A computing device can capture video data of at least a portion of a mouth area (e.g., mouth, lips, tongue, chin, jaw) of a user of the device. The computing device can also capture sound data including a voice of the user as well as noise (e.g. background noise). The video data can be processed to detect a movement of the portion of the mouth area. The movement of the portion of the mouth area can be analyzed and compared with mouth area movement models characteristic of oral communication (e.g., speech, song). If the movement of the portion of the mouth area corresponds to at least one model characteristic of oral communication, then the movement indicates that the user is likely engaging in oral communication. Noise reduction can be applied and/or increased on the captured sound data to reduce noise and in turn enhance the user's voice.

Communication is an important aspect of modern life. People use client computing devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops, to communicate with others every day. For example, a user can use his/her client computing device to call a parent, video chat with a friend, and send voice messages to a colleague. However, a user using a computing device to communicate with another might not always be in an ideal environment for clear communication, such as a quiet, secluded area. In fact, the user may frequently be in noisy environments. For example, the user may be at a bar, at a restaurant, at a party, or on a bus, where the background noise can interfere with or drown out the user's own voice during communication. Conventional noise cancellation attempts to cancel out such background noise, typically by applying noise cancellation on the overall, continuous sound retrieved by a microphone. However, conventional noise cancellation can be inadequate or insufficient because conventional approaches do not effectively take into account all of the factors surrounding human oral communication.

Noise reduction based on mouth area movement recognition


Methods and systems are provided for issuing a new type of security, referred to herein as a “Guarantee Certificate,” which offers payments to a holder contingent upon the occurrence of specified risk-related events that would typically trigger an insurance or guaranty payment. Guarantee Certificates offer a mechanism for separating certain payment rights associated with a pool of assets (which may or may not be securitized) from the remaining payment rights associated with the pool, such that the payment rights form separate, transferable financial instruments. These instruments evidence an obligation of a mortgage insurer or a securities guarantor to make payments triggered by certain default-related events involving a corresponding (in the case of a mortgage insurer) or an underlying (in the case of a securities guarantor) mortgage loan or loans. A data processing system creates and maintains information corresponding to the Guarantee Certificates. A Guarantee Certificate may be tradable by the holder.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to financial instruments, and systems and methods for issuing and administering the same. More particularly, the invention relates to systems and methods for separating certain payment rights associated with a pool of assets (which may or may not be securitized) from the remaining payment rights associated with the pool, such that the separated payment obligations form separately transferable financial instruments. Guarantee Certificates evidence an obligation of a mortgage insurer or a securities guarantor to make payments triggered by certain events, typically, default-related events involving a corresponding (in the case of a mortgage insurer) or an underlying (in the case of a securities guarantor) mortgage loan or loans.
B. Description of the Related Art
Mortgage insurers regularly write contracts that cover the actual or estimated losses associated with the delinquency and default of mortgage loans. In the absence of mortgage insurance, when a mortgage loan becomes delinquent, the holder of the note typically loses interest payments it would otherwise have received and also may incur expenses associated with foreclosure and liquidation of the mortgaged property. The proceeds from liquidation also may fall short of the amount of principal due to the note holder. If, in lieu of a foreclosure, the mortgage loan is renegotiated in connection with the default, the note holder also may experience losses associated with the workout of the loan. In any case, mortgage insurance would reimburse the note holder for all or part of the foregone interest, expenses and liquidation shortfall.
In the case of loans that have been securitized, i.e., turned into a security, mortgage-backed security investors may turn to bond insurers or government-sponsored enterprises to mitigate losses arising from default of the underlying mortgage loans. These parties typically guarantee the timely payment of loan principal, interest or both. In exchange for a fee, these guarantors absorb all or a portion of the losses that would otherwise be associated with the guaranteed securities. When a securitized mortgage loan experiences a payment default, the guarantor typically compensates the security holder for the difference between scheduled principal and interest payments and the aggregate net amount which is actually realized from a workout or liquidation. As is the case with payments from mortgage insurers, this "make-whole" payment is passed along to a security holder undistinguished from the payment of interest and return of loan principal through normal means, such as amortization or prepayment.
In addition, the guarantor generally ensures that these payments are made to the securities investor at the originally scheduled time, so that the investor does not bear the risk or expense of delays inherent in the loan workout or foreclosure/liquidation process. The existence of insurance for a mortgage loan, or of a guarantee for a mortgage-backed security, is generally established at the beginning of the life of the loan or security in question. A contract between the insurer/guarantor and the investor or trustee sets the terms of the arrangement. A feature of this contract is that the payment obligation of the insurer or guarantor always runs to the owner of the insured or guaranteed asset so that the asset and the insurance cannot be decoupled, even if the value of the arrangement to the owner changes. This feature makes the arrangement illiquid and potentially less valuable.


A method for fabricating an in-plane switching LCD device includes forming a data line and a light-shielding layer on a substrate, forming a pixel electrode line and an active region with a polycrystalline silicon thin film, forming a first insulating layer on the substrate, forming a gate electrode and a common electrode line on the first insulating layer, forming a second insulating layer on the substrate, forming a first contact hole that exposes at least portions of the data line and the active region, and forming a connection electrode that connects at least portions of the exposed data line and the active region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly, to an in-plane switching mode LCD device, and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, with the increase of the need for displaying information and the demand for using portable information systems, light and thin film type flat panel display (FPD) devices have been actively researched and commercialized, and the conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) devices have been replaced. Among these flat panel display devices, an LCD device is utilized for displaying an image by utilizing an optical anisotropy of a liquid crystal. The LCD device can be installed in a notebook computer, a desktop monitor, or any other display devices because of its excellent resolution, color rendering capability and picture quality.
A method for driving the LCD device includes a twisted nematic (TN) method that drives a liquid crystal molecule on a nematic in a vertical direction to a substrate. However, this method has a problem that a viewing angle is as narrow as 90°. This is due to a refractive anisotropy of the liquid crystal molecule by which the liquid crystal molecule disposed parallel to the substrate is aligned in the vertical direction to the substrate when a voltage is applied to a liquid crystal display panel.
Accordingly, an in-plane switching method has been proposed to improve the viewing angle to more than 170° by driving the liquid crystal molecule in a horizontal direction for the substrate. The in-plane switching method will be explained in more detail.
FIG. 1 is a plane view showing a part of an array substrate for a conventional in-plane switching LCD device, in which only one pixel is shown by way of illustration. In fact, there are N gate lines and M data lines crossing each other, and therefore N×M pixels exist in an actual LCD device.
As shown in FIG. 1, an array substrate 10 includes a gate line 16 and a data line 17 for defining a pixel region by being arranged horizontally and vertically, a thin film transistor 20 formed at the intersection region between the gate line 16 and the data line 17 as a switching device, and a pixel electrode 18 formed at each pixel region.
The thin film transistor 20 includes a gate electrode 21 connected to the gate line 16, a source electrode 22 connected to the data line 17, and a drain electrode 23 connected to the pixel electrode 18. The thin film transistor 20 further includes first and second insulating layers (not shown) for insulating the gate electrode 21, and the source and drain electrodes 22, 23, and an active layer, namely, a channel layer (not shown) for forming a conductive channel between the source electrode 22 and the drain electrode 23 by a gate voltage supplied to the gate electrode 21.
In the pixel region, a common electrode 8 and the pixel electrode 18 for generating an in-plane horizontal electric field are alternately disposed. The common electrode 8 is diverged from a common electrode line 8a disposed parallel to the gate line 16. The pixel electrode 18 is electrically connected to the drain electrode 23, and diverged from a pixel electrode line 18a overlapped with the common electrode line 8a. The common electrode line 8a is formed on the same plane as the gate line 16. The pixel electrode line 18a is formed on the same plane as the data line 17. An insulating layer is interposed between the common electrode line 8a and the pixel electrode line 18a thus to form a storage capacitor.
In the LCD device, an amorphous silicon thin film was mainly utilized as the channel layer of the thin film transistor 20. The amorphous silicon thin film transistor technique was first described by English LeComber et al. in 1979, and commercialized as a 3-inch liquid crystal portable television in 1986. Recently, an amorphous silicon thin film transistor LCD device with a large area of more than 50-inch has been developed.
However, the field effect mobility of the amorphous silicon thin film transistor of about (<1 cm2/Vsec) prevents its use in peripheral circuits that apply signals to the pixel region, because the peripheral circuits operate at more than 1 MHz. Accordingly, the research and development have been actively performed to simultaneously form a switching transistor in the pixel region and peripheral circuits in a driving circuit region together on a glass substrate by utilizing a polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor, which has the field effect mobility greater than that of the amorphous silicon thin film transistor.
The polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor technique has been applied to a small module such as a camcorder etc. since a liquid crystal color television was developed in 1982. Since the polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor has low photosensitivity, high electric field effect and mobility, a driving circuit can be directly fabricated on a substrate.
Increased mobility enhances the operation frequency of the driving circuit that determines the number of driving pixels that can be driven while maintaining an adequate display capability. More specifically, the increased frequency decreases the charging time of a signal applied to a pixel such that distortion of the signal is decreased and picture quality is thereby improved.
Accordingly, the conventional additional process for connecting a driver integrated circuit (IC) and the pixel array is not necessary thus to increase productivity and reliability. In addition, since the polycrystalline silicon thin film has the above-mentioned excellent characteristics, a smaller and excellent thin film transistor can be fabricated.
The polycrystalline silicon thin film generally has the coplanar structure, in which the gate, source and drain electrodes are formed on the same layer on the basis of the active layer. The active layer is mainly positioned at the lowest layer of the substrate.
In the thin film transistor of the coplanar structure, the channel layer is exposed to lower backlight. Therefore, the channel layer is electrically and optically influenced by the backlight, which may cause an off-current, namely, a leakage current to be increased thus to deteriorate characteristics of the device and lower image quality of an LCD panel.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a method has been proposed to additionally dispose a light-shielding layer below the channel layer to shield incident light thereonto. However, the fabrication process becomes complicated because an additional process is required for forming the light-shielding layer.
In addition, the number of photolithography processes are required in the thin film transistor of the coplanar structure utilizing the polycrystalline silicon thin film more than in a staggered structure, thereby increasing fabrication costs.

In plane switching mode liquid crystal display device


A new Gypsophila plant particularly distinguished by having small, semi-double, white flowers and an upright shrub form type, is disclosed.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Gypsophila, botanically known as Gypsophila paniculata L., and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'Pearls Petite'. 'Pearls Petite' originated from an open pollination within a group of unmarked parental lines in April 2010 in Negev, Israel.
Seeds were obtained from the open pollination and sown. Plants were then grown for evaluation. A plant line was selected in August 2010 in Negev, Israel and named 'Pearls Petite'. In September 2010, 'Pearls Petite' was first vegetatively propagated in Negev, Israel by side shoot cuttings. 'Pearls Petite' was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via side shoot cuttings in Negrev, Israel.


A wheel and tire assembly for recreational vehicles, such as mountainboards, motorized carts and pedaled carts is provided. The tire comprises a tire made of substantially inelastic material that will not stretch under a load. Thus, the tire will flatten under a load to provide a high level of traction on soft and irregular surfaces, as well as on hard and flat surfaces. The tire includes protrusions on its inner diameter surface for securely engaging the wheel. The wheel includes a rim that supports the tire and includes protrusions for engaging the protrusions of the tire in an interdigitating manner. The interdigitating engagement of the protrusions on the tire with the protrusions on the wheel prevents slippage and rotation of the tire relative to the wheel. The wheel also includes support flanges that extend radially inward from the rim in order to protect the tire from damage as the tire deforms under a load.

Recreational vehicles, such as mountainboards, motorized carts and pedal-operated carts are operated over a variety of terrains. These terrains can include many different types of surfaces, including hard, soft, smooth and irregular (i.e., rough or bumpy) surfaces. It is difficult to design wheel and tire assemblies that provide optimum performance characteristics on a variety of surfaces. Therefore, the wheels and tires that are provided on recreational vehicles are often designed for optimum performance on a particular type of surface only, or are designed to provide compromised performance on a variety of surfaces.
Traditional wheel and tire assemblies for recreational vehicles include a wheel and a tubed or tubeless pneumatic tire mounted on the wheel. To ensure adequate load bearing capacity, to retain the tires on their rims and to ensure that the tires resist the torque applied to rotate and stop rotation of the wheels and tires, the tires are typically constructed of tough, relatively hard materials and are inflated to high operating pressures, typically in excess of 10 psi. When the typical wheel and tire assemblies are mounted on a vehicle and subjected to an axial load by a rider/operator, the tires flatten only very slightly and generally retain the appearance of deflated, unloaded tires. As a result, the contact areas between the tires and the support surfaces underlying the tires are small, so that the pressure per unit area on the support surfaces is high, which causes the wheels and tires to sink partially into soft support surfaces such as sand and loose dirt. The high operating pressures to which the tires are inflated also make the tires less yielding to obstacles, bumps and irregularities on the support surface, which can lead to a bumpy ride, and thus a loss of speed while traversing terrain and diminished control of the vehicle by a rider/operator.
The invention aims to provide an improved wheel and tire assembly for recreational vehicles to allow for optimum performance on a wide variety of surfaces. Additionally, it is an object of the invention to provide a wheel and tire assembly wherein the tire is securely mounted to the wheel without being permanently attached to the wheel, in order to ensure safe operation and ease of replacement for the tire and/or wheel. The invention further aims to provide a wheel and tire assembly that can be manufactured relatively quickly and inexpensively.

Wheel and tire assembly for recreational vehicles


Multiple device recording may be provided. First, a recording device may be added to a network. Next, in response to adding the recording device to the network, recording device attribute data and recording device metadata may be received from the recording device. The received recording device metadata may then be translated. Then, using the translated metadata, asset data corresponding to assets on the recording device may be displayed. The asset data may be displayed in such a way to indicate which assets on the recording device are supported and which assets on the recording device are not supported.

Cable television is a system of providing television to consumers via signals transmitted to a television set through fixed optical fibers or coaxial cables. A set-top box (STB) may be used to convert the cable television signals to ones usable by the television set. A digital video recorder (DVR) may be used in conjunction with a STB. The DVR may record video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, memory card, or other memory medium within the DVR.

Multiple recording devices connected in a home network


Described herein is an endoscopic instrument such as a dissector, scissor or grasper in which there is provided a shaft which defines a longitudinal axis of the instrument. This shaft is able to rotate about the handle portion of the instrument. This mechanism also provides for articulation of the end effectors with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. This articulation is accomplished by causing angulation of the end effector with respect to the shaft. Because driving the cable is accomplished around any such angle, the end effectors continue to be able to operate. There is disclosed herein a locking mechanism which allows the rotational aspect of the device to operate to rotate the entire articulating mechanism.

Within endoscopic surgery, there is a recognized need for simple devices such as graspers, dissectors, scissors, and other basic surgical instruments. These instruments are necessary in order to perform simple functions during the endoscopic procedure. Specifically, devices such as graspers are necessary in order to properly move the work site away from the other vital organs so that the tissue to be worked on may be isolated and surgery may be performed. Scissors may be needed in order to make an appropriate cut in tissue, muscle or other vasculature. Dissectors can be necessary to separate one portion of tissue from another. These instruments also enable the other, larger instruments such as staplers and ligating clip appliers to have enough volumetric room in order to perform operations such as appendectomies, cholecystectomies, herniorrhaphies, etc.
Traditionally, instruments such as graspers, dissectors, scissors and other endoscopic instruments have been mounted on generally straight shafts. These shafts may or may not have been able to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the shaft. Nonetheless, there has been perceived a need for the end effector of the shaft to be able to angulate with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. This may enable the surgeon to attack the tissue which is to be operated from an oblique angle. In fact, it may be desirable to have the shaft angulate up to 90.degree. with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. In many ways, this function can be analogized to the capability of the human hand to rotate around the "axis" of the arm, and also "angulate" about the wrist. Of course, while the hand is able to function with pure rotation, the degrees of freedom given by wrist action are much greater and in many ways enhance the ability of the hand to perform simple daily functions. Thus, there is perceived a need for an articulating, angulating endoscopic instrument so that the functions of such mechanisms can be made much more versatile.
Previously, there have been attempts at creating articulating instruments, but none of these instruments have the capability of performing functions at an angulation of 90.degree. to the longitudinal shaft of the endoscopic mechanism. This is due, in large part, to the tolerancing and material strength problems encountered by the manufacturers of such instruments. It must be remembered that it is necessary to not only have an instrument which can create such angulations, but it also be capable of operating the end effectors at such angulations. This combination has been difficult to create, and has caused design sacrifices to be made. Generally, these sacrifices have been made to the versatility of such instruments, so that such endoscopic instruments are not capable of being angulated at 90.degree. to the shaft of the instrument. Of course, with this restrictive limitation, the ultimate capabilities of such angulations are not met.

Rotational endoscopic mechanism with jointed drive mechanism


When a repeatedly periodically moving site of a to-be-examined subject in a gantry is subjected to computed tomography and is reconstructed, the gantry is rotated in synchronization with the movement of the periodically moving site, and a dynamic image showing a transient phenomenon is obtained in which the periodic movement of the moving site has been stopped. As a result, the flow of a contrast agent or the like can be observed in a state of stopping the movement of an internal organ that moves repeatedly periodically.

In general, when a moving object is photographed according to computed tomography, a motion artifact resulting from its motion appears in an image obtained by the tomography. The reason why such a motion artifact appears is that the computed tomography has a low temporal resolution with respect to the speed of the moving object. Therefore, the temporal resolution is heightened as follows. That is, (1) the rotational speed of a computed tomography apparatus (CT apparatus) is increased for a rapidly moving or vibrating organ, such as a heart, so as to have a rotation time of, for example, 0.5 seconds or less, or (2) an algorithm (half scanning) is performed to reduce the number of projection images by, for example, half, and these projection images are used when images corresponding to one rotation are reconstructed such that data acquired by one rotation is divided for each cardiac phase, and then pieces of data having the same cardiac phases are collected from data obtained through a plurality of scanning operations. These techniques make it possible to observe a time-dependent movement (i.e., a movement changing with the lapse of time).
On the other hand, a segment reconstruction algorithm is employed for a periodically moving or vibrating organ, such as a heart. According to this segment reconstruction algorithm, projection images that are different in the X-ray tube view angle of a computed tomographic image and that are the same in the expanding and contracting phase of the heart are collected and reconstructed. For this, if the heartbeat and the computed tomography rotation time (hereinafter, referred to as "CT rotation time") coincide with each other, all X-ray tube view angles become equal to each other as shown in FIGS. 1(A) and 2 (i.e., 180 degrees in the example of FIG. 1(A), and 0 degrees and 180 degrees in the example of FIG. 2), and hence data for one rotation cannot be acquired, thus making it impossible to form an image. Therefore, various measures have been carried out. For example, the CT rotation time is changed so that the heartbeat of a subject, such as a patient, obtained from an electrocardiogram does not coincide with the CT rotation time as shown in FIGS. 1(B) and 3, and, as a result, synchronized projection images are not used (see Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application Nos. H7-313504, H10-328175, and 2001-198121.)
In FIGS. 2 and 3, reference numeral 10 designates a patient, reference numeral 20 designates a gantry of a computed tomography apparatus (also called a "CT gantry"), reference numeral 22 designates an X-ray tube, and reference numeral 24 designates a scintillator arranged two-dimensionally.
However, conventionally, a transient movement, such as the flow of a contrast agent in a contrast examination, the movement of a catheter in a catheterization examination or a surgical operation, the movement of an insertion tube, or the movement of food and drink, was not able to be observed.
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. H9-75338, which is recognized as relating to this conventional technique, discloses a method in which, if the heartbeat is changed during photography of the heart, the rotation time is changed in accordance with a change in the heartbeat so as to improve the accuracy of ECG-gated segment reconstruction. Cardiac computed tomography is usually carried out while holding patient's breath for ten-odd seconds, and hence the heart rate inevitably becomes higher toward the last half of the tomography.
However, this method aims to obtain a three-dimensional image. Even if an image in which a cardiac phase has been changed is formed, there will be a difference in absolute time between CT slices. Therefore, it is impossible to see how a contrast agent or the like dyes.
Additionally, a cardiac muscle perfusion examination is performed according to a MRI method or a PET method, and has an important place in the cardiac examination.
If a cardiac muscle perfusion examination is performed according to the conventional computed tomography method, helical scanning or step & shoot scanning (which is repeatedly performed such that a patient is subjected to computed axial tomography at a position where the patient is lying, and is then subjected to axial tomography at a next position) is performed when ECG-gated or non-ECG-gated computed tomography is performed. Therefore, a time lag occurs between the photographing time of the apex of the heart and the photographing time of the bottom thereof. In addition, the influence of the heartbeat on image quality cannot be completely eliminated (i.e., an artifact does not disappear) even if ECG-gated computed tomography is performed, and hence the image quality is worsened, and the reliability of the result of a perfusion examination is decreased. Although the head of, for example, a patient is a motionless region, top priority is given to uniformity in the CT slice acquisition absolute time of a region undergoing a perfusion analysis in a head perfusion examination using the conventional computed tomography. As a result, the photographing range in the direction of a body axis becomes considerably narrow. As a result, it is impossible to diagnose the whole of diseased parts. In the worst case, it is known later that an important part has not been examined.
Concerning the conventional ECG-gated segment reconstruction and a technique relating to this, various algorithm or hardware attempts have been carried out to optimize the X-ray tube view angle of data acquired to form an ECG-gated segment reconstruction and heartbeat. Additionally, an attempt has been carried out to reduce a motion artifact and improve image quality.
On the other hand, the present invention aims to improve image quality in contrast while satisfactorily using a motion artifact even if temporal resolution is sacrificed.
For example, although a CT value of a diseased part is monitored and analyzed at time intervals in the perfusion examination, the fact that a motion artifact appears or disappears in response to the movement of an internal organ affects the CT value of the diseased part. This becomes a problem in perfusion analysis. In contrast with this, if a motion artifact constantly appears regardless of the movement of an internal organ as in the present invention, the CT value of the diseased part is not affected by its movement, and a wash-in & wash-out change in the contrast agent can be purely monitored.

Computed tomography method and apparatus for a dynamic image of a moving site

National Institute of Radiological Sciences


Carriers suitable for receiving one or more semiconductor wafers for the machining thereof in lapping, grinding or polishing machines, comprise a core of a first material which has a high stiffness, the core being completely or partly coated with a second material, and also at least one cutout for receiving a semiconductor wafer, wherein the second material is a thermoset polyurethane elastomer having a Shore A hardness of 20-90. The carriers are preferably coated with the second material after chemical surface activation and application of adhesion promoter, and may be used for simultaneous double-side material-removing machining of a plurality of semiconductor wafers.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a carrier for receiving semiconductor wafers for the machining thereof in grinding, polishing and lapping machines, a method for coating a carrier, and also a method for the simultaneous double-side material-removing machining (lapping, grinding or polishing) of semiconductor wafers using such carriers.
2. Background Art
Electronics, microelectronics and microelectromechanics require as starting materials (substrates) semiconductor wafers with extreme requirements of global and local flatness, front-side-referenced local flatness (nanotopology), roughness, cleanliness and freedom from impurity atoms, in particular metals. Semiconductor wafers are wafers made of semiconductor materials such as compound semiconductors, for example, gallium arsenide, or elemental semiconductors such as principally silicon and occasionally germanium or else layer structures thereof. Layer structures are for example a device-carrying silicon upper layer on an insulating interlayer ("silicon on insulator", SOI), or a lattice-strained silicon upper layer on a silicon/germanium interlayer with germanium proportion increasing toward the upper layer, on a silicon substrate ("strained silicon", s-Si), or combinations of the two ("strained silicon on insulator", sSOI). Semiconductor materials are preferably used in monocrystalline form for electronic components, and are preferably used in polycrystalline form for solar cells (photovoltaics).
In order to produce the semiconductor wafers in accordance with the prior art, a semiconductor ingot is produced which is firstly separated into thin wafers, usually by means of a multiwire saw ("multiwire slicing", MWS). This is followed by one or more machining steps which can generally be classified into the following groups:    a) mechanical machining;    b) chemical machining;    c) chemomechanical machining;    d) if appropriate production of layer structures.A multiplicity of secondary steps such as edge machining, cleaning, sorting, measuring, thermal treatment, packaging, etc. are also used.
Mechanical machining steps in accordance with the prior art are lapping (simultaneous double-side lapping of a plurality of semiconductor wafers in a "batch"), single-side grinding of individual semiconductor wafers with single-side clamping of the workpieces (usually carried out as sequential double-side grinding; "single-side grinding", SSG; "sequential SSG") or simultaneous double-side grinding of individual semiconductor wafers between two grinding disks (simultaneous "double-disk grinding", DDG).
Chemical machining comprises etching steps such as alkaline, acidic or combination etches.
Chemomechanical machining comprises polishing methods in which material removal is obtained by means of relative movement of semiconductor wafer and polishing cloth under pressure while supplying a polishing slurry (for example an alkaline silica sol). The prior art describes batch double-side polishing (DSP) and batch and individual wafer single-side polishing (mounting of the semiconductor wafers by means of vacuum, adhesive bonding or adhesion during the polishing machining on one side on a support).
For producing highly planar semiconductor wafers, particular importance is ascribed to those machining steps in which the semiconductor wafers are machined largely in a constrained-force-free manner in "free-floating" fashion without force-locking or positively locking clamping ("free-floating processing", FFP). Undulations such as are produced for example by thermal drift or alternating load in MWS are eliminated particularly rapidly, by FFP with little loss of material.
FFP known in the prior art include lapping, DDG and DSP, where DDG will not be considered in the context of this invention due to different kinematics. A lapping method is disclosed e.g. in Feinwerktechnik & Messtechnik 90 (1982) 5, pp. 242-244, while a DSP method is described e.g. in Applied Optics 33 (1994) 7945.
DE 103 44 602 A1 discloses a further mechanical FFP method in which a plurality of semiconductor wafers lie in a respective cutout of one of a plurality of carriers that are caused to effect rotation by means of a ring-shaped outer and a ring-shaped inner drive ring, and are thereby held on a specific geometrical path and machined in material-removing fashion between two rotating working disks coated with bonded abrasive. This method is also termed "Planetary Pad Grinding" or simply PPG. The abrasive is composed of a film or "cloth" bonded to the working disks of the apparatus used, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,407, for example.
Hard substances are used as the abrasive, e.g. diamond, silicon carbide (SiC), cubic boron nitride (CBN), silicon nitride (Si3N4), cerium dioxide (CeO2), zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), corundum/aluminum oxide/sapphire (Al2O3) and many other ceramics having grain sizes of less than 1 micrometer up to a few tens of micrometers. For the machining of silicon in particular, diamond is preferred, and furthermore also Al2O3, SiC and ZrO2. The diamond is incorporated as individual grains or bonded by means of a ceramic, metallic or synthetic resin primary bond to form conglomerates, into the ceramic, metal or synthetic resin matrix of the abrasive bodies.
DE 103 44 602 A1 discloses a method in which either a multiplicity of abrasive bodies containing bonded abrasive are bonded to the working disks or in which the abrasive is bonded in a layer or a "cloth" and cloths of this type are bonded to the working disk. The working layer may also be adfixed by means of vacuum, screwing, covering or by means of hook and loop fastening, or in electrostatic or magnetic fashion (see e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,672 A). Sometimes the working layers are embodied as cloths or laminated sheets (U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,107 A, U.S. Pat. No. 6,599,177 B2).
Sheets having structured surfaces are also known, comprising elevated regions that come into contact with the workpiece and recessed regions via which cooling lubricant can be supplied and abrasive slurry and spent grain can be discharged. An abrasive tool (abrasive cloth) structured in this way is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,407 A, for example. Here the abrasive cloth is self-adhesive on the rear side, which permits a simple change of the abrasive tool on the working disk.
Suitable apparatuses for carrying out the machining methods (lapping, DSP and PPG) appertaining to the invention essentially comprise a ring-shaped upper and lower working disk and a rolling apparatus comprising toothed rings arranged on the inner edge and on the outer edge of the ring-shaped working disks. Upper and lower working disks and inner and outer toothed rings are arranged concentrically and have collinear drive axes. The workpieces are introduced into thin guide cages which are toothed on the outside, so-called "carriers", which are moved between the two working disks during machining by means of the rolling apparatus.
In the case of PPG, the working disk comprises, as mentioned above, a working layer with fixedly bonded abrasive. In the case of lapping, use is made of working disks, so-called lapping plates, composed of cast material, generally a steel casting, e.g. ductile gray cast iron. These contain in addition to iron and carbon a multiplicity of nonferrous metals in different concentrations. In the case of DSP, the working disks are covered with a polishing cloth, wherein the polishing cloth is composed for example of a thermoplastic or heat-curable polymer. A foamed plate or a felt or fiber substrate which is impregnated with a polymer is also suitable. In the case of lapping and DSP, lapping and polishing agents, respectively, are additionally supplied.
For lapping, oils, alcohols and glycols are known as carrier liquids for the lapping agent (abrasive substance slurry, abrasive substances), also called slurry. For DSP, aqueous polishing agents to which silica sol is applied are known, which are preferably alkaline and, if appropriate, contain further additives such as chemical buffer systems, surfactants, complexing agents, alcohols and silanols.
In the prior art, carriers are known which comprise, e.g., disks composed of a first hard, stiff material, e.g. steel, in particular high-grade steel, which are toothed on the outside appropriately to match the rolling apparatus, have holes in their surface for passage of the cooling lubricant, and one or more cutouts for receiving one or more semiconductor wafers, wherein the cutouts for receiving the semiconductor wafers are usually lined with a second, softer material.
These linings are introduced loosely into the cutouts (JP 57041164) or fixed in the latter (EP 0 197 214 A2). Fixing can be effected by adhesive bonding or positive locking, if appropriate with support by enlarged contact areas (corresponding polygons in cutout and lining) or else by anchoring by means of corresponding undercuts ("dovetail") (EP 0 208 315 B1).
Materials known in the prior art for the lining are e.g. polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (EP 0 208 315 B1), and also polyamide (PA), polystyrene (PS) and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF).
Carriers are likewise known which are produced from only a single, sufficiently stiff material, e.g. a high-performance plastic or a plastic having a reinforcement made of e.g. glass, carbon or synthetic fibers (JP 2000127030 A2). U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,245 discloses carriers composed of polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyaryl ether ketone (PAEK), polyetherimide (PEI), polyimide (PI), polyether sulfone (PES), polyamideimide (PAI), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), acetal homopolymer (POM-H), acetal copolymer (POM-C), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), and epoxy (EP). U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,245 also discloses carriers having applied protective coats of lacquer based on epoxy (EP), epoxy-acrylate mixture (EP/AC), polyurethane-acrylate mixture (PU/AC) or epoxy-acrylate-polyurethane (EP/AC/PU).
For application in the case of lapping, usually a single-layered steel or high-grade steel carrier with or without a lining is used (cf. DE 102 50 823 B4). Owing to the aggressive, less selective material-removing free lapping grain in the lapping slurry, the steel or high-grade steel carriers are subject to a high degree of wear.
The wear can be reduced somewhat if the thickness of the carriers is chosen to be significantly thinner than the final thickness of the semiconductor wafers. In this case, however, it is still at least 0.2-0.4 μm per lapping procedure with 90 μm target removal of material from the semiconductor wafers.
Owing to the continuous and considerable decrease in the thickness of the carriers, there is a continuous increase in the residual overhang of the semiconductor wafers upon reaching their target thickness over the residual thickness of the carriers. This leads to continuously changing machining conditions. The achievable flatness of the semiconductor wafers is considerably impaired as a result. The material abrasion from the carriers moreover leads to an additional contamination of the semiconductor wafers with trace metals. In order to ensure a reliable guidance of the semiconductor wafers in the receiving openings of the carriers, the overhang of the semiconductor wafer over the residual thickness of the carrier that is subject to wear is not permitted to exceed specific maximum values. For some profile shapes of the edges of the semiconductor wafers, the total wear of the carrier is not permitted to exceed as little as 10 μm, since otherwise the semiconductor wafers leave the receiving openings of the carriers during machining and fracture occurs. Therefore, the wear of the carrier is a major problem in the case of lapping, as well.
For applications in chemomechanical double-side polishing with colloidal silica in alkaline dispersion, carriers having a coating composed of plasma-deposited diamond-like carbon (DLC) have been proposed (US 2005/0202758 A1). The DLC coating effectively prevents contamination of the semiconductor wafers by metal. However, the production of the DLC coating is extremely complicated and expensive and makes the entire polishing process very expensive overall.
In particular when using diamond abrasive, the carrier materials known in the prior art are subject to very high wear. The material abrasion from the carrier adversely affects the cutting capacity (sharpness) of the working layers. This leads to an uneconomically short lifetime of the carriers and necessitates frequent unproductive redressing of the working layers.
Furthermore, a very high degree of wear was observed in all carriers composed of plastics known in the prior art with fiber reinforcement. This wear amounted to at least three up to a few tens of micrometers decrease in thickness of the carrier per operating procedure with 90 μm material removal from the semiconductor wafer. As a result, the carriers can only be utilized for a small number of procedures, which is uneconomical.
It has furthermore been shown that additional double-side coatings known in the prior art without fiber reinforcement, e.g. by means of lacquer or wear protection coatings composed of EP, EP/AC, PU/AC, etc., as disclosed e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,245, are all subject to a very high degree of wear. In the case of EP and EP-based mixed coatings, moreover, they led to particularly rapid blunting of the working layer.
In particular, specific hard coatings proved to be totally unsuitable as coating for carriers for carrying out the PPG method. By way of example, a carrier coated with 3 μm DLC which can be utilized for a few hundred to well over a thousand operating procedures when used in double-side polishing (DSP) with colloidally disperse alkaline silica sol (chemomechanical polishing) was completely eroded down to the bare metal surface after just a few seconds when used in a PPG method. Ceramic or other hard substance coatings prove to be just as unsuitable.
Finally, it has been shown that some of the coating materials applied to the carrier core are exposed to very high (frictional) forces which lead to detachment of coatings produced by means of layer application methods known in the prior art.

Carrier, method for coating a carrier, and method for the simultaneous double-side material-removing machining of semiconductor wafers


A softPAL implementation and mapping method are described. The implementation utilizes both LUTs and architecture-specific logic circuits to implement softPAL functions, and selects from several implementations in order to decrease delay in function implementation. The method describes techniques for estimating p-terms in a 2-bounded sub-graph, factoring methods, mapping strategies for LUTs and dedicated logic elements, and delay optimization of critical paths.

Some types of programmable logic devices (PLDS) (e.g. FPGAs) are implemented with a combination of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) that include lookup tables (LUTs) capable of implementing any function of their input signals, flip-flops for storing data, and dedicated resources such as fast carry chains and cascade structures capable of implementing a limited number of functions. These elements within a CLB can be interconnected to form more complex functions without having to use general routing resources, causing these complex functions to be implemented with less delay. Also, within a CLB, delay is predictable, since there is no unknown routing delay.
Mapping software selects the kinds of resources in the FPGA (or other PLD) that will implement each portion of a user's logic design, and typically attempts to optimize area, delay, or a combination of area and delay when choosing the types of resources. For an FPGA implementation, some conventional mapping software implements combinational logic portions of a user's logic design in a combination of LUTs and dedicated resources, but doesn't take full advantage of the dedicated resources. For example, mapping software may use dedicated fast carry chains to implement the carry portion of an arithmetic function but may not use fast carry chains to implement additional logic functions such as AND, OR, or MUX that these fast carry chains can also implement. In particular, conventional mapping software does not map common sum-of-products (SOP) functions to architectural features such as a combination of fast carry chains, cascade structures, and LUTs that can efficiently implement SOP functions.
Examples of conventional mapping software include Chortle-crf and FlowMap. The Chortle software is described in "Chortle-crf: Fast Technology Mapping for Lookup Table-Based FPGAs" by Robert Francis, Jonathan Rose, and Zvonko Vranesic, proceedings of the Design Automation Conference 1991, pp 227–233. The FlowMap software is described in "FlowMap: An Optimal Technology Mapping Algorithm for Delay Optimization in Lookup-Table Based FPGA Designs" by J. Cong and Y. Ding, IEEE Transactions on CAD, February 1994, vol. 13, No. 1, pp 1–12. Flowmap must map to LUTs of a single size, but given a LUT size, Flowmap can map any given circuit into a network of LUTs.
Mapping software may model area as the total number of LUTs or CLBs required for the mapping, and typically models delay in terms of the number of levels of logic in the path from an input of the design to an output of the design that is determined to be the critical (slowest) path. Chortle-crf attempts to produce a mapping having optimized delay and area, and FlowMap attempts to produce a mapping having optimized delay. Other mapping software focuses on other features of the PLDs to which designs are to be mapped. One such algorithm for multiple sized LUTs is described in a paper by Jianshe He and Jonathan Rose entitled "Technology Mapping for Heterogeneous FPGAs" (1994 ACM International Conference on FPGAs). Another mapping software package described by Jason Cong and Songjie Xu for mapping a design to multiple sizes of LUTs entitled "Delay-Optimal Technology Mapping for FPGAs with Heterogeneous LUTs," presented at the 1998 Design Automation Conference improves upon the process by He and Rose. Another process for mapping to a plurality of sizes of LUTS is described by Mohan and Chaudhary in U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,208 B1, entitled "Delay Optimized Mapping For Programmable Gate Arrays With Multiple Sized Lookup Tables."
Conventional methods of mapping don't make full use of the dedicated resources available on a particular architecture. A method that expands mapping considerations to the other dedicated resources in addition to LUTs, as well as addressing other related problems, is therefore desirable.

Softpal implementation and mapping technology for FPGAs with dedicated resources


A scanning optical device includes a deflector deflecting a light beam emitted from a light source, and a pair of optical component groups arranged on both sides of the deflector in a sub-scanning direction and focusing the light beams deflected by the deflector to form images on a surface of an image carrier. Each of the optical component groups has a lens focusing the light beam deflected by the deflector in the sub-scanning direction, and a mirror reflecting the light beam passed through the lens toward the surface of the image carrier. One lens of one optical component group and the other lens of the other optical component group are supported so as to deform in the opposite directions each other in the sub-scanning direction when they are thermally deformed.

The present disclosure relates to a scanning optical device configured to scan and expose a photosensitive drum with a laser beam and an image forming apparatus provided with the scanning optical unit.
An image forming apparatus is generally provided with a scanning optical device constituted of a laser scanning unit exposing a photosensitive drum with a laser beam and forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum. The scanning optical device includes a light source emitting the laser beam, a deflector deflecting the laser beam, optical component groups containing lenses and mirrors and an optical box storing the light source, the deflector and the optical groups.
The scanning optical device has an opposed scanning type configured such that a pair of optical component groups are symmetrically arranged with respect to the deflector in the optical box and radiate laser beams on two photosensitive drums to form an latent image on each photoconductive drum. In such the scanning optical device of an opposed scanning type, a fθ lens focusing the laser beam in a sub-scanning direction may be deformed so as to curve in the sub-scanning direction due to temperature rising in the optical box. When the fθ lens is deformed in the sub-scanning direction in the scanning optical device of an opposed scanning type, the images formed on two photoconductive drums curve in opposite directions each other in the sub-scanning direction. As a result, color registration cannot be aligned and, therefore, deterioration of image quality, such as color irregularity and the others, is caused.
The lenses, such as the fθ lens, are often adhered to the optical box using an adhesive in view of material cost and automation of assembly. In such a case, because of a difference in linear expansion coefficients between a material of the lens and a material of the optical box, it is necessary to absorb a difference between the deformed amounts of the lens and the optical box when they are thermally deformed. Usually, since a linier expansion coefficient of the optical box is smaller than that of the lens, a deformed amount of the lens is larger than that of the optical box. Therefore, if the lens may be adhered to the optical box with multiple adhesion positions, the difference between the deformed amounts cannot be absorbed to cause a partial distorsion on the lens and peeling of the adhesive. On the other hand, if the lens may be adhered at one adhesion position near the center, although the difference between the deformed amounts can be absorbed, some problems may be occurred. For example, a posture of the lens may become unstable depending on the adhesion position of the lens, the lens may be easily detached due to lack of adhesive strength and vibration may occur easily.
Therefore, in the scanning optical device, in order to support the lenses stably while absorbing the difference between the deformed amounts of the lens and the optical box, the both ends of the fθ lens may be pressed with plate springs. Alternatively, one end of the fθ lens may be pressed with a plate spring while pressing the other end against a positioning rib.
However, in the above-mentioned scanning optical device employing the plate spring, although the difference in the linear expansion coefficients can be absorbed by deformation of the plate spring, if impact and vibration may be applied during transportation or another situation, some problems, such as a displacement of the fθ lens from a predetermined position and difficulty in automation of assembly, may be caused.

Opposed scanning type scanning optical device and image forming apparatus including the same


A balloon catheter including a connecting member, a catheter shaft, a balloon and a heat-generating member. The heat-generating member is in contact with a fluid in a distal portion of the catheter shaft. A method for treating a patient including introducing a low temperature fluid which flows through the balloon, introducing energy into a catheter shaft, and converting the energy into heat by a heat-generating member to heat the fluid, whereby an organ of the patient is heated and cooled. In the method, a portion of a diseased tissue of the organ is (i) heated from 35 to 40° C. to 60 to 80° C. within 30 seconds, (ii) expanded by applying a pressure of 500 kPa or smaller to the balloon, and (iii) cooled to 45° C. or lower within 40 seconds.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a balloon catheter, a medical apparatus, a method for treating a living organ and a use of the medical apparatus for treating a living organ. More particularly, the present invention relates to a balloon catheter which can cure a diseased tissue by heating and cooling a living organ in a very short time and, in particular, can expand a blood vessel without causing damages when the balloon catheter is used in the percutanuous transluminal coronary angioplasty, a medical apparatus comprising the balloon catheter, a method for treating a living organ using the balloon catheter and a use of the medical apparatus for treating a living organ.
2. Description of Related Art
The percutanuous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) using a balloon is being widely conducted recently. In the period shortly after the introduction of the technology, examples of the operation in which PTCA was applied and the diseases to which PTCA could be applied were rather limited. Due to the progress in instruments and technology, the application of this technology has been expanded not only to multivessel diseases but also to complete occlusion and acute myocardial infarction. However, the frequency of recurrence of stenosis is great, and this is considered to be the greatest problem of PTCA. To prevent the recurrence of stenosis, various stents have been developed and used. However, the effect of preventing the recurrence of stenosis is limited, and the presence of the remaining stent occasionally works as an obstacle for the treatment. Moreover, stainless steel used as the material of the stent occasionally exhibits allergic effects to the tissue. Therefore, it has been desired that stenosis is treated without using a foreign substance such as stainless steel and the recurrence of stenosis is prevented. Heretofore, it has been tried that a tissue of a tubular organ is burned or vaporized directly by a laser treatment or that the portion of stenosis is treated with argon laser beams. However, these trials failed without significant effects due to formation of serious damages to tissues or adverse effects of decomposition products.
It is considered that, when a cell of a smooth muscle is damaged and the tissue is restored by the stem cell, abnormal information due to the damage is transferred or abnormal division of a stem cell takes place, and the recurrence of stenosis of a tubular organ takes place. It is occasionally conducted that a blood vessel for the treatment is cut by a so-called transluminal extraction catheter (TEC) or a rotablator so that the outer membrane alone is left remaining, and a stent is disposed thereafter. When a necessary tissue is removed by the cutting, the tissue of the inner skin is not stabilized even when the tissue is formed, and this is considered to cause the recurrence of stenosis. Since a blood vessel is forced to expand by a pressure as great as 800 to 1,000 kPa in the ordinary PTCA, the tissue is torn or the tissue of the blood vessel is degraded by the great force. Therefore, the recurrence of stenosis tends to take place due to excessive growth of the cells of the smooth muscle during the restoration of the coronary artery.
The development of instruments and methods for expanding a blood vessel without causing damages to the blood vessel at the portion of stenosis have been conducted. For example, as the apparatus useful for applying heat to the inside of the body of a patient in a treatment such as the treatment for forming blood vessels, a system for expanding a tubular organ in the body having a means for controlling a catheter which applies heat and pressure to a tissue of a tubular organ simultaneously, detects the change in the behavior of yielding or the change in the thermal conductivity of the tissue of the tubular organ, and react to the behavior of the tissue, is proposed (Japanese Patent No. 2984056, page 2). However, it is very difficult that the physiological reaction of a portion of disease in a very different diseased condition in each case is examined under a single criterion and the most suitable treatment is applied to the portion of disease. In PTCA, as the catheter which can solidify the inner face of a blood vessel by heating to prevent recurrence of stenosis without causing damages on the inner membrane of the blood vessel, a catheter equipped with a balloon made of a fluororesin and having a heating tube absorbing laser beams and a laser fiber protruding into the balloon, is proposed (Japanese Patent No. 2535250. pages 1 and 2). However, the thickness of the blood vessel tends to decrease when the inner wall of the blood vessel is heated at 80 to 90° C. As the catheter which prevents excessive local heating of the inside of the balloon, a catheter which has a heating tube having a metal braid and a resin tube covering the metal braid and two thermocouples in the balloon, is proposed (Japanese Patent No. 2864094, pages 1 and 2). However, this catheter has a problem in that it is difficult that a excellent result is obtained with stability when an excessively great force or an excessively great invasion of heat is applied to a blood vessel.

Balloon catheter, medical apparatus and method for treating living organ


A pad structure includes a first metal-containing layer formed over a substrate. A first passivation layer is formed over the first metal-containing layer. The first passivation layer has a first opening partially exposing the first metal-containing layer. A pad layer is formed over the first passivation layer, covering the first opening. The pad layer includes a probing region configured to be contacted by a probe and a bonding region configured to have a wired bonded to it. The probing region contacts the first metal-containing layer through the first opening, and the bonding region overlies a portion of the first passivation layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor structures and methods of forming the semiconductor structures, and more particularly to pad structures and methods of forming the pad structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
With advances associated with electronic products, semiconductor technology has been widely applied in manufacturing memories, central processing units (CPUs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), light emission diodes (LEDs), laser diodes and other devices or chipsets. In order to achieve high-integration and high-speed goals, dimensions of semiconductor integrated circuits continue to shrink. Various materials and techniques have been proposed to achieve these integration and speed goals and to overcome manufacturing obstacles associated therewith. In order to reduce die size, pads are formed on a region under which active or functional devices or circuits are formed, instead limited to peripheral regions of the die.
Generally, a chip having a pad formed thereover will be subjected to an electrical test during a probing step. The probing step uses a probe touching or contacting the pad for collecting electrical characteristics of devices or circuits coupled to the pad. If the electrical characteristics of devices or circuits exhibit predefined acceptance values, the chip is packaged for assembling with another substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), through wire bonds. Each of the wire bonds is bonded over a respective pad. Accordingly, a pad thus is subjected to a probing force and a bonding force during the probing step and the bonding step, respectively.
If a pad dimension is reduced, the wire bond may be bonded over a region of the pad that is damaged by a probe. The contact between the pad and the wire bond is subjected to subsequent tests, such as a reliability test. In addition, the same region of the pad subjected to both a probing test and a bonding step may not tolerate the combined forces thereof. Accordingly, a "circuit under pad (CUP)" structure which includes a probing region and a bonding region for separately sustaining the probing force and the bonding force has been proposed to solve the problem.
FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a prior art CUP structure. In this figure, contacts 113, 123, 135 and metal layers 115, 125 and 150 are sequentially formed over the substrate 100. Dielectric layers 110, 120, 130 are sequentially formed between the substrate 100 and metal layer 115, between the metal layers 115 and 125, and between the metal layers 125 and 150, respectively. A passivation layer 160 is formed over the dielectric layer 130 and a portion of the metal layer 150. A pad layer 170 including a probing region 170b and a bonding region 170a is formed over the passivation layer 160, contacting with the metal layer 150. A passivation layer 180 is formed over the passivation layer 160, having an opening (not labeled) partially exposing the pad layer 170.
Generally, the metal layers 150 and 125 are referred to as "a top metal layer Mtop" and "a secondary top metal layer Mtop-1." The metal layer 115 includes an active or functional circuit pattern. As shown in FIG. 1A, the metal layers 150 and 125 serve only as buffer layers which provide desired mechanical strength against the probing and bonding forces. With the buffer layers 125 and 150, the dielectric layer 120 and the routed circuit of the metal layer 115 under the pad layer 170 are less susceptible to damage during the probing step and bonding step. However, the use of the metal layer 125 as a buffer layer under the pad layer 170 reduces the routing area of the circuit pattern 126 formed at the same layer of the metal layer 125. Accordingly, the reduction in the die area is limited.
In order to solve the problem described above, another pad structure has been proposed as shown in FIG. 1B. In this figure, the passivation layer 160 extends into a region between the probing region 170b and the metal layer 150. The passivation layer 160 under the probing region 170b serves as a buffer layer for a probing step, but the metal layer 125 under the bonding region 170a still serves as a buffer layer. Accordingly, active or functional circuits 126 can be routed under the probing region 170b, and more routing area is accessible, compared with the structure shown in FIG. 1A. However, the probing step may crack the passivation layer 160 under the probing region 170b, because the passivation layer 160, i.e., an oxide layer, is less elastic than a metal layer. The cracking 175 occurring in the passivation layer 160 causes product reliability concerns at this area.
From the foregoing, improved pad structures and methods of forming the pad structures are desired.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


The invention relates to a display device, especially in a motor vehicle, comprising a display (2) which can be illuminated by a light source (1), and a light guide (7) which is arranged between the light source (1) and the display (2). Said light source (1) comprises a plurality of individual light sources (10), the entire light-radiating surface of said light sources being larger than the surface of the display (2). In order to increase the light efficiency, the light guide (7) comprises, on the light source side, individual light guiding sections (12) which are associated with the individual light sources (10), said sections forming a common light guiding section (13) on the display side.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display device, in particular in a motor vehicle, having a display that can be illuminated by a light source, and a light guide arranged between the light source and display, the light source having several individual light sources whose overall light-emitting surface is larger than the surface of the display.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such display devices are known, and are used, for example in motor vehicles for instrument illumination. By contrast with displays that can be illuminated by intense individual light sources such as, for example, halogen lamps or fluorescent lamps, these devices can have a lower power consumption and reduced heat loss emission.
For reasons of traffic safety, there is an urgent need in motor vehicles for the individual display instruments to have a brightness that enables them to be read even given high ambient brightness. This is also of great importance, in particular, for so-called headup displays where—as described in DE 198 52 842 C1, for example—an image is reflected into a front pane of the motor vehicle. Because of the constricted space conditions generally applying in the region of the dashboard of the motor vehicle in which the display device is fitted, and of the therefore problematic use of intense light sources that, firstly, require a large installation space and, secondly, emit a substantial heat loss, an attempt is being made to replace the individual light source by a plurality of light sources that admittedly each have a low light intensity per se, but which also have a low heat loss emission. The problem arises in this case that because of geometric boundary conditions—the miniaturization of these light sources is limited—the arrangement of light sources requires a larger surface than that to be illuminated.
A known solution to this problem consists in arranging between the light sources and display a light guide in the form of a solid pyramidal frustum whose base surface adjoins the light sources and which tapers in the direction of the display. Owing to this shape of the light guide, the light beams emerge from the light guide at a larger angle than that at which they entered it. This opposes the requirement for a narrow light emission angle that ensures a high intensity of illumination. Again, there are disadvantageous light losses owing to the exit of light at the side surfaces of the light guide, since the light beams impinge on the surface on each reflection at a relatively large angle near the perpendicular, and the total reflection is thereby cancelled.


A hub port in a loop network is disclosed. The hub port includes a hub data source, first and second detect circuits, and a processor. The hub data source supplies data to the hub port from the loop network. The first detect circuit is configured to detect a first sequence from an attached node port establishing a loop circuit. The second sequence from the attached node port indicates to terminate the loop circuit. The processor is configured to receive the first sequence from the first detect circuit. Further, the processor operates to close a detect window and to increment a sequence origination count, if the detect window is open. The second detect circuit is configured to detect the second sequence from the hub data source confirming the termination of the loop circuit.

The present invention relates to electronic network systems, and more specifically to detecting and counting Open Ordered Set originating from a node port in Fibre Channel.
Electronic data systems are often interconnected using network communication systems. Approaches that have been developed for computer network architectures include area-wide networks and channels. Traditional networks (e.g., LAN""s and WAN""s) may offer flexibility and relatively large distance capabilities. Channels, such as the Enterprise System Connection (ESCON) and the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), have been developed for high performance and reliability. Channels often use dedicated short-distance connections between computers or between computers and peripherals.
Features of both channels and networks have been incorporated into the Fibre Channel standard. Fibre Channel systems combine the speed and reliability of channels with the flexibility and connectivity of networks. Fibre Channel products often run at high data rates, such as 266 Mbps or 1062 Mbps. These speeds are sufficient to handle quite demanding applications, such as uncompressed, full motion, high-quality video.
There are at least three ways to deploy a Fibre Channel network, which include simple point-to-point connections, arbitrated loops, and switched fabrics. The simplest topology is the point-to-point configuration, which simply connects any two Fibre Channel systems directly. Arbitrated loops are Fibre Channel ring connections that provide shared access to bandwidth via arbitration. Switched Fibre Channel networks, called xe2x80x9cfabricsxe2x80x9d, are a form of cross-point switching.
Conventional Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) protocols provide for loop functionality in the interconnection of devices or loop segments through node ports. However, direct interconnection of node ports may be problematic since a failure at one node port in a loop may cause failure of the entire loop. This difficulty may be overcome in conventional Fibre Channel technology through the use of hubs. Hubs may include a number of hub ports interconnected in a loop topology. Node ports are connected to hub ports, forming a star topology with the hub at the center. Hub ports which are not connected to node ports or which are connected to failed node ports are bypassed. Therefore, the loop may be maintained despite removal or failure of node ports.
The present disclosure includes a hub port in a loop network for detecting and counting open ordered sets originating from an attached node port. The hub port includes a hub data source, first and second detect circuits, and a processor.
The hub data source supplies data to the hub port from the loop network. The first detect circuit is configured to detect a first sequence from an attached node port establishing a loop circuit. The second sequence from the attached node port indicates to terminate the loop circuit. The processor is configured to receive the first sequence from the first detect circuit. Further, the processor operates to close a detect window and to increment a sequence origination count, if the detect window is open. The second detect circuit is configured to detect the second sequence from the hub data source confirming to terminate the loop circuit.
The present disclosure also includes a method for detecting and counting open-ordered sets. The method includes monitoring for an open ordered set originating from an attached node port and examining an open detect window, if the open ordered set is detected. The method also includes closing the open detect window and incrementing an open ordered set origination count, if the open detect window is open.

Detecting and counting open ordered sets originating from an attached node port


A sintering compound containing a sinterable powder and a binder removable in a debinding step is injected into a metal mold set provided with a sintering compound injecting mold, in a sintering compound molding step (S104). An add-on forming compound which becomes removable or separable from the sintering compound injection molded body in the debinding step or the sintering step is injected into the metal mold set provided with an add-on mold in an add-on forming step (S102). The sintering compound injection molded body and the add-on are formed integrally with each other in the metal mold set. The integral formation of the add-on and the sintering compound injection molded body enables to prevent damage during release from the mold and make easy to handle the injection molded body.

Powder injection molding includes three steps: a sintering compound molding step in which power of a metal for example is mixed with other components such as a resin binder, under heat until the mix is fluid, and then the mix is injected to form a molded body; a debinding step in which the molded body is heated to remove the resin binder; and a sintering step in which the molded body is heated at a higher temperature until the powder is sintered. When the powder is provided by a metal, the method is commonly known as MIM (Metal Powder Injection Molding) method, and is widely used in manufacture of metal objects such as metal parts having complex geometries.
Powder injection molding uses essentially the same injection molders as used in plastic injection molding. However, since the feedstock contains a greater ratio of sintering powder than the resin binder, there is a problem that the intermediate, i.e. the body as injection molded, is lower in strength than typical resin products manufactured by injection molding. In particular, due to the debinding and sintering steps that must follow the step of injection molding, handling is often difficult between these steps. Typically, molded bodies of a complicated shape are often damaged while they are being moved for the next step.
In addition, due to the lower strength of the molded body, the body is often damaged when removed from the mold. This poses a special difficulty in the removal of a small body or a body which has a complicated shape.
In typical resin injection molding, small bodies are connected via a runner in a single mold, then formed in a single shot, and a resulted tree of the bodies are often handled as a single piece. However, this is very difficult in powder injection molding. Because of lower strength of the molded body, a plurality of bodies connected via a runner and molded in a single injection is very difficult to release from the mold. Therefore, producing a small body of a complicated shape by means of powder injection molding greatly decreases production efficiency.
In recent years, there have been attempts to employ LIGA (Lithographie Galvanoformung Abformung) processes in the production of metal mold sets for resin injection molding, as part of various efforts to build so called micro machines. However, for the reasons described above, it has been very difficult to make micro machines from powder injection molded bodies containing a metal or a ceramic.

Manufacturing method of a sintered powder molded body


Multiple injection holes are formed in an injection hole plate. Each injection hole penetrates the injection hole plate. The injection hole is formed with an inlet side opening and an outlet side opening. The outlet side opening is formed in the shape of a flattened rectangle having a major axis and a minor axis. Therefore, the fuel flowing into the injection hole through the inlet side opening is injected in the shape of a film from the outlet side opening. Thus, liquid film splitting is promoted, so atomization of the fuel is promoted. Since the multiple injection holes are formed in the injection hole plate, the shape of a great fuel spray, which is formed by combining fuel sprays injected from the respective injection holes, can be adjusted easily.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection device of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of Related Art
A fuel injection valve for directly or indirectly injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine (an engine, hereafter) is publicly known. The fuel injected from the fuel injection valve is mixed with air in an air intake pipe or a combustion chamber and forms combustible mixture with the air. The mixture in the combustion chamber is compressed by a piston. Then, the mixture is ignited by an ignition plug and is combusted.
In the case of such a kind of engine, mixing performance between the fuel injected from the fuel injection valve and the air affects engine performance. Specifically, atomization of the fuel injected from the fuel injection valve is an important factor that affects the engine performance. A technology of disposing a plate, which is formed with multiple injection holes, at a tip end of a nozzle of the fuel injection valve is publicly known as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. H11-70347 (a patent document 1), for instance. By disposing the plate formed with the multiple injection holes at the tip end of the nozzle, the fuel flowing through a fuel passage formed between a valve member and a valve body is distributed to respective injection holes. Thus, the atomization of the fuel is promoted.
Recent years, regulations such as further reduction of harmful matters (for instance, nitrogen oxides) discharged from the engine have been strengthened. Therefore, the reduction of the harmful matters included in the exhaust gas is required than ever. However, it is difficult for the conventional atomization technology to respond to the recent strengthening of the exhaust gas regulations.
In a fuel injection valve disclosed in the patent document 1, an injection hole is formed in a cylindrical shape in a plate. Since the injection hole is formed in the cylindrical shape, a position for forming a fuel spray can be easily controlled. By arbitrarily adjusting the positions of the multiple injection holes formed in the plate, the fuel spray can be formed in a desired shape. In the case where the injection hole is formed in the cylindrical shape, the fuel injected from one injection hole forms a spray in a rod-like shape. Therefore, further atomization of the fuel is difficult.

Fuel injection device of internal combustion engine


A multi-function air inlet control apparatus for an aircraft engine includes an air inlet frame housing a plurality of adjacent, spaced apart louvers attached by hinges at opposing ends to the air inlet frame. The hinges allow the louvers to pivot through a substantially 180 degree angle defined by a vertical plane of the air inlet frame. A linking device interconnects with each of louvers, whereby the louvers are moved in unison through the substantially 180 degree angle. An actuator communicates with the linking device for controlling the movement of the louvers in response to operating parameters of the aircraft engine. The multi-function air inlet control is a single device that fulfills the need for additional air during takeoff and other critical modes, and that will dump air overboard when the engine is throttling or is shut down.

The present invention relates generally to inlet structures for aircraft engines, and more particularly, to an engine air inlet having a control mechanism to regulate airflow into the engine in accordance with low or high speed flight characteristics.
The primary purpose of an aircraft engine air inlet is to supply the correct quantity and quality of air to the compressor of the engine. The performance of the inlet is related to the following four characteristics: (1) total pressure recovery; (2) quality of air flow, i.e, distortion and turbulence; (3) drag; and (4) weight and cost. The performance of the inlet must be determined by simultaneously evaluating all four characteristics since the gain in one is often achieved at the expense of another.
Total pressure recovery of the inlet is an important measure of the inlet performance and is defined as the ratio of the total pressure at the compressor face to that of the free stream air flow. It is desired to recover as much of the total pressure at the compressor face as possible because the total pressure of the free stream represents the available mechanical energy of the flow which can be converted into a static pressure increase as the flow is decelerated through the engine. A large static pressure is desirable at the compressor face because the compressor section of the turbine engine does not have to be as large in order to compress the flow to the required pressure for combustion.
Another characteristic of inlet performance is the quality of the airflow delivered to the engine compressor. It is important that the distortion and turbulence of the flow at the compressor face be minimal, otherwise compressor stall or even flame out can result.
Although high performance is desired from the inlet, it must be balanced by tolerable weight and costs. While variable geometry inlets may improve performance over a range of operating conditions, it should be determined whether the improved performance is worth the added complexity, weight, and cost of the variable inlet geometry.
The inlet should be sized to provide the proper amount of air to the engine at all flight conditions. All inlet designs require compromises in order to achieve an acceptable performance throughout the variations in flight Mach number, angles of attack, and sideslip, as well as variations in the properties of the atmosphere. Normally, the most critical flight conditions or parameters are selected and the inlet is sized for these design conditions. Additional structures or methods are provided to optimize performance on so called "off-design" flight conditions.
At low speeds, for example, most inlets do not have enough cowl capture area to provide the required engine airflow. Cowl capture area is the cross sectional area of the inlet. Auxiliary doors or suck-in doors can provide additional air during take-off.
At higher speeds, however, excess air may exist in the inlet that must be dumped overboard. The excess air can either spill around the cowl lips or the excess air can be dumped through bypass doors. The inlet designer must also consider that both spillage and bypass air produce drag.
In light of the foregoing, there exists a need for a simplified, variable geometry, engine air inlet having a control mechanism that can regulate the airflow into the engine in accordance with low or high speed flight characteristics, especially "off design" flight conditions.


There is provided a ceiling panel for a pod room. The ceiling panel comprises one or more cover components movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration; and an actuation mechanism configured to move the one or more cover components from the closed configuration to the open configuration in response to a trigger. The ceiling panel may provide a specified percentage open area in the open configuration. The ceiling panel may be adapted to acoustically insulate the pod room in the closed configuration.

Fixed partition rooms require project planning, coordination with building trades, building regulation approval, and permanent connections to the infrastructure of the building in which the fixed partition rooms are installed, all of which incur cost, over the initial build cost, along with disruption and landfill waste when there is a need to reconfigure.
Pod rooms on the other hand can simply be unpacked, assembled and plugged in, and may offer a guaranteed acoustic performance. Assembly may require just one tool with a large proportion of the system able to be assembled by hand.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An armored voice coil assembly comprises a former that is impregnated with a curable resin, preferably polyimide resin. Voice coil wire is wound around the outside surface of the former and is then preferably encased with an outer layer of resin impregnated glass fabric wrapped around the voice coil windings, effectively enveloping the voice coil within inner and outer layers of fabric and resin. The armored voice coil assembly is then cured into a solid shape.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electromechanical loudspeaker motor structures, and, more particularly, to an armored voice coil assembly and methods for making armored voice coil assemblies for use in high power, long excursion loudspeaker applications.
2. Description of Related Art
Recent market emphasis on long excursion, high power dissipation loudspeakers (e.g., low frequency drivers or woofers) has challenged manufacturers to make products which will withstand previously unimaginable levels of abuse. DB drag races and other forms of loudness-level competition have created markets for amplifiers and loudspeakers dissipating several kilowatts (kW) for extended periods of time. Such products have been incorporated in auto sound systems generating acoustic outputs exceeding one hundred seventy decibels (170 dB) before failing.
Loudspeakers have well understood limitations. In particular, high power signals drive a speaker's diaphragm or cone into extreme excursions and can cause the usually pistonic motion of the diaphragm to become mis-aligned when driven by more challenging audio signals. Typical prior art woofers utilize circular baskets supporting frustoconical driver diaphragms having a circular peripheral edge carrying an annular surround or suspension. Customarily, the circular small end of the frustoconical diaphragm supports a substantially cylindrical voice coil former upon which is wound a conductive voice coil having positive and negative terminal ends.
Conventional woofers utilize supportive baskets which closely follow the frustoconical shape of the driver diaphragm and support the motor magnet and the circular diaphragm surround in a co-axial alignment, permitting the axial movement of the diaphragm in response to electrical excitation of the voice coil.
Loudspeaker or woofer failure can be often attributed to thermal or mechanical overloading problems. Substantial amounts of power are required to provide competition-winning sound pressure levels, and signals having such power require very large current flow through voice coil conductors, thus generating substantial amounts of heat and driving the woofer's diaphragm to extreme excursions. Those extreme excursions generate extreme mechanical loads on the diaphragm and its supportive suspension. In competitions, operators seek the loudest possible playback and often over-drive the loudspeaker drivers, causing voice coils to burn out or open circuit. Such extreme use may also cause mechanical failure of the cone, the surround, the "spider" suspension member, or, when a moving, mis-aligned voice coil rubs the motor's annular gap edge, failure of the voice coil.
There is a need, therefore, for a voice coil adapted to withstand the abuse encountered in modern high-power long-excursion loudspeaker applications.
When assembling loudspeakers, one critical alignment step usually adds substantially to the cost and duration of the assembly operation. The loudspeaker motor must be assembled with the substantially cylindrical voice coil located precisely and concentrically in an annular motor gap. The cone and voice coil are usually part of a first assembly that is lowered into a second assembly comprising a motor and basket. If the assembler mis-aligns the voice coil in the annular magnetic gap, the voice coil may contact or rub the magnetic gap's edge, thereby causing distortion or failure of the loudspeaker. The criticality of this alignment increases the cost of assembling loudspeakers.
There is also a need, therefore, for a voice coil assembly adapted to permit a less critical and costly loudspeaker assembly process.

Armored voice coil assembly for use in high power loudspeaker applications


A plasmid isolatable from Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes, which comprises a gene coding for a Rep protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8 or an amino acid sequence having homology of 90% or more to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8, and has a size of about 4.4 kb or about 6 kb, or a derivative thereof.

The present invention relates to a novel plasmid derived from Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes. The plasmid of the present invention can be utilized for improving coryneform bacteria, which are used for producing useful substances such as L-amino acids.
Amino acids, including L-glutamic acid and L-lysine, are produced by fermentative methods using the coryneform bacteria, which generally belong to the genus Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, or Microbacterium, or variant strains thereof (Amino Acid Fermentation, Gakkai Shuppan Center, pp. 195-215, 1986).
In the industrial fermentative production of amino acids, besides improving the yield relative to saccharides, shortening the culture time, improving the amino acid concentration, and so forth, increasing the culture temperature is an important technical factor that increases the economical efficiency. That is, the culture is usually performed at an optimum fermentation temperature, which is 31.5° C. for Corynebacterium glutamicum. After the culture is started, heat is generated during the fermentation, and hence amino acid production is markedly reduced if this heat output is not removed. Therefore, cooling equipment is required in order to maintain the optimum temperature of the culture broth. On the other hand, if the culture temperature can be elevated, it is then possible to decrease the energy required for cooling and the cooling equipment can be reduced in size.
Among coryneform bacteria, Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes has been isolated as a coryneform bacterium that can grow in higher temperatures (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (Kokai) No. 63-240779). Whereas growth of Corynebacterium glutamicum is markedly suppressed at 40° C., Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes can grow at a temperature of about 40° C. or higher, and is therefore suitable for high temperature fermentation.
Currently, reliability of DNA recombination techniques is steadily improving in Escherichia coli and coryneform bacteria. To improve microorganisms using DNA recombinant techniques, plasmids derived from microorganisms belonging to other species, genus or broad host spectrum vectors are often used. However, plasmids native to the objective microorganism are generally used. In particular, when the optimum culture temperature for the objective microorganism to be improved is different from that of a microorganism of the same species or genus, it is preferable to use a plasmid native to the microorganism.
To date, plasmids derived from coryneform bacteria which have been obtained are pAM330 from Brevibacterium lactofermentum ATCC13869 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (Kokai) No. 58-67669), pBL1 from Brevibacterium lactofermentum ATCC21798 (Santamaria. R. et al., J. Gen. Microbiol., 130, pp.2237-2246, 1984), pHM1519 from Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC13058 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (Kokai) No. 58-77895), pCG1 from Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC31808 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (Kokai) No. 57-134500) and pGA1 from Corynebacterium glutamicum DSM58 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open (Kokai) No. 9-2603011).
However, no plasmid native to Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes has been obtained at present.

Plasmid autonomously replicable in coryneform bacteria


A pliers is composed of a first long member and a second long member having a middle neck portion which is provided with a long slot. Pivoted to the first long member is a stopping member, which is located in the long slot and provided with a serrated portion engageable with teeth of the long slot. A first spring is fitted over a second support arm which forms an angle with a first support arm. A second spring is fastened at one end thereof with a grip end of the first long member, and at another end thereof with a grip end of the second long member. The first and the second long members are forced by the springs to open up completely in the absence of an external force exerting on the pliers.

The conventional pliers is generally composed of two jaws which are pivotally coupled such that the two jaws can hold securely a work piece. Such a conventional pliers is defective in design in that the distance between the two jaws can not be adjusted to hold the work pieces of various sizes. Another conventional pliers is composed of two jaws which can be adjusted in distance separating the two jaws for holding the work pieces of various sizes. However, the pivot of the pliers is vulnerable to sliding to result in the poor clamping of the work piece. The pliers disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,651,598 and 4,662,252 are intended to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional pliers described above; nevertheless they can not be easily assembled in view of the embedded biasing spring of the pliers.

No. 5, Chang Ma Street, Ma Hsing Village


A fuel cell system is provided that comprises a fuel cell for powering an electrical load, an oxidant supply device for supplying oxidant to the fuel cell, an energy storage device for providing at least temporary electrical power to drive the oxidant supply device and to the electrical load, and a control device which, in response to an increased power demand from the electrical load, directs the energy storage device to provide electrical power to the oxidant supply device, and then, when an increase in fuel cell power output has been detected, directs the energy storage device to provide electrical power to the electrical load. Methods for operating the fuel cell system are also provided.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for operating a fuel cell system and, more specifically, to a method and apparatus for operating a fuel cell system in response to an electrical power demand by an electrical load.
2. Description of the Related Art
As disclosed in German Patent No. DE 195 40 824 C2, one of the problems encountered in providing electrical power from a fuel cell is related to the supply of oxidant to the fuel cell itself. In this respect, the oxidant supply compressor may be powered exclusively by an electric motor (as in the above-mentioned patent document), or may be powered by an expander, which expands exhaust gases that have been generated in the fuel cell and utilizes the resulting recovered thermal energy to drive the compressor. The latter design is known, for example, from German Patent No. DE 197 55 116 C1.
A disadvantage of such systems is that the power needed by the compressor is generated by the fuel cell itself, either as electrical power or as energy recovered from the exhaust gases. This creates a problem with regard to the dynamic response, as the fuel cell is not able to immediately provide increased electrical energy since the necessary increase in oxidant volume must first be provided to the fuel cell by the compressor.
To address this dynamic response limitation, it has generally been accepted to use an electrical energy storage device to provide the temporary energy shortfall to the electrical load that is demanding a certain target power. In a motor vehicle, such demand is typically based on the position of the accelerator pedal. For motor vehicle applications, this means that it is necessary to employ electrical storage devices, such as batteries, which are able to provide comparably high power and a correspondingly high amount of energy. Batteries of this nature are typically very large and heavy, which is a significant drawback in motor vehicle applications in terms of weight and space requirements.
Accordingly, there is a need in this field for a method and apparatus for operating a fuel cell system in response to an electrical power demand by an electrical load that overcomes the above-mentioned dynamic response limitation. The present invention fulfills this need and provides further related advantages.

Method and apparatus for operating a fuel cell system