A lead bonding tool for bonding leads to respective semiconductor chip contacts. The bonding tool having a substantially flat bonding surface region with a depression therein. The depression allows the tool to grasp the lead during the bonding step and further facilitate the transmission of energy from the tool to the lead/contact interface to form the bond. Certain embodiments of the lead also have grooves and/or guides which are adapted to capture and better align the elongated lead sections with their respective chip contacts during the bonding step.

Semiconductor chips are connected to external circuitry through electrical contacts on a face surface of the chip. The contacts on the chip typically are disposed in the regular patterns such as a grid substantially covering the front surface of the chip, commonly referred to as an "area array" or in elongated rows extending parallel to and adjacent each edge of the chip face surface. Each contact on the chip must be connected to external circuitry, such as the circuitry of a supporting substrate or circuit panel. Various processes for making these interconnections use prefabricated arrays of leads or discrete wires. For example, in a ball or stitch bonding process using a wirebonder, the chip is physically mounted on the substrate. A fine wire is fed through a bonding tool. The tool is brought into engagement with the contact on the chip so as to bond the wire to the contact. The tool is then moved to a connection point of the circuit on the substrate, so that a small piece of wire is dispensed and formed into a lead, and connected to the substrate. This process is repeated for every contact on the chip.
In the so-called tape automated bonding or "TAB" process, a dielectric supporting tape, such as a thin foil of polyimide is provided with an aperture slightly larger than the chip. An array of metallic leads is provided on one surface of the dielectric film. These leads extend inwardly from around the aperture towards the edges of the aperture. Each lead has an innermost end projecting inwardly, beyond the edge of the aperture. The innermost ends of the leads are arranged side by side at spacing corresponding to the spacing of the contacts on the chip. The dielectric film is juxtaposed with the chip so that the aperture is aligned with the chip and so that the innermost ends of the leads will extend over the front or contact bearing surface on the chip. The innermost ends of the leads are then bonded to the contacts of the chip, as by ultrasonic or thermocompression bonding. The outer ends of the leads are connected to external circuitry.
In a so-called "beam lead" process, the chip is provided with individual leads extending from contacts on the front surface of the chip outwardly beyond the edges of the chip. The chip is positioned on a substrate with the outermost ends of the individual leads protruding over contacts on the substrate. The leads are then engaged with the contacts and bonded thereto so as to connect the contacts on the chip with contacts on the substrate.
The rapid evolution of the semiconductor art in recent years has created a continued demand for progressively greater numbers of contacts and leads in a given amount of space. An individual chip may require hundreds or even thousands of contacts, all within the area of the chip face surface. For example, a complex semiconductor chip in current practice may have a row of contacts spaced apart from one another at center-to-center distances of 0.1 mm or less and, in some cases, 0.05 mm or less. These distances are expected to decrease progressively with continued progress in the art of semiconductor fabrication.
With such closely-spaced contacts, the leads connected to the chip contacts, such as the wires used in wirebonding leads in the tab process and beam leads must be extremely fine structures, typically having a smaller bonded surface than the contacts onto which they are bonded so that the adjacent lead do not electrically short. Such fine structures are susceptible to damage and deformation. With closely spaced contacts, even minor deviations of a lead from its normal position will result in misalignment of the leads and contacts. Thus, a given lead may be out of alignment with the proper contact on the chip or substrate, or else it may be erroneously aligned with an adjacent contact. Either condition will yield a defective chip assembly. Errors of this nature materially reduce the yield of good devices and introduce defects into the product stream. These problems are particularly acute with those chips having relatively fine contact spacing and small distances between adjacent contacts.
Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/919,772, filed Jul. 24, 1992 (the "772 application") and issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,749 which is a divisional thereof, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein, describes an improved system for connecting semiconductor chips to external circuitry. Certain embodiments of the invention set forth in the '772 application utilize a connection component having a support structure and electrically conductive leads. Each lead has a connection section extending across a gap in the support structure. The connection sections of the leads are flexible. Preferably, one end of each lead is detachably secured to the support structure, whereas the other end is permanently secured to the support structure and connected to a terminal mounted on the support structure. The connection component is positioned on a part of a semiconductor chip assembly, such as the chip itself, so that the leads overlie contacts on the part or chip. The connection sections of the leads are bonded to the contacts on the chip by engaging each connection section with a tool, forcing the tool downwardly to break the detachable end of the lead from the support structure and bring the connection section into engagement with a contact on the chip. The tool is used to apply pressure and/or ultrasonic vibrations to the lead, thereby forming a bond between the lead and the contact of the chip. This process is repeated for each lead, until all the leads have been bonded to the contacts on the chip. After the connection component has been electrically connected to the contacts of the chip, the terminals of the connections component can be used to connect the chip to other, external circuitry as, for example, by bonding the terminals of the connection component to an external substrate such as a circuit panel.
In the preferred arrangements disclosed in the '772 application, the bonding tool is arranged to capture and align the lead. Thus, the bonding tool may be a blade-like device with an elongated bottom edge and with a groove extending lengthwise along such bottom edge for engaging leads to be bonded. The groove may have a central plane and surfaces sloping upwardly from the sides of the groove towards the central plane. When the tool is roughly aligned with a lead, so that the lengthwise axis of the bottom edge and groove are generally parallel to the lengthwise axis of the connection section of the lead, the groove will engage the lead and guide it into precise alignment with the tool. Thus, the tool can be aligned in sequence with each contact, and engaged with a lead. Even if the lead is slightly out of alignment with the contact and tool at the beginning of the operation, the tool will bring the lead into precise alignment with the tool and hence with the contact during the downward motion of the tool. Thus, minor dimensional variations in the connection component do not impede the process, even where the contacts are provided at very small spacing.
The preferred embodiments described in the '772 application are highly advantageous, but still further improvement would be desirable. In many cases, the connection sections of different leads extend in different, mutually orthogonal directions. For example, many common chips are generally rectangular and have contacts disposed in rows extending along the edges of the chip. The rows of contacts on adjacent edges extend in mutually orthogonal directions. The connection sections of the leads associated with each row of contacts on the chip must be arranged side by side, so that the connection sections of the leads extend orthogonally to the length of the row. Thus, where the rows of contacts extend in mutually orthogonal directions along different edges of the chip, the connection sections of the leads likewise extend in mutually orthogonal directions. Typically, the tool is positioned so that the lengthwise axis of the bottom edge extends parallel to the connection sections in one row, and the tool is then advanced stepwise down the row, bonding each of the leads in the row seriatim. When the row is completed, the chip and support structure must be rotated 90.degree. relative to the tool so as to properly align the tool for engagement with the connection sections of the next row.
The rotation step consumes appreciable time in production and requires that the apparatus be equipped with a precise, rotatable stage or mounting. Moreover, the rotation step can introduce additional misalignments between the connection sections and the tool.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,844, incorporated herein by reference, deals effectively with this problem. One embodiment of that patent provides a bonding tool for bonding leads to contacts on semiconductor chips wherein the lower end of the tool defines guide surfaces for engaging elongated leads disposed beneath the lower end of the tool upon downward movement of the tool from above the leads. The guide surfaces are adapted to engage a lead extending in either of two mutually orthogonal directions and to center the engaged lead beneath the bonding region of the lower end so that the lead can be engaged and bonded by the tool. With either orientation of the lead, the tool will capture and align the lead, and bring the lead into position for bonding. Thus, a tool in accordance with this aspect of the present invention can be used in procedures generally similar to those discussed above with reference to the '772 application and in bonding TAB-like cantilevered leads. However, where the leads on the connection component extend in two mutually orthogonal directions, there is no need to rotate the connection component and chip relative to the tool during the process. Where the contacts are arranged in rows, the tool can simply be advanced along one row, then advanced along another row, until the process is complete. Other embodiments and improvements are further disclosed in the '844 patent.
Proper bonding of the leads to respective chip contacts is also important. Typically, the leads are bonded to the chip contacts by the bonding tool using heat, force, ultrasonic energy, or a combination of two or more thereof, for a given time period. If an incorrect ratio of force, heat and/or ultrasonic energy is used, the bond between the leads and the contacts may be too weak to undergo the thermal cycling stress during operation of the chip (heating and cooling cycles during operation). The bonding tool may create areas of the lead which are prone to early fatigue during thermal cycling because of excessive non-uniform deformations in the bonding region typically causing early breaks in the lead at the point the lead bends up from the chip surface (commonly referred to as a "heel break"). Further, obtaining good intermetallic bonds which are substantially uniform across the surface of the bond between the lead and contact surfaces is critical to a well performing lead bond. Uneven intermetallic growth can cause embrittlement of the lead in and around the bond area thereby causing early fatigue of the lead during thermal cycling. Intermetallic diffusion will typically only take place at the bonded sites of the lead and the contact thereby causing sites of gross intermetallic formation which may cause an unreliable bond. Further, impurities in the bond lead (such as co-deposited plated lead impurities or other surface impurities) tend to migrate to the unevenly bonded intermetallic sites during the high temperatures used in chip packaging thus weakening the bond. Both of these problems may worsen the creation of a phenomenon called Kirkendahl Voiding (voids created at the boundary of two metals having different interdiffusion coefficients). This voiding along the boundary of the two metals (lead/contact) generally causes intermetallic degradation, brittleness of the lead itself and weakening of the bond making the lead/bond susceptible to failure during thermal cycling.
As chip packages are made smaller and smaller, the lead dimensions will also be reduced compounding this problem by making it more difficult to reliably bond the leads to their respective chip contacts using conventional bonding tools. FIG. 1A shows a fragmentary side view of a single point bonding tool. FIGS. 1B-1G show the bonding surface view (view A--A from FIG. 1A) of various prior art lead bonding tool designs which have the tendency to cause the aforementioned problems especially as the lead dimensions continue to get smaller. A drawing of a typical bonder tool is depicted in FIG. 1H. The tool in FIG. 1H has a cross groove formed into the bonding surface region of the tool. Each bonding surface shown in FIGS. 1B-H is designed with the intent to maximize the coupling of the energy from the tool to form a good bond between the lead and a contact. The tools are typically made of very hard materials which are electrically conductive as they are manufactured using electrodischarge machining to obtain the ultra-fine features. The cross grooves in the tool shown in FIG. 1H are about 10 micrometers wide, as limited by the aforementioned electroforming process. The various groove designs on the bonding surfaces of the bonding tools discussed above have the tendency to cut too deeply or make too deep of an impression in finely dimensioned leads during the bonding of the leads to respective chip contacts potentially causing weak portions of the leads which are more likely to break during thermal cycling of the device and more likely to cause non-uniform bonding conditions, as described earlier. Also, potential problems maybe cause by "cratering" the surface of the chip contacts during bonding by placing too much concentrated force on the fine leads.
Despite the substantial time and effort devoted heretofore to the problems associated with providing bonding tools, there are still unmet needs for improvements in such semiconductor chip package structures and methods.


Methods of forming a Co cap on a Cu interconnect in or through an ULK ILD with improved selectivity while protecting an ULK ILD surface are provided. Embodiments include providing a Cu filled via in an ULK ILD; depositing a Co precursor and H2 over the Cu-filled via and the ULK ILD, the Co precursor and H2 forming a Co cap over the Cu-filled via; depositing an UV cured methyl over the Co cap and the ULK ILD; performing an NH3 plasma treatment after depositing the UV cured methyl; and repeating the steps of depositing a Co precursor through performing an NH3 plasma treatment to remove impurities from the Co cap.

To provide electrical conductivity between layers in a semiconductor device, an interconnect or via may be formed through an ILD. The via is then lined with a barrier and filled with an electrically conductive material such as Cu to provide electrical conductivity between the layers. As semiconductor components continue to be scaled down and placed closer together, ILDs have become thinner, requiring lower-k dielectric materials, e.g. ULK dielectrics, to be used for improved electrical performance. For electromagnetic (EM) improvement, a Co cap is formed over a Cu via, e.g. by selectively depositing Co on top of the Cu. Selectivity is determined by the amount of Co thickness on top of the Cu divided by the amount of Co thickness on top of the ULK ILD. As Co is deposited on Cu, carbon (C) remains on the surface, which reduces the deposition rate over time. Moreover, too much Co deposited on the ULK ILD surface will cause time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) failure. Consequently, ammonia (NH3) plasma is used to recover the deposition rate by removing impurities, e.g., C ring groups, from the Co surface. However, with each NH3 plasma treatment, selectivity is reduced between the Cu and ULK ILD surfaces, and damage to the ULK is increased.
A need therefore exists for methodology enabling selective Co capping of a Cu interconnect while protecting the ULK ILD surface.

Method to improve selectivity cobalt cap process


A heat-sealable adhesive for dissimilar substrates is disclosed comprising an organic solvent suspension of a graft copolymer of an A-B-A terblock copolymeric rubber, olefin copolymer and olefin terpolymer. Processing conditions are improved over known adhesive preparation conditions.

Multilayered composites are among the most ubiquitous and ancient of synthetic structural materials in society that combine the properties of dissimilar substances to produce a single product with chemical and/or physical capabilities not otherwise readily obtainable. Certainly among the oldest method of preparing a structural composite is to bond layers of dissimilar substances together using an adhesive. Plastic films and fiber, however, may be coextruded or heat laminated to form a multilayered composite and electrodeposition of polymers can be used to coat metal film. But overall, adhesive bonding prevails as the means to prepare composites from dissimilar substances, particularly composites of plastic and metal film.
Physical chemical experts in plastic/metal film adhesion hold that if a perfect union of plastic and metal substrates were obtained, i.e., one where the two surfaces mate completely within van der Waal's radii, the strength of the adhesive bond would be the algebraic sum of the substrate bond strengths and, therefore, the adhesive bond strength would exceed that of the lower (plastic) substrate tensile strength. The impediments to achieving this plausible ideal are the ability of the plastic material, or precursor, to wet the metal surface and the rheological properties of the plastic that may inhibit its flow into and full contact with the craters and valleys comprising the metal surface-and do all this while providing a composite plastic substrate having good tensile strength. Now, if the mundane but overriding considerations of production cost and composition cost are added to the equation, the complete challenge to researchers in the science of adhesion chemistry seeking to improve the art of metal/plastic adhesion is defined.
Of course, there are many adhesives known in the art for metal/plastic adhesion, especially aluminum/plastic adhesion. Their large number is indicative of the vagaries of the applications in which the adhesive compositions and composites are used, requiring different plastic or metal properties and, in turn, different adhesive properties and compositions. Compositions may be applied as solutions or dispersions of oligomers, simple polymers, copolymers or graft copolymers and heat sealed to form the adhesive bond. For aluminum-plastic adhesion, polyolefins are often used, despite the fact that adhesion to polyolefin surfaces is often difficult to achieve. But polyolefins are inexpensive and, therefore, extensive development has been conducted to formulate effective adhesives for dissimilar substrates, at least one of which is a polyolefin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,708 discloses a film forming dispersion for heat sealing of dissimilar substrates such as polyolefins and aluminum wherein the dispersion comprises at least two different types of polymers, particularly olefin polymers or random copolymers and acrylic resins, in an organic solvent system. The two polymer types are essentially incompatible and have different adhesive affinities for the substrates. The two polymers have an acid number ranging from 0 to 160 mg KOH per gram of polymer. The dispersion further contains a graft polymer containing components corresponding to the two different polymer types. As a rule, the graft copolymer is prepared by making a dispersion of the olefin polymer/copolymer, with the aid of an appropriate emulsifier, and grafting acrylic monomers onto it.
The method for preparing the adhesive dispersion of the foregoing '708 patent comprises a three step process which requires about forty hours to complete. A substantial portion of the lengthy preparation process is dictated by the need to form the dispersion of an ethylene/propylene copolymer in organic solvent in contact with emulsifier. The dispersion step requires long agitation of the mixture under shearing conditions and a long period of heating in organic solvent in order to swell the olefin polymer or random copolymer particles and allow grafting or reacting the polymer with acrylates.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved adhesive composition for bonding dissimilar substrates at a high peel strength. The preferred substrates are aluminum and polyolefin film.
A particular objective of the invention is to provide the foregoing improved adhesive composition prepared by a method simpler and substantially faster than methods employed in the relevant art heretofore.

Heat sealable adhesive coating composition and process


A data caching circuit includes a ring signal counter, a switch, and a first latch. An output terminal of the ring signal counter is connected to a control terminal of the switch. An output terminal of the switch is connected to a control terminal of the first latch. The ring signal counter is configured to input a data transmission starting signal and a clock signal to generate and output a count control signal. A clock signal terminal of the switch is configured to input the clock signal, and the switch is configured to generate and output a data caching control signal according to the input count control signal and clock signal. A data signal input terminal of the first latch is configured to input a data signal. The first latch is configured to latch the data signal according to the data caching control signal input from the control terminal of the first latch. An output terminal of the first latch is configured to output the data signal.

A data caching circuit in a display product drive circuit caches and outputs a data signal sent through a serial-to-parallel conversion circuit. Since data transmitted from the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit has different data formats, the data caching circuit in the prior art needs to design different control signals to control data in different formats for caching. The circuit structure of the data caching circuit in the prior art needs to add a large number of combined logic devices, thus occupying a large layout area and leading to high power consumption.
In summary, the generation of the control signals of the data caching circuit provided by the prior art is very complicated and the circuit also has a complex structure, a large area, and relatively high-power consumption.

Data caching circuit, display panel and display device


A centroid-based object contour encoding method and device for encoding still images and moving pictures by rendering a more accurate contour representation with increased compression. The method includes the determination of a centroid and incrementing angle, the determination of distances between the centroid and boundary pixels on an object, and the encoding of the information determined. For moving pictures, the difference between the data of a current frame and the data of a previous frame are encoded by discrete cosine transforming and variable-length coding of the difference data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and device for encoding an object contour by using a centroid. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for encoding an object contour by sequentially measuring distances between a centroid and boundary pixels on a contour of the object and encoding the distances. The present invention also relates to a device suitable for the above-mentioned method.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Object contour coding is essential in object-based coding for both still images and moving pictures. Particularly, in a low bit rate coding such as MPEG4, the coding scheme has to show a high compression rate in order to minimize the bit amounts of the coded data while it provides a detailed representation of an original contour.
The most widely used contour-coding technique is chain coding which is generally used in computer graphics. In chain coding, a codeword is defined for each direction (among 360.degree.), and a contour is traced in a given direction and encoded by using the codeword defined for the direction. The chain coding, however, results in too much bit allocation and has difficulty in taking into account temporal redundancy in a sequence of images, as in a motion picture, even though there is no loss in contour information and the original contour is recovered accurately.
To overcome these drawbacks of the chain coding, several methods seeking compromise between the accuracy and the bit allocation have been proposed. Though such methods can reduce the amount of generated bits, the fundamental drawbacks of the chain coding persist.
There are many image processing applications which are satisfied with merely a rough representation of an object contour. On such applications, other contour coding methods have been used, which reduce the bit allocation required to encode the contour at the cost of failing to provide complete contour information. One of such methods is polygonal approximation, in which the entire contour of an object is approximated by an inner or outer polygon. Despite its strong advantage in bit economy, the polygonal approximation provides only a very rough representation of the contour.
To circumvent the problem of polygonal approximation, a spline approximation method has been employed. Whereas a contour is approximated by line segments in the conventional polygonal approximation method, the spline approximation achieves a more accurate contour representation with the same number of bits, by using non-linear elements, e.g., curves. Meanwhile, spline approximation may be replaced with a discrete sine transform (DST) operation which renders a detailed representation of a more complex contour but with the efficiency of polygonal approximation.
FIG. 1 conceptually illustrates a contour coding method which uses a combination of polygonal approximation and DST operation. Here, a contour is divided into contour segments 10 and each contour segment is approximated as a line segment by the polygonal approximation. After segmentation or line approximation, i.e., polygon approximation, an approximation error 12 which is the distance between the contour segment and the line segment of the polygon is sampled at a predetermined number of positions or angles along the contour. The sampled error values are encoded by carrying out DST and quantization. This coding exhibits low bit consumption and can represent a contour more accurately.
However, all the coding methods described above are limited to contour coding for still images only.
In a moving picture, since each object in consecutive frames retains nearly the same shape and nearly the same position, temporary redundancy also exists in the contour of the object. Thus, the efficiency of the contour coding for a moving picture can be enhanced by taking advantage of such temporal redundancy. In an example of an object contour coding of a moving picture, the object of a (k)th frame is piled on the object of a (k-1)th frame. Then, parts of the contour which are not duplicated are extracted and chain-coded. However, when the contours change fast, there are so many contour segments to be encoded, and the starting point coordinates should be encoded frequently, so that the coding efficiency deteriorates ultimately.

Method and device for encoding object contour by using centroid


A method of defining a three-dimensional structure having multiple facets, such as a package, identifies an image that is to be printed on a first facet. It also identifies a second facet of the package that has a functional relationship with the first facet, determines whether the functional relationship is that of a crease, an edge, or another functional relationship, and automatically defines a bleed area by accessing a rule set and applying the rule set to the determined functional relationship. The bleed area includes an area in which the first image will be printed and that is outside of the location of the first facet.

Bleeding of images is a well-known aspect of printing. In general, "bleed" refers to a portion of an image that extends beyond a desired print area border, such as the edge of a page, a corner of a package face, or a boundary within a portion of a printed substrate. Bleed parameters are commonly established during the design of a print template. For example, when printing a two-dimensional document such as a postcard, no bleed may be required if the postcard will include an image surrounded by a white (i.e., unprinted) border. However, if it is desired that the image will extend to the border of the postcard, then the print template may include a bleed area—in this case, an area on which an extra portion of the image is printed. The bleed area allows for minor registration errors that may result from mechanical limitations of the printing and cutting equipment, minor sheet misalignment, or operator error. The bleed area may be trimmed before the card is considered to be final and ready for use
When printing a two dimensional substrate that will be cut and folded into a three-dimensional package, the template may need to include multiple bleed areas for multiple facets of the package. Until now, the defined bleed areas have been static, and directly associated with the template. However, such pre-defined templates are not useful in the context of personalized packaging for small volume runs. In personalized packaging, the print system must apply a dynamic rule set for many varied package runs, some of which may have a run length of only one package. Thus, the current options for generating bleed definitions for package printing are not useful in this context of personalized or small-run package printing.
This document describes systems and methods that present solutions to the problems discussed above, and which may also provide additional benefits.

Dynamic bleed area definition for printing of multi-dimensional substrates


The changes of capacitances of a plurality of detecting locations on a touch screen are detected for determining a profile corresponding to each external object approaching or touching the touch screen. Then the location of each external object is generated separately by two or four values in the corresponding profile.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and device for location detection, and more particularly, to a method and device for location detection with higher linearity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A traditional capacitive touch screen typically includes an insulating surface layer, a first conductive layer, a dielectric layer, and a second conductive layer, wherein the first and second conductive layers have a plurality of first conductive strips and second conductive strips, respectively, and these conducting strips are made up by a plurality of conductive pads and connection wires connecting these conductive pads in series.
The changes in capacitances of a plurality of detecting locations on the touch screen can be obtained. These detecting locations correspond to the first conducting strips or the second conducting strips. When an external object approaches or touches the touch screen, a profile corresponding to the external object will appear in the changes in capacitances as shown in FIG. 1A, for example. A coordinate data (a location) corresponding to the external object can then be calculated based on some or all of the values in the corresponding profile. For example, a centroid location is calculated based on the largest three values or all of the values.
In a profile, the largest value will have the biggest influence on the coordinate location. For example, in FIG. 1A, the coordinate data is calculated from the largest value and values at either side (the preceding and the following values). Since the peak (it may be referred as relative high point hereinafter) of this profile is at the third value, the coordinate data will be close to the coordinates of the third value.
However, during the movement of an external object, the peak will shift from one value to other neighboring values, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C. As the largest value influences the coordinate value the most, with respect to the actual location of the moving external object, the coordinate data will result in the detected movement to be slowing down then speeding up and then slowing down again. As a result, poor linearity shown in FIG. 1D will occur.
From the above it is clear that prior art still has shortcomings. In order to solve these problems, efforts have long been made in vain, while ordinary products and methods offering no appropriate structures and methods. Thus, there is a need in the industry for a novel technique that solves these problems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and device for reducing poor linearity in location detection


A method of disposing of medical waste is disclosed wherein medical waste generated at a facility such as a hospital, clinic, and/or a doctor's office, after being bagged and sterilized, usually by a stem autoclave, is delivered to a mobile carrier having a shredder or similar device, for finely-dividing the sterilized waste which is then compacted and transferred to a storage area on the carrier where it can be commingled with sterilized shredded medical waste obtained from other facilities having been processed in like manner, before being transported to a sanitary disposal site.

The disposal of medical waste has, heretofore, been an expensive, time-consuming, hazardous and labor intensive problem. Because medical waste may, and often does, contain highly infectious materials, before disposal sterilization is, and has been encouraged. Moreover, government regulations strictly control medical waste from collection to disposal. Severe penalties apply if the regulations are not adhered to. A manifest or record must be kept of each lot or batch of medical waste from collection to disposal, by law. Only certified licensed medical waste haulers are authorized to collect medical waste from medical facilities.
Solid medical waste includes solid, semi-solid and liquid material but does not include domestic sewage materials, as prescribed by law. It includes, for instance, waste from diagnosis and treatment of humans and animals, and in the production and testing of biologicals; cultures and stock of infectious agents and biologicals; waste from the production of biologicals, discarded virus cultures and vaccines and all the glassware and devices used in the foregoing. Human and animal wastes including tissues, organs, body fluids, etc., removed during surgery, research or autopsy, for instance, and all contaminated material such as dressings, bed linen, towels, bags, etc., associated therewith. It includes whole animal carcasses, body parts and bedding of infected animals.
Facilities generating medical waste, e.g., hospitals, clinics, and/or doctors' offices, have devices for sterilizing materials and instruments before use. Most such facilities have a steam autoclave so that the waste which is contained in red leak-proof bags, simply can be placed in the autoclave for sterilization, and the bags are then removed and placed in a waste receptacle such as a barrel or can, or in cardboard boxes, for instance, and picked up by a certified medical waste hauler for disposal.
In practice, for maximum bulk reduction, the medical facility bags and boxes its medical waste, in a cardboard box, for instance, for pick-up by the certified hauler. If the waste is autoclaved (sterilized) the hauler trucks it to a shredding facility and after shredding he loads another truck with the shredded waste, for eventual disposal. Thus, the hauler must load one truck with the sterilized medical waste, drive to a shredder facility, unload the truck, shred the waste, load it onto a second truck and finally dispose of it. Should the medical waste from a facility not be sterilized, the certified hauler must either dispose of it by incineration, an expensive procedure, or he may autoclave the bagged waste and process as above.

Steam autoclave unit for delivering sterilized medical waste to a portable carrier


A wall-mounted microwave oven including a fixing member having an improved structure for fixing an oven body to a vertical wall. The wall-mounted microwave oven achieves a reduction in manufacturing costs and convenient and simple manufacturing, transporting and installing processes. The wall-mounted microwave oven also includes a sheet adapted to set an accurate mounting position for the fixing member, in which the sheet has a size corresponding to that of the oven body and is made of paper or a similar material. The fixing member is provided with fixing holes. The sheet is provided with fixing position marks indicating fixing positions where screws have to be fastened to the wall through respective fixing holes. The fixing member is also provided with hooks respectively engaged with hook holes formed at a lower end of the oven body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wall-mounted microwave oven, and more particularly, to a wall-mounted microwave oven including a fixing member having an improved structure adapted to fixedly mount an oven body to a wall in a confined space in which the microwave oven is to be installed, thereby achieving a reduction in manufacturing costs and convenient and simple manufacturing and installing processes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a wall-mounted microwave oven is mounted to a wall in a kitchen space over a complex cooling appliance provided with gas oven ranges. Such a wall-mounted microwave oven not only performs a cooking function using microwaves, similarly to that of general microwave ovens, but also performs a function for externally exhausting fumes, smoke or the smell of food rising from another cooling appliance such as a gas oven or an electric oven arranged beneath the microwave oven during cooking of the food.
In such a wall-mounted microwave oven, microwaves emitted from a magnetron irradiate food to repeatedly change the arrangement of water molecules in the food, thereby causing the food to be cooked by frictional heat of those water molecules. In the wall-mounted microwave oven, an exhaust fan is installed to vent fumes, smoke and food smell rising from a cooking appliance arranged beneath the microwave oven to the exterior during a cooking operation.
The configuration of such a wall-mounted microwave oven will be described in more detail. Similarly to general microwave ovens, this wall-mounted microwave oven includes an oven body defining the appearance of the wall-mounted microwave oven, and a cooking chamber and an electric element chamber partitioned in the interior of the oven body, so as to cook food in the cooking chamber using microwaves. Exhaust passages are formed between facing walls of the oven body and cooking chamber and between facing walls of the oven body and electric element chamber, respectively. An exhaust fan is connected to upper ends of the exhaust passages. With this configuration, the wall-mounted microwave oven can suck fumes, smoke and food smell rising beneath the oven body through the exhaust passages in accordance with an operation of the exhaust fan, and then vent them to the exterior.
The wall-mounted microwave oven also includes a fixing plate for fixedly mounting the oven body to a wall in a kitchen space. Upon mounting the oven body to the wall, the fixing plate is first mounted to the wall at a desired position where the oven body is to be installed. Thereafter, the oven body is coupled, at a lower end thereof, to the fixing plate. The oven body is then fixed, at an upper end thereof, to an outer bottom surface of a sideboard installed on the wall or to a separate bracket fixed to the wall. Thus, the installation of the wall-mounted microwave oven is completed.
However, such a conventional wall-mounted microwave oven has various problems. That is, the fixing plate used in the conventional wall-mounted microwave oven is manufactured to have the same size as that of the oven body, in order to accurately install the oven body at a desired position on the wall, taking into consideration the fact that the oven body is relatively heavy, as disclosed in Korean Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 1998-030344. For this reason, there is an increase in the manufacturing costs of the fixing plate. Furthermore, there is inconvenience in the processes of manufacturing, transporting, and installing the fixing plate.


A method for production of lactic acid involving extracting protein from a natural renewable feedstock, preferably extracted from lignocellulose sources such as soybean hull, separating the feedstock into liquid and solid substrate feedstock, steam exploding the solid substrate feedstock by placing the solid feedstock in a pressure chamber, pressurizing the steam chamber with saturated steam, maintaining the pressure until the solid feedstock reaches temperatures in excess of the boiling point of water at atmospheric pressure, and explosively decompressing the pressure to a pressure no greater than atmospheric pressure. Hydrolyzing the steam-exploded feedstock by either acid hydrolysis or enzyme hydrolysis, and fermenting the resulting hydrolyzed feedstock to produce lactic acid. The hydrolyzing and fermenting steps may be carried out simultaneously, followed by recovering the lactate from the resultant material.

Lactic acid is a methyl-substituted glycolic acid that has been generated by fermentation of renewable agricultural feedstock resources such as corn, whey, potatoes, rice, cane sugar, beet sugar, molasses of beet-sugar, and the like. Lactic acid is the simplest hydroxyl acid having an asymmetric carbon atom and therefore exists in a racemic form and in two optically active forms.
Two molecules of lactic acid combine to form the monomer (dilactide) for a polymer called polylactic acid, which is a biodegradable and biorenewable material. When dilactide is prepared from racemic lactic acid, the three isomers that result are D-lactide, L-lactide and meso-lactide. The meso isomer can be removed but the D and L-lactide are enatiomers that from the racemic form, rac-lactide, which forms an undesirable amorphous polymer. Most commercial processes use the L-lactide produced from L-lactic acid.
There are numerous uses for lactic acid. It is a common food additive as an acidulant and preservative, and is used in the chemical industry for deliming, metal etching, cosmetic and textile applications, oxychemicals, green solvents, specialty chemicals, and for the production of biodegradable plastics and polymers. Other potential applications include biocompatible polylactic acids for biomedical applications. These polylactic acids have potential applications as prosthetic devices, controlled drug delivery in humans, and food packaging. Additionally, lactic acid may also be used for the synthesis of ethanol resulting in a cost efficient alternative fuel source.
Although some biodegradable polymers are used in medical applications, the vast majority of high-volume consumer plastics continue to be composed of petroleum-based materials, which are essentially nondegradable. Recent events, such as rising costs of petroleum and the environmental costs associated with waste disposal, have made biodegradable polymers economically attractive. The food-processing industry generates large volumes of carbohydrate containing wastes, which are ideal substrates for bioconversion to useful, high-value products, such as lactic acid and its derivatives.
Soybean production is the second largest cash crop in the U. S. behind corn. Most soybeans are used traditionally for soybean meal and oil production. A metric ton of soybeans yields 800 kg of protein-rich meal and 183 kg of oil. The soybean hull, also known as the seed coat, is a byproduct of soybean processing. For every metric ton of soybean processed, about 100 kg of soybean hull is produced which is then disposed of for two American cents per pound. On a dry mass basis, the hulls constitute about 8% to 10% of the total seed, depending on the variety and the seed size. The hull is a hard water-resistant material, which protects the cotyledons and hypocotyls from damage. The soybean hull contains lignocellulose, which is any of several closely related substances constituting the essential part of woody cell walls of plants and consisting of cellulose intimately associated with lignin. Analysis of the soybean hull indicates that it is composed of carbohydrates (80% to 85%), protein (8% to 10%), ash (5% to 8%), and lipids (1%) on a dry mass basis. The dry soybean hull has about 7% to 8% moisture.
The use of microorganisms to generate lactic acid from fermentation of sugars, such as starch, is well known. Various manifestations of the microorganisms have been demonstrated including the use of immobilized and substrate attached microorganisms. For example, lactic acid has been successfully produced from the fermentation of starch carried out by Lactobacillus amylovorous immobilized in porous beads. See Lactic Acid Fermentation From Enzyme-Thinned Starch With Immobilized Lactobacillus amylovorus, Ji Yan, R. Bajpai, E. lannotti, M. Popovic, and R. Mueller, Chem. Biochem. Eng. Q. 15 (2) 59–63 (2001).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,985 ('985) issued on Aug. 28, 2001 discloses a process for the separation and purification of lactic acid from a fermentation medium wherein the lactic acid is essentially in the form of a salt or salts. In the process of '985, the lactic acid producing microorganisms are separated from the other components of the fermentation medium forming a salt solution. The resultant solution is acidified to a pH below or equal to 3, and passed over a cation exchange resin to give lactic acid having a fraction with maximum of 25% lactic acid salts (dry weight). This fraction is then subjected to bipolar fractionating electrodialysis, and other purification/concentration techniques.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,455 ('455) issued on Aug. 3, 1999 discloses a method for preparing pure lactic acid or salt thereof by fermentation. The preparation process comprises a bioreactor refreshing cycle and a lactic acid production cycle, wherein during the production cycle a solution comprising substantially pure feedstock is recycled though a bioreactor containing refreshed microorganism cells, the lactic acid produced being neutralized by adding an alkali, and the recycling is discontinued when the alkali consumption is substantially diminished. During the refreshing cycle the microorganism cells are refreshed by recycling though the bioreactor a carbohydrate solution enriched with nutrients, thus replenishing the capacity of the microorganisms to produce an acid. Lactate is recovered or converted into lactic acid or other salt.
The use of food-processing waste to produce lactic acid and to simultaneously carry out fermentation and hydrolysis in the production of lactic acid is known. U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,382 issued on Nov. 20, 2001 describes a fermentative production and isolation of lactic acid from a sugar-containing fermentation liquid in a fermentor by means of lactic acid forming bacteria, in which whey protein is present or added as a nutrient substrate for the lactic acid-forming bacteria, wherein at least one protease is added to the fermentor during the fermentation so that hydrolysis of protein to amino acids takes place simultaneously with the fermentation of sugar into organic acid, and wherein lactic acid resulting from the fermentation is isolated from the fermentation liquids. Ammonia is preferably added resulting in the formation of ammonium lactate, and lactic acid is preferably isolated by a process involving ultra filtration, ion exchange, conventional electrodialysis and electrodialysis with bipolar membranes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,760 ('760) issued on Nov. 7, 1995 discloses a fermentation and recovery process for lactic acid production. The method of '760 is used to convert starch to glucose and fermenting the glucose to form lactic acid. The method includes simultaneous saccharification and fermentation through the use of a consortium of bacterial strains. The invention of '760 involves the bioconversion of industrial food waste, such as potato waste, corn, rice, cheese whey, cane sugars, beet sugars or the like, containing starch to lactic acid suitable for conversion to photodegradable or biodegradable plastics. The invention first liquefies the waste using an alpha-amylase enzyme.
Additionally, scientist have successfully used simultaneous saccharification and fermentation to produce lactic acid from cellulose using a combination of Tchoderma reesei as a cellulose for saccharification and Lactobacillus delbrueckii as the lactic acid producing microorganism. See Communications to the Editor: Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation of Cellulose to Lactic Acid, Shin-ichiro Abe and Motoyoshi Takagi, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 37, 93–96 (January 1991).
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.


A two-photon logic gate introduces a phase shift between two photons using a Q-switched cavity with some nonlinearity. The two-photon logic gate catches photons in and releases photons from de-coupled cavity modes in response to electronic or photonic control signals. This “catch-and-release” two-photon gate can be formed in semiconductor photonic integrated circuit (PIC) that operates at room temperature. When combined with sources, linear circuits, other logic gates, and detectors, it can be used to make a quantum computer with up to 1000 error-corrected logical qubits on a cm2 PIC, with full qubit connectivity to avoid overhead. Two-qubit gate fidelity exceeding 99% is possible with near-term technology, and scaling beyond 99.9% is possible. Two-photon logic gates are also suitable for gate-based quantum digital computing and for analog quantum computing schemes, such as adiabatic quantum computing or quantum annealing.

A central challenge in quantum computing is the development of a universal set of one- and two-quantum-bit (qubit) logic gates, or simply gates. In photonic implementations of quantum information processing in which quantum information is stored in photons, high-performance one-qubit gates are easily realized, but two-qubit gates remain challenging. Measurement-based two-photon logic operations between two photons are possible, but at greatly added complexity, with many steps of teleportation and heralding. One-way quantum computing with photonic cluster states is another possibility, but this approach, too, entails orders of magnitude resource overhead.
A third class of gates depend on the nonlinearities of a material, such as the nonlinear susceptibility of a bulk dielectric or atom-like quantum system embedded inside a material. This approach has the appeal that it could directly implement logic gates between two photons with minimal overhead. However, the originally proposed scheme, which envisioned photon-photon interactions mediated by a Kerr medium, limits the gate fidelity to the point that it is not scalable. Subsequent work showed that high fidelities are in principle possible, but these schemes involve large numbers of devices and are extremely difficult to realize experimentally.

Efficient, high-speed two-photon logic gates at room temperature for general-purpose quantum information processing

THE USA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SEC. OF THE ARMY


The present invention provides methods for the quantification of an unknown bioagent in a sample by amplification of nucleic acid of the bioagent, and concurrent amplification of a known quantity of a calibration polynucleotide from which are obtained a bioagent identifying amplicon and a calibration amplicon. Upon molecular mass analysis, mass and abundance data are obtained. The identity of the bioagent is then determined from the molecular mass of the bioagent identifying amplicon and the quantity of the identified bioagent in the sample is determined from the abundance data of the bioagent identifying amplicon and the abundance data of the calibration amplicon.

Information about the identity and total amount of microbes in biological samples is of prime importance in medicine in order to assess the risk of infectious disease, to diagnose infections and predict their clinical course. In a variety of other areas such as food product monitoring, bioremediation, microbial forensics and biowarfare/bioterror investigations, efficient and cost effective methods for quantification of microbial bioagents are needed. In addition, determination of the quantity of a bioagent (microbe, bacterium, virus, fungus, etc.) is a common endeavor in microbiology in the fields of clinical diagnostics, epidemiology, forensics, bioremediation, and quality control.
Methods currently in use for detection and determination of bacteria include bacterial culture and microscopy, detection of bacterial metabolites, and identification of surface molecules by specific antibodies.
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is only a qualitative method due to its exponential time course and equally exponential amplification of errors. Efforts have been made to convert PCR to a quantitative method. Among the variety of quantitative PCR methods, are methods depending upon external standardization and on internal standardization. Among the latter, competitive PCR methods are based on co-amplification of a target DNA with a standard competitor DNA which competes with the template DNA for the same set of amplification primers. Since the competitor is added to the PCR reaction mixture in known amounts, it is possible to calculate the amount of target DNA from the experimental determination of the ratio of amplified products of sample and standard competitor DNA.
Methods for rapid and cost effective identification of microbial bioagents through molecular mass measurement of amplification products by molecular mass analysis of bioagent identifying amplicons are disclosed and claimed in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 09/798,007, 09/891,793, 10/660,997, 10/660,122, 10/660,996, 10/418,514 and 10/728,486, each of which is commonly owned and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. These methods and others would derive great benefit from a means of determination of the quantity of any given microbial bioagent present in a biological sample. Quantification of organisms can be very valuable, particularly in a clinical setting, like Hepatitis C for example, where the greater the number of infectious organisms generally correlates with a less healthy patient and a more difficult clinical course.
The methods described herein satisfy the need for methods for concurrent identification and quantification of bioagents, as well as other needs, by providing internal calibration using a nucleic acid standard calibrant in an amplification reaction.

Methods for concurrent identification and quantification of an unknown bioagent


A nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device using a silicon substrate includes an insulating layer formed in an etching region of the silicon substrate, a floating channel layer formed over the bottom word line, an impurity layer formed at both ends of the floating channel layer and including a source region formed over the insulating layer and a drain region formed over the silicon substrate, a ferroelectric layer formed over the floating channel layer, and a word line formed over the ferroelectric layer.

The present invention generally relates to a nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device using a silicon substrate, a method for manufacturing the same, and a refresh method thereof, and more specifically, to a technology of providing a one transistor (1T) capacitorless type nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device using a bulk-silicon substrate.
In general, a DRAM requires a continuous power supply to store data as a volatile memory. When a power is not supplied, data of a RAM may be destroyed because a memory cell of the DRAM is designed to have small capacitors for keeping the charged power and for retaining the data. If these capacitors are not recharged, the capacitor loses the previously charged power, thus losing the data.
A refresh operation refers to a recharging process of a memory cell in a memory chip. Memory cells in a row can be charged in each refresh cycle. Although the refresh operation is performed by memory control of the system, some chips are designed to perform a self-refresh operation.
For example, there is disclosed a DRAM chip, which has a self-refresh circuit configured to perform a self-refresh operation without a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or an external refresh circuit. The self-refresh method has been frequently used in portable computers to reduce power consumption.
In the conventional volatile DRAM having a short refresh cycle, the refresh operation is frequently performed, which results in large power consumption and degradation of operation performance.
As an example of these integrated circuits, a nonvolatile ferroelectric memory, such as a Ferroelectric Random Access Memory (FeRAM) device, which has attracted considerable attention as a next generation memory device because it has a data processing speed as fast as a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and conserves data even after the power is turned off.
An FeRAM having a structure similar to that of a DRAM includes capacitors made of a ferroelectric substance, which has a high residual polarization allowing for retention of data after power is turned off.
A One-Transistor One-Capacitor (1T1C) type unit cell of the conventional FeRAM includes one switching element configured to perform a switching operation depending on a state of a word line so as to connect a nonvolatile ferroelectric capacitor to a bit line, and one nonvolatile ferroelectric capacitor connected between a plate line and one end of the switching element. The switching element of the conventional FeRAM is an NMOS transistor whose switching operation is controlled by a gate control signal.

Nonvolatile ferroelectric memory device using silicon substrate, method for manufacturing the same, and refresh method thereof


The present invention provides a reference voltage signal generator capable of generating a constant reference voltage signal regardless of temperature variation by compensating a voltage signal change due to temperature variation. The reference voltage signal generator includes: a voltage signal generating unit receiving a power supply voltage signal and generating a first voltage signal; a regulation sense amplifier generating a regulation voltage signal by regulating the first voltage signal according to the variation of the power supply voltage signal; and a voltage distributing unit including a variable resistor for compensating a voltage signal variation according to a change in temperature, wherein the voltage distributing unit distributes the regulation voltage signal and outputs a feedback voltage signal dependent on temperature to the regulation sense amplifier, and a reference voltage signal independent of the temperature.

The present invention relates to a reference voltage signal generator, and more particularly, to a reference voltage signal generator capable of generating a constant reference voltage signal regardless of a temperature change by effectively compensating voltage variation due to a change in the temperature.
A reference voltage signal generator is a device that generates a voltage signal used as a reference voltage signal of memory devices, e.g., flash memory devices adopting various levels of voltage signals generated from one power supply voltage signal.
Generally, the reference voltage signal generator must generate constant reference voltage signals even if the output voltage signal of the power supply varies.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional reference voltage signal generator comprises a first voltage signal generating unit 110, a regulation sense amplifier 120, a voltage distributing unit 130 and a second voltage signal generating unit 140. The first voltage signal generating unit 110 receives a power supply voltage signal in response to an enable signal En and generates a first voltage signal V11 of a predetermined value.
The regulation sense amplifier 120 receives the first voltage signal V11 from the first voltage signal generating unit 110 in response to the enable signal En and generates a regulated voltage signal Vr to the voltage distributing unit 130. Furthermore, the regulation sense amplifier 120 also receives a feedback voltage signal Vfb from the voltage distributing unit 130 and generates the constant regulation voltage signal Vr independently of any change in the voltage signal level of the power supply.
The second voltage signal generating unit 140, which has the same configuration as that of the first voltage signal generating unit 110, receives the constant regulation voltage signal Vr and generates a reference voltage signal Vref which is stable and constant. In FIG. 1, the numeral references xe2x80x98I100xe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98S100xe2x80x99 are an inverter and a switching element, respectively.
Although the conventional reference voltage signal generator can generates a constant reference voltage signal Vref independently of any change in the voltage signal variation of the power supply, the constant reference voltage signal Vref may be changed by effect of a change of temperature.
That is, resistors R11 and R12 of the voltage distributing unit 130 do not reflect the temperature change, therefore it is difficult to compensate the voltage signal variation due to the change in temperature.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a reference voltage signal generator capable of generating a constant reference voltage signal regardless of a change in temperature, by compensating voltage signal change due to the temperature variation.
It is, therefore, another object of the present invention to provide a reference voltage signal generator comprising a variable resistor for compensating the voltage signal variation according to a change in temperature, in order to produce a constant reference voltage signal, even if the temperature changes.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reference voltage signal generating device comprising: a voltage signal generating unit receiving a power supply voltage signal and generating a first voltage signal; a regulation sense amplifier generating a regulation voltage signal by regulating the first voltage signal according to the variation of the power supply voltage signal; and a voltage distributing unit including a variable resistor for compensating a voltage signal variation according to a change in temperature, wherein the voltage distributing unit distributes the regulation voltage signal and outputs a feedback voltage signal dependent on a temperature to the regulation sense amplifier, and a reference voltage signal independent of the temperature.

Apparatus for generating constant reference voltage signal regardless of temperature change


The processor card assembly of the present invention includes a processor card, a thermal plate and a cover with locking latches. The thermal plate and the cover form a case for housing the processor card. The locking latches are used to latch the processor card assembly to a retention apparatus for securing the processor card assembly, such that the processor card will remain connected to a receiving connector of a motherboard, under a variety of shock and vibration conditions. In some embodiments, the complementary fastening features of the thermal plate and the cover are temper resistance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of microprocessor based computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to the packaging of high performance microprocessors on daughter cards.
2. Background Information
Historically, when microprocessor was first commercialized, each microprocessor held less than one million transistors, and operated at speeds below 20 MHz. Typically, the microprocessors were either solder mounted onto the motherboards directly or mounted to the motherboards through sockets. They were typically air cooled, and air flow was typically sustained by a system fan. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) and/or electrostatic discharge (ESD) shielding were not much of a concern.
In the pursuing years, the number of transistors packed into each microprocessor, as well as its operating speed have increased dramatically, especially in recent years. Correspondingly, the amount of heat that needs to be dissipated, as well as the amount of EMI emissions that needs to be absorbed and sensitivity to ESD during operation have increased. As a result, most of today's microprocessor based computer systems employ either local fans and/or heat sinks to help ensure that the microprocessors will run cool. At the same time, increased attentions have also been given to the design of system chassis to ensure the EMI emission absorption and ESD requirements are met.
This trend of increased transistor density and operating speed is expected to continue without any abatement. By the end of this year, it is expected that a typical desktop computer system will be powered by a microprocessor packing well over five million transistors, and operating in speeds in excess of 200 MHz. It is expected that because of the amount of heat needs to be dissipated, the precision of bonding between the processor and heat sink will reach a point of critical importance to ensure the processor will be cooled properly during operation. It is also expected that the size of the heat sink required for any one of these processors will be increased to a point that the spatial constraints imposed by the various de-facto system chassis form factors' must be addressed. In other words, it is unlikely that one heat sink will work (size-wise) for the various de-facto system chassis. At the same time, it is expected that the present system chassis based solution for EMI emission and/or ESD containment will no longer be adequate.
The heat sink problem is a dilemma for processor manufacturers. On one hand, because of the critical importance of the precision of bonding between a processor and a heat sink, a processor manufacturer cannot simply leave the job of bonding heat sinks to these high performance processors to the OEMs. However, if the processor manufacturers were to shoulder the burden of bonding the heat sinks, under the prior art, in addition to the burden of having to deal with yet another increase in heat sink size, the new burden of having to have multiple versions of heat sinks for one processor, the processor manufacturer will also have to shoulder the burden of having to stock and ship multiple versions of a processor bonded with different types of heat sinks.
Thus, a processor card assembly, employing a cover and a thermal plate to form a case, has been developed to house the processor card having the high performance processor mounted thereon. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/723,027, entitled "A processor card assembly including a heat sink attachment plate and an EMI/ESD shielding case". The application has common assignee interest with the present invention.
Additionally, it is also important for a processor card assembly constituted in accordance with the teachings of the above identified U.S. Patent Application to be properly retained, to keep the processor card connected to the receiving connector of the motherboard, notwithstanding a variety of shock and vibration conditions. It is important for these desired retention characteristics to be achieved with a retention apparatus that is simple in design to reduce design and manufacturing cost. It is also important for the engagement of the processor card assembly with the retention apparatus be simple to improve manufacturability.

Processor card assembly having a cover with flexible locking latches


A method (200) for operating a User Equipment (UE) is disclosed, the UE configured to connect to a communication network. The method comprises: indicating to the communication network an Integrity Protection for User Plane (IPUP) mode supported by the UE when requesting registration with the communication network (202). The IPUP mode comprises one of: use of Integrity Protection for User Plane data exchanged with the UE (202a), non-use of Integrity Protection for User Plane data exchanged with the UE (202b), or use of Integrity Protection for User Plane data, and non-use of Confidentiality Protection for User Plane data (202c). Also disclosed are an apparatus for operating a UE, methods and apparatus for operating a radio access node and a core node of a communication network, and a computer program operable to carry out methods for operating a UE, a radio access node and/or a core node of a communication network.

Integrity protection of User Plane (UP) data between a UE and a core network was introduced for enhanced-GPRS for Internet of Things (IoT) devices in 3GPP Rel-13. Support for Integrity protection of UP data was optional both in the UE and the network, with negotiation of implementation of Integrity protection of UP data taking place at the NAS layer (mobility management layer) and integrity protection supported at the LLC layer in the core network.
Negotiation of integrity protection of UP data is not considered in the standards for Long Term Evolution (4G) networks, and integrity protection for UP data is not therefore possible in such networks. Integrity protection of UP data exchanged between a UE and a base station may however be a desirable feature for Next Generation (5G) networks.
In Next Generation networks, the Radio Access Network (RAN) may adopt RAN architecture and interfaces set out in TR 33.801 v1.0.0 [x]. FIG. 1 illustrates the potential new RAN architecture for Next Generation networks. Referring to FIG. 1, it is expected that a gNB 102 and an eLTE eNB 104 may be connected to the same Next Generation Core (NGC) 106. A gNB 102 will be able to connect to other gNBs 102 or (e)LTE eNBs 104 over a new RAN interface named the Xn interface 108.

Methods for integrity protection of user plane data


An article supporting device for use in a motor vehicle that is equipped with a pair of headrest supporting sockets in the backrest and a headrest removably mounted in the sockets. The article supporting device includes a horizontal supporting component, an article supporting fixture fixed to the front end of the horizontal component, and a pair of spaced posts fixed to the rear end of the horizontal component.

The present invention is directed generally to an article supporting device for use within a motor vehicle for supporting a variety of articles. The invention is specifically directed to an article supporting device which is removably attachable to the headrest sockets typically found in modern motor vehicles, and in which the headrest is removable from the sockets, which is typically the case.
Many types of article supporting devices have been developed for use in motor vehicles. Most supporting devices are designed for supporting articles which have a strap, such as purses, shopping bags, camera cases, etc. Prior art article supporting devices are typically anchored or connected to the passenger's seat so that the article to be supported is in easy access to the driver. The most common type of article supporting device is supported on the posts of the headrest that is part of most modern motor vehicles. The holder includes a hook or loop that is anchored to the posts of the headrest. One particular type of holder includes a tab at one end of the holder, which is rectangular in cross-section for insertion into the single rectangular headrest supporting socket for older motor vehicles which are so equipped. The opposite end of the holder is supported on the dashboard of the motor vehicle.
Prior art supporting devices for use in motor vehicles are specifically designed for supporting a particular type of article and, therefore, have limited utility. The prior art article supporting devices are also specifically adapted for use with particular seat and headrest configurations. For example, for motor vehicles which have two headrest sockets at the upper end of the backrest, there is a wide variation of center to center distance between the sockets from one make or model of motor vehicle to another. There are also variations in the size of the sockets. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art article supporting devices for use in motor vehicles have been obviated by the present invention.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide an article supporting device for a motor vehicle that is versatile and not limited to being a support for a particular type of article.
A further object of the invention is the provision of an article supporting device for a motor vehicle that utilizes the headrest sockets of the motor vehicle and is adaptable to variations in socket sizes and socket spacings.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an article supporting device for a motor vehicle that is simple in construction and easy to use.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.


A determination device includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor executes a process including: loading a plurality of video image signals including stereo images between which a position of an object in the stereo images differs in accordance with a parallax; performing block matching processing on the stereo images to detect a motion vector on a block-by-block basis in one of the stereo images and to calculate similarity on a block-by-block basis; determining whether to display a three-dimensional screen based on the stereo images or a two-dimensional screen, based on the motion vector or the similarity, or a combination thereof; and adding a result of the determining to the stereo images and outputting the stereo images added with the result to a display device that displays the stereo images.

A technology is known for generating a stereogram for displaying a stereoscopic video image from stereo images that are captured with a plurality of image capturing devices. The stereo images referred to herein are, for example, a set of two images with a given parallax. A digital camera, a camera provided to a portable terminal device, and a camera provided to a personal computer (PC) are examples of image capturing devices.
Stereoscopic video image scenes may have a flaw in that users feel uncomfortable with a scene where an object contained in a stereoscopic video image suddenly moves due to a sudden movement of the image capturing device or a scene where an object close to the image capturing device moves.
It is assumed that one of the reasons users feel uncomfortable is that the parallax is too large. Thus, technologies for reducing user discomfort have been proposed. For example, a device that displays images performs block matching when performing image decoding and detects similar blocks between stereo images. Such a device use the detected blocks to calculate the amount of parallax and displays a three-dimensional or two-dimensional screen according to the amount of parallax. In another example, a device that displays a stereoscopic video image calculates the level of fatigue a user has and announces the risk when the calculated level of fatigue is equal to or larger than a given value.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 11-355808
Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-205702
However, the above-described conventional technology has a problem in that the load is heavy when processing is performed by a device that displays images. Specifically, such a device performs block matching processing, which has a heavy processing load. For this reason, the load is heavy when processing is performed by a device that displays images. Block matching processing may be performed by a device that performs image encoding processing.

Determination device and determination method


A portable shower stall, for allowing a person to bathe while seated in a wheelchair, for temporary installation in a kitchen having a sink having a basin and a hand sprayer. The shower stall has a frame having side panels and a rear panel that are selectively foldable, a top rail and a lower rail. A base tray extends below the frame and collects waste water. A curtain extends downwardly from the top rail and directs waste water into the base tray. The base tray has a front flap that selectively lowers to allow the person to roll the wheelchair into the base tray between the side walls and rear wall to bathe using the hand sprayer, while a pump returns waste water from the base tray to the basin.

The invention relates to a portable shower stall. More particularly, the invention relates to a device that allows a person to shower while seated in a wheelchair in a room that has a sink, such as a kitchen.
When a person suffers from an injury and disability that prevents them from standing, they cannot use a conventional shower. Bathing, however, remains quite important not only to the person's health, but for them to maintain self-esteem and dignity.
A common solution is to position a bathing chair within the shower for the person to sit upon. Unfortunately, the use of a bathing chair requires the caregiver to transfer the person to the bathing chair. It is very common, however, for the person to become injured while being transferred to the bathing chair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,280 to Greenleaf, U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,992 to Patterson et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,599 to Perthu all disclose portable showers. Unfortunately, none of these devices would be suitable for use by a person seated in a wheelchair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,118 to Ebersole discloses a head care station, for shampooing the hair of a person seated in a wheelchair. U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,720 to Marschall discloses a combination sink and shower unit. Neither of these devices provide an effective solution for bathing a person in a wheelchair.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.


A method and apparatus for adjusting body core temperature are provided. The apparatus comprises an appendage chamber that is adapted to be disassembled from a heat exchange element. In one aspect, the appendage chamber is disposable. The appendage chamber provides a negative pressure environment for a patient's appendage placed therein. An appendage is heated and exposed to a negative pressure environment within the apparatus to efficiently raise or maintain the body core temperature of the patient.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a method and apparatus for affecting a body's core temperature. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to elevating and/or maintaining a body's core temperature.
2. Description of the Related Art
The human body possesses a complex mechanism for regulating its core temperature. Core body temperature is the temperature of the core vital organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys, whereas surface temperature is the temperature of the superficial skin and fat. The primary means of core temperature regulation are through specialized vascular structures called arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs) located in the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. AVAs are blood vessels that connect arteries and veins and act as shunts to bypass blood flow from nutritional capillary beds, such as when a body is overheating. However, in response to cold temperatures, these vascular structures will constrict, forcing blood back toward the body core. As a result, one of the symptoms people in cold conditions usually experience is coldness in their hands and feet. When an individual experiences hypothermia, blood flow to the extremities drops by nearly 90%.
As defined herein, hypothermia is a subnormal body core temperature. Hypothermia may occur when the body's temperature control mechanisms are overwhelmed by extreme external cold conditions or medically compromised such as by anesthesia. Under such conditions, the body loses more heat than it can produce and its core temperature begins to drop.
Hypothermia may be caused by exposure to extremely cold temperatures, prolonged exposure to cold temperatures, or by indirect causes such as trauma to the body or the use of an anesthetic. Anesthetics may reduce the body's ability to produce heat as well as affect the way the body regulates temperature. For example, during anesthesia, patients generally lose the ability to shiver which is one of the body's ways of generating heat. Furthermore, anesthetics reduce the body's ability to constrict blood vessels, which is one of the primary methods the body uses to conserve heat.
One way to treat hypothermia is core re-warming. In order to counter the clinical consequences of hypothermia, the vital organs must be warmed to physiological temperature. Traditional devices for treating hypothermia such as warming blankets or warm liquid baths are slow and generally ineffective in treating hypothermia. These treatments merely warm the superficial skin and fat. Since the blood flow to the extremities in hypothermic patients is severely reduced, the blood flow is incapable of efficiently conducting heat to the body's core. Current non-invasive treatments for re-warming hypothermic patients typically offer a heating rate of <1 degree Celsius per hour. Although the patient's surface temperature may increase with surface warming, the core temperature often remains low. In a post-surgical situation, this central core hypothermia can have effects on recovery and may cause post-anesthesia complications. Some advanced invasive treatments involving intravenous injection of warm fluids e.g., saline solution, are effective in quickly re-warming the body core, but require expertise and expose the patient to unnecessary risks such as infection and bleeding.
Therefore, there remains a need for an apparatus and method to adjust the body core temperature of a patient. In particular, there is a need for a non-invasive, convenient apparatus for efficiently adjusting body core temperature.

Methods and apparatus for adjusting body core temperature


In a gas diffusion electrode the electrolyte must penetrate the pares of the electrode structure to a certain extent to establish the optimum interface between gas and liquid electrolyte, but it should not reach the gas-side of the electrodes. The best equilibrium of the so-called three phase zone (porous current collector-reaction gas-liquid electrolyte) is achieved by adequate wetproofing the porous structure with a polymeric substance as repellency agent. The polymeric substance serves also as a binder. During operation of the electrodes, the wetproofing material may lose its hydrophobicity for various reasons and the result is a penetration into the pores structures, reducing the interface between liquid and gas, notice by a loss of performance. By adding small amounts of wetproofing agents to the gases supplied to the electrodes, the original three-phase condition is maintained, or, if it is already partially degenerated, means and methods for its re-establishment are described. The invention claims substances and techniques for such maintenance and regeneration processes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the operation of liquid electrolyte fuel cells which use repellancy agents to keep the pores of the gas diffusion electrodes free of electrolyte for the gas access and at the same time provide a large interface for the electrochemical reaction responsible for the production of electricity in the fuel cell.
2. Description of Releated Art
Electrochemical cells invariably comprise at their fundamental level a solid or liquid electrolyte and two electrodes, the anode and cathode, at which the desired electrochemical reactions take place. Porous metal or carbon electrodes are employed in many different electrochemical devices, including metal-air batteries, electrochemical gas sensors, electrosynthesis of useful chemical compounds, and in particular, fuel cells.
A fuel cell is an energy conversion device that efficiently converts the stored chemical energy of its fuel into electrical energy by combining either hydrogen, stored as a gas, or methanol stored as a liquid or gas, with oxygen to generate electrical power. The fuel (e.g. hydrogen) is oxidized at the anode and oxygen (or air) is reduced at the cathode. Both electrodes are of the porous type. The electrolyte has to be in contact with both electrodes and may be acidic or alkaline, liquid, solid or a membrane. The electrodes are designed to be porous and allow the reactant to enter the electrode from the face of the electrode exposed to the reactant fuel supply, and diffuse through the thickness of the electrode to the reaction sites which contain catalysts, usually platinum metal based, to maximize the electrochemical oxidation of hydrogen. The anode is designed be surface-wetted by the electrolyte to contact the same reaction sites. With alkaline electrolyte types the product of the hydrogen reaction is water. The water transpires through the porous electrode into the gas space behind the anode. The cathode is also designed to be porous and allow oxygen or air to enter the electrode and diffuse through to the reaction sites. Catalysts are again commonly incorporated to maximize the rate of the oxygen reaction (peroxide-mechanism) at the cathode reaction sites.
The porous electrodes of fuel cells comprise many components and are typically made up of one or more layers. Typically the gas diffusion electrode will comprise one or more catalyst containing layers, which are supported onto a more rigid porous substrate layer. The catalyst containing layers enhance the desired electrode reactions and comprise a catalyst, which may be formed on a high surface carbon material. Catalysts are often precious metals, particularly platinum alloys in a very high surface area form, dispersed and supported on a high surface area electrically conducting porous carbon, black or graphite. The catalyst component may also be a non precious metal, such as one of the transition metals. In fuel cells which employ alkaline electrolytes, the cathode gas diffusion electrode can comprise catalysts based on macrocyclic compounds of cobalt. The catalyst layers may also comprise a high surface area carbon (steam- or CO2-activated) itself, with no additional metal catalysts. The catalyst layers also comprise other non-catalytic components in addition to the catalyst material, usually polymeric materials which acts as binders to hold the electrode layer together and also performs the additional function of balancing the optimal hydrophobic or hydrophilic nature of the final structure.
These catalyst layers are usually formed into suitable mixtures of the components and deposited into a suitable porous substrate, for example conducting carbon materials such as semi graphitized papers, cloths or foams, or particularly in the case of alkaline electrolyte systems, metal meshes such as nickel or stainless steel. The primary role of the substrate is to act as a physical support for the catalyst containing layers and to provide an electrically conducting structure. It also enables a mechanically stable electrode to be produced.
In view of the above, an improved means of maintaining or regenerating the repellancy properties of fuel cell electrodes is needed.

Additives to the gas supply of fuel cells with circulating electrolytes and means to regenerate used stacks


A capacitor includes a capacitor part formed of a dielectric film sandwiched by a pair of electrodes and a support body formed of a film of an organic polysilane. The support body is provided so as to support the capacitor part thereon.

The present invention generally relates to semiconductor devices and more particularly to a capacitor and manufacturing method thereof as well as a substrate having a capacitor.
With sharp increase of clock frequency in recent advanced semiconductor devices, supply of a stable electric power to semiconductor chip is becoming a paramount problem. In order to deal with this problem, there is a proposal to provide a capacitor on a substrate on which the semiconductor chip is mounted.
FIG. 20 shows a conventional semiconductor device 10.
Referring to FIG. 20, the semiconductor device 10 includes a substrate 11 mounted with a semiconductor chip 12, wherein the substrate 11 includes a substrate body 13 and a decoupling capacitor 14. The decoupling capacitor 14 is provided inside the substrate body 13. The decoupling capacitor 14 includes a dielectric film 16 formed on a silicon substrate 15, and a conductive film 17 is provided further on the dielectric film 16. Reference should be made to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2001-274034.
Here, it should be noted that the capacitor 14 is constructed on the silicon substrate 15 used as a support body, and thus, it is necessary to scribe the silicon wafer carrying the films 16 and 17 thereon at the time of the dicing process, while such a dicing process takes time and the efficiency of manufacturing a semiconductor device is decreased. Further, there is a need of complex process such as dry etching, wet etching or laser processing at the time of forming a through hole in the silicon substrate 15. Thus, such a complex process causes further degradation in the efficiency of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
Further, associated with the use of the silicon substrate 15 for the support of the capacitor, there arises a problem that the capacitor 14, and hence the substrate 11, inevitably has a considerable thickness.
Further, because of the fact that the capacitor is disposed offset in the construction of FIG. 20 from the surface of the substrate 11, on which the semiconductor chip 12 is mounted, there arises a problem in that the length of the conductor path connecting the semiconductor chip 12 and the capacitor 14 is increased. Associated with this, there occurs the problem of increase of parasitic inductance in the foregoing conductor path, and it becomes difficult to achieve the desired stabilization of the supply voltage to the semiconductor chip 12 because of the increased parasitic inductance in the case the operational frequency of the semiconductor chip 12 has been increased.

Capacitor and manufacturing method thereof, semiconductor device and substrate for a semiconductor device


An airfoil used in a gas turbine engine exposed to high temperatures, the airfoil having a TBC layer that includes fibers of reinforcing material to add strength to the layer of TBC. The fibers are made from a similar material in which the airfoil is made from to withstand the high temperatures, and have a diameter of about 0.1 mm in order that a thin layer of TBC can completely cover and embed the fibers within the layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a gas turbine engine, and in particular, to a TBC coating on an air cooled blade or vane in a gas turbine engine.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
In a gas turbine engine, the blade and vanes in the turbine section are exposed to the highest temperatures in the engine. It is these parts which limit the operating temperature of the gas turbine engine. Higher efficiency is obtained with a higher operating temperature. However, modern materials are limited to operating temperatures below the melting temperature of the material. Air cooling of the blades has been used to allow for higher turbine temperatures without raising the melting temperature of the blades. Thermal Barrier Coatings (or, TBC) have been used on surfaces of the blade exposed to the highest temperatures to further increase the operating temperature of the turbine. TBCs are thin coatings of high temperature resistant ceramic materials that act to block the high temperatures from harming the blade material. TBCs are generally thin of about 1 mm in thickness, and are brittle. Examples of Prior Art TBCs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,933,052 issued to Gorman et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,890,668 issued to Bruce et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,413 issued to Schaeffer et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,686,060 issued to Bruce et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,548,190 issued to Spitsberg et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,848 issued to Wang et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,465,090 issued to Stowell et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,335 issued to Wang et al, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
It is desirable to make the TBC layer thicker in order to provide more protection to the airfoil surface from the high temperatures. A thicker TBC layer would allow for higher gas turbine temperatures, leading to improved efficiency of the engine. However, when the TBC layer gets too thick, pieces start to spall or chip off and eventually the underlining airfoil base material is exposed to the high gas stream temperature due to lack of TBC protection. It is therefore desirable to provide for a thicker TBC layer on an airfoil used in the high temperature regions of a gas turbine engine.

Turbine airfoil with fibrous reinforced TBC