A method for forming upon a patterned layer within an integrated circuit an ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layer having a diminished pattern sensitivity. There is first provided a semiconductor substrate. Formed upon the semiconductor substrate is a patterned layer which provides a pattern sensitivity to an ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layer formed upon the patterned layer. The patterned layer is also susceptible to modification with a plasma which reduces the pattern sensitivity of the ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layer formed upon the patterned layer. The patterned layer is treated with the plasma. Finally, the ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layer is formed upon the patterned layer. Optionally, a conformal insulator layer may be formed upon the patterned layer prior to forming the ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layer upon the patterned layer. The conformal insulator layer may optionally be treated with a second plasma.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to insulator layers within integrated circuits. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for reducing the pattern sensitivity of ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers within integrated circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
As part of the evolutionary trend in semiconductor integrated circuit technology, there has been a continuing decrease in integrated circuit device and conductor element dimensions and a corresponding increase in aspect ratios of conductor elements which interconnect integrated circuit devices. Due to these decreases in conductor element dimensions and increases in conductor element aspect ratios, there is a continuing need for methods and materials through which there may be formed within integrated circuits insulator layers which possess excellent gap filling capabilities.
Recently developed within the art of insulator layers which possess excellent gap filling capabilities are silicon oxide insulator layers deposited upon patterned layers within integrated circuits through an ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method. Silicon oxide insulator layers deposited through ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) methods are particularly efficient in forming void free gap filling silicon oxide insulator layers between dense high aspect ratio patterned conductor layers within integrated circuits.
Although silicon oxide insulator layers formed through ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) methods, in general, possess superb gap filling characteristics, such silicon oxide insulator layers are not without significant drawbacks. In particular, it is known in the art that ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers typically exhibit a pattern sensitivity dependent upon the materials from which are formed the patterned substrate layers upon which are deposited the ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers. The pattern sensitivity results from different deposition rates and/or different incubation times for forming ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited silicon oxide insulator layers upon those different substrate layers.
Schematic cross-sectional diagrams of patterned integrated circuit layers which illustrate the results of the pattern sensitivity when forming upon the surfaces of those patterned integrated circuit layers an ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layer are shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Shown in FIG. 1 is a substrate layer 2 which is typically an insulator substrate layer formed of silicon oxide. Formed upon the substrate layer 2 is a pair of patterned stacks, typically patterned conductor stacks, which consist of patterned conductor layers 4a and 4b, beneath which reside patterned lower barrier layers 3a and 3b, respectively, and above which reside patterned upper barrier layers 5a and 5b, respectively. The patterned conductor layers 4a and 4b are typically formed of an aluminum containing alloy conductor and the patterned barrier layers 3a, 3b, 5a and 5b are typically formed of titanium nitride.
As shown in FIG. 1, a set of ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers 8a, 8b and 8c, when formed within certain deposition conditions and parameters upon exposed portions of the substrate layer 2 and the patterned stacks, will exhibit decreasing deposition rates and increasing incubation times progressing from the substrate layer 2 to the patterned conductor layers 4a and 4b, and finally to the patterned upper barrier layers 5a and 5b. As also shown in FIG. 1, the ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers 8a, 8b and 8c will not form upon the surfaces of the patterned upper barrier layers 5a and 5b until the incubation time for forming an ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layer upon the patterned upper barrier layers 5a and 5b layers has expired. Thus, resulting from the deposition rate differences and incubation time differences is a pattern sensitivity which is manifested as cusps where the ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers 8a, 8b and 8c rise above but not upon the patterned upper barrier layers 5a and 5b.
Shown in FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of an integrated circuit analogous to the cross-sectional diagram of the integrated circuit illustrated in FIG. 1, with the exception that a blanket conformal silicon oxide insulator layer 7 has been formed upon the exposed surfaces of the substrate layer 2 and the patterned stacks prior to forming the ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers 8d, 8e and 8f thereupon. Notwithstanding the presence of the conformal silicon oxide insulator layer 7, a pattern sensitivity, although typically reduced, is still nonetheless observed when forming the ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers 8d, 8e and 8f upon the conformal silicon oxide insulator layer 7. Analogously with the integrated circuit whose structure is illustrated in FIG. 1, the pattern sensitivity corresponds with the materials from which are formed the substrate layer 2 and the patterned stacks.
As a related phenomenon to the materials considerations through which pattern sensitivities within ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers upon patterned layers within integrated circuits are derived, there also exists a patterned layer areal density phenomenon which simultaneously influences those pattern sensitivities. In particular it has been observed with respect to patterned layers formed of titanium nitride within integrated circuits that areal densities of the titanium nitride patterned layers in excess of about 50 percent provide patterned layers upon which are formed ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers with substantially greater pattern sensitivities (ie: lower deposition rates and longer incubation times) than patterned titanium nitride layers of areal density less than about 40 percent.
Although the pattern sensitivities in forming ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers upon patterned integrated circuit layers, such as patterned conductor layers, provide characteristics upon which several novel ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layer deposition processes may be based, the pattern sensitivities are often detrimental with regard to other ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layer deposition processes. In particular, the pattern sensitivities are detrimental when it is desired to form upon patterned layers within integrated circuits ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers which possess uniformity across the patterned layer.
Thus, it is desirable in the art to provide methods for limiting the pattern sensitivity of ozone assisted Chemical Vapor Deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers upon patterned layers within integrated circuits. Particularly desirable in the art are methods through which pattern sensitivities derived from high areal density patterned layers may be limited. It is towards these goals that the present invention is directed.

Method for reducing the pattern sensitivity of ozone assisted chemical vapor deposited (CVD) silicon oxide insulator layers

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A tilted helical element antenna array has increased effective aperture. By tilting individual helical radiators relative to one another, the region of aperture overlap may be decreased to thereby increase the effective aperture of the array. Helical radiators are disposed at a radiator spacing which is less than the operating wavelength .lambda.. At such a small spacing, the apertures of each of the helical radiators overlap. To decrease this aperture overlap region and thereby increase the effective aperture of the array, each of the helical radiators are tilted relative to one another. Thus, a compact antenna having an increased effective aperture is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to helical antennas, and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method which tilts closely spaced helical radiators in a multiple element array to increase the effective aperture of the antenna.
2. Description of the Related Art
Helical antennas generally consist of a single conductor or multiple conductors (multi-filar) wound into a helical shape. Although such antennas can radiate in many modes, the axial mode is most commonly used. The axial mode generates maximum radiation along the helix axis. By constructing the helix such that the helix's circumference is on the order of one wavelength of the radiation being emitted, the helix will radiate in the axial mode. The radiation emitted from a helical antenna is circularly polarized with the handedness of the polarization determined by the handedness in which the helix is wound.
FIG. 11 graphically depicts the substantially overlapping apertures (700,710) of a first helical radiator 720 and second helical radiator 730. The first and second helical radiators (720,730) have first and second radiation apertures (700,710), respectively. The first radiation aperture 700 and the second radiation aperture 710 substantially overlap to form an aperture overlap region 740.
The first helical radiator 720 is spaced apart from the second helical radiator 730 by a radiator spacing L. As the radiator spacing L decreases from .lambda., the aperture overlap region 740 correspondingly increases in size. This increase in the aperture overlap region 740 decreases the effective aperture of the antenna array. The effective aperture is the union of the first radiation aperture 700 and second radiation aperture 710.
FIG. 12 shows a conventional two helical element antenna array having a first helical radiator 820 and second helical radiator 830. The first and second helical radiators (820, 830) have first and second radiation apertures (800,810).
By spacing the first helical radiator 820 apart from the second helical radiator 830 by a radiator spacing L' that is approximately a wavelength .lambda., the aperture overlap region 740 (shown in FIG. 11) may be avoided. Thus, the effective aperture of the antenna array shown in FIG. 12 is at a maximum because the aperture overlap region does not occur. Such a large radiator spacing L', however, increases the size of the antenna array. Because compact antenna arrays are advantageous, such an increase in size should be avoided.
When compared with a single helical element antenna, the dual helical element antenna shown in FIG. 12 has an effective aperture and gain which is twice (3 dB) that of the single element helical antenna. As the spacing L' is reduced, the effective aperture of the two helical element antenna quickly approaches the effective aperture of a single helical antenna. When the two helical radiators 820, 830 are spaced apart by approximately one wavelength of the signal to be radiated, however, the size of the antenna increases. Such size increases are undesirable.

Tilted element antenna having increased effective aperture and method therefor


A multispectral imaging system and method in which the zero-mode channel is used to provide imaging of any of a variety of optical properties. In one example an imaging method includes spectrally dispersing received electromagnetic radiation into its spectral components with a dispersive element to produce spectrally dispersed electromagnetic radiation, transmitting the electromagnetic radiation through the dispersive element to produce non-dispersed electromagnetic radiation corresponding to a zero order diffraction mode of the dispersive element, imaging the non-dispersed electromagnetic radiation to produce a zero-mode image, and simultaneously imaging the spectrally dispersed electromagnetic radiation to produce a spectral image.

Hyperspectral cameras are used to detect and analyze the spectral composition of electromagnetic radiation, generally in near ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectral bands of electromagnetic radiation. Hyperspectral sensors collect information as a set of "images." Each image in the set represents a range of the electromagnetic spectrum referred to as a spectral band. These "images" are combined to form a three-dimensional hyperspectral data cube for processing and analysis. Hyperspectral remote sensing is used in a wide array of applications.
Conventional multispectral imaging systems rely on linear detectors and mirrors or platform motion to move an image across the sensor to capture and record multispectral images. A multispectral image is one that captures image data at specific frequencies across the electromagnetic spectrum. For different purposes, different combinations of spectral bands can be used. Systems relying on scanning mirrors to obtain multispectral images require moving parts. Expensive scanning lasers and custom filters are used in some systems; however, the properties of the filters are fixed at the design time of the instrument, and cannot be easily modified to reconfigure the system to obtain different data. In addition, some systems require multiple sensors and filters, as well as various beamsplitters, to produce multispectral images.

Multispectral camera using zero-mode channel


A sterile interface module for coupling an electromechanical robotic surgical instrument to a robotic surgical assembly is provided. The surgical instrument includes an end effector and is configured to be actuated by the robotic surgical assembly. The sterile interface module includes a body member and a drive assembly. The body member is configured to selectively couple the surgical instrument to the robotic surgical assembly. The body member is formed of a dielectric material. The drive assembly is supported within the body member and is configured to transmit rotational forces from the robotic surgical assembly to the surgical instrument to actuate the surgical instrument to enable the surgical instrument to perform a function.

Robotic surgical systems have been used in minimally invasive medical procedures. Some robotic surgical systems include a console supporting a surgical robotic arm and a surgical instrument, having at least one end effector (e.g., forceps or a grasping tool), mounted to the robotic arm. The robotic arm provides mechanical power to the surgical instrument for its operation and movement. Each robotic arm may include an instrument drive unit that is operatively connected to the surgical instrument.
Manually-operated surgical instruments often include a handle assembly for actuating the functions of the surgical instrument. However, when using a robotic surgical system, no handle assembly is typically present to actuate the functions of the end effector. Accordingly, to use each unique surgical instrument with a robotic surgical system, an instrument drive unit is used to interface with the selected surgical instrument to drive operations of the surgical instrument. In robotic surgical systems, a robot arm may be used to hold the surgical instrument. In some robotic surgical systems, the entire length of the elongate shaft of the surgical instrument must pass through a holder or other feature of the robot arm, thereby making the removal or exchange of the surgical instrument cumbersome.
Accordingly, a need exists for a robotic surgical system that enables more efficient and expeditious removal or exchange of a surgical instrument.
A need further exists for a robotic surgical system in which the axis of rotation of a surgical instrument takes place in a robotic arm of the robotic surgical assembly as compared to within the surgical instrument itself. In this manner, the construction and assembly of the surgical instrument is simplified and more cost efficient.
Further, a need exists for a robotic surgical system having improved and increased usability. For example, a need also exists for a robotic surgical system that is manually controllable in emergency situations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A luminescent temperature sensor comprising (i) an object having a recess, (ii) a layer of luminescent material disposed in the recess, wherein the luminescent material emits electromagnetic radiation having a detectable optical characteristic that is functionally dependent on the temperature of the object, and (iii) a light waveguide in optical communication with the layer of luminescent material, is provided. A test device for measuring a temperature in a processing step comprising (i) an object having a surface and having a recess in the surface of the object, (ii) a layer of luminescent material disposed in the recess, wherein the luminescent material emits electromagnetic radiation having a detectable optical characteristic that is functionally dependent on the temperature of the object in response to a source of excitation radiation, and (iii) an optical window that seals said layer of luminescent material in the recess in the surface of the object, is provided.

There has been a great deal written about various optical temperature measuring techniques, both in patents and the technical literature, as well as many commercial products utilizing this technology. In one aspect of this technology, a luminescent material is used as a temperature sensor because certain aspects of its luminescence are temperature dependent. Typically in the form of a sensor at the end of a fiber optic cable, the luminescent material is excited to luminescence by sending excitation radiation of one wavelength to the sensor through the optical fiber, and the resulting luminescence at a different wavelength is photo-detected after passing back along the optical fiber. The detected signal is then processed to determine the temperature of the luminescent material in the sensor. Basic concepts of luminescent temperature sensing, as well as many different forms of sensors, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,547. The measurement of the decay time of the luminescence after termination of an excitation pulse, as a measurement of temperature, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,143. Commercial products adopted the decay time measurement technique as a good measurement of temperature. One advantage and focus of luminescent temperature measurement techniques has been for applications in environments having strong electric and/or magnetic fields and the like, where metal sensors cannot be relied upon to provide accurate results because the metal is heated when immersed in the electromagnetic field, causing a bias in the readings.
Applications of these luminescent sensor measurement techniques are numerous, including the measurement of surface temperature. U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,141 describes an elastomeric luminescent sensor at the end of an optical fiber that deforms as it is pushed against a surface being measured in order to establish good thermal contact. Another embodiment employing a thin non-metallic disc with a layer of luminescent material between it and the end of an optical fiber is also described.
Another optical temperature measuring technique relies upon the infrared emissions of a black-body sensor, or one having the characteristics of a black-body. An example of such a system, generally used to measure higher temperatures than measured with luminescent sensors, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,139. The sensor is a black-body emitter formed at the end of an optical fiber. U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,338 describes several forms of a fiber optic sensor that includes both luminescent and blackbody temperature measuring elements. Each of the foregoing identified patents is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
There are also many other optical temperature sensing techniques that have been described in patents and the literature, as well as being used commercially. But the luminescent and black-body techniques have generally been preferred over those others.

In situ optical surface temperature measuring techniques and devices


A method and apparatus of in-line die-cutting in saddle signature gathering wherein signature sets are gathered on a gathering chain to form signature sets. The signature set is grasped by a pair of belts which lift the signature off the gathering line so that a portion of the signature set along the spine thereof may be removed by a die-cutting pair of plates located above the gathering line. The signature sets may be stopped as lifting and cutting occurs. After lifting and cutting the signature set is replaced on the gathering line for further processing.

Saddle gathering format is commonly used in collating multiple pages to create publications such as magazines and calendars. Saddle format means that an individual signature having a central fold line is placed on a moving line or gathering chain. Subsequent signatures each having a central fold line are placed in succession on top of the first signature with their central common fold lines lying together parallel and on top of the gathering line. The signatures are preprinted and their order of placement upon the gathering line is programmed so that upon binding the pages of the magazine or publication are in order. In the ordinary gathering line, the chain moves under the feeding devices. As it acquires more and more signatures, and upon emerging from the last feeding device it will have enough signatures compiled in the proper order to constitute a complete publication. Thereafter, a cover is generally applied and staples or another type of binding is added to hold the compiled signatures together.
Typically after stapling, the cover and the signatures are trimmed so that their margins register. Trimming is necessary because generally a small amount of inconsistencies exists along the edges of the various signatures after gathering.

Method and apparatus for lifting and die-cutting signatures in saddle format


Systems and methods described herein are directed to persona management within a user's single and unified online identity, including defining a plurality of personas for a single identity, the single identity comprising a plurality of personal attributes, associating each of the defined personas with at least one of the plurality of personal attributes, separating the plurality of personas associated with the single identity based on the at least one of the plurality of personal attributes, selecting one of the personas to use in an online interaction with an online application, and controlling access of the online application to the associated at least one of the personal attributes, based on whether the selected one of the plurality of personas corresponds to the online application.

People may behave differently in the various online roles that they have in everyday life. For example, a person may take the role of a parent when posting family pictures on a picture sharing website, and another role of a stamp collector when participating on a stamp collecting forum. Within each role, the person's behavior also depends on the context. Some of the roles of the person and contexts of the online application may be incompatible with one another. In view of such potential incompatibility, people take great care to insulate the roles and contexts against one another by assuming personas to act within given role-context combinations. For example, a civil servant may not want his posts regarding his celebrity-following activity to be known to his working colleagues.
A persona is an online identity that a person may adapt to play a certain role or to address certain online applications based on contexts of the online applications. In contrast to online pseudonyms, which are disjointed screen names created by a user, personas are tied together to one online identity that can be representative of a real-life identity. Personas are associated with the user's personal attributes, personal information, and activities from the one online identity that the user may utilize in various contexts.
A breakdown of the insulation of a persona can have serious consequences to the person, ranging from awkward situations over strong embarrassment to social stigma and isolation. In other contexts, leakage of information between aspects of a person may even pose a threat to the person. Thus, there is an unmet need to avoid persona breakdown and its associated problems. There is also an unmet need to maintain anonymity across personas where applicable and desired by the user, by hiding the real-life identity of the person associated with the persona.


A thin-type photoelectric smoke detector which is less susceptible to the effect of disturbance light noise, contamination of a smoke detecting unit, etc., and which ensures high sensitivity for the optical detection characteristic of the smoke detecting section. In the photoelectric smoke detector of the type in which infrared light is irradiated into a flat smoke detecting chamber and the scattered light of the irradiated infrared light due to smoke entering into the smoke detecting chamber is detected by a light-sensing element, there are provided optical members for expanding the visual field of the light-sensing element to a flat visual field corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the smoke detecting chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoelectric smoke detector and more particularly to the structure of the light-sensing system within its smoke detecting unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, formed inside a photoelectric smoke detector of the scattered light type is a smoke detecting chamber which communicates with the exterior in a condition where the detector is attached to a ceiling so that in a monitoring mode infrared light is intermittently irradiated into the smoke detecting chamber and a light-sensing element detects the scattered light of the infrared light caused by smoke entering into the smoke detecting chamber. The smoke detecting chamber is generally in the form of a flat cylindrical space which extends along the ceiling and whose outer periphery is surrounded by an insect screening, and arranged on the inner side of the insect screening are a plurality of labyrinth plates which serve the purpose of ensuring the communication with the exterior and preventing the entry of light from the exterior.
A light source including an infrared light emitting diode is arranged at the position of some labyrinth plates within the smoke detecting chamber and the infrared light emitting diode intermittently irradiates infrared light within a relatively wide range of angles in the width direction inside the chamber. Arranged at another position between other labyrinth plates within the smoke detecting chamber is the light-sensing element whose optical axis is extended in a direction which intersects the optical axis of the infrared light emitting diode, and disposed between the light source and the light-sensing element is a light shielding member for preventing the irradiated light from the infrared light emitting diode from directly falling on the light-sensing element. Also arranged at still another position near the peripheral wall of the smoke detecting chamber is a test light emitting diode for irradiating a test light and it faces the light-sensing element. The light-sensing element is generally composed of a photodiode covered with a shielding cap and it has a light sensitivity to both the infrared light from the infrared light emitting diode and the visible light from the test light emitting diode.
When smoke enters into the smoke detecting chamber from the outside through between the insect screening and the labyrinth plates, the infrared light irradiated from the light source is scattered by smoke particles and a part of the scattered light falls on the light-sensing element. The light-sensing element generates a detection output synchronized with the intermittent emission of light from the infrared light emitting diode or the light source so that its magnitude is detected in terms of a smoke density by a suitable electric signal processing circuit and it is utilized for the determination of a fire.
With the above-described conventional photoelectric smoke detector having the thin-type flat smoke detecting chamber, if it is desired to improve the sensitivity of the detector, there is a limitation to the optical detection characteristic of the smoke detecting unit itself and generally it is necessary to increase the gain of the signal amplifying system of the electric signal processing circuit within the detector. In this case, however, the gain in the noise component of the detection output from the optical system is also increased with the result that the detection output is varied considerably by a slight change in the characteristics, such as, the effect of the optical external noise within the smoke detecting chamber and the contamination of the chamber inner wall and the optical system.

Photoelectric smoke detector with expanded visual field


A light guitar support includes a support rod, an adjusting unit, two leg supports, two brackets, an upper support rod, a support seat, and a fastening device. The support rod has a lower portion and an upper portion. The upper portion is bent about an angle with respect to the lower portion and forms an insert portion for receiving a lower end of the upper support rod. The support seat is mounted on an upper end of the upper support rod. The support seat includes a transverse clamping plate and a longitudinal clamping plate. The fastening device is mounted at a rear end of the transverse clamping plate to be held thereby when in use or when folded. The fastening device includes an upright bar, a substantially U-shaped fastening seat, a positioning sleeve, and two curved bars. The upright bar has a front end and a rear end. The rear end of the upright bar is mounted on the transverse clamping plate to thereby couple the fastening device to the support seat. The fastening seat is secured to the front end of the upright bar. The protective sleeve is fitted over the fastening seat. The positioning sleeve has a front side formed with two bar receiving holes that have a shape resembling the numeral "8". The curved bars are received in the bar receiving holes such that the curved bars can displace inwardly to a closing position or outwardly to an opening position to clamp or release an upper portion of a guitar to thereby protect the guitar from possible damage.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light guitar support, more particularly to a light guitar support that can positively hold a guitar in position and protect the guitar from possible damage, and that is foldable in a convenient manner.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
In R.O.C. Utility Model Patent Application No. 84212206 (Publication No. 112704), the inventor of the present invention discloses a light guitar support that comprises a support rod, a T-shaped adjusting frame, two leg supports, two brackets, and two support rods. The guitar support disclosed therein is characterized in that the T-shaped adjusting frame is mounted at an upper end of the support rod, and includes a tongue and a T-shaped plate for mounting of the leg supports such that the leg supports extend in a cross-shape (i.e., in all four directions) to enable the guitar support to stand firmly on the floor. The brackets are mounted at lower ends of the leg supports for securing the support rod that is adapted for placement of a guitar, thereby providing a foldable guitar support that is convenient to use. As the above-mentioned guitar support is compact and foldable, it is convenient to carry, package, and transport. Besides, packaging and transportation costs can be reduced. In use, the guitar can be simply placed on the guitar support. However, since only the bottom portion of the guitar is supported by the brackets of the guitar support, with the rear side thereof resting against an elastic pad of a support block of the guitar support, when the guitar is hit by an external force, the guitar will fall and may consequently be damaged.


An electrochemical cell (400) is provided having a singular electrical coupling. A flexible substrate (200) having an interconnect extension (209) is coupled to an electrochemical cell structure (300). The assembly is then placed into an enclosure (301), such that a portion of the flexible substrate (200) is disposed within the enclosure (301). The enclosure (301) is then sealed about the interconnect extension (209) such that the interconnect extension (209) projects distally from the closure (404) as a singular electrical coupling. Embodiments of the invention facilitate the manufacture of narrow cells without compromising cell reliability.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to electrochemical cell construction, and more particularly to an electrochemical cell having a singular external coupling.
2. Background Art
Portable electronic devices are becoming more and more popular. Many people today use multiple portable electronic devices daily. These devices include mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, portable music players, cameras, calculators, watches, radios, and computers, just to name a few. These portable devices derive their portability from batteries. Batteries, including rechargeable batteries, allow portable devices to slip the surly bonds of wall outlets and touch the face of a world on the move.
Each battery, be it rechargeable or primary, relies on an electrochemical cell for energy storage. While there may be other components in the battery pack, including circuit boards, mechanical assemblies, protection components, charging components, fuel gauging circuits, temperature measurement circuits and indicator circuits, energy is stored and released by the electrochemical cell.
Each electrochemical cell includes a cathode and an anode. The two are electrically isolated, and offer a current path into or away from the electrochemical cell. Turning now to FIG. 1, illustrated therein is a prior art rechargeable cell 100. In such a rechargeable cell 100, the anode and cathode are electrically isolated by a separator. The anode-separator-cathode assembly 101 is then either wound in a "jellyroll" configuration or laminated in a stack.
An anode conductive tab 102 and a cathode conductive tab 103 are coupled to the anode and cathode, respectively. Each tab 102,103, generally constructed from metal foil, is then joined to an external tab 104,105. The external tabs 104,105 provide electrical conductivity to external components. As with the anode and cathode, the conductive tabs 102,103 and the external tabs 102,103 must remain electrically isolated from each other.
To accomplish the electrical isolation, the cell assembly is placed in an enclosure 106. The opening 107 of the enclosure 106 is then sealed about the external tabs 104,105. A tight seal is required about the external tabs 104,105 to prevent any electrolyte from escaping the enclosure 106. The tight seal also prevents dust, moisture, and debris from entering the cell.
To ensure a tight seal, with no space or pockets on the sides of the external tabs 104,105, plastic sealing members 108,109 are placed about the external tabs 104,105. The enclosure 106 is then sealed about the plastic sealing members 108,109.
The prior art configuration of FIG. 1 works well as long as the width 110 of the cell structure 101 is sufficient to accommodate two external tabs, associated components, and a corresponding mechanical seal. When the width 110 of the cell structure 101 becomes smaller, the external tabs 104,105 get closer and closer together. This can compromise reliability, as the external tabs 104,105—when too close—can short the anode and cathode. Further, the quality of the manufacturing process used to construct the cell can be adversely affected when the external tabs 104,105 get too close together.
There is thus a need for an improved cell interconnect that accommodates narrow electrochemical cells.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

Electrochemical cell with singular coupling and method for making same


The vacuum valve contact material of the present invention is manufactured by a step of mixing an anti-arc constituent powder and a conductive constituent powder, a step of forming, and a step of sintering the formed body below the melting point of the conductive constituent, and has improved arc interruption performance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact material for a vacuum valve whereby a stable voltage withstanding characteristic is obtained.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the three basic characteristics required by a contact material are anti-welding interrupting characteristics, voltage withstanding characteristics and current interrupter characteristics; additionally, low and stable temperature rise characteristics and contact resistance characteristics are important requirements.
However, since some of these requirements are contradictory, it is not possible to satisfy all the requirements by metal of a single type. For this reason, in many of the contact materials that are practically employed, two or more elements are used in combination in order to mutually compensate for each others' deficiencies and contact materials for special applications such as large current or high voltage are being developed; some of these have excellent characteristics in their own way. However, the present situation is that no vacuum valve contact material has yet been obtained that fully satisfies increasingly severe requirements in terms of high voltage withstanding characteristic and large current interrupter characteristic.
In recent years, for example Cu (copper) or Cr (chromium) contacts, which have excellent voltage withstanding characteristics, have come to be chiefly used in ordinary circuit breakers in order to satisfy such demands. Methods of manufacturing CuCr contacts include the solid-phase sintering method comprising mixing Cu powder and Cr powder, forming and sintering, the infiltration method, in which manufacture is effected by infiltrating Cu into a Cr skeleton, and the arc welding method etc. Of these various methods of manufacture, the solid-phase sintering method is the most convenient method of manufacture, and has the characteristic advantage of enabling manufacture at low cost but, on the other hand, it was subject to the problem that the voltage withstanding characteristic was inferior.
As described above, the prior art is subject to the problem that contacts manufactured by the solid-phase sintering method, which is an inexpensive method of manufacture, are inferior in voltage withstanding characteristic.


The invention is generally directed to a slider that is particularly suited for dynamic load/unload disk drive designs. This slider desirably addresses potential disk damage associated with contact between sharp edges of the slider of the disk drive and the data storage surface of a corresponding disk. Any appropriate type/configuration of a disk drive may benefit from performing read/write operations utilizing the slider of the present invention. Generally, this slider includes at least one air bearing surface which enables the slider to “fly” above the read/write surface of the disk, and at least one self-blending contact pad disposed on the lower surface of the slider to reduce the potential for contact between any portion of the slider other than the self-blending contact pad(s) and the corresponding read/write surface of the disk.

One common disk drive design generally includes at least one data storage disk (e.g., magnetic) with concentric data tracks, an air bearing slider for each data storage surface of each data storage disk that includes a read/write head for reading and writing data on the various data tracks on the corresponding data storage surface, an actuator arm assembly (generally including a rigid actuator arm or tip and a suspension) for holding the slider over the corresponding data storage surface, and a voice coil motor for moving the actuator arm assembly, and hence the head(s), across the corresponding data storage surface to the desired data track and holding the head over the relevant data track during a read or write operation. The air bearing slider flies above its corresponding data storage surface during disk drive operations on a boundary layer of air that is carried by the rotating data storage disk and that is appropriately compressed by the slider.
Disk drives increasingly reflect a need to improve the density at which information can be recorded on and reliably read from a data storage medium, e.g. a disk. Because the recording density of a disk drive is effectively limited by the distance between the head and the data storage medium, a goal of most flying-type slider designs is to operate a slider as closely as possible to a data storage medium while avoiding physical impact with the medium. In slider air bearing designs, a minimal amount of clearance (fly height) of the slider relative to the data storage medium is preferred so that the head can distinguish magnetic fields emanating from adjacently spaced tracks on the data storage medium.
Disk drive operations ideally require the slider to maintain a constant spacing between the read/write head and the data storage medium across all of the data tracks, from the central portion to the outer periphery of the data storage medium, e.g. a disk. This requirement presents a key technical challenge since the air velocity created by a rotating disk varies in both magnitude and direction relative to the annular position of the slider about the data storage medium. The problem is further exacerbated for disk drives having rotary actuators since slider pitch generally varies with respect to the annular position of the slider about the data storage medium. Thus, in addition to achieving an optimal minimal average spacing between the data storage medium and the slider, it is critical that the slider fly at a relatively constant height notwithstanding the variation in conditions the slider experiences during normal operation of the disk drive.
A slider may experience fly height disparities due to variations in one or both pitch and lateral roll. "Pitch" is a measure of the angle formed between the longitudinal axis of the slider and the direction of rotation of the data storage medium as measured in a plane parallel to a major surface of the data storage medium. The pitch of the slider varies in a disk drive as the slider moves from track to track across the data storage medium. The pitch of the slider also varies in a disk drive when the slider moves in response to forces, e.g. stress, exerted upon it. Lateral roll, on the other hand, is a measure of the angle of rotation about the longitudinal axis of the slider. Variations in lateral roll occur when a slider experiences a skewed air flow and/or when the slider impacts the data storage medium e.g. during a contact event or loading/unloading of the slider relative to the corresponding data storage medium.
A slider also experiences varying conditions during movement of the positioning system as it accesses data on various portions of the data storage medium. Movement of the slider across the data storage medium can lead to dramatic variation in lateral roll and pitch, and a resultant variation in fly height which could result in the slider contacting the surface of the data storage medium. The above-noted phenomena are all reasons that a slider must be able to manage pitch and roll variations. Additionally, contact events such as dropping or striking the disk drive can cause the slider to contact and damage the data storage medium.
A wide variety of disk drive and slider designs have been proposed and implemented to reduce damage to the data storage medium and/or reduce the frequency of contact between the slider and the data storage medium. Specifically, harder disk substrates have been employed to reduce damage inflicted upon the disk due to contact from the slider. However, such a development simply requires even greater control of the pitch and lateral roll of the slider since contact with the harder disk can potentially damage the slider. Additionally, blends have been added to the corners of one or more air bearing surfaces of conventional sliders, but this has resulted in sliders which demonstrate wide variations in one or more of fly height, pitch, and lateral roll. Finally, pads have been proposed for the lower surface of the slider for providing a contact surface during a shock event and in load/unload operations. Notwithstanding these efforts, it would be desirable to develop a slider design which prevents damage to the disk surface during any of contact, loading, and operation.

Flying-type disk drive slider with self-blending contact pad


Control device for a transmission unit comprising a clutch and a gear shift which are coupled respectively to a first and a second actuator unit in order to operate the actuation of the clutch and the selection and engagement/disengagement of the gears. The device comprises a transmission control circuit in which a main microprocessor formulates control signals for the first and second actuator unit and an auxiliary microprocessor determines a state of malfunctioning of the main microprocessor in order to transfer the control of the transmission unit to the auxiliary microprocessor in the event of a fault.

The present invention relates to a device and a method for transmission control.
Control devices for vehicle transmission units are known, in which an electronic circuit supplies control signals for a first and a second actuator unit which are able to operate, respectively, the actuation of a clutch and the selection and engagement/disengagement of the gears of a shift associated with this clutch. The known electronic circuits comprise at least one microprocessor which generates the clutch and shift actuation signals on the basis of a plurality of input signals, for example representative of a manually selected gear, of the working conditions of the engine, etc.
In the event of a malfunctioning of the microprocessor, the control signals may be completely lacking or may be generated in an entirely chance manner making the transmission unit unusable and giving rise, as a consequence, to the unmanageability of the vehicle. In particular, in the event of a malfunctioning of the microprocessor while the vehicle is travelling at high speed, any failing in traction due to the accidental opening of the clutch or to the accidental disengaging of the engaged gear, may give rise to the loss of control of the vehicle. Similar considerations may hold in the event of a malfunctioning of the microprocessor while the vehicle is travelling along a steeply descending stretch of road.

Device and method for transmission control


A multimedia output device and an audio output method thereof are provided. The multimedia output device is electrically connected to an external speaker. The audio output method includes following steps. The multimedia output device determines whether an identification resistor exists in the external speaker. If the identification resistor exists in the external speaker, the multimedia output device determines whether the identification resistor complies with a predetermined resistance range. If the identification resistor complies with the predetermined resistance range, the multimedia output device outputs an audio signal to the external speaker to be played.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a technique for protecting an external speaker, and more particularly, to a multimedia output device for protecting an external speaker and an audio output method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent design of multimedia playing system, a manufacturer usually splits the speaker unit into a treble module and a bass module and places the bass module into the machine as much as possible, so as to bring a better audio experience to the users. However, with such a design, it is difficult to balance between the volume of the speaker unit and the size of the machine. Additionally, it is impossible to place a high-power bass speaker unit into a portable multimedia device that is designed very light, small, and slim.
Moreover, a first connector of an external speaker may be a two-pole plug or a three-pole plug used for electrically connecting a second connector of a multimedia playing system. A short circuit may be produced due to the mechanical characteristics of the first connector and the second connector.
Furthermore, a conventional multimedia playing system does not have any protection circuit for an external speaker. Instead, audio signals are directly output to the external speaker to be played. Thereby, when an external speaker with a wrong connector is plugged into a conventional multimedia playing system, neither the system nor the external speaker is protected.

Multimedia output device with detection and protection circuit and audio output method thereof


An apparatus and method for loading flat articles of clothing into a laundry processing unit is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a frame having an entrance opposite an end of a conveyor belt, at least one loading post controlled by an operator, with a first pair of clamps for an article of clothing, and a device for lifting the clamps until the article is transferred to a second pair of clamps associated with a spreader, including a pivoting arm supporting clamps connected to a slide slidably mounted on a tilted guide rail and rotation driving means of arm and translation driving means of slide serve to move clamps in a combined translation and rotation trajectory. The apparatus comprises further features adapted to produce relative movements and to adopt different positions with respect to frame in order to provide at least one operating mode and at least one transport mode.

In laundry processing plants, processing units such as ironing and folding machines for clothing are used, into which the flat articles of clothing must be introduced in a spread out condition on a mobile conveyor belt. In the prior art apparatuses are known for loading flat articles of clothing into such laundy processing units.
Patent EP-A-0554205 describes one of such loading apparatuses, including a frame with an entrance opposite one reception end of a conveyor belt and one or more loading posts located in front of said entrance. Each loading post is controlled and served by an operator, and includes a first pair of clamps in which said operator can catch the ends of a flat article of clothing, and lifting means adapted to move said first pair of clamps, with the article of clothing hanging down, to a higher position in which the first pair of clamps transfers the ends of the flat article of clothing to a second pair of clamps associated with spreading out means mounted on the frame. Said spreading out means include a pair of carriages running on respective guide rails extending above and next to the reception end of the conveyor belt transverse to the transport direction thereof. Each clamp in said second pair of clamps is mounted on one respective carriage of said pair of carriages, and driving means are configured and arranged to move each carriage independently, separating them from one another, between positions in front of the loading post, where the transfer took place, and suitable positions with respect to the centre of the conveyor belt in order to spread out the flat article of clothing sufficiently. In this position, the flat article of clothing is held by the top ends thereof by the second pair of clamps and hangs down vertically. Blowing and suction means help to place one end of the flat article of clothing spread out over said reception end of the conveyor belt at the same time as the scond pair of clamps release the article. In the lifting means, the trajectory of the said movement of said first pair of clamps to a higher position is a tilted rectilinear trajectory, with a loading end positioned at a lower level and more external that the opposite transfer end. In other words, both clamps in the first pair of clamps simultaneously carry out translation movements along parallel trajectories from the loading position to the transfer position and subsequently translation movements in the opposite direction upon returning to the loading position.
The arrangement described in said patent EP-A-0554205, at the time, represented an advantage because the operators did not need to lift the flat articles of clothing to catch them directly in the second pair of clamps, but instead they catch them on the first pair of clamps and the lifting means produce the lift. However, this arrangement can be improved in terms, for example, of the implementation speed of the lifting means and the ergonomy of the loading posts.
JP-200232600 describe a cloth conveyor assembly capable of streching and conveying large clothers such as sheets and small clothes such as pillows cases and napkins. A front wall of a suction chamber is installed provided with vertically displaceable grips so that it can be moved between a use position wherein it projects form a front end of a hand-operating conveyor to a clothes feeding operation position and a storage position wherein it moves back to the inside of the front end of said hand operating conveyor. The reduction of volume obtained between these two positions only provides a longitudinal reduction but a height reduction is not obtained. This document does not disclose one of said two referred positions being apt to provide a transport mode of the apparatus, with a reduced global volume.

Apparatus and method for loading flat articles of clothing into a laundry processing unit


A flash memory device and a method for fabricating the same is disclosed that reduces or prevents mis-operation and improves integration, which includes a semiconductor substrate having a field region and an active region; a device isolation layer on the field region including a conductive (e.g., polysilicon) layer and an insulating layer thereon; a sidewall spacer at sides of the device isolation layer; an ONO layer on the active region; a gate electrode on the ONO layer; source and drain regions at sides of the gate electrode in the active region; a passivation layer on the semiconductor substrate, having a contact hole in the drain region; and a drain electrode in the contact hole, connected with the drain region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flash memory device and a method for fabricating the same, and more particularly, to a flash memory device and a method for fabricating the same, which is suitable for improving integration in a SONOS (Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon) cell.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A typical example of a nonvolatile memory device, in which data can be rewritable, is EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). Generally, EEPROM devices use a floating gate type cell.
With rapid development of high-integration devices, the size of the floating gate type cell has generally decreased according to the related art. However, beyond a certain size, it is difficult to decrease the cell size since a relatively high voltage is generally used in programming and erasing modes, and it is difficult to obtain sufficient process margin for defining tunneling. For these (and other) reasons, various nonvolatile memory devices such as SONOS, FeRAM, SET and NROM have been studied actively as a substitute for the floating gate type cell. Among them, SONOS cell has attracted great attention as a nonvolatile memory device that can substitute for the floating gate type cell.
Hereinafter, a related art SONOS type nonvolatile memory device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a layout of showing a unit cell of an SONOS type nonvolatile memory device according to the related art. FIG. 2A is a cross sectional view along I–I′ of FIG. 1. FIG. 2B is a cross sectional view along II–II′ of FIG. 1. FIG. 2C is a cross sectional view of showing a pattern defect due to misalignment.
As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the unit cell of the SONOS type nonvolatile memory device according to the related art includes a semiconductor substrate 11, a device isolation layer 12, an ONO layer 13, and a gate electrode 14. At this time, the device isolation layer 12 (an STI, or Shallow Trench Isolation, structure) is formed in the semiconductor substrate 11, to divide the semiconductor substrate 11 into a field region and an active region. Also, the ONO layer 13 is formed by sequentially stacking a lower oxide layer 13a, a nitride layer 13b and an upper oxide layer 13c in order, wherein the lower oxide layer 13a is used as a tunnel oxide layer, the nitride layer 13b functions as a memory (storage) layer, and the upper oxide layer 13c functions as a gate dielectric or blocking layer for preventing the loss of electric charges. Then, the gate electrode 14 is formed on the ONO layer 13. In addition, source and drain regions 15a and 15b are formed at both sides of the gate electrode 14 in the active region of the semiconductor substrate 11. Then, a drain contact hole 16 is formed in the drain region 15b, for connection with an upper line.
In this case, the device isolation layer 12 is formed of an insulating layer in an STI (Shallow Trench Isolation) process. Recently, as dimensions in design rules for high integration semiconductor device decrease, the distance between the device isolation layers 12 becomes small. Accordingly, when the drain region 15b is formed in the semiconductor substrate 11 between the device isolation layers 12, a width of the drain region 15b is also decreased, so that it is difficult to obtain a sufficient interval between the drain contact hole 16 and the device isolation layer 12.
In case of misalignment when forming the drain contact hole 16, as shown in FIG. 2C, the drain contact hole 16 may be formed above the device isolation layer 12 as well as above the drain region 15b. That is, when forming the drain contact hole 16, a portion of the semiconductor substrate 11 adjacent to the device isolation layer 12 may be etched, thereby generating junction leakage. Accordingly, the memory device may operate incorrectly or fail.

Flash memory device and method for fabricating the same


A wave absorber comprising first foamed particles comprising foamed particles of a thermoplastic organic polymer and a conductive layer formed on the surface thereof, and second foamed particles comprising foamed particles of a thermoplastic organic polymer, the first foamed particles and the second foamed particles being melt-adhered to each other, and a method for producing same. The wave absorber of the present invention is superior in a long-term shape retention, and shows superior wave absorption performance, thereby rendering itself suitable for use in an anechoic chamber.

A wave absorber for an anechoic chamber, specifically for an antenna pattern measurement, is required to have higher (e.g., about 30-40 dB) wave absorption performance than ordinary wave absorbers. Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 4-144197/1992 proposes a wave absorber for use in an anechoic chamber, which is produced by preparing a material by adhering foamed organic polymer beads with one another using an adhesive, which particles having a surface layer made from a conductive material such as carbon black and graphite, and forming the material into a desired shape such as a quadratic pyramid, cone, wedge and the like.
Of the formed products proposed therein, particularly that having a quadratic pyramidal shape, which is known to achieve superior wave absorption performance, is associated with a problem that the vertex of the quadratic pyramid is decayed by a short-term use to result in drastic degradation of wave absorption performance.
According to the studies by the present inventors, the adhesion between foamed organic polymer beads in the formed product proposed in the above publication is achieved only by the adhesion of an extremely thin resin binder contained in the conductive layer, and said adhesion has been found to decrease during a short-term use of the wave absorber.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wave absorber superior in a long-term shape retention, which is made of foamed organic polymer particles having a conductive layer on the surface thereof, and a method of production thereof.

Wave absorber and method for production thereof


A display device includes a display panel having plural pixels each provided with a thin film transistor and arranged in a matrix configuration in its display area, and a drain driver for supplying video signals to the plural pixels. The drain driver supplies video signals to the plural pixels in a time-division-multiplex fashion based upon the kind of the video signals to be displayed, or based upon the location of plural display blocks forming the display area.

The present invention relates to a display device using thin film transistors. Among display devices having pixels provided with a thin film transistor and arranged in a matrix configuration, there are liquid crystal display devices using liquid crystal, and display devices of the EL type using electroluminescence.
FIG. 16 shows a first conventional liquid crystal display device using thin film transistors. In this liquid crystal display device, thin film transistors are arranged in an array on one of two opposing transparent glass substrates (not shown), and a transparent counter electrode is disposed on the other of the two opposing transparent glass substrate. The liquid crystal display device needs polarizers and a backlight as its constituent parts in addition to a display panel formed of the two opposing transparent substrates, but those constituent parts are not directly related to the present invention, and therefore in the subsequent explanation, the one of the two substrates formed with the thin film transistors is referred to as the display panel.
In FIG. 16, fabricated on the display panel LCP are a plurality of scanning lines GL extending horizontally and a plurality of drain lines DL extending vertically. Thin film transistors TFT are fabricated in the vicinities of intersections of the scanning lines GL and the drain lines DL. A gate of each of the thin film transistors is connected to a corresponding one of the scanning lines GL, and one of a drain and a source of each of the thin film transistors is connected to a corresponding one of the drain lines DL, and the other of the drain and the source is connected to a pixel electrode. A plurality of pixels each having the thin film transistor TFT and the pixel electrode are arranged in a matrix configuration on the crystal display panel LCP. Shown in FIG. 16 are pixels PXR for displaying red images, pixels PXG for displaying green images, and pixels PXB for displaying blue images coupled to respective scanning lines GL, among the pixels arranged in the matrix configuration. A trio of the pixel PXR, the pixel PXG and the pixel PXB forms a picture dot. In an actual display area DPA, the trios are formed in a repeating configuration.
In operation of displaying, video signals supplied to the drain lines DL are applied to the pixel electrodes by selecting one of the scanning lines GL, and thereby turning on the thin film transistors TFT connected to the selected scanning line GL. As a result, a liquid crystal composition sandwiched between the pixel electrodes and the counter electrode is driven, and thereby light transmission between the pixel electrodes and the counter electrode is controlled, and consequently, a display is produced.
The scanning lines GL extends outside of the display area DPA formed with the pixels arranged in a matrix configuration, and are coupled to gate drivers VSR outside of the left and right sides of the display area DPA. The drain lines DL also extend outside of the display area DPA. In this liquid crystal display device, the drain lines DL coupled to pixels for displaying red, green, and blue images are connected to one terminal of switches SWR, SWG, and SWB, respectively. The other terminals of the three switches SWR, SWG, and SWB connected to the drain lines DL for a red (R) signal, a green (G) signal and a blue (B) signal, respectively, are connected together and connected to one of video signal input terminals VIDEOIN formed on the display panel LCP.
The switches SWR associated with the pixels PXR for displaying red images are controlled by a signal φ1, the switches SWG associated with the pixels PXG for displaying green images are controlled by a signal φ2, and the switches SWB associated with the pixels PXB for displaying blue images are controlled by a signal φ3. All the drain lines DL coupled to the pixels PXR for displaying red in the display area DPA are coupled to corresponding ones of the video signal input terminals VIDEOIN via the respective switches SWR controlled by the signal φ1, all the drain lines DL coupled to the pixels PXG for displaying green in the display area DPA are coupled to corresponding ones of the video signal input terminals VIDEOIN via the respective switches SWG controlled by the signal φ2, and all the drain lines DL coupled to the pixels PXB for displaying blue in the display area DPA are coupled to corresponding ones of the video signal input terminals VIDEOIN via the respective switches SWB controlled by the signal φ3. In other words, each of the video signal input terminals VIDEOIN is coupled to the three drain lines DL coupled to the three pixels for displaying red (R) signals, green (G) signals and blue (B) signals via the three switches SWR, SWG, SWB controlled by the three signals φ1, φ2 and φ3, respectively.
The video signal input terminals VIDEOIN formed on the display panel LCP are connected to terminals of tape carrier packages TCP1, TCP2 and TCP3, and are connected to drain drivers DRV1, DRV2 and DRV3 (numerical suffixes 1, 2, 3, . . . will be sometimes hereinafter dropped where confusion can hardly arise) mounted on the tape carrier packages TCP1, TCP2 and TCP3 via wiring thereon. In FIG. 16, the video signal input terminals VIDEOIN and the terminals of the terminals of the tape carrier packages TCP1, TCP2 and TCP3 are separated from each other, but in practice they are connected to each other as by anisotropic conductive sheets. The three signals φ1, φ2 and φ3 for controlling the switches SWR, SWG and SWB formed on the display panel LCP are supplied from an external control circuit TCON external to the display panel LCP.
FIG. 15 shows an internal structure of the drain driver DRV. The drain driver includes an input latch I-LTC for holding video data in digital form supplied from an external circuit, an output latch P-LTC for receiving the video data from the input latch I-LTC, and digital-to analog converters DAC for converting the video data held in the output latch P-LTC into analog signals for the purpose of supplying video signals to the video signal input terminals VIDEOIN of the display panel LCP.
In this display device explained above, during a period when a given one of the scanning lines GL is selected, first a first kind of video signals supplied from the drain drivers DRV1, DRV2, DRV3 are written into the red-displaying pixels PXR via the switches SWR by turning the signal φ1 into an ON state, then during the same period when the given one of the scanning lines GL is selected, a second kind of video signals supplied from the drain drivers DRV1, DRV2, DRV3 are written into the green-displaying pixels PXG via the switches SWG by turning the signal φ2 into an ON state, and then during the same period when the given one of the scanning lines GL is selected, a third kind of video signals supplied from the drain drivers DRV1, DRV2, DRV3 are written into the blue-displaying pixels PXB via the switches SWB by turning the signal φ3 into an ON state. In other words, during a period when a given one of the scanning lines GL is selected, the drain drivers DRV output video signals for the red-displaying pixels PXR, video signals for the green-displaying pixels PXG, and video signals for the blue-displaying pixels PXB sequentially, in a time-division-multiplexed fashion. This configuration makes it possible to reduce the number of the drain drivers DRV to one third of the number of drain drivers required in a conventional display device.
FIG. 13 shows a second conventional liquid crystal display device. This liquid crystal display device also includes a plurality of scanning lines GL, a plurality of drain lines DL, and a plurality of pixels each provided with a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode, and the scanning lines GL are connected to two gate drivers VSR. This second conventional liquid crystal display device differs from the above-explained first conventional liquid crystal display device in that the display area LCP of the second conventional liquid crystal display device is divided into a plurality of display blocks.
In the second conventional liquid crystal display device, each of the display blocks has a plurality of drain lines DL, each of which is connected to one terminal of a corresponding one of a plurality of switches outside of the display area DPA. The other terminal of each of the switches is connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of drain bus conductors. The switches connected to the drain lines DL in the same display block are controlled by a common signal.
In the second conventional liquid crystal display device, the display area DPA is divided into three display blocks BK1, BK2 and BK3, in each of which n picture dots are coupled to each of the scanning lines GL.
In a first display block BK1 shown in FIG. 13, there are red-displaying pixels PR1, PR2, . . . , PRn, green-displaying pixels PG1, PG2, . . . , PGn, and blue-displaying pixels PB1, PB2, . . . , PBn, all of which are coupled to the same one of the scanning lines GL. The drain lines DL coupled to the red-displaying pixels, the green-displaying pixels, and the blue-displaying pixels are coupled to bus conductors BR1, BR2, . . . , BRn, bus conductors BG1, BG2, . . . , BGn, and bus conductors BB1, BB2, . . . , BBn, of a drain bus, via switching elements SR1, SR2, . . . , SRn, switching elements SG1, SG2, . . . , SGn, and switching elements SB1, SB2, . . . , SBn, respectively, outside of the display area DPA.
In a second display block BK2 shown in FIG. 13, there are red-displaying pixels PRn+1, PRn+2, . . . , PR2n, green-displaying pixels PGn+1, PGn+2, . . . , PG2n, and blue-displaying pixels PBn+1, PBn+2, . . . , PB2n, all of which are coupled to the same one of the scanning lines GL as in the first display block BK1. The drain lines DL coupled to the red-displaying pixels, the green-displaying pixels, and the blue-displaying pixels are coupled to the bus conductors BR1, BR2, . . . , BRn, the bus conductors BG1, BG2, . . . , BGn, and the bus conductors BB1, BB2, . . . , BBn, of the drain bus, via switching elements SRn+1, SRn+2, . . . , SR2n, switching elements SGn+1, SGn+2, . . . , SG2n, and switching elements SBn+1, SBn+2, . . . , SB2n, respectively, outside of the display area DPA.
In a third display block BK3 shown in FIG. 13, there are red-displaying pixels PR2n+1, PR2n+2, . . . , PR3n, green-displaying pixels PG2n+1, PG2n+2, . . . , PG3n, and blue-displaying pixels PB2n+1, PB2n+2, . . . , PB3n, all of which are coupled to the same one of the scanning lines GL as in the first display block BK1. The drain lines DL coupled to the red-displaying pixels, the green-displaying pixels, and the blue-displaying pixels are coupled to the bus conductors BR1, BR2, . . . , BRn, the bus conductors BG1, BG2, . . . , BGn, and the bus conductors BB1, BB2, . . . , BBn, of the drain bus, via switching elements SR2n+1, SR2n+2, . . . , SR3n, switching elements SG2n+1, SG2n+2, . . . , SG3n, and switching elements SB2n+1, SB2n+2, . . . , SB3n, respectively, outside of the display area DPA.
As explained above, since there are n bus conductors for red signals, n bus conductors for green signals, and n bus conductors for blue signals, a total of 3n bus conductors are formed outside of the display area DPA. The respective bus conductors of the drain bus are connected to corresponding ones of output terminals of the drain drivers.
On-or-off control of the plural switches SR1, SG1, SB1, SR2, SG2, SB2, . . . , SRn, SGn, SBn coupled between the drain lines in the first display block BK1 and the drain bus is performed by a signal φ1, on-or-off control of the plural switches SRn+1, SGn+1, SBn+1, SRn+2, SGn+2, SBn+2, . . . , SR2n, SG2n, SB2n coupled between the drain lines in the second display block BK2 and the drain bus is performed by a signal φ2, and on-or-off control of the plural switches SR2n+1, SG2n+1, SB2n+1, SR2n+2, SG2n+2, SB2n+2, . . . , SR3n, SG3n, SB3n coupled between the drain lines in the third display block BK3 and the drain bus is performed by a signal φ3. The signals φ1, φ2 and φ3 are supplied by an external control circuit TCON. The drain lines DL in each of the display blocks, the switches coupled between the drain lines DL and the drain bus, the drain bus conductors, and the output terminals of the drain drivers DRV are equal in number. The display blocks BK1, BK2, . . . and the control signals φ1, φ2, . . . are equal in number.
In this liquid crystal display device explained above, during a period when a given one of the scanning lines GL is selected, initially a first group of video signals supplied from the drain driver DRV to the drain bus are written into pixels of the first display block BK1 via the switches SR1, SG1, SB1, SR2, SG2, SB2, . . . , SRn, SGn, SBn coupled to the drain lines DL in the first display block BK1 by turning the signal φ1 into an ON state, then, during the period when the given one of the scanning lines GL is selected, a second group of video signals supplied from the drain driver DRV to the drain bus are written into pixels of the second display block BK2 via the switches SRn+1, SGn+1, SBn+1, SRn+2, SGn+2, SBn+2, . . . , SR2n, SG2n, SB2n coupled to the drain lines DL in the second display block BK2 by turning the signal φ2 into an ON state, and then, during the period when the given one of the scanning lines GL is selected, a third group of video signals supplied from the drain driver DRV to the drain bus are written into pixels of the third display block BK3 via the switches SR2n+1, SG2n+1, SB2n+1, SR2n+2, SG2n+2, SB2n+2, . . . , SR3n, SG3n, SB3n coupled to the drain lines DL in the third display block BK3 by turning the signal φ3 into an ON state. In this liquid crystal display device, during a period when a given one of the scanning lines GL is selected, the drain driver DRV outputs the a first group of video signals for the first display block BK1, a second group of video signals for the second display group BK2, and a third group of video signals for the third display block BK3 sequentially, in a time-division-multiplexed fashion. This configuration makes it possible to reduce the number of the drain drivers DRV to one third of the number of drain drivers required in a conventional display device.
In the above-explained two liquid crystal display devices, the display area is divided into a plurality of groups, and during one horizontal scanning period in which one of the scanning lines GL, the driver writes video signals into pixels of respective ones of the plural groups sequentially in a time-division-multiplexed fashion. Consequently, it makes possible to drive the drain lines DL larger in number than output terminals of the drain driver DRV.
Specifically, the first conventional display device divides the video signal lines into three groups of a red (R) signal group, a green (G) signal group and a blue (B) signal group, and thereby its drain driver DRV is capable of driving drain lines DL three times as many as the number of its output terminals. The second conventional display device divides the display area DPA into three parts, and thereby its drain driver DRV is capable of driving drain lines DL three times as many as the number of its output terminals.

Display device employing time-division-multiplexed driving of driver circuits


Provided are a focal plane shutter, which can offer a live view function, and improve a control velocity of a shutter speed to reduce a time interval between shootings, a photographing apparatus including the focal plane shutter, and a photographing method for the photographing apparatus. The focal plane shutter includes: a front curtain; a rear curtain; a support part coupled to one side of the front curtain and the rear curtain; and a movable part movably contacting one side of the support part, wherein either the front curtain or the rear curtain is independently moved by the motion of the movable part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a focal plane shutter, a photographing apparatus including the same, and a photographing method for the photographing apparatus, and more particularly, to a focal plane shutter, which can offer a live view function and improve a control velocity of a shutter speed to reduce a time interval between shootings, a photographing apparatus including the focal plane shutter, and a photographing method for the photographing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The rapid progress in electronics, computers, and the semiconductor technology has changed our daily lives. Personal computers (PCs), which are connected to the Internet and provide various content services, such as community, chatting, games, shopping, and news, are widely used in homes, schools, and offices. Not long ago, the most common way to see photographs was to take the film to a photo processor who would develop a film and print the photographs. With the rapid development in the semiconductor industry digital cameras were commercially introduced.
Digital cameras using a charge coupled device (CCD), which is a semiconductor device, instead of a film are largely available, and mobile communication terminals are also equipped with digital cameras therein. Since digital cameras convert an image into data representing logic (e.g., 0 and 1), digital cameras can provide high robustness against noise, produce high quality signals at low cost, easily process information, compress information like an MPEG audio layer-3 (MP3), joint photographic coding experts group (JPEG), and moving picture experts group (MPEG), and reduce the size of a recording medium.
Digital cameras can be roughly divided into rangefinder cameras and lens reflex cameras.
Rangefinder cameras have a viewfinder in addition to a lens to look through to compose an image. Most of the current autofocus compact cameras and consumer-grade digital cameras are rangefinder cameras in which rangefinders (e.g., a pair of rangefinders) are used to focus a picture.
A rangefinder, which measures a distance to a subject by eliminating parallax, has been used for artillery to measure a distance. When a camera is not focused, two images appear at the center of a viewfinder. Accordingly, the camera is focused by turning a lens rangefinder until the two images are perfectly superimposed. In general, the viewfinder is disposed over a left side of the lens. Because the viewfinder and the lens are placed at different positions, an apparent displacement of the subject occurs, i.e., parallax, as seen from the viewfinder and the lens. Since parallax increases as the subject approaches the camera, parallax correction is necessary when shooting close-up photographs. Since a rangefinder camera has a simple structure without using a mirror and employs a lens shutter, vibration and noise are low during shooting. Since the rangefinder camera has no mirror shock like a single lens reflex (SLR) camera, there is no risk of shaking the rangefinder camera. However, since a lens shutter is employed, the rangefinder camera does not have lens interchangeability, and has an iris and a shutter speed that are more limited than those of the SLR camera.
Lens reflex cameras can be roughly divided into SLR cameras and twin lens reflex cameras. A conventional SLR camera 1, which uses a mirror 20 to reflect an image incident through a lens 10 to a finder screen 34 and a viewfinder 40 to see the image, is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
Most of the processional-grade cameras are SLR cameras. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional SLR camera 1 before a shutter is operated. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional SLR camera 1 after the shutter is operated. Referring to FIG. 1, an image introduced through the lens 10 of the conventional SLR camera 1 is reflected by the mirror 20 to the finder screen 34, passes through a first objective lens 12, is deviated by a pentaprism 32 by 90° to a second objective lens 14 and a third objective lens 16, and is seen through the viewfinder 40.
The pentaprism 32 is a five-sided reflecting prism that reflects light several times therein and transmits the light through a right angle without inverting it. Since a plurality of optical elements, namely prisms and mirrors, are used in the conventional SLR camera 1, the conventional SLR camera 1 is bulky and heavy.
When the shutter is operated to photograph an image, the mirror 20, disposed in front of an image pickup device 26, is raised to allow an image incident through the lens 10 to enter the image pickup device 26.
In general, the image pickup device 26 is a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS). The shutter 24, which is disposed in front of the image pickup device 26 and passes light for a predetermined period of time, is also called a focal plane shutter.
In general, a focal plane shutter is a horizontal or vertical travel shutter which usually includes two cloths or metal curtains installed in front of a focal surface of a lens and allows a photosensitive material to be exposed to a proper amount of light by controlling a slit between a front curtain and a rear curtain or the speed of travel of the front curtain and the rear curtain. Focal plane shutters are widely used in cameras requiring the use of interchangeable lenses such as, for example SLR cameras.
In particular, focal plane shutters are often used in cameras with a format of 6×6 cm or less. Focal plane shutters determine an exposure time by adjusting the width of a slit using a speed regulator or an electrically controlled electromagnet while maintaining a shutter blind speed constant. Focal plane shutters allow for use of interchangeable lenses and enable high speed photographing.
Since the conventional SLR camera 1 can interchange the lens 10 or other lens designed exclusively for digital cameras, the conventional SLR camera 1 can selectively use lenses according to a preference or objective of a user. Also, since the image pickup device 26 is much bigger than that of other conventional digital cameras, noise can be prevented under low illumination conditions and a more precise image can be captured.
However, since the mirror 20 is located to cover the image pickup device 26, an image cannot be seen on a liquid crystal display (LCD) 28 during shooting such that a live view (also known as a preview) function is not offered and only an image review on the LCD 28 of the conventional SLR camera 1 is possible after taking a picture. That is, since an image should be seen through the optical viewfinder 40, the field of view is limited and scenes at various angles including a low angle and a high angle are hidden. Also, when a subject, which is sensitive to any action, should be looked at furtively for a long time and instantaneously photographed, the conventional SLR camera 1 becomes inconvenient because the user must view the subject through the optical viewfinder 40 and because the camera 1 is too heavy to hold for a long time in the same position.
Also, even when a conventional SLR camera 1 can offer a live view function, since a release time lag between the depression of a release button and the commencement of the movement of the shutter is long, an optimal shooting chance is gone and the release time lag is long.

Focal plane shutter, photographing apparatus including the same, and photographing method for the photographing apparatus


A nested database query can be optimized by effectively representing a filtering function or operation (e.g., SQL filtering operation) of its outer sub-query by a qualification or qualify operation (e.g., SQL qualification operation) associated with at least one windowing function of at least one of its inner sub-queries. It will be appreciated that this representation can yield a modified query that would be equivalent (e.g., semantically equivalent) to the original nested query as its execution can produce the same results when optimization rules are applied.

The term database can refer to a collection of data and/or data structures typically stored in a digital form. Data can be stored in a database for various reasons and to serve various entities or "users." Generally, data stored in the database can be used by the database users. A user of a database can, for example, be a person, a database administrator, a computer application designed to interact with a database, etc. A very simple database or database system can, for example, be provided on a Personal Computer (PC) by storing data on a Hard Disk (e.g., contact information) and executing a computer program that allows access to the data. The executable computer program can be referred to as a database program or a database management program. The executable computer program can, for example, retrieve and display data (e.g., a list of names with their phone numbers) based on a request submitted by a person (e.g., show me the phone numbers of all my friends in Ohio).
Generally, database systems are much more complex than the example noted above. In addition, databases have been evolved over the years and some databases that are for various business and organizations (e.g., banks, retail stores, governmental agencies, universities) in use today can be very complex and support several users simultaneously by providing very complex queries (e.g., give me the name of all customers under the age of thirty five (35) in Ohio that have bought all items in a list of items in the past month in Ohio and also have bought ticket for a baseball game in San Diego and purchased a baseball in the past 10 years).
Typically, a Database Manager (DM) or a Database Management System (DBMS) is provided for relatively large and/or complex databases. As known in the art, a DBMS can effectively manage the database or data stored in a database, and serve as an interface for the users of the database. A DBMS can be provided as an executable computer program (or software) product as is also known in the art.
It should also be noted that a database can be organized in accordance with a Data Model. Notable Data Models include a Relational Model, an Entity-relationship model, and an Object Model. The design and maintenance of a complex database can require highly specialized knowledge and skills by database application programmers, DBMS developers/programmers, database administrators (DBAs), etc. To assist in design and maintenance of a complex database, various tools can be provided, either as part of the DBMS or as free-standing (stand-alone) software products. These tools can include specialized Database languages (e.g., Data Description Languages, Data Manipulation Languages, Query Languages). Database languages can be specific to one data model or to one DBMS type. One widely supported language is Structured Query Language (SQL) developed, by in large, for Relational Model and can combine the roles of Data Description Language, Data Manipulation language, and a Query Language.
Today, databases have become prevalent in virtually all aspects of business and personal life. Moreover, database use is likely to continue to grow even more rapidly and widely across all aspects of commerce. Generally, databases and DBMS that manage them can be very large and extremely complex partly in order to support an ever increasing need to store data and analyze data. Typically, larger databases are used by larger organizations. Larger databases are supported by a relatively large amount of capacity, including computing capacity (e.g., processor and memory) to allow them to perform many tasks and/or complex tasks effectively at the same time (or in parallel). On the other hand, smaller databases systems are also available today and can be used by smaller organizations. In contrast to larger databases, smaller databases can operate with less capacity.
A popular type of database is the relational Database Management System (RDBMS), which includes relational tables, also referred to as relations, made up of rows and columns (also referred to as tuples and attributes). Each row represents an occurrence of an entity defined by a table, with an entity being a person, place, thing, or other object about which the table contains information.
One important objective of databases and in particular DBMS is to optimize the performance of queries for access and manipulation of data stored in the database. Given a target environment, an "optimal" query plan can be selected as the best option by a database optimizer (or optimizer). Ideally, an optimal query plan is a plan with the lowest cost (e.g., lowest response time, lowest CPU and/or I/O processing cost, lowest network processing cost). The response time can be the amount of time it takes to complete the execution of a database operation, including a database request (e.g., a database query) in a given system. In this context, a "workload" can be a set of requests, which may include queries or utilities, such as, load that have some common characteristics, such as, for example, application, source of request, type of query, priority, response time goals, etc.
In view of the prevalence of databases in various aspects life today and importance of optimization of database operations, it is apparent that techniques relating to optimization of databases would be very useful.

Optimizing nested database queries that include windowing operations


A light-tight, temperature controlled system, controlled by a controller, for processing a photographic film housed in a film cartridge detachably secured upon a spool caddy having a plurality of processing spools mounted thereon, includes: means for rotating a spiral shaped wall about a rotational axis, the spool caddy being detachably mounted upon the rotating means in a predetermined positional alignment; means for combining an emulsion side of the film with processing webs from the processing spools along the spiral shaped wall for preset dwell times by sequentially in a preset order removing and replacing each of the processing spools and the film cartridge from and to the spool caddy, unwinding and rewinding the processing webs from and to the processing spools, and unwinding and rewinding the film from and to the film cartridge; and means for securing the processing spools and the film cartridge along a channel formed by the spiral shaped wall while the emulsion side of the film is being sequentially combined with the processing webs.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed generally towards a system and method for pad processing a spooled photographic film, and more specifically towards a system and method for processing a spooled photographic film using processing webs from a multitude of processing spools which are housed in a spool caddy as disclosed in Polaroid case no. 8222, entitled "Spool Caddy For Use With Dry Optical Image Processing of Roll Film", having United States provisional application Ser. No. 60/040,662 filed on Mar. 11, 1997 and also filed as an utility patent application on even date herewith, the latter being incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Pad processing is a well known dry optical image processing technique for processing a photographic film using webs, also known as pads, which contain processing fluids. Pad processing is considered a dry processing technique since liquid chemical baths are replaced with reagent laden webs which have been imbibed with processing chemicals. Sometimes a pad is saturated with processing chemicals and at other times, the processing chemicals are stored in a rupturable pod. When the pod is ruptured, the processing chemicals are spread across the web as a first step towards film development. Many variations of pad processing have been exercised over the years although typically a singular processing web, i.e. a monopad, is combined with the emulsion side of a film for film development. However, in order to process a film using a monopad, both the film structure and the processing chemicals within the monopad become very complicated in order to accommodate the numerous varied processing steps such as developing, fixing and bleaching.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,366 issued Aug. 8, 1995 to Reiss and Cocco, a system and method are disclosed whereby individual processing pads are sequentially wrapped onto a single processing spool. One embodiment discloses a processing spool which houses all the processing webs such as: a first reagent laden web which could be imbibed, for instance, with developing chemicals; a second reagent laden web which could be imbibed, for instance, with bleaching and fixing chemicals; and a third reagent laden web which could be imbibed, for instance, with washing and stabilizing chemicals. A photographic film is housed in a separate standard 35 mm cartridge. The first web is combined with the film for a first preset time, then the first web and the film are separated and the second web and the film are combined for a second preset time, then the second web and the film are separated and the third web and the film are combined for a third preset time. After the third web and the film are separated, the optical processing of the photographic film is complete. However, the standard size 35 mm cartridge limits the number of exposures available from such a combined web/film spool. If the cartridge was made larger to hold more exposures, then it would not fit into a standard 35 mm camera. Also, the above film processing system requires a tandem of processing webs separated from one another by foil but housed on a single spool. Many significant problems arise in housing all processing pads on a single spool and attempting to keep the various processing pads isolated from one another before and during processing.
The above and other disadvantages of existing processing systems are overcome by the systems and methods disclosed hereinafter in keeping with the principles of the present invention.

System for optical dry processing of spooled photographic film