The present invention is an apparatus and method that enables a single installer to attach panels, such as drywall sheets, to overhead surfaces without the help of a second person to support the sheet against a ceiling while the installer performs the fastening. Two components are included, a fixed shelf and a movable shelf. Each component is elongated to support approximately half of the edge of the panels, so that the installer need not manipulate multiple brackets before securing the panels to the ceiling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to installation of panels in new or existing construction. The preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to methods and devices for temporarily supporting panels against ceilings while the installer permanently secures the panels in place.
2. Description of Related Art
Since being introduced into home construction, mass produced drywall paneling, or sheet rock, has greatly increased efficiency in the area of wall and ceiling covering. Drywalling has largely replaced the labor-intensive, time-consuming process of plastering.
The standard size of a drywall panel is four by eight feet. The placement and securing of drywall on a vertical surface, such as a wall, has a simple process. The installer needs only start at the floor level and hold the drywall against the wall studs while securing it. The next panel up is supported by the panel below it. What used to take several days and require workers skilled in the art of mixing and placing plaster could now be done in a matter of hours.
Unfortunately, the same attributes that make drywall panels so much easier to install on walls are disadvantages when installing the panels on ceilings. Namely, the large size and composition of the panels makes them unwieldy for one person to install on a ceiling. In most cases, at least two people are required, one to hold the sheet rock in place against the ceiling joists and one to secure it with nails or screws. This means that ceiling installation usually requires a second person, which adds to the cost of home construction.
A number of devices and methods have been proposed to aid sheet rock installers with the handling of the awkward, large, heavy and easily damaged panels while wielding a hammer or screw driver to secure the panels in place. This is a particularly difficult task when the installer is working alone. Various floor mounted jacks and complicated wall or ceiling mounted work holders have been devised. In addition various temporarily mounted brackets have also been proposed.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,338 to Reicherts provides a fixed shelf with an upper plate for supporting one panel edge. However, it does not provide a surface that supports the complete length of the panel. Therefore, Reicherts requires multiple devices to be mounted on the ceiling and positioned separately along the same line to support a single panel in place during installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,309 to Bodell provides a sliding shelf with a slidable plate for supporting the opposing panel edge. However, it does not provide a surface for supporting the complete length of the panel. Therefore, an installer must mount multiple devices on the ceiling at separate positions to support one panel in place during installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,994 to Waters provides a fixed support surface for supporting the panel in place while being secured. However, it does not provide a slidable shelf for support of a full side of the panel. Therefore, to install a single panel the installer must mount multiple devices on the ceiling along a single line support the panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,361 to Murphy provides a fixed shelf with slotted attachment holes for mounting below a ceiling joist and has an upper plate for supporting one edge of the panel. However, it does not provide a slidable shelf that supports a full edge of the panel. Therefore, multiple devices mounted on the ceiling and separate positioning of the multiple devices are necessary to support one panel in place during installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,904,732 to Richmond provides an upper plate for supporting one edge of a panel. However, Richmond does not provide a slidable shelf or positioning in a single motion for holding a panel in place during installation.
U.S. Published Application Number 2008/0040988 by Holt provides a fixed shelf with slotted attachment holes for mounting below the ceiling joists and has an upper plate for supporting one panel edge. However, Holt does not provide a slidable shelf for holding a panel in place while being secured. Therefore, multiple devices mounted on the ceiling and separate positioning of the multiple devices are necessary to support one panel in place during installation. Also, the clamping mechanism of Holt does not allow the device to be temporarily mounted on a finished wall, which will often be the case in situations where only the ceiling is being covered.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,460 to Luhowyj provides an upper plate for supporting one ceiling covering panel edge. It provides support along a complete edge. However, it does not provide a slidable shelf for holding a piece of ceiling covering while being secured. Therefore, it is necessary to mount multiple devices on the ceiling at separate positions to support one panel in place during installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,329 to Burgess provides an upper plate for supporting one panel edge. However, Burdgess does not provide a slidable shelf for holding a panel in place while being secured. Also, Burgess requires multiple devices to be temporarily mounted to the ceiling along the same line to hold a panel in place. Therefore, multiple devices mounted on the ceiling and separate positioning of the multiple devices are necessary to support one panel in place during installation.
U.K. Patent Application GB2371829A by Johnston provides a fixed plate for holding one edge of a piece of drywall in place. However Johnston does not provide a slidable shelf for holding a panel in place while being secured. Also, Johnston requires multiple devices to be temporarily mounted to the ceiling along the same line to hold a panel in place.
What is needed is an installation device that includes a fixed shelf with slotted attachment holes for mounting below ceiling joists, with an upper plate for supporting one drywall panel edge, while providing a sliding shelf with slotted attachment holes for mounting to the ceiling joist and a slidable plate for supporting the opposing drywall panel edge.


Method, device and computer program product for controlling data transmission over a network wherein a plurality of applications are capable of execution at a device of the network to thereby access the network, and wherein control means of the device are configured to set respective bandwidth limitations and to limit the bandwidth of the network access of the applications in accordance with their respective bandwidth limitations, the plurality of applications comprising at least one real-time application. The method comprises the control means determining a current transmission condition, the current transmission condition being one of a current network condition and a current bandwidth requirement of one of the at least one real-time application. The control means dynamically adapts the respective bandwidth limitations for the applications in dependence upon the determined current transmission condition. The control means controls network access of the applications to thereby limit the bandwidth of the network access of the applications in accordance with their respective adapted bandwidth limitations.

In a multitasking environment, a device in a network can execute a plurality of applications which can thereby send and receive data on the network. The transmission of data to and from the device over the network is governed to facilitate the transmission of the data. Quality of Service (QoS) policies can be employed by setting different priorities for data used by different applications. The priorities can be set using the Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) value in the Internet Protocol as is known in the art. The DSCP value classifies the data into different classes. Routers in the network are configured to differentiate traffic based on its class as specified in the DSCP values. Each traffic class can be managed differently, ensuring preferential treatment for higher-priority traffic on the network. The priorities can be set by a system administrator or super user in the network. High priorities can be set for data for real-time applications and low priorities for bulk data (i.e. data for non real-time applications). If they support it, the network routers will then serve high priority packets over lower priority ones, thus providing less queuing delay in the network for data for the real-time application.
However, often a user of the device is not skilled in how to set up the priorities used in a QoS scheme. Furthermore, in order to implement a QoS scheme, the nodes in the network which are bottlenecks on an end-to-end connection between two communicating devices are required to support the implementation of the QoS scheme. Often, not all of the nodes at which bottlenecks occur in the network support the implementation of QoS schemes.

Controlling data transmission over a network


Methods of forming a memory device include forming a device isolation layer in a semiconductor substrate including a cell array region and a resistor region, the device isolation layer extending into the resistor region and defining an active region in the semiconductor substrate. A first conductive layer is formed on the device isolation layer in the resistor region. The semiconductor substrate is exposed in the cell array region. A cell insulation layer is formed on a portion of the semiconductor substrate including the exposed cell array region, the active region and the device isolation layer in the resistor region. A second conductive layer is formed on the cell insulation layer in the portion of the semiconductor substrate including the exposed cell array region, the active region and the device isolation layer in the resistor region. The second conductive layer is etched to form a cell gate electrode in the cell array region and to concurrently remove the second conductive layer from the resistor region and the first conductive layer is etched in the resistor region to form a resistor.

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same, and more particularly, to memory devices and methods of forming the same.
A nonvolatile memory device typically includes a peripheral circuit for performing program, erase and read operations on memory cells. The peripheral circuit generally includes a high-voltage device for applying a high voltage to the cell and a low-voltage device for applying a low voltage to the cell. The peripheral circuit also typically includes a resistor for adjusting signal delay, voltage and/or current levels. Meanwhile, a cell gate electrode and a peripheral circuit gate electrode of the memory device typically need a metal-containing layer for enhancing the operating speed of the device. In order to enhance the read/write speed of the memory cell, an electron flow from the gate electrode may be blocked by forming an electrode on a gate insulation layer of the memory cell using a conductive material with a work function of 4.0 eV or more as described, for example, in Korean Patent Application No. 2003-0075516. In general, a conductive material of a high work function is preferably a metal-containing layer. However, the metal-containing layer generally has a very-low sheet resistance and is, thus, often unsuitable for a resistor as a resistor formed using a metal-containing layer with a very-low sheet resistance generally must have its area increased so as to obtain a desired resistance. This may cause difficulties in providing a high integration of the memory device.
In general, the cell gate electrode, the peripheral circuit electrode and the resistor are formed in the same level. Accordingly, when the gate electrode is formed to include a metal-containing layer, the metal-containing layer is generally also formed in the resistor region. Therefore, an additional photolithography process and an etch mask are typically required to remove the metal-containing layer from the resistor region. In addition, while a cell gate pattern generally needs a charge trapping layer or a floating gate capable of storing an electric charge, the peripheral circuit gate electrode generally needs a gate insulation layer. When a peripheral circuit gate pattern has a floating gate or a charge trapping layer, the memory cell may be unnecessarily programmed by application of a high voltage thereto, causing an increase in a threshold voltage. The peripheral circuit gate pattern typically should not have a floating gate or a charge trapping layer in order to reduce the operating voltage of a peripheral circuit transistor. Thus, when a charge trapping layer is formed in a cell array region, an additional photolithography process and an etch mask are generally used to remove the charge trapping layer from a peripheral circuit region. As such, a very complicated method is generally used to form a nonvolatile memory device having cell gate electrodes, peripheral circuit electrodes and resistors.

Methods of forming nonvolatile memory devices


A three-dimensional microlattice structure includes a series of interconnected struts extending along at least three different directions, a series of intermediate nodes defined at intersections between the struts, and a basal plane structure extending laterally between and interconnecting at least two of the nodes. The basal plane structure may be configured to transversely and rotationally constrain the nodes to increase the overall compressive strength and stiffness of the microlattice structure. In one embodiment, the interconnected struts are arranged into an array of ordered unit cells.

Structural components, such as those incorporated into aerospace or automotive vehicles, are commonly sandwich structures that have a pair of thin and rigid facesheet materials separated by a lightweight reinforcing core. The reinforcing core may include closed-cell materials, such as honeycomb, or open-cell materials, such as a microlattice structure. Conventional microlattice structures include a series of interconnected lattice members or struts arranged in periodic arrays, such as arrays of octahedral or hexahedral unit cells. Additionally, conventional microlattice structures also include a series of nodes formed at the intersections and points of convergence between the lattice struts.
The nodes of the struts are typically the weak points of the microlattice structure because stresses transmitted through the lattice struts are concentrated at the relatively small nodes (e.g., the stresses transmitted through several lattice struts are concentrated at a single node). Accordingly, mechanical failure at these nodes is likely to occur if the microlattice structure is subject to compressive loading exceeding a particular threshold. Thus, the overall compressive strength and stiffness of conventional microlattice structures, and the structural components into which the microlattice structures are incorporated, are limited by the failure point of the nodes.


A method and apparatus of controlling supercharge pressure following rapid acceleration includes the steps of generating a pressure signal related to the value of the supercharge pressure of an engine; generating a reference signal related to a desired supercharge pressure value; generating a correction signal related to a time derivative of the pressure signal; generating an acceleration output signal as a function of a linear combination of the pressure signal, the reference signal and the correction signal; and supplying the acceleration output signal as a control signal.

The present invention relates to a method and unit for controlling the supercharge pressure of a turbodiesel engine with a variable-geometry turbine.
As is known, turbodiesel engines equipped with a variable-geometry turbine provide for more power as compared with traditional types. Such turbines, in fact, permit more rapid response and increased torque at low engine speed, and greater power at high engine speed.
For a clearer understanding of the problems dealt with by the present invention, a turbosupercharger featuring a variable-geometry turbine will now be described with reference to FIG. 1, which shows a turbosupercharger of the type in question, in particular a Garrett VNT25 TD2502.
Number 1 in FIG. 1 indicates a turbosupercharger comprising a spiral-shaped inlet conduit 2 for the exhaust gas produced by combustion in an engine (not shown); a turbine 3 activated by the exhaust gas; a first outlet conduit (not shown) for expelling the exhaust gas after activating the turbine; a second inlet conduit (not shown) for the intake of air; an air compressor 4 activated by turbine 3; and a second outlet conduit 5 for supplying the compressed air to the engine.
Turbine 3 comprises a bladed rotor 6, and a variable-geometry blade system 7 comprising a number of blades 8 located between first inlet conduit 2 and bladed rotor 6.
Blades 8 are adjustable, and are activated by a control assembly 9 comprising a diaphragm actuating member 10 and an actuating assembly (not shown in FIG. 1) for activating actuating member 10 and described in detail later on with reference to FIG. 2.
In actual use, blades 8 vary the section of the exhaust gas passage as a function of the output pressure of compressor 4, regulate the speed of the exhaust gas, and continuously control the supercharge pressure.
The position of blades 8 depends on the operating conditions of the engine. More specifically, at low engine speed and under low load conditions, blades 8 are set to the fully closed position to reduce the section of the gas passage and increase the speed of the gas in turbine 3.
Conversely, at high engine speed, the section of the gas passage through blades 8 is increased, so that the gas flows over the rotor at a slower surface speed, thus reducing the rotation speed of turbine 3, which eventually settles at the right speed for ensuring correct operation of the engine.
As shown in FIG. 2, the actuating assembly--indicated by 11--for activating actuating member 10 comprises a vacuum pump 12 activated by the engine--indicated by 13--to which turbosupercharger 1 is fitted; and a known vacuum-modulating three-way solenoid valve 14 connected to vacuum pump 12 by an input line 15.
More specifically, vacuum pump 12 is driven by the camshaft 13a or the drive shaft (not shown) of engine 13.
Solenoid valve 14 is connected to actuating member 10 by an output line 16, and is controlled by a control unit 17.
Control unit 17 comprises a pressure sensor 18 and an electronic central control unit 19.
Pressure sensor 18 is located along second outlet conduit 5 of turbosupercharger 1, and generates a pressure signal PSmis proportional to the supercharge pressure in second outlet conduit 5 of supercharger 1.
Electronic central control unit 19 receives pressure signal PSmis and a reference signal PSrif proportional to a desired supercharge pressure value and mapped in a memory (not shown), and generates a control signal DutyV related to the optimum opening angle of blades 8 in FIG. 1.
Control signal DutyV is supplied to actuating assembly 11 of actuating member 10, and more specifically to solenoid valve 14.
In actual use, vacuum pump 12 generates a vacuum, which is supplied to and modulated by solenoid valve 14 according to the value of control signal DutyV, so as to control the diaphragm of actuator 10 in known manner (not shown) and so adjust the position of blades 8 in FIG. 1.
In traditional control systems, control signal DutyV of solenoid valve 14 is generated by a known proportional-integral control--not described in detail--which performs a transfer function having, for the proportional and integral part respectively, two multiplication coefficients Kp and Ki, which assume a fixed value regardless of the operating point of the engine.
Proportional-integral control, however, is poorly suited to controlling the power output of a turbodiesel engine with a variable-geometry turbine during acceleration, in that it is slow and acts on blades 8 (FIG. 1) with a delay which is incompatible with the sudden increase in power of the engine at the acceleration stage.
The delay referred to is manifested by the supercharge pressure overshooting the desired value, and subsequently settling at the desired value accompanied by oscillations with a small damping coefficient.

Method and unit for controlling the supercharge pressure of a turbodiesel engine with a variable-geometry turbine


Input apparatus scaled for non-adult humans and adult humans having small hands. The input apparatus are especially well suited for use as computer keyboards for use by schoolchildren. Also disclosed is a computing system including the input apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to input apparatus, such as a keyboard, which can be used for computer, typewriter, and other similar applications. It is particularly useful where the user is a non-adult (child) or an adult with smaller than adult-sized hands. The input apparatus of the present invention provides fixed keys with a key spacing, smaller than the ANSI/HFS 100-1988 standard spacing, which advantageously permits children as young as 3 and 4 years old to use the input apparatus utilizing standard touch typing techniques. Thus, the present invention relates to input apparatus and a method for using them and more particularly to a keyboard input device that is scaled to the size of the hands of non-adults (children) and adults having small hands.
2. Description of Prior Art
Previous input apparatus such as computer keyboards and typewriters utilize a specific key spacing and character layout that have evolved into standards. Character refers to the character generated by the computer, typewriter or other machine, upon receiving a signal that a particular key has been depressed or otherwise engaged.
The original "qwerty" key arrangement is the current accepted standard for keyboard character locations. A standard english language "qwerty" keyboard has three rows comprising alphabetic characters and punctuation marks. The remaining rows include numbers and a space bar. A return key, shift keys, a tab key and other command type keys may be included at the ends of each row.
Generally input apparatus such as computer keyboards have the following "qwerty" arrangement with individual rows and columns of keys offset with respect to one another:
Holding down the shift key will add the following alphanumeric characters and punctuation marks:
Function keys, arrow keys, and/or a separate numeric keypad may be added on the top and or side of this layout. In addition, different computer manufacturers may include additional keys for controlling the operation of their particular computers.
In addition to the "qwerty" keyboard layout, other letter layouts such as the Dvorak keyboard have been developed. As will be recognized by the those of ordinary skill in the art from the following descriptions of the present invention, the present invention may comprise any character key layout, such as the qwerty character layout, the Dvorak character layout and the like. Moreover, the present invention may be utilized with character layouts other than the standard English language characters. Thus, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to a particular arrangement of characters corresponding to each key.
Keyboard standards as to key size and spacing were published Feb. 4, 1988 as American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Human Factors Society (HFS) Standard No. 100-1988 (hereinafter the "ANSI/HFS 100-1988 standard"). The purpose of this standard is stated as: "This is a technical standard that specifies conditions that have been established as representing acceptable implementation of human factors engineering principles and practices in the design of visual display terminals (VDTs), associated furniture, and the office environment in which they are placed. Human factors engineering principles and practices are highly application dependent. This technical standard is written for those VDT applications described as text processing, data entry, and data inquiry."
The key spacing described in the ANSI/HFS 100-1988 standard is that the center line distance between the horizontal keys shall be between 18 and 19 mm and the center line distance between the vertical keys shall be between 18 and 21 mm. Center line distance is described in the ANSI/HFS 100-1988 standard. Vertical center line distance is the distance between two parallel lines, the first line horizontally bisecting a first key and the second line horizontally bisecting a second adjacent key above or below the first key. Similarly, horizontal center line distance is the distance between two parallel lines, the first line vertically bisecting a first key and the second line vertically bisecting a second adjacent key to the left or right side of the first key. Horizontal and vertical center line distances may be further understood in view of the following discussions and with reference to the appended figures.
Historically in the art the various inventions of input apparatus are based upon the ANSI/HFS 100-1988 standard which is a result of the evolution of the various input apparatus. It is seen that these various input apparatus are attached to various machines such as typewriters and computers. Historically the input apparatus were designed for the use by adult humans. The training of an individual in the use of these various input apparatus began at the high school level. These high school users were typically 16 years old or older. At this age their hand lengths fall in the 5th percentile of an adult male's hands, meaning they are then suited to using the devices currently provided. The 5th percentile is a size that results from surveying a group of adult males and calculating the frequency in which various sizes occur. The 5th percentile is a number that one would expect 5% of adult males to resemble, on the shorter end of the scale. For example, the 5th percentile of adult males in one study had a hand length of 17.8 cm. The 95th percentile in this study had a hand length of 20.5 cm.
With the advent of the microcomputer there have been an increasing number of children and other than adult scale humans that use various input apparatus. It would be desirable to have an input apparatus which would accommodate their physical sizes, especially their hands in relation to the input apparatus. These users currently in some instances cannot perform routine keystrokes on their input apparatus due to the size and spacing of the keys. For example, a simple, often utilized, command such as control-alternate-delete cannot be easily performed by users with small scaled hands using the devices currently provided.

Input apparatus for people having small hands


A wire bonding method includes a first bonding process for forming a first ball-shaped part in a wire and bonding the first ball-shaped part to a first connected member; a ball-shaped part forming process for guiding the wire away from a position where the wire is bonded to an inner lead so as to form a predetermined loop, and a second bonding process for forming a second ball-shaped part in a predetermined position in the wire; and a second bonding process for bonding the second ball-shaped part to a semiconductor element pad that serves as a second connected member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wire bonding methods, semiconductor devices, capillaries for wire bonding and methods of forming ball bumps, and, more particularly, to a wire bonding method, a semiconductor device, a capillary for wire bonding and a method of forming ball bumps which provide an efficient and reliable wire bonding.
Generally, semiconductor elements provided in a semiconductor device are electrically connected, using a wire, to a lead serving as an external connection terminal. Such a wire is disposed by a wire bonding unit to extend between a pad formed on a semiconductor element and an inner lead of the lead.
The number of wires disposed is equal to the number of pads formed on the semiconductor element. With increasingly higher degree of integration, an increasing number of pads are provided in semiconductor elements. As a result, the number of wires disposed between the pad and the inner lead becomes increasingly large.
Improvement in productivity and reduction of size are major requirements in manufacturing a semiconductor device. Reduction of time needed to wire-bond individual wires lends itself to improvement in productivity, while lowering of a loop height of wires lends itself to reduction of size.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 show wires disposed according to the conventional wire bonding. FIGS. 3A-3C and FIGS. 4A-4C show a detailed wire bonding method.
FIG. 1 shows a wire 1 disposed using the most generally practiced wire bonding method. Referring to FIG. 1, the wire 1 is disposed between a pad 2a formed in a semiconductor element 2 and an inner lead 3a of a lead frame 3.
In order to dispose the wire 1 between the pad 2a and the inner lead 3a, the wire 1 is first bonded to the pad 2a (first bonding). In this case, the ball bonding as shown in FIGS. 3A-3C is employed in the first bonding.
As shown in FIGS. 3A-3C, a metal wire forming the wire 1 is led through a capillary 7 provided in a wire bonding unit. Referring to FIG. 3A, a ball-shaped part 4 is formed at the head of the wire 1 by spark discharge. Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, the ball-shaped part 4 is pressed against the pad 2a using the capillary 7 and bonded therewith using the ultrasonic welding process.
Then, the wire 1 which extends to the inner lead 3a is formed by a guiding process effected by guiding by drawing the capillary 7 in a direction indicated in FIG. 3C. The wire 1 is bonded to the inner lead 3a (second bonding). In this case, the stitch bonding process shown in FIGS. 4A-4C is employed in the second bonding.
Referring to FIG. 4A, the end of the capillary 7 is guided by drawing to a bonding position of the inner lead 3a. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4B, the end of the capillary 7 is pressed against the inner lead 3a so that the wire 1 is bonded to the inner lead 3a in the ultrasonic welding process. The portion of the wire 1 which is pressed by the capillary 7 is deformed as a result of the capillary 7 being pressed against the inner lead 3a.
Thereafter, the capillary is guided upward. While the capillary is guided upward, a clamper 8 provided in the wire bonding unit holds the wire 1 fixed. Therefore, the wire 1 is cut at the portion thereof that is deformed and has lost the mechanical strength.
As has been described, according to the most generally practiced conventional wire bonding method, the wire 1 is provided between the pad 2a of the semiconductor element 2 and the inner lead 3a of the lead frame 3 as shown in FIG. 1 through the first bonding that uses the ball bonding process and the second bonding that uses the stitch bonding process (hereinafter, such a method of providing the wire 1 is referred to as forward bonding).
A description will now be given, with reference to FIGS. 5A-6B, of the characteristic of the ball bonding process and the stitch bonding process.
FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing how the wire 1 is bonded to the pad 2a using the ball bonding process, and FIG. 5B is a top view of the bonded area. As has been described already, the ball bonding process is performed such that the ball-shaped part 4 is formed in the wire 1 using spark discharge and then bonded to the pad 2a. As a result of such a process, the bonded area at the bottom of the ball-shaped part 4 has a circular shape in a top view and resides within the pad 2a.
FIG. 6A is a perspective view showing how the wire 1 is bonded to the inner lead 3a using the stitch bonding process, and FIG. 6B is a top view of the bonded area. As shown in the figures, since the wire 1 is pressed by the capillary 7 according to the stitch bonding, the wire 1 is flattened into a bonded portion 9 having a relatively wide area. For comparison, FIGS. 6A and 6B include broken lines indicating the pad 2a. Characteristically, the stitch bonding process requires a wider bonding area as compared to the ball bonding process.
In the forward bonding described above, the wire 1 is guided upward after being bonded to the pad 2a and then bonded to the inner lead 3a. Hence, the height of the loop formed by the wire 1 is relatively high with respect to the upper major surface of the semiconductor element 2.
In the construction shown in FIG. 1, the wire 1 is higher in level than the upper major surface of the semiconductor element 2 by a height H. Accordingly, the forward bonding has a problem in that it is difficult to make the semiconductor device thin.
FIG. 2 shows a wire 5 provided according to a bonding method proposed to eliminate the problem resulting from the forward bonding. In FIG. 2, those components that are the same as the components of FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.
As shown in FIG. 2, the wire 5 is provided such that the ball-shaped part 4 is formed at the end of the wire 5 jutting out of a capillary using spark discharge. The ball-shaped part 4 is then pressed against the inner lead 3a of the lead frame 3 so as to be welded thereon according to the ball bonding process.
The capillary is then guided upward to a level slightly higher than the upper major surface of the semiconductor element 2 and then guided horizontally so that the wire 5 is guided to a position above the pad 2a. The capillary is then pressed against the pad 2a so that the wire 5 is bonded to the pad 2a using the stitch bonding process. More specifically, a ball bump 6 formed of a gold or the like is provided in advance on the pad 2a, and the wire 5 is bonded to the ball bump 6.
It will be noted that the bonding order of the bonding method shown in FIG. 2 is different from that of the bonding method shown in FIG. 1 in that wire is bonded to the inner lead 3a in the first bonding and then bonded to the pad 2a (more specifically, to the ball bump 6 on the pad 2a) in the second bonding. The method for providing the wire 5 will be referred to as a backward bonding.
According to the backward bonding, wire 5 is first bonded to the inner lead 3a which is lower in level than the upper major surface of the semiconductor element 2. The wire 5 is then guided upward to reach the same height as the upper major surface of the semiconductor element 2. Thereafter, the capillary is guided horizontally so that the wire 5 can be bonded to the pad 2a (more specifically, the ball bump 6).
As shown in FIG. 2, the wire 5 provided between the pad 2a and the inner lead 3a is bent to form an approximately right angle (an inverted L shape) so that the loop formed by the wire 5 is lower than that of the construction shown in FIG. 1. Accordingly, it is possible to make the semiconductor device thin.
While the backward bonding described above ensures that the semiconductor device produced has a relatively small height because the loop-formed by the wire 5 is relatively low, it has a problem in that the ball bump 6 must be formed on the pad 2a using a gold or the like.
The ball bump 6 serves as a buffer for preventing the pressure of the capillary from being exerted on the semiconductor element 2 directly when the wire 5 is bonded to the pad 2a using the stitch bonding process. The ball bump 6 also has a function of improving the resistance of the wire bonding.
If the wire 5 is directly bonded to the pad 2a using the stitch bonding process without using the ball bump 6, the semiconductor element 2 may be damaged due to the pressure exerted by the capillary. Insufficient bonding of the wire 5 to the pad 2a may cause the wire 5 to be removed from the pad 2a. For this reason, it is necessary to provide the ball bump 6 on the pad 2a in the conventional backward bonding.
The conventional backward bonding has a problem in that a process of providing the ball bump 6 is needed in addition to the process of providing the wire 5, adding to the number of processes in the wire bonding, and in that the efficiency in producing the semiconductor device is unsatisfactory.
The ball bonding process employed in forming the ball bump 6 is such that a gold ball is formed at the end of a gold wire and then bonded to the pad 2a, after which the gold wire is cut. In this process of forming the gold ball, a pressure is exerted on the semiconductor element 2.
As has been described, the bonding of the wire 5 to the ball bump 6 involves a pressure exerted on the semiconductor element 2. Therefore, the semiconductor element 2 undergoes the pressure on two occasions during the wire bonding process, that is, when the ball bump 6 is formed and when the wire 5 is bonded. Thus, even if the ball bump 6 is provided, a possibility remains that the semiconductor element 2 is damaged during the whole wire bonding process.
As has been described with reference to FIGS. 5A-6B, the stitch bonding process requires a wider bonding area as compared to the ball bonding process. Therefore, it is impossible to bond the wire 5 on the upper major surface of the semiconductor element 2 with a high density in the backward bonding. The stitch bonding process is not opted for if the semiconductor element 2 has pads 2a disposed thereon with a high density.
For this reason, only the forward bonding shown in FIG. 1 can be applied to the high-density semiconductor element 2. Accordingly, the semiconductor element 2 has a relatively large size for the aforementioned reason.
As has been described, the backward bonding is useful for the semiconductor element 2 that does not have pads 2a disposed thereon with a high density. However, an upper surface 6a (the surface to which the wire 5 is bonded) of the ball bump 6 is rugged because it is the cut surface of the gold wire. Therefore, the bonding strength that exists between the wire 5 and the ball bump 6 is not satisfactory so that the reliability of the wire bonding is not satisfactory.
Further, as shown in FIG. 8, if an especially large bump 6b is produced on an upper surface of the ball bump 6, the wire 5 is bonded at a position displaced from the center of the ball bump 6. An edge part 5a characterized by a low bonding strength and produced as a result of the wire 5 deformed flat by the capillary 7 resides on the end of the upper major surface of the ball bump 6. The wire 5 may be cut at a portion adjacent to the edge of the upper major surface of the ball bump 6.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device having a wire loop with an L shape or curved shape. In this present invention, the semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element; a lead; a wire connecting the semiconductor element and the lead, wherein the lead is directly bonded to the wire using a first ball-shaped part formed in the wire. An electrode formed in the semiconductor element is directly bonded to the wire using a second ball-shaped part formed in the wire. The wire forms a loop having a curved shape and including a vertical portion that extends vertically from a position where the wire is bonded to the lead, and a horizontal portion that extends horizontally from a position where the semiconductor element is bonded to the wire.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wire bonding method, a semiconductor device, a capillary for wire bonding and a method of forming ball bumps in which the aforementioned problems are eliminated.
Another and more specific object of the present invention is to provide a wire bonding method, a semiconductor device, a capillary for wire bonding and a method of forming ball bumps which provide an efficient bonding process, reduction in damage to connected bodies, and reduction in the height of semiconductor elements.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a wire bonding method comprising:
a first bonding process for forming a first ball-shaped part in a wire and bonding the first ball-shaped part to a first connected member;
a ball-shaped part forming process for guiding the wire away from the first connected member so as to form a predetermined loop and forming a second ball-shaped part in a predetermined position in the wire; and
a second bonding process for bonding the second ball-shaped part to a second connected member.
According to the wire bonding method of the present invention, a damage is prevented from occurring in a semiconductor element when the wire is bonded to the second connected member because the second ball-shaped part functions in the same manner as a ball bump of the backward bonding process. Since the second ball-shaped part is formed in the wire, no additional process separate from the sequence of the wire bonding process is necessary in order to form the ball bump. Accordingly, the wire bonding process can be carried out efficiently. The process for bonding the second ball-shaped part to said second connected member is a so-called ball bonding process and requires a relatively small area. Hence, a wire bonding process can be securely carried out in a semiconductor element characterized by a high density with which electrodes are provided.
Preferably, in the ball-shaped part forming process, the second ball-shaped part is formed while the wire remains uncut. According to this aspect of the present invention, it is possible to position the second ball-shaped part on the pad in a reliable manner. Accordingly, the second ball-shaped part can be properly bonded to the pad.
Preferably, at least the second ball-shaped part is formed by spark discharge. According to this aspect of the present invention, no modification to the existing wire bonding unit is necessary because the spark discharge process is normally practiced to form the first ball-shaped part.
In another preferred embodiment, the wire is guided vertically upward after the first ball-shaped part is bonded to the first connected member; and the wire is then guided horizontally, forming a right angle, whereupon the second ball-shaped part is formed and bonded to the second connected member. According to this aspect of the present invention, the wire provided between the first connected member and the second connected member is low. Therefore, the height of the semiconductor device produced can be kept low.
In order to attain the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a wire bonding method comprising the steps of:
providing a first wire according to the wire bonding method as claimed in claim 1;
forming a third ball-shaped part in a second wire and bonding the third ball-shaped part to the second connected member; and
guiding the second wire away from the second connected member so as to form a loop above the first wire, and stitch-bonding the second wire to the first connected member.
According to this wire bonding method, the second wire can be easily provided above the first wire because the loop formed,by the first wire is low. Accordingly, it is possible to provide wires with a high density and to prevent the first and second wires from interfering each other.
In another preferred embodiment, the first connected member is embodied by a lead frame, and the second connected member is embodied by a semiconductor element. Accordingly, the semiconductor device can be thin and the production efficiency thereof is improved as compared to the conventional method.
In still another preferred embodiment, the first connected member and the second connected member are embodied by a semiconductor. Therefore, the multi-chip module produced according to the present invention can be thin and the production efficiency thereof is improved as compared to the conventional method.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the wire is embodied by a thin gold wire, and a ball bonding process is employed to bond at least the second ball-shaped part to the second connected member. According to this aspect of the present invention, a damage is prevented from being exerted on the second connected member.
In order to attain the aforementioned objects, the present invention also provides a semiconductor device comprising:
a semiconductor element;
a lead; and
a wire connecting the semiconductor element and the lead;
wherein
the lead is directly bonded to the wire using a first ball-shaped part formed in the wire,
an electrode formed in the semiconductor element is directly bonded to the wire using a second ball-shaped part formed in the wire, and
the wire forms a loop having an L shape and including a vertical portion that extends vertically from a position where the wire is bonded to the lead, and a horizontal portion that extends horizontally from a position where the semiconductor element is bonded to the wire.
According to the semiconductor device of the present invention, a damage exerted on the semiconductor element is reduced because the electrode formed on the semiconductor element is directly bonded to the wire using the second ball-shaped part formed in the wire. By providing the wire so as to form a L-shaped loop, it is possible to reduce the height of the semiconductor device.
In order to attain the aforementioned objects, the present invention also provides a wire bonding capillary for use in a bonding process for bonding a wire to a connected member, wherein an end of a main body of the capillary includes a projection. According to the wire bonding capillary of the present invention, the end portion projecting from the main body of the capillary acts to bond the wire to the ball bump and the portion surrounding the projecting end portion acts to press the ball bump.
Preferably, a bonding part for bonding the wire to the connected member is formed at the end of the main body of the capillary, and a pressurizing part for pressing a ball-shaped part formed by the bonding part in the connected member is formed adjacent to the bonding part. Accordingly, the process for bonding the wire to the connected member and the process for welding the ball-shaped part formed in the connected member can be carried out using the same capillary. Hence, the forming of the ball bump can be carried out efficiently.
In order to attain the aforementioned objects, the present invention also provides a ball bump forming method using the wire bonding capillary as claimed in claim 10, the ball bump forming method comprising:
a bonding process for forming the ball-shaped part in the wire and bonding the ball-shaped part to the connected member using an end portion of the wire bonding capillary;
a ball bump forming process for forming a ball bump on the connected member by cutting the wire by drawing the wire bonding capillary away from a position where the wire is bonded to the connected member; and
a shaping process for turning an upper major surface of the ball bump flat by causing a portion of the wire bonding capillary which portion surrounds the end portion to press the ball bump.
Further, the present invention provides a ball bump forming method using the wire bonding capillary as claimed in claim 11, the ball bump forming method comprising:
a bonding process for forming the ball-shaped part in the wire and bonding the ball-shaped part to the connected member using the bonding part provided in the wire bonding capillary;
a ball bump forming process for forming a ball bump on the connected member by cutting the wire by drawing the wire bonding capillary away from a position where the wire is bonded to the connected member; and
a shaping process for turning an upper major surface of the ball bump flat by causing the pressurizing part provided in the wire bonding capillary to press the ball bump.
According to the ball bump forming method of the present invention, the upper major surface of the ball bump formed in the connected member can be turned flat. Thus, the quality of bonding that exists between the ball bump and the wire can be improved, resulting in a highly resistant bonding. The bonding process, the ball bump forming process and the shaping process can be effected in a successive manner using the same capillary. Hence, the ball bump forming process according to the present invention is highly efficient.

Wire bonded device with ball-shaped bonds


An ophthalmic pharmaceutical composition comprising trehalose as an effective ingredient and a pharmaceutically-acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutical composition is a safe, long-term continuously-administrable, therapeutic and/or prophylactic agent for the ophthalmologic clinical symptoms and signs in Sjögren syndrome.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the treatment in an ophthalmologic field, more particularly, to ophthalmic pharmaceutical compositions for treating and/or preventing the ophthalmologic clinical symptoms and signs in Sjögren syndrome.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sjögren syndrome is one of the frequently diagnosed diseases and is often found particularly in older ages. It is estimated that patients with such a syndrome will increase in number more and more as coming into the aging society. As characteristic features, Sjögren syndrome is accompanied by the invasion of lymphocytes into the lacrimal gland and the salivary gland, and the disruption of adenocytes, and is characterized mainly by dry eye and dry mouth. Sjögren syndrome is a cryptogenic disease or the like and is highly speculated as an autoimmune disease, and the criterion has been already established. The ophthalmologic clinical symptoms of Sjögren syndrome are, for example, foreign body sensation, burning, and itching. Treatments for Sjögren syndrome now used predominantly are symptomatic therapies such as the application of artificial tears and the wear of goggles and glasses for preventing dry eye. When the symptoms of patients with these treatments are not improved, they are then treated mainly with other symptomatic therapies such as surgeries and the administration of steroids and immunosuppressants in combination, which may restrict patient's normal social life because these therapies would require hospitalization, doctor's advice, or therapeutic devices. Conventional ophthalmic solutions used generally in the ophthalmologic field are easily portable and readily usable when in use, and therefore ophthalmic solutions, containing sodium hyaluronate for treating the ophthalmologic clinical symptoms and signs in Sjögren syndrome, have been commercialized recently, however, any satisfactory ophthalmic pharmaceutical composition for treating and/or preventing the syndrome has not been provided yet.

Pharmaceutical composition for ophthalmic use

Kabushiki Kaisha Hayashibara Seibutsu Kagaku Kenkyujo


An in-reactor polymer blend including (a) a propylene-containing first polymer; and (b) propylene-containing second polymer having a different crystallinity from the first polymer. The polymer blend has a melting temperature, Tm, of at least 135° C., a melt flow rate of at least 70 dg/min, a tensile strength of at least 8 MPa, an elongation at break of at least 300%.

Thermoplastic olefins (TPOs), impact copolymers (ICPs) and thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs), collectively referred to herein as "heterogeneous polymer blends", comprise an isotactic polypropylene thermoplastic phase and a high molecular weight or crosslinked elastomeric phase. These heterogeneous polymer blends also commonly include non-polymeric components, such as fillers and other compounding ingredients. The heterogeneous polymer blends have multiphase morphology where a thermoplastic such as isotactic polypropylene (often referred as the hard phase) forms a continuous matrix phase and the elastomeric component (often referred as the soft phase), generally derived from an ethylene containing copolymer, is the dispersed component. The polypropylene matrix imparts tensile strength and chemical resistance to the TPO, while the ethylene copolymer imparts flexibility and impact resistance.
TPOs and ICPs are typically made during the polymerization process by differential polymerization of the polymer components, although some can also be made by mechanical blending. TPVs are also blends of thermoplastic and elastomer, like TPOs, except that the dispersed elastomeric component is crosslinked or vulcanized in a reactive extruder during compounding. Cross-linking of the elastomeric phase generally allows dispersion of higher amounts of rubber in the polymer matrix, stabilizes the obtained morphology by preventing coalescence of rubber particles, and enhances mechanical properties of the blend.
Traditionally, the elastomeric component in heterogeneous polymer blends has been provided by highly amorphous, very low density ethylene-propylene copolymers (EP) and ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymers (EPDM) having a high molecular weight. Recently, other ethylene-alpha olefin copolymers have been used, especially very low density ethylene-butene, ethylene-hexene and ethylene-octene copolymers which generally have a lower molecular weight. The density of these latter polymers is generally less than 0.900 g/cm3, indicative of some residual crystallinity in the polymer.
The major market for TPOs is in the manufacture of automotive parts, especially bumper fascia. Other applications include automotive interior components such as door skins, air bag covers, side pillars and the like. These parts are generally made using an injection molding processes. To increase efficiency and reduce costs it is necessary to decrease molding times and reduce wall thickness in the molds. To accomplish these goals, manufacturers have turned to high melt flow polypropylenes (Melt Flow Rate>35 dg/min.). These high melt flow rate (MFR) resins are low in molecular weight and consequently difficult to toughen, resulting in products that have low impact strength. It would be desirable to have a polymer blend with greater elongation to break and more toughness, improved processability, and/or a combination thereof.
In addition, in-reactor blends have been sought as an alternative to physical blending since in-reactor blends offer the possibility of improved mechanical properties through more intimate mixing between the hard and soft phases, through the generation of hard/soft cross products, as well as lower production costs. Use of compatibilizer is another way to improve interfacial tension between hard and soft phases in the heterogeneous blend, thereby improving the mechanical properties.
Thus, known compositions have low molecular weight and low toughness or may have a higher molecular weight (low melt flow rate) in order to meet the required mechanical strength for the targeted applications but lack processibility. Blends with both good mechanical properties and high melt flow rate as well as processes to produce them would be useful in the art, especially for applications such as injection molding.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A motor control device is provided, which includes a power converter for applying output voltage according to a voltage command to an electric motor, a magnetic flux estimator for estimating a vector of stator magnetic flux of the electric motor based on a difference between the output voltage and a voltage drop caused by a coil resistance of the electric motor, and a phase estimator for estimating a phase of the stator magnetic flux based on the vector of the stator magnetic flux estimated by the magnetic flux estimator. The magnetic flux estimator includes a variable low-pass filter for applying a low-pass filter to the difference at a cut-off frequency according to a frequency of the output voltage, and a phase adjuster for retarding at least one of an output phase of the variable low-pass filter and a phase of the difference before inputted into the variable low-pass filter.

It is known that control devices which drive electric motors, such as synchronous motors and induction motors without any position sensors. For example, JP2012-228083A discloses a technique to estimate a stator magnetic flux of an electric motor based on current and voltage of the electric motor. The electric motor is controlled based on the estimated stator magnetic flux.

Motor control device, and method and device for estimating magnetic flux of electric motor


A coating composition having a measured solids content of at least 95% according to test method ASTM D2369 is disclosed. The composition includes a mixture of (a) a polymer prepared from one or more functional monomers comprising a (meth)acrylic monomer, an allyl monomer, or combinations thereof each having an ethylenically unsaturated double bond and an additional reactive functional group, and (b) a reactive diluent. At least some of the additional reactive functional group of the functional monomer remains unreacted during formation of the polymer. The reactive diluent has a boiling point of greater than 100° C. and a reactive functional group that reacts with the reactive functional group on the polymer at a temperature that is lower than the boiling point of the reactive diluent. Also disclosed are substrates having a cured coating thereon, the coating formed from the cured coating composition, and methods for providing sound and vibration damping.

Coatings that contain a volatile component, such as water and/or an organic solvent, undergo a decrease in volume as the volatile component evaporates from the surface of the coating. As the volatile component leaves the coating, contraction forces act to pull the coating inward in all directions. Without intending to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that if the coating has sufficient cohesive strength, the coating will contract in only one dimension in a manner such that the coating thickness will decrease while the coating resists contraction in any direction parallel to the substrate surface. In contrast, if a coating lacks cohesive strength sufficient to resist contraction parallel to the substrate surface, contraction forces will cause the coating to break up into small flat segments that are separated by gaps or continuous linear voids. This surface defect is commonly referred to as "mudcracking."
Precut asphalt- or rubber-based patches can be used for lining floor pans, deck lids and doors of automobiles to dampen or reduce road and engine noise and vibrations, preventing them from permeating into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. Sprayable coatings which are capable of being applied by robotics are desirable to provide for labor and cost savings, and flexibility in design specifications for imparting desired sound and vibration damping properties.
Exposure of coatings to water can cause damage to the coating and water absorption may increase coating weight, soften the coating, and/or reduce damping.

Coating compositions, coatings and methods for sound and vibration damping and water resistance


A photoreceptor web drying unit of a liquid electrophotographic printer includes a plurality of heating sources, installed close to but not contacting a photoreceptor web, for generating heat used for drying and vaporizing liquid carrier, a manifold, encompassing the heating sources, for collecting gas carrier vaporized by the heating sources, a circulation line, forming a closed loop connected to the manifold, for forming a path for circulation of the gas carrier collected in the manifold, an inlet duct, installed at the manifold to be connected to the circulation line, through which the gas carrier vaporized by the heating sources can flow, and a blowing duct, installed at the manifold to be connected to the circulation line, through which air can flow into the manifold. Thus, since the drying unit is formed in a non-contact method with respect to the photoreceptor web, images are not inadvertently picked-up by the drying unit. Also, since the drying unit reduces image defects, the quality of the printed image is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid electrophotographic printer and, more particularly, to a photoreceptor web drying unit of a liquid electrophotographic printer for drying and vaporizing liquid carrier including toner adhering to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor web.
Priority is claimed from Korean Patent Application No. 01-917, filed on Jan. 8, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an electrophotographic printer is an image forming apparatus for obtaining a desired image by forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive medium such as a photoreceptor web, developing the electrostatic latent image with toner of a predetermined color, and transferring the developed image to a sheet of print paper. The electrophotographic printer is divided into a dry type and a liquid type according to the type of toner in use. The dry electrophotographic printer uses toner in a powdered state while the liquid electrophotographic printer uses liquid developer which is a mixture of volatile liquid carrier and toner. The use of the liquid electrophotographic printer is gradually increasing because the quality of print is superior to that of the dry electrophotographic printer, and simultaneously because damage caused by toxic toner dust is prevented.
FIG. 1 shows the structure of a conventional liquid electrophotographic color printer. Referring to the drawing, a liquid electrophotogrpahic printer 100 adopts a photoreceptor web 110 installed to be capable of circulating along an endless path being supported by a transfer backup roller 121, a steering roller 122 and a driving roller 123, as a photosensitive medium.
A laser scanning unit (LSU) 130 and a developing unit 140 are installed under the photoreceptor web 110. The laser scanning unit 130 forms an electrostatic latent image through exposure by scanning a laser beam onto the photoreceptor web 110 according to an image signal. The developing unit 140 forms the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor web 110 by making developer including toner of a predetermined color adhere to the electrostatic latent image. For color printing, a plurality of the laser scanning units (LSU) 130 and the developing units 140 are installed so that the electrostatic latent image can be developed for respective colors, as shown in the drawing.
The photoreceptor web 110 circulates in a direction of the arrows indicating the direction of the respective rollers. The photoreceptor web 110 is charged to a predetermined voltage as a charging unit 150 applies charges to the photoreceptor web 110. Here, the laser scanning unit 130 scans a laser beam corresponding to a pattern portion of a particular color onto the photoreceptor web 110. Accordingly, a portion of the photoreceptor web 110 receiving the laser beam is discharged so that a difference in voltage is generated between the portion receiving the laser beam and a portion that does not receive the laser beam.
The developing unit 140 develops developer of a particular color at the portion of the photoreceptor web 110 where charges are lost . A toner image adhering to the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor web 110 by the developing unit 140 is transferred to a transfer roller 124 which is installed parallel to the transfer backup roller 121 while the photoreceptor web 110 is interposed between the transfer roller 124 and the transfer backup roller 121. Then, the toner image transferred to the transfer roller 124 is transferred again to a sheet of print paper 126 provided between the transfer roller 124 and a fusing roller 125 installed parallel to the transfer roller 124. Thus, a desired image can be printed.
However, ink provided to the photoreceptor web 110 from the developing unit 140 is a mixture of solid toner and liquid carrier. The toner actually has a color to be printed on the print paper 126 and the carrier serves as a solvent for carrying the toner. Thus, the carrier is dried and vaporized by a drying unit 160 before printing and removed from a transfer surface of the photoreceptor web 110. The developer in a liquid state adhering to the electrostatic latent image of the photoreceptor web 110 is dried because a liquid component of the developer is removed as it passes through the drying unit 160.
The drying unit 160 is installed to be capable of rotating in contact with part of the transfer surface of the photoreceptor web 110. The drying unit 160 includes a drying roller 161 having a heat source 162 for generating heat at the center axis of rotation, a pair of reproduction rollers 163 each having a heat source 164 for generating heat, for example, a heat lamp, at the center axis of rotation as a heating means for heating the drying roller 161 and installed to rotate by being engaged to the drying roller 161, and a manifold 165 encompassing the drying roller 161 and the reproduction rollers 163.
The drying roller 161 has a high temperature because of the heat source 162 installed at the center axis of rotation and the surface of the drying roller 161 is formed of a material capable of absorbing liquid carrier. Also, the drying roller 161 contacts the photoreceptor web 110 by a pressing apparatus (not shown). The reproduction rollers 163 contact the drying roller 161 by the pressing apparatus.
According to the drying unit 160 having the above structure, the drying roller 161 rotating in contact with the photoreceptor web 110 presses liquid carrier of the image ink adhering to the transfer surface of the photoreceptor web 110 so that it adheres to the surface of the drying roller 161. Part of the liquid carrier is vaporized on the surface of the drying roller 161.
The reproduction rollers 163 are heated by each heat source 164 to a particular temperature, drying and vaporizing the liquid carrier absorbed by the drying roller 161. The vaporized carrier is collected by the manifold 165.
However, since the conventional photoreceptor web drying unit 160, as above, vaporizes and absorbs the liquid carrier on a contact surface between the drying roller 161 and the photoreceptor web 110, the contact time therebetween is so short that a sufficient amount of liquid carrier cannot be absorbed. Accordingly, the liquid carrier which is not vaporized and remains on the photoreceptor web 110 is absorbed by the transfer roller 124 so that a paper jam phenomenon occurs.
Also, when images are continuously printed, since the image on the photoreceptor web is not sufficiently dried, an image defect phenomenon, that is, an image is not transferred to a sheet of print paper, is generated.
Further, since the conventional photoreceptor web drying unit 160 uses a contact method, the image on the surface of the photoreceptor web 110 is picked up and transferred to the surface of the drying roller 161 and/or the reproduction rollers 163. Thus, the performance of the drying roller 161 and the reproduction rollers 163 is lowered. The picking up of the image from the surface of the photoreceptor web 110 causes a deterioration of image printing quality.
To solve the above problems, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a photoreceptor web drying unit of a liquid electrophotographic printer having an improved structure which can improve efficiency in drying and vaporization of liquid carrier adhering to the photoreceptor web.
Accordingly, to achieve the above objective, there is provided a photoreceptor web drying unit of a liquid electrophotographic printer comprising a plurality of heating sources, a manifold, a circulation line, an inlet duct, and a blowing duct.
The plurality of heating sources generate heat and are installed close to, but not contacting, a photoreceptor web, thereby drying and vaporizing liquid carrier on the surface of the photoreceptor web.
The manifold partially surrounds the heating sources, having an opening shaped to face a surface of the photoreceptor web. When the drying unit is positioned proximate to the photoreceptor web, the manifold, and the surface of the photoreceptor belt at the opening in the manifold, substantially encompass the heating sources so that the carrier, in a gaseous state after being vaporized by the heating sources, is contained for collection.
The circulation line forms a path for circulation of the gas carrier collected from within the manifold, and is connected to the manifold to form a closed loop. The gas of the vaporized carrier exits the manifold and enters the circulation line at the inlet duct. After passing through the circulation line, air from the gas reenters the manifold through the blowing duct, generating air flow into the manifold.

Photoreceptor web drying unit of liquid electrophotographic printer


A multipole plug connector (1) having connecting elements (10) on the rear side for incoming leads is completely surrounded by a shielding plate (3), with the exception of its insertion side. The shielding plate (3) is composed of material which is in the form of a strip and is bent around the plug connector, and whose ends overlap such that they make contact. In consequence, a particularly good shielding effect is achieved.

The present invention relates to a multipole plug connector having plug contact elements and connecting elements on the rear side for incoming leads, the plug connector and the connecting elements being surrounded by an earthed shielding jacket, with the exception of the insertion side.
It is known for such plug connectors to be sheathed with shell-like housing halves composed of deep-drawn sheet metal. In this case, it is normal to connect the shielding jacket to earth potential.
It is furthermore known, for example from the German Utility Pattern Patent 8,911,590 (corresponding to European Patent reference 0,412,331 Al) to arrange separate shielding plates on both sides of the printed-circuit board and of a plug body in the case of a plug connector which is placed on a printed-circuit board, the rear sides of which shielding plates are bent towards the printed-circuit board and are provided with stamped-free insertion pins which are pressed into solder eyes in the printed-circuit board. Feathered ground plates are placed on contact pins on the rear wall of the assembly, which ground plates have a bulge which extends in their longitudinal direction and in whose region lateral slots are arranged. These bulges catch the shielding plate of the plug-on plug connector, subject to spring tension.


The invention relates to a mixed salt composition which is useful as a CO2 sorbent. The mixed salt composition comprises a Mg salt, and at least one Group IA element salt, where the Mg and Group IA element are present at a molar ratio of from 3:1 to 8:1. The resulting composition can adsorb about 20% or more of CO2 in a gas. Via varying the molar ratios of the components, and the Group IA element, one can develop compositions which show optional functionality at different conditions. The composition is especially useful in the adsorptive capture of CO2 on mobile sources, such as transportation vehicles, where it can be recovered during regeneration of the adsorbent composition and the CO2 used as a coolant gas, as a reactant in manufacture of fuel, and so forth.

Reduction of CO2 emissions is a key goal for all scientific disciplines, acerbated by the growing evidence of, and concern over, climate change induced by CO2. It is estimated that, in the United States, about ⅓ of CO2 emissions are generated by the transportation sector through combustion of fuels.
One approach to mitigating these emissions is to capture as much CO2 as possible from exhaust gases, prior to their release to the atmosphere. Post-combustion, CO2 capture technologies are being developed for application to stationary sources of CO2. These sources include coal, and natural gas fired power plants, as well as processes for production of materials as diverse as cement and steel. This invention as described herein is useful in such applications, but also in mobile source applications.
Primary challenges for developing useful processes for capture of CO2 from stationary sources, include energy demand, and capital expenditures. Developing technologies which address CO2 capture from mobile sources involves these factors, as well as space limitation, the dynamics of operating conditions, parameters such as high temperature and low pressures, and so forth. High temperatures and low pressures are especially important considerations, because these are outside of the operating and optimum ranges of most CO2 capture technologies.
It is a purpose of the invention described herein to provide an effective, low cost CO2 "scrubbing" technology which addresses these issues. How the invention achieves this will be seen in the disclosure which follows.


A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate and a first gate structure and a second gate structure formed over the substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes first recesses formed in the substrate adjacent to the first gate structure and first strained source and drain structures formed in the first recesses. The semiconductor structure further includes second recesses formed in the substrate adjacent to the second gate structure and second strained source and drain structures formed in the second recesses. In addition, each of the first recesses has a shape of a trapezoid, and each of the second recesses has a shape of an inverted trapezoid.

Semiconductor devices are used in a variety of electronic applications, such as personal computers, cell phones, digital cameras, and other electronic equipment. Semiconductor devices are typically fabricated by sequentially depositing insulating or dielectric layers, conductive layers, and semiconductor layers of material over a semiconductor substrate, and patterning the various material layers using lithography to form circuit components and elements thereon.
One of the more important drivers for increased performance in semiconductor devices is the higher levels of integration of circuits. This is accomplished by miniaturizing or shrinking device sizes on a given chip. However, as technology nodes shrink, processing and manufacturing of these semiconductor devices becomes more and more challenging.

Semiconductor structure with strained source and drain structures and method for forming the same

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A method of classifying an input pattern and a pattern classification apparatus are provided. The method includes enabling an artificial neural network to learn based on learning input data received by an input layer of the artificial neural network, determining classification of an input pattern received by the input layer of the enabled artificial neural network according to an output value obtained from an output layer of the artificial neural network, the obtained output value being based on the input pattern, updating connection intensities of a plurality of connection lines of the enabled artificial neural network to output a result value indicating the determined classification from the output layer when the input pattern, and determining updated classification of the input pattern according to an updated output value obtained from an output layer of the updated artificial neural network, the obtained updated output value being based on the input pattern.

1. Field
The following description relates to a method of classifying and an apparatus to classify an input pattern.
2. Description of Related Art
Artificial neural networks have been applied to various fields in which pattern recognition is performed, such as, for example, pattern classification, continuous mapping, nonlinear system identification, nonlinear control, robot control, and other fields known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The artificial neural network is obtained by engineering a cell structure model of the human brain where a process of efficiently recognizing a pattern is performed. An artificial neural network refers to a calculation model that is based on software or hardware designed to imitate biological calculation ability by applying many artificial neurons interconnected through connection lines.
The human brain consists of neurons that are basic units of a nerve and encrypts or decrypts information according to types of dense connections between the neurons. The artificial neutrons are obtained through the simplification of biological neuron functionality. In addition, the artificial neural network performs a cognition process or a learning process by interconnecting artificial neurons having connection intensities. The connection intensity, which is also referred to as a connection weight, is a predetermined value of the connection line.
Pattern classification methods are applied to medical devices. Electrical biological signals of patients that are received by medical devices, such as, for example, electrocardiography signals, brain waves, electromyography signals, and other signals of patients known to one of ordinary skill in the art, are measured and patterns of the measured biological signals are classified to determine diseases. Recently, research has been directed to ways by which a human method of pattern recognition may be applied to a practical computer, including an application of an artificial neural network to a practical computer that has been obtained based on an engineered model of a cell structure of the human brain that performs pattern recognition.
In order to model a human ability to recognize patterns, an artificial neural network has been designed to perform mapping between input patterns and output patterns based on an algorithm generated by the artificial neural network, thereby enabling the artificial neural network to imitate human learning ability. In addition, based on learning results, the artificial neural network has been designed to generalize by generating a relatively correct output based on an input pattern not reflecting an imitation of human learning ability.

Method of classifying input pattern and pattern classification apparatus

INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, YONSEI UNIVERSITY


The present invention generally relates to the field of biotechnology as it applies to the production of aryl sulfates using recombinant host cells. More particularly, the present invention pertains to recombinant host cells comprising (e.g., expressing) a polypeptide having aryl sulfotransferase activity, wherein said recombinant host cells have been modified to have an increased uptake of sulfate compared to identical host cells that does not carry said modification. Further provided are processes for the production of aryl sulfates, such as zosteric acid, employing such recombinant host cells.

A range of phenolic compounds are of great interest to the biotech industry since they are building blocks for polymeric compounds. Examples of such phenolic compounds include p-coumaric acid (pHCA) or other hydroxycinnamic acids which form the basis for many secondary metabolites including flavonoids and stilbenes. However, many of these phenolic compounds are toxic to producing organisms, and thus limit the productivity during fermentation. Hence, there is a need for large scale production processes, and especially for biological large scale production processes allowing improved productivity.
Moreover, a range of phenolic compounds, and especially those used as drugs or food additives such as resveratrol or vanillin, show poor solubility in water which makes it difficult for these compounds to be uptaken by the body. Hence, there is also a need for providing such phenolic compounds in a form which improves the solubility, and hence bioavailablility, preferably by using biological large scale production processes.

Process for the production of sulfated phenolic compounds using modified


To effectively improve the reception quality in a pico-base station, while preventing throughput of a macro-base station from significantly deteriorating, a macro-base station (M-BS) is provided with a beam generating section (35) that generates a directional beam to a macro-UE using antenna weights based on a beampattern assigned to the macro-UE existing in a macro-cell having a first coverage area, and a coordination section (36) that determines a beam pattern so that a beam pattern to the macro-UE existing in the macro-cell is a beam pattern that suppresses interference power to a pico-UE existing in a pico-cell, in assigning the beam pattern to the macro-UE existing in the macro-cell during a transmission period assigned to a pico-base station (P-BS) locally forming the pico-cell in the macro-cell.

Currently, the 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) has proceeded with the standardization of LTE-advanced (hereinafter, specifications of LTE Release 10 and subsequent specifications are collectively called "LTE-A") that is an evolved radio interface of LTE (Long Term Evolution) Release 8 specifications (hereinafter, referred to as LTE or Rel. 8). LTE-A is aimed at actualizing higher system performance than LTE while keeping backward compatibility with LTE.
In LTE-A, HetNet (Heterogeneous Network) has been studied in which a micro-cell (for example, pica-cell femto-cell, etc.) having a local coverage area with a radius of about several tens of meters is formed in a macro-cell having a wide-range coverage area with a radius of about several kilometers (for example, Non-patent Document 1). In the following description, a radio base station forming the macro-cell is called a macro-base station, and a radio base station forming the micro-cell is called a micro-base station (pico-base station or femto-base station).
A pico-base station that is one of micro-base stations has low transmission power (of about several tens of milliwatts to several watts) and a small cell radius as compared with the macro-base station, but is capable of using radio resources of a bandwidth equal to the macro-base station. Therefore, in order to efficiently accommodate locally concentrated high-density traffic such as a hot spot, offload is studied that the pico-base station accommodates apart of traffic of the macro-base station.
Further, studied is Cell Range Expansion (CRE) that is a technique for providing reception quality (reception power) in cell selection with bias, and thereby increasing the cell radius of the pico-base station. A user terminal existing in the pico-cell expanded by CRE is capable of performing handover (offload) from under the macro-base station to under the pico-base station, and it is thereby possible to increase the offload effect.

Radio base station apparatus, user terminal and radio communication method


Natural language image tags are described. In one or more implementations, at least a portion of an image displayed by a display device is defined based on a gesture. The gesture is identified from one or more touch inputs detected using touchscreen functionality of the display device. Text received in a natural language input is located and used to tag the portion of the image using one or more items of the text received in the natural language input.

The functionality made available via image editing and other applications is ever increasing. For example, users may enhance, crop, composite, matte, and alter image data using a multitude of different operations.
However, the sheer number of choices of operations that are made available may make it difficult for a user to locate a particular operation of interest. This may include making the user aware of the operation and even locating functionality to initiate to operation once aware. Further, determining a portion of an image that is to be the subject of the operation may be inefficient using conventional techniques. Consequently, users may choose to forgo this functionality, which may hinder a user's experience with the applications.


A system for releasably joining balloons and the like to form a structure, novelty, educational, or play item. The present invention comprises a modular system of inflated cells having connection members placed about each cells periphery, said cells configured to form various polyhedral shapes. The preferred embodiment of the present invention teaches the utilization of generally ellipsoidal balloons of a non-elastomeric material, such as MYLAR, each said ellipsoid forming a cell, and being configured to selectively engage neighboring balloons to form generally radial or other multi-celled structures. While the preferred embodiment of the present system contemplates the utilization of hook and loop fasteners, such as VELCRO, for joining the cells, alternative modes of releasable attachment are also contemplated such as adhesives, ties, tape, and shrink wrap. The present system in effect creates a double-walled structure (which walls may be inflated) which utilizes an attachment configuration which provides for enhanced structural integrity, as well as diversity and flexibility in terms of the alternative configured structures and items which may be fabricated utilizing the present system. An alternative embodiment of the present invention contemplates a multi-celled, releasably joined inflatable structure which may be assembled in such a manner as to form a cushion and simulate an explosive impact, upon a user falling or jumping upon same.

U.S. Patents covering technologies pertinent to the present invention include:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Date of Issue ______________________________________ 5333817 Kalisz 09/02/1994 5285986 Hagenlocher 02/15/1994 5115998 Olive 05/26/1992 5004633 Lovik 08/02/1991 4971269 Koda 11/20/1990 4966568 Nakamura 10/30/1990 4934631 Birbas 06/19/1990 4833837 Bonneau 05/30/1989 4766918 Odekirk 09/30/1988 4758199 Tillotson 07/19/1988 4711416 Regipa 12/08/1987 4434958 Rougeron 03/06/1984 4384435 Polise 05/24/1983 4113206 Wheeler 09/12/1978 4114325 Hochstein 09/19/1978 4024679 Rain 05/24/1977 4004380 Kwake 01/25/1977 3816885 Saether 06/18/1974 3744191 Bird 07/10/1973 3676276 Hirshen 07/11/1972 3620485 Gelhard 11/16/1971 3490184 Bird 01/20/1970 3456903 Papst 07/22/1969 3384328 McGee 05/21/1968 3369774 Struble 02/20/1968 3332176 Knetzer 07/25/1967 3247627 Bird 04/26/1966 3277724 Lundeberg 10/11/1966 2996212 O'Sullivan 09/15/1961 2986242 Clevett 05/30/1961 2463517 Chromak 03/08/1949 ______________________________________
The art of building composite structures of inflatable members spans many fields. Most common are structures built of latex balloons. These typically involve decorative bundles of balloons tied together and possibly tied to a supporting structure, such as an arch. These structures are time-consuming to construct due to difficulties in getting the balloons adjusted into desired geometries and it is impractical to deflate the balloons and leave the decorative arrangement intact. The balloons are typically used only once and then discarded. In addition, the balloons frequently fail during construction and strings become tangled causing frustration.
Another commonly seen method for building structures of multiple balloons is the art commonly seen in circuses of tying elastomeric balloons together to form animals and the like. This method requires considerable study, relies on latex balloons, does not form figures that are easily disassembled, and is not well suited to the construction of large structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,500 describes a network of elastomeric multi-spout balloons connected by plugs meant to remedy the difficulties in maintaining desired geometry. However, these structures rely on rigid devices for support and therefore compromise air-floatability. They are also quite complicated to interconnect, and rely on fragile latex balloons.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,709, describes three dimensional balloon sculptures and building blocks. These sculptures also seek to remedy the geometry problem by relying entirely on rod-like members keeping balloons in place. Air floatability is compromised, and the uses of the final structure are limited to static display.
A number of other means of connecting balloons have been presented, one example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,186. Here the connections are very complex and are designed to connect two non-elastomeric balloons together to form a single figure, as in a dog with a head. The method used by U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,186 involves two balloons joined by a tab on one balloon and a collar on another. It suffers from being time-consuming to use and the method can only be applied to a limited range of geometries.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,477 describes inflatable interlockable blocks with frictionally releasable interlocking tongues and grooves. These blocks are substantially two dimensional, since the faces of the blocks are connected together at a pattern of points other than the seams. These structures are not typically envisioned as being air-floatable and most require great size to achieve the required surface/volume ratio for lift with helium. In addition, they use frictional fastening systems and so cannot be used as a ball, require a very specialized shape for engagement, and have difficulty maintaining structural integrity in various states of inflation due to the reliance on a particular balloon shape for fasten ability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,440 uses tube-like inflatable interlockable members with junctions stabilized by hook-and-loop fasteners to form life-size play structures shaped like log cabins. These structures are not typically envisioned as being air-floatable and require great size to achieve the required surface/volume ratio for lift with helium. In addition, they do not come apart readily since they are connected with both frictional and contact fasteners, with contact fasteners buried in the junction. They also are highly restrictive as to shape.
A water-puzzle currently being sold is composed of six inflatable rings connect able into a cube and other configurations by a total of seventy two grommets and thirty six split rings. This device with faces thirty inches across in the uninflated state weighs eighteen hundred grams and requires twenty minutes to assemble and disassemble. This device displays poor structural integrity when assembled.
Other inflatable toys commonly sold are of pre-connected inflatable members that are not typically re-configurable and have no special structural properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,787 describes a set of planar regular polygonal elements joined by hook-and-loop fasteners. These elements are not air-floatable, are rigidly restricted in geometry, and can be unsafe when thrown around the room by children.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,424 describes a toy for demonstrating characteristics of a latticework of space points based on gravity stacked ellipsoidal elements which may be optionally connected by hook-and-loop fasteners. The strong dependence on gravity in this patent precludes any designs for air-floatability. This patent is useful in locating where to place fasteners for spherical elements of a particular lattice, but does not describe the geometries of the contact fastening elements themselves.
Poole, in "Tensional Structures", demonstrates a half-dome constructed of inflatable hexagons and pentagons of plastic foil. This structure is not reconfigurable and as designed could not be assembled if the faces were individually inflated prior to connection into a structure, since the connections between balloons are too short to accommodate the three dimensional faces. This is not a problem for the housing-type applications this half-dome is designed for, and in fact is desirable since it increases the rigidity of the structure through pre-stressing as the dome is inflated.
Minke, in "Tensional Structures", demonstrates polyhedra built of flexibly connected inflatable polygons with internal frames. These structures cannot be made readily air-floatable, cannot act as one polygon on one side and another polygon on the other, and avoid challenges associated with three dimensional faces by using a frame so that faces can be treated as two dimensional objects.
The prior art for large inflatable balloons relies on large gores being sewn together to form a single large envelope. This technique is not suited to automated manufacture, and the resulting balloons are of a fixed shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,998 describes a double-walled annular balloon for satellite protection. This balloon requires 178 psi. to be inflated on earth and is designed to be permanently assembled into only one configuration.
Each instance of prior art suffers from a number of shortcomings this invention attempts to remedy.


A bat, which has a hollow barrel and an internal assembly configured to resist deformation of the hollow barrel, is disclosed. The internal assembly includes multiple rods disposed longitudinally within the hollow barrel. The internal assembly can include a deformable ring having a substantially circular outer wall having a diameter less than an inner diameter of the hollow barrel and multiple holes, with each hole configured to at least partially receive a rod of the multiple rods. The bat can have an end cap including end cap holes extending partially through the end cap, with each end cap hole configured to at least partially receive a rod.

Generally, the performance of a bat is related to the efficiency with which the bat can impart force to a ball upon impact. Bat manufacturers often evaluate a bat's coefficient of restitution (COR) to measure its performance. Previously, bat manufacturers typically sought to improve the performance of bats to achieve an increased COR. Today, however, bat manufacturers are typically concerned with manufacturing bats that provide the greatest performance possible but without exceeding maximum performance metrics of various leagues and other organized forms of play.
Generally, increased deformation experienced by a bat upon impact with a ball corresponds to an increased COR of the bat. Some existing bat designs aim to prevent a bat from exceeding an imposed COR limit by limiting deformation of the bat upon impact of the bat with a ball. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,632,428 to Burger describes a bat that includes a central tube positioned coaxially within the barrel and one or more rigid, "washer-shaped" restriction members to limit the deformation of the bat upon impact with a ball. The washer-shaped restriction members have an outer diameter that is less than the inner diameter of the barrel, such that the barrel is able to deform until the inner wall of the barrel contacts the washer-shaped restriction members. By controlling the amount of possible deformation, it is thus possible to control the amount of deformation experienced by a bat at impact, and thus, limit the maximum COR provided by the bat.
While such a design may sufficiently limit the maximum COR provided by a bat, the bat's performance at lower impact forces may be unnecessarily reduced. That is, at lower forces (e.g., lower swing speed or lower ball speed), deformation of the bat does not need to be limited to prevent the bat from exceeding the maximum COR limit, but the high rigidity and incompressibility of a washer-shaped restriction member would likely prevent deformation of the bat's barrel even at lower forces such that performance of the bat at the lower forces is unnecessarily reduced. More particularly, such a bat may perform substantially differently within three ranges of ball speed. At low speed impacts (e.g., a low speed range), only the barrel may flex. At higher speeds (e.g., a medium speed range), a single side of the barrel (e.g., the portion of the barrel impacting the ball) may engage the washer-shaped restriction member, and at still higher speeds (e.g., a high speed range), two sides of the barrel (e.g., the portion of the barrel impacting the ball and the portion of the barrel directly opposite the impact location) may engage the washer-shaped restriction member. For impacts in the high speed range, the incompressible nature of the washer-shaped restriction member may prevent flex of the washer-shaped restriction member and of the barrel system, as a whole, which can be detrimental to bat performance, particularly at high-force impacts (e.g., impacts with a ball in the high speed range).
What is needed, therefore, is a bat designed to maximize performance within a given set of guidelines at high impact forces while simultaneously maximizing absolute performance of the bat at lower impact forces. It is to such a bat that embodiments of the present invention are primarily directed.

Bat system with performance limiting structure and methods of making same