A portable communication system (100) comprises a portable radio (102) and a radio accessory (106) coupled through an interface cable (108). The interface cable (108) provides an electronic interface for remote access to radio functions at the radio accessory (106). The interface cable (108) further provides a temperature sensor (110) integrated therein for monitoring environmental conditions external to the portable communication system. The portable communication system (100) generates user notifications indicating extreme temperature conditions. Notifications of extreme temperature conditions may also transmitted from the portable communication system (100) to other radios, such as a land mobile radio (120), dispatch center (130), or other radio (140) operating within a communications network.

In today's public safety environment, a portable communication system typically utilizes a portable two-way radio in conjunction with a radio accessory, such as a remote speaker microphone, headset or other wired accessory. Such accessories are typically coupled to the radio via an interface cable to provide remote access to radio features, such as speaker, microphone and push-to-talk (PTT) features. These portable communication systems are often used under adverse temperature conditions, such as encountered in fire rescue, where excessive heat may cause damage to the devices. When used in a fire rescue environment, the radio accessory and interface cable tend to be more susceptible to heat damage than the radio, because the accessory and cable are typically worn externally, while the radio tends to be worn beneath protective clothing, such as a turncoat. Wearing the protective clothing may also leave the user unaware of the surrounding temperature. Maintaining communications amongst rescue personnel is extremely important in terms of physical safety of the user and proper operation of the radio devices. The ability to provide early detection and warning of undesirable temperature conditions would thus improve user safety and minimize damage to the portable system.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a portable communication system for operation under adverse temperature conditions.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.


A dual polarization antenna for receiving and transmitting high frequency signals in conjunction with a substantially horizontal conducting vehicle panel defining a ground plane comprises three electrically conductive radiative elements, each radiative element being generally linear and extending between a proximal end and a distal end, and an electrically conducting mount (insulated from the vehicle panel) for securing the proximal ends together at a common point and in electrical circuit relation with one another for connection to a transceiver in the vehicle. The radiative elements extend vertically upwardly and outwardly from the common point whereby to form an imaginary cone with the proximal ends forming the apex of the cone. The radiative elements are of different lengths and disposed at an angle relative to the ground plane to provide horizontal and vertical polarization in a first, second and third frequency band.

This invention relates to mobile antennas and more particularly to a dual polarized tri-band antenna for use in vehicles.
Currently there is a growing need for wireless mobile telephones. Common places on a vehicle for mounting mobile antennas include the roof, rain gutter, bumper, trunk lid, mirror bracket, fender and the side of the vehicle. The simplest mobile VHF/UHF antenna is the quarter wave vertical xe2x80x9cwhipxe2x80x9d antenna mounted on a high grade standoff insulator on the roof of a car. The metal body of the vehicle serves as a ground plane but can distort the normal circular radiation pattern of a vertical antenna.
At the center frequency of the citizen""s band (27.185 MHz) a quarter wave antenna is 108.62 inches (about 10 feet). Such an antenna can strike many overhead obstructions, causing it to bend and alter the angle of radiation when the vehicle is moving. Mounting a 10 foot antenna on the roof of a car is not feasible. An antenna that is physically shorter than a quarter wavelength must have inserted into it a suitable loading coil to bring its electrical length up to a quarter wave.
The performance of a mobile whip antenna can be improved by adding capacitance to the portion of the antenna above the loading coil. This capacitance tends to resonate with the inductance of the coil. Since the impedance of the whip antenna is lower than that of the coaxial line that brings power from the transmitter, an impedance matching network is needed.
Additionally, in general, an antenna must be tuned to the same frequency band that the radio system to which it is connected operates in, otherwise transmission and/or reception can be impaired. For the strongest signals, the transmitting and receiving signals each should have the same polarization, either horizontal or vertical. Oftentimes communication must be between stations which use vertical polarization and horizontal polarization. Reflections/refractions due to buildings/land masses cause cross-polarization of signals. Polarization of satellite signals is circular.
It is a general object of this invention to provide an improved multiband antenna which is horizontally and vertically polarized and effective to transmit and receive in the broad frequency bands 140-170 MHz, 200-225 MHz and 400-480 MHz to include land mobile, HAM and satellite uses
Another object of this invention is the provision of a mobile antenna which is compact and of low height which permits mounting on the top of a vehicle.
Still another object of this invention is the provision of an antenna which does not require lossy band restrictive coils or windings (to bring the electrical length of the antenna up to a requisite wavelength) or tuning capacitors, thus providing an increase in signal strength.
Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a multi-element antenna system that significantly reduces flutter (picket-fencing) in the signal.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a dual polarization antenna for receiving and transmitting high frequency (VHF/UHF) signals in conjunction with a substantially horizontal conducting vehicle panel defining a ground plane, said dual polarization antenna comprising:
a first, second and third radiative element each comprised of an electrically conductive material, each said radiative element being generally linear and extending between a proximal end and a distal end, and
means mountable of the vehicle panel for securing the proximal ends together at a common point and in electrical circuit relation with one another, the radiative elements extending vertically upwardly and outwardly from said common point whereby to form an imaginary cone with the proximal ends forming the apex of the cone,
said radiative elements each being of a different length and disposed at an angle relative to the ground plane to provide horizontal and vertical polarization and jointly resonate in a first, second and third frequency band.
In a preferred embodiment, the motor vehicle defines an electrical ground potential and the antenna is electrically insulated from said motor vehicle ground potential. The radiative elements forming the cone are disposed at an angle of between 15xc2x0 to 45xc2x0 relative to the geometric axis of the cone. and the distal ends are circumferentially spaced at 120xc2x0.
Preferably, the radiative elements forming the cone are disposed at an angle of about 60xc2x0 to the ground plane and resonate in the frequency bands of about 140-170 MHz, 200-225 MHz and 400-480 MHz; and the length of the first, second and third radiative element is, respectively, about 16xc2xe inches, 18xc2xd inches and 19 inches,
Advantageously, an antenna having the above construction eliminates xe2x80x9clossyxe2x80x9d coils, capacitors and matching structures and has high power handling capabilities (200+watts); achieves transceiving efficiency/gain in multiple frequency bands; provides broad frequency in each frequency band; reduces null/flutter problems; provides effective xe2x80x9cdualxe2x80x9d polarization radiation away from the horizon in addition to efficient xe2x80x9cnearxe2x80x9d horizon pattern; and provides extremely wide efficient continuous frequency receiving capabilities in a simple but compact construction.
The novel features of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself will be best understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.


An integrated circuit device comprises at least one digital signal processor, DSP, module, the at least one DSP module comprising a plurality of data registers and at least one data execution unit, DEU, module arranged to execute operations on data stored within the data registers. The at least one DEU module is arranged to, in response to receiving an extreme value index instruction, compare a previous extreme value located within a first data register set of the DSP module with at least one input vector data value located within a second data register set of the DSP module, and determine an extreme value thereof. The at least one DEU module is further arranged to, if the determined extreme value comprises an input vector data value located within the second data register set, store the determined extreme value in the first data register set, determine an index value for the determined extreme value, and store the determined index value in the first data register set.

Digital Signal Processor (DSP) applications are becoming increasingly more demanding in their requirements of DSP cores. For example, the increased data rates specified for the fourth generation (4G) of mobile telecommunication systems require significantly higher DSP performance. One operation that is often required to be performed is that of finding the index of an element comprising, say, a maximum or minimum value, or modulus (absolute maximum) value, within a given systematic arrangement of values such as an array (as opposed to the maximum/minimum value itself). For clarity, an index comprises an identifier for a specific element within, say, an array, such as in the form of a relative location of the array element within the array. For example, the search for the index of a maximum value within an array is often used within communication systems for such algorithms as timing/frequency offset detection (whereby a received signal is correlated with a pilot sequence, and the index of the maximum correlation typically corresponds to the timing/frequency offset), as well as for finding one of many possible transmitted sequences using cross correlation e.g. a maximum likelihood (ML) decoder.
In order to perform such max/min value index finding operations using traditional DSP implementations, it is typically necessary for the application program code to comprise an 'if' statement that results in a 'change of flow' in the application program code. To improve the overall throughput of DSPs, a pipelined architecture is typically implemented in order to reduce the overall number of cycles per instruction, and thereby improve the throughput of the DSP. However, a change of flow, such as may result from the use of an 'if' statement, effectively voids any benefit provided by such a pipelined architecture for that part of the application program code, significantly reducing the efficiency of the DSP. In addition, the use of an 'if' statement to perform such max/min value index finding operations prevents more than one max/min value index finding operation being performed per cycle (due to the limitation of using a dedicated conditional flag within the DSP), irrespective of the ability of the processing parallelism within DSP architecture.
Since such max/min value index finding operations may be required to be performed on a regular basis within a mobile telecommunication receiver, such a reduction in the efficiency of the DSP for performing such operations can have a significant detrimental effect on the overall performance of the DSP.

Integrated circuit device and method for determining an index of an extreme value within an array of values


A negative programming voltage is selectively applied to a word line of a nonvolatile memory by initially charging all of the word lines with the negative programming voltage. When the negative programming voltage is turned off, the word lines assume a floating state. Thereafter, a positive voltage is added to all the non-selected word lines in order to compensate for the negative charges.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Programmable non-volatile memory cells have a gate electrode which is in an electrically floating state, the so-called floating gate. The floating gate is isolated by insulating oxide layers both from the channel region of the memory cell, which in other respects is constructed like a MOSFET, and from the control gate electrode of the memory cell, and is arranged between them.
The cell is programmed by a charge applied to the floating gate. The inception voltage, i.e. the voltage at which the MOSFET forming the memory cell starts to conduct, is varied by this charge. When the cell is read, a voltage is applied to the control gate. That voltage has a value which is between the inception voltages of a non-programmed cell and a programmed cell. A logic "0" or a logic "1" is read out depending on whether a current flows as a result.
Until now, two methods have been known relating to how it is possible to apply the charges to the floating gate. In the first method, a high positive voltage of about 12 V is applied to the control gate, while typically about 7 V or 0 V, i.e. the normal operating voltages for MOS circuits, is added to the drain and the source of the MOSFET which forms the memory cell. In consequence, a powerful current flows through the channel of the MOSFET, from which so-called "hot" electrons pass to the floating gate.
In the second method, a high negative voltage of about -12 V is applied to the control gate and a voltage of about 5 V is applied to the drain. In consequence, holes tunnel through the gate oxide to the floating gate and charge it positive. As a result, the inception voltage of the MOSFET which forms the memory cell falls.
The latter method admittedly has the advantage that no leakage current flows through the channel during charging of the floating gate. However, it raises the problem of having to switch a high negative voltage selectively to the word line to be selected. A conventional n-channel MOSFET cannot be used here, since its n-doped drain region or source region would form a virtual short circuit to the p-doped substrate, which is connected to ground, on application of a negative voltage.
It is therefore conventional to arrange n-channel MOSFETs for this purpose in a p-doped well laid through a deep n-doped well. Additional technology outlay is involved here, however, special equipment such as high-energy implanters and the risk of possible charges on the insulated well and gate-oxide stress linked thereto during the processing.
European patent publication EP 0 456 623 A2 discloses another solution. There, the high negative voltage is connected to the word line of a non-volatile memory via p-channel MOSFETs. While the p-MOSFETs can be produced using conventional technology, they require a negative gate voltage for switching. This is produced by voltage inverter circuits from a positive high voltage. However, the voltage inverter circuits are required for each word line, which necessitates considerable circuitry complexity.
A method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,480 to Schreck wherein a positive voltage is added to all selected word lines through an insulation element. At the same time, only the selected word line is pulled to a negative potential with a charge pump associated therewith. This, however, results in relatively great current consumption.

Method for selective programming of a non-volatile memory


A flash memory device includes a flash memory drive with a quick connector in a housing. The quick connector is adapted to engage a cooperating quick connector of a selected one of a plurality of different interchangeable connectors. The interchangeable connectors each have standard connector for connection with computers and other devices that are compatible with the flash memory. A universal computer cable kit includes a universal cable having quick connectors on opposing ends thereof, a plurality of the interchangeable connectors, the flash memory device, a container for storing the interchangeable connectors and the flash memory device, and a blister pack for packaging and displaying the kit. The flash memory device can function as a host and has a control and display for selective transfer of files.

The present invention relates to computers, computer peripherals, computer related devices, and other devices that may benefit from a quick and efficient method and/or system for connection to other like or different devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for connecting computers and/or computer peripherals to other computers and/or computer peripherals using a universal computer cable having quick connectors and interchangeable ends, and a universal cabling system and method of using the connectors to connect computers, computer peripherals, computer related devices and other devices together. One such computer peripheral is a flash memory storage device.
The fields of computers, computer peripherals, and computer related devices are rapidly expanding. All of these devices must be connected to one another to communicate. This has caused a problem in the art due to the large number of conventional connector types and cable lengths, which are currently used. Many of these devices currently use universal serial bus (USB) or Firewire® computer architecture.
The USB architecture uses a four wire cable, or whatever the current USB specification calls for, usually in six, ten, or fifteen foot lengths, having seven different configurations possible on one end of the cable, and three different configurations possible on the other end of the cable, making possible many different configurations in each of the three popular lengths. Current USB Standards do not permit a cable length greater than fifteen feet without a repeater.
Five different types of plugs (male) or receptacles (female) are used on the ends of the USB cables to form these configurations. These are a USB A Male, USB B Male, MiniUSB A Male and MiniUSB B Male plugs, as well as a USB A Female receptacle. Any one of these plugs or receptacles may be found on either end of a USB cable. The only limitation on the possible combinations is that an A Male USB plug is not used with a MiniUSB A Male plug, and a MiniUSB B Male plug is not used with a USB B Male plug.
Firewire® computer architecture uses a four or six wire cable, or whatever the current Firewire® specification calls for, usually in the same lengths as a USB cable, and having a six pin Firewire® computer connector on one or both ends of a Firewire® cable, and a four pin audio-visual connector, which also may be on one, or both, ends of a Firewire® cable, thus providing additional cable configurations.
The large number of cable configurations causes problems in the art for the computer and/or peripheral, or device manufacturer, the wholesaler, the retailer, and the user, all of whom are put to the expense of manufacturing and/or stocking and/or selling and/or buying and/or using a bewildering array of cables to connect computers and/or computer peripherals to other computers and/or computer peripherals or devices. Thus, those skilled in the art have begun to search for an easier and less costly way to accomplish these connections.
Flash memory is well known and is utilized in various portable storage devices for transferring and storing computer files and programs. A typical flash memory device has a housing including an integral connector for connecting to a USB port on a computer. When plugged into a USB port, the computer's operating system recognizes the flash memory device as a removable drive and allows data to be retrieved from and written to the flash memory drive.
It is desirable to provide a flash memory drive that can accommodate a variety of interface connections and/or configurations to enable transfer of files from the flash memory drive to a variety of external devices.

Selective flash memory drive with quick connector


A gas dynamic machine, such as a turbocharger, compressor or turbine, includes a housing and a rotor mounted in the housing and rotatable on an axis. A bearing and seal member or assembly includes a bearing mounted in an axial bore of the housing and having an inner bearing surface radially supporting a bearing journal of the rotor An axial oil seal is aligned with and fixed to the bearing for radially positioning the seal in axial alignment with the journal bearing surface of the bearing/seal assembly. The seal may further include a generally radial flange fixed to the housing for axially positioning the bearing/seal assembly relative to the rotor. The bearing and seal may have separate bodies attached together or be combined in an integral body. Mounting with a single radial pilot for radial location and a single radial flange for axial location, which may be combined, is featured. An optional thrust flange may be integral with the bearing portion or attached as a separate body.

This invention relates to gas dynamic machines, such as turbochargers, compressors, turbines and the like and, more particularly, to a bearing and seal member or assembly for and in combination with a gas dynamic machine.
It is known in the art relating to gas dynamic machines, such as turbochargers, compressors, turbines, and the like, to provide a rotor supported in a housing on one or more oil lubricated bearings. An axial seal may be provided adjacent the bearing to control leakage of oil from the bearing into a compressor or turbine of the machine. Axial alignment of the seal with the bearing is generally required to provide proper seal operation. To accomplish this, concentric pilots or bores may be provided in the machine housing, a bearing being mounted in one of the bores and a seal member mounted in the other. The result is that close machine tolerances must be held in both the bearing and seal components and the pilot bores of the housing in order to obtain the desired concentricity. Installation and removal of the components may also be complicated and may require special tooling for servicing of the machine. An improved bearing and seal mounting was desired to improve the operation, manufacture installation and servicing of rotor bearings and seals for a gas dynamic machine.
The present invention provides a new bearing/seal member or assembly and a modified mounting in a gas dynamic machine, which accomplish the above-mentioned goals in an engine turbocharger and other similar machines.
In a first embodiment, the bearing and seal portions of the assembly are made as separate bodies provided with mating alignment portions that maintain axial alignment of the bearing and seal surfaces when the components are fixed together as an assembly. The assembly is radially positioned by a single pilot bore of the housing in which the bearing portion is mounted. Concentricity of the bearing and seal portions is thus determined only by the alignment portions of the bearing and seal bodies themselves and does not depend upon the tolerances of dual housing pilot bores. The axial positioning of the assembly is also determined by a single flange formed, in this case, as part of the seal body. Preferably, a thrust flange or thrust bearing surface is formed integrally on the bearing body, axially aligned with the bearing surface on an end opposite the seal body. If desired, the thrust flange could be separately mounted on the bearing body.
In use, the bearing and seal bodies are assembled with their bearing and seal surfaces in alignment and fixed together by fasteners prior to installation in the turbocharger housing. The assembly is then assembled into the housing with a pilot surface of the bearing portion supported in the housing pilot bore. The radial flange of the seal portion is then secured to a radial mounting face of the housing by, for example, screw fasteners to retain the assembly in place. The bearing/seal assembly is easily installed and may be easily removed without special tooling.
In an alternative embodiment, the bearing and seal portions are formed integrally in a single body. The body includes a single radial mounting flange, which carries a peripheral external pilot surface on the flange for engaging a pilot bore of a turbocharger housing to radially position the body in the housing. The mounting flange also is engagable with the housing for axially positioning and mounting the body in the housing. Preferably, a thrust flange having a thrust bearing surface is separately formed and attached to the bearing/seal body at the end adjacent the bearing portion. If desired, the thrust bearing surface could be formed integral with the bearing/seal body. The bearing portion of the body includes an inner bearing surface in which a floating bearing bushing with squeeze film damping is preferably received. Alternatively, a fixed bearing insert or a directly formed bearing material could be carried by the inner bearing surface.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of certain specific embodiments of the invention taken together with the accompanying drawings.

Bearing/seal member/assembly and mounting


According to a preferred aspect of the instant invention, there is provided a system and method that allows the user to attenuate ambient noise in speech recordings in the audio part of a video recording. The user does not need to define particular sections or samples or individual parameters. The system is automatically analyzing the input signal and in a plurality of individual steps detects the ambient noise, determines an adaptive filter, implements the filter and therewith attenuates the ambient noise accordingly.

Removal of ambient noise from video recordings is an area in which many different approaches exist. A common theme, though, is that all such approaches seek to be the most effective without harming the integrity of the input signal.
Many current methods of attenuating or removing ambient noise in video recordings at utilize the principle of "spectral subtraction". In this approach the unwanted component of the signal is estimated and afterwards subtracted from the signal, with the portion of the signal that remains after subtraction presumably being the desired signal.
The undesirable component of the signal is might be either automatically determined using a targeted search in the signal for sequences that do not contain speech to use in estimating the undesirable components, or in other cases the user might have to manually select a noise sample (e.g., a section of the sample that contains only the undesirable/background component). The latter approach is the most common approach in software based solutions.
Other approaches for attenuation of ambient noise known in the art (for example "beam forming" or "active noise suppression") require a number of simultaneously recorded input signals from differently positioned microphones.
The many different approaches are due ion part to the ultimate goal of the noise reduction effort. For example, different methods might be utilized in hearing aids, telephones and intercom systems that process band limited speech signals. For these sorts of devices, a central goal might be to increase the understandability audibility of speech in general.
Background noise that is too loud is a common side effect when utilizing semi-professional equipment for video recording. One reason for this is because of the microphones that are integrated into the recording video cameras that are typically used. In the professional sector however external microphones are utilized which are normally located near or around the current speaker. That significantly minimizes the chances that there will be a problem with the volume of the ambient noise compared to the volume of the speech.
Known methods to reduce ambient noise in hearing aids, intercoms and telephones also usually have to deal with the limitations regarding computing capacity, real-time capacity (low latency) and memory requirements.
The methods which are already state of the art usually work exclusively in the frequency domain or the time domain. The instant invention utilizes a mixed approach, wherein the digital signal is separated into single spectral components. These frequency components are than transformed back into the time domain, in which the analysis takes place. The instant invention is therefore a method which operates in the frequency domain as well as in the time domain.
Thus, what is needed is a system and method for computer devices that supports a user when attenuating random ambient noise, including wind noise in video recordings with speech content, wherein the system is directly usable as a software module in video and/or audio editing software.
Heretofore, as is well known in the media editing industry, there has been a need for an invention to address and solve the above-described problems. Accordingly it should now be recognized, as was recognized by the present inventors, that there exists, and has existed for some time, a very real need for a system and method that would address and solve the above-described problems.
Before proceeding to a description of the present invention, however, it should be noted and remembered that the description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings, should not be construed as limiting the invention to the examples (or preferred embodiments) shown and described. This is so because those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be able to devise other forms of the invention within the ambit of the appended claims.

Adaptive speech filter for attenuation of ambient noise


A metal foil has improved resistance to permanent thermal expansion. This metal foil includes a metal foil substrate and a thin barrier layer on at least one surface of the metal foil substrate. The metal foil can be used in a catalyst assembly to provide a catalyst support having improved resistance to permanent thermal expansion. The catalyst assembly includes a metal foil substrate and a thin barrier layer on at least one surface of the metal foil substrate. A catalyst material is provided on at least a portion of the barrier layer. This invention further relates to a method for reducing permanent thermal expansion of a metal foil. This method includes applying a barrier layer coating to at least one surface of a metal foil substrate. The method further can include the step of applying a catalyst material to at least a portion of the barrier layer.

Since the middle 1970's, catalytic converters have been required equipment for the treatment of exhaust gas from internal combustion engines in vehicles. The primary purpose of these devices is to convert, by catalytic means, the noxious exhaust gas components of hydrocarbon fueled engines into harmless materials, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water. More recently, additional efforts have been made to trap and oxidize products of incomplete combustion, such as particulates of carbons, that are generated in relatively large quantities by diesel powered engines.
Up to the present, the supports for the catalysts or the particulate traps which promote the desired pollution reducing effects have been made from ceramic or metal monoliths in the form of a "honeycomb." Honeycomb type catalytic converters typically include a large number of narrow passageways through which the exhaust gas must traverse before exiting the catalyst assembly. The inner walls and/or passages of these monolithic honeycombs are coated with a precious metal catalyst, or a plurality of catalysts, such as platinum, palladium, rhodium and/or iridium, that promote the catalytic conversion of the noxious exhaust gas components. A typical cross section of a honeycomb catalyst includes, for example, 10 to 300 passages per square centimeter. Hot exhaust gas coming into contact with the catalyst material undergoes chemical changes which convert the noxious exhaust gas components into water, carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
Metal honeycomb catalytic converters are typically made from an arrangement of flexibile metal substrates or metal foils which provide a plurality of gas passages. "Metal foils," as that term is used in this specification, means any thin metal or metal alloy, having two main or major surfaces, that is used as a substrate for a coating layer. Typically, such metal foils are 0.001 to 0.010 inches thick and are used to carry various catalytic coatings, such as washcoats and catalyst materials. Preferably, such metal foils may have a thickness in the range of 0.0015 to 0.003 inches.
Dynamic changes to the catalytic converter may occur during use. For example, catalytic converters become heated to extremely high temperatures by virtue of the hot exhaust gases. The exhaust gas temperature of an internal combustion engine of an automobile can reach temperatures as high as 1000.degree. C. and higher, and likewise, the honeycomb element of a catalytic converter can reach these same high temperatures.
Metal foils have a positive thermal expansion coefficient and tend to expand or become somewhat larger in dimension as a result of exposure to high temperatures. When used as substrates in a honeycomb catalyst support, such a dimensional increase in the size of metallic foils can constrict the size of the exhaust gas flow passages in the honeycomb body, thereby causing an increase in the backpressure on the engine. In particular, if the metal foil substrate is attached to another part of the catalytic converter or contained within a housing, such as a jacket for the catalytic converter, such thermal expansion can cause pronounced backpressure problems.
In some cases, thermal expansion in metal foils is reversible by simply cooling the substrate. However, it has been found that metal foils typically used as supports in metal catalytic converters can become permanently enlarged after exposure to high temperatures during use of the catalyst. This permanent thermal expansion phenomenon is an irreversible increase in the dimensional size of a metal foil and will be hereinafter referred to as metal foil "growth" in this specification.
Metal foil growth have been associated with specific catalytic layers applied thereto. For example, thermal expansion in metal foils made from ferritic stainless steel has been reported to be greatest when the foils are coated with catalyst containing compounds of cerium, lanthanum and/or yttrium. K. Tanaka, et al., "Anomalous Expansion Of Stainless Steel Foil For Metal Honeycomb Catalytic Converters Induced By High-Temperature Oxidation," Tetsu to Hagane, Vol. 81. No. 8, pp. 79-84, 1995. This article is entirely incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, certain metal foil alloys have been found to be more susceptible to permanent thermal expansion than others. For example, stainless steel, such as FeCrAl alloys, typically are more susceptible to this permanent foil growth as compared to NiCr and NiCrAl alloys.
It is difficult to predict the degree to which metal foils will be permanently enlarged. For example, in laboratory testing, the amount of foil growth observed for an FeCrAl metal foil coated with a catalytic layer has been as high as 18% when the metal foil was exposed to 950.degree. C. for 64 hours. Typically, when a catalytic layer containing cerium and lanthanum was applied to a commercially available FeCrAl alloy metal foil, such as Allegheny Ludlum's Alfa IV, the average foil growth after exposure to 1000.degree. C. for 25 hours was 6.8%. Foil growths as high as 10% and as low as 3.7% were observed under these heating conditions.
Because of the difficulty in predicting the degree of permanent expansion of metal foils, it can be difficult to design a catalytic converter system that maintains the dimensional balance necessary to achieve adequate contact between the exhaust gas and the catalyst without producing excessive fuel consumption or backpressure on the engine. Additionally, changes in the dimensional size of the metal foils can impair the integrity of mechanical structures or joints in the converter, e.g., the changed size of the foils may cause welded or brazed joints to become weakened or detached, or it may cause the foil to escape from clamping devices, or the like. Furthermore, even after permanent thermal expansion has occurred in the metal foils, the foils are still subject to further thermal expansion during heating (i.e., the normal, reversible thermal expansion exhibited by metal parts). This additional expansion causes further stresses on joints and the mechanical integrity of the catalyst system.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for novel processes and compositions to prevent and/or control the degree of permanent thermal expansion of a metal foil when exposed to high temperatures. There is also a need for metal catalyst supports and catalyst assemblies in which problems associated with metal foil growth are minimized during use in high temperature environments.

Metal foil having reduced permanent thermal expansion for use in a catalyst assembly, and a method of making the same


A hydraulic assembly tool (70) includes a fixed jaw (76) and a movable jaw (78). The movable jaw (78) includes load bearing surfaces (86,118) which provide for even wear and counter torsional forces in order to increase the useful life of the tool (70).

Presently available are a number of hydraulic tools used for assembling, shaping, forming, and otherwise, manipulating materials. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,817 issued on Feb. 26, 1980 and entitled "HYDRAULIC ASSEMBLY TOOL FOR TUBE FITTINGS" is directed to a highly useful and successful tool having a fixed and a removable jaw, both jaws of whioh are capable of precise coaxial movement in order to force together a tube or pipe fitting. This U.S. Patent is incorporated herein by reference. A similar hydraulic assembly tool is depicted in FIGS. 13 and 14. As can be seen in FIG. 13, the prior art hydraulic assembly tool 20 includes a body structure 22 whioh houses a hydraulic cylinder 24 into which is reciprocally mounted piston 26. A shaft 28 extends from the piston 26. Hydraulic fluid, entering through port 30, urges the piston 26 out of the hydraulic cylinder 24 and spring 32 connected between the piston 26 and the hydraulic cylinder 24 causes the piston 26 to be drawn back into the hydraulic cylinder 24 once hydraulic pressure is relieved.
The shaft 28 is guided by a bore 34. Mounted onto the shaft 28 is a movable jaw 36 which extends substantially radially from a central axis 38 of the shaft 28. Movable jaw 36 is press fit onto the shaft 28. Located in a radially manner from the bore 34 is a fixed jaw 40. Between the fixed jaw 40 and the movable jaw 36, fittings can be positioned. With hydraulic fluid introduced into the hydraulic cylinder 24, the movable jaw 36 is urged toward the fixed jaw 40 causing the fitting to be compressed about and join two pipes or tubes together.
As a result of repeated usage of the tool, there is wearing at the upper bearing surface 42 of the cylindrical bore 34 as well as the upper bearing surface 44 of the cylindrical shaft 28. Thus, overtime, the bore 34 becomes elongated. Additional wear occurs between the upper bearing surfaces 46 and 48 of the hydraulic cylinder 24 and the piston 26, respectfully. Further, uneven wear occurs on the bearing surface 50 which is defined by the movable jaw 36 and which surface 50 bears upon the body structure 22 immediately above the hydraulic cylinder 24. Additionally, flexure in the connection between the movable jaw and piston causes misalignment of the two jaws.

Hydraulic assembly tool with improved load bearing arrangement for tube fittings


An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate including a display area and a non-display area, a display unit that is formed in the display area and includes a plurality of subpixels arranged in a matrix form, a main ground line that is positioned at a first side of the non-display area and is formed using the same material as source and drain electrodes included in each subpixel, and an auxiliary ground line that is formed to surround the non-display area, overlaps at least a portion of the main ground line at the first side of the non-display area, is electrically connected to the main ground line, and is formed using the same material as a lower electrode included in each subpixel.

Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.
Description of the Related Art
An organic light emitting element used in an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display has a self-emission structure in which a light emitting layer is formed between two electrodes on a substrate. The OLED display may be classified into a top emission type OLED display, a bottom emission type OLED display, and a dual emission type OLED display depending on an emitting direction of light. The OLED display may be classified into a passive matrix type OLED display and an active matrix type OLED display depending on a driving manner.
In the OLED display, each of a plurality of subpixels includes a transistor unit and a light emitting unit. The transistor unit includes a switching transistor, a driving transistor, and a capacitor, and the light emitting unit includes a lower electrode connected to the driving transistor, an organic light emitting layer, and an upper electrode. When a scan signal, a data signal, a power, etc. are supplied to the plurality of subpixels arranged in a matrix form, the selected subpixels emit light to thereby display an image.
When a related art OLED display panel is designed, a width of a ground line formed in a bezel area increases in consideration of a line resistance. However, an increase in the width of the ground line results in an increase in the bezel area. On the other hand, when the width of the ground line decreases, the line resistance increases.


According to one aspect of the invention, a system for handling microelectronic dies is provided. Two vertical supports are secured to the frame of the die handler. A wafer support, to support a semiconductor wafer, is mounted between the vertical supports such that the wafer can rotate about its central axis. An ejector arm track is mounted between the vertical supports below the wafer. An ejector arm is mounted to the track for rotation about the central axis of the wafer, and an ejector head is mounted to the ejector arm for translational movement along the ejector arm. A pick arm track is mounted between the vertical supports above the wafer. A pick arm is mounted to the track for rotation about the central axis of the wafer, and a pick head is mounted to the pick arm for translational movement along the pick arm.

1). Field of the Invention
Embodiments of this invention relate to the field of semiconductor chip processing and more particularly to an apparatus used in semiconductor chip processing.
2). Discussion of Related Art
Integrated circuits are formed on circular semiconductor wafers. The wafers are placed on sheets with adhesive on them and then sawed between the integrated circuits to form semiconductor chips also known as microelectronic dies.
The sawed wafers are then placed in a handling machine that include a die ejector and a pick and place subsystem. The die ejector has as ejector head which separates each microelectronic die from the adhesive sheet, which is then picked from the sheet and then placed on an integrated circuit board by the pick and place subsystem. The die ejector has X-arms and Y-arms to move the ejector head in an X/Y coordinate system.
One disadvantage of this system is that in order for the ejector head to be able to reach every microelectronic die on the wafer, the X and Y-arms must cover a square area into which the wafer can fit. Thus, the die ejector is larger than necessary and space on the handling machine is wasted. Another disadvantage is that movement of the ejector head in the X/Y coordinate system does not allow the ejector head to move from one die to the next die in an efficient manner. Thus, the rate at which the die ejector can work is not maximized.

System for handling microelectronic dies having a compact die ejector


An exemplary bilateral auditory prosthesis system includes 1) a primary auditory prosthesis configured to be implanted on a first side of a head of a patient, 2) a secondary auditory prosthesis configured to be implanted on a second side of the head of the patient and to be communicatively coupled to the primary auditory prosthesis with one or more wires, the second side being contralateral to the first side, and 3) a sound processor configured to be communicatively coupled to the primary auditory prosthesis and to control an operation of the secondary auditory prosthesis by transmitting control data to the secondary auditory prosthesis by way of the primary auditory prosthesis and at least one wire included in the one or more wires. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Bilateral auditory prosthesis systems (i.e., auditory prosthesis systems that provide electrical stimulation to both ears of a patient) offer many advantages in terms of performance over conventional auditory prosthesis systems that are capable of only providing electrical stimulation to one of the patient's ears. For example, by applying electrical stimulation to both ears of a patient instead of one, bilateral auditory prosthesis systems (e.g., bilateral cochlear implant systems) are capable of providing a more realistic representation of audio content to the patient.
Unfortunately, however, bilateral auditory prosthesis systems typically require two externally worn sound processors—one for each ear. This makes bilateral auditory prosthesis systems costly to implement and maintain. Dual sound processors are also cumbersome, bulky, and aesthetically unpleasing for many patients.
One attempted solution to this problem has been to connect two electrode arrays (or "electrode leads") to a single auditory prosthesis that is implanted on a particular side (e.g., the right side) of a patient's head. One of the electrode arrays may be implanted on the same side as the auditory prosthesis and the other may be implanted on a contralateral side (e.g., the left side) of the patient's head in order to facilitate bilateral electrical stimulation of sites located within both ears of the patient. A single sound processor may then be used to direct the auditory prosthesis to apply electrical stimulation to both ears.
A particular problem with this approach is that the electrode array configured to be implanted on the contralateral side has to be tunneled from the implant site of the auditory prosthesis all the way across the patient's head in order to reach its intended destination. Because the electrode array may include sixteen or more electrodes, a relatively large number (e.g., sixteen or more) of corresponding wires have to be tunneled across the head in this manner. Tunneling a large number of wires across the head can be difficult, dangerous, unreliable, and costly. Moreover, such a large number of wires may begin to bulge and/or otherwise bother the patient over the course of time. Finally, if the electrode array ever needs to be replaced in the future, a whole other set of wires will again have to be tunneled across the patient's head.

Bilateral auditory prosthesis systems and methods


In a production line, a cluster tool having a plurality of substantially identical process modules and a metrology tool includes a control unit that allows one to receive, store and process information that indicates in which process module which substrates have been processed and which selects, on the basis of the process information, which substrate has to be subjected to a measurement. Advantageously, the substrates are selected so that each process module is represented by a corresponding substrate to be measured in order to reliably monitor the process quality of each process module.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of fabricating mass products, such as integrated circuits, wherein a plurality of manufacturing and metrology steps are carried out by corresponding process tools and metrology tools. More particularly, the present invention relates to the substrate handling in a production line including at least one cluster tool having a plurality of process modules to increase throughput.
2. Description of the Related Art
In manufacturing mass products, a plurality of process steps are typically required wherein control measurements have to be performed on a regular basis to ensure product quality. A typical example for a technologically sophisticated mass production is the fabrication of integrated circuits in which a huge number of quite complex processes are carried out that may be preceded or followed by corresponding metrology steps to precisely monitor the quality of respective process sequences. Process quality and, thus, product quality, however, is only one issue that has to be taken into account by semiconductor manufacturers. A further important criterion for the economic success of a product is the overall throughput achieved in the semiconductor production line. For this reason, so-called cluster tools are increasingly employed which may have a plurality of substantially identical process modules to process a plurality of substrates in a substantially parallel manner.
FIG. 1 shows a simplified schematic view of a typical cluster tool that may be used for etching semiconductor substrates. In FIG. 1, a cluster tool 100 comprises a substrate handling platform 101 which is also referred to as a mainframe. Attached to the mainframe 101 are a substrate input port 102 and a substrate output port 103. Typically, the ports 102, 103 are configured to receive a predefined number of substrates provided in a corresponding substrate carrier (not shown). A typical number of substrates within one carrier, also referred to as a lot, is 25. The cluster tool 100 further comprises a plurality of process modules 104, which in the present example are substantially identical etch chambers indicated by a, b, c and d. It should be noted, however, that the cluster tool 100 may comprise additional process modules that may not be identical to the modules 104. Such additional process modules may, for example, represent a clean or rinse station provided upstream and/or downstream of the process module 104.
The operation of the cluster tool 100 will be described with reference to the formation of contact vias, which in sophisticated integrated circuits requires the etching of high aspect ratio openings having a diameter of approximately 0.1 μm or even less. A typical process flow for etching the contact vias with metrology steps associated therewith will now be described with reference to FIG. 2.
In FIG. 2, a process sequence 200 is illustrated in a simplified form to produce vias having a specified critical design dimension (CD), i.e., having a specified diameter. For convenience, only the relevant steps of the process sequence 200 are illustrated in FIG. 2. In step 201, a mask is created on the substrates by sophisticated photolithography techniques so that the vias may be etched into the underlying material layer or layers using this mask. In step 202, the critical dimension, i.e., the diameter of the openings of the mask, are measured, for example, by employing metrology tools, e.g., via optical measurement instruments such as scatterometers and the like. Thereafter, in step 203, the vias are formed by etching the substrates. To this end, a predefined number of substrates, for example, a lot, is provided to the input port 102 and is distributed among the plurality of process modules 104. Although the modules a, b, c and d are substantially identical, the process parameters and, thus, the process conditions in each of the modules may more or less vary, which may result in a different product quality and in slightly different process times. For an optimized tool utilization, the cluster tool 100 is typically configured so as to obtain a maximum number of processed substrates per time, requiring the decision on which substrate is delivered to which process module to be made on the basis of the current status of the individual process modules 104. Thus, it may hardly be predetermined which wafer is loaded in which process module without significantly lowering the throughput of the cluster tool 100.
After completion of the via etch in step 204, a so-called defect scan may be performed to monitor the level of any defects that may be caused by by-products generated in one of the process modules 104. In step 205, the critical dimension of the actual via is measured, for example, by a scatterometer and the like, thereby detecting any drifts of parameters during the via etch process in step 203, which may be caused, for example, by a pressure variation or the like. An increased measurement sensitivity to a parameter drift during the process sequence 200 may be obtained by determining the difference of the critical dimension of the via mask obtained in step 202 and the critical dimension of the actual via obtained in step 205.
As previously noted, the process modules a, b, c and d may be substantially identical; however, these process modules are operated largely independently so that variations in the process sequence 200 may be caused by some of the process modules 104, whereas others are still operating within the tightly set process conditions. An illustrative example for an operation sequence of two substrate lots, each including 25 substrates, may be as follows. For a lot I, the substrates may be processed by the modules a, b, c and d according to Table 1.
TABLE 1Substrate12345678910111213141516171819202122232425ModuleABCDABCDABCDABCDABCDABCDA
A lot II may be processed by the modules a, b, c and d according to Table 2, wherein, as an example, module b may have been taken offline after etching substrate 6 owing to, e.g., a measurement event indicating a high defect level generated in module b.
TABLE 2Substrate12345678910111213141516171819202122232425ModuleABCDABCACDACDACDACDACDACD
For economical reasons, not all processed substrates are measured in the process monitor measurement steps 202, 204 and 205. Instead, a so-called lot sampling rate is defined which indicates a certain fraction of all lots to be subjected to the metrology operations. Typically, only a few substrates from each lot selected for metrology are actually measured and may have been picked randomly or according to frequently used selection schemes such as: measuring substrates from defined slots of the substrate carrier, for example, slots 5, 10 and 15; measuring the first and the last substrate of the lot; or measuring always the same substrate throughout the whole process sequence 200, i e., in step 202 and step 204 the same substrate or substrates are measured.
These schemes for selecting the substrate to be measured may not allow the operation conditions to be monitored in each of the modules a, b, c and d on a regular basis as the designation of a process module to a substrate depends on the cluster tool 100. This means that recognition of a parameter drift of a process module beyond the tightly set process conditions may be unduly delayed, thereby significantly adversely affecting the yield of the process sequence 200. This problem will be illustrated by the following example. It is assumed that the lot sampling is set to 25%, i.e., every fourth lot receives a CD measurement 202 and 205 and a defect scan 204.
It is further assumed that the substrates in slots 5, 10 and 15 are to be selected for these measurements. A plurality of lots, indicated by L1, L2, L3 . . . may be processed in the cluster tool 200, wherein the wafers of lot L1 to be measured have been processed by process modules a, b and d. Upon processing lot L2, process module d may start contaminating the substrates with particles due to any by-products produced in this chamber. Hence, as the lot sampling rate is set to 25%, L2, L3 and L4 are not measured, and only L5 is measured again. The substrates measured in lot L5 placed to slots 5, 10 and 15 may represent process modules c, a and b. Thus, the increased defect level generated by process module d is not detected. Subsequently, lots L6, L7 and L8 are processed but not measured. The three substrates from lot L9 may then represent the modules b, c and a, so that again the increased defect level created by module d is not detected. The next lot to be measured is L13, while lot L14 is already etched by the cluster tool 100, wherein finally one of the substrates processed in process module d may be in one of slots 5, 10 and 15 and will be subjected to measurement. The high defect level is now detected and module d may be taken offline.
In this illustrative example, 13 lots have been processed after the first occurrence of a non-tolerable defect level in module d, until finally module d has been identified as producing substrates not fulfilling the specifications compared to only 31 substrates (5 lots) that would have ideally been affected under the given lot sampling rate. It should be noted that the illustrative example described above represents a reasonable average value for the "picking" probability. In other cases the number of "out-of-specification" substrates may be higher or lower, but in the long run significantly higher than the number of defect substrates generated under ideal measurement conditions. Since typically the defect lot sampling rate is selected to provide for a reasonable compromise between economic concerns and an acceptable risk for the occurrence of defect substrates, in using cluster tools within a manufacturing sequence, the lot sampling rate has to be sufficiently increased, thereby reducing throughput.
In view of the above-described problems, it is, therefore, highly desirable to provide methods and systems that allow an efficient utilization of cluster tools without unduly increasing the number of substrates that do not meet the process specification.

Method and system for handling substrates in a production line including a cluster tool and a metrology tool


A bulk material container includes a shell. Disposed in the shell is a flexible liner for containing material to be dispensed. The upper wall of the flexible liner is clamped or pressed between the rim flange at the top of the shell and the rim flange of a removable top for the container. In a modified bulk material container, the top wall of the flexible liner is detachably secured to the underside of a top on the shell by means of interlocking metallic hook and loop tapes. The discharge end of a spout for the flexible liner through which material is dispensed is extended outwardly to form a lip. The lip of the discharge spout of the flexible liner is detachably secured between a flange of an outlet fitting and a confronting flange of a discharge fitting. The outlet fitting is welded to the wall of the shell and the discharge fitting is secured to the outlet fitting by nuts and bolts. The lip of the spout is sandwiched between the flange of the outlet fitting and the flange of the discharge fitting.

The present invention relates in general to a bulk container, and more particularly to a bulk material container having a flexible liner.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,227, to Coleman issued on Oct. 2, 1990, for Bulk Material Container With A Flexible Liner, there is disclosed a bulk material container in which strings are fixedly secured to a fitting at the top of the flexible liner. The strings are clamped or pressed between a manhole cover and a flange along the neck of a shell of the container. In another embodiment, a sleeve of the flexible liner is clamped or pressed between the manhole cover and a flange along the neck of the shell surrounding the manhole.
Also disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,227 is a bottom outlet fitting for the container which has a flange. The flange is adapted to form a fluid tight seal with a discharge fitting at the bottom of the container. The bottom outlet fitting is disposed in threaded engagement with a threaded sleeve. Continued movement of the threaded sleeve within the bottom outlet fitting urges the flange of the bottom outlet fitting into sealing engagement with the discharge fitting. A sealing ring is disposed between the bottom outlet fitting and the threaded sleeve. Continued movement of the threaded sleeve within the bottom outlet fitting compresses the sealing ring for forming a seal between the bottom outlet fitting and the sleeve.
The above disclosure has also been made in U.S. Pat. No. No. 4,996,760, to Coleman, issued on Mar. 5, 1991, for Bulk Material Container With A Flexible Liner and in pending application, Ser. No. 07/533,098, filed on Jun. 4, 1990, by Clarence B. Coleman for Bulk Material Container With A Flexible Liner and in pending application, Ser. No. 694,384, filed on May 1, 1991, for A Bulk Material Container With A Flexible Liner. The present application, the cited pending applications and the cited patents have a common assignee.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,692, to Croley, issued on May 14, 1985, for Disposable Assembly For Liquids Or Semi-Liquids In Bulk, there is disclosed a disposable container of fiberboard. A plastic flexible bag containing material to be dispensed is disposed in the plastic bag. The plastic bag includes a neck. For holding the plastic bag in the upright position, the neck of the bag is clamped by rings against an upper stationary wall fixed to the shell of the container. The fixed wall of the shell has a suitable opening to receive the neck of the flexible bag.
In my copending applications, Ser. Nos. 07/235,979 and 07/705,954 filed, respectively, on Aug. 25, 1988, and on May 28, 1991, for Container With Inflatable Vessel For Controlling Flow Of Liquid Or Viscous Material, there is disclosed a collapsible plastic vessel containing a product to be dispensed. The plastic bag includes a neck that extends through the cover of the bulk material container. During the dispensing of the product, the neck of the plastic vessel is in close fit relation with a product dispensing tube. While the shipping plug is inserted in the neck of the plastic vessel, a retainer clip holds the neck of the plastic vessel in an upright position.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,901, to Sands, issued on Dec. 24, 1968, for Reusable Pressurized Dispensing Device discloses a valve body with an annular detent and a ring for clamping a bag containing liquid to be dispensed secured at the top of the container.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,254, to Carter et al., issued on Aug. 9, 1966, for Stacked Barrels Containing Collapsible Bags discloses a collapsible bag with a neck which is secured to the central portion of a removable cap.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,637, to Runciman, issued on Jul. 28, 1981, for Constant Feed Device, there is disclosed a membrane secured at its lower end to a base.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,725, to Voorhees, issued on Mar. 12, 1968, for Collapsible Container Modified, there is disclosed a flexible wall fastened to a base pan. The flexible wall is disposed between the pan surface and a flange.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,628, to Nittel, issued on May 6, 1986, for Resilient Inner Liner For Lining Of Transport Or Storage Containers, there is disclosed a liner for a container. The liner is installed through a bottom opening of the container. A string or wire is fastened at the upper end of the liner to pull the liner to an upper opening of the container. A feed pipe is bonded to the lower end of the container. A lower flange on the feed pipe abuts against the wall defining the opening at the lower end of the container.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,074,959, to Guest, issued on Mar. 23, 1937, for Fuel Tank Gauge, discloses bellows. The upper end of the bellows is connected to the underside of a removable top.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,138, to Bull, issued on Feb. 15, 1966, for Dispensing Container, there is disclosed a plastic bag secured to the underside of a lid.

Bulk material container with a flexible liner


A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip, and a second semiconductor chip which includes a high-speed serial I/F circuit which transfers serial data between the high-speed serial I/F circuit and an external device through a serial bus and is stacked on the first semiconductor chip. A pad region in which pads (electrodes) for connecting the external device and the high-speed serial I/F circuit are disposed is provided along a first side of the second semiconductor chip which is the short side. A pad region in which pads for connecting an internal circuit included in the first semiconductor chip and the high-speed serial I/F circuit are disposed is provided along a second side of the second semiconductor chip which is the long side.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and an electronic instrument.
In recent years, a high-speed serial transfer such as low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) has attracted attention as an interface aiming at reducing EMI noise or the like. In such a high-speed serial transfer, data is transferred by causing a transmitter circuit to transmit serialized data using differential signals and causing a receiver circuit to differentially amplify the differential signals (JP-A-2001-222249).
An ordinary portable telephone includes a first instrument section provided with buttons for inputting a telephone number or characters, a second instrument section provided with a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a camera device, and a connection section (e.g. hinge) which connects the first and second instrument sections. Therefore, the number of interconnects passing through the connection section can be reduced by transferring data between a first circuit board provided in the first instrument section and a second circuit board provided in the second instrument section by serial transfer using small-amplitude differential signals.
In order to realize the high-speed serial transfer in a portable telephone or the like, it is necessary to provide a high-speed serial transfer transmitter circuit or the like in a baseband engine/application processor (BBE/APP) or an image processing controller and provide a high-speed serial transfer receiver circuit or the like in a display driver.
The high-speed serial transfer transmitter circuit or receiver circuit is formed by an analog circuit. Therefore, the analog characteristics change when the manufacturing process has been changed, thereby making it necessary to redesign the circuit. On the other hand, it is necessary to positively employ a microfabrication process for the BBE/APP, image processing controller, or display driver in order to reduce cost. Therefore, the high-speed serial transfer transmitter circuit or receiver circuit must be unnecessarily redesigned when reducing the chip size of the BBE/APP, image processing controller, or display driver using the microfabrication process, whereby the design period may be increased.

Semiconductor device and electronic instrument


An apparatus comprises an extruding device having a dispensing opening for extruding a flowable material along an exit direction through the dispensing opening, and a cutting arrangement for separating a dose from the flowable material, the cutting arrangement being movable with a motion component that is parallel to the exit direction.

The invention relates to apparatuses and methods for obtaining doses of flowable material, in particular doses of plastics, by cutting flowable material exiting from an extruding device. The doses thereby obtained can be processed by compression-moulding to obtain objects, particularly preforms for containers such as bottles.
The invention furthermore relates to apparatuses and methods for discarding possible defective doses so as to prevent such doses from being compression-moulded.
An apparatus is known for compression-moulding doses of plastics, comprising an extruding device from which the plastics exit along an exit direction. The apparatus furthermore comprises a cutting arrangement for separating the doses from the plastics exiting from the extruding device. The cutting arrangement comprises a plurality of knives rotatingly mobile around an axis parallel to the exit direction. Each knife is provided with a blade that extends on a plane perpendicular to the exit direction and keeps on this plane during rotation.
The plastics exit from the extruding device in a continuous manner. Thus whilst a knife is cutting a dose, the portion of plastics from which a part of the dose has already been separated continues to exit from the extruding device. This portion of plastics tends to stick to the blade, cooling prematurely, and exerts on the knife a thrust that may deform the blade, compromising cutting precision.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,673 discloses a particular type of apparatus for compression-moulding doses of plastics, which is provided with an extruding device and with a pair of knives rotatable around a rotation axis that cut the plastics exiting from the extruding device at preset intervals, so as to separate doses of plastics.
The knives rotate around the rotation axis at an angular speed that varies according to a preset law. In particular, the angular speed of the knives is relatively high when the knives separate the doses from the plastics exiting from the extruder. Immediately after cutting the doses, the angular speed of the knives is decreased. In order to move the knives at a variable angular speed, the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,673 comprises a pair of elliptical toothed wheels interposed between the knives and a motor that rotates the knives. The elliptical toothed wheels are designed in such a way as to ensure that the angular speed of the knives varies according to the desired law.
A drawback of the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,673 is that it is not very versatile. In fact, if it is desired to modify the law according to which the angular speed of the knives is varied, for example because the plastics to be extruded or the temperature thereof have been changed, or because it is desired to modify the length of the doses, it is necessary to dismantle the previously used pair of elliptical toothed wheels and replace the latter with a new pair of elliptical toothed wheels that drive the knives at the desired angular speed. This operation, in addition to requiring the arrest of the apparatus, is rather complicated and very time-consuming.
A further drawback of known apparatuses is that the cutting arrangement has surfaces to which the plastics, that are in a pasty state when they exit from the dispensing device, tend to adhere during cutting. These adhesion phenomena in fact impair the performance of a precise and clean cut of the plastics and lead to the creation of defective doses. Furthermore, the adhesion of the plastics, that are at a high temperature, causes significant wear to the knives, which thus have to be changed frequently, with consequent increase in the running costs of the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,431 discloses a method for providing a measured quantity of extrudate material to a receiving arrangement, in which the extrudate material is severed by a flexible and resilient blade which contacts a cutting surface of an extrusion outlet during each revolution and bends from a rest condition to a backwardly bent flexed condition.
WO 2004/039553 discloses a device for removing doses of plastic material from an extruder by means of at least one removal element movable with respect to the extruder and provided with a receptacle for housing a removed dose. The removal element comprises a severing element adapted to cut the plastic material along a severing edge advancing through the material.
GB 2178359 discloses an apparatus comprising an extruder and a rotary cutting tool for cutting a synthetic resin in the heat-melted state extruded from the extrusion opening.
EP 1101587 discloses an apparatus for delivering plural plastic pellets into cavities for compression moulding of the pellets into bottle closures or bottle closure liners. The apparatus is provided for delivering molten plastic pellets from a supply of molten plastic to a plurality of moulding blocks, each moulding block having a row of cavities.
EP 1101586 discloses a rotary cutter separating a molten plastic pellet from a nozzle and depositing the molten plastic pellet into a mould cavity. A stream of air is radially directed along a cutter blade of the rotary cutter to displace a molten plastic pellet from the cutter blade into the mould cavity.
CH 443647 discloses a dispensing device for distributing doses of a mouldable plastic material, in which a jet of pressurized air is used in order to release a dose into a moulding cavity.

Apparatus and methods for processing doses of flowable material

Sacmi Cooperativa Meccanici Imola Societa' Cooperativa


Disclosed is technique for avoiding packet reflection between home agents. According to the technique, a MN 10 includes a home address (HoA1) assigned thereto from a home network 12, and a home address (HoA2) assigned thereto from a home network 14. CoA is further acquired from a foreign network 15. Then, the MN uses the home addresses as care-of addresses, and performs binding-update including HoA1-HoA2 for the HA 12 and binding-update including HoA2-HoA1 as well as HoA2-CoA for the HA 14. A packet transmitted from a CN 16 to HoA1 is encapsulated by the HA 12 and transferred to the HA 14. The HA 14 refers to a source address of the received encapsulated packet and selects CoA as a transfer destination address instead of HoA2 having the same prefix.

Conventionally, Mobile IPv6 has been known as the technique for implementing mobility with layer 3. In Mobile IPv6, a Mobile Node (MN) has a home network, to which a HA residing in the home network assigns a Home address (HoA). On the other hand, when the MN moves away from the home network to connect with a foreign network, the MN acquires a care-of address (CoA) in the foreign network, and registers binding information indicating association of the home address with the care-of address at the Home Agent (HA) in its own home network, thus managing mobility.
In the case where a plurality of HAs existing on different home networks are assigned to one MN, each HA will assign a home address to the MN. Thus, the MN is allowed to switch a home address to be used depending on a communication partner, or to compare a load on communication path and a cost for use when the respective home addresses are used to select a home address most suitable to the request from the MN. Therefore, a significant effects can be obtained when a plurality of HAs and home addresses are assigned to one MN.
On the other hand, the plurality of HAs each assigning a home address to one MN exist independent of each other, and therefore when communication is performed using a home address assigned by each HA, the MN will use the conventional mobile IPv6 individually to the home addresses. That is to say, since the MN applies the mobile IPv6 to each of the addresses existing independent of each other, a plurality of operations according to mobile IPv6 will take place independent of each other.
FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary network configuration including a MN 910 to which a plurality of HoAs are assigned in the conventional technique. The MN 910 can use a HA 911 existing in a home network 916 as its own home agent and a HA 912 existing in a home network 917. The MN 910 has a home address (HoA1) assigned thereto by the home network 916, where a HA 11 manages the HoA1. The MN 910 further has a home address (HoA2) assigned thereto by the home network 917, where the HA 912 manages the HoA2.
In FIG. 16, the MN 910 connects with a foreign network 913 via an interface (IF) 920, to which a CoA is assigned by the foreign network 913. The HA 911 and HA 912 each have a binding cache registered therein, where the CoA is assigned with the home address (HoA1, HoA2). Further, the MN 910 uses HoA1 for the communication with a Correspondent Node (CN) 914, and uses HoA2 for the communication with a CN 915. Herein, a packet transmitted from the CN 914 to HoA1 of the MN 910 passes through a communication path 919a via the HA 911, and a packet transmitted from the CN 915 to HoA2 of the MN 910 passes through a communication path 919b via the HA 912.
Then, when the MN 910 in such a state moves to connect with the home network 916 as one of its own home networks, HoA1 will be assigned to the interface of the MN 910. Thus, the communication with the CN 914 is switched from the communication using CoA via the HA 911 to direction communication using HoA1. Meanwhile, in order to continue the communication with the CN 915, the MN 910 associates HoA1 assigned to the interface as a care-of address of HoA2 and registers the same at the HA 912. In this case, since HoA1 is dealt with as just a care-of address for HoA2, a packet addressed to HoA2 will be transferred to HoA1 through normal processing by the HA 912.
In this way, in the case where one MN can use a plurality of HAs and HoAs, one of the home addresses can be used while being associated it with as a care-of address of the other home address. Further, not only when the home address is assigned to the interface because of the connection with the home network as stated above but also when a home address is not assigned to the interface because of the connection with the foreign network, the home address can be registered as a CoA. In this case, a still further HA can be designated as a new transfer destination of a packet proxy-received by a certain HA.
Meanwhile, Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a method of limiting the number of times of the encapsulation of a packet by using Tunnel Encapsulation Limit (TEL) option. More specifically, according to the technique disclosed by Non-Patent Document 1, an allowable number of times of the packet encapsulation is inserted in an encapsulation header as a TEL option, and when encapsulation is newly performed, a value obtained by subtracting from the allowable number of times is inserted into a new encapsulation header as TEL option, so that multiple encapsulation exceeding the number of times determined as the TEL option during the first encapsulation can be avoided.
Non-Patent Document 1: A. Conta, S. Deering, "Generic Packet Tunneling in IPv6 Specification", RFC2473, Dec. 1998
In the situation where a MN can use two HAs and home addresses, however, when each home address is associated with as a care-of address of the other home address, the two HAs will set home addresses managed by different HAs as their transfer destinations of packets, resulting in a possibility of reflection where packet transfer is repeated between the two HAs. For instance, in the connection state of the MN 910 as in FIG. 16, binding information with CoA and HoA2 associated with HoA1 can be registered at the HA 911, and binding information with CoA and HoA1 associated with HoA2 can be registered at the HA 912.
At this time, the HA 911 that receives as a proxy a packet transmitted by the CN 914 checks its own binding cache to select the next transfer destination from the plurality of care-of addresses (CoA and HoA2) associated with HoA1. Herein, in the case where HA911 selects HoA2 registered as a care-of address as the transfer destination, an encapsulated packet is transferred to the home network 917 and is received by the HA 912 as a proxy. At this time, similarly to the HA 911, the HA 912 checks its own binding cache to select the next transfer destination from the plurality of care-of addresses (CoA and HoA1) associated with HoA2. If the HA 912 selects as the transfer destination HoA1 registered as a care-of address, the encapsulated packet is transferred to the home network 916, which is then received again by the HA 911 as a proxy. In this way, if two HAs select the home addresses mutually managed as their transfer destination addresses, reflection occurs between the two HAs. As a result, a load on the transfer paths between the HAs will increase, thus causing delay in transferred packets or causing a packet loss.
Meanwhile, when receiving a packet as a proxy and transferring the packet, a HA encapsulates the packet. Thus, if reflection occurs between the two HAs as in the above, the packet transferred repeatedly between the two HAs will be subjected to multiple encapsulation as the reflection proceeds. Thus, the multiple encapsulation is detected using the TEL option defined by Non-Patent Document 1, for example, whereby the packet transfer repeated in accordance with the reflection can be suppressed.
The TEL option defined by Non-Patent Document 1, however, simply limits the encapsulation, and therefore another HA receiving the packet as a proxy will stop the further packet transfer. For instance, in the case where the TEL option is applied to the above-stated HA 911 and HA 912, it is possible to avoid, for the HA 911, further encapsulation and transfer of a packet by another HA by adding the TEL option with "0" set in the transmitted encapsulation packet. In this case, however, when receiving the packet including such a TEL option, the HA 912 judges that further encapsulation is not allowed because "0" is set in the TEL option, thus making it impossible to encapsulate the packet and transfer the same to a normal CoA as well.
On the other hand, when the TEL option is added with a value of "1" or larger set in the transmitted encapsulation packet, the HA 912 that receives this packet as a proxy is allowed to encapsulate a packet and transfer the same to a normal CoA. However, if reflection occurs, the reflection cannot be detected unless the HA 912 further transfers once or more (redundant transfer). Moreover, the TEL option defined by Non-Patent Document 1 simply limits the multiple encapsulation, which can only estimate the possibility that reflection may occur when the multiple encapsulation occurs upper limit number of times. In other words, the TEL option defined by Non-Patent Document 1 can estimate the occurrence of reflection, but cannot detect the occurrence of reflection accurately.

Packet transfer control device and mobile node


An object deflection system includes at least one sensor for detecting an impending impact of a first object with a second object. The sensor communicates with a deflector deployment device to substantially instantaneously activate the deflector deployment device upon detecting the impending impact. When activated, the deflector deployment device substantially instantaneously deploys a deflector so that the first object impacts the deflector. The first object is therefore deflected by the deflector and prevented from impacting second object.

Broadband communication access, on which our society and economy is growing increasingly dependent, is becoming readily available to users on board mobile platforms such as aircraft, ships, trains, and automobiles. To provide this broadband access antenna arrays, e.g. satellite antenna arrays, are typically mounted to the fuselage of the mobile platform. Often these antennas are installed under a shroud, cover, or radome. Typically, the height of the antennas makes it prone to being struck by airborne objects, such as a bird, for which the radome provides little protection.
In the case of aircraft, simulations have shown that a bird strike against the rigidly mounted antenna can result in an impact force of up to 100,000 ft-lbs. The antenna and aircraft structure must be capable of absorbing and/or deflecting this force without the antenna or the aircraft structural failing. Such a failure could cause large portions of the antenna to break away while in flight, which can damage various parts of the aircraft, such as the vertical stabilizer, the horizontal stabilizer or the rear engines. An antenna structure capable of withstanding such an impact can be costly, heavy, and impractical without significant compromise to the satellite tracking performance of the antenna.
Generally, known devices for protecting an antenna, or other equipment mounted to the fuselage of the mobile platform, have been severely limiting to the performance of antenna, or equipment, and/or mobile platform. For example, typically such known devices limit antenna, equipment and/or mobile platform performance due to such things as signal blockage, increased weight, increased drag on the mobile platform, reduced control of the mobile platform, increased space consumption on fuselage of the mobile platform, and increased cost.
Therefore, it would be very desirable to provide a system for protecting such equipment from impacts with airborne objects without limiting the performance of the equipment. Furthermore, it would be very desirable to provide such an impact prevention system without incurring the cost of structurally reinforcing the equipment to withstand a high force impact.


A water-based inkjet printer ink contains at least a colorant and a resin. The resin is a block copolymer, which contains at least one hydrophilic block and at least one hydrophobic block. Each of the blocks is a vinyl ether polymer, wherein said block copolymer is obtained by polymerizing vinyl ethers as monomer by using at least one aluminum compound selected from the group consisting of tripropylaluminum, triisopropylaluminum and aluminum compounds as Ziegler-Natta catalysts.

Inkjet recording has long been known as an image-forming process. In inkjet recording, there are outstanding demands for images of higher quality, faster printing speed and high-speed fixing performance, and from an ecological standpoint, there is an ever increasing demand for energy saving. Among these, the demand for a speed-up in the fixing process upon formation of an image and that for images of higher quality are surging. With a view to achieving these improvements, investigations have been made to develop a low-energy-consumption and high-speed fixing process in inkjet recording, resulting in proposals such as use of a reactive ink with a reactive colorant contained therein (see JP 8-253717 A) and use of a compound having reversible thermal gelation property (see JP 649399). However, there is still a larger room for improvements in high-speed fixing performance.
With a view to meeting the above-described demands, the present invention has as an object thereof the provision of a water-based inkjet printer ink (hereinafter simply called "ink" or "water-based ink") which has excellent fixing property and permits stable ejection from nozzles and formation of images with good abrasion resistance, waterproofness and good marker resistance.