Methods and apparatuses for updating and searching a graphic code are disclosed. The apparatus receives a graphic query request carrying a graphic code to be searched. If no product information corresponding to the graphic code is found in the graphic code database, the apparatus searches for a recommended keyword corresponding to the graphic code; if a recommended keyword is found, the apparatus returns the recommended keyword, and if not found, returns a search box. The apparatus then receives a search request carrying a search keyword, and, if the search keyword is determined to be inconsistent with the recommended keyword corresponding to the graphic code, makes the search keyword a new recommended keyword of the graphic code, and adds the new recommended keyword to the graphic code database.

Graphic code is capable of carrying product information in barcodes, 2D codes, pictures and other encoded pictures. A graphic code of a product can uniquely identify the product. A graphic product code database is a database for the storage of graphic codes of products and product information.
With the development of mobile terminal technology, smart mobile devices with a camera are growing in popularity. Users can use a camera of a smart mobile device to scan graphic codes of products and submit the scanned graphic codes to graphic code lookup servers on the network side. Using the graphic product code received from a mobile terminal, the graphic code lookup server finds corresponding product information in a graphic code database, and returns the found product information to the mobile terminal, which displays the received product information to a user, who may then compare products and make a purchase based on the product information displayed on the mobile terminal.
A graphic product code database is a dynamic data set. Because different manufacturers constantly make new products that have new graphic codes, a complete and constantly updated graphic product code database is required in order to support search for graphic product codes and product identifications.
Existing technologies primarily use the following methods to update a graphic code database: upon receiving a graphic product code submitted by a user through a mobile terminal, if a graphic code lookup server on the network side fails to find any product information corresponding to the received graphic code in the graphic product code database, the server records the received graphic code, and subsequently uses manual lookup by backend management personnel to find product information corresponding to the received graphic code and add the found product information to the graphic code database.
Due to the rapid pace of product announcements and updates and resultant massive product data, the above described manual updating method of graphic product code database requires a huge amount of labor and results in low efficiency, unable to cope with the growing demands for timely updated massive product information.
Furthermore, if the graphic code lookup server code fails to find in the graphic code database product information corresponding to the graphic code, it returns a search failure notification to the user. The user may have to abandon the graphic code and turn to a different method to search for the product information. For example, the user may have to open a search application on the mobile terminal to search for the product information. This operation not only consumes more computing resources of the mobile terminal, but also makes the process of searching for product information cumbersome, resulting in poor user experience, and low flexibility of product information search.

Method and apparatus for graphic code database updates and search


A stackable modular display rack that is easily assembled and disassembled and which is intended for the display of small or delicate articles. The rack described herein is readily disassembled without any tools and can be so disassembled and packed conveniently for shipment.

This invention deals with a stackable modular display rack for the display of small and/or delicate articles.
There are a fair number of shelving systems and demountable racks illustrated in the prior art. All seek to provide a product that is easily assembled and disassembled in order to move and ship the product. One such system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,738,883, which issued to Wineman on Mar. 20, 1956 in which there is shown a demountable rack for storing stock and equipment. The system includes shelf sections using upright corner posts which are right angle triangular, tubular sections, which are used to connect the parts together.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,253, which issued on Dec. 24, 1963 to Malbin, et al., there is shown a shelving system which is a nested ladder, in which the various shelves are linked together by vertical support posts which are insertable into holes drilled into the shelves themselves.
Yet another shelving system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,406, which issued on Sep. 28, 1965 to Maslow in which a metal clip is used to clip together vertical rods of adjacent like shelving in order to hold the units together.
Still another prior art device is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,533, which issued on Aug. 27, 1974 to Kellogg in which there is disclosed a free-standing shelf system which uses vertical posts to bind the shelves together.
Another device of the prior art is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,528, which issued to Berger on Aug. 31, 1976 in which there is shown a tubular type of display rack assembly having tubular support members joined by coupling means which are tubular configurations affixed to the upright posts, which in themselves have posts, to which are affixed tubular shelving.
One of the closest devices with regard to the instant invention is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,393, which issued on Jun. 6, 1989 to Maye, in which flat shelves, each containing an aperture in each corner thereof, accept a vertical post to support one shelf from the other. It should be noted with regard to this reference, that the device shown therein does not have any provision for binding one modular display stand to another.
There is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,461, which issued on Jul. 11, 1989 to Gilmore, a stackable plate arrangement for microwave dishes, which arrangement is for use in microwave ovens. The shelves are configured to swing on one common post, and rest on two similar posts. There is no provision for binding two or more of these shelves together to form a shelving system.
Finally, there is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,100, which issued to Zich on May 7, 1991, a multi-part shelf which is supported mainly by vertical rods, and in which the various units are held together by what is described by the inventor as an articulation connection, which is a flat plate having two holes in it to provide for the insertion of the vertical rods and their subsequent coupling with either the vertical rod above it or below it.
None of the devices of the prior art provide the benefits of the instant invention.


A semiconductor device, including: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type formed on the semiconductor substrate; a trench formed in the semiconductor region; a trench diffusion layer of the first conductivity type formed along wall surfaces of the trench; and a buried conductor buried in the trench, wherein an insulation film is further disposed between the wall surfaces of the trench and the buried conductor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device having a trench isolation structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor integrated circuit uses a trench isolation structure as shown in FIG. 20 for example, for isolating multiple semiconductor elements from each other.
A semiconductor device generally denoted at 2000 includes a p− substrate 1. The p− substrate 1 seats an n− layer 2 in which a trench 3 is formed which reaches the p− substrate 1. A p+ region 5 is formed in wall surfaces of the trench 3, and a buried electrode 31 is disposed in the p+ region 5. Further, there is an n+ buried layer 4 disposed between the p− substrate 1 and the n− layer 2. The back surface of the p− substrate 1 seats a back electrode 15 (JPB 2004-6555).


A process for the continuous catalyst-free production of polyisocyanates by thermal decomposition of the N-substituted carbamic acid esters corresponding to the polyisocyanates, in which the carbamic acid esters to be decomposed, in the form of a 5 to 90% by weight solution in an inert high-boiling solvent, are heated to a temperature of 100.degree. to 400.degree. C. and are subsequently introduced with expansion as a sidestream into a distillation column (4), in the sump of which a pressure of 0.001 to 5 bar and a temperature of 150.degree. to 400.degree. C. are maintained so that the high boiler is kept boiling in the sump, and the decomposition products are simultaneously condensed continuously and selectively at the head of the distillation column. The high boiler, which optionally contains impurities, is continuously removed via the sump outlet in a quantity substantially corresponding to the quantity of high boiler introduced into the column as solvent for the carbamic acid ester.

This invention relates to a new process for the continuous production of organic polyisocyanates, more particularly diisocyanates, by thermal decomposition of the carbamic acid esters on which they are based.
It has been known for many years that N-substituted urethanes can be split into isocyanates and alcohol [H. Schiff, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 3, 649 (1870); A. W. Hoffmann, Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 3, 653 (1870)].
Some time ago, it was found that the decomposition reaction can be carried out with various advantages in the presence of high-boiling solvents for the carbamic acid esters. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,278, for example, describes a process for the production of aromatic polyisocyanates in a decomposition reactor surmounted by a distillation column using auxiliary solvents of the type in question and also a carrier gas to improve the removal of the decomposition products formed during the decomposition reaction from the reaction mixture. U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,302 describes a similar process. Both processes result in relatively poor yields which is presumably attributable to the fact that the polyisocyanates formed as decomposition products are difficult to separate from the decomposition medium. It is presumably for this reason that, according to DE-OS 2 530 001, the decomposition medium is subjected to separate working up to recover the diisocyanate present therein.
In addition to these processes carried out in the absence of catalysts, there are also processes in which the yield is supposed to be increased by the use of various catalysts. Relevant publications are, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,279, DE-OS 2,635,490, DE-OS 2,942,543 or EP-A-0,323,514. It is obvious that the use of catalysts involves certain disadvantages compared with a catalyst-free process. For example, traces of catalyst can never be completely prevented from entering the end products and undesirably affecting their properties. In addition, the working up of the auxiliary solvent is complicated by the presence of the catalysts.
Accordingly, the problem addressed by the present invention was to provide a new process for the production of organic polyisocyanates, more particularly diisocyanates, by decomposition of the corresponding carbamic acid esters which would readily enable the diisocyanates to be continuously produced in high yields in the absence of catalysts.
This problem has been solved by the provision of the process according to the invention which is described in detail hereinafter.

Process for the production of polyisocyanates


An information processor and a method of information processing enables a write once type disc to be used as a rewritable recording medium. There can be realized an address control mechanism wherein even if the physical recording position is changed, the logical address of the same block is not changed by controlling the physical recording position on the recording medium on an imaginary address space in correspondence to the logical address. Thus the write once type recording medium can be realized as a rewritable recording medium.

Conventionally, as a large volume data recording medium, a read only medium which is called a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory) is available. There is available a write-once type disc-like recording medium called Compact Disc-Recordable (CD-R) in which data can be recorded only once by forming a recording layer on the CD-ROM.
This CD-R can be played back by using a conventional CD-ROM drive so that all the data is recorded and prepared, for example, on a hard disc with the result that the CD-R in which writing is completed can be used as a CD (Compact Disc) by writing all the data in the CD-R.
By the way, since the CD-R having such a constitution can be written only once, it is difficult to rewrite the data in an area where data is written once in the same area so that it is difficult to use the CD-R as a rewritable recording medium like a so-called floppy disc.
The present invention has been made in view of the aforementioned point, and the invention is intended to provide an information processor and a method of information processing wherein the write-once type recording medium can be used in such a manner that the medium can serve as a rewritable recording medium.

Information processor and method of information processing


In one aspect a system for acoustic testing comprises a plurality of acoustic sensors mounted to a plurality of vehicles, a control system to control the plurality of vehicles, and a data acquisition system to receive data generated by the plurality of acoustic sensors in response to noise from a noise source proximate the plurality of vehicles.

Noise sources may be analyzed to understand the physics behind noise generated by the noise sources. For example, arrays of microphones may be positioned proximate a noise source, such as an aircraft engine, to collect noise data from a noise source. The arrays of microphones are sometimes referred to as acoustic arrays or acoustic phased arrays. The noise data collected by the arrays of microphones may be analyzed using specialized software to determine what components within, and exterior to the engine contribute to the noise. Information extracted from the analysis may be useful in design and/or operation of devices which include noise sources. For example, aircraft manufacturers may use such information in the design of aircraft components which generate noise.
Accordingly, apparatus and methods for changing the capabilities of an acoustic array may find utility.

Variable aperture phased array incorporating vehicle swarm


A compact input device (104), suitable for entering data in an electronic device (102), includes a cylindrical surface (202) that has a keyboard switch matrix (210) deployed on the outer body of the cylindrical surface (202) formed by a first extendable interlocking part (402) and a second extendable interlocking part (404). The first extendable interlocking part (402) includes a left half of a QWERTY keyboard (e.g., Q, W, E, R, T) while the second extendable interlocking part (404) includes a right half of a QWERTY keyboard (e.g., Y, U, I, O, P). When the compact input device (104) is in an extended and aligned configuration, the keys of the first extendable interlocking part (402) and the keys of the second extendable interlocking part (404) form a common QWERTY keyboard configuration.

With an increase in the use of electronic devices such as mobile phones, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and so forth, electronic devices are being increasingly designed in small sizes so that users can carry them easily. One of the common features of electronic devices is data entry. With the reduction in the size of electronic devices, however, existing data entry methods and mechanisms have been modified either to suit the reduced size of the portable electronic devices or are full-sized accessories.
Several methods, such as using a virtual keypad and handwriting character recognition, involve the use of touch-screen technology. A virtual keyboard, however, utilizes valuable screen area while handwriting recognition requires learning either on the part of the user or the electronic device software. Other methods use a numeric keypad (with or without predictive text entry), a reduced-size alphanumeric keypad, alternate key-types such as a thumbwheel or joystick, and a full-size external alphanumeric keyboard that is attached or wirelessly connected to the electronic device.
With the continued adoption of portable communication devices that support text messaging and electronic mail features, it becomes more and more important to have input devices that are compact and yet easy to use. Thus, there are opportunities to develop additional data entry mechanisms for electronic devices.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.


A compact portable stereo headphone amplifier system for use with a conventional stereo audio source, such as a cassette or compact disc player, in which components are located on both sides of a circuit board and in which left channel components and right channel components are located on opposite sides of the circuit board thereby providing a compact unit.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable stereo headphone system including headphones, stereo audio source and an amplifier external to the headphones and audio source.
B. Description of the Prior Art
External, portable stereo headphone amplifiers are known. However, known portable stereo headphone amplifiers are relatively large, bulky, and have essentially all interior components mounted on a single side of a printed circuit board internal to a housing, extraneous controls and control circuitry and essentially no effective separation between the circuitry and a battery source of power.


To establish an alternative path without giving an influence on signal continuity to a data transmission line to which a communication bandwidth cannot be secured any more when the transmission capacity decreased by adaptive modulation.

A radio system using microwaves (in particular, quasi-millimeter wave band), which tends to be influenced by rainfall attenuation, adopts adaptive type coding/modulation (henceforth, referred to as adaptive modulation) for the purpose of improvement of availability of radio links. Adaptive modulation is a technique which enables wide band and stable radio communication using radio waves as the communication medium influenced by external causes. And, adaptive modulation is technology which varies a modulation method according to a change in the propagation environment of radio waves, for example, fluctuation of bit error rate. Adaptive modulation can suppress increase of the error rate by performing low bit rate modulation at time of deteriorated condition of the propagation environment and avoid deterioration of the communication quality from being occurred. Adaptive modulation can make the transmission rate high by performing high bit rate modulation at time of good condition of the propagation environment.
As the modulation methods, there are BPSK (Binary Phase Shift Keying), QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) and 16 QAM (16 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) or the like. The number of bits that can be transmitted per one symbol in each modulation method is 1 bit in case of BPSK, 2 bits in case of QPSK and 4 bits in case of 16 QAM. And, the bit error rate characteristics in each modulation method deteriorate in the order of BPSK, QPSK and 16 QAM.
Accordingly, when the propagation environment of radio waves is bad, BPSK and QPSK which are the modulation methods having strong error tolerance are used. Further, when the propagation environment of radio waves is good, it gives priority to the transmission rate over the error tolerance, and for example, 16 QAM which indicates the double transmission rate of QPSK is used for the modulation method.
On the other hand, there is MPLS as technology for composing a network.
MPLS is technology which has introduced a concept of a label in order to realize flexible path control which is free from a framework of layer 3 in the network which is composed of routers. In other words, MPLS is technology which attaches a label to a place located in the middle of a data link header of layer 2 and an IP (Internet Protocol) packet header of layer 3, and transmits packets at high speed based on information included in the label. Therefore, MPLS can realize routing of packets which is not constrained by an IP address.
The traffic between edge nodes of MPLS is transmitted using a connection, called a label path (henceforth, referred to as LSP: Label Switched Path), which is a fixed path. Therefore, it can be said that MPLS has introduced connection-oriented mechanism into an IP network which is connectionless. And, MPLS can explicitly establish and control a path having an idle bandwidth more than a requested bandwidth using a signaling protocol in each link through which this LSP passes. As the signaling protocol, there is CR-LDP (Constraint-based Routed Label Distribution Protocol) and RSVP-TE (Resource Reservation Protocol Traffic Engineering) or the like. In other words, in MPLS, the technology which effectively uses bandwidth resources of the whole network and guarantees communication quality is specified.
MPLS calculates a path which is capable of providing a required bandwidth for communication using a path calculation algorithm which takes constraints of an available bandwidth or the like into account. The path obtained in this way is reserved in each of routers prior to performing communication. That is, the bandwidth corresponding to the path is secured in each of routers. As a result, the quality of communication is guaranteed and the bandwidth resources of the network are used more effectively.
The bandwidth control technology which controls a communication bandwidth while suppressing influence given to the communication in a communication system which is constructed by connecting radio devices corresponding to adaptive modulation and MPLS routers is disclosed in patent document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-287549). This technology solves such a problem that the data, which should be able to be transmitted with a reserved bandwidth, cannot be transmitted actually due to decrease of a communication bandwidth by adaptive modulation if adaptive modulation by the radio device is performed regardless of the communication bandwidth being reserved on the MPLS router.
The MPLS router disclosed in patent document 1 searches for an alternative path to which a communication path corresponding to the decreased amount of the communication bandwidth is to be diverted, when notification of a change in the modulation method to a low order is received from the radio device. And, when having found the alternative path, the MPLS router changes the modulation method in the original radio circuit while using the alternative path. Even if not found an alternative path, the modulation method is changed after performing disconnection of the communication path. In other words, when performing the change in the modulation method to a low order, when having found the alternative path, communication of the communication path which cannot be accommodated anymore due to the change in the modulation method to a low order is maintained via other adjacent MPLS routers. Also, even if not found an alternative path, it controls the communication bandwidth while suppressing influence given to the communication by performing release processing first to the communication path which cannot be accommodated any more due to the change in the modulation method to a low order.
Patent document 2 (domestic re-publication of PCT international publication for patent applications WO 2006001308) discloses a radio link system which can reconfigure a path depending on fluctuation of the bandwidth which occurs in association with a change in the propagation environment of the radio link. In this system, an arbitrary radio node device among a plurality of radio node devices detects the transmission state of its own radio link that is connected to itself, and changes the modulation method of the radio link based on the detected transmission state of the radio link. And, this radio node device transmits information indicating the changed modulation method and the number of paths using the radio link in which the modulation method has been changed to a path control device. The path control device detects a path which requires a path change based on the information indicating the modulation method and the number of paths using the radio link in which the modulation method has been changed transmitted from the radio node device, and determines a new path from the state of the whole radio links.
Further, an MPLS network has a restoration function which calculates an alternative path for fault relief to a fault occurring in the MPLS network and performs processing for establishing a new LSP. In the MPLS network, when a fault has occurred in a link which an LSP uses, information about the fault event is notified to an initiator node of the LSP. A Notify message of RSVP (Resource Reservation Protocol) is used for this notification, and by this, the fault event is notified directly from a node of the fault section to the initiator node which performs the fault relief. The initiator node which has received the Notify message calculates the alternative path and newly establishes an LSP. The fault relief processing method of MPLS network like this is disclosed in patent document 3 (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-333383).
Technology which patent document 3 discloses eliminates a possibility that a different path included in the fault section is selected as the alternative path, and it enables to perform the fault relief processing stably. According to this technology, when a fault has occurred at any path of the MPLS network, the Notify message which is fault event information is transmitted from a node which has detected the fault. When the Notify message is received, the node which performs the fault relief begins to measure protection time by using this reception as a trigger. During this protection time, LSA (Link State Advertisement) of a routing protocol of OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) is collected. When the protection time is completed, the node which performs the fault relief executes alternative path calculation based on the Notify message and LSA of OSPF, and performs the fault relief by performing the restoration processing.

Bandwidth guaranteed system, radio node device and bandwidth guaranteeing method

Abstract: It includes a first radio node means which sets an adaptive modulation changeover margin having a predetermined width to communication quality for a trigger of performing adaptive modulation which decreases a communication bandwidth when the communication quality of a radio transmission channel section has deteriorated, and prior to performing the adaptive modulation, in the adaptive modulation changeover margin, instructs an initiator node which has established an LSP in the radio transmission channel section to reserve a bandwidth of an alternative LSP for the LSP which requires restoration of diverting to an alternative path and to change over to the alternative LSP; and a second radio node means which is the initiator node, and according to the instructions from the first radio node means, reserves a bandwidth of the alternative LSP, performs changeover to the alternative LSP and disconnects the LSP which has been changed over to the alternative LSP.


There is provided a stand for a canned heat fuel cell wherein the stand has a side wall, an upper marginal edge and a lower marginal edge, the side wall being sized to be slightly larger than the fuel cell side wall, inwardly extending groove dividing the side wall into upper and lower portions with the upper portion having a height greater than the lower portion and also having a plurality of apertures to permit an air supply therethrough, grill bars for sheeting on the top of the side wall, the arrangement being such that the stand will sit on the upper marginal edge of the canned heat fuel cell. The arrangement provides an efficient means of using the fuel cell while preventing bums to the user and/or damage to the substrate surface.

The present invention relates to a stand for a heating device and more particularly relates to a stand for a heating device which can hold a canned heat fuel cell in a secure and stable position.
The use of containers of fuel for heating food or other products is well known in the art. Generally, there have been two different types of devices which have gained popularity. The first one is an alcohol fuel burner wherein there is provided a container having a material therein for use as a burner and which container is designed to receive alcohol. These devices are widely used in the home for heating fondue types of foods.
A second type of device is one wherein a canned fuel cell is employed. Generally, the canned fuel cells have a solid fuel therein which is designed to burn and produce heat. These devices are widely used as cooking stoves particularly when camping.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a stand which may used in conjunction with a canned heat fuel cell and which stand is designed to accommodate cooking utensils such as pots and pans.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stand for a canned heat fuel cell which is simple, and which may be easily stored when not in use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a portable stove for use with a canned heat fuel cell which may be used in inclement conditions and wherein its use as a source of heat and light is maximized while minimizing the possibility of injury to a user.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided, in combination, a cylindrical fuel container containing fuel for generating heat and a stand, the stand comprising a cylindrical side wall having an upper marginal edge and a lower marginal edge, an inwardly extending groove dividing the cylindrical side wall into an upper cylindrical side wall portion and a lower cylindrical side wall portion, a plurality of apertures in the upper cylindrical side wall portion, and first and second grill bars, each of the grill bars being of a generally rectangular configuration, a first one of the grill bars having two slots formed therein to receive the upper marginal edge, a second one of the grill bars having three slots formed therein to receive the upper marginal edge and the first one of the grill bars, the fuel container having an upper marginal edge, the stand being sized such that the inwardly extending groove seats on the upper marginal edge of the fuel container, and wherein the upper cylindrical side wall portion has a height substantially equal to a height of the cylindrical fuel container.
The fact that the upper cylindrical side wall portion has a height substantially equal to the height of the cylindrical fuel container permits the cylindrical fuel container to be stored within the stand when not in use. This permits safe shipping and storage. In other words, the stand provides eta protection for the container.
Preferably, the upper cylindrical side wall portion has a height between 2 and 3 times the height of the lower cylindrical side wall portion. This provides for maximum ventilation and is also designed to allow for protection of a cap member which is conventionally used in such fuel containers.
In greater detail, the stand of the present invention allows for use of a canned heat fuel cell of a certain size so as to permit one to use the fuel cell in a stabilized position as a source of heat and light. In particular, when used with the two grill bars, one can cook with the heat from the fuel cell. The stand is being designed such that when used in clement conditions, the stand functions as a wind screen. When not is use, the canned heat fuel cell may be stored within side the stand to minimize storage space and provide a protection therefore. The device is designed to minimize injury from one being burned or cut from any side edges. Preferably, the material used in the cylindrical side wall is of a metallic material which has been treated to prevent corrosion thereon.
The two grill bars contain notches or slots to permit the interlocking of the grill bars and to accommodate the upper marginal edge or rim of the cylindrical side wall.
The grill bars provide stability to the device by providing more surface area to rest on.
The placing of the stand on the top of the fuel cell and the provision of the apertures on the upper cylindrical side wall portion eliminate heat transfer to the surface area when the heat fuel cell is lit. The device provides an insulating function and there is little heat transfer from the side wall of the heat fuel cell to the outer side wall of the stand. While lit and inside the device, the fuel cell can be easily placed on any flat surface area and one may thus eliminate any concern of transferring heat beneath or to the side walls of the device which can cause burns or other damage to the top side of the surface area.
Preferably, the apertures in the side wall each have an area of between 15 mm2 and 25 mm2 Preferably, there are seven such apertures although it will be understood that any number consistent with the proper functioning of the device may be employed, this also being a function of the area of the apertures.
Preferably, the lower cylindrical side wall portion has a plurality of dimples formed therein. These dimples are sized to substantially abut the side wall of the canned heat fuel cell and this will thus stabilize the device when placed on top of the canned heat fuel cell and substantially eliminate any tendency to rock due to variances which may be found in canned heat fuel cell rim circumferences. In a preferred embodiment, two such dimples spaced less than 180xc2x0 apart are provided.
The grill bars are placed on top of the cylindrical side wall and are thus locked in place with the upper marginal edge of the side wall. As aforementioned, the grill bars provide a wide stable surface area for cooking and also reduce heat transfer from the cooking utensil to the cylindrical side wall of the stand. Thus, the cooking utensil may sit on top of the grill bars rather than directly on top of the cylindrical side wall. This eliminates the side wall from becoming too hot which can cause discoloration and even cause the metal to lose its protective coating and thus be subject to corrosion. Furthermore, this arrangement prevents the user from the danger of bums.
When inverted, the device is able to slide over the top of the canned heat fuel cell. This provides a compact storage arrangement and also provides protection for both the device and the canned heat fuel cell from being crushed or damaged.
The stand, as will be understood from the above, is configured to have a shape slightly larger than, and corresponding to the shape of the fuel cell. Conventionally, such shapes have been cylindrical although other configurations can likewise be used.

Portable stove for use with a container containing fuel


A process for fabricating one transistor, comprising a semiconductor region, comprising a source region, a drain region, and a channel region covered with a gate, comprises: production of an primary etching mask on the surface of the semiconductor region, said mask containing at least one primary aperture; depositing in said primary aperture a block copolymer containing, in alternation, at least first polymer domains and second polymer domains; removing either a series of first polymer domains or a series of second polymer domains in order to create a secondary mask containing secondary apertures; etching said active region through said secondary apertures in order to define nanoscale self-aligned semiconductor features; producing said gate on the surface of said self-aligned semiconductor features.

An example of an FDSOI transistor is illustrated in FIG. 1. This type of transistor is produced on an SOI (acronym for silicon-on-insulator) substrate having a structure consisting of a stack of a silicon layer (a few nm to a few tens of nm in thickness) on a dielectric, possibly silicon dioxide, layer forming a buried dielectric layer commonly referred to as a "BOX". The SOI substrate thus comprises a silicon substrate 1, the buried BOX layer 2 and a layer of a semiconductor such as silicon, for example, in which a channel 3, a source region 4 and a drain region 5 are produced. The channel 3 is covered with a gate dielectric 6 on which the gate 7 is deposited.
Regarding this type of component, it is more and more difficult and expensive to obtain small features using conventional optical lithography.
A number of solutions have been envisaged for future technology nodes:                preserving the same lithography technique but reducing the wavelengths used (extreme UV technology, etc.);        employing one or more electron beams; and        employing what is called a "double patterning" technique using, for example, spacers as a mask so as to double the feature density as illustrated by the series of different process steps illustrated in FIGS. 2a to 2e, showing successive lithography operations for producing, in various layers C1 and C2 features of smaller and smaller size, M1i and M2j, respectively.
It has already been proposed to use what are called block copolymers. Under certain conditions (molar mass ratio, size and passivation of the cavities) block copolymers (BCPs) may organise into strips formed alternately by monomers of type A and B, as shown in FIG. 3a. By removing only one (type B) of the two types of block, is possible to use the remaining block (type A) as an etching mask, as illustrated in FIG. 3b. Dense features M3k of the size of the blocs are then transferred into the material of the subjacent layer C3.
This type of structure is notably described in patent WO 2011/74852 A1 enabling conductive nanostructures to be defined by removing, in succession, a first series of blocks, then a second series of blocks, or indeed even in patent applications US 2011/0117744 A1 or US 2011/0081777 A1.
Certain scientific publications also disclose processes allowing the features of transistor structures to be produced, notably the articles of L.-W. Cheng et al. "Top-gated FETs/inverters with diblock copolymer self-assembled 20 nm contact holes" IEDM, pages 1-4, 2009; or indeed even that of L.-W. Cheng et al. "Experimental demonstration of aperiodic patterns of directed self-assembly by block copolymer lithography for random logic circuit layout" IEDM, pages 33.2.1-33.2.4, 2010. In this publication the copolymers self assemble to form holes that are 18 nm in diameter. These holes are filled with platinum in order to create contacts. The electrical performance of a CMOS inverter produced using this technique is also reported.

Process for fabricating a transistor comprising nanoscale semiconductor features using block copolymers

COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES


In a portable electronic device, a card holding structure includes a plurality of holding members formed on a case to hold a card on a card connector having no holding member. The holding members include a flexible arm with an engaging portion and a stationary portion. The card can be attached/detached to/from the portable electronic device by bending the flexible arm.

This invention relates to a card holding structure for a portable electric device such as a cellular telephone.
Recently, the portable electric device has come to provide with a card connector for a card such as an SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) card, a memory card, an IC (Integrated Circuit) card or the like. The card connector has contact terminals to be pressed on contact lands (or terminals) formed on a surface of the card by resilience thereof. Accordingly, positioning the card in a predetermined position is necessary for the electric connection between the card and the card connector.
An existing card connector has a card holding structure to position the card in the predetermined position. However, the card connector not only is expensive but also impedes miniaturization of the portable electric device.

Card holding structure for portable electronic device


The present invention is directed to a newly discovered gene family with multiple isoforms, designated TAG-1, TAG-2a, TAG-2b, TAG-2c, and TAG-3, nucleic acid sequences encoding those proteins, and antibodies generated against said proteins. The genes, proteins, and peptides described herein may be used as diagnostic indicators of the presence of cancer and/or used in therapeutics to treat cancer.

The mammalian immune system has evolved a variety of mechanisms to protect the host from cancerous cells. An important component of this response is mediated by cells referred to as T cells. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are specialized T cells that primarily function by recognizing and killing cancerous cells or infected cells, but they can also function by secreting soluble molecules referred to as cytokines that can mediate a variety of effects on the immune system. T helper cells primarily function by recognizing antigen on specialized antigen presenting cells, and in turn secreting cytokines that activate B cells, T cells, and macrophages.
A variety of evidence suggests that immunotherapy designed to stimulate a tumor-specific CTL response would be effective in controlling cancer. For example, it has been shown that human CTL recognize sarcomas (Slovin et al., 1986, J Immunol 137, 3042-3048), renal cell carcinomas (Schendel et al., 1993, J Immunol 151, 4209-4220), colorectal carcinomas (Jacob et al., 1997, Int J Cancer 71, 325-332), ovarian carcinomas (Peoples et al., 1993, Surgery 114, 227-234), pancreatic carcinomas (Peiper et al., 1997, Eur J Immunol 27, 1115-1123), squamous tumors of the head and neck (Yasumura et al., 1993, Cancer Res 53, 1461-1468), and squamous carcinomas of the lung (Slingluff et al., 1994, Cancer Res 54, 2731-2737; Yoshino et al., 1994, Cancer Res 54, 3387-3390). The largest number of reports of human tumor-reactive CTLs, however, has concerned melanomas (Boon et al., 1994, Annu Rev Immunol 12, 337-365). The ability of tumor-specific CTL to mediate tumor regression, in both human (Parmiani et al., 2002, J Natl Cancer Inst 94, 805-818; Weber, 2002, Cancer Invest 20, 208-221) and animal models, suggests that methods directed at increasing CTL activity would likely have a beneficial effect with respect to tumor treatment.
Melanoma, or skin cancer, is a disease that is diagnosed in approximately 54,200 persons per year. Conventional therapy for the disease includes surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. In spite of these approaches to treatment, approximately 7,600 individuals die in the United States every year due to melanoma. Overall, the 5-year survival rate for the disease is 88%. The survival rate drops, however, in more advanced stages of the disease with only about 50% of Stage III patients, and 20-30% of Stage IV patients surviving past five years. In patients where the melanoma has metastasized to distant sites, the 5-year survival dips to only 12%. Clearly, there is a population of melanoma patients that is in need of better treatment options. More recently, in an attempt to decrease the number of deaths attributed to melanoma, immunotherapy has been added to the arsenal of treatments used against the disease.
In order for CTL to kill or secrete cytokines in response to a cancer cell, the CTL must first recognize the cancer cell (Townsend and Bodmer, 1989). This process involves the interaction of the T cell receptor, located on the surface of the CTL, with what is generically referred to as an MHC-peptide complex which is located on the surface of the cancerous cell. MHC (major histocompatibility-complex)-encoded molecules have been subdivided into two types, and are referred to as class I and class II MHC-encoded molecules. In the human immune system, MHC molecules are referred to as human leukocyte antigens (HLA). Within the MHC complex, located on chromosome six, are three different loci that encode for class I MHC molecules. MHC molecules encoded at these loci are referred to as HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C. The genes that can be encoded at each of these loci are extremely polymorphic, and thus, different individuals within the population express different class I MHC molecules on the surface of their cells. HLA-A1, HLA-A2, HLA-A3, HLA-B7; and HLA-B8 are examples of different class I MHC molecules that can be expressed from these loci. The present disclosure involves peptides that are associated with the HLA-A3 molecule.
The peptides which associate with the MHC molecules can either be derived from proteins made within the cell, in which case they typically associate with class I MHC molecules (Rock and Goldberg, 1999, Annu Rev Immunol 17, 739-779); or they can be derived from proteins which are acquired from outside of the cell, in which case they typically associate with class II MHC molecules (Watts, 1997, Annu Rev Immunol 15, 821-850). The peptides that evoke a cancer-specific CTL response most typically associate with class I MHC molecules. The peptides themselves are typically nine amino acids in length, but can vary from a minimum length of eight amino acids to a maximum of twelve amino acids in length. Tumor antigens may also bind to class II MHC molecules on antigen presenting cells and provoke a T helper cell response. The peptides that bind to class II MHC molecules are generally twelve to nineteen amino acids in length, but can be as short as ten amino acids and as long as thirty amino acids.
The process by which intact proteins are degraded into peptides is referred to as antigen processing. Two major pathways of antigen processing occur within cells (Rock and Goldberg, 1999, Annu Rev Immunol 17, 739-779). One pathway, which is largely restricted to cells that are antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells, macrophages, and B cells, degrades proteins that are typically phagocytosed or endocytosed into the cell. Peptides derived in this pathway typically bind to class II MHC molecules. A second pathway of antigen processing is present in essentially all cells of the body. This second pathway primarily degrades proteins that are made within the cells, and the peptides derived from this pathway primarily bind to class I MHC molecules. Antigen processing by this latter pathway involves polypeptide synthesis and proteolysis in the cytoplasm, followed by transport of peptides to the plasma membrane for presentation. These peptides, initially being transported into the endoplasmic reticulum of the cell, become associated with newly synthesized class I MHC molecules and the resulting complexes are then transported to the cell surface. Peptides derived from membrane and secreted proteins have also been identified. In some cases these peptides correspond to the signal sequence of the proteins which is cleaved from the protein by the signal peptidase. In other cases, it is thought that some fraction of the membrane and secreted proteins are transported from the endoplasmic reticulum into the cytoplasm where processing subsequently occurs.
Once bound to the class I MHC molecule, the peptides are recognized by antigen-specific receptors on CTL. Several methods have been developed to identify the peptides recognized by CTL, each method of which relies on the ability of a CTL to recognize and kill only those cells expressing the appropriate class I MHC molecule with the peptide bound to it. Mere expression of the class I MHC molecule is insufficient to trigger the CTL to kill the target cell if the antigenic peptide is not bound to the class I MHC molecule. Such peptides can be derived from a non-self source, such as a pathogen (for example, following the infection of a cell by a bacterium or a virus) or from a self-derived protein within a cell, such as a cancerous cell. The tumor antigens from which the peptides are derived can broadly be categorized as differentiation antigens, cancer/testis antigens, mutated gene products, widely expressed proteins, and viral antigens (Castelli et al., 2000, J Cell Physiol 182, 323-331).
Immunization with melanoma-derived, class I or class II MHC-encoded molecule associated peptides, or with a precursor polypeptide or protein that contains the peptide, or with a gene that encodes a polypeptide or protein containing the peptide, are forms of immunotherapy that can be employed in the treatment of melanoma. This form of immunotherapy requires that immunogens be identified so that they can be formulated into an appropriate vaccine. Although a variety of melanoma-derived antigens have been identified (Castelli et al., 2000, J Cell Physiol 182, 323-331; Rosenberg, 1999, Immunity 10, 281-287; Van den Eynde and van der Bruggen, 1997, Curr Opin Immunol 9, 684-693; Wang and Rosenberg, 1999, Immunol Rev 170, 85-100), not all of these are appropriate for broad-based immunotherapy as the expression of some of them is limited to the tumor derived from a specific patient. Furthermore, the number of MHC molecules from which tumor-derived peptides have been discovered is relatively limited, and largely restricted to HILA-A2. Thus, it would be useful to identify additional peptides that complex with class I MHC molecules other than HLA-A2. Such peptides would be particularly useful in the treatment of melanoma patients that do not express the HLA-A2 molecule.
It is also particularly useful to identify antigenic peptides that are derived from different parent proteins, even if the derived peptides associate with the same class I MHC molecule. Because an active immune response can result in the outgrowth of tumor cells that have lost the expression of a particular precursor protein for a given antigenic peptide, it is advantageous to stimulate an immune response against peptides derived from more than one parent protein, as the chances of the tumor cell losing the expression of both proteins is the multiple of the chances of losing each of the individual proteins.
The present invention relates to genes, proteins, and peptides that may be used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and in one embodiment the treatment of melanoma. More specifically, the invention relates to the isolation and purification of two novel tumor antigens that can be used as tools for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer; and to DNA sequences that code the precursor proteins from which the tumor antigens are derived.

TAG-1 and TAG-2 proteins and uses thereof

University of Virginia Patent Foundation


In a filtration device (1) comprising a pressure-resistant housing (2) with a liquid inlet opening (3) and an outlet opening (4) for filtered matter, into which a collecting channel (12) terminates, at least one filter element (8–11) designed as flat membrane is connected to the collecting channel (12) in a pressure-tight manner. This device provides a high liquid throughput at the same time having a compact construction.

The invention concerns a filtration device for filtering liquids.
In particular, for additional treatment of drinking water, it may be required to remove certain substances which are contained in the drinking water. Bacteria and viruses can be removed through corresponding chemical treatment of the water. Devices for this purpose, however, require a relatively large amount of maintenance since the chemicals must be refilled. The water is moreover polluted by the chemicals.
Filters are used e.g. to separate oil-water emulsions in cutting production, to clarify beer, for gas purification, gas separation or separation of liquid-solid mixtures.


Methods and systems for spectrally-encoding plural source images and for providing the spectrally-encoded plural source images in a composite image, for rendering the composite image on a substrate, and for recovering at least one of the encoded source images from the rendered composite image. A desired source image is recovered when the rendered composite image is subjected to illumination by one or more illuminants and the desired source image is detected by one or more sensors in an image capture device. The spectral characteristics of the colorants, illuminants, and sensors are employed to spectrally encode the source image in the composite image.

Data hiding is the process of encoding extra ("steganographic") information in digital data, such as in images, by making small modifications to the data. Hidden information in images may be used to supplement an image with additional information, or to verify some aspect of the image, such as origin or the integrity of the image.
Technology for producing images which contain steganographic information, such as in the form of digital watermarks, is known. Commercial products which can store and read digital watermarks are widely available. The embedded data typically remains with the image when it is stored or transmitted. The embedded data may be meant to be extracted by an end user, or hidden to the end user. Some of these techniques (e.g., glyphs or bar codes) use areas outside of the image area because the techniques are largely destructive of the image itself and require a uniform background to read the information.
It is also known to print patterns in different colors on a substrate such that the patterns may be viewed through one or more filters having certain correlated colors, such that the patterns will change, depending upon the colors involved. It is also known to print characters in different colors in an overlapping relationship such that the overlapped characters, when viewed through one colored filter, will give the appearance of only certain ones of the superimposed characters, and when viewed through a second and differing colored filter, will reveal certain other ones of the superimposed characters. Such approaches are known for encoding information to prevent recognition of the information content of the pattern until the pattern is decoded and made comprehensible. These approaches have been applied to promotional gaming technology and in document security and document verification applications.
Means have been used to physically alter a secure document so as to subsequently enable the marked document to be authenticated: by the use of special fibers, threads, chips, fluorescent platelets and particles, and fluorescent or phosphorescent inks, for example. Other techniques such as the adhesion of logos, labels, magnetic strips, or stickers to an image are employed, but these can be easily removed or hidden, and these devices can also be unsightly. Most of such approaches require that a specially modified scanning device be employed, such as by inclusion of a magnetic detector, for recovery of hidden information.
Methods are known for printing documents in a way to thwart unauthorized copying by use of modern color copiers. Most of them are based on altering the background of the original in order that the contrast may be reduced. Since the human eye and the scanner in the copier have different sensitivities for lightness values of colors, it has been attempted to darken the background during copying to a relatively larger extent for the sensor than for the eye.
There is a need for a system for the production of printed images on substrates, such as secure documents, that may be authenticated by an automated detection process. Such images should be secure against unauthorized reproduction or origination (e.g., substantially adverse to counterfeiting), be readily identifiable in the automated detection process, and substantially tamper-proof with respect to alteration of its embedded information.

Systems for spectral multiplexing of source images to provide a composite image, for rendering the composite image, and for spectral demultiplexing of the composite image by use of an image capture device


A system (20) of establishing a rapid PTT call setup in a multi-wireless network environment, can include a first wireless network (24 and 26) such as an iDEN network optimized for rapid push-to-talk call setups in typically less than one second and a second wireless network (23 and 27) such as a CDMA wireless network operatively coupled to the first wireless network. The system can further include a communication protocol among an originating mobile subscriber unit (22), a target mobile subscriber unit (28), the first wireless network, and the second wireless network, where the first wireless network and the second wireless network receive a request for a PTT session and the PTT session is set up on the second wireless network using the first wireless network. The system can further include a PTT server (25) operatively coupled to the first wireless network and the second wireless network.

In wireless communication systems mobile units or devices are required to operate on batteries and these mobile units will go inactive (or dormant) on the radio frequency (RF) channels after a short period of inactivity of usage for data services, usually 30 to 60 seconds. Therefore, in push-to-talk calls using the wireless data services, both the originating and terminating mobile units must be transitioned to the active state (actually using RF resources) as part of the call setup prior to enabling the push-to-talk function. Once a mobile unit is in the active state, an RF channel has been established and the mobile unit is able to transmit and/or receive data. As known in the art, push-to-talk call applications include transmission of voice and associated signaling data, but advances in packet data networks extend push-to-talk call applications to include images, streaming video, text messaging, stored audio files, and other multi-media.
For typical push-to-talk call applications, the time required for transitioning an originating mobile unit from a dormant state to the active state can be greater than 3 seconds in current implementations. An equal or greater amount of time is required to transition the terminating mobile unit from the dormant to active state, including additional time to actually page the mobile device, as is known in the art. These times do not include transmission time over the air or call processing time required by the dispatch servers. As a result, for the push-to-talk function total delay times experienced by the originating mobile unit may be 10 seconds or greater.
With long call setup times, the advantages of the push-to-talk service as an instant communications method is diminished particularly with call setup times of 8 seconds or even longer which can make the service non-viable in the marketplace. For example, users would prefer to use cellular, rather than holding down the PTT button.
A similar problem exists for group calls in the push-to-talk mode. Call setup times may be even longer since there is a number of terminating mobile units to connect to the originating mobile unit. Although some of the processing time for each of the terminating or target mobile units may overlap, the total call setup time is likely to be even greater than the individual-to-individual call. Therefore, group calls pose an even greater problem for the push-to-talk function in a packet data network.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to have a method and system for substantially decreasing the call setup time for private calls and group calls within a push-to-talk packet data network configuration.

Rapid push-to-talk call setup method and apparatus


A method for fabricating a field effect transistor, in which, after the etching of the gate electrode, the removal of the etching mask is omitted since the etching mask serves as a gate dielectric. The etching mask or the dielectric has a self-assembled monolayer of an organic compound.

Field effect transistors based on organic semiconductors are of interest for a multiplicity of electronic applications requiring extremely low production costs, flexible or unbreakable substrates, or the fabrication of transistors and integrated circuits over a large active area. For example, organic field effect transistors are suitable as pixel control elements in active matrix screens. Such screens are usually produced with field effect transistors based on amorphous or polycrystalline silicon layers. Typically, temperatures of more than 250° C. are necessary for fabricating high-quality transistors, which are based on amorphous or polycrystalline silicon layers requiring the use of rigid and fragile glass or quartz substrates. By virtue of relatively low temperatures (e.g., usually less than 200° C.) at which transistors based on organic semiconductors are fabricated, organic transistors permit the production of active matrix screens using inexpensive, flexible, transparent, unbreakable polymer films providing considerable advantages over glass or quartz substrates.
A further area of application for organic field effect transistors is the fabrication of very inexpensive integrated circuits that are used, for example, for the active labelling and identification of merchandise and goods. These so-called transponders are usually produced using integrated circuits based on monocrystalline silicon leading to considerable costs in the construction and connection technology. Producing transponders on the basis of organic transistors would lead to enormous cost reductions and could assist transponder technology en route to a worldwide breakthrough.
The fabrication of thin-film transistors usually requires a large number of steps in which the different layers of the transistor are deposited. In a first step, the gate electrode is deposited on a substrate, then the gate dielectric is deposited on the gate electrode, and the source and drain contacts are patterned in a further step. Finally, the semiconductor is deposited between the source and drain contacts on the gate dielectric.
Therefore, great effort is being made to simplify the fabrication process for field effect transistors. For example, available literature describes the use of printable molecular etching masks for pattern definition in the processing of organic transistors. For this purpose, an extremely thin molecular monolayer of a suitable organic material is applied to a metal layer and deposited over the whole area on the substrate, by a conformal relief stamp. In this case, the molecules are transferred to the metal in the regions of stamps in which the elevated structures of the stamp make contact with the metal surface. This form of relief printing is also referred to as microcontact printing or as flexographic printing. Such a method is described by J. L. Wilbur, A. Kumar, E. Kim and G. M. Whitesides ("Microfabrication by Microcontact Printing of Self-Assembled Monolayers", Advanced Materials, 1994, 6, 600–604). The organic molecules used in this case are ideally configured such that chemical bonds and a molecular self-assembled monolayer (SAM) form between the individual molecules and the metal surface. The molecular structures defined on the metal surface in this way serve as an etching mask in the subsequent process step and thus permit the targeted patterning of the metal layer by means of wet-chemical etching methods. Once the molecular monolayer has fulfilled its task as an etching mask, it is removed again in order to uncover the metal surface for the next process steps.
When the metal layer patterned in this way is used as a gate electrode of the transistor, the process that directly follows the removal of the molecular etching mask is the deposition of the gate dielectric for the purpose of electrically insulating the gate electrode from the organic semiconductor layer, which is deposited in a further process. Inorganic oxides or nitrides, such as, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, aluminum oxide or tantalum oxide, or insulating polymers, such as, polyvinlyphenol, are generally used as the gate dielectric in organic transistors.
The processing of gate dielectrics based both on inorganic oxides and nitrides and on insulating polymers generally requires relatively large layer thicknesses of approximately 100 nm or thicker and therefore necessitates relatively high supply voltages for operating the transistors. The supply voltages are in the region of approximately 10 volts or higher. In principle, although the supply voltages can be reduced by using thinner gate dielectrics, this reduction of the layer thickness in the case of the conventional dielectric materials, mentioned above, inevitably leads to an unacceptable increase in the leakage currents and generally to a reduction of the yield.

Method for fabricating a field effect transistor


Detecting network congestion at a network device by collecting, for various time intervals, measurements of a quantifiable characteristic of traffic transiting the network device at a plurality of respective measurement times during each of the time intervals. Described systems and methods select two or more sets of measurements, each set corresponding to a respective time interval; determine, for each of the selected sets of measurements, respective upper and lower boundaries for the quantifiable characteristic during the respective time interval; and analyze trends for a time window inclusive of the time intervals corresponding to the selected sets of measurements, the trends including an upper boundary trend and a lower boundary trend. Congestion is then identified responsive to the analysis detecting a substantially constant upper boundary trend concurrent with a rising lower boundary trend.

Computing systems exchange information via one or more connected data networks by transmitting and receiving data packets according to one or more communication protocols. The data packets are moved through the networks by various intermediary network devices, which each receive packets, identify a next-hop for the received packets, and transmit the packets to the respectively identified next-hop. In some instances, a network device receives more packet data than it can handle, resulting in congestion wherein data transmission through the network device is negatively impacted. For example, some packets may be lost or "dropped." Network protocols may react to packet loss by resending lost packets and/or adjusting the rate of subsequent packet transmissions, resulting in inefficient use of the network.
If a network device experiences chronic congestion, it may be appropriate to take administrative steps to address the problem. For example, a network administrator might upgrade the network device or modify a network configuration to reduce the load on the device. However, in order to make a decision about how to address network congestion, a network administrator must first identify where congestion is occurring within a network.

Systems and methods for detecting consistent fabric congestion in a datacenter based on historical traffic data


The present invention relates to a process for the cyanobutylation of ammonia, an alkylamine or hydrazine with 3- and 4-pentenenitrile and mixtures thereof to form alkylaminonitriles.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,260,556 and 4,211,725 teach reaction of 2-pentenenitrile with ammonia or ethylenediamine to produce alkylaminonitriles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,496,474 teaches the reaction of 2-pentenenitrile with alkylamines having from 8 to 22 carbons to produce the corresponding nitrile compound. U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,202 teaches a process having improved reaction rate and selectivity in the reaction of 2-pentenenitrile with amines to form alkylaminonitriles by the incorporation of from 15 to 60 weight percent water in the reaction mixture.
It has now been found that alkylaminonitriles can be made with high yields and selectivities using 3-pentenenitrile, 4-pentenenitrile and mixtures of these isomers.

Cyanobutylation of ammonia, alkylamines and hydrazine with 3-pentenenitrile, 4-pentenenitrile or mixtures thereof


A network condition capture and reproduction technique captures measurement data characterizing network conditions at a given time between first and second endpoint devices of a network, and utilizes the captured measurement data in a network impairment device to reproduce the network conditions at a later time and possibly in a different place.

Recent trends in the telecommunications industry towards unified communications emphasize the need for converged networks to deliver acceptable quality of service (QoS) for different types of applications with varying QoS needs. Real-time applications such as video streaming or voice over IP (VoIP) demand strict QoS guarantees from the underlying data network. Understanding the network behavior at all stages of the deployment of such applications is critical for their performance. For example, at the pre-deployment stage, it is necessary to assess whether the network can deliver the required QoS and more importantly which parts of the network fail to do so. After deployment, monitoring the performance of the network is necessary for maintaining acceptable QoS levels.
Numerous network monitoring and analysis systems are known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0053009, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Automatic Determination of Performance Problem Locations in a Network," which discloses root cause analysis techniques for determining the particular locations associated with performance problems in a network comprising a plurality of endpoint devices.
Network monitoring and analysis systems often collect low-level network measurements, such as delay, jitter and packet loss, in an effort to understand how network conditions will affect real-time applications. However, such low-level network measurements can be difficult to interpret in terms of their impact on perceived quality of a received stream. For this reason, the low-level measurements are often supplemented by an estimated Mean Opinion Score (MOS) that conveys the overall perceived quality of a received stream on a scale from 1 to 5. See ITU-T Recommendation P.800, "Methods for subjective determination of transmission quality." Another known perceived quality estimation technique utilizes the E-model described in ITU-T Recommendation 0.107, "The E-model, a computational model for use in transmission planning." The E-model uses low-level network measurements to compute a scalar value known as an R-factor that can range from 0 to 100 and can be mapped to an estimated MOS. In the case of VoIP applications, a conversational estimated MOS may be used that characterizes the concurrent perceived quality of received streams in two directions.
A significant drawback of conventional approaches based on the above-noted estimated MOS and the E-model is that these approaches convey only a very simplified description of the experienced quality. Accordingly, these techniques do not allow network engineers to reproduce and experience for themselves the particular quality problems reported by users of network applications, which can make the problems very difficult to analyze and correct. This is particularly true in situations in which the quality problems are attributable to rare or transient network conditions.

Network condition capture and reproduction


An exemplary method for treating obesity includes an pulse generator configured to deliver electrical energy to a vagal nerve, one or more sensors configured to detect pre-prandial activity and, in response to the detection of pre-prandial activity, a pulse generator configured to deliver electrical energy to the stomach to induce satiety. Various other technologies are also disclosed.

General Information on Food Intake
The human body normally functions in two states: food intake state and a fasting state. The duration and frequency of these states varies from individual to individual. Numerous factors are involved including availability of food as well as psychological and physiological condition.
Regarding food intake, nearly all of the body's energy comes from glucose and fatty acids. After being absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), glucose can be taken up by cells and oxidized to generate ATP; linked with other glucose molecules and stored as glycogen; and combined with other glucose molecules and formed into fatty acids. Fatty acids, after being absorbed in the GIT can be oxidized to produce ATP or taken up by cells, combined with glycerol and stored as triglycerides. When a person has a positive energy balance, the hormone insulin plays a primary role in control of metabolic fuel metabolism. The pancreas secretes insulin in response to food intake. Insulin prepares the body for a sudden increase in metabolic fuels by facilitating glucose entry into cells for oxidation or storage. However, insulin inhibits release of fatty acids from fat cells. Absence of insulin (diabetes mellitus) leads to a buildup of blood glucose (hyperglycemia). Common diabetes disorders are type 1 where the body cannot produce insulin and type 2 where the body becomes less responsive to insulin.
Regarding fasting, the body normally relies on conversion of stored metabolic fuels. For example, the body breaks down glycogen and triglycerides to glucose and fatty acids. While the heart is a fatty acid burner, the brain relies on glucose. A group of hormones, sometimes referred to as counterregulatory hormones, mediate the breakdown and mobilization process. These hormones act, in general, counter to the actions of insulin and include epinephrine, glucagon and cortisol/corticosterone.
As discussed herein, various neural circuits control food intake and fasting hormones. Neural processes receive information, communicate information and respond to such information to thereby motivate the individual for food intake or not. While internal information affects such motivated behavior, at times, external information plays a role as well; thus, neural circuits that process internal and external information are involved.
As discussed in more detail below, mechanisms controlling food intake may include brain-based, peripheral-based and periphery to brain-based mechanisms. For example, inhibition of glucose oxidation in the caudal hindbrain increases food intake. Thus, the hindbrain, in contrast to the hypothalamus, contains cells that can monitor glucose availability and control food intake and epinephrine release. Peripheral mechanisms include those associated with the liver. Food passes through the liver where nutrients cause a decrease in food intake. In contrast, providing 2-deoxy-glucose (2DG) to the hepatic portal vein causes an increase in food intake. Information from the liver is conveyed to the brain via, for example, vagal pathways (vagotomy nulls these actions). Thus, a neuronal link exists between periphery and the brain. Perhaps the most complex mechanisms rely on hormones released from the periphery that act on the brain or peripheral organs.
Overall, a need exists for improved therapies to address disorders associated with food intake and metabolism. In particular, such improved therapies should aim to increase responder rate. In other words, a high probability of success should exist for a therapeutic system prior to implantation of the system. Various exemplary devices, methods, systems, etc., described below aim to provide for multiple therapies to address such issues.

Detection of feeding intent for use in treatment of eating disorders


A method and system for generating an audio thumbnail of an audio track in which a first content feature, such as singing, is detected as a characteristic of an audio track. A predetermined length of the detected portion of the audio track corresponding to the first content feature is extracted from the audio track. A highlight of the audio track, such as a portion of the audio track having a sudden increase in temporal energy within the audio track, is detected; and a portion of the audio track corresponding to the highlight is extracted from the audio track. The two extracted portions of the audio track are combined as a thumbnail of the audio track.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to previewing collections of songs and, more specifically, to systems and methods for generating thumbnails and highlights from an audio track.
2. Background Information
The number and size of multimedia databases and collections, whether personal or commercial, have grown rapidly in recent years with the advent of compact disks (hereinafter "CD's"), MP3 disks, affordable personal computer systems, the Internet, and online media sharing websites. Being able to efficiently browse these files and to quickly discern their content is an important aid to users who desire to make listening and/or purchasing decisions from a database or collection of many separate audiovisual works.
Song owners may wish to listen to a particular song but cannot remember the title and/or the artist. For an owner with hundreds of songs, finding a particular song may require listening to all or portions of dozens of songs before the desired song is found. While some CD players have a feature whereby a listener can listen to the first ten or twenty seconds of a song, the beginning of a song may be an instrumental prelude that is not representative of the content or lyrics of the song. One system that permits a potential purchaser to listen to a short clip of music is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,130 to Fritsch, entitled "Distribution of Musical Products by a Web Site Vendor Over the Internet," the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, a potential purchaser of a song album or CD listens to entire songs on the collection before being able to preview a particular song or songs of interest in order to make a buying decision.
One technique whereby users can browse a collection of soundtracks and songs is to create and catalog short samples of each audio track and/or song in the collection. One approach to the creation of an audio sample is through the identification of a repeated portion of the song, such as a chorus or a refrain. Such a method is described in Mark A. Bartsch and Gregory H. Wakefield, "To Catch a Chorus: Using Chroma-Based Representations for Audio Thumbnailing," Proceedings Of IEEE Workshop on Applications of Signal Processing to Audio and Acoustics, pp 15-18, New York, October 2001, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Another technique for indexing and retrieving songs by finding repeating patterns in the songs is through a dictionary-based approach, as described in Hsuan-Huei Shih, et al., "Comparison of Dictionary-Based Approaches to Automatic Repeating Melody Extraction," Proceedings of SPIE: Storage and Retrieval for Media Databases, vol 4767, pp 306-317, San Jose, January 2002, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Yet another method by which a song is summarized for purposes of indexing and subsequent recognition and retrieval is by transcription of the lyrics of the song. The indexing system distinguishes between the voice and instrumental portions of the audio track, a method for which is described in Adam L. Berenzweig and Daniel P. W. Ellis, "Locating Singing Voice Segments Within Music Signals," Proceedings of IEEE Workshop on Applications of Signal Processing to Audio and Acoustics, pp 119-122, New York, October 2001, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

System and method for generating an audio thumbnail of an audio track

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method for installing thermocouples on flare burner tip pilot assemblies from grade without discontinuing operation of the flare, comprising modifying the pilot assembly thermowell to accept a fitting, attaching a section of tubing and running to grade to act as a sleeve for a thermocouple and sliding a predetermined length of thermocouple into the sleeve at grade to the burner tip assembly.

This invention relates to monitoring pilot flames in flare systems typically used in the oil and chemical industries. It particularly relates to the installation and the replacement of thermocouples in these systems. The traditional method of monitoring pilot flame assemblies is to install a thermocouple at the top of a flare stack and to run electrical leads from the thermocouple to a transmitter or other control system at grade. In case of problems with the thermocouple or with the pilot flame, a warning signal would typically alert operations personnel of the problem.
A problem with this traditional method is the fact that thermocouples routinely burn out and need replacing and, even with redundant or back-up thermocouples installed, there comes a time for change out. With the onset of new and more strictly-enforced environmental regulations, operating a plant when the thermocouples are disabled constitutes a violation of the regulations as given for example in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40, Part 60.18 a-f, unless another device capable of monitoring the flame, such as a remote optical sensor, is in place. Since a plant shutdown is therefore generally required to change out a thermocouple used in the traditional method, as it is unsafe to be in the vicinity of the flare without its being disabled, investments have been made in video equipment and the like which are aimed at the flare tip to detect the presence of a pilot flame. These units, however, are very costly to purchase and maintain.
Another problem associated with changing out thermocouples is one of time. Many state environmental agencies' regulations require that upon loss of pilot flame indication that visual verification that the pilot flame is lit has to be made every 15 minutes and recorded in a log book. If it takes more than 15 minutes to verify that the flare pilot flame is lit then the plant has to be shut down in order to correct the situation. If the problem lies with the thermocouple then it is of importance to effect a change within the 15 minute period, if the visual verification cannot be made.

Method for installation of flare pilot thermocouple


An air entrainment nebulizer obtains a high oxygen content with an optimum total flow rate by employing an oxygen jet large enough to flow about 40 liters a minute of pressurized oxygen and an air entrainment opening of a very small total size. The air entrainment opening is a configured for very fine incremental adjustment adjacent the minimal opening or nearly closed position so as to readily control oxygen content of the discharged moisturized mixture without excessively increasing total flow rate. The air entrainment aperture is divided several parallel mutually staggered elongated slots, each having a width sufficiently small to block projection of water droplets from the mixing chamber. The combination of a high flow rate oxygen jet and a small size air entrainment aperture provides a discharge outlet having oxygen percentages in the range of about 60% to nearly 100% while maintaining a total output flow rate in the order of about 40 to about 70 liters per minute.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air entrainment nebulizers and more particularly concerns a nebulizer that provides a range of high oxygen content with optimum total output flow rate.
2. Description of Related Art
In common forms of inhalation therapy, an oxygen enriched air mixture is provided for introduction into a patient's lungs by means of suitable breathing apparatus. The gas mixture is preferably moisturized and transmitted to the patient through a flexible tube which may be several feet or more in length. The nebulizer provides a gas stream that entrains water particles rather than water vapor (as in a humidifier). Minimum water particle size is required to ensure that water will reach deeper portions of the respiratory tract. A nebulizer is used to provide a gas mixture that may be selectively varied from a high oxygen content, nearly 100% in some cases, to as little as 28%. A nebulizer with a wide range of oxygen percentages is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,576 entitled "Nebulizer With Auxiliary Gas Input". In the arrangement of this nebulizer, pressurized oxygen is fed to a mixing chamber through a first nozzle and pressurized air is fed to the mixing chamber from a second nozzle so that the total flow rate, e.g. the flow rate of oxygen and the flow rate of air, can be readily controlled. Therefore, by controlling flow rate of both pressurized gaseous inputs to the mixing chamber, the total flow rate that is discharged from the nebulizer can be readily controlled. Flow rates of the oxygen and pressurized gas are controlled by metering valves on the input tubing, as is well known. The nebulizer with the auxiliary gas input, although effective for its purpose, is not useful where a pressurized auxiliary air source is not available. In some hospitals and similar facilities, only pressurized oxygen outputs are provided so that a nebulizer with the auxiliary gas input as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,576 cannot be employed.
A nebulizer that uses solely a pressurized oxygen input depends upon air entrainment for auxiliary gas or air input as is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,590 for "Nebulizer." In the nebulizer of U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,590, pressurized oxygen is fed through a jet that produces a lowered pressure for entrainment of water from a container which is thus drawn into a mixing chamber having a pair of apertures that are adjusted by a rotating sleeve. The nebulizer of U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,590 employs an oxygen jet capable of flowing up to about 15 liters per minute of oxygen and achieves adjustment of oxygen content of the discharged mixture by varying the air entrainment apertures in the mixer body. However, oxygen content above about 60% of the output mixture cannot be obtained with the air entrainment nebulizer of U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,590 without providing an unacceptably low total output flow rate. This nebulizer is provided with a limited oxygen flow rate jet and thus is not capable of producing high flow rates of oxygen. However, even if it should be used with an oxygen jet capable of higher oxygen flow rates, much greater quantities of air are pulled into the mixing chamber through the air entrainment ports and thus total output flow rates well over 100 liters per minute or sometimes as high as 140 or 150 liters per minute would be provided if a larger oxygen jet were used to flow 30 or 40 liters per minute of oxygen to the mixing chamber. Also, though the nebulizer with the auxiliary gas input can provide high oxygen percentages at optimum flow rate, this instrument can be used only where there is a source of auxiliary gas input. The nebulizer of U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,590, on the other hand, can be used wherever there is solely a source of pressurized oxygen and is not dependent upon the availability of pressurized auxiliary gas. However, this nebulizer can provide output mixtures having only limited (not more than about 60%) percentages of oxygen with useful total flow rates.
In fact, where an air entrainment nebulizer of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,590 is employed, high oxygen content (above about 60%) at useful flow rates (e.g. between about 40 to 70 liters per minute) can be achieved only by employing two similar nebulizers of this type and combining their outputs by a tubing "Y" connection. This is so because when such an air entrainment nebulizer is adjusted for an oxygen percentage above 60%, its air intake is so restricted that its total output flow rate is too small to be useful without being combined with output of a second similarly adjusted air entrainment nebulizer. With the air entrainment nebulizer of U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,590, even with limited total output flow rates, the instrument may be subject to back pressure in the order of 3 to 5 cm of water when the patient either is exhaling or is between breaths. Such back pressures tend to cause the water droplets that are swirling around the mixing chamber to be projected outwardly through the air entrainment openings, thereby causing an undesirable "spitting" which degrades operation of the nebulizer.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an air entrainment nebulizer that avoids or minimizes above-mentioned problems.

Nebulizer with high oxygen content and high total flow rate


A system that services international multimedia message calls includes an MMSC that determines from the destination MSISDN of the header of a multimedia message that the call is an international transmission and, at the same time, determines whether or not the forwarding destination supports number portability, by referencing the MSISDN routing table. If number portability is supported, it acquires the IMSI corresponding to the destination MSISDN by inquiring the HLR. Next, the MMSC acquires the domain name of the MMSE of the forwarding destination by referencing the IMSI routing table from the IMSI that has thus been acquired and forwards the multimedia message to this MMSE. If number portability is not supported, it forwards the multimedia message to the MMSE of the domain name acquired by referencing the MSISDN routing table.

The latest mobile telephone systems make possible transmission and reception of multimedia messages including static images, video and music. Such multimedia messages can be exchanged between mobile telephones that are equipped to deal with multimedia messages and are capable of transmitting and receiving multimedia messages through the Internet.
Previously, however, only domestic operators have been available for forwarding multimedia messages, so it has not been possible to send multimedia messages internationally.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a multimedia message service apparatus capable of transmitting multimedia messages internationally.


A plasma cleaning method particularly useful for removing photoresist and oxide residue from a porous low-k dielectric with a high carbon content prior to sputter deposition. A remote plasma source produces a plasma primarily of hydrogen radicals. The hydrogen pressure may be kept relatively low, for example, at 30 milliTorr. Optionally, helium may be added to the processing gas with the hydrogen partial pressure held below 150 milliTorr. Superior results are obtained with 70% helium in 400 milliTorr of hydrogen and helium. Preferably, an ion filter, such as a magnetic filter, removes hydrogen and other ions from the output of the remote plasma source and a supply tube from the remote plasma source includes a removable dielectric liner in combination with dielectric showerhead and manifold liner.

Advanced integrated circuits, such as those contemplated for the 45 nm node, will require the use of extra low-k dielectric (electrically insulating) materials for the interlevel dielectric layer interconnecting two levels of wiring. Low-k materials having a constant of somewhat less than 3.9 (the value for silicon dioxide) have already entered commercial production. However, even lower dielectric constants, for example, below 2.5, will be required in the future. An example of this material is Black Diamond™ II (BDII) dielectric commercially available from Applied Materials of Santa Clara, Calif. This dielectric material, which Li describes in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2003/0194495, may be characterized as carbon-doped silicon oxide (or silicon oxycarbide) having a carbon fraction of above 10 at %. Improvements include BDIIx dielectric, which is UV cured and may have a porosity of 30%, and DBIIebeam dielectric, which is cured with electrons. Other carbon-containing low-k dielectrics are known, including Silk® and Cyclotene® (benzocyclobutene) dielectric materials available from Dow Chemical. Many of these materials are characterized as organic or polymeric dielectrics.
A prototypical structure in the formation of an inter-level interconnect is illustrated in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1. A lower dielectric layer 10 includes a conductive feature 12 formed at its surface. The conductive feature 12 for advanced inter-level connections is typically composed of copper but similar geometries apply to contacting active semiconductor regions of a silicon substrate. An upper dielectric layer 14 of ultra low-k dielectric material is deposited over the lower dielectric layer 10 and the conductive feature. A hole 16 is photolithographicafly defined and etched through the upper dielectric layer 14 to the conductive feature 14. For the typical dual damascene interconnect used in copper metallization, the hole 16 is composed of a narrow lower via forming the vertical interconnect to the conductive feature 12 and a wide upper trench forming the horizontal interconnect between different portions of the integrated circuit. For dual damascene structures, the conductive feature 12 may be part of the copper-filled trench formed in the lower level dielectric 10. After the hole has been etched, a thin substantially conformal barrier layer, for example, of Ta/TaN is coated, typically by magnetron sputtering onto the sides of the hole 16 as well as over the field area of the upper dielectric layer 14. A thin substantially conformal copper seed layer is then deposited over the barrier layer, typically also by magnetron sputtering. Thereafter, copper is electroplated into the hole 16 and over the field area. Finally, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is used to remove the copper outside the hole 16.
The photolithographic etching step, even after photoresist ashing, often leaves a carbonaceous or fluorocarbon polymeric layer 18 on the sides of the hole 16 which is advantageously used to achieve highly anisotropic etching but remains after cessation of etching. It also may leave an etching residue 20 at the bottom of the trench, which may be a combination of carbon, silicon and fluorine by products of the etching chemistry. Further, the exposed copper in the conductive feature 12 is likely to have oxidized to copper oxide. Yet further, ashing residue 22 tends to form at the lip of the hole 16. Etching residues 20 and copper oxide at the bottom of the hole 16, if not removed prior to barrier deposition before the metallization deposition, increase the contact resistance. The polymeric coating 18 and the ashing residues 22 interfere with the bonding of the barrier layer to the dielectric layer 14 so that the barrier layer and copper via structure may delaminate during fabrication or during operation, resulting in a substantial reliability problem. It is thus greatly desired to remove the residues 18, 20, 22 and the copper oxide before the barrier deposition begins.
With conventional silica dielectrics, it has been common to dry clean the wafer between the etching and deposition steps by sputter etching the patterned wafer to remove the residue. Such sputter etching typically involves highly energetic ions, which do not greatly affect silica dielectric layers, which are relatively hard. However, low-k dielectric layers tend to be relatively soft. Therefore, a sputter etch tends to deleteriously etch and degrade the low-k dielectric layer. A softer chemical etching may be performed using a oxygen plasma generated in the cleaning chamber adjacent the wafer, that is, an in situ plasma. This cleaning process proved satisfactory for the early forms of low-k dielectric having a dielectric constant k of about 3.7 and not being porous. However, the in situ oxygen plasma has proved unsatisfactory for the most recent ultra low-k films having a k value of about 2.5 and a porosity of greater than 10%. It is believed that the oxygen plasma includes a high fraction of oxygen atoms which are attracted to the negative self-bias that develops on a floating body exposed to the plasma. The oxygen ions then strike the ultra low-k film with sufficient energy to damage it. Accordingly, the practice has developed of cleaning the patterned wafer with an oxygen plasma generated from a remote plasma source (RPS), as disclosed by Wood et al. in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2004/0219789. The remotely generated plasma emphasizes electrically neutral radicals while the in situ plasma emphasizes electrically charged ions. The remotely generated oxygen plasma projects many neutral and low-energy oxygen radicals to the wafer, which oxidize and otherwise chemically react with the different residues to remove them.
However, excited oxygen has not proved satisfactory for the ultra low-k dielectric materials. The reduction in dielectric constant is often obtained by a high porosity in the dielectric material. Dielectric layers of BDII may have a porosity of over 10%, even above 30%. Therefore, they are not only very soft, they are also very reactive to an oxidizing dry cleaning. Furthermore, oxygen incorporated into the dielectric tends to produce a more polarizable bond than the silicon and carbon bonds, that is, to increase the dielectric constant. As a result, dry cleaning based on reducing chemistry has been developed using, for example, remotely generated plasmas of NH3 (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,864 to Kropewnicki et al.) or relatively high pressures of H2. The hydrogen approach has prevailed, but the results have still not been totally satisfactory. Even very small amounts of water vapor in the hydrogen plasma significantly reduce the hydrophobic property of the porous low-k film and thereby tends to increase the dielectric constant. Even pure hydrogen tends to increase the dielectric constant somewhat. Further, reasonable etching rates have been achieved by increasing the chamber pressure, but the capacity of power supplies need to follow the increased pressure. Also, at the higher hydrogen pressures, the fraction of the hydrogen from the remote plasma source that is ionized and leaks into the cleaning chamber is increased. Hydrogen ions tend to be energetically attracted to the wafer and we believed they damage the porous low-k material.

Remote plasma pre-clean with low hydrogen pressure