An ultrasonic liquid level sensor has a transducer mounted at the lower end of an aluminum tube that projects upwardly in a liquid tank so that the tube is filled with liquid to the same height as that outside the tube. Internally, the tube has a layer of an acoustically-absorbing plastics to damp the transmission of ultrasonic vibration from the wall of the tube into liquid within the tube.

This invention relates to liquid-level gauging.
The invention is more particularly concerned with ultrasonic liquid-level gauging sensors.
Ultrasonic liquid-level sensors utilize the fact that ultrasonic vibrations travel freely in a liquid but are rapidly attenuated in air or other gas. If an ultrasonic transducer is mounted on the base of a liquid reservoir so that it directs energy up towards the liquid/air interface, the energy will be reflected back down to the transducer by this interface. By measuring the time taken between transmission and reception of an energy pulse, it is possible to measure the distance between the transducer and the liquid/air interface and, from this, the depth of liquid.
It is common practice for ultrasonic transducers of this kind to be mounted at the lower end of a tube that extends from the bottom to the top of the liquid reservoir. The tube is open at the bottom so that liquid fills the tube to the same depth as in the reservoir outside the tube. The tube serves several purposes. It helps isolate the transducer from other sensors or sources of interference. It also confines the ultrasonic beam, so that it is directed only at the region of the liquid surface directly above the transducer. Furthermore, the tube produces within it a region of liquid surface that is substantially damped of waves.
Another advantage arising out of the use of the tube is that it is easy to provide a reference height, by mounting some form of reflector at a known height within the tube. In this way, the transducer will receive a reflection from the liquid surface and one from the reference reflector against which the liquid height can be calibrated. This enables the ultrasonic gauging system to compensate for different liquids having different acoustic propagation properties and for temperature variations which can affect ultra-sound propagation. An example of an ultrasonic probe having a tube of this kind is described in, for example, EP 0106677.
There are various problems with existing ultrasonic liquid gauging sensors. One problem arises from the fact that, in addition to the ultra-sound energy being transmitted through the liquid within the tube, energy is also propagated within the wall of the tube itself. This can lead to propagation from the wall into the liquid, especially at locations where the tube wall is clamped for support purposes, and hence to false echoes being received by the transducer. Attempts to reduce this problem have included the use of tubes made from plastics materials which are less prone to the generation of stray echoes. This, however, causes another problem in that, because plastics are not as rigid as metals, the wall of the tube has to be relatively thick in order to produce the necessary rigidity with a consequent increase in weight. In aircraft fuel gauging applications where a dozen or more fuel gauging probes might be used, the weight can be considerable and lead to appreciable increases in operational costs.
A further difficulty with these sensors is caused where ultrasonic energy does not pass axially along the tube since this gives rise to multiple echoes, and an increase in path length with a consequent time delay. This is especially a problem where the liquid surface is not at right angles to the tube axis since a majority of the reflected signals will not pass axially along the tube. Although the signals that are reflected axially along the tube can be sufficient to enable the height of liquid to be determined, these signals can be masked by strong signals caused by multiple reflection from the wall of the tube.

Smiths Industries Public Limited Company


A removable handle for a cooking utensil comprising a handle section and a utensil connecting section disposed parallel thereto and being interconnected by an intermediate section, a guide and locking pin extending from the free end of the utensil connecting section, and a stop extending from the utensil connecting section generally adjacent the intermediate section.

Cooking utensils for use in connection with conventional and microwave ovens and in particular a cooking basket or other receptacle intended for receiving large food items such as turkeys, roasts, etc. are widely used in both home and commercial applications. Of course, the food item to be cooked is simply placed in the cooking basket and transferred to the oven to be cooked for the appropriate cooking time. When the food item is fully cooked, the basket is removed from the oven wherein pot holders, a towel or other similar item must be employed to prevent burning of the user's hands. Of course, utilizing the conventional heat protection items is awkward and the possibility of the cooking basket slipping from the user's grip is always a possibility.


A damping system for a turbine bucket. The damping system includes a damper pocket with a variable tangential depth and a damper pin positional within the damper pocket.

Gas turbines generally include a rotor with a number of circumferentially spaced buckets. The buckets generally include an airfoil, a platform, a shank, a dovetail, and other elements. The dovetail is positional about the rotor and secured therein. The airfoils project into the gas path so as to convert the kinetic energy of the gas into rotational mechanical energy. During engine operation, vibrations may be introduced into the turbine buckets that can cause premature failure of the buckets if not adequately dissipated.
Many different forms of vibration dampers are known. One example is found in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,932, entitled "VIBRATION DAMPER ASSEMBLY FOR THE BUCKETS OF A TURBINE." The dampers shown therein may be used in the 6C-stage 2 bucket as is offered by General Electric Company of Schenectady, N.Y. The 6C-stage 2 bucket may experience relatively high vibratory stresses during, for example, transient operations.
Although these known dampers may be largely adequate during typical operations, there is a desire to improve overall damper effectiveness, axially and radially restrain the damper, prohibit rotation of the damper during transient operations such as startups and shutdowns, and ensure proper installation of the damper. These goals preferably may be accommodated and achieved without the loss or reduction of overall system efficiency.


Rinsing methodologies and components to accomplish rinsing of tool surfaces in tools that are used to process one or more microelectronic workpieces. The invention can be used to rinse structures that overlie a workpiece being treated in such a manner to function in part as a lid over the process chamber while also defining a tapering flow channel over the workpiece. Rather than spray rinsing liquid onto the surface in a manner that generates undue splashing, droplet, or mist generation, a swirling flow of rinse liquid is generated on a surface of at least one fluid passage upstream from the surface to be rinsed. The swirling flow then provides smooth, uniform wetting and sheeting action to accomplish rinsing with a significantly reduced risk of generating particle contamination.

The microelectronic industry relies on a variety of different processes to manufacture microelectronic devices. Many processes involve a sequence of treatments in which different kinds of treatment fluids are caused to contact the workpiece in accordance with desired recipes. These fluids may be liquids, gases, or combinations thereof. In some treatments, solids may be suspended or dissolved in a liquid or entrained in a gas.
Innovative tools for processing microelectronic workpieces are described in Assignee's issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,681,581 (hereinafter Assignee's Patent No. 1) as well as in Assignee's co-pending U.S. patent applications now published as U.S. Patent Publication Nos. US-2007-0245954-A1 (hereinafter referred to as the Co-Pending Application No. 1); 2008-0271763-A1 (bearing Application No. 2); US-2008-0008834-A1 (hereinafter referred to as Co-Pending Application No. 3); 2009-0038647-A1 (hereinafter referred to as Co-Pending Application No. 4); and 2009-0280235-A1 (hereinafter referred to as Co-Pending Application No. 5). The entireties of the '581 patent and of these co-pending U.S. patent applications are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
The embodiments of the processing sections of these tools as described in the '581 patent cited above and in the co-pending U.S. patent applications cited above advantageously include nested duct features that allow one or more duct pathways to be selectively opened and closed. For example, when the structures are moved apart relatively, a duct pathway opens and is enlarged between the structures. When the structures are moved together relatively, the duct between the structures is choked and is reduced in size. In preferred embodiments, multiple ducts can exist in the same volume of space depending upon how the moveable duct structures are positioned. Thus, multiple ducts can occupy a volume minimally larger than the volume occupied by only a single duct. The ducts are used to capture various treatment fluids, including liquid and/or gases, for recycling, discarding, or other handling. Different treatment fluids can be recovered in different, independent ducts to minimize cross-contamination and/or to use unique capture protocols for different fluids. Because of the nested character of the duct structures, the duct system also is extremely compact.
The '581 patent cited above and the co-pending U.S. patent applications cited above also describe an innovative spray nozzle/barrier structure. This structure includes capabilities for dispensing treatment materials in multiple ways such as by a spray, a center dispense, and gas or vapor introduction. The barrier structure overlies the underlying workpiece. The lower surface of the barrier structure is shaped in preferred embodiments so that it defines a tapering flow channel over the workpiece. This approach offers many benefits. The tapering flow channel helps to promote radial flow outward from the center of the workpiece while minimizing recirculation zones. The taper also helps to smoothly converge and increase the velocity of flowing fluids approaching the outer edge of the workpiece. This helps to reduce liquid splash effects. The angle of the lower surface also helps liquid on the lower surface to drain toward the outer periphery. The tapering configuration also helps to reduce recirculation of particles back onto the workpiece. The configuration also helps facilitate chemical reclaim efficiency by better containment of fluids.
Notwithstanding all these benefits, further improvements are still desired. Firstly, during the course of treating a workpiece, the lower surface of the barrier structure may bear drops or films of liquid(s) used during the treatment and/or as a result of rinsing the barrier structure. For example, Assignee's Co-Pending Application No. 3 describes a rinsing strategy in which rinse tubes are led downward through a chimney leading into a process chamber, wherein the chimney provides a path of egress into the process chamber generally through a central region of the barrier structure. The rinse tubes extend into the process chamber so that their lower ends are generally at the same height as the lower surface of the barrier structure. A rinsing liquid is sprayed onto the lower surface through nozzles attached to the ends of the tubes. Assignee's Co-Pending Application No. 4 describes using a rinse manifold to generate a flow of rinse liquid on surfaces upstream from the process chamber. The rinse liquid is conveyed smoothly along these surfaces and then wets the underside of the barrier structure.
While these strategies effectively rinse the barrier structure, the resultant rinsing action may have more tendencies than desired to splash or drip when impacting the barrier structure. This can generate droplets or mists that, in turn, can lead to particle contamination on the underlying workpiece. Also, the alignment and dispense pattern of the rinses in either strategy can be more difficult to set up. The tubes and nozzles can collect moisture, which can drip and cause contamination. The tubes and nozzles can also obstruct and/or disrupt the flow of liquids and gases into the process chamber. Improved rinsing methodologies are therefore desired.

Methodologies for rinsing tool surfaces in tools used to process microelectronic workpieces


The invention is directed to methods of producing alkoxylated or hydroxylated terpenes comprising the steps of continuously passing a solution comprising an alcohol in combination with a terpene over an acidic resin catalyst in a packed bed reactor in order to yield a product, as well as compounds that are the products of the methods described herein.

Derivatives of terpenes have been widely used in flavors, fragrances, adhesives, pheromones, and cosmetics being made from these renewable starting materials. Existing methods of conversions and derivatizations of terpenes include the thermal conversion of pinane to dihydromyrcene, the conversion of dihydromyrcene to dihydromyrcenol, and the conversion of pinene to limonene. While much work has been focused in this area of research, limited work has been done to improve the continuous reaction of these terpene starting materials using process intensified methods.
Current efforts at producing dihydromyrcenol from dihydromyrcene include: using acidic resins in structured reactors, see, CN 104926610, CN 102964215; using jet reactors, see, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2010, 49, 3170-3175, CN 101684064; and using resin-loaded, reactive distillation columns, see, CN 102617288. These methods all focus solely on hydroxylation chemistry using water under acidic conditions. Because water and the starting material are immiscible, it is required that phase transfer must be overcome through use or additional solvents or through intense mixing. While these methods are of interest for hydroxylation chemistry, there remains a need to develop derivatization chemistry to perform alkoxylations because alkoxy-terpenes are important intermediates and ingredients in the specialty chemicals industry.
For instance, methoxy-citronellene is used both as an ingredient, and as an intermediate for the production of methoxy-melonal, which is a widely used flavor and fragrance agent. Previously, this conversion has only been reported under batch conditions, where the yields are greatly variable and reaction times can range from several hours to days. U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,124 discloses the general etherification of tertiary olefins of this nature using similar chemistry, but fall short of describing the selectivity and reaction demands of terpenes in particular.
In this regard, there is a need for making the alkoxy-terpenes in a much more commercially feasible manner.

Methods for the continuous alkoxylation and derivatization of terpenes


A steel cord for reinforcement of rubber products composed of two material wires of a diameter of 0.25 to 0.40 mm and a carbon content of 0.75 to 0.88 wt % which are entwisted at a twist pitch of 9.0 to 16.0 mm and in open structure, with improved fatigue resistance, flexibility and corrosion resistance.

This invention relates to a steel cord for reinforcement of rubber products of a novel twisting structure to be used for reinforcement of rubber products such as automobile tires, conveyor belts, etc.
Generally, a steel cord used for reinforcement of rubber products such as tires, etc. is composed by intertwisting 3, 4 or 5 pieces of material wires into a strand (1.times.3, 1.times.4 or 1.times.5 construction) as shown in FIG. 7a to FIG. 7c. A steel cord (12) of this construction is composed by intertwisting a plural number of material wires (11) in close contact with one another and a cavity X is formed at the center of the cord. Such construction prevents good penetration of rubber compound into the cavity X at the central part of the steel cord at the time of vulcanization, leaving a continuous cavity as it is in the longitudinal direction of the cord. Tires using this type of steel cord, if they are damaged during the running of a car, produce a so-called "separation phenomenon" in which water penetrating through the damaged part reaches the cavity X and spreads in the longitudinal direction of the steel cord, thus corroding the steel cord and causing poor adhesion of steel cord to rubber compound to sharply reduce the service life of the tires.
However the development of wires of high strength in recent years has made it possible to reduce the number of material wires constituting the steel cord and, as a result, a steel cord for reinforcement of rubber of 1.times.2 construction as indicated in the official gazette No. PDS-62-234921 and No. PDS-62-117893 has also been developed (FIG. 8). In a steel cord (22) of this construction, the corrosion resistance of steel cord has been improved because the cavity X of the said steel cord (12) does not exist and the water penetrating through the damaged part of the tire does not spread in the longitudinal direction of the steel cord. However, a further improvement of fatigue resistance and flexibility is requested of steel cords to cope with the recent trend for higher speed of automobiles and meet the request for improvement of driving comfort. However, the said steel cord (22) of 1.times.2 construction was still poor in fatigue resistance and flexibility, because the material wires (21) which are in contact with each other are liable to produce fretting wear and no rubber compound penetrates into the portion of wire contacts forming a wire construction which seems as if it were made by twisting flat wires, leading to easy occurrence of buckling against repetitive compression and tensile and bending fatigue. Moreover, the said steel cord was also unsatisfactory in the matter of corrosion resistance because the material wires which are in contact with each other cannot be covered completely with the rubber.

Steel cord for reinforcement of rubber products


A keypad includes a support, a snap disk on a first side of the support transformable from a released state to a loaded state, a cover forming a seal over the first side, a pocket in the cover, a magnet and a plunger disposed in the pocket, the plunger adapted to engage and transform the snap disk to the loaded state, a magnetic field sensor on a second side of the support, the second side opposite the first side and logic circuitry adapted to obtain a value of a strength of a magnetic field from the sensor, compare the value against a predetermined threshold value that corresponds at least approximately to the strength of a magnetic field, and when the plunger has transformed the snap disk to the loaded state and the value reaches or exceeds the threshold value, output a signal indicating that a key press occurred.

Keypads in the medical environment are faced with a number of challenges that are unknown to conventional keypads, for example allowing for a rigorous cleaning and avoiding room for the settling of contaminations. Also, especially for endoscopes, the pressing of a key on the keypad may not always have an immediately visible effect, so that is must be ensured that when, from the perception of the user, a key is pressed the corresponding instrument responds in a corresponding manner.
Therefore, it is an object to provide an improved keypad that can be used for an endoscope in a medical environment, especially a sterile environment, that is highly reliable in its functionality and in responding to the control exerted by the user. Also, it is desired that the manufacturing of the keypad can still be achieved in an effective manner. A further object is to provide a corresponding endoscope.

Autoclavable tactile keypad for video endoscopes


The disclosed vacuum cleaner has a smaller, separable vacuum unit that is releasably attached to a larger, base unit tank assembly. It provides a combination vacuum cleaner that has small- and large-capacity configurations suited for vacuum applications having different volumes, locations, or other features. The vacuum cleaner includes a single vacuum source sized for use with the larger tank structure, yet coupled to and removable integrally with the smaller vacuum unit. The smaller vacuum unit can be quickly and easily attached to and removed from the larger tank assembly to facilitate use of the vacuum cleaner in the desired configuration.

Tank-type vacuum cleaners are capable of receiving dry materials, such as debris or dirt, as well as liquids. Such vacuum cleaners typically include an air impeller disposed inside an air impeller housing that is in fluid communication with an interior of the tank. The air impeller creates a low-pressure area in the tank for vacuuming the dry and liquid materials. A motor is operatively coupled to the air impeller.
Wet/dry vacuum cleaners are provided in a variety of sizes for different applications. In general, the size of the tank and motor varies depending on the amount of debris and/or liquids to be vacuumed. Accordingly, large-volume tanks and larger motors are provided in vacuum cleaners intended for larger jobs, while small-volume tanks and smaller motors are provided in units intended for use in smaller jobs. Larger units are heavier and harder to carry, and therefore are typically provided on casters to facilitate movement along a generally planar surface. As such, larger units are commonly used to collect debris and/or liquid from floors, the ground, or similar areas. While smaller units have a reduced volume capacity, they are lighter and easier to carry and therefore may be used in areas in which the larger units are unsuitable or difficult to use. For example, smaller units may be used to vacuum flights of stairs, gutters, or other areas that are spaced from the floor or ground or otherwise require the vacuum cleaner to be carried during use.
It is often desirable to use a vacuum cleaner having a collection capacity that generally matches the volume of debris and/or liquid to be vacuumed. Notwithstanding the above-mentioned portability issues, considerations associated with emptying collected debris and/or liquid, maintenance, and cleaning of the vacuum cleaner make it desirable to substantially match the capacity of the vacuum cleaner with the volume of material to be vacuumed. As such, users are inclined to use a smaller vacuum cleaner for smaller volume jobs and a larger vacuum cleaner for larger volume jobs. Unfortunately, a user confronted with both small and larger volume jobs must either attempt to use a single vacuum cleaner in both applications or purchase two or more vacuum cleaners each suited for a particular job.


A game apparatus adapted for use with objects to be thrown includes a primary panel having a first end and a second end, a secondary panel connected to the first end and forming a tray to receive the thrown objects. A tertiary panel is disposed at the second end and has a perimeter region to which a plurality of elongate obstruction elements are attached. These elements extend into proximity with the secondary panel and form a barrier through which the objects are intended to be thrown. A tension mechanism can be applied to the obstruction elements and a target hole provided in the tertiary panel. Folded configurations of the apparatus facilitate compaction, transportation, and storage of the objects.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to game apparatus and more specifically to game apparatus adapted to be used with thrown objects where the purpose of the game is to penetrate a barrier with the thrown object to reach an interior region of the apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Many games are played with apparatus that are intended to provide targets for objects to be thrown at the apparatus. In the game of horseshoes, for example, a stake provides a target for horseshoes which are thrown at the stake.
Other types of game apparatus form a barrier between the player and the target. In this type of apparatus, the object must not only be thrown at the target but also be delivered with sufficient accuracy to penetrate the barrier. One such game apparatus is commonly referred to as Frisbee.RTM. Golf, where the object to be thrown is a common disk and the target has a special construction, including a penetrable barrier. More specifically, the target includes a supporting pole and a top panel having a perimeter region from which are hung a plurality of chains that extend under the force of gravity into proximity with a bottom panel which forms a tray. Both the top panel and the bottom panel have circular configurations which are symmetrical about an axis passing through the support pole. This enables the target to be addressed from any side. In Frisbee.RTM. Golf, opponents play the game by facing the same target. For this reason, the target is not adapted to be addressed from only one direction as is the case with opponents in the game of horseshoes, which face each other and address separate targets.
The apparatus used in Frisbee.RTM. Golf is intended for use out of doors and is not adapted for disposition within an office. In doors, there is usually not sufficient space to enable a support pole to be placed in the middle of a room. The targets associated with the prior art are not adapted to be positioned next to a wall as they are designed to be addressed from any position around the support pole.

Game apparatus for use with thrown objects


A zoom lens system includes, in order from an object side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power, a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power. During zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, a space between the first lens unit and the second lens unit narrows, at least the second lens unit moves only toward the object side, and the third lens unit is constituted of one positive lens.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens system and an electronic image pickup apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, miniaturization of digital still cameras and mounting of image pickup functions on cellular phones have been advanced. In consequence, it is demanded to further miniaturize and thin image pickup lenses. As these image pickup lenses, there are demanded zoom lens systems having a zoom ratio above 2.5.
As methods for realizing the thin zoom lens systems, there are known a method of bending the optical axis in the vertical direction by disposing a reflecting member in the zoom lens system, and also a method of moving a part of lens units constituting the zoom lens system to the outside of the optical path when the image pickup apparatus is in non-use state.
However, the method of bending the optical axis by use of the reflecting member requires a space for bending rays and a space for moving the lens unit in order to secure the zoom ratio. Since these spaces are not eliminated even when the image pickup apparatus such as a camera is not used, this method is disadvantageous to decrease of the volume of the image pickup apparatus when unused. Furthermore, when the optical axis is bent, layout in the image pickup apparatus is limited.
On the other hand, in the method of moving a part of the lens units to the outside when unused, a mechanism for moving the lens units is required. Therefore, eccentricity of the lens units from the optical axis tends to occur and it is difficult to suppress the adverse influence of the eccentricity. In addition, since driving means for moving the lens units is required, it is difficult to suppress the volume of the apparatus when unused. This method is also disadvantageous in view of costs.
As another method for realizing the thin zoom lens system, a method of using a collapsible type structure in the lens barrel of the zoom lens system. As refractive power layouts of the zoom lens systems for which usual collapsible type lens barrels are intended to use, there are known a two-unit zoom lens system having a refractive power layout of a negative-positive type from an object side; a 3-unit zoom lens system of a negative-positive-negative type; and a 3-unit zoom lens system of a negative-positive-positive type.
Among them, the zoom lens system of the negative-positive type is advantageous in reducing total thickness of the lens frames which directly hold lenses since the number of the lens units is small. However, in order to decrease the total length while securing the zoom ratio, the first lens unit needs to be reciprocated in the optical axis direction and the second lens unit needs to be moved in a region which includes the equal magnification position of the second lens unit during zooming. In this case, when the second lens unit is moved to perform focusing, a movement direction of the second lens unit during focusing from infinity to a short distance is reversed in a magnification state before and after the equal magnification position of the second lens unit. Further, when the zoom lens system is focused on infinity while the second lens unit is in the equal magnification position, focusing to the short distance cannot be performed by the movement of the second lens unit. That is, the second lens unit cannot be used as a focusing lens unit. In consequence, the first lens unit or the whole zoom lens system needs to be moved for focusing, and the total length of the lens barrel including the focusing mechanism increases. Therefore, in this case, this type is disadvantageous in thinning the zoom lens system and securing the zoom ratio.
On the other hand, the zoom lens system of the negative-positive-negative type and the zoom lens system of the negative-positive-positive type are advantageous in that the increase of the total length can be suppressed by performing focusing by the third lens unit.
The 3-unit zoom lens system having a refractive power layout of the negative-positive-negative in order from the object side is advantageous to miniaturization, because it is possible to reduce the diameter of the front lens. However, since the above described type of power layout includes a negative refractive power immediately before the paraxial image surface, this type is disadvantageous in decreasing the F-number to constitute a bright zoom lens system. The incidence angle of an off-axial light flux for the maximum image height on the image surface easily increases, and the type is easily influenced by shading in a case where a CCD image sensor is used.
Moreover, although the layout is advantageous to miniaturization, the type is easily influenced by manufacturing errors, because the image is enlarged by the negative lens unit on the image side. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain a stable optical performance.
On the other hand, the 3-unit zoom lens system having a refractive power layout of negative-positive-positive in order from the object side is advantageous in that the stable optical performance can easily be obtained, focusing can be performed by the third lens unit, change of the total length of the zoom lens system during focusing is suppressed and the total length is reduced. This lens system is also preferable in respect of the performance and simplification of a mechanism.
As a zoom lens system of the negative-positive-positive type, there is known a zoom lens system in which the third lens unit moves to a position closer to the image side in the telephoto end than in the wide-angle end or hardly moves. However, in such a form of movement of the lens unit, since the third lens unit is positioned close to the image surface in the telephoto end, the height of an off-axial ray increases in the third lens unit, and the diameter of each lens easily increases. In the case where the third lens unit moves for focusing operation, when the third lens unit is positioned close to the image surface, the focusing sensitivity (the movement amount of the image surface position at a time when the focusing lens moves as much as a unit movement amount) easily decreases. Therefore, the third lens unit necessarily has a strong positive power, and it is difficult to suppress the axial thickness of the third lens unit.
As examples of the zoom lens system in which the third lens unit moves toward the object side during the zooming toward the telephoto end, there are known zoom lens systems described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2000-284177 and 2001-242378, third and fourth embodiments of Japanese Patent No. 3,513,369 and a second embodiment of Japanese Patent No. 3,606,548. The Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2000-284177 and 2001-242378 and Japanese Patent No. 3,513,369 disclose examples in which the second and third lens units move toward the object side during the zooming toward the telephoto end. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2000-284177 and 2001-242378 and Japanese Patent No. 3,606,548 disclose examples in which the second and third lens units integrally move during zooming, and only the third lens unit moves during focusing.

Zoom lens system and electronic image pickup apparatus using the same


The switched mode power supply comprises an inductor, a switching transistor, a controller circuit coupled to the switching transistor, a rectifying means and a feedback regulation loop for providing a stabilised output voltage. It comprises further a protection circuit coupled to an output or input of a comparator of the controller circuit for providing an overvoltage protection in case of a failure of the regulation loop. The protection circuit comprises in particular an integrating circuit and a comparating circuit. In a preferred embodiment, an output of the protection circuit is coupled to a sense input of the controller circuit, for switching off the controller circuit immediately in case of a failure. In another aspect of the invention, the protection circuit comprises further a second comparator coupled to the first comparating circuit for the surveillance of the input voltage of the switched mode power supply, and for the detection of a short circuit of the inductor or the rectifying means.

It is well known to equip switched mode power supplies with protection circuits, for example for over-voltage protection, over-current protection, low mains voltage, or short circuit protection. Power supplies comprising an integrated controller circuit are already provided with respective protection circuits.
In several countries it is now required to equip switched mode power supplies with a power factor correction (PFC), for reducing the permissible low frequency harmonic content of the waveform of the mains input voltage. For this purpose a step-up pre-converter may be used comprising an integrated controller circuit, which offers a compact and very effective PFC solution. Integrated circuits of this kind are for example the MC33260, manufactured by OnSemiconductor (http://onsemi.com), and L6562 manufactured by ST Microelectronics (www.st.com). Upconverter power supplies of this kind comprise a regulation loop for providing a constant output voltage. These integrated controllers comprise a variety of integrated protection circuits for the case of a malfunction of the power supply as described in corresponding data sheets.
In FIG. 1 a block diagram of the integrated controller circuit L6562 is shown. The operation of this controller circuit is known for persons skilled in the art, and a detailed description as well as application circuits are described in an datasheet, available via Internet or from ST Microelectronics, which is incorporated herewith by reference.
The integrated circuit L6562 in particular has an integrated over-voltage detection circuit in response to the comparator operating as an error amplifier, which is connected with is negative input to the pin 1. This over-voltage detection circuit has the following function: When the load of the PFC pre-regulator is very low, the output voltage of the power supply tends to stay steadily above the nominal value, and which cannot be handled by the regulation of the L6562. If this occurs, however, the comparator output will saturate low. Hence, when this is detected, the driver circuit of the L6562 is switched-off, and therefore also the external power transistor. This is regarded as a static overvoltage protection.
When the comparator goes back into its linear regulation region, the controller IC L6562 resumes to normal operation. As the result, in case of very low load, the L6562 will work in a burst mode, with a repetition rate, which can be very low. The overvoltage detection circuit coupled to the error amplifier provides also a dynamic overvoltage protection in case of a high load drop, as explained in the data sheet.

Over-voltage protection circuit for a switched mode power supply


A memory protection setting unit sets a protection area in a multiport memory provided with two ports, that is, port A and port B. The CPU accesses the multiport memory through port A. At this time, an area other than the protection area can be accessed. The CPU transmits data to an external device through a transfer control device. The transfer control device accesses the multiport memory through port B. Only the protection area can be accessed at this time. Upon receipt of a request from the CPU, the transfer control device writes data received from the external device to the protection area and reads data to be sent to the external device from the protection area. Protection is removed by the memory protection setting unit from the protection area where data is read or written by the transfer control device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer system for inputting/outputting data between the main memory and an external device, and more specifically to a computer system having improved capabilities of inputting/outputting data to an external device connected to another processing device in a parallel computer system in which a plurality of processing devices are interconnected over a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
As large-scale general-purpose computers performing processes serially are reaching the limits of process speed both in hardware technology and logical method, there is an increasing demand for parallel computer systems for performing parallel processes using a plurality of processing elements (hereinafter referred to as cells). Particularly, simulation in scientific technologies (aeromechanics, molecular chemistry, weather analysis, etc.) requires a large amount of calculations to secure the reliability and precision of a solution, etc., and the parallel computers are strongly demanded to shorten the time taken for necessary calculations.
There is, as a form of these parallel computers, a well-known system comprising cells provided with I/O devices such as external magnetic disk storage devices (hereinafter referred to as I/O cells) and cells not provided with those I/O devices (hereinafter referred to as non-I/O cells.
In such a system, a file is generated in an external storage device of an I/O cell and shared by another cell. When writing and reading data from and to the file, a non-I/O cell need access to the I/O cell having the file.
An input/output (I/O) instruction process to access the cell, etc. is performed normally using an I/O instruction packet. In this case, the I/O instruction packet is transmitted from a non-I/O cell to an I/O cell over a network in which they are interconnected.
Upon receipt of the I/O instruction packet, the I/O cell analyzes the contents of the packet, performs a specified process, and returns the process result to the requesting cell through an answer packet. If a reading process is specified, specified data is transmitted from the answer packet to the requesting cell. Since a large amount of data is normally transmitted by the I/O instruction between cells, the received data is not temporarily stored in a buffer in an interface provided between a process device and the network, but directly written to a memory accessible by the process device in order to reduce communications overhead and improve the throughput of the system. That is, with the buffer, data can be copied frequently between the buffer and the memory, thereby requiring a lot of overhead.
Conventionally, in the method in which received data is directly written in a memory, the interface uses a read instruction, for example, to notify the process device of an interruption after all specified data have been stored in a specified area of the memory. Upon receipt of the interruption, the process device reads the received device from the specified area in the memory, performs a corresponding process, reads the specified data from the file of its cell, and transmits the data to the I/O cell through the answer packet.
Assume that data is read from an I/O cell according to a read instruction with the above described configuration in a massively parallel processor. In this case, the throughput of the system can be much more improved by generating an answer packet each time a predetermined length of data is read from the cell according to a read instruction to the I/O cell to send all data to the requesting cell after putting them separately in a plurality of answer packets than by sending all data in a single answer packet to the requesting cell after reading the data requested according to the instruction. That is, in the former method, a task operating in a processing device reads and processes data sequentially from a specified memory area, and concurrently receives the data.
Likewise, when the I/O cell receives a write instruction, the task of the requesting cell can sequentially access an area in a specified memory to which data has been transferred, and the operation of the task and the transmission of data can be concurrently performed.
FIG. 1 shows the data read operation in which a non-I/O cell sends a read instruction to an I/O cell by the divisional packet method in a conventional massively parallel processor system.
In FIG. 1, a cell 10 is a non-I/O cell, but is provided with a processing device. It is connected to an I/O cell provided with a file server 32 over a network comprising a torus network 20. The file server 32 provides the cell 10 with the file access function if the I/O instruction received from the cell 10 is a file read/write instruction. The I/O cell 30 is connected to a disk device 34 (magnetic disk device) in which a file 36 is generated.
With the above described configuration, the cell 10 sends an I/O instruction packet 42 for a reading operation to the I/O cell 30 if data is to be read from the file 36. Upon receipt of an I/O instruction packet 42, the file server 32 of the I/O cell 30 sequentially reads specified data from the file 36, sequentially generates data packets 52, 53, and 54, and transmits them to the cell 10 over the torus network 20.
FIG. 2 shows the process of the cell 10 in the above described operation.
(a) First, a user task of the cell 10 opens a file to be accessed according to an open instruction and receives an identifier fd of the file from the file server 32. Then, it specifies the file identifier fd by a parameter and issues a read instruction. Thus, the I/O instruction packet 42 for a reading operation is transmitted to the I/O cell 30 over the torus network 20. PA1 (b) The user task continues its operation on processes which can be performed regardless of the completion of the reading operation. PA1 (c) If a process is to be performed using the data required in the reading operation, a wait instruction is issued to receive a data packet. PA1 (d) If the data packet 52 arrives at the cell 10 and the processing device of the cell 10 is informed of an interruption, then the processing device starts the interrupting process and writes the data received through the data packet 52 to an area 14. PA1 (e) The user task of the cell 10 reads data from the area 14 of the memory 12 and performs the processes requiring the data. When the subsequent data is required, the wait instruction is issued and the subsequent data packet 53 is expected as in (c). Upon arrival of the data packet 53, the data stored in the packet 53 is processed as in (d) and (e). If the last data packet 54 arrives and the data stored in the packet 54 is completed, the process of data required in the reading operation is completed through the I/O instruction packet 42. The data received through the data packets 53 and 54 is stored in the areas 16 and 18 through the interrupting process.
Conventionally, when the cell 10 receives an answer packet such as the above described data packets from an I/O cell, it interrupts the processing device and informs the processing device of the reception of the answer packet. The processing device is required to process the data stored in the answer packet. Thus, the interrupting process is overhead to the processing device, and the cell 10 has less opportunities to concurrently perform operations of user tasks and I/O processes, thereby reducing the throughput of the entire system.

System for transferring data between main computer multiport memory and external device in parallel system utilizing memory protection scheme and changing memory protection area


A speaker retrieval device includes a first converting unit, a receiving unit, and a searching unit. The first converting unit converts, using an inverse transform model of a first conversion model for converting score vectors representing the features of voice quality into acoustic models, pre-registered acoustic models into score vectors; and registers the score vectors in a corresponding manner to a speaker identifier in score management information. The receiving unit receives input of a score vector. The searching unit searches the score management information for the speaker identifiers whose score vectors are similar to the received score vector.

In recent years, with the development in a speech synthesis technology, synthetic speeches of high quality can be created from texts. Particularly, it is known that, by implementing the speech synthesis technology using the hidden Markov model (HMM), a synthetic speech can be flexibly controlled by manipulating the acoustic model. Moreover, a technology has been proposed by which acoustic feature quantities are extracted from input speech; a degree of similarity is obtained between the acoustic feature quantities of the input speech and the acoustic feature quantities of each speaker in a speech database; and speakers having high degrees of similarity in voice quality with the input speech are retrieved. With the use of this technology, by extracting the acoustic feature quantities from the speech of the desired speaker and by obtaining the similarity between the acoustic feature quantities, candidate speakers having voice qualities close to the voice quality of the desired speaker can be retrieved from a large-scale speech database.
However, in the conventional technology, speech samples of the speaker desired by the user needs to be prepared in advance as a query. Hence, in the conventional technology, unless the speech of the desired speaker can be prepared, speakers having similar voice qualities cannot be retrieved. That is, in the conventional technology, it is difficult to search for speakers having high degrees of similarity in the voice quality.    [Patent Literature 1] WO/2009/110613    [Non Patent Literature 1] Yusuke Ijima et al. Similar Speaker Selection Technique Based on Distance Metric Learning Using Highly Correlated Acoustic Features with Perceptual Voice Quality Similarity, IEICE Trans. INF. & SYST., Vol. E98-D, No. 1 (2015)

Speaker retrieval device, speaker retrieval method, and computer program product


A covered gutter system comprising a covered gutter, mounting bracket and fittings a providing an elongate channel in which to receive water from an overhead water feed (such as a roof), wherein the water may from time to time be carrying solid content, said covered gutter comprising: a) a channel formation comprising front and rear walls upstanding from a base region to define a channel, and b) a cover formation extending from the rear wall of the channel formation and over the channel, there being an undercut portion of the cover which, together with an upper edge of the front wall of the channel, defines an elongate mouth opening along the gutter, and wherein said cover formation is adapted to guide water from the water feed through the mouth opening and into the channel, while assisting to deflect solid content away from the mouth opening. A bracket where the inside profile of the bracket corresponds with the outside profile of the covered gutter.

Gutters for channeling rain water can often become clogged and obstructed by debris carried with the flow of rain water as it washes from building surfaces. Once clogged, the ability of the gutter to efficiently channel the flow will be compromised, or it may simply fill up with water and overflow.
Because guttering is typically mounted near the roof and/or upper regions of the building it can be difficult and unsafe to access the channel in order to clean it. The geometry of the channel can make it difficult, messy and time consuming to clean.
Placing a mesh or cover over the open top of the channel is not always effective in keeping out debris, and can make cleaning even more difficult in the event that clogging does occur. Covering the gutter may also encourage vermin and birds to nest inside the channel, thus causing further obstruction to the water flow.
Providing covering for the gutter channel and other guttering components increases the complexity of installing gutter systems and increases the number of components required. In particular additional support bracketing is often required to secure the covering components relative to the channel because the covers are susceptible to damage in heavy weather condition conditions (e.g. snow, high winds etc).
Some buildings have ample available space on the fascia and/or beneath the eaves of the roof for mounting guttering, and some have little available space. Some buildings have insufficient space to mount both a gutter channel and to cover extend over the channel. The present invention therefore recognises an advantage in providing a gutter that can be conveniently installed on a variety of buildings, even some of those which have lesser space available for mounting the gutter arrangement.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a gutter channel which overcomes or at least in part ameliorates some of the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.
It is an additional or alternative object of the present invention to provide a guttering system which overcomes or at least in part ameliorates some of the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.
In this specification, where reference has been made to external sources of information, including patent specifications and other documents, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the present invention. Unless stated otherwise, reference to such sources of information is not to be construed, in any jurisdiction, as an admission that such sources of information are prior art or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Gutter, gutter assemblies and components therefor


A sheet type detection device includes an image reading circuit, a surface property determination circuit, a thickness determination circuit, and a sheet type identifying circuit. The image reading circuit reads a document image to generate image data. The surface property determination circuit determines a sheet surface condition of a sheet type detection target based on the image data generated by the image reading circuit. The thickness determination circuit determines a sheet thickness of the sheet based on the image data generated by the image reading circuit. The sheet type identifying circuit identifies a sheet type based on the determination result of the surface property determination circuit and the determination result of the thickness determination circuit.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the description in this section is not prior art to the claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
An image forming apparatus such as a copier, a facsimile, and a multi-functional peripheral forms an image on a sheet (recording medium) during conveying. These sheets are available in various types, and sheets different in, for example, material, surface property, and thickness are used. Thus, while a satisfactory image formation quality may be obtained due to using a specific-type sheet, an image formation quality may deteriorate due to using the other-type sheet. For example, when an image formation is performed on a sheet having large unevenness on its surface under an image formation condition optimized for a sheet having a little unevenness on its surface, a recording material moves into concave portions. This consequently and becomes prone to exposure of the sheet surface at which the recording material should present.
To solve this type of problem, a configuration where a user specifies a sheet type to be used in advance is widely employed. However, a low-quality printed matter is often output because the user forgets to specify a sheet type. Thus, an image forming apparatus having a function of detecting a sheet type is proposed.
For example, one print apparatus is proposed. This print apparatus includes: a sensor unit including a light emitting element irradiating a paper sheet, and a detecting element receiving a light reflected by a surface of the paper sheet, and determines, for example, a surface shape of the paper sheet and a resolution from a detection signal of the detecting element.
Additionally, another image forming apparatus is proposed. This print apparatus includes a paper thickness detection roller located in, for example, a sheet conveying path, and identifies a paper sheet thickness from a displacement amount of the paper thickness detection roller pushed up by a paper sheet passing via immediately below the paper thickness detection roller.

Sheet type detection device that ensures reduced trouble for unexecuted sheet type setting, sheet type detection method, image forming apparatus, and recording medium


A semiconductor device includes a magnetic wire having a plurality of magnetic domains, wherein the magnetic wire comprises a magnetic domain wall that is moved by either a pulse field or a pulse current. The magnetic wire of the semiconductor device does not require an additional notch since the magnetic wire includes a magnetic domain wall, the moving distance of which is controlled by a pulse field or a pulse current.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device to which magnetic domain wall movement is applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data storing devices are divided, for the most part, into volatile data storing devices that lose all recorded data when power is turned off and non-volatile data storing devices that keep data even when power is turned off.
Non-volatile data storing devices include a hard disc drive (HDD) and a non-volatile random access memory (RAM). The HDD includes a read and write head and a rotating data recording medium, and can store data of 100 gigabites or more. However, a device that has a rotating part like the HDD wears down over time, and thus, there is a high possibility of failure, thereby reducing reliability.
A flash memory which is widely used is an example of non-volatile RAM. However, the flash memory has the drawbacks of having slow reading and writing speeds and having a short life span. Due to the drawbacks of the flash memory, new memory devices such as ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), and phase change random access memory (PRAM) have been developed in limited numbers and a few have been commercialized. However, it is difficult to develop the FRAM in the form of a large capacity memory due to the difficulty in reducing a cell area, and it is also difficult to develop the MRAM in the form of a large capacity memory since the MRAM has a large writing current and has a small sensing margin for distinguishing data signals. The PRAM is relatively easier to reduce to a minute size compared to the FRAM and MRAM, but a reduction of reset current is needed to reduce power consumption. Also, the flash memory, FRAM, MRAM, and PRAM all have small storage capacities when compared to a HDD and have high manufacturing costs.
Therefore, as a method of solving the drawbacks of the conventional non-volatile data storing devices as described above, much research and development with respect to a new data storing device that uses a magnetic domain wall movement has been carried out.
A magnetic domain in a magnetic substance and magnetic domain walls will now be described. Afterwards, a storing device that uses the magnetic domain and the magnetic domain walls will be described.
A minute magnetic region that constitutes a ferromagnetic body is named a magnetic domain. The rotation of electrons in a magnetic domain or the direction of magnetic moment is identical. The size and magnetization direction of a magnetic domain can be appropriately controlled by the shape and size of a magnetic substance and external energy.
A magnetic domain wall is a boundary portion of a magnetic domain having a magnetization direction different from another magnetic domain. The magnetic domain wall can be moved by an external magnetic field or by a current applied to a magnetic substance. A plurality of magnetic domains having a specific magnetization direction can be formed in a magnetic wire having a predetermined width and thickness, and the magnetic domains can be moved using a magnetic field or an electrical current having an appropriate intensity.
The principle of the magnetic domain wall movement can be applied to data storing devices such as HDD's. That is, an operation of reading/writing data is possible when the magnetic domains magnetized so as to correspond to specific data in a magnetic substance are moved in order to pass through a read/write head. In this case, a reading/writing operation is possible without directly rotating a recording medium. Accordingly, the problems of wearing down and failure of a conventional HDD can be solved. An example of a data storing device to which the principle of magnetic domain wall movement is applied has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,005 B1.
Also, the principle of magnetic domain wall movement can be applied to a memory such as a non-volatile RAM. A non-volatile memory device that can write/read data of '0' or '1' whereby a voltage in a magnetic substance varies according to the movement of magnetic domain walls in the magnetic substance having magnetic domains magnetized in a specific direction and magnetic domain walls. In this way, since data can be read and written by varying the positions of the magnetic domain walls by flowing a specific electrical current in a line type magnetic substance, a highly integrated device having a simple structure can be realized. Therefore, when the magnetic domain wall movement is used, the manufacture of a memory having a very large storage capacity compared to the conventional FRAM, MRAM, and PRAM is possible. An example of applying the principle of magnetic domain wall movement to a memory like RAM has been disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2006-0013476.
However, the development of semiconductor devices that use the magnetic domain wall movement is still in its initial stages, and there are a few problems that have yet to be solved in order for them to be used in practice.
In order to ensure the stability of movement of the magnetic domain walls, an artificial notch is generally used. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional U shaped magnetic wire 100, which has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,005 B1. Reference numerals 10 and 15 in FIG. 1 respectively indicate a magnetic domain corresponding to 1 bit and a magnetic domain wall. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a conventional magnetic wire 200 having notches, which has been disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2006-0013476. Reference numerals 20 and 25 respectively indicate a magnetic domain and a magnetic domain wall. As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the notches are grooves formed on both sides of the magnetic wires 100 and 200 corresponding to portions where the magnetic domain walls will be formed, and function to stably stop the moving magnetic domain walls.
However, the formation of notches having a minute size on a magnetic wire having a thickness and width of a few tens of nanometers is practically very difficult. Furthermore, the formation of minute notches having a uniform gap, size, and shape is even more difficult. If the gap, size, and shape of the notches are not uniform, the characteristics of a device are non-uniform since the intensity of a pinning magnetic field that stops the magnetic domain wall movement varies according to the gap, size, and shape of the notches.
Therefore, the use of notches to stabilize the movement of the magnetic domain walls is inappropriate in view of process readiness and the uniformity of device characteristics. Therefore, there is a need to develop a technique that can stably move magnetic domain walls in 1 bit units without using the notches.

Semiconductor device using magnetic domain wall moving


A method for controlling the distribution of transmission rates in a cellular radiotelecommunication system wherein, in order to support the effective utilization of types of time slot in wireless telecommunication systems, e.g. the DECT-specific “Full” or “Double Slots”, two fixed parts are provided for each radio cell. The first fixed parts in each case support two types of time slot but signal in dependence on the capacity utilization of the second fixed parts, which only support one type of time slot, that they support the second or the first and second type of time slot. The portable parts store the fixed parts, after they have signaled their support of types of time slot, in separate lists.

In the field of telecommunication close to the terminal, radio links are increasingly gaining in importance. Cordless telephones, mobile radio terminals and the wireless "RLL" (Radio in the Local Loop) or "WLL" (Wireless Local Loop) line interfacing systems are known examples of this. An air interface known as "DECT" (Digital Enhanced (previously European) Cordless Telephone) was defined on the initiative of European companies, with the aim of specifying a standard for a universal high-performance air interface. The DECT standard is described in the documents ETS (European Telecommunication Standard) 300 175-1, . . . , 9 Oct. 1992 of the ETSI (European Telecommunication Standards Institute) and is known from these.
A DECT system allows a maximum of 120 simultaneous connections between so-called fixed parts and portable parts by which, incidentally, is meant not only mobile terminals but, as for example in the case of the wireless line interface system "Radio in the Local Loop", also stationary system components communicating with a fixed part via air interface, which include the functionality of a portable part. In which system a maximum of 10 frequencies between 1.88 and 1.90 GHz are available and a maximum of 12 simultaneous duplex voice links (time slots, voice channels) can be implemented for each frequency.
The DECT standard also specifies interworking between DECT and "ISDN" (Integrated Services Digital Network). For this reason, time slots with a 64 kbit/s transmission rate, intended as support for ISDN, are also specified in addition to the time slots (channels) with 32 kbit/s ("Full Slots") and 8 kbit/s ("Half Slots") required for voice links.
Fixed parts and corresponding portable parts are generally known which support transmission rates of both 32 kbit/s "Full Slots" and 64 kbit/s "Double Slots" for the faster data transmission of, for example, 64 kbit/s or, respectively, for supporting DECT/ISDN interworking, which thus provide up to six channels with a transmission rate of 64 kbit/s; i.e., a maximum of two complete ISDN connections consisting of two "B channel" basic channels with 64 kbit/s each and one "D channel" control channel with 16 kbit/s.
These fixed parts are integrated into preexisting cordless telecommunication, RLL or WLL systems. Where there is a requirement for high transmission rates, particularly for packet data transmission, this integration is done by substituting fixed parts which support both 32 kbit/s time slots (full slots) and 64 kbit/s time slots (double slots) for the fixed parts which only provide time slots of 32 kbit/s. A problem arising with this procedure is the fact that fully functional fixed parts are removed from existing networks or radiotelecommunication systems even though their procurement costs have not yet been amortized in some cases.
After the substitution, the availability of full-slot connections and double-slot connections is guaranteed, in principle. However, if there is a large number of existing full-slot connections, the case may occur that requested double-slot connections cannot be implemented since, due to the existing full-slot connections, it is not possible to form time slots with 64 kbit/s transmission rate (double slot). In this case, channels for services having a requirement for high transmission rates, especially the transmission of packet data, can only be provided again when the number of existing full-slot connections has been reduced.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,681, a telecommunication system is known in which a fixed part is, in each case, operated in a radio cell. The radio cells in each case exhibit a multiplicity of different portable parts which need different services and the fixed part at least partially supports these different services and informs the portable parts via signaling of the services supported.
The present invention is directed toward specifying a method for controlling the distribution of transmission rates in a cellular radiotelecommunication system in which the radio transmission resources available in the radiotelecommunication system, especially with an RLL or WLL system, respectively, are effectively used.

Method for controlling the distribution of transmission rates in a cellular radio telecommunications system


The invention saves resources and energy. A cleaning/fluid-feeding head integrates a cleaning head portion and a fluid-feeding head portion. The cleaning head portion includes an organic substance cleaning unit, an inorganic substance cleaning unit, a rinsing unit and a drying unit. The organic substance cleaning unit, inorganic substance cleaning unit and rinsing unit selectively clean pattern forming regions on a substrate by feeding thereto a first cleaning fluid, second cleaning fluid and pure water, respectively. The drying unit dries the rinsed pattern forming regions by blowing hot air thereonto. The fluid-feeding head portion selectively feeds a liquid pattern forming material to the cleaned pattern forming regions.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a pattern on a semiconductor or glass substrate. More particularly, the invention relates to a pattern forming method and apparatus suitable to form a pattern using a liquid pattern forming material, and a device fabrication method and device.
2. Description of Related Art
In the fabrication of an electronic device for a semiconductor apparatus or a liquid crystal panel, a related art pattern formation is carried out as follows. In a case where a wiring pattern is formed, for example, a semiconductor or glass substrate is first immersed in a cleaning vessel to clean substrate entirely and to remove organic or inorganic contaminants adhered to surfaces of the substrate. Then, the substrate is rinsed with a rinsing fluid such as pure water, and then dried. Subsequently, the substrate thus cleaned and dried is conveyed into a vacuum chamber of a film forming apparatus, where a metal film 12 is deposited on a surface of a substrate 10 by CVD or sputtering, as shown in FIG. 6-1. A photoresist is applied to the overall surface of the metal film 12 and dried so as to form a resist film 14.
Next, the resist film 14 is subjected to light irradiation and development by photolithography, so that the resist film 14 is left only on an area to define the wiring pattern, while the metal film 12 is exposed on an area where the wiring pattern is not formed (see FIG. 6-2). Subsequently, the substrate 10 is conveyed into a plasma etching apparatus wherein the metal film 12 is etched away using the resist film 14 as mask, thereby selectively removing the exposed metal film 12 to leave the metal film 12 only beneath the resist film 14, as shown in FIG. 6-3. The resist film 14 is removed by stripping by way of vacuum oxygen plasma thereby to obtain a wiring pattern 16 made of the metal film 12 as shown in FIG. 20-4.

Pattern forming method and apparatus, and device fabrication method and device


A seed crystal for SiC single-crystal growth includes a facet formation region containing a {0001}-plane uppermost portion and n (n>=3) planes provided enclosing the periphery of the facet formation region. The seed crystal for SiC single-crystal growth satisfies the relationships represented by formula (a): Bkk-1<=cos−1(sin(2.3 degrees)/sin Ck), formula (b): Bkk<=cos−1(sin(2.3 degrees)/sin Ck), and formula (c): min(Ck)<=20 degrees. In the formulas, Ck is an offset angle of a k-th plane, Bkk-1 is an angle defined by an offset downstream direction of the k-th plane and a (k−1)-th ridge line, and Bkk is an angle defined by the offset downstream direction of the k-th plane and a k-th ridge line.

The SiC single crystal is now drawing attention as a material for power semiconductor application, and a higher-quality substrate is required for practical use of the SiC single crystal.
A high quality crystal, i.e., a crystal having few dislocations, must be used as a seed crystal in order to produce a high-quality grown crystal. However, when quality of the seed crystal is improved, and when density of screw dislocations is particularly decreased thereby, step supply sources, which are necessary for inheriting the polytype of the seed crystal, are decreased. Consequently, heterogeneous polytypes are disadvantageously readily formed. In a proposed technique as described in Patent Literature 1, a screw dislocation formation region is provided in part of a surface of the seed crystal, and crystal growth is performed such that a {0001}-plane (c-plane) facet is superimposed on the screw dislocation formation region. This enables growth of a single crystal while suppressing formation of the heterogeneous polytypes.
Unfortunately, an SiC single crystal having a larger diameter is recently demanded, and the diameter of a grown crystal has been accordingly increased. Along with this, it has been clarified that the heterogeneous polytypes may not be stably suppressed by the above-described technique.
Through many experiments, we have discovered that formation of the heterogeneous polytypes is deeply related not only to the superimposition of the c-plane facet over the screw dislocation formation region as considered in the past, but also to the shape or size of the c-plane facet in an initial stage of crystal growth as a more important factor. In particular, the following is now clarified. That is, as the seed crystal has a larger diameter, the c-plane facet in the initial stage of crystal growth may have a more unstable shape such as an elongated linear shape rather than a stable small-circle-shape as in the process of crystal growth, and the heterogeneous polytypes are readily formed due to such an unstable shape.
As a reason why the heterogeneous polytypes are readily formed due to the elongated c-plane facet, step supply from a screw dislocation on the c-plane facet is possibly not sufficiently distributed over the entire c-plane facet. Hence, a screw dislocation formation region, which allows screw dislocations to be densely formed over the entire formation region of the c-plane facet, must be formed. This causes degradation in quality of the crystal as a whole. Moreover, the c-plane facet is likely to be separated by slight fluctuation of temperature of a growth plane or slight fluctuation of sublimated gas concentration on the growth plane. This leads to formation of a region, in which collision between steps occurs, in a growth plane other than the facet. In such a case, the heterogeneous polytypes are readily formed from a low-quality portion caused by the collision between steps.
As well known, the c-plane facet is formed in the neighborhood of a {0001} plane that is located on crystallographically higher position than its periphery in a crystal surface. It is therefore clear that the c-plane facet in the initial stage of crystal growth is affected by surface morphology of the seed crystal.
Various proposals have been made on the surface morphology of the seed crystal in the past.
For example, Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique where a conical seed crystal, of which the central axis direction is within plus or minus 10 degrees from the <0001> direction and the vertical angle is 20 to 90 degrees, is used in order to reduce micropipes and screw dislocations in a grown crystal.
Although such a pointed seed crystal must have a height of about 100 mm for a seed crystal having a diameter of 6 inches (152.4 mm), such a crystal is less likely to be produced. In the seed crystal having such a level difference, it may be difficult to adjust a growth rate of each of portions near the top and the bottom of the seed crystal, resulting in sublimation of the top during crystal growth, and consequently the shape of the seed crystal may not be maintained. If the shape of the seed crystal is maintained, the seed crystal having such a shape enables a dotted c-plane facet to be formed on the apex of the seed crystal in an initial state of crystal growth. Unfortunately, since the growth direction is similar to an a-axis direction particularly in the initial state of crystal growth, a growth region has no screw dislocation or has an extremely small density of screw dislocations as mentioned as an advantageous effect in Patent Literature 2. As a result, screw dislocations in the c-plane facet formed in the initial state of crystal growth are exhausted, resulting in formation of heterogeneous polytypes.
Patent Literature 3 discloses a technique where crystal growth is repeatedly performed with a growth plane provided with an offset angle of 20 degrees or more from a {0001} plane.
In Patent Literature 3, the offset angle of the growth plane is large, i.e., at least 20 degrees; hence, a screw dislocation contained in a seed crystal is easily converted into a dislocation in a basal plane. As a result, screw dislocations in the c-plane facet formed in the initial state of crystal growth are also exhausted, resulting in formation of heterogeneous polytypes. Moreover, Patent Literature 3 exclusively shows an Example where a {0001}-plane uppermost portion is formed by two inclined planes or one inclined plane and a side face. In this case, the most-upstream portion of the offset direction has a linear shape (corresponding to an intersection line between the inclined planes or an intersection line between the inclined plane and the side face), and a c-plane facet also has a linear shape. As a result, the c-plane facet shape easily becomes unstable, and thus heterogeneous polytypes are likely to be formed.
Patent Literature 1 describes a technique where one or a plurality of inclined planes is/are provided on a surface of a seed crystal to control a formation position of a c-plane facet.
In the technique described in Patent Literature 1, an offset angle of a growth plane is relatively small at the most-upstream portion of the offset direction on which the c-plane facet is formed, and thus a screw dislocation is allowed to exist. Patent Literature 1 further describes that a plurality of inclined planes having different inclination angles or inclination directions are provided to form a corner in the upstream portion of the offset direction, so that a c-plane facet position is controlled in the process of crystal growth.
However, as described in Patent Literature 1, even if a dotted {0001}-plane uppermost portion is formed by the plurality of planes to control the formation position of the c-plane facet, heterogeneous polytypes are more likely to be formed with an increase in diameter of the seed crystal. After the crystal growth, the grown crystal has been sliced to investigate formation of the c-plane facet in the initial stage of crystal growth. As a result, it is found that the c-plane facet is formed not only on the {0001}-plane uppermost portion but also on a ridge line between the planes. Consequently, the shape of the c-plane facet cannot be sufficiently controlled only by forming the dotted {0001}-plane uppermost portion by the plurality of planes.
Patent Literature 4 proposes a technique where a seed crystal, in which the shape of a growth plane is processed such that an offset angle of the growth plane is decreased along a direction from a {0001}-plane lower portion to a {0001}-plane uppermost portion on the growth plane, is used to prevent a dislocation flow from an offset upstream portion into an offset downstream portion.
However, even if the technique described in Patent Literature 4 is used, heterogeneous polytypes may be formed. A grown crystal having the heterogeneous polytypes has been sliced to investigate the shape of the c-plane facet in the initial stage of crystal growth. As a result, it is found that the c-plane facet having an unstable shape (a linear shape) is formed. Consequently, it is considered that the shape of the c-plane facet formed in the initial stage of crystal growth cannot be sufficiently controlled only by decreasing the offset angle at the offset upstream portion as described in Patent Literature 4.

Seed crystal for SiC single-crystal growth, SiC single crystal, and method of manufacturing the SiC single crystal


Disclosed is a citrus tree having a moderate spreading vigor, and bearing medium size and rounded fruit with an orange skin color. This new and distinct variety of citrus tree is a late maturing citrus cultivar, is bred by a crossing of "Kiyomi" (the seed parent) and "Okitsu-wase" (the pollen parent), Citrus unshiu, bears good quality fruit, and is an excellent citrus cultivar.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of citrus tree, and more particularly, to a citrus tree having a moderate vigor and bearing an excellent table fruit.
In Japan, presently "Kawano Natsudaidai" (C. natsudaidai) and "Hassaku" (C. hassaku), which are mid- to late-maturing cultivars, are the main widely cultivated citrus varieties, even though their fruit have many seeds and a hard peeling characteristics, and their flesh is of low eating quality.
The breeding by the present breeders have been aimed at obtaining a new variety that can replace "Kawano Natsudadai" and "Hassaku". Namely, the object of the invention is to provide a new and distinct variety of citrus tree bearing a fruit with a better taste and appearance than "Hassaku", etc., and seedlessness, the fruit ripening in mid-to late-season.
In comparison to the above-mentioned varieties, the fruit of the present new variety has a high sweetness (i.e., high Brix) with a moderate sub-acidity level, coupled with a general absence of seeds which makes the fruit highly suitable as a table fruit. The fruit of the present new variety is also easier to peel. Its skin is thin and smooth. The fruit is juicy and the flesh is soft and has a flavor similar to that of an orange.

Fruit Tree Research Station Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries