An inspection device includes a reference signal output section, a noise removal section, and an electrical characteristic measurement section. The reference signal output section is connected to an external power supply device in electrical parallel with a semiconductor sample, and outputs a reference signal according to the output of the external power supply device. The noise removal section outputs a noise removal signal obtained by removing a noise component of the output of the external power supply device from the current signal output from the semiconductor sample based on the reference signal. The electrical characteristic measurement section measures the electrical characteristic of the semiconductor sample based on the noise removal signal. The inspection device measures the electrical characteristic of the semiconductor sample to which a voltage is being applied by the external power supply device and which is being irradiated and scanned with light. The inspection device outputs a defective portion of the semiconductor sample based on the electrical characteristic.

A known inspection device for a semiconductor sample inspects a defective portion of a semiconductor sample using an optical beam induced resistance change (OBIRCH) method (for example, Patent Literature 1). The inspection device applies a voltage to the semiconductor sample, and measures the electrical characteristic of the semiconductor sample in response to laser beam irradiation and scanning based on the current signal output from the semiconductor sample. The inspection device inspects a defective portion of the semiconductor sample based on the measured electrical characteristic.

Semiconductor sample inspection device and inspection method


The invention provides a device for determining the engine load for an internal combustion engine, such device having an input channel for receiving an item of engine speed information, as well as an intake manifold pressure sensor and an air mass flow rate sensor arranged upstream of a throttle valve, and/or a throttle valve angle sensor. The engine speed is fed to a Kalman filter as an input value and at least one of the three variables intake manifold pressure, throttle-valve air mass flow rate and throttle valve angle is fed as a variable measured by the respective sensor. The Kalman filter derives estimated values for the variables intake manifold pressure and throttle-valve air mass flow rate, with which the air mass flowing into a respective cylinder of the engine per working cycle is determined.

This application claims the priority of German application 196 15 542.8-52 filed in Germany on Apr. 19, 1996, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a device for determining the engine load for an internal combustion engine.
Such devices are used to determine the air mass passing into a respective cylinder of the engine, per working cycle (i.e. the load), at every engine operating point as accurately as possible, so that precisely the correct associated quantity of fuel can be injected, thus permitting an optimum mixing ratio between the air and fuel, and achieving optimum combustion. Since the air mass flowing into the respective cylinders cannot be measured directly, the engine load must be determined indirectly by means of physical variables associated therewith. These include the intake manifold pressure, the throttle-valve air mass flow rate measured upstream of the throttle valve, and the throttle valve angle, in each case in conjunction with the instantaneous engine speed. In this context, usually a so-called hot-film air mass flow rate meter arranged at the throttle valve is used as a mass air flow rate sensor.
While the determination of the engine load is less problematic during steady-state operation of an engine, during non-steady-state operation the dynamic behavior of the engine components involved (in particular of the intake manifold and of the engine sensor system) present additional difficulties for this determination. Thus, for example, the measurement of both the throttle-valve air mass flow rate and of the intake manifold pressure is disturbed by harmonically vibrating components, caused, inter alia, by the piston travel movement in the individual cylinders, flow influences in the valve openings and the acoustic properties of the intake manifold.
The conventional method for acquiring a non-pulsating engine load value is to form mean values over a number of measurements, depending on the frequency of the pulsation to be suppressed. For example, the throttle-valve air mass flow rate, accompanied by evaluation of the inlet valve opening time and corrected by an engine-speed-dependent characteristic diagram, is measured to determine the air mass passing into the engine. Alternatively, either the throttle valve angle is used in conjunction with a throttle valve angle/engine speed characteristic diagram, or the intake manifold pressure is used in conjunction with the instantaneous engine speed, to determine the load. Such characteristic-diagram-assisted load-determination methods generally require a high application expenditure in the engine control units. While the formation of mean values can achieve satisfactory results in the steady-state case, in the non-steady-state case it provides delayed, and thus correspondingly erroneous, values owing to the low pass filter behavior. When the throttle-valve air mass flow rate measurement is used to determine the engine load, a further source of errors occurs when there is a sudden change in the throttle valve position. This is because such a sudden opening or closing of the throttle valve causes a rapid increase or decrease of the air mass flow rate, which results in a change in the intake manifold pressure, but is only partly expressed in a corresponding change in the air mass flowing into the cylinders.
It is generally known in open-loop and closed-loop control technology to use a so-called Kalman filter to acquire estimated values for state variables which are of interest. A Kalman filter models the real process by means of a prescribed filter algorithm, for which so-called input values (usually control values of the process) are fed to the filter on the input side as fixed values, and so-called measured variables (usually values sensed in the process) are fed to it as variable values. The modelling can take place linearly or non-linearly with the aid of a so-called expanded Kalman filter. The properties of Kalman filters are well know to those skilled in the art.
German patent document DE-OS 41 22 391 A1, discloses the use of a Kalman filter to determine engine speed by means of a position angle measured by a position sensor, so that a mechanical engine speed sensor can be dispensed with German Patent Document DE-OS 34 16 812 A1 discloses an arrangement which uses a Kalman filter to regulate process variables in motor vehicles, such as the driving speed or idling speed.
German patent document DE-OS 43 41 132 A1 discloses an air/fuel ratio estimation device for multi-cylinder internal combustion engines, in which an arithmetic unit of a regulator estimates the air/fuel ratio according to model equations of a Kalman filtering operation. The primary measured variable used in these model equations is the output signal of an air/fuel ratio sensor whose sensing element is arranged in the common exhaust-system section of all the cylinders and whose sensor signal thus represents an air/fuel ratio which is determined indirectly by means of the oxygen concentration of the exhaust gas and represents a mean value over all the cylinders. Further sensor signals fed to the regulator unit are those of a throttle valve position sensor, an intake manifold pressure sensor and of a crank angle sensor.
German patent document DE-OS 41 00 006 A1 discloses the use of a Kalman filter in a mass flow rate measuring unit with a measurement tube functioning as a Coriolis transducer. The measurement signal of the latter is processed with the aid of the Kalman filter in order to estimate flow rate.
A device disclosed in German patent document DE 39 34 498 A1 is intended for regulating the fuel supply for an internal combustion engine. The quantity of air actually taken into the cylinders, in particular during operating phases with rapid acceleration, is estimated in that a regulator unit generates an intake-air-quantity correction signal according to the change in the output signal of a throttle valve position sensor and corrects the output signal of an air quantity sensor by the correction intake-air value.
A control unit for motor vehicles disclosed in German patent document DE-OS DE 44 22 184 A1 has an arithmetic unit for calculating the air mass flowing into a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, in accordance with analytical relationships in which the intake manifold pressure and/or the throttle-valve air mass flow rate constitute calculated, and additionally measured, operating parameters. The algorithm is structured in such a way that it corrects itself as a function of the difference between the calculated operating parameter value and the measured operating parameter value.
One object of the present invention is to provide an engine-load-determination device of the type described above, which reliably determines the engine load, with comparatively little expenditure, even during non-steady-state operation.
To achieve this object the engine-load-determination device according to the invention uses a Kalman filter, to which at least the engine speed is provided as an input variable. One or more of the three variables intake manifold pressure, throttle-valve air mass flow rate and throttle valve angle are also input as variables measured by the respective sensors. From these inputs, the Kalman filter estimates values for the intake manifold pressure and throttle-valve air mass flow rate, based on a suitable model equation and on the known Kalman filter algorithm. The last-mentioned variable is expediently acquired indirectly from estimated values for the effective throttle-valve flow cross-section.
It is apparent that, with such a Kalman filter, highly reliable engine load values can be determined, even during nonsteady-state operation, and even in the case of the failure of one or two of the three sensors for measuring the intake manifold pressure, the throttle-valve air mass flow rate and the throttle valve angle. In conventional systems, the failure of the throttle valve angle sensor, for example, would cause the engine control to fail; the device according to the invention, however, is makes it possible, even in this case, to carry out a reliable dynamic determination of the engine load on the basis of a still intact intake manifold pressure sensor or throttle-valve air mass flow rate sensor.
In one embodiment of the invention, the state variables used for the Kalman filter are the intake manifold pressure, the effective throttle-valve flow cross-section, its first derivative and the air mass flow rate via the throttle valve. The measured variables fed to the Kalman filter are the intake manifold pressure, the throttle valve angle and the throttle-valve air mass flow rate acquired by the hot-film air mass flow rate meter. The effective throttle-valve flow cross-section is treated in the model equations of the filter algorithm as a time-correlated noise variable. With this implementation of the Kalman filter, highly precise and reliable engine load values can be acquired, even in the case of rapid load changes during non-steady-state operation.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Device for determining the engine load for an internal combustion engine


An electromagnetic interference and radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI) shield adapted to reduce unwanted EMI/RFI from a shielded cable assembly—equipment enclosure interface. The EMI/RFI shield includes one or more conductive walls extending substantially perpendicular from an outer surface of the shielded enclosure. The one or more walls are positioned adjacent to sides of a panel-mounted connector. Each of the walls includes an EMI/RFI gasket segment coupled thereto, each gasket segment positioned to engage compressibly a respective side of a shielded cable assembly when it is coupled to the panel-mounted connector. Each engaged side of the shielded cable assembly is in electrically conductive contact with the shielded equipment enclosure through the respective EMI/RFI gasket segment and adjoining wall. Additionally, the EMI/RFI shield provides mechanical support to the interconnected cable assembly further reducing EMI/RFI by improving alignment of the coupled connector.

Some electronic devices emit electromagnetic radiation. To prevent deleterious interference of electromagnetic radiation upon other electronic equipment, limits are placed on the permissible amount of electromagnetic emissions from enclosures housing electronic devices. To comply with these limits, enclosures are typically sealed and made of electrically conductive material. Invariably, one or more interconnections are provided for communicating with the electronic devices or boards housed therein. Shielded cable assemblies can be connected to the enclosure at one or more panels or bulkheads; however, these connections can be vulnerable to EMI/RFI leakage. To prevent such EMI/RFI leakage, a tight seal is needed between the shielded cable assembly and the enclosure.
One solution is to use a shielded connector adapted to secure the cable assembly tightly to the enclosure. One class of such connectors uses threaded housings or backshells that mate with a complementary threaded fitting provided at the enclosure (e.g., threaded connectors often used with radio frequency coaxial cable). The circumferential and mechanically stable contact between the cable shield and the chassis surface produces an effective EMI/RFI blocking seal.
Some disadvantages to this solution, however, include limiting the use of connectors to those types having circular geometries. Additionally, their threaded interfaces can be relatively cumbersome to mate and un-mate as they may require the use of tools, such as a torque wrench. Further, many of the widely used standard interfaces (e.g., Fibre Channel) rely on rectangular geometries adapted for quick connects and disconnects. Thus, there is a need for a panel interconnect that has effective EMI/RFI shielding characteristics, supports connectors of different geometries, and allows for the use of quick connect/disconnect connectors.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield for a cable-bulkhead interface


An electrophotographic image forming apparatus including first and second photosensitive bodies, first and second exposing units to form electrostatic latent images on the first and second photosensitive bodies respectively charged to a uniform electric potential, a first developing unit to develop an electrostatic latent image of the first photosensitive body by supplying a color toner to the electrostatic latent image of the first photosensitive body, and a second developing unit in which a transparent toner and a white toner charged to different polarities are contained and which develops a transparent toner image and a white toner image by respectively supplying the transparent toner and the white toner to an image portion and a non-image portion of an electrostatic latent image of the second photosensitive body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus having a transparent toner and a white toner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses form an electrostatic latent image by scanning light onto a photosensitive body charged to a uniform electric potential, developing the electrostatic latent image with a predetermined color of toner, and then transferring and fusing the developed image to and on a printing medium, thereby printing a desired image. In general, four colors of toners, such as yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (B), are used in electrophotographic color image forming apparatuses, and four developing units are used to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive body with these four colors of toners.
A toner is manufactured based on a plastic resin, which has some gloss. Since printed images may have portions that use toner and other portions that do not use toner, the printed image may have inconsistencies with respect to glossiness and appearance. In other words, the toner adds gloss to the printed image where the toner is attached, but a background region of the printed image to which the toner is not attached has no gloss. In addition, when a toner-coverage area of the printed image is higher, the concentration of gloss is correspondingly higher, which affects the visual quality of the image. U.S. Patent Application No. 20060127134 discloses an image forming apparatus featuring a transparent image forming station to improve the gloss of a printed image by employing developing devices to develop electrostatic images with color toners and a developing device to develop an electrostatic image with a transparent toner.

Electrophotographic image forming apparatus having transparent toner and white toner


A dryer for hair shaving devices includes a casing having a drying space for removably receiving a blade portion of a hair shaving device, and a heater and a fan for drying the blade portion received in the drying space. Also, a control unit is provided for controlling output power of the heater and the fan to perform operation modes, the operation modes include a drying operation mode in which the heater and the fan are driven simultaneously and a sterilizing operation mode in which the heater alone is driven with the fan kept stopped.

Hair pieces or facial grease components are apt to adhere to a blade portion of an electric razor, which is one of hair shaving devices. It is difficult to remove the hair pieces or facial grease components by merely cleaning the blade portion with a brush or the like. The hair pieces or facial grease components tend to leave an unpleasant smell.
In view of this, there is conventionally known an electric razor including a shaver head, a heat generation unit arranged within the shaver head for generating heat for a drying purpose and a protection member received within the shaver head for covering and protecting a blade portion, wherein the blade portion is dried by the heat generated from the heat generation unit (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2005-199083).
Since the heat generation unit and the protection member are built within the shaver head, however, the conventional electric razor disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2005-199083 has a problem in that the structure thereof becomes complicated and large-sized due to the increase in the number of parts.
In recent years, a shaver cleaning and drying device is marketed independently of an electric razor. This kind of shaver cleaning and drying device has an upwardly opened cleaning space into which a blade portion of a hair shaving device is inserted upside down. The blade portion is automatically cleaned and dried within the cleaning space. However, since the shaver cleaning and drying device is adapted to clean the blade portion and then dry the same by allowing air to flow through the blade portion, various germs or bacteria adhering to a blade surface or blade holes of the blade portion are not sufficiently sterilized but are left alive. This poses a problem in that it is impossible to keep the blade portion hygienic.


An aerator system for an artificial pond comprising an aerator housing defining an aerator chamber, filter media arranged within the aerator chamber, and a control valve assembly. The aerator housing defines first, second, and third aerator housing ports. The filter media defines first and second portions of the aerator chamber. The first aerator housing port is in direct fluid communication with the first portion of the aerator chamber, and the second and third aerator housing ports are in to direct fluid communication with the second portion of the aerator chamber. The control valve array is operatively connected to the first and second aerator housing ports and may be configured in a first mode to allow a portion of the water flowing through the aerator housing to bypass the filter media.

Residential and commercial gardens often include ponds as part of the landscaping. These ponds are designed and constructed to look as natural as possible, but are often placed at locations where natural conditions for supporting a healthy pond are not found. Accordingly, pumps, filters, aerators, and the like are employed to support the healthy functioning of the pond. This type of pond will be referred to herein as an "artificial pond system".
Commonly, artificial pond systems include a pump housing or vault that is arranged adjacent to the pond such that water flows by gravity from the pond into the pump vault. A pump is located in the pump vault to pump water within the pump vault into an aerator, such as waterfall or fountain, that reintroduces the water back into the pond. Under most conditions, the constant circulation of the water by the pump through the aerator promotes a healthy environment in the artificial pond system.
Often, filters are arranged within the aerator portion of an artificial pond system. The filters in the aerator portion of an artificial pond system typically comprise filter media that supports the growth of biological organisms such as bacteria that remove waste from the water flowing through aerator system. The combination of the filter media and the biological organism are referred to as a biological filter.
Conventionally, the biological filter determines the maximum flow rate of water through the artificial pond water system. In particular, if water flows through the filter media at a flow rate that exceeds the maximum flow rate, the water can carry the biological organisms forming part of the biological filter out of the filter media.
In addition, in conventional aerator systems, the filter media must be periodically cleaned. The process of cleaning the filter media portion of a biological filter can be messy and inconvenient.
The need thus exists for improved systems and methods for controlling the flow of water through the aerator portion of an artificial pond water system.

Flow control systems and methods for artificial ponds


The systems and methods that maintain an IP address of a container when the container is moved from a first node to a second node in a data center are provided. Each node includes a local controller which is communicatively coupled to the central controller. The local controller generates an IP address for a container that executes on the first node. A label unique to the container is also generated on the first node. The local controller then synchronizes the IP address and the label of the container with the central controller. The central controller then passes the IP address and the label to the second node when the container is moved from the first node to the second node, and ensures that the IP address of the container remains the same before and after the move.

Conventional network architecture includes numerous nodes. Each node hosts multiple containers. Containers provide services requested by other computing devices over a network. In order for a containers to processes requests for services efficiently and avoid node overload or underutilization, containers may also be moved from node to node.
In conventional networks, each node may be assigned a block of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. In this case, containers that execute within the node are assigned one of the IP addresses from the block and may be accessed using the assigned IP address. In this type of a network, when a container is moved to a second node with its own block of IP addresses, the IP address of the container changes because the container is assigned one of the IP addresses from the block of the second node.
In another conventional network, multiple containers hosted by the node may be assigned an IP address of the node. In this way, network traffic that is received at the node or is transmitted from the node includes the IP address of the node, even though the traffic may originate from or be received by different containers within the node. In this network too, when a container is moved to a second node, the IP address of the container changes to the IP address of the second node.
As illustrated by examples above, the IP address that is used by a container is not preserved by the container when the container is transferred from a node to a second node.
Embodiments of the disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A connector which is improved in electrical characteristics thereof. A plurality of contacts which are held in a housing of the connector where an FPC is inserted include at least three supporting contacts each having a supporting portion that pivotally supports an operating member. The operating member is provide with conduction portions for electrically connecting the supporting portions of the supporting contacts and a ground pattern formed on an upper surface of the FPC.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a connector which connects a plate-like object to be connected, such as an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) or an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable), to a printed circuit board or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been proposed a connector comprised of a housing, holddowns, a plurality of contacts, and a pivotally-movable member (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 3089464, Paragraphs 0020 to 0024, FIG. 6).
The housing has an opening which receives one end of a flexible cable.
The holddowns are each formed of a metal plate having an electrical conductivity, and are attached to opposite side walls of the housing, respectively. By soldering the holddowns to pads on a printed circuit board, the connector is fixed to the printed circuit board. The pads to which the holddowns are soldered lead to ground of the printed circuit board.
The contacts are arranged side by side in the housing in a predetermined direction. Each contact includes a contact portion, a terminal portion, and a pivot portion. The contact portion is at a front end of a lower part of the contact, as viewed in FIG. 6 of the above-mentioned publication, and is brought into contact with a conductor pattern on a lower surface of the flexible cable which is inserted in the opening. The terminal portion is at a rear end of the lower part of the contact, and is connected to the printed circuit board. The pivot portion is engaged with a recess of the pivotally-movable member to rotatably support the pivotally-movable member.
The pivotally-movable member is comprised of a pivotally-movable member main body and a shell. The pivotally-movable member main body is made of an insulating material. The shell is made of a conductive material having elasticity, and covers the pivotally-movable member main body. The shell has contact portions formed at opposite ends thereof. When the pivotally-movable member closes the opening of the housing, the shell is brought into contact with a shield on the upper surface of the flexible cable which is inserted in the opening, and the contact portions of the shell are brought into contact with the holddowns, respectively.
To connect the flexible cable to the printed circuit board using the above-described connector, first, the pivotally-movable member is rotated to open the opening of the housing.
Next, one end of the flexible cable is inserted into the opening of the housing.
Finally, the pivotally-movable member is rotated to close the opening of the housing. At this time, the conductor pattern on the lower surface of the flexible cable is electrically connected to a conductor pattern on the printed circuit board via the contacts, and the shield on the upper surface of the flexible cable is electrically connected to a ground pattern on the printed circuit board via the shell and the holddowns.
In the above-described connector, the shield on the upper surface of the flexible cable is electrically connected to the ground pattern on the printed circuit board via the holddowns located at the opposite ends of the housing.
Although the contacts which are close to the opposite ends of the housing are also close to the holddowns, the contacts which are located at an intermediate portion of the housing are far from the holddowns, so that the electrical characteristics of the connector are degraded as a whole.

Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited


A friction clutch with a housing, a clutch disk having friction facings, and a diaphragm spring which presses a pressure plate against the clutch disk, contacts a knife edge formed at the pressure plate when the clutch is engaged, and lifts off from this knife edge to open the clutch. The housing and the diaphragm spring are connected so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to one another. The housing has a plurality of recesses which are arranged so as to be distributed along the circumference at the height of the knife edge. The diaphragm spring is provided on the radial outer side with a corresponding quantity of fingers, each of which engages in a recess when the clutch is open.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a friction clutch with a housing, a clutch disk having friction facings, and a diaphragm spring which presses a pressure plate against the clutch disk, contacts a knife edge formed at the pressure plate when the clutch is engaged, and lifts off from the knife edge to release the clutch. The housing and the diaphragm spring are connected so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to one another.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A friction clutch of this kind is disclosed, for example, in German reference DE-PS 14 75 332. In order to transmit the torque generated in the drive train, for example, by an internal combustion engine, the clutch disk is pressed on the flywheel by the pressure plate. The contact pressing force is applied by a diaphragm spring which is supported at the clutch housing and which rests with its radial outer area on the knife edge which is provided around the circumference of the pressure plate. For the purpose of disengaging the clutch, the diaphragm spring is pressed in the axial direction so that it lifts off the pressure plate and its radial outer area swivels back in the direction of the clutch housing. Sufficient axial space must be provided so that the spring does not strike against the clutch housing. In the known clutch, this axial space is created by an axial curvature or bulge of the housing.
As a result of increasing optimization of vehicles and the increasing multiplicity of equipment, all structural component parts are required to be as compact and as light as possible. Due to the necessary axial space provided between the pressure plate and the housing, the clutch is correspondingly large in the axial direction. A reduction in the thickness of the pressure plate is usually ruled out because this pressure plate must have a sufficient thermal capacity to store the heat (friction energy) occurring when the clutch is engaged without warping. A reduction in the thickness of the housing is also possible only to a certain degree because, naturally, as the thickness decreases there is an increased risk that the housing will bend.


To provide a roller for a crawler type traveling vehicle. The manufacture of this roller is streamlined by simplifying a structure for holding a seal mechanism between a bearing part and the outside and a thrust bearing and facilitating working while eliminating the need for welding. Roller pieces shaped to be axially separable are combined with a support shaft and formed integrally at a parting section (including a stepped engagement part and an external engagement part) by press fitting. The support shaft is provided with a projection for restraining the left and right roller pieces from moving in an axial direction.

A conventional crawler type traveling vehicle which can travel by having a drive wheel and an idler wheel (driven wheel) disposed in front and rear positions on each side of a body frame as a lower structure and having an endless crawler belt wound around these drive and idler wheels is known as a vehicle, mainly used for work on rough terrain, such as a construction machine (e.g. a bulldozer or a hydraulic excavator), a materials handling machine or an agricultural machine. In this crawler type traveling vehicle, a plurality of rollers are placed at required intervals between the drive wheel and the idler wheel above a non-ground-contact surface of the crawler belt and is supported by the body frame for ensuring ground contact force during traveling and stably supporting a vehicle body.
Typically, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, such roller 50 of the crawler belt is rotatably supported on support shaft 52 via bearing bush 53. Support shaft 52 has both ends fixedly supported by large bogie 60 via respective small bogies 61. Large bogie 60 is swingably mounted to track frame (body frame) 62. Bearing bush 53 is fixedly fitted to an inner peripheral surface of roller 50 and is in contact with a rotation supporting part of support shaft 52. Accordingly, oil feeding passages 54, 54a are formed in support shaft 52 to supply lubricating oil toward a bearing surface of bearing bush 53, and oil reservoir 51 is formed inside roller 50. The lubricating oil is supplied from this oil reservoir 51 to the bearing surface, thus forming an oil film. To prevent this lubricating oil from leaking out with rotation of roller 50, seal mechanism 56 is provided between each outer face section of roller 50 and support shaft 52. A part of seal mechanism 56 that faces roller 50 is supported by seal supporting piece 57 provided at the outer face section of roller 50. For bearing axial thrust acting on roller 50, thrust bearing 58 is placed between inner surface 57a of seal supporting piece 57 and thrust bearing surface 52a of support shaft 52. Seal supporting piece 57 has a flange mounted to the outer face section of roller 50 by a plurality of bolts 59. Bolts 59 for mounting this seal supporting pieces 57 are tightened by being screwed into respective screw holes 59a of roller 50.
Another conventional roller for a tracklaying vehicle using a rubber crawler belt is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. H04-078086 (FIGS. 9 and 10).
As mentioned earlier, conventional roller 50 requires a plurality of screw holes 59a for mounting thrust bearing 58 and seal supporting piece 57, which forms a part of seal mechanism 56, to each of its outer face sections, thus having many problems associated with workability.
In other words, since a heavy load acts on roller 50 via crawler belt 63, roller 50 is heat-treated for increased strength of its outer peripheral surface. Making screw holes 59a before the heat treatment can be done with relative ease, but free oxides (rust) are produced on the surface of screw holes 59a by the heat treatment and need to be removed. The removal of the oxides on the plurality of screw holes 59a involves a lot of trouble and increases the cost of working. Drilling screw holes 59a after the heat treatment of roller 50 eliminates the trouble of removing the rust, but requires a drill or a tap that can drill even material having a high hardness because the roller which is heat-treated has increased hardness. Consequently, the cost of drilling increases.
The conventional rollers, including the one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined No. H04-078086, each need to be constructed to include oil reservoir 51 for supplying the lubricating oil to the bearing part. To define oil reservoir 51, roller 50 is split into left and right pieces 50a, 50b, and these pieces 50a, 50b are joined together at an axially center section by weld a. Because of welding that is required, the cost of working increases. This inevitably leads to increased costs.
The present invention addresses such problems and aims to provide a roller for a crawler type traveling vehicle. This invention aims to streamline the manufacture of the roller by simplifying a structure for holding a seal mechanism between a bearing part and the outside and a structure for a thrust bearing and facilitating working while eliminating the need for welding.

Roller for a crawler type traveling vehicle


Disclosed are a main amplifier and a semiconductor device employing the main amplifier. The main amplifier is arranged between a plurality of pairs of local input/output lines and a global input/output line. The main amplifier comprises a main amplifier pre-charge unit for pre-charging the main amplifier in response to inputted pre-charge control signals; an input/output sense amplifier enabled by enable signals for sensing a first data signal transmitted from the plurality of pairs of input/output lines of a plurality of memory banks, amplifying the sensed first data signal, and outputting the amplified first data signal as a second data signal of a first potential level; and an input/output driver for pull-down or pull-up driving the global input/output line in response to the second data signal from the input/output sense amplifier. The main amplifier is connected in common to the plurality of pairs of local input/output lines for taking charge of the plurality of memory banks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a main amplifier and a semiconductor device including the same, and more particularly to a main amplifier and a semiconductor device including the same, which is capable of significantly reducing the number of main amplifiers for amplifying data signals from local input/output lines and outputting the amplified data signals to global input/output lines, for miniaturization and high integration of semiconductor memory devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is a volatile memory device for storing data in cells each including one transistor and one capacitor. A data input/output operation, which is a basic function of a DRAM cell, is conducted by an on/off operation of a word line, which is a gate input of a transistor in a cell.
FIG. 1 shows the internal configuration related to data input/output operation in a semiconductor device. As shown in FIG. 1, a memory cell in a general DRAM device includes a plurality of memory banks. A read operation for data stored in each cell in a cell matrix MAT of each memory bank BANK0, BANK1, BANK2 and BANK3 is conducted when cell data amplified by sense amplifiers in a sense amplifier array SA is loaded on respective local input/output lines connected to the sense amplifiers, amplified by main amplifiers MA0, MA1, MA2 and MA3, and transmitted to a DQ block through global input/output lines gio0, gio1, . . .
FIG. 1 shows an x8 device having 8 input/output lines as an example of a semiconductor device. Each memory bank BANK0, . . . , BANK3 requires 8 main amplifiers MA. Thus, four memory banks require a total of 32 main amplifiers.
Accordingly, the minimal number of main amplifiers required for the conventional DRAM device corresponds to the multiplication of the number of memory banks by the number of input/output lines. Accordingly, in the case of a graphic memory using an x16 device having 16 input/output lines or a x32 device having 32 input/output lines, at least 64 or 128 main amplifiers are required for four memory banks.
Accordingly, since the memory device having the configuration as described above requires a number of main amplifiers, there is a problem in that a large area for peripheral devices except for the memory cells is required. This problem becomes substantial in DRAM having multi-bank or multi-input/output line structure. In addition, due to this problem, the conventional semiconductor device also has a problem in that it is difficult to set layout pitches of sense amplifiers of a memory code and the like properly.


A jewelry assembly and method of fabricating includes a support, a sub-assembly attached to the support, the sub-assembly including a base plate having an upper surface, and a center stone having a culet and pavilion positioned above the upper surface.

Gemstone arrangements, or jewelry in general, seek to enhance the appearance and visual characteristics of gemstones by taking advantage of their reflective and/or refractive characteristics. This may be done by abutting gemstones such that many smaller gemstones appear to be a single larger and a more valuable gemstone. Different mounting systems can also enhance the appearance. Gemstones can be arranged to enhance the natural beauty of the arrangement, taking advantage of the reflective and/or refractive characteristics of a composite of gemstones. Complementary arrangements may also position several gemstones in relation to a central gemstone such that light from the complementary gemstones is introduced to the central gemstone, further enhancing the beauty of the central gemstone and the overall arrangement.
Some known arrangements position smaller gemstones along and proximate to a pavilion of the central gemstone to enhance the visual interaction between the smaller gemstones and the central gemstone. Other known arrangements position a central gemstone above an array of cylindrically mounted smaller stones, with the intention to visually enhance the central gemstone.
Various settings may be employed, as well. For instance, a prong setting having a central gemstone set in a traditional mounting can be mounted with respect to smaller gemstones that are positioned about a ring guard or wrap of the main band. A channel setting may include a set of channels spanning to either side of a central gemstone, the gemstone itself held by prongs which, in turn, are supported by the channel setting. Another known setting includes a bezel setting, in which a central gemstone is held by a rim that surrounds and holds the gemstone. One known setting, the gypsy setting, includes a band that is shaped like a dome and is a continuous piece that gets thicker at the top, such that a central gemstone is positioned within the domed portion. A tension setting holds a central gemstone in place by pressure from bands of metal to either side of the central gemstone. In fact, there are numerous known settings in which a central gemstone is positioned with respect to smaller gemstones.
However, known settings may not include sufficient proximity to smaller gemstones and may therefore not sufficiently enhance the reflective and refractive properties of the central gemstone. And, known settings may not sufficiently support the central gemstone, as it may be held significantly above other aspects of the setting (such as the smaller gemstones). Thus, support of the central gemstone may be insufficient, and the various settings may be subject to damage during assembly and/or use. Further, placement of a culet of the central gemstone proximate other aspects of the setting can lead to damage of the culet, and/or damage of smaller gemstones or other aspects of the arrangement that the culet is near.
Thus, there is a continuing need to provide a simplified gemstone arrangement having visually enhanced characteristics for the central gemstone, while providing for ease of fabrication and reduced long-term risk of damage to the central gemstone.

Apparatus and method of manufacture of a jewelry setting


A busway fitting bus assembly for a busway fitting, wherein the busway fitting has a housing assembly defining an enclosed space, the housing assembly having a top end, a bottom end, and a sidewall, the sidewall having a side opening, at least one tap bus extending between the side opening and the enclosed space. The busway fitting bus assembly includes a plurality of elongated, main bus members, the main bus members structured to extend the length between the busway fitting housing assembly bottom end and the busway fitting housing assembly top end, and a support assembly having an extruded body structured to enclose and support the plurality of main bus members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a busway fitting and, more specifically, to a busway fitting having a continuous busway fitting bus assembly wherein the bus bars are encased in an extruded support.
2. Background Information
A busway may be used to distribute power over an extended length, such as, but not limited to, through multiple floors of a building. The busway typically includes multiple busway sections each having a plurality of conductive members, or buses, disposed in an extruded housing. The housing, typically an aluminum extrusion, acts to support the bus members and to dissipate heat over most of the busway length. That is, the extruded housing is used to protect and support the bus members as the busway extends between floors. As the extruded housing substantially encloses the conductive members, the extruded housing does not generally allow for an additional bus, hereinafter a "tap bus," that extends beyond the busway and is coupled to a load.
A busway fitting is an enclosure disposed on the busway wherein one or more tap buses may connect to the busway. The busway fitting is, typically, an elongated housing having a busway fitting bus assembly. The busway fitting bus assembly extends through the length of the busway fitting housing and includes two exposed ends on opposite sides of the busway fitting housing. The busway fitting bus assembly is coupled to a busway section at each end. The tap buses are coupled to the busway fitting bus assembly within the busway fitting housing. The tap buses are further coupled to a load.
For example, a busway may extend vertically through a multiple floor apartment building. On each floor of the apartment building there are a number of apartments. Thus, at each floor it is convenient to have a meter center with one meter coupled to the electrical system of each apartment. Each meter center is coupled to the busway at a busway fitting. For the sake of this example only, it will be assumed that an external source of power is coupled to a first busway section at the base of the apartment building. Thus, the apartment building busway includes a first busway section that is coupled at a lower end to the power source and at the upper end to a first busway fitting, and more specifically to the first busway fitting bus assembly lower end. The first busway fitting tap bus(es) is coupled to a meter center for the first floor apartments. A second busway section lower end is coupled to the upper side of the first busway fitting, and more specifically to the first busway fitting bus assembly upper end. The second busway section upper end is coupled to a second busway fitting, and more specifically to the second busway fitting bus assembly lower end. The second busway fitting tap bus(es) is coupled to a meter center for the second floor apartments. This configuration of bus section coupled to bus fitting may be repeated for each additional floor of the apartment building.
The busway fitting bus assembly typically included multiple buses. The buses typically included multiple main bus bar assemblies that were, in turn, made from multiple shorter bus bars. The bus bar assemblies were held in a spaced relation by one or more U-shaped brackets secured by bolts. These brackets provided the bracing required to support the bus bars. The multiple bus bars were further coupled to one or more heat sinks to dissipate the heat created when a current flowed through the bus members. The tap buses were also attached to the main bus bar assemblies by fasteners. The multiple buses also included a ground bus. Given the number of mechanical connections and components, the busway fitting bus assembly required time and effort to assemble.
There is, therefore, a need for a busway fitting bus assembly that uses fewer parts.
There is a further need for a busway fitting bus assembly that eliminates the need for a ground bus bar.
There is a further need for a busway fitting bus assembly that may be used in conjunction with busways which are presently installed.

Busway fitting having a stacked bus bar with an extruded support


The present invention concerns a method (200) and system (100) for producing a trick mode playback of a segment of video containing a plurality of predictive pictures. The invention includes the steps of: (a) decoding (212) a portion of a predictive picture from the plurality of predictive pictures; and (b) updating (214) a portion of information stored in a memory with the portion of the predictive picture. In one arrangement, the invention can further include the step of repeating steps (a) and (b) during the trick mode playback such that a portion of each of a predetermined number of subsequent predictive pictures can be decoded and can be used to update a subsequent portion of the information stored in the memory. In addition, the segment of video can be an MPEG video segment that does not contain any intra pictures and each of the plurality of predictive pictures can contain intra macroblocks.

1. Technical Field
The inventive arrangements relate generally to video recording systems and more particularly to video recording systems that record digitally encoded video sequences onto disc media such as recordable digital video discs, hard drives and magneto optical discs.
2. Description of Related Art
MPEG video generally uses three types of picture coding methods: Intra (I) pictures, predictive (P) pictures and bidirectional predictive (B) pictures. I pictures are encoded or decoded independently of any other picture. This creates a reference picture from which P and B pictures, or non-I pictures, can be constructed.
A number of MPEG video signals, however, are encoded without I pictures. In particular, many U.S. cable systems broadcast MPEG signals that do not contain I pictures. At first glance, such a video signal appears impossible to decode since there are no I pictures from which to construct the P and B pictures.
Nevertheless, a video signal without any I pictures can be decoded by most MPEG decoders because a separate portion of each P picture in the signal is typically composed of I macroblocks. That is, successive P pictures containing I macroblocks can be used to eventually properly decode a P picture, which can then be used to decode the remaining pictures in the video signal. As an example, in a block of five P pictures, twenty percent of each P picture can contain I macroblocks. For example, the top twenty percent of the first P picture can be composed of I macroblocks and the lower eighty percent can be composed of P macroblocks. Referring to the second P picture in the video signal, the portion representing the twenty percent of the picture immediately below the top twenty percent can comprise I macroblocks while the lower sixty percent and the top twenty percent can be composed of P macroblocks. Thus, a different portion of each successive P picture contains I macroblocks. Hence, the bottom twenty percent of the last P picture can contain I macroblocks.
These I macroblocks, along with the P macroblocks contained in the P pictures, can be used to assemble each successive P picture. Specifically, as each P picture is decoded, the decoded I and P macroblocks can be stored in memory. As such, the decoder can generally properly decode the fifth P picture, from which the remaining P and B pictures can be properly decoded.
During normal playback of a video signal having no I pictures, there is a brief period in which the picture quality suffers at the initiation of the playback. This is because the pictures at the beginning of the playback must be constructed from the P pictures that are not yet properly decoded. As an example, the first P picture in the playback signal normally contains the first portion of I macroblocks. Thus, the P and B pictures that are constructed from the first P picture cannot be properly decoded, as the first P picture contains only roughly twenty percent of the information needed to produce these pictures. As the playback continues, however, the picture quality improves since more of the P pictures are decoded thereby providing a greater number of correctly decoded I and P macroblocks until a properly decoded P picture is acquired. This initial reduction in picture quality is acceptable since it is brief, and a properly decoded picture is usually constructed within the first one-half to one second of normal playback of the video.
Significantly, however, initiating a trick mode command once the properly decoded P picture is obtained may cause problems in the decoding of subsequent pictures. Specifically, during a trick mode such as fast forward or fast reverse, a plurality of pictures are skipped to speed up the playback. If P pictures containing the I macroblocks are skipped, then the subsequent pictures that would have been predicted from the skipped P pictures can no longer be properly decoded, and the display of these pictures will be negatively affected during the trick mode. Similarly, initiating a fast motion trick mode command before a properly decoded P picture is acquired may be problematic as well, as P pictures containing I macroblocks are likely to be skipped and the user may have a difficult time recognizing sections of the video on which the fast motion trick mode is being performed. Thus, a need exists for a method and system for performing fast motion trick modes without requiring the prediction of a picture or a portion of a picture from another picture or increasing system costs or complexity.


A method and composition for the removal of contaminants in a gas stream used in the contamination sensitive processes of photolithography and metrology are described. The synergistic effect of a combination of an electropositive metal component, a high silica zeolite, and a late transition metal compound effects removal or reduction of the contaminates in the gas which interfere with light transmittance to the ppb or ppt levels necessary for the gas to be suitable for these uses. The removal of neutral polar molecules, neutral polar aprotic molecules, protic and aprotic alkaline molecules, acidic polar species, and neutral non-polar aprotic molecules is accomplished with the claimed composition. Depending on the type of contaminant, the composition components are each varied from 10 to 80 parts by volume, with the total composition limited to 100 parts by volume.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to the purification of gas. More particularly, it pertains to the purification of gases which are used in production of contamination-sensitive products.
2. Description of the Background
The circuitry on semiconductor chips is normally formed by photolithography. Each layer of the chip has a photoresist mask which defines the circuitry for that layer. Ultraviolet laser produced light is used to expose the photoresist and create the image of the circuitry on the chip layer.
The degree of definition of the circuit lines on the chip is a function of the wavelength of the laser light. As circuitry has become more complex, more and more circuit lines are being crowded into each unit area on the semiconductor layer. Not only does this mean that the lines themselves must be narrower, but it also means that their definition must be more precise to avoid either interference and short circuiting with neighboring lines or breaks (opens) in an individual line. The relationship between the ultraviolet light wavelength and the width of the circuit lines is direct: narrower circuit lines require shorter ultraviolet light wavelengths. Conversely, the shorter wavelengths of ultraviolet light have higher energies. Ultraviolet is generally defined as wavelengths between 400 nanometers (nm) and about 10 nm. Other regions of interest are Near Ultraviolet (NUV), which is approximately 400 to 300 nm; Deep Ultraviolet (DUV), which is approximately 300 to 100 nm; and Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV), which is approximately ≦100 nm. Currently commercial semiconductor production processes operate with 248 nm (KrF) and 193 nm (ArF) ultraviolet light wavelengths which allow production of circuit lines with widths of approximately 0.15 micrometers (μm). The industry currently projects that the line widths of 0.10 μm and smaller will become the standard shortly, which will require photolithography with ultraviolet light wavelengths of 157 nm.
Photolithography of semiconductor wafers is conducted in closed chambers with the laser lens and the target wafer being surrounded by a gaseous atmosphere. The gases used in process environments vary from compressed dry air (CDA) to inert gases. Common examples are CDA, He, N2, and He/O2 mixtures. Different manufacturers, processes, wavelengths of light, and other requirements favor different gases. As the field advances to lower wavelengths of light, i.e. more energetic light, inert gases will likely become dominant, especially N2 and He.
It is normal, however, for the gas itself to be contaminated with small amounts of reactive gases or vapors or particulate materials. All these contaminants can and do affect the production process in various ways. Molecular contaminants with absorbances in the UV range reduce the optical transmittance of the lithography tool. Residues, deposits, and condensates form on the optical components of the lithography tool which reduce light transmittance. The photoacids generated by photoresists during the lithography process are sensitive to quenching by molecular contaminants, especially alkaline contaminants like ammonia. In sub-248 nm lithography, these contaminants can be found in some or all of the components of the lithography tool.
A limited number of decontamination processes and products have been used in the past to produce "lens gases" of acceptable levels of purity. Most notable of these are carbon beds and particulate filters. As the required circuit line width and therefore the ultraviolet light wavelengths have decreased, however, decontamination processes which were once sufficient have become unacceptable because the degree of residual contamination has been found to be too high under the newer, more stringent requirements.
Metrology is the field within the semiconductor industry that is responsible for testing the wafer at various stages in the fabrication process. Wafers are tested by metrology devices throughout their manufacturing to ensure compliance and eliminate defective wafers. Metrology limits must always exceed the resolution limits of the lithographic processes. As device dimensions shrink metrology limits must follow suit, which will lead to greater contamination susceptibility in the metrology environment. Two technologies currently dominate the metrology market: optical metrology and electron beam metrology. Purification of the gases in the metrology environment is crucial to the accuracy of metrology.
For example, optical metrology devices may be within or outside the lithography tool itself. When the device is in the tool the metrology optics and laser beam become an integral part of the lithography tool. These systems are used for continuous monitoring of masks and reticles. The necessity of gas purification is the same as for the lithography tool environment.
In-line optical measurements are found outside the lithography environment. For example, ellipsometry tools are commonly used to measure thin-film uniformity after spin-on resist application. The photoresists in ellipsometers and interferometers are susceptible to molecular contamination from the environment.
CD-SEM is used as an inline metrology tool that has a high resolution. Although CD-SEM operation is conducted in a high vacuum chamber, the chamber is periodically opened to atmospheric contaminants, therefore, the purity of the purge gas is crucial in ensuring long-term tool stability. Additionally, the cassette(s) may be contained in a chemically purified environment to minimize their contamination. Furthermore, SEM reticle inspection systems may require purification to minimize damage to the reticle from molecular contaminants, especially when exotic materials become essential in future technology modes. Reticles may adsorb contaminants then desorb under process conditions.
The electron beam in CD-SEM produces charge contaminants in wafers. These occur when electrons are ejected from or adsorbed by the wafer surface. Therefore, another metrology tool must non-destructively measure the charge contamination after SEM and must also be contained in a decontaminated environment.
There are two kinds of contaminants that need to be considered in any purification process: those that are in the lens gas originally and those that get injected into the gas stream during the purification process. The contaminants commonly present in the lithography environment are water (H2O), hydrocarbons (HxCy) oxides of nitrogen (NOx), oxides of sulfur (SOx), ammonia (NH3), organic amines (R3N), metals (M+), halogenated and sulfonated hydrocarbons (RX, X=F, Cl, Br, I, SO3), siloxanes (SixHy), alcohols (ROH), sulfides (R2S), and halogen hydrides (HX, where X=F, Cl, Br or I), among others. Certain groups of contaminants present different problems in photolithography.    i. The group of neutral polar protic molecules—e.g., H2O and ROH—absorb radiation in the sub-248 nm range, condense easily on surfaces, and stabilize other polar contaminants by forming solvation complexes.    ii. The group of neutral polar aprotic molecules—e.g., NOx, SOx, R2S, and RX—absorb radiation in the sub-248 nm range and react with other contaminants to form harmful products. For example, the formation of ammonium sulfate residues on optical surfaces, known as optical hazing.    iii. The group of alkaline molecules, both protic and aprotic—e.g., amines, including ammonia—absorb in the sub-248 nm range; react with other contaminants; and quench the photoacid generated in the resist film. This quenching results in an undesirable T-shaped resist profile, known as T-topping.    iv. The group of acidic polar species, both Lewis (M+) and Bronsted (HX), absorb in the sub-248 nm range and react with other contaminants, mainly from Group (i), to form harmful acidic products. Bronsted acids on metal lead to loss of process control because the photoresists are based on specific acid content based on a timed release agent. Additional acid interferes with the control.    v. The group of neutral non-polar aprotic molecules—e.g., hydrocarbons and siloxanes—absorb in the sub-248 nm range, condense easily on surfaces, and are ubiquitous in the cleanroom environment. Under high energy conditions, hydrocarbons will leave a carbonaceous residue on the lens. Siloxanes can form an opaque layer of SiO2 on the lens.    vi. The group of environmental gases—e.g., CO2, and CO—absorb in the sub-248nm range and are ubiquitous in the cleanroom environment.
Contaminants also get injected into the gas stream during the purification process commonly from the decontamination material itself. For example, upstream carbon beds can release particulate contamination. Decontamination materials are normally high surface area solid materials either in granular form or as surface coatings on solid substrates. The flow of the gas being decontaminated or the process of surface adsorption can cause minute particulates to be generated from the decontamination material and entrained in the gas stream. Moreover, it is well known that the mixtures and concentrations of contaminants in gas streams vary from photolithography process to process and from gas vendor to gas vendor. Therefore, operators of individual photolithography processes must shop for different decontamination products depending on their specific process. Since most decontamination products have relatively narrow use limitations, in many cases a process operator cannot find an optimum decontamination product for the specific process and must compromise its decontamination specifications.
To eliminate contaminants from the lithography system, some or all of the components of the lithography tool are enclosed in sealed compartments. FIG. 1 demonstrates a typical lithography tool. The entire microlithography tool has not commonly been enclosed in its own chamber, but the trend toward improved molecular purity will require such isolation of the environment within the tool. Since the wafer must be placed in the laser path and removed from the tool, the environment must be constantly refreshed. Therefore, point-of-use purification of the lithography tool gas is necessary. In contrast, the laser is normally enclosed in a permanently sealed compartment. The laser is often sealed at its manufacturing facility, which is usually in a separate location from the tool assembly. The disadvantage to this practice is that it requires that a decontamination composition must also function for the lifetime of the laser. Therefore, purification of laser gas both prior to and during laser assembly, as well as point-of-use purification, is necessary.
The optics compartment is generally sealed from the rest of the tool environment, but it is often accessed by the operators, whereas the laser is not. Even if the entire lithography tool is contained in a purified environment, the optics portion will be further isolated, as it is not opened to the external environment as frequently as the lithography tool. Therefore, purification of the gases contained in the optics compartment, both at the manufacturing facility and point-of-use is necessary.
Typically, the gases present in the equipment are CDA, N2, He or Ar, and/or He/O2. Specifically, in the tool compartment and optics compartment, all of these gases may be present. In the laser compartment, N2 and He or Ar may be present. In scanning electron microscopy and other metrology tools, CDA and N2 are present. In the future, He or Ar may be used for these measuring tools.
Critical dimension (CD) quality and processing efficiency may also benefit from isolation and purification of the environments of various additional device uses in the semiconductor industry, e.g. bake ovens and metrology equipment. It may also become possible and beneficial to isolate the entire process of semiconductor manufacturing, from bare wafers to functional chips. Therefore, purification during assembly and point of use throughout the semiconductor industry is necessary.
It will therefore be evident that as the photolithography technology advances to lower ultraviolet light wavelengths and lower width microcircuitry lines the degree of decontamination of the lens gases must become greater, both for the removal of the original contaminants in the gas and also for the prevention of creation and injection of particulate contaminants into the gas during the decontamination process.
The Semiconductor Industry Association recommends that acceptable levels for all contaminants be in the 10–100 ppt (parts per trillion) range over the next few years. Problems have arisen in reaching that goal. Contaminant levels and decontamination requirements vary widely and depend on the gas, process, wavelength of light, and CD requirements. Other factors that increase the difficulty of reaching this goal include: the wide range of gaseous environments in different tools and different compartments within the tools, the wide range of possible contaminants and wide range of possible concentrations, the presence of non-atmospheric contaminants in combination with atmospheric contaminants, and the interference of certain contaminants with the attempted removal of other contaminants.
A single formulation capable of accomplishing sub-ppb levels for all contaminants does not presently exist. Some current purification technologies require energetic activation, either with heat or electrical stimulation, which may adversely affect the contamination levels by outgassing and by-product formation. Some purification technologies release particulate components that become entrained in the gas stream, especially at high pressure. Further, some purification technologies require periodic regeneration, replacement, and/or activation during the serviceable lifetime of the lithography tool. This causes an interruption in production and may increase the likelihood of outgassing, by-product formation, and/or particulate entraining.

Method for purification of lens gases used in photolithography and metrology


The present invention provides a contrast control circuit capable of controlling the contrast even if the back porch is comparatively short. The contrast control circuit comprises monostable multivibrators (24, 26) which provides a background pulse and a reference pulse alternately, respectively, a switch (SW1) which clamps a video signal while the background pulse is HIGH so that the potential of the pedestal level is zero on an (N+1)th horizontal scanning line, and a switch (SW2) samples the leading edge of a reference pulse inserted in the video signal while the reference pulse is HIGH on an nth horizontal scanning line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contrast control circuit fit to be incorporated into, for example, a CRT controller.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some CRT monitor which displays pictures represented by signals provided by a computer inserts a reference pulse for contrast control in the back porch of the horizontal blanking interval of a video signal.
Referring to FIG. 4 showing a conventional CRT controller of such a type, an adder 2 inserts a reference pulse of a specified level in the back porch of a video signal in each horizontal scanning cycle, a video frequency amplifier 4 subjects the output of the adder 2 to gain control, a driver amplifier 6 amplifies the video signal provided by the video frequency amplifier 4 and gives its output to a CRT 8. The video signal provided by the video frequency amplifier 4 is applied also to a contrast control circuit 10. The contrast control circuit 10 detects the voltage of the reference pulse inserted in the video signal, compares the detected voltage of the reference pulse with a contrast voltage set by the user, and controls the gain of the video frequency amplifier 4 so that the detected voltage of the reference pulse coincides with the contrast voltage.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the contrast control circuit 10 and FIG. 6 is a time chart showing the output signals of the component of the contrast control circuit 10. A synchronous separation circuit 22 extracts the horizontal synchronizing signal from the input video signal and gives the extracted horizontal synchronizing signal to a monostable multivibrator 23. The monostable multivibrator 23 is triggered by the input horizontal synchronizing signal to give a reference pulse to a monostable multivibrator 25. Then, the monostable multivibrator 25 is triggered by the input pulse to give a background pulse as an closing command signal through a buffer 30A to a switch SW1. The reference pulse is given as an closing command signal through a buffer 32A to a switch SW2.
A capacitor C1 is inserted between an input terminal to which the output signal of the video frequency amplifier 4 (FIG. 4) is applied, and the input terminal of the switch SW2. The junction of the capacitor C1 and the switch SW2 is grounded through the switch SW1. A resistor R is inserted between the output terminal of the switch SW2 and one of the input terminals of an operational amplifier OP1. A variable voltage source is inserted between the other input terminal of the operational amplifier OP1 and a ground. The user operates the variable voltage source to set a contrast voltage VR1. A capacitor C2 is inserted between the former input terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier OP1.
The output video signal of the capacitor C1 is clamped by the switch SW1 so that the pedestal level is zero while the background pulse is HIGH. The switch SW2 samples the leading edge of the reference pulse inserted in the video signal while the reference pulse is HIGH. Accordingly, the level of the reference pulse is positive with respect to the ground potential for each horizontal scanning cycle.
The operational amplifier OP1 compares the voltage level of the reference pulse sampled by the switch SW2 with the contrast voltage VR1 set by the user and feeds back a voltage to control the gain of the video frequency amplifier 4 so that the voltage level of the reference pulse will coincide with the contrast voltage VR1 to the video frequency amplifier 4.
As shown in FIG. 7, the duration of the back porch must be about 1.6 .mu. sec or above to detect the leading edge of the reference pulse inserted in the video signal while the reference pulse is HIGH by inserting the reference pulse in the back porch and clamping the video signal so that the pedestal level is zero while the background pulse is HIGH. However, the duration of the back porch of some video signal among those used in recent years is less than 1.6 .mu. sec. When such video signals are used, the conventional contrast control circuit shown in FIG. 5 is unable to control the contrast.

Contrast control wherein reference pulse detection occurs every other line period and wherein clamping occurs in remaining line periods


A computer system in a distributed object programming environment includes a number of host computers providing services to clients on a network through internally stored servers. Various types of configuration information for each server are available to clients through persistent server administrators, which are objects containing such information about individual servers. A server administrator can store such information as startup execution definitions, saved program definition, object interfaces and implementations, reaping, tracing, and logging configuration data. Being persistent and external to the server, the server administrator can manipulate and determine its information about a server in response to client requests without starting up the server, thereby facilitating system administration.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the field of object oriented application and operating systems development, and more particularly, to methods and systems for performing administrative operations on object oriented applications operating in a distributed object programming environment.
2. Background of Invention
Client-server computing is the predominant model for the management of computing resources, typically on a network of distributed computers. Servers are computers and application programs executing thereon that provide various functional operations and data, upon request. Clients are computers and applications that request such services. While clients and servers may be distributed in various computers on a network, they may also reside in a single computer, with individual applications providing client or server functions, or both.
In a client-server system based on a object oriented development environment, a client is code that invokes or manipulates an object, and the object that is invoked is the server. A server provides a number of interfaces to clients for invoking various objects within the server that provide functionality requested by a client. Each of the objects may have multiple implementations, or object code that executes the functionality of the code when an instance of the object is created by the server. Thus, a particular interface, when used by a client to invoke an object, will result in the execution of a particular implementation for the object that is invoked. When the server or one of its objects is invoked, the server will operate in accordance with certain configuration information, such as the location of its data directory, the executable pathname, and the like. In a client-server system, it is desirable to be able to determine and manipulate the configuration information for a server available on the network without consuming system resources by invoking the server.
Information about a server can be classified into two categories. Dynamic information arises out of a particular process that is executing a server, such as its process identifier, how many objects are active within the server, and the like. This information is dynamic because it depends on a current executing process which is transient. Static information is information that does not devolve from a particular execution or process. This includes external information such as the identify of the host computer of where the server is installed, its pathname, its execution definition, and internal information, such as the identity and description of the object interfaces and implementations the server provides, and the setup of various application programming interfaces used by the server, such as the identity and configuration of tracing facilities available in the server, log file configurations, and reaping functions.
Conventionally, systems administrators have various software tools for determining the configuration and related information about servers on various computers on a network. However, these administrative tools require that the server be executing as a process for any information to be obtained, and thus require an inactive server to be started up, merely to obtain or manipulate configuration and similar information. Such startup procedures limit the flexibility of the administrative tools, and require unnecessary consumption of computer resources. This is particularly the case where a client needs to determine configuration information for a large number of servers on the network.
Similarly, network managers use network management tools to determine the state of network resources, such as routers, bridges, printers, file servers, disk drives, workstations and the like. With conventional network management tools, such as tools compliant with the SNMP or CMIP standards, individual managed objects are associated with each network device. The network manager can query and configure networked devices through manipulation of the managed object associated with each device. These managed objects however, are limited to conveying information at the device level, and do not query or manipulate object level information for individual processes, particularly for servers running on workstations and similar processing units. For example, SNMP tools currently do not determine the interfaces implemented by a given server on a particular workstation. Thus, these tools do not provide adequate level of granularity for use by a systems administrator of a client-server system built on a distributed object programming environment.
Additionally, SNMP and CMIP tools require the network device associated with each managed object to be operating and available on the network in order for the managed object to determine and configure the state of the network device. Conventional managed objects are unable to automatically startup their associated network devices, and thus if the network device crashes or its otherwise terminated, the managed object and the SNMP tool is unable to provide information about the network device. This is because the managed objects do not have information about the startup configuration of the network devices, as the managed objects operate on the assumption that the associated network devices are already operating. Thus, these tools would also require the servers to be executing in order for any information to be obtained. Similarly, with low level protocols, like RPC, no information is stored about pathnames, configuration information or the like for servers, again, preventing an RPC agent from starting a networked server, or providing process level information.
In conventional systems where the processes created by an application all reside in a common address space, typical system administrative tools require providing an explicit reference to the host machine and the process or processes for which information is requested. In a distributed object programming environment, however, a client invokes a server through an object reference, without having information as to where the invoked object resides in the system, that is, without specifically knowing the computer where the invoked object is stored or where its running. Rather, the client passes the object reference through an object request broker which locates the server, and passes back any output from the server to the client. To the user, the client and server, and any group of distributed objects, behave transparently as an integrated application, even though the objects may be distributed in various computer systems. One standard for the distributed object programming is the Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), specified by the Object Management Group. In this environment, conventional system administrative tools are shielded from the actual implementation of the server, and do not have a mechanism for obtaining unified access to the internal structure of a server, particuarly its configuration setup. While such information may be available in various objects in various parts of the environment, such as naming services, and the like, there is no unified object that provides this information access efficiently.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and system for obtaining and manipulating configuration information about servers on computers in a distributed object programming environment without starting up the servers, and where only an object reference to the server is available to clients.

System and method for determining and manipulating configuration information of servers in a distributed object environment


A method for effecting synchronous pulse generation for use in variable speed serial communications is provided. The method includes the steps of obtaining a communication link speed; generating a difference signal representing a signal level difference between at least two data stream signals; providing a clock signal; providing a counter; defining a sample count value of the counter using the communication link speed; incrementing the counter in relation to the clock signal; and determining whether a current count value of the counter corresponds to the sample count value. If the current count value corresponds to the sample count value, then the method performs a step of generating a synchronous pulse. If the current count value does not correspond to the sample count value, then the method performs a step of determining whether a signal level of said difference signal has changed, and if the signal level of the difference signal has changed then performing a step of ignoring further changes in the signal level of the difference signal until the current count value of the counter corresponds to the sample count value at which time the step of generating the synchronous pulse is repeated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to serial communications, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for effecting synchronous pulse generation for use in variable speed serial communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Universal Serial Bus (hereinafter referred to as "USB") permits a variety of peripheral devices, such as a printer or scanner, to be connected to a generic port in a host computer. During communication between a host computer and peripheral device via a USB, data is transmitted over the bus, but the USB does not transmit a clock for synchronization. Therefore, it is necessary for a USB receiver to have some mechanism to synchronize itself with the incoming data. The USB Specification (version 1.1) describes methods of encoding transmitted data for keeping a receiving device synchronized with the incoming data. Each packet transmitted on USB begins with a synchronization field to allow the receiver to synchronize with the transmitted data. The receiver is kept in synchronization with the transmitter by the non return to zero invert (hereinafter referred to as "NRZI") encoding and by bitstuffing if the NRZI encoding does not signal a transition after 6 bits.
Current USB systems utilize multiple clocks, one of which is a 12 MHz clock that is synchronized to the data on the USB. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,742 issued to Snyder, et al. (hereinafter referred to as "Snyder") discloses a circuit and method for synchronizing a data signal to one of a plurality of clocks. Snyder discloses using two pulses generated by the transmission of data to select one of many clocks to use for recovering the transmitted data. In Snyder, a clock generator is configured to generate a plurality of clocks and/or a logic circuit is configured to select the clock signal having the closest timing in relationship with the data signal.
Typically, USB systems include a USB controller for synchronizing the timing relationships by relying on feedback to synchronize incoming data. A USB controller in a typical system uses a digital phase-locked loop (hereinafter referred to as "DPLL") circuit that runs on a 48 MHz clock. The USB data signals, commonly referred to as D+ and D−, are inputs into the DPLL and the DPLL outputs a 12 MHz clock signal synchronized to the USB data. The USB controller uses the DPLL clock signal to extract the bit values of the USB data. In many systems, the clock synchronized with the USB is unsuitable for other logic that interfaces with the USB because the clock rate is slower and the clock frequency or period varies. For example, the 48 MHz clock signal may be divided to generate a 24 MHz clock signal for a processor or other logic. Thus, a separate clock is used for the processor and the other logic in those systems. Multiple clocks require additional logic for synchronization between the clock domains and multiple clocks complicate the testing of the system logic.
One method and apparatus for synchronizing circuitry between multiple clock timing domains, such as a USB, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,193 issued to Bloch, et al. (hereinafter referred to as "Bloch"). In FIG. 2 of Bloch, a timing diagram illustrates a source clock, a fixed clock and a latch signal. Bloch discloses that the source clock signal has a 48 MHz frequency and that the clock divider circuit divides the source clock signal frequency to produce a 12 MHz clock signal. It is important to note that Bloch discloses passing the arriving data signal through a DPLL, and thus, Bloch discloses at least two clock domains, the system clock and the DPLL clock. Once created, these two clock domains are delayed in such a way that they are staggered slightly aiding in decoding the incoming data. A latching pulse, created using the internal 48 MHz clock, pulses every four edges of the 48 MHz clock. These signals along with a latching scheme are used to decode the incoming data.
Attempts have been made to optimize the flow of isochronous data and clock rate information over a USB, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,027 issued to Gulick (hereinafter referred to as "Gulick"). In Gulick, the USB conveys a control signal to a data producer to increase or decrease the clock rate of the data producer based upon the level of data within the buffer of the USB. Thus, in Gulick the clock rate of the data producer or data transmitter is changed.
The IEEE 1394-1995, IEEE-1394a and IEEE-1394b standards define buses which allow high speed transfers of data to and from a variety of peripheral devices such as a printer, scanner, digital video equipment and high-performance mass storage.
The 1394a bus uses two twisted pairs, TpA and TpB, to transfer data between devices. Signals on the 1394a bus twisted pairs are also referred to as Data and Strobe. During communication between, for example, a host computer and a peripheral device via a 1394a bus, data is transmitted without a clock signal for synchronization. Therefore, it is necessary for a device receiving data via a 1394a bus to have a mechanism to synchronize the data for use therein. Whereas the Strobe signal only transitions when the generating clock transitions and the Data has not changed, the generating clock of Data and Strobe can be recovered by directing the Data and Strobe signals through an exclusive-OR gate. This recovered clock can then be used to sample the incoming Data. An S-notation is used relative to the 1394a bus to indicate the approximate bus speed in Mbits per second. For example, S400 is 393.216 Mb/s or nearly 400 Mb/s. The IEEE 1394-1995 and 1394a standards allow for data rates up to S400. To allow faster data rates, changes had to be made to the method of sending and recovering data to and from each device. These changes are made in the 1394b revision, which allows for data rates of up to S3200.
To enable the IEEE-1394b bus to have higher aggregated throughput, dual simplex communications are used, hence each TpA and TpB pair transmits continuously in one direction, thus allowing a device to receive data while simultaneously transmitting data. The IEEE-1394b bus, while allowing for faster data rates, eliminates the Strobe signal and hence the clock recovery outlined above for the 1394a bus. To prepare parallel data to be transmitted over the IEEE-1394b bus, the data is first scrambled to reduce radiated emissions. The scrambled data is then encoded using an 8B/10B encoding technique which creates 10 bits for each 8 bit word so as to ensure DC balance and allow clock recovery. Clock recovery is possible since the 8B/10B encoding guarantees that a transition will occur at least once every 5 bits. The transmitter device then serializes the scrambled, encoded data for transmission on the IEEE-1394b bus.
At a receiving device the serial data is received and by use of a phase-locked loop circuit, which monitors transitions in the data to stay locked to the bus frequency, the data is recovered by sampling the serial data. The data is then processed into 10 bit parallel data which is decoded using an 8B/10B decoder into 8 bit words which are then unscrambled into the recovered parallel data which was sent from the sending device.
What is needed in the art is a method and apparatus for effecting synchronous pulse generation for variable speed serial communications using a simplified hardware configuration.

Method and apparatus for effecting synchronous pulse generation for use in variable speed serial communications