An object of the present invention is to perform replacement of parts of a substrate processing apparatus more rapidly than that by the prior art. The present invention is a substrate processing apparatus constituted of a plurality of component parts for performing predetermined processing for a substrate, identification marks being attached to the respective component parts, the apparatus including: a storage unit for storing part information on each of the component parts necessary when placing an order for a component part, in correspondence with the identification mark; an input unit for inputting an identification mark of a component part to be ordered; and a display unit for displaying the part information in the storage unit corresponding to the inputted identification mark.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a carrier adjusting system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Manufacturing of semiconductor devices is performed in a coating and developing apparatus, an aligner, an etching apparatus and the like which are placed in a factory. A photolithography process, for example, in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices is performed in the coating and developing apparatus, which is typically mounted with a plurality of processing units such as a resist coating unit for forming a resist film on a wafer surface, a developing unit for performing developing treatment for the wafer after exposure, a baking processing unit for performing baking processing after the resist coating, before and after the developing treatment, and so on. Further, the coating and developing apparatus is provided with many kinds of carrier arms, and transfer of substrates between the respective processing units, and transfer of a treatment solution supply nozzle and the like inside a predetermined processing unit are performed by these carrier arms.
Incidentally, when a problem occurs to such a coating and developing apparatus and the problem is not solved promptly, restart of the wafer processing is delayed, and therefore availability of the coating and developing apparatus is reduced, which is not favorable.
For example, when a part constituting the coating and developing apparatus is broken or the like, an apparatus manager on a wafer manufacturer side needs to place an order for a part with a parts supplier or the like in order to replace the part. In this event, the apparatus manager needs to specify the name of the broken part, the part number, and so on in order to place an order for a part.
The coating and developing apparatus, however, has many kinds of processing units as described above and is thus constituted of many parts. In addition, typically, the apparatus manager on the wafer manufacturer side who places an order is not familiar with the parts of the coating and developing apparatus. Therefore, when placing an order for a part, the apparatus manager on the wafer manufacturer side cannot specify the name of a part to be ordered and so on in many cases, and therefore often inquires, when necessary, of a person in charge on a side of a vendor of the coating and developing apparatus.
In the inquiry of the person in charge on the vendor side as described above every time a part is broken, it takes time to specify the part and place an order, and thus it takes a long time to obtain a new part, failing to rapidly replace the part. This results in a long time for recovery of a breakage or the like and thus a delay in restart of the wafer processing, leading to reduced availability of the coating and developing apparatus.
Incidentally, when a problem occurs to the wafer processed in the above-described coating and developing apparatus, a considerable cause thereof is a problem of the aforesaid carrier arm. Namely, it is considered that a stop position at a destination of the aforesaid carrier arm is displaced, and that an object to be carried such as a wafer is not carried to a suitable position. In such a situation, it is necessary to adjust the stop position of the carrier arm to solve the problem of the processed wafer. However, so-called position adjustment, which is stop position adjustment of the carrier arm, is fine adjustment that requires care, and an operator performing the adjustment needs plentiful knowledge and experience. In some cases, the carrier arm is positioned at an industrial robot due to its handling risk, and a predetermined license is required. Consequently, when the position adjustment of the carrier arms is to be performed, a manager on the side of the factory of the coating and developing apparatus asks a person in charge on the side of a vender, who has plentiful knowledge and experience, for adjustment, and the person in charge visits the factory side and makes the adjustment.
However, it takes a considerably long time by the time the person in charge of the vender side reaches the factory side from the time when the problem occurs to the processed wafer. Especially when the factory is located at a remote place such as a foreign country, it is conspicuous. When a long time is required for adjustment of the position of the carrier arm as this, processing of wafers cannot be performed during that time, and therefore availability of the coating and developing apparatus is reduced, which is not favorable.
Even the persons in charge on the side of the vender differ in their individual knowledge and experience, and also differ in their skill in the adjusting operation. Consequently, when a plurality of persons in charge are sent to a plurality of factories, there arises a difference in accuracy of adjustment in each of the persons in charge. Such difference in accuracy directly affects the processing accuracy of wafers, and therefore the wafers with different quality are manufactured in each factory, for example, which is not favorable.

Substrate processing apparatus and carrier adjusting system


The present invention discloses a dual-frequency feed-source module and a dual-frequency microwave antenna, wherein the dual-frequency feed-source module mainly comprises two coaxially arranged waveguides, the two waveguides respectively provide microwave energy of two different frequency bands to radiating portions for feeding, so that the antenna can be operated in different frequency bands at the same time. The combination of the two coaxial waveguides, a reflector and other structures can form different microwave antennas such as a feedforward dual-band microwave antenna and a feedback Cassegrain dual-band microwave antenna. The invention feeds microwave energy through the two waveguides, so that the antenna can be operated in two frequency bands at the same time, thus greatly expanding an application range of the microwave antenna.

In a microwave point-to-point or point-to-multipoint communication network, a microwave antenna is a device for receiving and transmitting an electromagnetic wave signal. The microwave antenna applied in a frequency band ranging from 5 GHz to 80 GHz usually comprises four modules: a feed source, a reflector commonly known as a reflector device, an antenna cover commonly known as a radome, and auxiliary mounting members. The mounting member plays a role of fixing the antenna on a lifting pole or an iron tower; and the radome plays a role of protecting the antenna from an influence of a natural environment such as rain, snow, freezing, etc. Meanwhile, the radome is required to have as little influence on an electrical performance of the antenna as possible. The reflector and the feed source mainly determine the electrical performance of the antenna, and when the antenna is used as a receiving antenna, an electromagnetic wave transmitted from an independent source is reflected and converged by the reflector, then received by the feed source, and transmitted to a receiver through a closed transmission line such as a waveguide and the like; and when the antenna is used as a transmitting antenna, an electromagnetic wave signal transmitted by a signal source is transmitted to the feed source through a closed transmission line such as a waveguide and the like, then radiated by the feed source to illuminate the reflector according to a certain amplitude and a phase distribution requirement, and finally reflected through the reflector to a free space for irradiation. With the development of microwave communication, the market demand for the microwave antenna is increasing, and meanwhile, the performance requirement for the antenna is also increasing. The microwave antenna not only is required to meet strict electrical performance indexes and mechanical performance indexes such as size, weight, wind load and the like, but also is required to have low costs in manufacturing, transportation, mounting and other links.
At present, various technical solutions for realizing an ultra-high performance microwave antenna have been developed, such as a feed source of a microwave antenna and a microwave antenna disclosed in patent document CN201758183U, comprising a feed horn, a support frame and a secondary reflector, wherein the support frame fixes the feed horn and the secondary reflector on the same central axis, the support frame comprises a first connecting portion for connecting the feed horn and a second connecting portion for connecting the secondary reflector, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are fixedly connected by at least one support column. An antenna radiation pattern using the feed source meets an envelope requirement of the ETSIClass3 standard, a structure and a processing technology thereof can ensure the consistency of performance well, and the cost is very low, which is convenient for mass production.
The patent document CN101976766B discloses an ultra-high performance microwave antenna and a feed-source module thereof, wherein the feed-source module has a rotationally symmetrical structure and comprises a secondary reflector, a medium block, a waveguide and a base, one end of the waveguide is inserted into the base, the other end of the waveguide is used for a first end of the medium block to insert, and a second end of the medium block is covered with the secondary reflector according to an end surface shape of the end. A part of the medium block inserted into the waveguide has at least one cylinder; a side surface portion exposed outside the waveguide is provided with a plurality of cylindrical surfaces with different diameters; an end surface of the second end is provided with an inclined conical surface which is centered and concave towards the first end, a circular ring plane is formed along a periphery of the inclined conical surface, and at least one perturbation structure is arranged on the inclined conical surface. The microwave antenna and the feed-source module thereof in the solution have good electrical performance, simple and compact physical structure and relatively low costs.
However, the antenna structure above is only applicable to operation in a single frequency band instead of a dual frequency band, so that an application range is limited to a certain extent.

Dual-frequency feed source assembly and dual-frequency microwave antenna


On-die-termination control circuit includes a mode detecting unit for detecting a power-down mode and a power-down delay configured to delay an on/off control signal in the power-down mode. On-die-termination control circuit provided a shift register configured to delay an on/off control signal in synchronization with shift clocks in a non-power-down mode, and transfer the on/off control signal as received without delay in a power-down mode, a power-down delay configured to delay the on/off control signal in the power-down mode, and not to delay the on/off control signal in the non-power-down mode and a controller configured to control enabling/disabling of an on-die-termination operation according to information about enable/disable timing of an on-die-termination operation provided by the on/off control signal that have passed through the shift register and the power-down delay.

The present invention relates to an integrated circuit, and more particularly, to an integrated circuit configured to control enable/disable timing of an on-die-termination (ODT) operation for impedance control in a semiconductor device to prevent malfunctions of the semiconductor device.
Semiconductor devices are implemented into integrated circuit (IC) chips such as central processing units (CPUs), memories, and gate arrays, and are incorporated into a variety of electrical products such as personal computers, servers and workstations. Most semiconductor devices include a receiving circuit configured to receive external signals from an outside world through input pads and an output circuit configured to provide internal signals to an outside world through output pads.
As the operating speed of electrical products is increasing, a swing width of a signal exchanged between semiconductor devices is being gradually reduced for minimizing a delay time taken for signal transmission. However, the reduction in the swing width of the signal increases an influence of an external noise on the signal and causes the signal reflectance to become more critical at an interface terminal due to impedance mismatch. Such impedance mismatch is generally caused by an external noise, a variation of a power supply voltage, a change in an operating temperature, a change in a manufacturing process, etc. The impedance mismatch may lead to a difficulty in high-speed transmission of data and distortion in output data. Therefore, if semiconductor devices receive the distorted output signal through an input terminal, it frequently gives rise to problems such as a setup/hold failure and an error in decision of an input level.
In order to resolve the above problems, a memory device requiring high-speed performance employs an impedance matching circuit, which is called an ODT circuit, near an input pad inside an IC chip.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical ODT circuit and a typical ODT control circuit provided to a DDR2 semiconductor memory device.
The ODT control circuit includes an ODT buffer 110, a setup/hold delay 120, a shift register 130, and a controller 140 to control the ODT circuit 150.
The ODT buffer 110 buffers an on/off control signal ODT received from an external controller to enable/disable ODT operations.
The setup/hold delay 120 delays the buffered on/off control signal ODTI by a predetermined delay time to secure a setup/hold margin.
The shift register 130 delays the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH received from the setup/hold delay 120 in synchronization with the shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2 and FCLKDLL3. Logic levels of the shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2 and FCLKDLL3 are fixed to a logic high level in a power-down mode, whereas they toggle in the non-power-down mode. Accordingly, the shift register 130 delays the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH only in a non-power mode.
The shift register 130 also receives termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2 from an extended mode register set (EMRS) to determine termination resistance of the ODT circuit 150 according to which signals among the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2 are activated. For example, the termination resistance of the ODT circuit 150 is 150Ω when the termination resistance information signal ODT0 is activated, 75Ω when the termination resistance information signals ODT0 and ODT1 are activated, and 50Ω when all the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2 are activated. The shift register 130 delays the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH in synchronization with the shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2 and FCLKDLL3, and outputs signals selected among signals ODTOUT0, ODTOUT1 and ODTOUT2 according to the activated signals among the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2. Here, output timing of the signals ODTOUT0, ODTOUT1 and ODTOUT2 depends on the timing of the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH. Which signal among the signals ODTOUT0, ODTOUT1 and ODTOUT2 is activated depends on which signal among the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2 is input.
The controller 140 decodes the signals ODTOUT0, ODTOUT1 and ODTOUT2 received from the shift register 130 to activate at least one of signals SW0_UP, SW1_UP, SW2_UP, SW0_DN, SW1_DN and SW2_DN, thereby enabling/disabling resistors in the ODT circuit 150.
The circuit 160 shown at the left side of FIG. 1 receives the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2. If at least one signal among the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2 is activated, circuit 160 activates a signal ODTENB, thereby enabling the ODT buffer 110 and the shift register 130.
In summary, timing for enabling/disabling the ODT circuit 150 is determined by a delay time of the on/off control signal ODT. The delay time is determined by transferring the on/off control signals ODT from an external controller to the shift resistor 130 via the ODT buffer 110 and the setup/hold delay 120. In addition, the resistance of the ODT circuit 150 is determined by the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2 activated by the EMRS. More detailed description of the operation of the ODT control circuit will be described later with reference to FIG. 4.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the ODT circuit 150 of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, the ODT circuit 150 includes a plurality of resistors 151 to 156 for terminating an input/output node DQ in a pull-up direction or in a pull-down direction. The resistors 151 to 156 are turned on/off in response to signals SW0_UP, SW0_DN, SW1_UP, SW1_DN, SW2_UP and SW2_DN received from the controller 140.
For example, when the termination resistance is set to 150, the resistors 151 and 152 are turned on in response to the signals SW0_UP and SW0_DN to terminate the input/output node DQ with a resistance of 150. Similarly, when the termination resistance is set to 75, the resistors 151, 152, 153 and 154 are turned on, and when the termination resistance is set to 50, all the resistors 151, 152, 153, 154, 155 and 156 are turned on.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a shift register 130 shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 3, the shift register 130 includes pass gates PG1, PG2, PG3, PG4 and PG5 which are turned on/off in response to an internal clock CK0 and shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2, FCLKDLL3. Here, the shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2, FCLKDLL3 with different phases are generated by the output clocks FCLKDLL and RCLKDLL of the DLL.
In a non-power-down mode (i.e., when the clock enable signal CKE has a logic high level), if at least one of the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2 are activated, the signal ODTENB is activated to a logic low level. Then, the shift register 130 becomes able to receive the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH. While the internal clock CK0 is at a logic high level, the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH is transferred to a node ND. Thereafter, the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH is transferred further sequentially in response to the shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2, FCLKDLL3. Then, a NAND operation is performed on a signal ODTOND before the pass gate PG5 and a signal ODTOFFD after the pass gate PG5 to activate a shifted on/off control signal ODTS.
Then, NAND operations are performed on the shifted on/off control signal ODTS and the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2 received from the EMRS to activate signals ODTOUT0, ODTOUT1 and ODTOUT2, respectively. Accordingly, the signals ODTOUT0, ODTOUT1 and ODTOUT2 have information about resistances according to the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2, respectively, as well as information about enable/disable timing of an ODT operation according to the delayed on/off control signal ODTS.
In a power-down mode (i.e., when the clock enable signal CKE has a logic low level), logic levels of the shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2 and FCLKDLL3 are all fixed to a logic high level to reduce current consumption. Accordingly, the pass gates PG2, PG3, PG4 and PG5 are all turned on, and thus the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH passes through the shift register 130 without being shifted in response to the shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2 and FCLKDLL3.
FIG. 4 is a timing diagram illustrating operations of the typical ODT control circuit (shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) in the non-power-down mode and the power-down mode.
To begin with, the non-power-down mode when the clock enable signal CKE has a logic high level will be described. For convenience of explanation, the case where only the signal ODT0 among the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2 is activated, i.e., the case where the termination resistance is set to 150Ω by EMRS will be described.
If the termination resistance information signal ODT0 is activated, the signal ODTENB is activated to a logic low level by the circuit 160. Then, the ODT buffer 110 and the shift register 130 are enabled. The on/off control signal ODT_SH is input from the external controller and then pass through the ODT buffer 110 and the setup/hold delay 120 to be output to the shift register 130 as a delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH. In the shift register 130, the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH passes through the pass gate PG1 in response to the internal clock CLK0, and then sequentially transferred to the node NC and to the node ND. Thereafter, the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH sequentially transferred further to the node NF, to the node NH and then to the node NI, in response to the RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1 and RCLKDLL2, respectively. The signal ODTOND before the pass gate PG5 which is turned on/off in response to the shift signal FCLKDLL3 and the signal ODTOFFD after the pass gate PG5 pass through respective delays. A NAND operation is performed on the signals ODTOND and ODTOFD to activate a shifted on/off control signal ODTS.
Then, a NAND operation is performed on the shifted on/off control signal ODTS and the termination resistance information signal ODT0 activated by the EMRS to activate the signal ODTOUT0. Accordingly, the signal ODTOUT0 has information about resistance according to the termination resistance information signals ODT0, ODT1 and ODT2 as well as information about enable/disable timing of the ODT operation according to the shifted on/off control signal ODTS.
In the power-down mode when the clock enable signal CKE has a logic low level, the shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2 and FCLKDLL3 are all fixed to a logic high level to reduce current consumption. Accordingly, the delayed on/off control signal ODT_SH passes through the shift register 130 without being delayed in synchronization with the shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2 and FCLKDLL3. Therefore, the signal ODTOUT0 is activated and deactivated without being delayed sufficiently.
As described above, since delay of the delayed on/off control signal in response to the shift clocks RCLKDLL0, FCLKDLL1, RCLKDLL2 and FCLKDLL3 does not take place in the power-down mode, enable/disable timing of the ODT operation in the power-down mode is advanced more than in the non-power-down mode. Therefore, during the operation of a memory device in one slot (for example, in a PC, a DRAM installed in one memory slot among a plurality of memory slots), ODT operation of a memory device in a power-down mode in another slot may be performed amiss, causing a failure.

On-die-termination control circuit and method


An object of the present invention is to improve a phenomenon of the life-shortening of the endurance life due to scratch occurring when recesses of a fixed dimple shape are formed on the surface of the surface layer, in order to inhibit the chattering and folding back of a cleaning blade and the fracture of an edge, which occurs because friction between the surface layer of the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member and an abutting member is high; and particularly to improve the above described problems, from initial printing through printing on many sheets, which become particularly remarkable when using an electrophotographic photosensitive member with the use of a curable resin that is improved so as to have a high elastic deformation rate for the surface layer, in order to improve the strength of the surface layer, for the purpose of increasing the durability of an electrophotographic photosensitive member. An electrophotographic photosensitive member for achieving the object, which has a support and an organic photosensitive layer, is characterized in that the electrophotographic photosensitive member has dimple-shaped concavities formed on the surface of the surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and further has the recesses with the same pattern as that on the surface of the surface layer, formed on the interface created between the surface layer of the organic photosensitive member and the layer directly under the surface layer (a subsurface layer).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a method for manufacturing the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus comprising such an electrophotographic photosensitive member.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Among electrophotographic photosensitive members, so-called an organic electrophotographic photosensitive member is widespread which is an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer (an organic photosensitive layer) made of an organic material for a photoconductive material (a charge-generating material or a charge-transporting material) arranged on a cylindrical support, because of having the advantages of a low price, high productivity and the like. Among the organic electrophotographic photosensitive members, an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a so-called multilayer-type photosensitive layer is in the mainstream, which is a photosensitive layer having both a charge-generating layer containing a charge-generating material, such as a photoconductive dye or a photoconductive pigment, and a charge-transporting layer containing a charge-transporting material, such as a photoconductive polymer or a photoconductive low-molecular-weight compound, layered one on another, because of having advantages of high sensitivity and high durability.
The surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member directly receives an electrical external force and/or a mechanical external force such as electrification (primary electrification), exposure (image exposure), development with a toner, the transfer of a toner to a transfer material such as paper, the cleaning of a remaining toner after transferring, so that the electrophotographic photosensitive member is required to have durability to the external forces. Specifically, the electrophotographic photosensitive member is required to have durability to scratches and abrasion occurring on the surface due to the external forces, or equivalently, scratch resistance and abrasion resistance.
One of a technology for improving the scratch resistance and abrasion resistance of the surface of an organic electrophotographic photosensitive member is, for instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H02-127652 that discloses an electrophotographic photosensitive member which uses a cured layer with the use of a curable resin for a binder resin, as a surface layer (a layer located on the outermost surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member, or equivalently, a layer farthest isolated from a support).
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-216249 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H07-072640 discloses an electrophotographic photosensitive member using a charge-transporting cured layer formed by curing and polymerizing a monomer having a carbon-to-carbon double bond and a charge-transportable monomer having a carbon-to-carbon double bond with heat or light energy, as a surface layer.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-066424 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-066425 discloses an electrophotographic photosensitive member which uses a charge-transporting cured layer formed by curing and polymerizing a hole-transportable compound having a chain-polymerizable functional group in the same molecule with the energy of electron beams, as a surface layer.
As described above, in recent years, as a technology of improving the scratch resistance and the abrasion resistance of the surface of an organic electrophotographic photosensitive member, a technology of forming the surface layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member with a cured layer and thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the surface layer has been established.
As described above, an electrophotographic photosensitive member is used in an electrophotographic image-forming process comprising an electrification step, an exposure step, a development step, a transferring step and a cleaning step.
Out of an electrophotographic image-forming process, the cleaning step of cleaning the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by removing a toner remaining in the electrophotographic photosensitive member after the transferring step, so-called a remaining toner after transferring, is an important step for obtaining a clear image.
As a cleaning method, a method of scraping a remaining toner after transfer by abutting a cleaning blade with an electrophotographic photosensitive member so as not to make a gap between the cleaning blade and the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and preventing the passing of a toner is in a mainstream, because of having the advantages of an inexpensive cost and an easiness of designing.
Particularly, when forming images in full colors, desired colors are reproduced by superimposing a plurality of toners such as magenta, cyan, yellow and black, and a larger amount of toners is used than when forming images in monochrome, so that a cleaning method of using a cleaning blade is most suitable.
However, a cleaning method of using a cleaning blade has the disadvantages of easily causing the chattering and folding back of the cleaning blade and the chipping of an edge, because a frictional force between the cleaning blade and an electrophotographic photosensitive member is great. Here, the chattering of a cleaning blade is a phenomenon that the cleaning blade vibrates by an increased frictional resistance between the cleaning blade and the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and the folding back of the cleaning blade is a phenomenon that the cleaning blade flips toward a moving direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member.
The problems with a cleaning blade become more remarkable as the surface layer of an electrophotographic photosensitive member has higher mechanical strength, or equivalently, the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member becomes more resistant to abrasion.
In addition, the surface layer of an organic electrophotographic photosensitive member is generally formed with a dip coating, but then, the surface of a surface layer formed with the dip coating, or equivalently, the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member becomes smoother, and a contact area between a cleaning blade and the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member becomes large to increase frictional resistance between the cleaning blade and the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, so that the above described problems become more remarkable.
As one method of inhibiting the chattering and folding back of a cleaning blade and the chipping of an edge, a method for adequately roughening the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member is known.
As a technology of roughening the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member, for instance, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S53-092133 discloses a technology of limiting the surface roughness of the electrophotographic photosensitive member to a defined range in order to facilitate the separation of a transferring material from the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S53-092133 discloses a method for roughening the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member into an orange-peeled state by controlling drying conditions in a step of forming a surface layer.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S52-026226 discloses a technology of roughening the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member by making the surface layer contain particles.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S57-094772 discloses a technology of roughening the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member by polishing the surface of the surface layer with the use of a metal wire brush.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H01-099060 discloses a technology which uses particular cleaning means and toner and roughens the surface of an organic electrophotographic photosensitive member in order to solve the flipping (folding back) of a cleaning blade and the chipping of an edge, which become problems when the cleaning means and the toner are used in an electrophotographic apparatus with a particular process speed or higher.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H02-139566 discloses a technology of roughening the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member by polishing the surface of the surface layer with an abrasive film.
However, the above described conventional technologies could not sufficiently solve the above described problems of the chattering and folding back of the cleaning blade.
In addition, as another technology of roughening the surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H02-150850 discloses a technology of roughening the peripheral surface of an electrophotographic photosensitive member by blasting, in order to prevent the flipping (folding back) of a cleaning blade and the fracture (chipping) of an edge.

Electrophotographic photosensitive member, method for manufacturing electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus


Devices, systems, and methods are provided for enhanced pointing angle validation. A device may generate a collimated beam using a light source emitting a light beam through a fiducial target in an optical instrument. The device may capture an image fiducial target using a camera, wherein the camera is mounted on a mounting datum that is orthogonal to the collimated beam. The device may determine a pointing angle associated with camera based on the captured image of the fiducial target. The device may compare a location of the fiducial target in the image to an optical center of the camera. The device may determine a validation status of camera based on the location of the fiducial target in the image.

Some vehicles are equipped with a sensor system to collect data relating to the current and developing state of the vehicle's surroundings. The proper performance of a vehicle depends on the accuracy of the sensor system. The sensor system may comprise visual spectrum cameras, laser-ranging devices (LIDARs), thermal sensors, or other types of sensors. The sensor system enables a vehicle to detect objects and obstacles in the vicinity of the vehicle and tracks the velocity and direction of pedestrians, other vehicles, traffic lights, or similar objects in the environment around the vehicle. However, these sensors should be aligned for the data to be reliable. Therefore, there is a need to enhance the alignment of sensors to ensure that the data is consistent in order not to undermine the vehicle control.
Certain implementations will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which various implementations and/or aspects are shown. However, various aspects may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the implementations set forth herein; rather, these implementations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the figures refer to like elements throughout. Hence, if a feature is used across several drawings, the number used to identify the feature in the drawing where the feature first appeared will be used in later drawings.


A first rear member is arranged on a rear surface of a display member. A second rear member has a shape surrounding a side surface of the first rear member. The second rear member is attached from a rear surface side of the first rear member to house the first rear member. An interconnect member connected to the display member extends between the side surface of the first rear member and the second rear member. An end portion of the interconnect member is inserted in an insertion part having an opening formed in the side surface of the first rear member. A condition where the interconnect member is inserted in the first rear member is maintained before and after attachment of the second rear member.

According to a known structure of some conventional display device, a touch panel or a protective member (hereinafter called the touch panel or the like) is bonded to a display surface of a display panel to integrate the display panel and the touch panel or the like. More specifically, the touch panel or the like is bonded so as to cover an area from the display surface to the front surface of a casing with a sheet-like adhesive material. Such bonding or integration may be called glass bonding in some cases.
A step determined by the thickness of the casing at an opening edge portion thereof is generated at a boundary between the display surface and the opening edge of the casing. Hence, air bubbles may be generated easily in an adjacent area of the step during bonding of the adhesive material. In order to cancel this step, a thick adhesive material is used, or a plurality of adhesive materials is stacked.
There has also been a structure where a backlight unit is mounted on the rear surface of a display panel to which the touch panel or the like is bonded in advance, and a casing covers the display panel from its rear surface so as to house the backlight unit. The casing has a planar part facing a peripheral part of the touch panel or the like and extending parallel to this peripheral part. This planar part is bonded to the peripheral part of the touch panel or the like. This can reduce the used amount of an adhesive material and realize bonding work more simply.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-18401 describes a technique intended to slima liquid crystal display device. More specifically, a circuit film connecting a liquid crystal panel and a printed circuit board extends toward the printed circuit board while passing through a space between the inner wall of a molded frame of a backlight assembly and an optical sheet of the backlight assembly. The molded frame has a groove in order to allow the circuit film to pass through the space without being interfered by the molded frame.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-60862 describes a technique intended to reduce the width of a bezel of a liquid crystal display device. More specifically, a gate COF (chip on film) is mounted on a liquid crystal panel. The gate COF is housed in a frame surrounding the liquid crystal panel. This frame has an opening area where the gate COF is inserted. Further, a lid is provided to cover the gate COF inserted in this opening area.
The gate COF of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-60862 is connected to the liquid crystal panel while it is not connected to a substrate corresponding to the printed circuit board of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-18401. Such connection is called "connection without substrate" or simply, "without substrate."
Generally, the COF without substrate projects outwardly of a display panel and extends parallel to a surface of the display panel. This results in troublesome work of housing the COF without substrate in the aforementioned casing that covers the backlight unit from its rear surface side, for example. Depending on circumstances, the COF might be caught between the casing and the touch panel or the like.
The catch of the COF may be prevented for example by fixing the COF to the backlight unit with an adhesive member such as tape before attachment of the casing. However, this necessitates additional work, which is not preferable. This also generates the fear of disconnection of a mounting portion due to removal of the tape for disassembly of the display device for repair, for example.
In the aforementioned structure of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-18401, the circuit film passes inside the backlight assembly. This might generate problems such as local nonuniformity of backlight brightness and leakage of backlight. These problems may also apply to the structure where the groove for passage of the circuit film is formed in the molded frame.
The aforementioned structure of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-60862 necessitates a complicated shape and a complicated structure for the frame to house the gate COF. This leads to problems such as reduction in yield and cost increase.

Display device and method of manufacturing the same


First and second inputs are associated with a port. Logic produces indications to software to cause the first input and second input to appear as a single input to the software. The logic produces an indication that no signal is present on either the first input or the second input. When a port bypass controller is coupled to the port, the logic produces an indication that both the first and second inputs are bypassed. When the port bypass controller is coupled to a Fibre Channel arbitrated loop, the logic produces a first signal to control whether the first input is included on the Fibre Channel arbitrated loop or bypassed, and a second signal to control whether the second input is included in the Fibre Channel arbitrated loop or bypassed.

The various devices that constitute a storage system, for example disk drives and host computing systems, are commonly interconnected via a high speed serial channel technology known as Fibre Channel arbitrated loop. Copper cables can be used to interconnect Fibre Channel devices that are relatively close together. However, copper cables are not capable of transmitting the high speed signals more than a few tens of meters. So, in order to connect, for example, a host system Fibre Channel interface to a Fibre Channel storage system in another room, an optical cable is used. Optical cables are capable of transmitting the high speed signals hundreds of meters.
Copper cables and optical cables use different, incompatible connectors. Storage devices should preferentially support either type of connector, since a given customer's requirements are not known. One way to do so is to produce two different storage devices—one with a copper connector, and one with an optical connector. This solution is disadvantageous in that two separate devices need to be manufactured and supported, and customers have limited flexibility in the arrangement of their systems once the devices have been purchased. Another solution involves the use of an optical cable adapter that plugs into the copper connector. However, these adapters have been found to be unreliable. In addition, special cables are required when using these adapters, forcing the customer to purchase more components and again limiting flexibility. Furthermore, many storage devices are already configured to support copper connectors. In order to modify the storage device to support an optical connector, hardware and software changes must be made so that the processor in the storage device can control the optical cable connection. This disadvantageously results in the need to produce and maintain two different software bases—one for the device that supports the copper connector, and another for the device that additionally supports the optical connector.
What is needed is a way to provide a storage device capable of supporting either copper or optical connections, such that different types of devices need not be manufactured, and such that a device that supports a copper connector can be modified to support an optical connector without the need for any software changes.

Fibre channel architecture port having optical and copper connectors


A line-based 911 system and method that completes an emergency call from a telephone to a PSAP comprising a multiplicity of operator stations connected by individual lines to a telephone switching system. An emergency call is routed to the termination ports of the switching system associated with a PSAP. Each of the termination ports is connected to one of the multiplicity of operator stations via its associated line, thereby establishing a path from the telephone to the operator station, the CPN of the calling telephone is delivered to the selected operator station and the operator station obtains location information of the telephone in accordance with the CPN, which is then displayed.

Increasing attention has been focused on emergency telephone services (911) in the past several years because, as more and larger communities are served by 911 service, certain limitations have received publicity. Initially, 911 systems relied on interaction between the caller and the operator at the PSAP to identify the location of the caller. Thus the operator could not obtain accurate location information if the caller were a child, were incapacitated, or hung up the telephone before the location was given.
More recently, certain location information of the originating telephone became available automatically as the call was being established. As the call is set up through the network, the automatic Number Identification (ANI) used for establishing long distance calls is delivered to the PSAP. A database query is then dispatched to obtain location information of the caller, based on the ANI of the telephone from which the call is originating. For most residential telephones, this is sufficient data to determine location. However, for businesses, such as large office complexes, this data is not sufficient to locate the office or area where the call is being made. The reason that some location information can be incomplete or misleading is that ANI is the billing number of the calling telephone, not the directory number of that telephone. It would be preferable to know the directory number of the calling party, but the telephone network cannot transmit the directory number of the calling party to existing PSAPs.
In order to understand this problem, it is helpful to understand the current state of the art of 911 systems. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a prior art 911 system 100. 911 system 100 generally comprises a switching system 102 connected via a trunk group 104 to a public safety answering point (PSAP) 106. Switching system 102 is called the 911 tandem because it routes calls from a 911 service region 108 to the PSAP 106 serving that region and may comprise any type of switch that can route calls over trunks. 911 tandem 102 services individual lines such as 110 and 112, lines from other switches, such as line 114 connected to switch 116, and lines from other equipment, such as private branch exchanges 118 and 120. When switch 116 receives a 911 call from line 114, for example, switch 116 routes the 911 call to 911 tandem 102, passing the ANI. 911 tandem 102 then identifies which PSAP handles calls from that ANI, and translates the PSAP identification into a route index. 911 tandem 102 routes the call according to the route index over trunk group 104 to PSAP 106.
PSAP 106 includes trunk to line conversion hardware 122 to terminate trunk group 104 and convert the trunks into line appearances. Connected to trunk to line conversion hardware 122 is a key system 124 to provide connections between incoming 911 calls and operator positions 126-128 at PSAP 106. Key system 124 alerts every telephone attached to it, as is known in the art. An automatic number identification (ANI) converter 130 connected to trunk to line conversion hardware 122 receives the incoming ANI from the trunk and displays it to the operator. Trunk-to-line conversion hardware 122 uses the ANI to cause a query to be sent to an automatic location identification (ALI) system 132. ALI system 132 is a database which receives the incoming ANI directory number and provides name, address, type of service (business, residential, etc.), and other information (such as special needs or hazards) associated with the directory number. ALI system 132 is connected to the trunk termination equipment via a dedicated link 134.
When a 911 call is made from a residential telephone, such as telephone 110, 911 tandem office 102 routes the call to PSAP 106. The call is routed over trunk group 104, and the call set up protocol includes sending the ANI associated with telephone 110 to PSAP 106. In PSAP 106, the trunk to line conversion hardware 122 receives the call and alerts key system 124, which in turn alerts every operator position 126-128 in PSAP until one of the operators answers the call. The ANI of telephone 110 is displayed on converter 130, and the trunk-to-line conversion equipment 122 causes an ALI query to retrieve the location information for telephone 110. The operator may then initiate other calls to the appropriate public safety departments.
This system works relatively well for a call from a telephone located in a residence, but has several limitations for businesses with multiple telephones. As stated above, ANI is the billing directory number of the subscriber, and not necessarily the directory number (herein referred to as "calling party number" or "CPN") of any specific telephone, but is used primarily to provide an address for billing purposes. If the 911 call is from a telephone at a large business campus, it is likely to originate over a PBX, such as 120. The call is routed by PBX 120 over trunks 136 to switch 116, which in turn routes the call over trunks 138 to 911 tandem office 102. The ANI of the PBX trunk 136 is delivered to the 911 tandem office 102 as part of call set up. 911 tandem office 102 routes the call to PSAP 106, and as before, the call is presented to the operators and an ALI query is dispatched to ALI system 132. However, since the only telephone number that is received is the ANI, only the location of the billing number is displayed. The actual location of the telephone from which the 911 call originated is not generally available to the operator. This has proven in the past to cause delays in locating the person who made the call, sometimes with fatal consequences.
Some PBX systems (such as an AT&T Definity.RTM. telecommunication system) can send the CPN of the calling telephone to the PSAP today, but only when there are specific connections to the network. These PBX systems send the CPN to the 911 tandem provided that the 911 tandem is a 5ESS.RTM. switch and the PBX system is connected to the 5ESS.RTM. switch by a primary rate interface (PRI) trunk. A PRI is a trunk group comprising a plurality of digital voice channels and a data channel. Special action is taken at the PBX to send the CPN in addition to the ANI to the 5ESS.RTM. switch. The 5ESS.RTM. switch then replaces the ANI with CPN, but only for 911 calls with this specific equipment.
In general, however, current 911 systems are limited in their ability to guide public safety offices to the exact location of an emergency, because of limitations inherent in 911 systems. Additionally, PSAP systems are limited as to what outgoing features may be used from the current key systems. Current 911 systems only permit speed calling, 3-way calling, and selective transfer (transferring the call to another 911 PSAP based on the location of the ANI). Finally, the equipment at these prior art PSAPs is very expensive for local governments to purchase, maintain, and install, because of the specialized nature of the equipment. 911 trunk to line conversion hardware is used only in PSAP systems, and the key system is used as operator services equipment.
Therefore, a problem in the art is that there is no 911 system that can provide CPN for both residences and businesses, provide a greater number of features, and be low in cost.

Line-based public safety answering point


Techniques for extracting information from a database are provided. A database such as the Web is searched for occurrences of tuples of information. The occurrences of the tuples of information that were found in the database are analyzed to identify a pattern in which the tuples of information were stored. Additional tuples of information can then be extracted from the database utilizing the pattern. This process can be repeated with the additional tuples of information, if desired.

The present invention relates to extracting information from a database. More specifically, the invention relates to searching for tuples of information in order to identify patterns in which the tuples were stored so that additional tuples can be extracted from the database.
The Internet, and more particularly for World Wide Web ("Web"), is a vast repository of information that is extremely distributed, both in the location and manner in which the information is stored. For example, a particular type of data such as restaurant lists may be scattered across thousands of independent information sources (e.g., hosts) in many different formats.
One way that this information is extracted from the Web is by individual users that traverse ("surf") the Web to locate information of interest and manually extract the information. It should be quite evident that this method is very tedious and does not easily provide a comprehensive search. Although multiple users can be employed to perform this manual information extraction, the cost for mining the desired information from the Web is extremely high and does not provide adequate coverage of the Web.
There has also been considerable work on integrating a number of information sources using specially coded wrappers or filters. Although this work has met with some amount of success, the creation of wrappers can be quite time consuming and thus, is usually suited for only tens, not thousands (or more) of information sources. Considering the vast size of the Web and its continual growth, the manual creation of wrappers does not provide an efficient mechanism for extracting information from a database such as the Web.
Therefore, what are needed are innovative techniques for extracting information from databases. Additionally, it would be desirable if the relevant information was extracted from the numerous and distributed information sources automatically or with very minimal human intervention.


A camera module includes an image sensor, a substrate, a lens part, a lens holder, and a voice-coil motor (VCM). The image sensor is supported on and electrically connected to the substrate. The lens holder has a bottom end and an upper end opposite to the bottom end. The image sensor is accommodated within the lens holder. The lens part includes a lens barrel which has an upper portion and a bottom portion and is disposed on the lens holder. The VCM includes a winding coiling around the upper portion and a set of permanent magnetic members fixedly fixed and surrounding the winding. The outer diameter of the upper portion is smaller than that of the bottom portion. The VCM is configured for driving the lens part to move toward to or away from the image sensor.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to camera modules and, particularly, to a camera module using a voice-coil motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some camera modules include a lens part, a voice-coil motor (VCM), and an image sensor. The lens part normally includes a lens barrel and a number of lenses received in the lens barrel. The VCM includes a winding coiling around the outer surface of the lens barrel and a set of permanent magnetic members fixing and surrounding the winding. When applying different directions of current to the winding, the winding, magnetically forced by the magnetic members, can focus the lens part by moving it toward or away from the image sensor to focus. However, the VCM surrounding the lens part increases overall size of the camera module, which is not beneficial for miniaturization of the camera module.
Therefore, what is desired is a camera module that can overcome the above described problems.


A distributed maintenance mode system and method includes receiving an indicator that a monitored system has entered maintenance mode. Trap data is received for the monitored system. It is determined whether the monitored system is in maintenance mode based on the indicator. The trap data is stored and a billable incident ticket is generated for the monitored system if it is determined that the monitored system is not in maintenance mode. The trap data is stored and no billable incident ticket is generated for the monitored system if it is determined that the monitored system is in maintenance mode.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to data processing and apparatuses for updating, and, more particularly, to managing updating of software, including multiple files.
2. Background
Administration of computer systems involves detecting and addressing software and hardware faults. Software and hardware faults may be detected by the generation of trouble "tickets," which are generated in response to "trap" data that is transmitted from a monitored computer system. The trap data is sent to a ticket-generating system that analyzes the trap data. If the trap data indicates that a fault has occurred, a trouble ticket is generated and sent to the appropriate party. Trap data does not universally require the generation of a trouble ticket. Systems and processes may be placed in special modes of functionality that continue to generate trap data, wherein no fault has actually occurred.

International Business Machines Corporation


A reciprocating cryogenic pump, suitable for medium and high pressures having very low net positive suction head (NPSH) requirements. The pump comprises a cylinder having both liquid inlets and vapor outlets, and two interacting pistons, each piston reciprocably movable within the cylinder, and each piston having flow conduits there through generally co-axial with the piston and with the cylinder. The conduit of one piston preferentially connects to the liquid inlets and the conduit of the other piston preferentially connects to the vapor outlets, which are at a higher elevation than the liquid inlets. Both conduits are selectively and mechanically opened to the pumping chamber by the reciprocating motion, and the pump is oriented to allow liquid flowing into the pumping chamber by the natural tendency of liquid to flow downwards and residual vapor to leave the pumping chamber by the natural tendency of vapor to flow upwards, an act that in encouraged by the conduit connecting to the vapor outlets being opened before the conduit connecting to the liquid inlets. One use of this pump is for any on-board, mobile (truck, rail or ship), LNG fuel systems for Diesel engines.

This invention relates to the apparatus and methods suitable for cryogenic pump systems, either mobile or stationary, incorporating a medium or high pressure reciprocating cryogenic pump, operating under difficult conditions where little if any Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) is available. Examples of such especially difficult pumping applications are small and/or mobile systems and situations where providing NPSH by pressure building of the cryogen storage so as to provide NPSH is not desired. Also difficult are systems pumping to medium (about 1,500 psig) or high (about 3,000 psig or higher) pressures where the heat of compression is great. Start-stop service against medium or high pressures increases the difficulty, if cryogen venting and/or pump priming is not desired, the usual case.
One example incorporating these problems are vehicles using a liquefied low temperature (cryogenic) fuel such as LNG (liquefied natural gas), methane, hydrogen or the like used in on-board cryogenic storage and pumping systems for providing medium or high pressure cryogen vapor for measured, direct injection to the vehicle's engine so as to provide motive power fuel to the vehicle. Unlike normal diesel fuel or gasoline, the desired precise metering and timing injections of cryogen fuel in the liquid form into the engine has not been feasible, therefore injection of pressurized vapor is desirable. Using LNG as an example, the high pressure cryogen vapor would be referred to as compressed natural gas (CNG). Accordingly, the engine of the vehicle on which the system is located may receive it's CNG fuel from the LNG source, but after being pumped to a desired pressure and then vaporized.
Another example incorporating these problems are very small cryogenic liquid systems where it is desired to fill steel high pressure (about 2,500 psig) cylinders with warmed cryogen vapor, using cryogenic liquid stored in small liquid cylinders as the source of the vapor. There are many other examples where very low NPSH reciprocating cryogenic pumps would be of great utility.
While a number of cryogenic pumps have been developed for low NPSH service; the difficulties of providing pumps suitable for an on-board vehicle medium or high pressure cryogenic pump, or for other small pumping systems have proven too great. Onboard cryogenic pumping systems intended to operate while the vehicle is in motion are especially difficult, as the motion of the vehicle (and consequently the cryogen storage tank), tends to make the stored cryogen come to and remain at equilibrium conditions, i.e. boiling from any heat incursion through the tank's insulation. Included in previous low NPSH designs are U.S. Pat. No. 3,011,450 issued Dec. 5, 1961; No. 3,023,710 issued Mar. 6, 1962; No. 3,263,622 issued Aug. 2, 1966; and No. 3,277,797 issued Oct. 11, 1966 --all to the present inventor. In particular the '710, the '622 and '797 patents show pumps where the intake valve into the pumping chamber is caused to open by the mechanical action of the piston rod retracting from a center opening in a hollow piston, a type of action commonly referred to as a "lost motion" action as the piston does not move as far as does the piston rod. This mechanically opening of the intake valve reduces one principal need for NPSH, that of causing the intake valve to open by a reduction in pressure. Another more recent U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,519 issued Feb. 23, 1993 to I. S. Spulgis shows a similar "lost motion" action in opening the intake valve mechanically. However, no cryogenic pump has been totally satisfactory in its operation when handling cryogenic liquids at the very low NPSH encountered in small and/or mobile applications. Attention is directed at the explanation of NPSH contained on page 27of MVE Data Book P/N 10517513 8/96 making the statement that no pump can operate on saturated liquid (zero NPSH) cryogen, a widely held view.
It has long been recognized that LNG and the like could be a most useful fuel for buses, trucks and other transportation systems requiring reciprocating Diesel engines or other types of internal combustion engines. However, the clean burning and efficient Diesel cycle requires substantial injection pressures of its fuel for best overall performance. It is also desired to carry the fuel in the cryogenic liquid state, so as to save the weight and space of high pressure gas cylinders. The desired solution of carrying on-board the LNG as a low pressure liquid, but providing high pressure gas to the engine, is one requiring an on-board cryogenic pump. As stated earlier, the performance of this pump must be quite unusual as the LNG in the storage tank will tend to stay at equilibrium conditions (due to the vibration of the vehicle), thus providing near zero Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) to the pump's inlet, a condition under which most known medium or high pressure cryogenic pumps cannot reliably operate, especially as the tank becomes nearly empty. Furthermore, for many reasons, it is not desirable to vent to the atmosphere natural gas vapor from the on-board storage and pressurizing system; accordingly the traditional methods/techniques utilized in the cryogenic pump industry to provide prime or NPSH are not appropriate.
The attractiveness of utilizing the cold potential represented by LNG vaporization for some other useful purpose has been long recognized; i.e. U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,727 issued Apr. 3, 1962 to G. F. Farmer and No. 3,363,425 issued Jan. 16, 1968 to R. H. Williamson and many others; but no system has functioned well enough to be accepted and widely used. At the January 1988 Energy Sources Technology Conference and Exhibition, and reported in ASME Paper 88-ICE-21 entitled "LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) as a Fuel and Refrigerant for Diesel Powered Shrimp Boats", where the vehicle is a boat. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,685,310 issued Aug. 22, 1972 and 3,740,961 issued Jun. 26, 1973 to H. Fischer describes an ammonia system (characterized as an "open cycle") where the liquid ammonia provides both the cooling for in-transit refrigeration and the resultant gaseous ammonia can be fed to the engine to augment the engine's fuel supply. U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,568 issued Jul. 16, 1974 to T. Bijasiewicz et al describes a system wherein land and water vehicles use a cryogenic fuel which can also cool the passenger compartment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,029 issued May 18, 1993 to R. Uselton et al describes a so called "negative energy storage system", for storing a cooling effect for later use. U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,038 issued Jan. 11, 1994 to P. Carr describes a thermal storage system for storing cooling (and/or heating) for later use in cooling (and/or heating) the passenger space of the vehicle in which it is located.
The use of slush carbon dioxide (a mixture of liquid and solid) to store for later use a refrigeration effect has been envisioned in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,759 issued Jul. 18, 1978; in No. 4,211,085 issued Jul. 8, 1990; in No. 4,224,801 issued Sep. 30, 1980; in No. 4,693,737 issued Sep. 15, 1987; in No. 4,695,302 issued Sep. 22, 1987; and in No. 4,995,234 issued Feb. 26, 1991--all either to the present inventor or with the present inventor as a named inventor. The '234 patent uses the vaporization of LNG to create a useful refrigerating effect, which is stored in the slush mixture by effecting a phase change of some of the liquid carbon dioxide to a solid, for later use.
Even more recently, the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) in a Small Business Innovation Research 1996 Program Solicitation, No. DOE/ER-0686 identified "Liquid Natural Gas Storage for Heavy Vehicles" as a technical topic in which the DOE has a R & D mission. In this Solicitation, on-board medium pressure (approx. 500 psig) and high pressure (approx. 3,000 psig) cryogenic pumps were identified as areas where innovation was specifically desired, as an existing component or practice that requires improvement.
However, and despite these publicized needs, the difficulties inherent to an on-board LNG storage, pumping and vaporizing system/station suitable for medium or high pressure injection of the natural gas into a Diesel engine have prevented such a system from being widely used. Also while many have proposed systems for utilizing the refrigerating effect obtained from vaporizing a cryogenic fuel such as LNG, none also have reached the stage where commercial success resulted. The definition of cryogenic liquid as used herein is a gas whose critical temperature is below terrestrial temperatures; i.e. below about -85.degree. F. Examples are (in the liquid state) nitrogen, oxygen, argon, methane, hydrogen and natural gas (LNG). Where the term LNG is used herein as an example, it equally applies to any liquefied fuel stored at cryogenic temperatures, such as, but not limited to, methane or hydrogen.

Very low NPSH cryogenic pump and mobile LNG station


A channel switch control method in a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver is disclosed, wherein discrimination is made as to whether a switch to the erstwhile selected channel has been completed in response to receipt of a channel switch command, and if it is determined that the switch operation to the erstwhile selected channel has not been completed, a switch operation to a newly selected channel in response to the channel switch command is delayed until the switch operation to the erstwhile-selected channel is completed and then the channel switch operation is performed, whereby an unstable operation can be avoided resulting from receipt of a switch command to the new channel before a screen output operation relative to the erstwhile-selected channel is completed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present document relates to a channel switch control method in a digital multimedia broadcasting receiver configured to disable the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver from operating against a channel switch command inputted before a screen output operation finish relative to an erstwhile channel, thereby enabling the digital multimedia broadcasting receiver that consumes a relatively large amount of time for channel switch to operate stably.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) denotes a new conceptual mobile multimedia broadcasting service combining broadcasting with communication. If mounted with a DMB receiving module, users can be provided with compact disk (CD)-quality sound and various high-level data via a mobile communication terminal, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or a vehicle-mounted terminal in transit or at a fixed place.
The DMB service uses as standard Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) system standardized from Eureka-147 (European Research Coordination Agency Project-147). The DMB service features multi-channel services and high quality sound, and diversified information can be provided therethrough. The DMB is largely divided into a terrestrial DMB and a satellite DMB according to method and network configurations.
The terrestrial digital broadcasting is largely divided into an American-type digital ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) system using 8-VSB (Vestigial Side Band) modulation method and a DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial) system using OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) modulation method according to transmission method.
The American method is based on NTSC (National Television System Committee) frequency band and is convenient and economically excellent in embodying transmitter and receiver, and a high data transmission rate in a same bandwidth, but is inadequate for DMB that is intended for mobile reception because of weak in multiple interference path.
Accordingly, the terrestrial DMB adopts the European method that has an excellent mobile reception. Although the European method has a disadvantage compared with the American method in that it has a less amount of transmission data than that of the American method in the same bandwidth, but it has an advantage in that it is possible in mobile reception and a strong reception performance that is robust against the multiple interference path. However, a disadvantage is that it is difficult to simultaneously achieve high definition broadcasting and mobile reception at the same time in a frequency band of 6 MHz of each channel under the Korean situation.
The terrestrial DMB service launched in Korea as from Dec. 1, 2005 is embodied in such a manner that a channel is divided into 3 frequency blocks, whereby 3 DMB providers can be selected. Furthermore, it is stipulated that a provider divides for use the allocated frequency block into a TV broadcasting channel, 3 radio broadcasting channels and 1 data broadcasting channel. Consequently, in order to transmit a plurality of mutually different contents within the same frequency band, the same frequency band is so allocated as not to be time-duplicated, and plural contents are multiplexedly transmitted within the allocated time slot.
In a receiver receiving a signal transmitted by time division thus explained, specified contents wanted by a user out of the plural contents received via a frequency band are separated. Furthermore, the separated specified contents are accumulated up to a predetermined amount and receipt state thereof is discriminated. If the receipt state is discriminated as satisfactory, the received signal should be decoded and outputted such that it takes a lot of time to output contents corresponding to the channel selected by the user.
In other words, it is estimated that it takes approximately 2 seconds for a terrestrial DMB receiver to receive and output contents wanted by a user corresponding to a channel switch command. In the consumed time, it is estimated that it takes approximately 1.2 seconds for tuning of a tuner and decoding of a channel decoder to be performed, which is a longer interval than is typically spent by a user swiftly pressing a channel switch key via a remotely controller. In case of a terrestrial DMB receiver, contents corresponding to a channel switched in real time in response to a channel switch command cannot be outputted.
In consideration of characteristics of the terrestrial DMB receiver that cannot respond in real time to the channel switch command, the DMB system may operate unstably if a channel switch command is re-inputted before a screen output operation is completed relative to an erstwhile selected channel.

Channel switch control method in digital multimedia broadcasting receiver


A ball catcher for recovering balls from wellbore fluids containing sand during flow back operations. The ball catcher has a receiving chamber for receiving the wellbore fluids containing sand, a first flow outlet for discharging a portion of the wellbore fluids and sand contained therein, and a diverter for redirecting balls entrained within the wellbore fluids. The redirected balls and a balance of the wellbore fluids also containing sand are received in a ball-retaining chamber. A blocker fit to the ball-retaining chamber retains the recovered balls therein while the balance of the wellbore fluids and sand contained therein is discharged from a second flow outlet and directed to downstream equipment through an auxiliary flow line. The retaining chamber can be isolated allowing the balls to be removed from the ball catcher without disrupting the flow back operation.

It is known to conduct fracturing or other treating procedures in a wellbore by isolating zones in the wellbore using packers and the like and subjecting the isolated zone to treatment fluids at treatment pressures. In a typical fracturing procedure, for example, the casing of the well is perforated to admit oil and/or gas from the formation into the well and fracturing fluid is then pumped into the well and through these perforations into the formation. Such treatment opens and/or enlarges draining channels in the formation, enhancing the producing ability of the well. Alternatively, the completion can be an open hole type that is completed without casing in the producing formation area.
It is desired to stimulate multiple zones, or intervals within the same zone, using onsite stimulation fluid pumping equipment (pumpers). A packer arrangement is inserted at intervals isolating one zone from an adjacent zone. It is known to introduce a drop ball through the wellbore to engage one of the packers (or packer interval) in order to block fluid flow therethrough. Passage through a downhole packer is thereby plugged off with this drop ball that is pumped into the wellbore during the stimulation flush. The drop ball blocks off this downhole packer, isolating the wellbore uphole of the downhole packer and consequently a second zone, above this downhole packer, can be stimulated. Once stimulated, a subsequent drop ball can be dropped to block off a subsequent packer uphole of the blocked packer for stimulation thereabove. This continues until all the desired zones are stimulated.
At surface, the wellbore is generally furnished with a frachead unit including a multi-port block or a Y-type frac header, isolation tool or the like, which provides fluid connections for introducing stimulation fluids including sand, gels and acid treatments.
After well operations, fluid from the well is flowed to surface through the wellhead or frachead. The fluid is urged from the well such as under formation pressures and/or the influence of a gaseous charge of CO2 or N2. The fluid from the well exits the wellhead from a horizontally extending fitting. To separate the balls from the fluid, it is known to use a cross fitting apparatus such as a plate extending across the flow path from the wellhead. The plate is typically a plate across the flow path having large slots or screen at the face such as an upside down "U" or fork shape for impeding balls recovered with the fluid while permitting fluid to flow therethrough the "U" shape.
It is known for balls, of which various sizes are employed in one well operation, to become lodged at the prior art U-shape or screen and block fluid flow. In other instances, the balls can break apart which encourages further blockages.
During maximum flow back operations involving wellbore fluids containing sand, stagnation of the wellbore fluids in the ball catcher and related apparatus can cause the sand entrained therein to settle and rapidly accumulate, interfering with ball catcher performance. Failure of the ball catcher can result in wellbore plugging and other complications.
Therefore, there is a need for a more effective apparatus for retrieving balls from wellbore fluids containing sand after a well operation.

System, apparatus and process for collecting balls from wellbore fluids containing sand


A method for cleaning objects (e.g., wafers, integrated circuits, photonic devices, opto-electronic devices, piezoelectronic devices, microelectromechanical systems (xe2x80x9cMEMSxe2x80x9d), sensors, actuators, solar cells, flat panel displays (e.g., LCD, AMLCD), biological and biomedical devices) of particles (e.g., particulate contamination) that attach themselves to surfaces of the objects. The method includes applying a high energy laser source on a surface of a substrate to release one or more particles from the surface of the substrate while maintaining the substrate in a vacuum environment; and applying an electrostatic source directed to the substrate to attract the released one or more particles from the substrate to remove the one or more particles from the surface of the substrate. The method also removes the substrate from the vacuum environment.

The present invention relates to techniques for cleaning objects. More particularly, the invention provides a technique including a method for cleaning objects using a combination of a high energy light source and electrostatic bias for removing impurities, such as particles and the like from integrated circuits, for example. But it will be recognized that the invention has a wider range of applicability; it can also be applied to other devices such as three-dimensional packaging of integrated semiconductor devices, photonic devices, opto-electronic devices, piezoelectronic devices, microelectromechanical systems (xe2x80x9cMEMSxe2x80x9d), sensors, actuators, solar cells, flat panel displays (e.g., LCD, AMLCD), biological and biomedical devices, and the like.
As integrated circuit device sizes become smaller, it is more desirable to remove particulate contamination from surfaces of such devices. Many techniques have been proposed or used to remove such particulate contamination. In the early days, such techniques have been limited to wet processing methods. These wet processing methods include a cascade rinse. The cascade rinse often utilizes a cascade rinser which includes inner and outer chambers, each separated by a partition. Rinse water flows from a water source into the inner chamber. The rinse water from the inner chamber cascades into the outer chamber. An in-process wafer such as an etched wafer is typically rinsed in the cascade rinser by dipping the etched wafer into the rinse water of the inner chamber. This process is often used to neutralize and remove acid from the etched wafer, which often remains in the rinse chamber to create particulate contamination problems.
Another technique often used to rinse wafers is the xe2x80x9cquick dumpxe2x80x9d method. The quick dump method relies upon the rapid deployment of water from the rinse tank to remove water and impurities from the semiconductor wafer. A limitation with this method is its inability to actually clean or remove particles from the wafer. In fact, the rapid deployment of water from the tank often transfers more particles onto the wafer. In addition, the wafers from the quick dump tank must still undergo a drying operation, further increasing the number of particles on the wafer. As previously noted, more particles often relates to lower die yields on the semiconductor wafer.
A further technique used to both rinse and dry wafers relies upon a spin rinse/dryer. The spin rinse/dryer uses a combination of rinse water spray to rinse and centrifugal force to remove water from the semiconductor wafer. The dry step often removes the water from the semiconductor wafer substantially by centrifugal force and evaporation. However, the spin rinse/dryer often introduces more particles onto the wafer. In fact, initially dissolved or suspended contaminants such as particles in the water are often left on the semiconductor wafer, thereby reducing the number of good dies on the wafer. Another limitation with the spin rinse/dryer is its complex mechanical design with moving parts and the like. The complex mechanical design often leads to certain problems such as greater downtime, wafer breakage, more spare parts, greater costs, among others. A further limitation is static electricity often builds up on the wafers during the spin cycle, thereby attracting even more particles onto the surface of the semiconductor. Accordingly, the spin rinse/drying does not clean or remove particles from the wafer.
Other techniques used to dry wafers include an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapor dryer, full displacement IPA dryer, and others. These IPA-type dryers often rely upon a large quantity of a solvent such as isopropyl alcohol and other volatile organic liquids to facilitate drying of the semiconductor wafer. A limitation with this type of dryer is its use of the large solvent quantity, which is hot, highly flammable, and extremely hazardous to health and the environment.
Several dry techniques have also been used. For example, silicon wafers have been cleaned using an argon/nitrogen cryogenic aerosol process. Such dry technique has had many promising characteristics, but has had limited use in the manufacture of integrated circuits so far. Other techniques that have been proposed but still lack wide acceptance in the manufacture of integrated circuits. Such techniques often require the use of expensive equipment, chemicals, and the like. Additionally, such techniques have proved not to be significantly effective for cleaning silicon wafers.
From the above, it is seen that an improved method for cleaning objects is highly desirable.
According to the present invention, a technique including a method for manufacturing objects is provided. More particularly, the invention provides a technique including a method for cleaning objects using a combination of a high energy light source and electrostatic bias for removing impurities, such as particles and the like from integrated circuits, for example. But it will be recognized that the invention has a wider range of applicability; it can also be applied to other devices such as three-dimensional packaging of integrated semiconductor devices, photonic devices, opto-electronic devices, piezoelectronic devices, microelectromechanical systems (xe2x80x9cMEMSxe2x80x9d), sensors, actuators, solar cells, flat panel displays (e.g., LCD, AMLCD), biological and biomedical devices, and the like.
In a specific embodiment, the present invention provides a method for cleaning objects (e.g., wafers, integrated circuits, photonic devices, opto-electronic devices, piezoelectronic devices, microelectromechanical systems (xe2x80x9cMEMSxe2x80x9d), sensors, actuators, solar cells, flat panel displays (e.g., LCD, AMLCD), biological and biomedical devices) of particles (e.g., particulate contamination) that attach themselves to surfaces of the objects. The method includes applying high energy (e.g., photons) from a high energy source (e.g., flash lamp, laser, light) on a surface of a substrate to release one or more particles from the surface of the substrate while maintaining the substrate in a predetermined (e.g., vacuum, atmospheric) environment; and applying an electrostatic source directed to the substrate to attract the released one or more particles from the substrate to remove the one or more particles from the surface of the substrate. The force should be applied simultaneously with the high energy source in some embodiments. The method also removes the substrate from the predetermined environment.
In an alternative embodiment, the invention provides a method for cleaning objects of particles that attach themselves to surfaces of the objects and chamber cleaning. The method includes inserting a substrate into a chamber. A step of applying a high energy source on a surface of the substrate to release one or more particles from the surface of the substrate while maintaining the substrate in a predetermined (e.g., vacuum) environment of the chamber is also included. The method applies an electrostatic source comprising an electrode directed to the substrate to attract the released one or more particles from the substrate to remove the one or more particles from the surface of the substrate. The substrate is removed from the chamber. The steps above are repeated for one or more substrates, until the electrode becomes dirty and ineffective. The method then inserts a collector substrate into the chamber; and applies a high energy light source on the electrode to release one or more particles from the surface of the electrode while maintaining the electrode in the predetermined (e.g., vacuum) environment of the chamber. An electrostatic source is applied to the collector substrate to attract the released one or more particles from the electrode to the collection substrate to remove the one or more particles from the surface of the electrode to clean the electrode from the particles. The collector substrate permanently removes the particles from the electrode and other areas of the chamber. The method removes the collection substrate from the chamber.
Numerous benefits are achieved over pre-existing techniques using the present invention. In a specific embodiment, the invention provides a clean and dry cleaning process, which is free from harmful chemicals, gases, and the like. In other embodiments, the invention permanently removes particles, which cannot reattach themselves to the substrate. The invention can be implemented using conventional hardware and software, with some customization. The method can be applied to the manufacture of many types of objects, e.g., integrated circuits, disks, opto-electronic devices. In other aspects, the invention is also cluster tool compatible, which can be used with other processes. The invention can also be applied after a variety of integrated circuit device manufacturing processes, e.g., etching, pre-gate oxide formation, deposition, plating. The invention also provides a non-contact, dry, technique for removing a particle. In other aspects, the invention also prevents particles from reattaching onto surfaces of the object being processed. The invention is also clustertool compatible. Depending upon the application, one or more of these advantages may exist, but do not need to all exist to carry out the claims herein.
The present invention achieves these benefits and others in the context of known process technology. However, a further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the latter portions of the specification and attached drawings.


The disclosure provides a theseometer or proprioceptometer for objectively quantifying the proprioceptive performance of a subject such as a human. The disclosed theseometer is a device comprising a clear, rigid material or screen having or exhibiting a distinguishable target embraced by a series of concentric rings, a digital camera with a lens concentric to the target, a base unit comprising an electronic processor and memory for analyzing data and, optionally, a wheeled base to provide mobility and portability.

At present, proprioceptive measurements of individuals, such as individuals with aberrant neuromuscular behavior, involve directing the individual to point to a target accurately and to hold that point, even in the face of an external load. This test is a typical component of a neurological examination. Currently, the interpretation of an individual's performance on this test is so subjective that virtually any conclusion can be reached. Conventional approaches to the measurement of proprioception in individuals are illustrated in FIG. 1.
The proprioceptive sense is vastly under-studied, arguably because there are no rigorous ways to study proprioception. The conscious appreciation of body position is very poor. Consequently, the typical psychophysical approach used for vision, hearing and the like will not work for proprioception. The sense of proprioception must be assessed using a motor metric.
Currently, motor disorders are typically attributed to problems in motor pathways. It is known, however, that sensory damage can impair motor performance. The case of a certain individual, Ian Waterman, and others with a complete loss of taction and proprioception dramatically, illustrate this point. These individuals (there are about a dozen known in the world), with the exception of Mr. Waterman in his younger years, are all dependent on wheelchairs for mobility, yet they have no damage to their motor pathways or muscles. The lesson here is that proprioception is critical to movement. Patients with unexplained motor deficits may have subtle impairments in proprioception that can be identified with the inventive device disclosed herein. Moreover, incomplete proprioceptive loss that contribute to motor problems are likely to be overlooked at present as there is no way to clearly discover the problem.
Currently available devices are designed to measure 1) the minimal passive movement that a subject can detect; 2) a subject's ability to reproduce a given joint position. Neither of these tasks is of utility in diagnosing motor dysfunction or tracking motor performance in response to treatment. Both are non-ethological, arbitrary tasks that will not tell us about the ability of the person to use proprioception in making movements.
There are devices that test a subject's ability to identify the position of a body part without vision. However, these devices all use an anchor, such as a manipulandum (joystick) that limits the error of the movement. The touch of the manipulandum provides a great deal of information that can make up for any loss of proprioception.
Proprioceptive evaluation is a burgeoning field of research and development. Physicians and researchers currently lack a cheap and effective means of quantifying the extent of a patient's proprioceptive performance.
Accordingly, a need persists in the art for a device that can accurately measure proprioceptive performance in order to identify those individuals that would benefit from appropriate proprioceptive therapies.

Theseometer for measuring proprioception performance