An edible prawn wherein each of the abdominal carapaces connecting respective ends of the lateral carapaces in the first to fifth abdominal somites and a part of the sixth abdominal somite has been broken along at least one cut, thus facilitating the separation of the meat from the shell like the separation of the telson from the uropod.

The shrimp is generally cooked in a shell-peeled off state, but even if the shrimp has been cooked in a shelled state, it is eaten with its shell peeled off. When the shrimp is eaten, it is essential to remove the shell from the shrimp. In peeling-off the shell from the shrimp, the peeling-off is performed manually in such a manner that an abdominal segment side carapace which is an outer shell of each abdominal or ventral segment is peeled off from the abdomen side.
However, the peeling-off of a tail of shrimp is performed by peeling-off six abdominal segment-side carapaces of first to sixth abdominal or ventral segments. In this case, even if adjacent two abdominal segment side carapaces are peeled off at one time in order to the six abdominal segment side carapaces of the first to sixth abdominal segments, the operation for peeling off the abdominal segment side carapaces must be repeated three times. However, in practice, the abdominal segment side carapace of the sixth abdominal segment is affixed to a tail segment-side shell which is an outer shell of a tail segment and difficult to peel off. For this reason, only the abdominal segment side carapace of the sixth abdominal segment is peeled off separately and hence, one separately peeling-off labor is required. That is, a total of four shell peeling-off operations are required for the shell peeling-off of a tail of shrimp.
Such a shell peeling-off of shrimp is carried out for every tail in a case of shrimp consumed in a large amount. If the number of shell peeling-off runs per tail of shrimp is large, the labor required for the shell peeling-off is increased, and a lot of time is required. For this reason, when the abdominal segment side carapaces are peeled off for a large amount of shrimps, the five abdominal segment side carapaces of the first to fifth abdominal or ventral segments are peeled off by three runs of the peeling-off operation, with the abdominal segment side carapace of the sixth abdominal segment left without being peeled off. In this case, however, to peel off the respective abdominal segment side carapaces of the first to fifth abdominal segments, it is common that a time of about 10 seconds is spent even by one skilled in the art for peeling off the respective abdominal segment-side carapaces of the first to fifth abdominal segments. A considerably long time is spent for the shell peeling-off operation for the shrimps consumed in a large amount, which comes into question.
When the shrimp is fried in an oil, outer ones of tail limbs of the tail segment must be removed or cut in order to prevent the bursting of the tail segment, resulting in one more operation, e.g., a time of five seconds required. Even in this case, a total four runs of the operation is required, e.g., a time of about 15 seconds is required for peeling-off a tail of shrimp and hence, a considerably long time is spent for the shell peeling-off operation for shrimps consumed in a large amount. Therefore, it is demanded to achieve the shell peeling-off of the shell at each abdominal segment of a shrimp in a short time.
Moreover, when the abdominal segment side carapace of the sixth abdominal segment is left without being peeled off, the sixth abdominal segment portion is in a state with the abdominal segment side carapace affixed thereto, and is difficult to eat. For this reason, it is common that the sixth abdominal segment portion is not used as an edible portion and discarded. Therefore, the edible portion of the shrimp is decreased by about 5 to 10 percent by weight, which is a problem.
To facilitate the peeling-off of each of the abdominal segment side carapaces of the shrimp, it is a conventional practice to make cuts in a back of each of the abdominal segment side carapaces of the shrimp. However, if the cuts are made in the back, they are conspicuous, resulting in a degraded external appearance. In addition, even if the cuts are made in the back, the time required for peeling off each of the abdominal segment side carapaces is little different from that when no cut is made, and the cuts in the back of each abdominal segment side carapace do not effectively act on the peeling-off of each abdominal segment-side carapace. Moreover, in this case, the abdominal segment side carapace of the sixth abdominal segment and the outer tail limbs of the tail segment remain left without being peeled off and hence, it is impossible to avoid the decrease in edible portion of the shrimp, which is a problem.
There is also a processed product of shrimp made by peeling off five abdominal segment side carapaces of the first to fifth abdominal segments of the shrimp, so that the shrimp product can be eaten immediately after being cooked. However, this processed shrimp product assumes from a problem that the flavor thereof is lowered, as compared with a shelled shrimp. Moreover, the processed product of shrimp suffers from a problem that even if the abdominal segment side carapace of the sixth abdominal segment remain left, the surface area of the side surface is reduced by 15 to 25 percent, because the abdominal segment-side carapaces of the first to fifth abdominal segments of the shrimp have been peeled off, resulting in an injured external appearance and a reduced commercial value of the shrimp product.
The present invention aims at solving the problems concerning the peeling-off of the abdominal segment side carapaces as the outer shell of the shrimp. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an edible shrimp product, wherein abdominal segment-side carapaces of first to sixth abdominal or ventral segments of the shrimp product can be completely peeled by one run of a simple operation in a time far short from a time required for peeling-off the abdominal segment-side carapaces in the prior art, e.g., in a time which is one third of the time in the prior art, without injuring of the external appearance, and the first to sixth abdominal segments can be eaten.

Edible shrimp product and method of making


The disclosure includes a method for using a doorbell system to detect a presence of a visitor. The doorbell system can comprise a doorbell having a speaker, a microphone, a camera, and a button. The method can include detecting, by the doorbell system, the presence of the visitor while the visitor is located outside a building to which the doorbell is attached. The building can include a door having a lock that is configured to fasten the door to inhibit unauthorized entry into the building. In response to detecting the presence of the visitor, the method can include the step of actuating, by the doorbell system, a first appliance associated with the building.

Residents and guests often arrive at buildings via an entryway. The entryway may often include a doorbell that is attached to the building. In response to the resident or guest approaching or entering the building, various events may occur. The resident, guest or another person within the building may manually trigger the events.

Doorbell communication systems and methods


Polypeptide antigens are disclosed which are immunoreactive with sera from individuals infected with non-A, non-B, non-C, non-D, non-E hepatitis. Also disclosed are corresponding genomic-fragment clones containing polynucleotides encoding the open reading frame sequences for the antigenic polypeptides. The antigens are useful in diagnostic methods for detecting the presence of N-(ABCDE) hepatitis agent infection in primates. The antigens are also useful in vaccine and antibody preparations. Methods are presented for the isolation of entire genomes corresponding to the N-(ABCDE) hepatitis agents.

Viral hepatitis resulting from a virus other than hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been referred to as non-A, non-B hepatitis (NANBH). One of these, known as enterically transmitted NANBH or ET-NANBH, is contracted predominantly in poor-sanitation areas where food and drinking water have been contaminated by fecal matter. The molecular cloning of the causative agent, referred to as the hepatitis E virus (HEV), has recently been described (Reyes et al. (1990); Tam et al.).
A second NANB virus type, known as parenterally transmitted NANBH, or PT-NANBH, is transmitted by parenteral routes, typically by exposure to blood or blood products. Although the rate varies by locale, approximately 10% of transfusions cause PT-NANBH infection, and about half of these go on to a chronic disease state (Dienstag). After anti-HCV testing, HCV seroconversion per unit transfused was decreased to less than 1% among heart surgery patients.
Human sera documented as having produced post-transfusion NANBH in human recipients have been used successfully to produce PT-NANBH infection in chimpanzees (Bradley). RNA isolated from infected chimpanzee sera has been used to construct cDNA libraries in an expression vector for immunoscreening with chronic-state human PT-NANBH serum. This procedure identified a PT-NANBH specific cDNA clone and the viral sequence was then used as a probe to identify a set of overlapping fragments making up 7,300 contiguous basepairs of a PT-NANBH viral agent. The sequenced viral agent has been named the hepatitis C virus (HCV) (for example, the sequence of HCV is presented in EPO patent application 88310922.5, filed Nov. 18, 1988). The full-length sequence (.about.9,500 nt) of HCV is now available.
Primate transmission studies conducted at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC; Phoenix, Ariz., 1973-1975; 1978-1983) originally provided substantial evidence for the existence of multiple agents of non-A, non-B (NANBH): the primary agents of NANB are now recognized as being associated with infection by HCV and HEV (see above). Later epidemiologic studies conducted at the CDC (Atlanta, Ga., 1989-present) using both research (prototype) and commercial tests for anti-HCV antibody showed that approximately 20% of all community-acquired non-A, non-B hepatitis was also non-C. Further testing of these samples for the presence of HEV (co-owned, co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 07/372,711, filed 28 Jun. 1989, herein incorporated by reference) have indicated that these cases of community-acquired non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis were also non-E.
Liver biopsy specimens of Sentinel County patients obtained during the last five years (study of Drs. Miriam Alter and Kris Krawcynski) also showed that many bona fide cases of NANBH were also non-C hepatitis (serologically and RT-PCR (Kawasaki, et al.; Wang, et al.) negative for all markers of HCV infection) developed subsequently into chronic hepatitis with presentation of chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) or chronic active hepatitis (CAH) consistent with a viral infection.

Non-A/non-B/non-C/non-D/non-E hepatitis agents and molecular cloning thereof


A circuit includes a configurable receiver circuit, a multiplexer or demultiplexer coupled to the configurable receiver circuit, and a configurable driver circuit coupled to the multiplexer or demultiplexer. The configurable receiver circuit generates an internal format signal which is received by the multiplexer or demultiplexer. The configurable driver circuit receives the internal format signal from the multiplexer or demultiplexer.

The need for digital audio and video (A/V) interfacing has increased with current consumer electronics devices. Applications include, for example, interfacing personal computer (PC) desktops with a variety of display monitors, DVD players or set-up boxes with television sets, A/V receivers with television sets, and PC desktops with television sets. A variety of digital interface protocols are in use. Such display interface protocols include, but are not limited to, Digital Visual Interface (DVI), High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), and DisplayPort. Furthermore, since there is a need for multiple electronic devices to interface with one another, there is a need for multi-port switching between devices.
As semiconductor technology advances, and transistor feature size decreases, the integration of different interface protocols becomes both feasible and economically efficient. An integration approach makes it possible to have all-in-one multi-protocol interfacing with respect to logic functions. However, physical electrical signaling incompatibility between different protocols remains a problem.
Thus, there is a need for improved systems and methods for multi-protocol interfacing and switching.

Digital A/V transmission PHY signaling format conversion, multiplexing, and de-multiplexing


A microphone includes a base, a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) device disposed on the base, and a front end processing apparatus disposed on the base and coupled to the MEMS device, the front end processing apparatus being configured to convert analog signals received from the MEMS device into digital signals. The microphone also includes a DSP apparatus, the DSP apparatus being a digital programmed device with a computer memory, the DSP apparatus configured to process the digital signals received from the front end processing apparatus. The MEMS device, the front end processing apparatus, and DSP apparatus are enclosed within a single microphone enclosure or assembly. During operation the DSP apparatus generates DSP noise. The DSP apparatus includes a noise reduction structure that substantially prevents the DSP noise from reaching or interfering with the operation of the MEMS device or the front end processing apparatus.

A microphone is an acoustic transducer converting sound pressure signals to equivalent electrical signals. This electrical equivalent of the sound is generally used in bidirectional telecommunications or for later playback. Historically, this acoustic capture has been done completely in the analog domain. The improvement of audio capture technology has led to digital microphones, particularly microphones that output pulse density modulated (PDM) digital signals.
Processing of the captured audio signals to improve or enhance the desired signal is used with bi-directional telecommunications and recording. This aspect of audio signal enhancement supports new use cases in particular to meet demands of compact size, ease of integration and increasing needs to operate in noisy conditions while still providing quality audio with reduced noise.
Such signal processing is usually conducted by a combination of a codec and a digital signal processor (DSP) engine, wherein the DSP functionality may be embedded in the codec hardware or is implemented in hardware external to the codec and is supplied by data from the codec. Furthermore, such processed data is then provided to the consuming application that runs on the same or another processor to facilitate a recording or telecommunication objective.
Previous approaches include multiple intermediate processing integrated circuit chips, which increases the complexity, size, and power requirements of the approach. By "chip" and as used herein, it is meant a piece of silicon. These previous approaches also increase the cost of the system. All of these problems have resulted in some user dissatisfaction with previous approaches.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

Signal processing platform in an acoustic capture device


A dimmer control system includes two discrete silicon controlled rectifiers which respectively energize a lamp load during alternate half cycles of the input AC voltage. The separate placement of the SCRs ensures that much lower temperatures are reached than would occur if a single triac were used to energize a lamp during both half cycles. The system also includes a pair of diacs which energize the respective SCRs when a respective capacitor directly connected to each diac discharges through one of them. The system further includes a respective capacitor charging circuit for each capacitor, each of the two charge circuits including a series connections of the gate to cathode junction of the SCR other than the one which the capacitor being charged discharges through, a diode, a common fixed resistor, and a common variable resistor.

The present invention relates to a light dimmer circuit which uses two silicon control rectifiers (SCRs) to alternately energize a load, which can comprise one or more lamps, at adjustable points in the respective half cycles of an input AC voltage sine wave.
It is known in the prior art that a triac can be used to energize a load such as a lamp during alternate half cycles of an input AC voltage sine wave, and that the firing angle of the triac can be adjusted by various means to achieve a desired amount of dimming of the lamp. However, a problem which arises with the use of a triac is that, especially for high power light dimmers on the order of 2,000 watts or more, large heat sinks are required to dissipate the heat and to prevent possibly dangerous temperatures being reached in the dimmer circuit.
In addition to the aforementioned problem of a single triac in a dimmer circuit acting as a single point source of heat, leading to a hot spot, there is also a requirement for a low voltage drop for such triacs. This requirement necessarily increases the cost of these devices. Also known is a control circuit for progressively varying the illumination intensity of lamps comprising a single silicon controlled rectifier (thyristor) connected in series with a lamp load. This single SCR is gated by a unijunction transistor together with a charging circuit having a charging time higher than the charging time of the gate biasing circuit of the SCR such that the current flowing through the lamp load is progressively and gradually decreased at each cycle of the alternating current till it reaches zero, and afterward is increased to its full intensity in a similar cyclical manner.
Also known is a dimmer circuit wherein two SCRs respectively operate independently on opposite halves of the alternating current sine wave to convey current to a load such as a lamp. However, since these dimmer switches each provide a half-wave output having a direct current component, load devices suitable for only alternating current operation may not be employed. Also, unlike the present invention, the dimmer switches are connected in series with the AC voltage source in line with only one of the two source conductors supplying the load. Also, in the circuit of the present invention, each SCR also provides a voltage with a direct current component. The two direct currents however are in opposite directions end so, if the circuit components are symmetrical, there should not be any net D.C. Furthermore, the inventive circuit is also in series with only one of the two source conductors. The load is between the circuit and the other source conductor.

Electrical dimmer system employing alternately applied silicon controlled rectifiers


An information recording apparatus (SS1) is provided with: a signal process device (72) for dividing record information (R) to be recorded into a pluralities partial record informations including at least video information, for applying a predetermined signal process to each of the partial record informations to thereby output processed partial record information (Sr, 42, 43, 44), and for generating and outputting, on the basis of control information (Si) which is inputted from the external to control a reproduction of the record information, additional information (Sac, 64: PGCI) including still time information (66E) indicative of a time for performing a still picture reproduction of a final picture of each of the partial record informations which is a picture included in each of the partial record informations at a final portion thereof after reproducing each of the partial record informations, at a time of reproducing the record information, the still time information being set for each of the partial record informations; a multiplex device (75, 76) for multiplexing the processed partial record information and the additional information to thereby generate multiplexed processed record information (Sap): and a record device (77, 78) for recording the multiplexed processed record information onto an information record medium (1: DVD).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information record medium such as an optical disk of a high recording density type, which is capable of recording information such as video information, audio information and the like at a high density, and which is represented by a DVD (Digital Video or Versatile Disk). The present invention also relates to a recording apparatus for recording the information onto the information record medium, and a reproducing apparatus for reproducing the information from the information record medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a so-called LD (Laser Disk) and a so-called CD (Compact Disk) are generalized as optical disks, on which information such as video information, audio information and the like is recorded.
On the LD or the like, the video information and the audio information are recorded together with time information indicating a time at which each information is to be reproduced with respect to a reproduction start position, which each LD or the like has, as a standard position. Thus, other than a general normal reproduction to reproduce the recorded information in the order of recording, various special reproductions are possible, such as a reproduction to extract and listen to an only desirable music out of a plurality of recorded musics, a reproduction to listen to the recorded musics in a random order and so on, in case of the CD, for example.
However, the above mentioned LD and the like have such a problem that it is not possible to perform a variegated reproduction. For example, when it is desired to stop a presently displayed picture to thereby display it as a still picture, it can be attained only by carrying out a temporary stop operation according to the intention of the audience to thereby reproduce it as the still picture. On the contrary, the picture cannot be stopped according to the intention of an author who produces the information to be recorded (hereafter, simply referred to as an author).
On the other hand, various proposals and developments are being made as for the DVD, as an optical disk in which the memory capacity is improved by about ten times without changing the size of the optical disk itself as compared with the aforementioned conventional CD. However, in the above mentioned case, a recording apparatus and a reproducing apparatus for the record information are not proposed and developed, which can perform a still picture reproduction according to the author""s intention for the record information to thereby carry out the variegated reproduction. Moreover, the actuality is such that a person having an ordinary skill in this art does not even recognize a subject itself to realize an recording apparatus and an reproducing apparatus for the record information, which can perform the still picture reproduction according to the author""s intention for the record information to thereby carry out the variegated reproduction.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide: an information recording apparatus for recording the information in such a manner as to allow the still picture reproduction according to the author""s intention for the record information to thereby carry out the variegated reproduction; an information record medium on which the information is recorded in that manner by the information recording apparatus; and an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing the recorded information.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an information recording apparatus, provided with: a signal process device for dividing record information to be recorded into a plurality of partial record informations including at least video information, for applying a predetermined signal process, such as a process based on the MPEG 2 method etc., to each of the partial record informations to thereby output processed partial record information, and for generating and outputting, on the basis of control information which is inputted from the external to control a reproduction of the record information, additional information including still time information indicative of a time for performing a still picture reproduction of a final picture of each of the partial record informations which is a picture included in each of the partial record informations at a final portion thereof after reproducing each of the partial record informations, at a time of reproducing the record information, the still time information being set for each of the partial record informations; a multiplex device for multiplexing the processed partial record information and the additional information to thereby generate multiplexed processed record information; and a record device, such as a mastering device etc., for recording the multiplexed processed record information onto an information record medium, such as a DVD etc.
According to the information recording apparatus of the present invention, the record information to be recorded is divided into a plurality of partial record informations including at least video information, by the signal process device. Then, a predetermined signal process is applied to each of the partial record informations, so that the processed partial record information is outputted, by the signal process device. On the basis of the control information, the additional information including the still time information indicative of a time for performing a still picture reproduction of a final picture of each of the partial record informations after reproducing each of the partial record informations, at a time of reproducing the record information, is generated and outputted by the signal process device. Then, the processed partial record information and the additional information are multiplexed by the multiplex device, so that the multiplexed processed record information is generated. Finally, the multiplexed processed record information is recorded onto the information record medium, by the record device.
Accordingly, since the additional information including the still time information is recorded together with the processed partial record information, by performing the still picture reproduction of the final picture of the partial record information on the basis of the still time information at a time of reproducing the record information, it is possible to reproduce the final picture of the partial record information as either the dynamic picture or the still picture, and also possible to perform the still picture reproduction in which the time period or duration of the still picture reproduction is changed for each of the partial record informations according to the author""s intention.
As a result, it is possible to perform the variegated reproduction for the record information while reducing the amount of the recorded information, at a time of reproducing the record information.
In one aspect of the information recording apparatus of the present invention, the still time information includes: time specifying still time information to perform the still picture reproduction of the final picture for a predetermined time period set in advance; and infinite still time information to continue the still picture reproduction of the final picture until a still picture reproduction cancel signal to stop the still picture reproduction is inputted from the external during the still picture reproduction.
According to this aspect, since the still time information includes both of the time specifying still time information and the infinite still time information, by controlling the reproduction on the basis of one of these still time informations, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction in which the time is specified according to the author""s intention, and also possible to continue the still picture reproduction until the stop of the still picture reproduction is specified by the audience.
In another aspect of the information recording apparatus of the present invention, the additional information further includes still specifying informations to perform, after reproducing divided partial record informations, such as GOPs (Group Of Pictures) etc., into which the processed partial record information is further divided, the still picture reproduction of the final picture contained in each of the divided partial record informations.
According to this aspect, since the additional information further includes the still specifying information, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction for each of the divided partial record informations at a time of reproducing the record information according to the author""s intention.
In another aspect of the information recording apparatus of the present invention, the additional information includes a plurality of still time informations, which correspond to same one of the partial record informations and which respectively indicate times to perform the still picture reproduction different from each other. And that, the multiplex device multiplexes the processed partial record information and the additional information so as to record the additional information at a record position on the information record medium, which is different from a portion where the record information is recorded and which is reproduced prior to the reproduction of the record information.
According to this aspect, the additional information includes a plurality of still time informations corresponding to the same one of the partial record informations, and the multiplex device multiplexes the processed record information and the additional information so as to record the additional information at a record position on the information record medium, which is different from the portion where the record information is recorded and which is reproduced prior to the reproduction of the record information. As a result, it is possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions in the number corresponding the number of still time informations. It is also possible to collectively select and obtain the still time information or the still specifying information contained in the additional information before reproducing the record information.
As a result, it is possible to effectively perform the still picture reproduction by obtaining in advance the still time information or the still specifying information, and also possible to protect an error operation of the still picture reproduction due to the mixed reproduction of the record information and the still time information or the still specifying information, and further possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by an information record medium, such as the DVD etc., recorded with record information to be reproduced by an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing the record information on the basis of additional information recorded on the information record medium besides the record information. The information record medium comprises a data structure stored in the information record medium and including: processed partial record information generated by applying a predetermined signal process, such as a process based on the MPEG 2 method etc., to each of partial record informations into which the record information is divided and which include at least video information; and still time information, which is included in the additional information and which indicates a time for performing a still picture reproduction of a final picture of each of the partial record informations, which is a picture included in each of the partial record informations at a final portion thereof, after reproducing each of the partial record informations at a time of reproducing the record information. The still time information is set for each of the partial record informations. And that, the processed partial record information and the additional information are multiplexed and recorded on the information record medium.
According to the information record medium of the present invention, since it has such a data structure that the processed partial record information and the additional information including the still time information are multiplexed, it is possible to reproduce the final picture of the partial record information as either the dynamic picture or the still picture, and also possible to perform the still picture reproduction in which the time period or duration of the still picture reproduction is changed for each of the partial record informations according to the author""s intention.
As a result, it is possible to perform the variegated reproduction for the record information while reducing the amount of the recorded information, at a time of reproducing the record information.
In one aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the still time information includes: time specifying still time information to perform the still picture reproduction of the final picture for a predetermined time period set in advance; and infinite still time information to continue the still picture reproduction of the final picture until a still picture reproduction cancel signal to stop the still picture reproduction is inputted from the external during the still picture reproduction.
According to this aspect, since the still time information includes the time specifying still time information and the infinite still time information, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction in which the time is specified according to the author""s intention, and also possible to continue the still picture reproduction until the stop of the still picture reproduction is specified by the audience.
In another aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the additional information further includes still specifying information to perform, after reproducing divided partial record informations into which the processed partial record information is further divided, the still picture reproduction of the final picture contained in each of the divided partial record informations.
According to this aspect, since the additional information further includes the still specifying information, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction for each of the divided partial record informations at a time of reproducing the record information according to the author""s intention.
In another aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the additional information includes a plurality of still time informations, which correspond to same one of the partial record informations and which respectively indicate times to perform the still picture reproduction different from each other. And that, the additional information is recorded at a record position on the information record medium, which is different from a portion where the record information is recorded and which is reproduced prior to the reproduction of the record information.
According to this aspect, it is possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions in the number corresponding the number of still time informations. It is also possible to collectively select and obtain the still time information or the still specifying information contained in the additional information before reproducing the record information.
As a result, it is possible to effectively perform the still picture reproduction by obtaining in advance the still time information or the still specifying information, and also possible to protect an error operation of the still picture reproduction due to the mixed reproduction of the record information and the still time information or the still specifying information, and further possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing record information from the above described information record medium of the present invention. The information reproducing apparatus is provided with: a detection and demodulation device, such as an optical pickup, a demodulation and error-correction unit etc., for detecting and demodulating the processed partial record information and the additional information from the information record medium to thereby output a demodulation signal; an extract device, such as a system buffer etc., for extracting the additional information from the demodulation signal; and a control device, such as a system controller etc., for controlling the still picture reproduction of the final picture of each of the partial record informations, on the basis of the still time information included in the extracted additional information.
According to the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the processed partial record information and the additional information are detected and demodulated from the information record medium, so that the demodulation signal is outputted, by the detection and demodulation device. Then, the additional information is extracted from the demodulation signal, by the extract device. Then, the still picture reproduction of the final picture of each of the partial record informations is controlled by the control device on the basis of the still time information included in the extracted additional information.
Therefore, it is possible to reproduce the final picture of the partial record information as either the dynamic picture or the still picture, and also possible to perform the still picture reproduction in which the time period or duration of the still picture reproduction is changed for each of the partial record informations according to the author""s intention.
As a result, it is possible to perform the variegated reproduction for the record information while reducing the amount of the recorded information, at a time of reproducing the record information.
In one aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the additional information further includes still specifying information to perform, after reproducing divided partial record informations such as the GOPs etc., into which the processed partial record information is further divided, the still picture reproduction of the final picture contained in each of the divided partial record informations. And that, the control device controls the still picture reproduction of the final picture included in each of the divided partial record informations on the basis of the still specifying information.
According to this aspect, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction for each of the divided partial record informations at a time of reproducing the record information according to the author""s intention.
In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the additional information includes a plurality of still time informations, which correspond to same one of the partial record informations and which respectively indicate times to perform the still picture reproduction different from each other. And that, the control device controls the detection and demodulation device and the extract device to reproduce the additional information prior to the reproduction of the record information other than the additional information.
According to this aspect, it is possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions in the number corresponding the number of still time informations. It is also possible to collectively select and obtain the still time information or the still specifying information contained in the additional information before reproducing the record information.
As a result, it is possible to effectively perform the still picture reproduction by obtaining in advance the still time information or the still specifying information, and also possible to protect an error operation of the still picture reproduction due to the mixed reproduction of the record information and the still time information or the still specifying information, and further possible to reproduce one partial record information by various reproducing conditions.
In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the still time information includes: time specifying still time information to perform the still picture reproduction of the final picture for a predetermined time period set in advance; and infinite still time information to continue the still picture reproduction of the final picture until a still picture reproduction cancel signal to stop the still picture reproduction is inputted from the external during the still picture reproduction. And that, the control device controls the still picture reproduction of the final picture, on the basis of the time specifying still time information and the infinite still time information.
As a result, it is possible to perform the still picture reproduction which time is specified by the author""s intention, and also possible to continue the still picture reproduction until the stop instruction of the still picture reproduction is given by the audience.
In this aspect, it is preferable that: the information reproducing apparatus is further provided with an input device for inputting the still picture reproduction cancel signal therethrough; and the control device controls the still picture reproduction cancel signal to be ineffective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted through the input device in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the time specifying still time information, and to be effective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted through the input device in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the infinite still time information.
According to this aspect, the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted through the input device. Then, the control device controls the still picture reproduction cancel signal to be ineffective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the time specifying still time information, and to be effective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the infinite still time information.
Therefore, it is possible to prevent the time period or duration of the still picture reproduction, which is specified by the time specifying still time information, from being cut or shortened carelessly, and also possible to stop the still picture reproduction by the audience""s intention in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the infinite still time information since the still picture reproduction cancel signal is made effective.
As a result, it is possible to perform the reproduction reflecting the author""s intention, as well as the reproduction reflecting the audience""s intention.
In this case, it is preferable that: the information reproducing apparatus is further provided with a display device; and the control device controls the display device to display such a message that the still picture reproduction cancel signal is ineffective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted through the input device in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the time specifying still time information.
As a result, since the message is displayed under the control of the control device, it is possible for the audience to recognize that the still picture reproduction cancel signal is ineffective in this case. Thus, it is possible to perform the reproduction of the record information which operation condition can be easily understood by the audience.
In this case, it is also preferable that: the information reproducing apparatus is further provided with a display device; and the control device controls the display device to display such a message that the still picture reproduction cancel signal is effective when the still picture reproduction cancel signal is inputted through the input device in case that the still picture reproduction of the final picture is performed on the basis of the infinite still time information.
As a result, since the message is displayed under the control of the control device, it is possible for the audience to recognize that the still picture reproduction cancel signal is effective in this case. Thus, it is possible to perform the reproduction of the record information which operation condition can be easily understood by the audience.
The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.

Information record medium, apparatus for recording the same and apparatus for reproducing the same


A robotic positioning system that cooperates with a sensing system to correct robot motion is provided. The sensing system is decoupled from the sensors used conventionally to control the robot's motion, thereby providing repeatable detection of the robot's true position. In one embodiment, the positioning system includes a robot, a controller, a motor sensor and a decoupled sensor. The robot has at least one motor for manipulating a linkage controlling the displacement of a substrate support coupled thereto. The motor sensor is provides the controller with motor actuation information utilized to move the substrate support. The decoupled sensor provides information indicative of the true position the substrate support that may be utilized to correct the robot's motion.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to robots suitable for use in semiconductor processing systems.
2. Background of the Invention
The modern semiconductor processing system typically includes a central transfer chamber surrounded by a plurality of processing chambers. The central transfer chamber is generally coupled to a factory interface by one or more load lock chambers suitable for transferring the substrate between the vacuum environment of the transfer chamber and the generally atmospheric environment of the factory interface. The factory interface typically contains one or more substrate storage cassettes for staging processed and unprocessed substrates.
Accurate and repeatable substrate transfer using the robots of the semiconductor processing system is essential to ensure the processing results, to reduce damage to substrates and processing equipment, and to enhance repeatability between substrates.
FIG. 7 depict one embodiment of a typical single-blade substrate transfer robot 700 utilized in many semiconductor processing systems. The robot 700 includes a blade 710 for supporting a substrate 712 during transfer. The blade 710 is coupled to a body 704 by a linkage 702. The linkage comprises a first arm 706 and a second arm 708 that are coupled to the body at a first end and coupled to a wrist 714 at a second end. The wrist is coupled to the blade 710. Each arm 706, 708 is coupled to a respective motor (not shown) concentrically stacked within the body 704. The positioning of the blade 710 is determined by the relative angular positioning of the respective arms 706, 708 by the concentrically stacked motors. For example, if the linkages 706, 708 are rotated by the concentrically stacked motors in the same direction about the central axis 720 of the body 704, the blade 710 is rotated about the central axis 720 as shown by the arrow 716. If the first arm and second arm 706, 708 are rotated in opposite directions, the blade 710 is radially extended or retracted, as shown by arrow 718.
However, the ability to accurately position the blade 710 may be compromised by a number of factors. For example, the linkage 702 and/or the blade 710 may become bent during handling or maintenance procedures. Additionally, thermal expansion of the linkage or loosening of the belts commonly used within the linkage may result in positional drift of the blade. Thus, the blade may not arrive in the position expected based on a calculated movement of the arm. As these aforementioned problems undesirably diminish the ability for efficient and repeatable substrate transfer, it would be desirable to improve the positional accuracy of the robot blade.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for monitoring the position of a substrate transfer robot.

Method and apparatus for monitoring the position of a semiconductor processing robot


For use with a hopper loader a quick-release feed rack having two swingable sections coupled through a center pivot enables removal of one section for quick and simple attachment to a loader.

Loaders are well known to the art and are used in a variety of different segments within the fields of printing and publishing. For example, feeders are utilized to feed signatures one at a time from a hopper onto a conveyor; are used to supply signatures to a hopper; and are used to supply signatures to a signature feed assembly which, in turn, delivers partially opened signatures one at a time to a saddle conveyor, to name just a few applications. In all of the above-identified applications, it is necessary to provide signature streams and/or signature stacks which are in proper alignment to facilitate trouble-free transfer to the utilization device receiving signatures from the feeder.
In addition, when stacking signatures side-by-side preparatory to their transfer to an output utilization device, it is extremely important that the signatures be aligned so that they do not exert undue forces on the output utilization device thereby causing undesirable misfeeds.
In addition to the above, it is also important to provide feeders which not only have the versatility enabling the feeder to accommodate a variety of different signature sizes but also have the ability to permit rapid adjustment of the feeder when changing from one feeder size to another or when changing the coupling of the feeder output from one output utilization device to another.
The complicated nature and construction and the operating features of present day feeders increase the possibility of jams or other malfunctions during use and require complicated set-up operations, significantly increasing the cost of equipment as well as the cost of operating the equipment.


A motor controller coupled to a motor is provided. The motor controller is configured to transmit a first instruction to the motor to perform a first start attempt utilizing at least one parameter in a first set of parameters. The motor controller is additionally configured to receive feedback associated with the first start attempt from the motor, and transmit, in response to the feedback, a second instruction to the motor to perform a second start attempt utilizing at least one parameter in a second set of parameters, wherein the second set of parameters differ from the first set of parameters.

The field of the disclosure relates generally to motor controllers, and more particularly, to systems and methods for starting a motor.
At least some known systems that include an electronically commutated motor (ECM) utilize a preconfigured set of parameters for controlling the amount of effort exerted by the motor to overcome environmental conditions, a load coupled to the motor, and/or other factors that may resist starting of the motor. The parameters generally pertain to a voltage, a current, and/or one or more time periods during which the current and voltage are applied to each of a plurality of windings in the motor. The values of the parameters are tuned to an expected application and environment for the motor. Applying insufficient effort prevents the motor from starting. Similarly, it is possible to apply too much effort, which also prevents the motor from starting. Accordingly, for such systems, a manufacturer or distributor that provides the motor to a customer may be required to spend time and money configuring the parameters in order for the motor to start properly at the customer's location.


A wide band high voltage stabilizing circuit supplies optimum voltage to a fly back transformer (FBT) according to the change of horizontal frequency or high voltage by connecting a charge storage unit and switching element to a primary coil of the FBT, the switching element being turned on or off according to a switching signal which a microcomputer recognizing a horizontal sync frequency signal applies corresponding to a frequency band.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a display device and, more particularly, to a wide band high voltage stabilizing circuit for supplying optimum voltage to a fly back transformer (FBT) according to a change of horizontal frequency or high voltage, by connecting a charge storage unit and switching element to a primary coil of the FBT, the switching element being turned on or off according to a switching signal which a microcomputer recognizing a horizontal synchronization (sync) frequency signal generates corresponding to a frequency band.
2. Related Art
In display devices using a cathode ray tube (CRT), a horizontal deflection current is produced in a horizontal deflection coil to create a magnetic field used to deflect an electron beam (produced by a cathode of the CRT) back and forth across a display screen. As the electron beam is scanned back and forth across the display screen, it is modulated to produce on the display screen spots of varying luminous intensity, thus forming an image to be viewed.
A horizontal deflection circuit is used in display devices using a CRT. Some examples of horizontal deflection circuits are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,794 for Horizontal Deflection Circuit for a Multisync Monitor issued to Yu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,354 for Horizontal Deflection issued to Simons et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,484 for Deflection Apparatus for Raster Scanned CRT Displays issued to Morrish, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,029 for Deflection Apparatus for Raster Scanned CRT Displays issued to Jackson et al.
In display devices using a CRT, the display can be improved if a stabilization circuit is used. Some examples of stabilization circuits are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,871 for High Voltage Stabilization Circuit for Video Display Apparatus issued to Haferl, U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,261 for Stabilizing Circuit for Stabilizing the Horizontal Picture Size on the Display of a Television Receiver issued to Ogawa, U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,890 for High-Voltage Stabilizer Circuit for a Monitor issued to Park, U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,495 for Stabilized High Voltage Power Supply Circuit issued to Furukawa, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,290 for Power Supply Stabilization Circuit with Separate AC/DC Negative Feedback Paths issued to Fitzgerald.
Generally, it is considered desirable for display devices such as cathode ray tubes to include features such as an inexpensive manufacturing cost and an optimum operating capability. Some examples of patents which can help accomplish those features are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,238 for Thyristor Controlled Power Supply Circuits and Deflection Circuitry Associated with a Kinescope issued to Forster, U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,096 for Spot Killer Network for Cathode Ray Tube issued to Sennik, U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,023 for High Voltage Regulation Circuit for Television Receiver issued to Yamada et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,198 for Flyback Transformer Driving Apparatus for Video Display Appliances issued to Park, U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,609 for Power Supply for a Raster Center Controller for a Video Display Appliance issued to Park, U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,571 for High Voltage Dual Isolated Output Tracking Power Supply issued to Richards, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,632 for Rectifying Device issued to Miyoshi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,083 for Spot Removing Circuit for a CRT with Grid Control Means issued to Shin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,901 for High Voltage Hold-Down Circuit issued to Waltner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,696 for Method and Apparatus for Protection of EHT and/or Scan Output Stages in Multiscan Displays issued to Krause et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,939 for Moire Control of a Color Display Device issued to Hsiesh.
I believe that there is a demand to further enhance display devices using cathode ray tubes by providing an improved wide band high voltage stabilizing circuit.

Wide band high voltage stabilizing circuit


A feedback means is provided in conjunction with a cursor control mechanism for a two- or three-dimensional graphic user interface. Feedback levels are determined by tonal variation (grey scale or color component) at the pixel (P) currently indicated by the cursor. Suitably, the levels are set by generating differentials across a patch of pixels (A) surrounding the indicated pixel, with differential generation in mutually perpendicular directions (X and Y) providing for independent feedback in two or three directions. The technique enables interface features such as window boundaries (36) or textured patches to be identified to the user without specially authored software being required for those features to trigger feedback when indicated.

One example of such a feedback mechanism is described in European Patent Application EP-A-0 607 580 (Selker/IBM) wherein a feedback signal is generated on status information associated with a cursor, such status information including the window handle of the cursor. An indicating rod mechanism is described in which a rod is attached to an actuator at one of its ends: a transitory feedback signal generated by the host computer system on the basis of status information activates the actuator to apply a force to the indicating rod. This rod, which may be mounted in a pointing stick device amongst the keys on a keyboard to the host computer system, or within a mouse cursor control, is arranged such as to press against the finger tip of a user on activation of the actuator connected to the opposite end of the rod. By activation on the basis of status information, such as to indicate by movement of the rod such features as window boundaries and handles, the system of EP-A-0 607 580 aims to enhance a user's perception of exactly when the cursor is in a position to operate or manipulate features displayed on screen without having to slow down movement of the cursor about the screen--either to watch for a change in the form of the displayed cursor to indicate location or as a result of the feedback being provided in the form of physical resistance to movement of the cursor control.
Alternative forms of feedback accompanying cursor movement are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,629 (Rohen/lBM) which describes a computer interface for blind and partially sighted users. Cursor location and selection of menus is indicated by audio feedback including tone generation and speech synthesis. In addition, tactile feedback is provided in the form of a mild AC current passed to the user's hand through a pad on the mouse. In this system, the audio and tactile cues assist the user to build a mental picture of the user interface.
A problem with both of the above systems is their reliance on specific authoring for the user interface presentation in order to provide the cursor status information, such as when the cursor is positioned over a window handle or actuating icon, in order to trigger the tactile or other feedback generation. As tactile and other feedback mechanisms become more prevalent, software packages including the necessary cues for actuation of such mechanisms will become more widespread. With each being presently reliant on the other, user acceptance of tactile and other feedback mechanisms as expected or required features may be slow in coming.

Cursor control with user feedback mechanism


A tail stock for a carpet stretcher includes a generally V-shaped body with a pair of intersecting abutting surfaces which form a V-shaped recess with an included angle therebetween. The tail stock is adapted to engage a flat wall, intersecting corner wall surfaces, a center post and includes a floor hook attachment to directly engage the floor. A pair of end sections having front coplanar surfaces extend outwardly from non-intersecting ends of the V-shaped section. A layer of resilient material is disposed on the co-planar and abutting surfaces and includes a plurality of spaced parallel vertically extending ribs. A pair of spaced flanges extend rearwardly from a top and a bottom of the tail stock forming a recessed area therebetween. A pair of aligned holes are formed in the top and bottom flanges for pivotally mounting a tubular end of a carpet stretcher to the tail stock. A second set of aligned holes are formed in the top and bottom flanges for receiving a stabilizing pin which restricts the pivotal movement of the tubular member with respect to the tail stock. A pair of wheels are rotatably mounted on a bottom of the tail stock to allow the tail stock to be selectively moved along the wall or around a center post or corner. The floor hook attachment is removably secured within the V-shaped recess and includes an outwardly extending claw having a downwardly extending pointed end for directly engaging the carpet and floor board thereunder.

1. Technical Field
Generally, the invention relates to a tail stock for a carpet stretcher. Particularly, the invention relates to a tail stock for a carpet stretcher which can be used to stretch carpet against a flat wall, intersecting corner wall surfaces or a center room post and which includes a floor hook attachment which hooks into the floor to anchor the carpet stretcher in a large room free of posts. Specifically, the invention relates to a tail stock which has a pair of vertically extending co-planar surfaces for abutting the flat wall, a V-shaped section formed between the two planar surfaces for engaging the intersecting corner wall surfaces and center room post, and a floor hook attachment which has a downwardly extending hooked first end and a second end complementary in shape to the V-shaped section of the tail stock wherein the second end extends within the recess when the floor hook attachment is attached to the tail stock.
2. Background Information
When a carpet installer installs wall-to-wall carpet in a room, tacking boards, commonly known as tackless stripping, are secured around the floor adjacent each peripheral wall. The installer places the carpet over the tacking boards of one side of the room and secures the carpet thereto. The installer then uses a carpet stretcher to stretch the other sides of the carpet to their respective tacking boards for securing thereto.
Conventional carpet stretchers include a tail stock located at one end of the tool and a carpet-engaging head on the other end of the tool. The tail stock has a flat end which is placed against the wall of the first side of the room and the carpet-engaging head has pins or studs which engage the carpet. Telescopic tubing or pipe sections are used to move the carpet-engaging head into position across the room. A toggle-type mechanism near the portion of the telescopic tubing is used to move the carpet-engaging head away from the tail stock after the pins of the head have engaged the carpet. The installer stretches the carpet until it extends over the tacking boards of the remaining sides of the room and is secured thereto.
One problem with these conventional carpet stretchers is that the tail stocks have a flat surface to abut straight walls when the carpet stretcher is being used to install carpet. Many rooms in modern homes have L-shaped rooms formed by two outwardly projection wall surfaces which meet at a right angle forming a corner therebetween. The flat surface of the tail stock does not conform to the outwardly extending corner making it difficult for the installer to stretch the carpet to the corner opposite the projecting walls. The tail stock is placed against one of the projecting walls and the carpet stretcher extends toward the opposite corner at an acute angle to the wall. When the carpet installer applies pressure against the wall during installation of the carpet, the tail stock slides laterally along the wall preventing the installer from applying the pressure needed to stretch the carpet.
One method used by carpet installers to compensate for this problem is to have a workman's foot placed against the tail stock to prevent the tail stock from sliding. However, this method was found to be ineffective because of the workman's inability to counteract the magnitude of the force exerted on the tail stock.
Several prior art devices were developed which address the problem of installing carpet in an L-shaped room. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,440 discloses a tail block which has a V-shaped section formed between a pair of flat sections. The flat sections allow the tail stock to be used against a flat wall and the recess receives the outwardly extending corner and allows the tail stock to be used against the corner.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,440 discloses a carpet stretching pivot bridge which includes a pair of outwardly extending legs pivotally secured to the tail stock. One of the legs includes a flat end for contacting a flat wall and the other leg includes an L-shaped end which engages the outwardly extending corner.
Another problem with the conventional carpet stretchers is that they are not long enough to extend between opposing walls in a large room, or in a large room with a support post, the flat surface of the tail stock is not adapted to engage the cylindrical shaped support post.
One prior art device which addresses the problem of installing carpet in a large room with support posts is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,846 which includes a plurality of brace assemblies which are connected in place of the tail stock. The brace assemblies are generally U-shaped and are adapted to fit around and grasp the support posts allowing the carpet-engaging head to stretch the carpet in a direction away from the support post.
Another device includes a floor hook which attaches to the end of the telescopic tubing and includes an elongated downward extending pointed hook which extends into and anchors the telescopic end to the carpet to allow the carpet-engaging head to stretch the carpet to the walls of the large room free of center room posts.
Although these devices were adequate for the purpose for which they were intended, all of the different attachments and tail stock ends are needed to install carpet in certain buildings. The carpet installers must carry all of the different attachments to and from the worksite which is burdensome and time consuming. The carpet installers must make multiple trips to their vehicles to transport the heavy carpet stretcher and attachments into the room to be carpeted.
Also, the carpet installer often desires to rigidly mount the tail stock to the carpet-engaging head and prevent any pivotal movement thereof. These prior art tail stocks fail to disclose a tail stock which can be either rigidly or pivotally mounted without modification thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,440 described above requires a special attachment at the end of the telescopic tubing which allows the carpet-engaging head to pivotally mount on the tail stock.
Further, it is desirable for the tail stock to have wheels to allow the carpet installer to easily move the tail stock along the wall without having to walk back and forth between the tail stock and carpet-engaging head each time the carpet installer secures a portion of the carpet to the tacking boards.
Additionally, the tail stock must include a tacky outer surface to allow the carpet installer to selectively hold the tail stock against the flat wall, intersecting corner wall surfaces or center room post.
Therefore, the need exists for an improved tail stock for a carpet stretcher which reduces the number of attachments to be carried to and from the worksite, which includes a tail stock capable of engaging a straight wall, intersecting corner wall surfaces or a support post, and which includes one floor hook attachment which is easily attached to the tail stock to allow the tail stock to engage the floor of a large room free of support posts.


The present invention in one or more embodiments provides a seat assembly of a vehicle, including a seat base, a seat back communicating with the seat base, an armrest communicating with at least one of the seat back and the seat base, and a pretension unit connected to the armrest such that the armrest is retractable upon activation of the pretension unit. The pretension unit may include a pretensioner, a pulley, and a cable.

Certain existing vehicle interiors are designed with armrests integrated with the door trim. Since they are permanently mounted on the door trim they affect, often negatively, the overall interior roominess. Therefore, these existing armrests may limit the potential in door trim design such that interior styling and volume may thus be unnecessarily compromised.
The existence of these armrests may also reduce the gap between the occupant and the door trim, and thereby affect proper side airbag deployment and airbag volume. Moreover, relatively stiff armrests may engage the occupant during side crashes and result in relatively greater rib deflections.
It would thus be advantageous if an armrest is provided to solve one or more of these identified problems.

Armrest retractable upon an adverse event and seat assembly employing the same


A data transmission method and a network device are provided. The method can include: determining, by a first network device, that a terminal device enters an RRC inactive state; sending, by the first network device, a first message to a second network device, where the first message is used to configure the second network device, so that the second network device transmits data for the terminal device in the RRC inactive state; and receiving, by the first network device, an acknowledgment message the first message and sent by the second network device. The second network device can transmit data of the terminal device to the first network device to enable the first network device to send the data to a core network, without having to establish a path between the second network device and the core network for the second network device to send the data to the core network.

During movement, a terminal device departs from a cell covered by a network device that originally serves the terminal device, and arrives at a cell covered by a new network device. In the prior art, the terminal device is handed over from the cell covered by the original network device to the cell covered by the new network device. During the handover, a user needs to initiate an access request to the new network device. The new network device obtains context information of the terminal device from the original network device. The new network device needs to transfer a path with a core network device. This increases signaling interaction between the network device and a core network, greatly wasting resources.

Data transmission method, network device, and terminal device


A system and method for using a single shared buffer to service multiple destinations for a telecommunications switch is disclosed. Upon receiving a cell of data to be sent to a destination, an interface stores the cell in a shared buffer. The address of the cell in the buffer is stored in a queue array. The address of the buffer address in the queue array is stored in a head array and a tail array. A threshold register tracks the global threshold for the total number of cells in the shared buffer and a destination threshold for each destination. The buffer can broadcast a data cell to a single location or send the same cell to multiple locations.

Hardware that interfaces to a switch needs to buffer ingress cells before sending them to the switch. This buffering is required because the switch must first grant permission for the cell before the cell can be sent to the switch. After receiving the cell, the switch will route the cell to the final destination.
The buffers are temporary holding areas whose drain rate is normally greater than the fill rate. The cells in these buffers are waiting for a latent period between cell arrival and the chance to deliver the cells to the switch. Thus the number of cells in these buffers is directly proportional to the amount of traffic being sent into the switch.
For certain prior art switches, there are dedicated buffers for each destination accessible via the switch. In a given application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) there can be 15 buffers, each of fixed size, which are contained within the chip. In some of the newer ASIC's there are 122 buffers, each larger than in the previous ASIC because of greater latency times. These 122 buffers no longer fit within the ASIC and are implemented in external RAM at greater expense. The trend is toward more buffers.


A portable generator, comprising a housing, a handle provided on the housing, and a generator set fixed in the housing; the handle is fixed at the lower part to a link span in the housing; a cylinder head cover of the generator set is provided with an installation slice extending toward both ends; the installation slice is sheathed with a shock-absorbing sleeve and fixed and connected to the link span; and the generator set is connected at the bottom with the housing through a shock-absorbing mat. The generator improves shock-absorption effect, and prolongs service life of the product; it is simple in structure and convenient for maintenance; and it cancels the cover body, which reduces weight and is advantageous to dissipate heat.

In the prior art, a portable generator comprises a generator set composed of an engine and a generator, and the generator set is placed inside a casing with a handle, so as to make it convenient for customers to carry and use outdoors. There are two kinds of structure for the portable generators currently available on the market: One is that the generator set is fixed inside one cover body, which is fixed and connected at the upper part and the lower part to the upper part and the bottom of the casing, respectively; the other is that the generator set is fixed inside the casing through a support. Although these two kinds of structure are good in soundproof effect, cooling effect and overall rigidity, they have such shortcomings as complicated structure, bothersome maintenance and increased weight, and especially violent vibration during usage.


An opening portion is provided in a connecting portion of a flexure blank, an opening end portion of an insulating base layer is coated with a conductive member without exposing the opening end portion of the insulating base layer in the connecting portion, and a lower surface of the conductive member of the opening portion in the connecting portion of the flexure blank is structured such as to form the same surface as the lower surface of the insulating base layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexure bland for constructing a suspension for a circuit wire integrated type magnetic head and a method of manufacturing the same, and particularly to a flexure blank structured such as to be electrically connected with a relay flexible circuit board for connecting to an external circuit in a reliable manner, and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
This kind of suspension for the circuit wire integral type magnetic head is constituted by a load beam and a flexure blank, and the flexure blank is connected to an external circuit via the relay flexible circuit board.
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view which shows a schematic arrangement of the connecting portion of the flexure blank mentioned above and the relay flexible circuit board. A terminal portion or the connecting portion of the conventional flexure blank is structured such that an opening portion 22 for connection is provided at a predetermined position of an insulating base layer 20 made of a polyimide resin or the like, a conductive layer 23 made of a copper or the like and including a predetermined circuit wire pattern is formed on an upper surface of the insulating base layer 20 in such a manner as to surround the opening portion 22, and as shown in FIG. 2, an anticorrosive conductive layer 25 made of a gold or the like is formed on an upper surface of the conductive layer 23 in this connecting portion via a barrier conductive layer 24 made of a nickel or the like.
The conductive layer 23, the barrier conductive layer 24 and the anticorrosive conductive layer 25 mentioned above can be formed in accordance with an additive method such as an electrolytic plating or the like, and this kind of flexure blank is coated with a surface protecting layer 26 made of a polyimide resin or the like including the circuit wire pattern in such a manner as to properly expose the connecting portion mentioned above.
However, in accordance with the structure of the connecting portion of the flexure bland mentioned above, there is a case that an end portion 21 of the insulating base layer 20 positioned at the opening portion 22 for connection protrudes and is formed so as to fringe the conductive layer 23, the barrier conductive layer 24 and the anticorrosive conductive layer 25 in the opening portion 22.
As mentioned above, when the end portion 21 of the insulating base layer 20 protrudes to the opening portion 22 for connection, there is generated a case that a solder is neither sufficiently applied nor expended to a whole of the connecting portion constituted by the conductive layer 23, the barrier conductive layer 24 and the anticorrosive conductive layer 25 and an electric connection can not reliably performed since a wetting property of a solder 29 is bad in the protruding end portion 21 of the insulating base layer 20 in the case of bringing the relay flexible circuit board for connecting to the external circuit in which a predetermined circuit wire pattern 28 is formed on an upper surface of the insulating base member 27 into contact with the opening portion 22 in the connecting portion of the flexure blank mentioned above by using the solder 29 in the manner shown by an arrow.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a flexure blank having a connecting portion which can be electrically connected to a relay flexible circuit board for connecting to an external circuit in a reliable manner, and a method of manufacturing the same.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a flexure blank of a suspension for a circuit wire integral type magnetic head which is electrically connected to a relay flexible circuit board for connecting to an external circuit, wherein an opening portion is provided in a connecting portion of the flexure blank, and an opening end portion of an insulating base layer is coated with a conductive member without exposing the opening end portion of the insulating base layer in the connecting portion.
In this case, a lower surface of the conductive member of the opening portion in the connecting portion of the flexure blank can be structured such as to form the same surface as the lower surface of the insulating base layer, and the lower surface of the conductive member of the opening portion in the connecting portion can be constructed by a grounding conductive layer made of a chrome.
Then, the flexure blank of this kind can be manufactured in accordance with steps of forming an insulating base layer in a pattern which can form an opening portion necessary for a connection with a relay flexible circuit board used for connecting to an external circuit, on an upper surface of a spring metal layer, at least forming a grounding conductive layer which has an improved solder wetting property and is not corroded by an etching fluid in an etching step with respect to an unnecessary portion of the spring metal layer, on a surface of the insulating base layer and a surface area of an exposed spring metal layer by sputtering means, next, forming a plating resist pattern at a position of forming the opening portion on the surface of the grounding conductive layer, successively forming a desired conductive layer and anticorrosive conductive layer in the connecting portion by electrolytic plating means at a stage of forming the other plating resist patterns in accordance with a pattern which can form the connecting portion, thereafter, peeling and removing the plating resist pattern, further, etching and removing an unnecessary area of the grounding conductive layer so as to form the connecting portion, thereafter, peeling and removing the etching resist pattern which becomes unnecessary at the etching process so as to form the opening portion in the connecting portion, next, etching and removing an unnecessary area of the spring metal layer including the connecting portion, and finally etching and removing an area of the grounding conductive layer which is exposed to the opening portion so as to form a penetrating opening portion in the connecting portion.
In this case, at a stage of etching and removing the unnecessary area of the grounding conductive layer so as to form the connecting portion, it is possible to form a surface protecting layer in such a manner as to properly expose the connecting portion including the other circuit wire pattern, and the grounding conductive layer can be formed by a sputtering using a chrome.

Flexure blank and method of manufacturing the same


The invention pertains to the field of fabrication, by vapor phase deposition, of the thin layers of monocrystalline, polycrystalline or amorphous material on a substrate having an identical or different nature. The aim is to provide a method, enabling this structure to be made, that includes a modulation of both the composition and the doping, in a direction that is not perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, notably in a lateral way to obtain a planar technology. According to the invention, this thin layer is made by conformal epitaxy, using a crystalline seed in gas phase, between two confinement layers made of a distinct material in such a way that there can be neither nucleation nor deposition of semiconductive material on the surfaces of said confinement layers and wherein the variation of the gaseous mixture of said gas phase is controlled to obtain said modulation of the composition and/or of the doping of said thin film.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the fabrication, by vapor phase deposition, of thin layers or films of a monocrystalline, polycrystalline or amorphous material on a substrate having an identical or different nature.
The invention also covers the making of monolithic electronic components, notably in integrated circuits (ICs), by means of a method such as this for the fabrication of thin layers.
The method described according to the invention particularly makes it possible to achieve a controlled variation in the composition and/or doping profiles of such layers in a way that is directed, notably in a lateral direction parallel to the surface of the substrate, unlike in usual techniques of epitaxy or of doping which create profiles of modulation in the composition or doping that vary essentially in a direction that is perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
More precisely, in the field of micro-electronics and III-V semiconductors in particular, a basic method in the fabrication of discrete devices or of integrated circuits consists in the obtaining, by epitaxial growth, of layers doped at different levels on semiconductor substrates. Several methods of epitaxy are known such as, notably, vapour phase epitaxy (VPE) and its variants such as,, notably, metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). In current practice, a common feature of all these methods is that the composition profile achieved during one and the same deposition is uniform in a given plane parallel to the surface of the substrate and can vary only in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. This is sufficient, and even indispensable, in most cases in the planar technology of ICs. There are, however, cases where it would be advantageous to be able to cause variation in the composition profile of active zones of devices in a direction parallel to the plane of the surface of the substrate.
A typical example is the making of a planar laser wherein the composition of the various layers varies in a direction parallel to the plane of the semiconductor surface. FIG. 1A shows the drawing of a simple laser made of GaAlAs/GaAs/GaAlAs, obtained in a known way by growth perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 10. FIG. 1B shows the arrangement of the layers of a planar laser having a direction of growth that is parallel to the plane of the substrate 10, and having a structure which has, therefore, been rotated by 90.degree. with respect to the known laser of FIG. 1A.
Now, up till the present time, there has been no method for making the structure of FIG. 1B.
A first aim of the invention is to provide a method for the fabrication of devices with directed modulation of the composition profile and, notably, of a planar laser such as this.
In the field of micro-electronics today, another basic method in the making of discrete devices or integrated circuits consists in the defining of active zones in the semiconductor substrate by doping. Several doping methods are known, notably ion implantation, vapor phase epitaxy or thermal diffusion. In current practice, a common feature of all these methods is that the doping profile achieved during one and the same step is uniform in a given plane parallel to the surface of the substrate. This is sufficient, and even indispensable, in most cases in the planar technology of ICs. There are, however, cases where it would be advantageous to be able to make the doping profile of an active zone vary in a direction parallel to the plane of the surface of the substrate, for example making a hyperabrupt plane varicap diode with laterally graduated doping profile as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
A known method to create laterally variable doping profiles is provided by focused ion beams. This approach enables implantation without mask with a lateral resolution of the order of 0.1 .mu.M (see J. Melngaisis, J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B5(2), 469, 1987, on the technology and applications of focused beams). Several published patent documents are based on this idea (see inter alia the French publications 8518985, 8518984 and 8519494). This approach is an attractive one but suffers from a major drawback, related to the low current of emission of the ion sources: the very slow writing speed. Moreover, it calls for the use of focused ion beam machines which are at a stage of development that is still, substantially, prior to that of industrial application. Furthermore, a thermal annealing step for the activation of the dopants is needed, as in the case of standard ion implantation.
A second aim of the invention is to provide a method for the directed (notably lateral) modulation of the doping profile, according to a fairly simple principle, with a high lateral definition, this method being above all capable of being performed with means commonly used in the micro-electronics industry (FIG. 3).
Finally, it is also possible to consider applications where there is need for a modulation of both the doping profile and the composition profile. Devices such as this have already been proposed in the literature on the subject. These devices are for example, Gunn oscillators with (Al:Ga)As heterojunction cathode (see A. Al-Omar et al, Proceedings IEEE/Cornell Conference on Advanced Concepts in High Speed Semiconductors Devices and Circuits in High Speed Semiconductor Devices and Circuits, August 1987, p. 365). A structure such as this is shown in FIGS. 4B, 4C facing a conventional Gunn diode with two abrupt fronts 34, 35 of the doping profile 36, for comparison (FIG. 4A). The known structure of FIGS. 4B and 4C is a "vertical" structure, namely a structure for which the doping profile 31 and composition profile 32 (note the graduated modulation 33 of the profile 32 on the cathode side) vary in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.
A third essential aim of the invention is therefore a method enabling the making of this structure with a modulation of both the composition and the doping, in a direction that is not perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, notably in a lateral way to obtain a planar type of technology and to be capable of integrating this device into a circuit.
With respect to the above example, it must be emphasized that the invention makes it possible to achieve laterally graduated doping and/or composition profiles as well as the lateral high definition required by this device.

Method for the directed modulation of the composition or doping of semiconductors, notably for the making of planar type monolithic electronic components, use of the method and corresponding products


A player apparatus for compact discs (CD discs) and similar signal carriers, has a playing station designed to hold and rotate CD discs and a pick-up device for detecting signals from the discs and is of the type which has a magazine for two or more discs and a device for selectively bringing any of these discs into and out of operative engagement with the playing station. The player is also provided with a number of stationary disc holder stations arranged in a linear formation on a chassis so as to be operable to hold a linear row of discs side by side in a common plane, while at least the pick-up device of the playing station is provided on a sledge that can be displaced along the chassis so as to be selectively operatively engageable with the individual discs in the row of discs. The entire row of discs is visually exposed except for any station covered by the playing station. A control is provided for effecting stoppage of played discs in positions with generally the same orientation of imprints on the discs, in which an associated memory unit serves to register an identification signal of each new disc in a relevant disc collection and, in response to initial playing of the disc, also serves to register the angle of rotation of the disc from a starting position thereof to a position in which the pick-up device detects the passage of a `pause bit` of the CD disc, so that the memory unit will thereafter effect stoppage of the rotation of the disc with an orientation corresponding to the orientation with which it was originally placed in the player.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a player apparatus for compact discs (CD discs) and similar signal carriers, comprising a playing station with means for holding and rotating such discs and pick-up means for detecting the signals thereof, and further of the type comprising a magazine for two or more discs and means for selectively bringing any of these discs into and out of operative engagement with the playing station.
2. Description of Related Art
For handling of the said CD discs there are known two different types of disc magazines, viz. one in which the discs are held in a pile in face to face relationship and one in which the discs are supported lying on a carrousel structure in a common plane. The first type requires a rather complicated mechanism for transferring the discs between the magazine and the playing station, but an advantage is that the magazine can hold a large number of discs in a very compact manner; the system is well suited for professional use, but it is less suited for an elegant design as a domestic appliance. The carrousel type is mechanically simpler, but it is not either well suited for domestic use because the carrousel will typically have such a large diameter that the apparatus cannot be placed on a shelf of an ordinary depth dimension.
Besides, for both types of magazine units it applies that the user cannot readily identify the discs housed therein despite identifying imprint on the individual discs, as the magazines appear as closed units. Also, the user cannot change out any discs in the magazine during the playing of any other discs.

CD player with linear array of stationary disc holders


A semiconductor device and method of formation are provided. A semiconductor device includes a first material comprising STI adjacent a fin. The STI is substantially uniform, such that a top surface of the STI has few to no defects and little to no concavity. To form the STI, the first material is implanted with a dopant, which forms an etch stop layer, such that the first material height is reduced by etching rather than CMP. Etching results in a better uniformity of the first material than CMP. STI that is substantially uniform comprises a better current barrier between adjacent fins than a device that comprises STI that is not substantially uniform.

During fabrication of a semiconductor device, chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) is performed to smooth surfaces of the semiconductor device using chemicals and/or mechanical forces. For example, the semiconductor device can be polished to prepare the semiconductor device for a new layer of material. In one example of polishing, the semiconductor device can be secured to a polishing head configured to hold and rotate the semiconductor device. The polishing head can rotate the semiconductor device against a polishing pad, which can also be rotating, to apply mechanical force to the semiconductor device to remove material and/or even out irregular topography of the semiconductor device, for example. In one example, chemicals, such as slurry (e.g., colloid), can be applied to the polishing pad during polishing to serve as solvents which aid in reducing non-uniformities on the surface of the semiconductor device.
Additionally, during fabrication of a semiconductor device, etching, such as chemical etching, is performed to remove material from the semiconductor device. Chemical etching is selective, such that different etch chemistries remove different materials. For example, one etch chemistry removes silicon oxide but not silicon nitride.

Method of forming semiconductor device using etch stop layer

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