justified in newspaper and magazine publishing.
In recent years, a new class of low-cost applications in the publishing industry have emerged, namely "desktop" publishing. A desktop publishing system user typically uses a standard personal computer to specify his output page as a computer file in a page description language (PDL) such as "Postscript". (Postscript is a trademark of Adobe Systems, Incorporated of Mountain View, Calif.) The Postscript PDL file is then typically sent to a PDL-compatible automatic page setter, which then interprets the file and renders the several color separations.
The typical PDL user usually does not know or care about registration of separations--all they understand is that the color page as originally displayed on the computer screen often does not look the same as the page returned by the printing press. The desktop publishing user can manually examine the page on a computer screen, predict where the registration errors are likely to occur, and then specify additional vectors to cover the errors. However, this is tedious and undesirable to perform manually, and difficult to automate, especially for pages having multiple intersecting colored objects.
Thus, what is needed is a way for a desktop publishing user to automatically produce a properly trapped page from a PDL file. This would provide predictable results from a desktop publishing system without the need to provide special instructions to the page setter to incur the cost of using expensive trapping hardware.

Applying traps to a printed page specified in a page description language format