The present invention provides a magnetic recording medium, in which a binder does not migrates toward the surface of a magnetic layer and which has high durability. Said magnetic recording layer comprises at least one type or more of organic phosphorus compounds selected from the following formulae (1) to (3) and a binder, which contains an amino group or a quaternary ammonium base: ##STR1## where R represents substituted or non-substituted alkyl group, alkenyl group or aryl group, M represents hydrogen atom or alkali metal or ammonium, and n is 1 or 2.

The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium, which has very high electromagnetic transfer characteristics and high durability and comprises a magnetic layer where ferromagnetic powder and a binder are dispersed, said magnetic layer being placed on a non-magnetic support member, and in particular to a magnetic recording medium having high durability, in which no head contamination occurs.
The magnetic recording medium is widely used as recording tape, video tape or floppy disk. In the magnetic recording medium, a magnetic layer where ferromagnetic powder is dispersed in a binder is deposited on a non-magnetic support member.
The magnetic recording medium must be at high level in electromagnetic transfer characteristics, running durability and running performance. Specifically, in an audio tape for recording and reproducing musical sound, higher ability to reproduce the original sound is required. In a video tape, high ability to reproduce the original picture and excellent electromagnetic transfer characteristics are required.
In addition to the high electromagnetic transfer characteristics, the magnetic recording medium must have good running durability as described above. To provide good running durability, abrasive material and lubricant are added to the magnetic layer.
In the equipment where the magnetic recording medium is used, the medium is brought into contact with and slides on a magnetic head. As a result, low molecular components in the binder of the magnetic recording medium migrate to the surface of the magnetic layer and are attached on the magnetic head, thereby causing contamination of the magnetic head.
The contamination of the magnetic head causes deterioration of the electromagnetic transfer characteristics. In particular, in an equipment used for high density recording, number of revolutions of magnetic head is high. The number of revolutions of the magnetic head is 9,600 rpm in a digital video tape recorder, 1,800 rpm in an analog video tape recorder for domestic use and 5,000 rpm for video tape recorder for business use. As a result, sliding speed between the magnetic recording medium and the magnetic head increases. Accordingly, high durability is required for the magnetic recording medium.
In order that powder such as ferromagnetic powder or non-magnetic powder is adsorbed well to the binder, a binder containing polar group such as acid group, e.g. sulfonic acid, is used. Also, a compound having acid group such as phenylphosphonic acid, functioning as a dispersant, is used to improve dispersion property of the powder.
For example, JP-B-9507500 discloses a magnetic recording medium, which is obtained by combining ethylene oxide modified phosphoric acid ester with a polyurethane having yield point. In this magnetic recording medium, phosphoric acid ester adsorbs well to ferromagnetic powder, and the ethylene oxide modified alkyl component has high affinity with the binder, which has polar group such as COOH, OH, etc. providing good effect to dispersion property. Further, it discloses a magnetic recording medium, in which the polyurethane has yield point and which provides high dynamic strength and high durability. However, dispersion property and durability of this magnetic recording medium are not high enough to be used as the recording medium of high recording density as currently required.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,838 (JP-A-1189025), JP-A-3185621, U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,955 (JP-A-4001917), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,910 (JP-A-4263116) teach improvement of dispersion property and durability by using a specific type of organic phosphorus compound to be adsorbed on and to cover surface of the magnetic substance and by dispersing with a binder having polar group such as SO.sub.3 M group. However, because adsorbing ability of the polar group in the binder is weaker than that of the organic phosphorus compound, the binder is not adsorbed very easily, and non-adsorbed binder migrates to the surface of the magnetic layer. Therefore, its durability is not high enough, and there are problems in both dispersion property and durability as a magnetic recording medium of high density recording as required in the current technique.
According to JP-A-4372717, ferromagnetic powder is coated using a dispersant, which has both acid group and basic group, and it is dispersed by a binder which contains polar group. As a result, acid group adsorbs on the surface of ferromagnetic powder, and the basic group goes out and interacts with the binder having acid group or reacts with and bonded to NCO curing agent, thereby improving durability. Because the polar group of the dispersant has both acid group and basic group, there are strong interactions between dispersants in the coating solution and interactions between dispersant and binder. As a result, ferromagnetic powder, dispersant, binder, etc. are dispersed and viscosity of the prepared coating solution tends to increase. Thus, it is difficult to achieve perfect smoothening of the coating surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,135 (JP-A-1173417), U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,053 (JP-A-3080425), JP-A-3100918, and JP-A-61172213 each describe a binder containing amino group, and a generalized list of dispersants are given where lecithin and phosphoric acid ester are listed. In particular, JP-A-61172213 describes simultaneous use of lecithin (i.e. phosphorus compound) and an amine-modified vinyl chloride binder. However, lecithin has a problem in that it plasticizes the binder and decreases coating film strength, and durability is not high enough as a magnetic recording medium of high density recording as currently required. Such problems are also pointed out in the JP-B-95007500.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic recording medium which has excellent dispersion property, high smoothness and electromagnetic transfer characteristics. This magnetic recording medium has high running durability, and wearing of the surface of the magnetic layer or head contamination are avoided in repeated running of the magnetic recording medium with high recording density when it is used in digital tape recorder, and it has excellent storage property under high temperature and high humidity conditions.


A device to secure a surgical instrument to a patient that comprises an elongated flexible body. A first quantity of adhesive substance is disposed on the body to adhere a portion of the body to the patient. A second quantity of adhesive substance is disposed on the body to adhere a portion of the surgical instrument to the body. A method of securing a surgical instrument to a patient, comprising the steps of inserting a first portion of the surgical instrument into the patient. A first portion of an elongated flexible material is then secured to a patient. A second portion of the elongated flexible material is folded over a second portion of the surgical instrument. The second portion of the elongated flexible material is secured to the first portion of the elongated flexible material.

It has been common practice to attach a surgical instrument, such as a needle or a catheter, to a patient by taping the instrument to the patient after the needle or tubular portion has been inserted into the patient. Although this procedure secures the instrument to the patient, it does not correctly orient the tube and an excess of adhesive bandage may be utilized. Further, this procedure fails to prevent the hub portion of the surgical instrument from contacting with and possibly injuring the patient. This procedure also endangers the health care provider by subjecting him or her into contact with the blood of the patient because the rubber gloves worn by the health care provider must be removed to attach the adhesive tape. The adhesive tape sticks to latex gloves causing a need for the removal of the gloves, which endangers the health care provider. Utilization of adhesive tape also causes tears in the gloves.
A recent development in this area is a band for anchoring a catheter or any other tubular device to the body described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,863 issued to David Kaplan, et al. This band only applies to a limb and incorporates a strap to secure the strap to a limb and a secondary strap to form a closed loop to encircle the catheter or similar device and hold it securely in place on the limb. Since this band only operates on a limb, it is not as useful as desirable. Further, since the band is narrow, this catheter holder fails to prevent the hub of the catheter from engaging the patient. Further, it uses a fastener, which makes it difficult to manufacture and expensive. Further, since it requires two bands to be operable, when one of the bands is lost, which may occur in emergency situations, such device becomes inoperable. Further, it is difficult to use without removing one's rubber gloves, which makes the health care provider susceptible to contact with the blood of the patient.
Another development in this area is a catheter tube holder described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,748, issued in the name of Melissa C. Johnson. The holder uses a pair of main members connected by a narrow bridge with complementary fasteners on the nonadhesive side of the bridge to hold the bridge in a chosen position. Because the bridge is narrow, which makes this tube holder fail to prevent the hub of the catheter from engaging the patient. Further, it uses a fastener, which may become inoperable in emergency situations and makes is difficult to manufacture and expensive. Further, the holder is difficult to use without removing one's rubber gloves, which makes the health care provider susceptible to contact with the blood of the patient.
A development in the area of adhesive film dressings is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,183 issued to Robert W. McCracken, et al. In this patent, an adhesive film dressing is described in which a film has one side coated with an adhesive and three release papers covering the adhesive. An edge flap is provided on each of the release papers so that each paper may be individually grasped and removed. This patent does not describe a catheter securing device, does not describe a device that inhibits the injury to a patient by preventing a catheter hub from contacting the patient, and does not describe a device that allows a health care provider to secure a surgical device to a patient without removing one's rubber gloves.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device to secure a surgical instrument to a patient that prevents undesirable contact between parts of the surgical instrument and the patient.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that enables the health care provider to not remove their rubber gloves when securing a surgical instrument to a patient.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device to secure a surgical instrument to a patient with a passageway to inhibit damage to the patient.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device to secure a surgical instrument to a patient allowing the surgical instrument to be viewed after being secured to the patient.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of securing a surgical instrument to a patient.

Device to secure a surgical instrument and method

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


A target air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas is changed back and forth between rich and lean in short periods, and it is determined that the catalyst is degraded when the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas is lean by the time a predetermined period of time has passed from the time the target air-fuel ratio started to be changed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for determining degradation of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-6-159048, for example, discloses an apparatus which calculates an oxygen storage capacity (OSC) of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine and then determines degradation of the catalyst based on that calculated oxygen storage capacity. This apparatus calculates the oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst by calculating the amount of excess oxygen or the amount of deficient oxygen in the exhaust gas flowing into the catalyst from the time that a control target value of the air-fuel ratio (hereinafter referred to as "target air-fuel ratio") is changed from rich (or lean) to lean (or rich) until the time that the output of an oxygen sensor downstream of the catalyst reverses.
When degradation of the catalyst progresses, however, the output of the oxygen sensor may reverse before the oxygen absorbing/releasing reaction progresses sufficiently in the mid to rear portion of the catalyst. FIG. 14 is a view showing the change in temperature of that accompanies an oxygen absorbing reaction in the catalyst. FIG. 14A is a view showing settings of the target air-fuel ratio. FIG. 14B is a view showing the change in the oxygen sensor output. FIG. 14C shows the change in temperature at the front portion of the catalyst, FIG. 14D shows the change in temperature at the middle of the catalyst, and FIG. 14E shows the change in temperature at the rear portion of the catalyst. As shown in FIG. 14A, when the target air-fuel ratio is changed from a value of 13.8 on the rich side to a value of 15.2 on the lean side, the oxygen absorbing reaction progresses in the catalyst. The oxygen absorbing reaction in the catalyst is an exothermal reaction. Therefore, as the oxygen absorbing reaction progresses from the front portion to the rear portion of the catalyst, a temperature rise peak (hereinafter simply referred to as "peak") P1 occurs first at the front portion of the catalyst, as shown in FIG. 14C. Next, a peak P2 occurs at the middle of the catalyst, as shown in FIG. 14D, after which a peak P3 then occurs at the rear portion of the catalyst, as shown in FIG. 14D. Thus it is possible to know how far the oxygen absorbing reaction has progressed in the catalyst based on these peaks P1 to P3. As shown in FIG. 14E, the oxygen sensor output reverses (at time tr in the drawing) before peak P3 occurs at the rear portion of the catalyst so the oxygen storage capacity of the entire catalyst is unable to be calculated. As a result, if degradation of the catalyst is determined based on the oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst, it is not able to be made accurately. In addition, a catalyst which has degraded to a large degree is unable to be accurately detected.

Apparatus and method for determining catalyst degradation


A normally off nitride-based transistor may include a source electrode and a drain electrode, a channel layer serving as a charge transfer path between the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a gate electrode that controls charge transfer of the channel layer. The channel layer may have a junction structure of a first conductive nitride semiconductor layer and an intrinsic nitride semiconductor layer such that a fixed turn-off blocking electric field is generated in the channel layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode in a turn-off state. The intrinsic nitride semiconductor layer may include an intrinsic GaN semiconductor layer, and the first conductive nitride semiconductor layer may include a p type GaN semiconductor layer stacked over the intrinsic GaN semiconductor layer.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a normally off transistor and a method of fabricating the same, and more particularly, to a normally off nitride-based transistor using a nitride-based semiconductor and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Discussion of the Background
Recently, AlGaN/GaN HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor), which is one of GaN-based electronic devices, has power density of about 4 W/mm to 8 W/mm, and maximum output power of a single chip is about 90 W in 3 GHz. Since the GaN electronic device has high power density and efficiency as compared with the existing GaAs electronic device, it is advantageous in that it is possible to reduce a module size to about 50% or more and achieve lightness.
However, since the GaN electronic device is very expensive and a mass production process of a high output device of 25 W or more has not been completed, it is difficult to satisfy a large order. In order to lower the cost of the GaN electronic device, when an AlGaN/GaN stack structure is formed in an inexpensive substrate such as a sapphire substrate or a silicon substrate instead of an expensive GaN substrate, since threading dislocation density is high, it is not reliable.
A normally off characteristic is required for a GaN transistor device in relation to a switching characteristic, and when a conventional horizontal AlGaN/GaN HEMT has the normally off characteristic, since a threshold voltage characteristic is degraded or process control is difficult, reproducibility and reliability are reduced. When the threshold voltage characteristic is degraded, an electronic device may abnormally operate in a high temperature operation or a noise environment.
For example, in a recess gate type horizontal normally off GaN HEMT, the thickness of an AlGaN layer below a trench, in which a recess gate is installed, should be controlled to about several nm (for example, 1 nm to 5 nm) in an etch process, but it is difficult to strictly manage an etch depth in such an etch process, resulting in the deterioration of productivity.
In another example, in a p-GaN gate type horizontal normally off GaN HEMT, a p-GaN layer is disposed under a gate electrode, so that a potential well of a valence band existing around an interface of AlGaN/GaN heterojunction layers under the gate electrode moves above the Fermi level, and thus a discontinuous region with no two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is formed in a 2DEG channel, resulting in the achievement of a normally off characteristic. However, since a threshold voltage of the conventional GaN HEMT is reduced due to the characteristic of the p-GaN layer itself, there is a limitation in utilizing the normally off characteristic.
In a dry etch process for forming a p-GaN gate, since positive charge is accumulated on the surface of the AlGaN layer due to plasma damage, a current collapse phenomenon is accelerated, so that a 2DEG characteristic is degraded.
In addition, the aforementioned recess gate type or p-GaN gate type horizontal normally off GaN HEMT has the following problems due to electric field concentration at an edge of the gate electrode and high threading dislocation density.
First, when a plurality of pits or cracks exist in the AlGaN/GaN layer, mechanical stress is easily accumulated in the AlGaN layer.
Then, in an AlGaN barrier layer for forming the AlGaN/GaN heterojunction, the AlGaN barrier layer is damaged step by step due to an inverse Piezoelectric effect in which electrical energy is converted into mechanical energy through a permanent dipole generated by asymmetry of crystallization. In this case, there is a problem that maximum current, which may flow through the device, is reduced and leakage increases.
Last, as the strength of voltage applied to the normally off GaN HEMT is increased or the accumulation of use time, a part having dislocation or defect is quickly expanded, so that the performance of the device easily deteriorates. Particularly, when the threading dislocation density increases to about 108/cm2 to about 1010/cm2, since an on-resistance rise rate is high in a high temperature operation, breakdown voltage is lowered and leakage increases.

Nitride high electron mobility transistor having a channel forming stack


A Faraday rotator in which the isolation function based on a temperature rise is not deteriorated even when the Faraday rotator is used for a high output laser of not smaller than 1W output at a wavelength of not larger than 1.1 μm includes sapphire crystals or rutile crystals bonded as radiation substrates to the incident side and outgoing side of a bismuth substituted type rare earth metal iron garnet crystal (RIG) film, the thickness of the RIG film being not smaller than 130 μm and not larger than 200 μm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Faraday rotator constituting an optical isolator used as an optical countermeasure against the reflection return beam from a high output laser used for optical communication and processing.
2. Description of Related Art
When a beam reflected on an optical surface and a processing surface of an outer portion of a laser resonator returns to a laser element in a semiconductor laser utilized for optical communication, a solid laser utilized for laser processing, and the like, the laser oscillation becomes unstable. When the laser oscillation becomes unstable, signal noise occurs in the case of the optical communication, and the breakage of the laser element in the case of the processing laser in some cases. Therefore, in order to intercept such a reflection return beam so that such a beam does not return to the laser element, an optical isolator is used. The optical isolator is usually made of a Faraday rotator, a polarizer, an analyzer and a permanent magnet.
The terbium gallium garnet crystals (which will hereinafter be referred to as TGG) and terbium aluminum garnet crystals (which will hereinafter be referred to as TAG) have been used as related art Faraday rotators for an optical isolator for a high output laser.
However, TGG and TAG have a small Faraday rotation coefficient per unit length. Therefore, in order to obtain a 45 degree angle of polarization for the purpose of using these crystals as optical isolators, it is necessary that an optical path length be increased. In practice, crystals having a length of as large as around 6 cm had to be used. In order to obtain a high optical isolation, a uniformly large magnetic field has to be exerted on the crystals, so a strong and large magnet was used. This caused the dimensions of the optical isolator to increase. Since the optical path length is large, the shape of a laser beam is deteriorated in the crystals in some cases, so that some kind of optics is needed for correcting the beam. Furthermore, since TGG is expensive, a small-sized, inexpensive Faraday rotator was demanded.
The Faraday rotation coefficient per unit length of a bismuth substituted type rare earth metal iron garnet crystal film (which will hereinafter be referred to as RIG film) used exclusively in the field of optical communication is noticeably large as compared with those of TGG and TAG, so that the optical isolator can be miniaturized greatly. However, it is known that, when the wavelength of light used by RIG becomes short to a level in the vicinity of 1.1 μm used for a processing laser, the light absorption of iron ions becomes high, and that the performance of the optical isolator is deteriorated due to a temperature rise caused by this optical absorption.
As a method of solving the problem of the temperature rise of the RIG film, the invention disclosed in JP-A-2000-66160 was proposed. The techniques disclosed in this document are the techniques for rendering it easy to radiate the heat occurring in the RIG film by leaving a (GdCa)3 (GaMgZr)5O12 substrate (which will hereinafter be referred to as GGG substrate) for growing the RIG film, which is usually removed rather than by being polished. Also, a method of holding both surfaces of a RIG film by transparent garnet substrates and radiating the heat of the RIG film via the garnet substrates of a high thermal conductivity is disclosed in JP-A-7-281129.
In the method disclosed in JP-A-2000-66160, the generation of heat due to the optical absorption in the RIG film becomes not lost, strain caused by the different thermal expansion coefficients of RIG film and GGG substrate combined with each other directly in one body occurs. As a result, birefringence occurs both in the RIG film and GGG substrate, so that, when the RIG film and GGG substrate are used for an optical isolator, the isolation function is deteriorated.
Unless the RIG film is polished by controlling the thickness thereof so that the Faraday rotation angle of the RIG film becomes accurately 45 degrees, the reflected light on an interface between the RIG film and GGG substrate cannot be removed completely by an incident side polarizer, and this reflected light returns to the laser element.
In the invention disclosed in JP-A-7-281129, a method is introduced of bringing a transparent substrate, such as a garnet substrate or a glass substrate into contact with one side or both sides of a RIG film or bonding the same transparent substrate thereto with an optical bonding glue. In the method of merely bringing the RIG film and transparent film into contact with each other, it is difficult to bring the RIG film and transparent film with each other uniformly in the whole of the region of the diameter of the incident laser beam, and an air layer necessarily exists on a non-contacting portion. In this case, an anti-reflection coating formed on the premise that the RIG film and transparent substrate contact each other does not function due to the air layer penetrating therebetween. As a result, large reflected light is made to occur to cause the reflected light to return to the laser element. Moreover, the heat radiating function lower.
When a laser beam having an output level which exceeds 1 W is put into the RIG film even in the method of bonding the RIG film and transparent substrate with an optical bonding glue, the temperature of the RIG film increases, and the Faraday rotation angle of the RIG film deviates from 45 degrees due to the temperature coefficient thereof, and the isolation function is deteriorated.


A display system includes a line-of-sight tracking camera to detect an eyeball of a driver, first and second stereo cameras, a controlling unit, and a storing unit. The first and second stereo camera photographs a range corresponding to a field-of-view based on stereo camera-based line-of-sight information that is changed based on line-of-sight tracking camera-based line-of-sight information, and provide a photographed image. The controlling unit converts the line-of-sight tracking camera-based line-of-sight information into first and second stereo camera-based line-of-sight information based on pre-stored position and rotation information of the tracking camera and the first and second stereo cameras, and project the converted information onto the first and second stereo cameras, such that a three-dimensional line-of-sight coordinate is calculated. The storing unit stores information related to a system as well as the position and rotation information of the tracking camera and the first and second stereo cameras.

Currently, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, various vehicle safety apparatuses for the convenience and safety of a vehicle driver have been developed.
More specifically, a line-of-sight tracking technology of securing a line-of-sight of a driver in a vehicle and using the secured line-of-sight to provide a real time front image of a road on which the vehicle is driven, an alarm service, and the like, has been provided.
However, the above-mentioned line-of-sight tracking technology has been mainly optimized in a two-dimensional (2D) environment, such as verification of efficiency of an advertisement, an interface utilizing a display, or the like, in which only a direction of a line-of-sight is detected.
Meanwhile, since the driver views an actual environment, e.g., 3D environment, with the naked eyes at the time of driving the vehicle, there is a limitation in accurately detecting a direction of a line-of-sight only with a line-of-sight vector detected in the 2D environment.

Line-of-sight tracking system and method


Programmable hybrid hearing aid with digital signal processing comprising a main section (1) which can be inserted in the meatus (6). The main section (1) comprises an open connection between the ear opening and an inner portion of the meatus (6), providing an acoustic transmission channel with low-pass characteristic and resonant amplification. The main section further comprises an electroacoustic transmission channel based on digital signal processing and a signal processor (DSP) and with possibility for suppressing a possible acoustic signal feedback through the acoustic transmission channel. A variant of the hearing aid is provided with a microphone (M1) and the feedback signal is suppressed by digital filtering. Another variant of the hearing aid employs two microphones (M1.M2). and the feedback signal may then be suppressed by phasing out before the digital signal processing, while the digital signal processing also comprises cancellation of the feedback signal in case of high gain. A number of response functions are stored in a memory (RAM2) in a control unit and is freely chosen by the user in regard of adaption to hearing function and acoustic environment. All the electronics of the electroacoustic channel in the hearing aid is implemented as a monolithic integrated circuit (3) in CMOS technology.

The invention concerns a programmable hybrid hearing aid with digital signal processing and a method for detection and signal processing in a programmable hybrid hearing aid.
Present day hearing aids are usually based on analog amplification of the sound intercepted by the ear. With the aid of present day state of the art, hearing aids of this kind have become miniaturized to such an extent that they can be inserted into the outer meatus, thus constituting so-called "all-in-the-ear" aids. Many people prefer hearing aids of this type for reasons of appearance and comfort, but the use of analog amplification of the sound signal combined with the fact that these hearing aids close off the meatus, make it difficult to obtain an optimum adaptation of the signal to any hearing residue which the person using the hearing aid may still have. Most forms of age-dependent hearing impairment leave a substantial amount of hearing residue in certain frequency ranges. In the case of normal neurologically-dependent hearing impairment the sense of hearing usually remains relatively unimpaired at the lowest frequencies. If the ear is completely closed by the hearing aid, the sound has to be amplified at all frequencies in the audible range. At the same time, the use of ordinary analog amplification makes it difficult to obtain an optimum response function, i.e. a response function which in an appropriate manner simulates the acoustic response of the meatus when it is open without insertion amplification. Any hearing residue which the user may have will result in the amplification in an all-pass band giving rise to discomfort, e.g. if impulse noise and transient acoustic signals are amplified in those frequency bands where the ear still has a reasonably normal degree of hearing. Moreover, an open meatus normally has a resonance of approximately 3 kHz, and this resonance makes a vital contribution to the quality of the auditory impression, since it falls within the range of the formant frequency for normal speech and thus contributes to giving it its tonal qualities, which are tremendously important for the comprehension of speech sound and thus for the person's ability to understand speech.
In order to facilitate the optimum adaptation of the auditory signal to any hearing residue and simultaneously optimize the hearing aid's response function, hearing aids have been developed wherein the signal processing is performed digitally. The response function is adapted through filtering of the digital signal by means of appropriate filter coefficients, thus permitting the frequency response to some extent to simulate the response function of a person with normal hearing. If the aids of the digital type are designed as so-called all-in-the-ear aids, the problem again arises that the meatus is closed, thus preventing any hearing residue which the person may have from being utilized. The response curve can be modified to a certain extent in order to take this into consideration. As a rule, however, it will be an advantage to have several response curves, in order to adapt the hearing aid's amplification as a function of the frequency to a variety of acoustic environments. It is obvious, e.g., that it would be considerably more difficult to understand normal speech which is embedded in loud background noise, in which case it will be natural to generate a response function which gives priority to amplification in the range of the speech signal's formant frequencies, i.e. primarily in the range from approximately 1 up to approximately 4 kHz.
Another well-known problem with hearing aids, whether they are digital or analog, is acoustic feedback between sound generator and microphone. Even though the hearing aid is positioned so that it closes the meatus and thus also prevents utilization of any hearing residue, this does not prevent feedback at high amplification, since the sound from the sound generator can be conducted back to the microphone either via the material of the hearing aid or via tissue and bone matter in the vicinity of the meatus. It will therefore be desirable to cancel such a feedback signal, e.g. in connection with the digital signal processing in the hearing aid. As has already been mentioned it is also desirable to utilize any hearing residue at lower frequencies, and this requires the meatus to be at least partially open, preferably so that it creates an acoustic transmission channel with a low-pass characteristic between the ear opening and the tympanum. If a channel of this kind is to be used with a hearing aid of the all-in-the-ear type, this makes great demands on the miniaturization of the hearing aid. Moreover, the problem of acoustic feedback will be further accentuated and will need to be eliminated in one way or another.
Digital hearing aids of the above-mentioned kind are known from, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,171 (Kopke et al.), where a digital data processor for processing of digitalized audio signals is connected to a programmable memory which stores predetermined response functions in accordance with the user's requirements or preferences and/or the use of the hearing aid, so that the use of the hearing aid can be directly adapted to the requirements of the user, while at the same time it is possible to program the hearing aid in step with any alterations in the user's hearing ability or response characteristics.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,850 (Levit et al.) contains a programmable hearing aid with digital filters where coefficients are supplied from a programmable read-only memory to a programmable filter and an amplitude limiter in the hearing aid, enabling this to be automatically adjusted to an optimum set of parameter values for speech level, echo and type of background noise while simultaneously facilitating a reduction of acoustic feedback, in that an electrical feedback path in the aid is adapted to the acoustic feedback path both in amplitude and phase, causing the two feedback signals to be cancelled by subtraction. GB-PS no. 1 582 821 principally contains a hearing aid for digital signal processing by means of a programmable memory which can be fed with values taken from an audiometrically determined audiogram.
The above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,850 also contains a hearing aid which uses one or more microphones, so that the weighted, summed output signal from the microphones with a suitable phase displacement is equal to the output signal from a frequency selective, directive microphone. This should be able to reduce the effect of both noise and echo. Furthermore, cancellation or suppression of acoustic feedback in hearing aids is discussed in the article "Measurement and Adaptive Suppression of Acoustic Feedback in Hearing Aids" (Bustamante et al.), IEEE Transactions on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing, 1989, No. 2, pp. 2017-20. The authors discuss three methods for suppressing acoustic feedback, viz. time-variable delay, adaptive inverse filtering and adaptive feedback cancellation, and find that the latter method is the most successful, since it increases the maximum amplification in the hearing aid by 6-10 dB without acoustic feedback.
It should also be mentioned that there are known hearing aids of the all-in-the-ear type where there is an open connection between the ear opening and that portion of the inner meatus which is situated close to the tympanum. The object of this known, open connection is to obtain an equalization of pressure variations in the outer meatus adjacent to the tympanum.
None of the above-mentioned constructions or methods, however, provides any directions as to how to achieve a hearing aid, preferably of the all-in-the-ear type, which simultaneously offers the possibility of utilizing a user's low frequency hearing residue, while at the same time generating a response curve which gives an optimum simulation of the meatus's natural response function in the frequency range which is required in order to reproduce high quality speech sound.


A releasable locking connector for a tool, having an elongated body, at least one detent blade slidably seated within the elongated body, and more particularly a groove formed therein a spring bias collar on the body operably attached to the detent blade, the collar normally biasing the detent blade into a position for protrusion from the groove and to engage and lock in the opening of a socket or other tool.

This invention relates generally to hand tools and more specifically to a releasable, locking socket connector.
Socket wrenches are known to the art. Generally, a socket wrench set has a number of interchangeable sockets that can be attached to a drive head which is integrally connected to a drive handle. The sockets are cylindrical in shape and have a square opening at one end for the attachment to the socket drive head and a round, internally faceted workpiece engaging orifice at the other end. Typically, the workpiece is a nut or a bolt. The sizes of the workpiece engaging orifices differ among the various interchangeable sockets so that the user can change sockets depending upon the size of the nut or bolt. For example, the socket can range from 1/4 inch to one inch or more.
Generally speaking, the drive, as connected to a handle, has a square drive. The square drive engages the square opening in the socket. Further, prior art square drives generally are secured within the socket by a tight friction fit or be a spring-biased detent ball which engages an indentation on the inside of the square opening. Since the square socket is of a predetermined dimension, i.e. quarter inch, half inch, one inch, etc., it can only accommodate one size of socket In my co-pending application Ser. No. 08/398,691, I address this limitation by providing interchangeable sockets and drives that increase the versatility of a set of socket wrenches.
Prior designs, however, do not address another problem encountered by the user. That is, the conventional friction fit socket often does not adequately secure the socket onto the drive. A single detent means, such as a detent ball, may not hold the socket on the drive in some situations. This is particularly important where the drive is part of an extension piece since such extensions are generally less stable than a directly mounted socket. It would be advantageous to have a square drive or a square extension connector that employs a positive securing mechanism to hold the socket on the square drive.


A method and apparatus which enables a circuit of a small circuit scale to perform high-speed modular multiplication or modular exponentiation which are necessary in encryption or decryption in cryptic communication. To this end, modular multiplication Q=A.multidot.M mod N and modular exponentiation C=M.sup.e mod N are executed by repetition of computation of Z=U.multidot.V.multidot.R.sup.-1 mod N employing an integer R which is prime to N. The repetition of computation is executed by repeatedly operating a single circuit or by simultaneously operating a plurality of circuits of the same construction in a parallel manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cryptographic scheme employed in various communication services using a computer network, such as home banking, firm banking, electronic mail service and electronic conference.
More particularly, the present invention is concerned with cryptographic scheme which conducts encryption of data to transmit and decryption of received cryptogram by using a computation in which two integers A and B are multiplied with each other and the product is divided by a third integer N to determine the residue, i.e., modular multiplication expressed by A.multidot.B mod N, as well as a computation known as modular exponentiation which is expressed by C=M.sup.e mod N(C,M,N,e), where E, M, N and e are integers and which is executed by repeating the above-mentioned modular multiplication.
Still more particularly, the present invention is concerned with a communication system which conducts cryptic communication by employing various cryptosystems such as RSA cryptosystem, ElGamal cryptosystem, DH type public key distribution system, ID-based key sharing cryptosystem and zero-knowledge certificate cryptosystem.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, communication systems using computer networks have made a rapid progress, which has given a rise to the demand for cryptographic schemes employed for the purpose of protecting data contents. High-speed cryptographic schemes are essential in the current trends for greater capacity and higher communication speeds of networks.
Modular exponentiation and modular multiplication are very important computations which are used in various cryptographic schemes. For instance, these computations are used as follows.
It is known that criptosystem is classified into two types: namely, public-key criptosystem and common-key criptosystem. The public-key cryptosystem employs different keys for encryption and decryption. An encryption key is opened to public, while decryption key is kept confidential. With this system, it is easy to administrate keys but it is difficult to infer the decryption key from the opened encryption key. Cryptosystems which are based on modular exponentiation and modular multiplication, such as RSA cryptosystem and ElGamal cryptosystem are used most often as the public-key cryptosystem.
It has been noted that public-key cryptosystem has a specific use known as authentication, besides the confidential communication function. Authentication is a function to confirm whether the transmitter of a message is true and, hence, is referred to also as digital signature. The digital signature using a cryptosystem avoids any unjust transmission or forgery because the signature is put in terms of a secret key which is known only to the person who sends the message. This system is therefore broadly used as authenticated communication system in banking and financial businesses.
As a kind of common-key cryptosystem in which both the person who transmits the message and the person who receives the message commonly possess a key in confidence, known is barnum cryptosystem in which a random number is added to data. The random number used for such a purpose may be a random number known as square residue obtained on the basis of modular exponentiation and modular multiplication.
Such common-key cryptosystem and open-key cryptosystem are often used together with an art known as key distribution system or an art known as key-sharing system. Among various key distribution systems, most popular is DH type key distribution system proposed by Diffie and Hellman. This distribution system also employs modular exponentiation and modular multiplication. Meanwhile, ID-based key sharing system has been noticed among the key sharing systems. Modular exponentiation and modular multiplication are also employed in this key sharing system, as well as in most of other key sharing systems.
Cryptographic scheme also includes an art which is referred to as zero knowledge certificate. This art is to enable a person to make the opponent be convinced of the fact that the person actually possesses a knowledge, without disclosing at all the content of the knowledge, i.e., with zero knowledge. Various procedures based on modular exponentiation and modular multiplication are available in this art.
Under these circumstances, there has been an increasing demand for circuits which perform efficient modular exponentiation and modular multiplication, in order to make it possible to efficiently build up various cryptosystems. Such high-speed modular exponentiation and modular multiplication circuits also contribute to increase in the speed of various cryptosystems.
As a method of conducting modular multiplication computation using N as a modulus, a method is known which uses an integer R which is prime to N. For instance, Montgomery, P. L.: "Modular multiplication without trial division" Math. of Computation, Vol. 44, 1985, pp. 519-521 makes it possible to conduct modular multiplication without division, by computing Q=A.multidot.B.multidot.R.sup.-1 mod N instead of computing Q=A.multidot.B mod N.
Another technique for achieving higher processing speed is a method referred to as parallel processing, a typical example of architecture of which is systolic array as well known. Systolic array executes pipeline-based processing using a plurality of types of processing elements (PE), thus realizing a high-speed processing. Furthermore, the control can easily be conducted locally on PE basis. Thus, systolic array possesses both the regularity of the whole structure and locality on PE basis and is known as an architecture which facilitates construction of a large scale processing device such as a VLSI. The parallel processing is considered as being most suitable for speeding up of modular exponentiation and modular multiplication on a large integer which requires a very large scale of processing. Hitherto, however, almost no architecture has been proposed as to application of parallel processing technique such as systolic array for modular exponentiation and modular multiplication.
An array using Montgomery technique has been proposed by Even. (see Shimon Even: "Systolic modular multiplication, "Advances in Cryptology-CRYPTO'90, pp. 619-624, Springer-Verlag.)
In order to obtain sufficient security against cryptanalysis for a wrong purpose, the integer used in modular exponentiation and modular multiplication should have a large number of bits which is 512 or greater. Computational complexity for such a large integer is huge and cannot be dealt with at high speed by an ordinary computer.
Another problem is that, when modular exponentiation is executed by repetition of the Montgomery method, the maximum bit number of the output is progressively increased each time the modular multiplication is conducted, so that it is difficult to execute modular exponentiation by a single circuit. The array proposed by Even does not contain any suggestion concerning PE which would conduct processing when the bit number of the output of modular multiplication has exceeded the bit number of the input value and, hence, cannot fully perform modular exponentiation.
Furthermore, known Montgomery method requires, as will be detailed later, that separate computations are conducted on A, B and Q before computing Q=A.multidot.B.multidot.R.sup.-1 mod N, thus necessitating a plurality of computing means.
In particular, the array proposed by Even is composed of an array which performs a multiplication T=A.multidot.B and an array which performs a modular multiplication Q=T.multidot.R.sup.-1 mod N on R which is treated as a constant. Thus, the systolic array of Even was inefficient in that it essentially employ two types of arrays: one for computing T and other for computing Q. In addition, the systolic array proposed by Even has inferior adaptability because it performs only 1-bit based computation is performed in PE.
Thus, the known methods involve various drawbacks and cannot provide efficient modular multiplication circuit.

Method of and apparatus for encryption and decryption of communication data


A fiberglass termination includes a mounting trough having a base plate and limbs. Front p1ates are fixed to the limbs of the mounting trough, and fiberglass couplings or adapters are arranged in the front plates.

In existing copper telecommunications networks, the access network is usually in the form of a star network. With this network structure, the main cables are passed out of the switching center and are distributed between the various cable junctions of the corresponding subscriber areas. The main cable is distributed between the different cable junctions using cable couplers. Then, the main cables which have been distributed pass from the cable couplers to the cable junctions, where they are connected to terminations and are laid as branch cables in the respective streets of the subscribers. The connection to the end junction of the subscriber then usually takes place using a coupler in the branch cable. Owing to this fanning-out of the network towards the subscriber, the connection of the main cables on the subscriber or line side to the main distribution panel is the only site in the access network where all of the connections (lines) physically converge and can be tested centrally. The number of terminations in a cable junction is dependent on the physical shape of the cable junction, but a typical value is 12 terminations per cable junction.


An authentication system for device-to-device (D2D) communication and an authentication method thereof are provided. The authentication system further includes first user equipment (UE) and an authentication server. The authentication server is located within a communication range of the first UE. When the first UE sends a connection request to the authentication server, the authentication server performs a routine authentication procedure on the first UE and provides key generation information to the first UE. The authentication server generates a server key according to the key generation information and a key derivation procedure. The first UE generates an equipment key according to the key generation information and the key derivation procedure to obtain authentication for D2D communication, such that the first user equipment and a second UE obtaining the authentication for D2D communication directly perform the D2D communication without performing the D2D communication through the authentication server.

Along with widespread of mobile communication techniques, wireless communication techniques used in mobile devices are generally required to connect a base station (BS) or a wireless access point (AP) to implement communication between the mobile devices, i.e. the BS or wireless AP has to be used to implement communication between the mobile devices, for example, a general packet radio service (GPRS) technique, a code division multiple access (CDMA) technique, a WIFI (IEEE 802.11) communication technique, etc. When the mobile device is located at a place with a poor signal reception or a place with none BS or wireless AP around, the mobile device could not communicate with other mobile devices. For example, when most of the BSs could not be used due to natural disasters, the user's mobile device could not communicate with others. Therefore, a technique of implementing device-to-device communication without using the BS or the wireless AP is required to be developed, i.e. the so-called device-to-device (D2D) direct communication.
The D2D direct communication refers to that various electronic devices directly perform data transmission, control, data sharing, or make phone call, etc. with each other through a corresponding communication protocol (for example, a Bluetooth protocol, a WIFI direct protocol, etc.) without using the BS or the wireless AP to perform intermediary management. The direct communication could also be referred to as D2D communication, proximity-based system, direct communication, smart direct link, etc. Presently, a new generation standard wireless communication technique researched and developed in a third generation partnership project (3GPP), for example, a long term evolution (LTE) technique, and a LTE advanced technique, etc., also hopes to integrate the direct communication technique into the LTE technique.

Authentication system for device-to-device communication and authentication method therefor

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A toothbrush cabinet for storing toothbrushes therein. The toothbrush cabinet includes a housing with a front opening into the housing. A door pivotally coupled to the housing closes the front opening. A plate is provided in the housing. The plate has upper and lower faces, front and back edges, and a pair of side edges extending between the front and back edges of the plate. The back edges of the plate is detachably attached to a back face of the housing. The plate has a plurality of spaced apart holding slots extending therethrough between the upper and lower faces of the plate adjacent the front edge of the plate. Each of the holding slots has an outer periphery comprising a generally circular portion spaced apart from the front edge of the plate and a generally rectangular portion continuous with the associated circular portion of the respective holding slot and extending between the associated circular portion and the front edge of the plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toothbrush cabinets and more particularly pertains to a new toothbrush cabinet for storing toothbrushes therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of toothbrush cabinets is known in the prior art. More specifically, toothbrush cabinets heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,9298,039 by Thomas et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 1,529,024 by Hoch; U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,759 by Duncan; U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,694 by Leittl; U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,399 by Seta; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 370,812.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new toothbrush cabinet. The inventive device includes a housing with a front opening into the housing. A door pivotally coupled to the housing closes the front opening. A plate is provided in the housing. The plate has upper and lower faces, front and back edges, and a pair of side edges extending between the front and back edges of the plate. The back edges of the plate is detachably attached to a back face of the housing. The plate has a plurality of spaced apart holding slots extending therethrough between the upper and lower faces of the plate adjacent the front edge of the plate. Each of the holding slots has an outer periphery comprising a generally circular portion spaced apart from the front edge of the plate and a generally rectangular portion continuous with the associated circular portion of the respective holding slot and extending between the associated circular portion and the front edge of the plate.
In these respects, the toothbrush cabinet according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of storing toothbrushes therein.


The present invention includes the complete genome sequence for the methanogen, Methanobrevibacter ruminan-tium, including polynucleotides which encode M. ruminantium polypeptides or peptides, as well as polynucleotides from non-coding regions. Also included are the encoded M. ruminantium polypeptides and peptides, and antibodies directed to these peptides or polypeptides, in addition to expression vectors and host cells for producing these peptides, polypeptides, polynucleotides, and antibodies. The invention further includes methods and compositions for detecting, targeting, and inhibiting microbial cells, especially methanogen cells such as M. ruminantium cells, using one or more of the disclosed peptides, polypeptides, polynu-cleotides, antibodies, expression vectors, and host cells.

Global surface temperatures are predicted to increase between 1.1° C. to 6.4° C. during the twenty-first century primarily due to increased levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere (Solomon et al., 2007). Methane (CH4) is a particularly potent GHG, having a global warming potential 21 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2) (IPCC, 2007) and accounts for 16% of total global GHG emissions (Scheehle & Kruger, 2006). Methane from agriculture represents around 40% of the emissions produced by human-related activities, the single largest source of which is from enteric fermentation in livestock, mainly from ruminant animals (Steinfeld et al., 2006). The worldwide demand for meat and milk is predicted to double by 2050 (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2008) and ruminant-based agricultural activities are expected to continue to be an important contributor to global CH4 emissions. Therefore, reducing CH4 emissions from ruminants will be important in meeting international commitments under the Kyoto Protocol and also in ensuring the long-term sustainability of ruminant-based agriculture. Moreover, as CH4 production in the rumen accounts for 2-12% of the ingested energy (Johnson & Johnson, 1995), it is predicted that reducing CH4 emissions from ruminants will also make more energy available to the animal and therefore enhance their productivity. Ruminant animals are particularly important to agriculture in New Zealand (NZ), producing a third of NZ's commodity exports (Statistics New Zealand, 2008) and making up a large proportion of the internationally traded lamb and milk products (Leslie et al., 2008). Consequently, NZ has an unusual GHG emission profile, with ruminant CH4 emissions accounting for 31% of NZ's total GHG emissions (Ministry for the Environment, 2007).
Methane is formed in the fore-stomach (reticulorumen, or more commonly known as the rumen) by methanogens, a subgroup of the Archaea. During normal rumen function, plant material is broken down by fibre-degrading microorganisms and fermented mainly to volatile fatty acids (VFAs), ammonia, hydrogen (H2) and CO2. Rumen methanogens principally use H2 to reduce CO2 to CH4 in a series of reactions that are coupled to ATP synthesis. The rumen harbours a variety of different methanogen species, but analyses of archaeal small subunit ribosomal RNA genes from rumen samples of ruminants on differing diets around the world suggest the majority fall into three main groups: Methanobrevibacter, Methanomicrobium and a large, as yet uncultured, group of rumen archaea referred to as rumen cluster C (Janssen & Kirs, 2008). Sequences affiliated with Methanobrevibacter dominate, on average accounting for 61.6% of rumen archaea, with sequences associated with M. gottschalkii (33.6%) and M. ruminantium (27.3%) being most prominent.
Attempts have been made to inhibit the action of methanogens in the rumen using a variety of interventions but most have failed, or met with only limited success, due to low efficacy, poor selectivity, toxicity of compounds against the host, or build up of resistance to anti-methanogen compounds (McAllister & Newbold, 2008). Currently there are few practical methane reduction technologies available for housed ruminant animals, and no effective technologies for grazing animals. Methane interventions should ideally target features that are conserved across all rumen methanogens, so that no unaffected methanogens can fill the vacated niche. Interventions should also be specific for methanogens only, such that other rumen microbes continue their normal digestive functions. Whole genome sequencing allows the definition of gene targets that are both conserved and specific to rumen methanogens. It is not yet possible to obtain genome sequences of all methanogen groups present in the rumen as some are yet to be cultivated, and a rumen methanogen "metagenome" is prevented by the inability of current sequencing technologies to reassemble complete genomes from complex microbial ecosystems. Therefore, sequencing the genomes of individual rumen methanogens currently in culture is a critical step in developing CH4 mitigation technologies for ruminant animals.

Complete genome sequence of the methanogen


A display-screen-sharing system capable of transmitting data of a display screen appearing on a transmission-side terminal to a reception-side terminal with a high degree of efficiency in accordance with a processing state of the reception-side terminal. The transmission-side terminal includes a search unit and a transmission-side transmission/reception unit. The search unit sets an area to serve as a search object on the display screen. The reception-side terminal includes a reception-side transmission/reception unit for receiving the display-screen data from the transmission-side terminal and transmitting the ready-for-reception signal to the transmission-side terminal.

The present invention relates to a display-screen-sharing system for allowing a display screen to be shared among a plurality of terminals, a display-screen-sharing method adopted by the system, transmission side and reception-side terminals used in both the system and the method, and a recording medium.
A display-screen-sharing system has been proposed as a conventional system in which a network is used for connecting a plurality of terminals remote from each other as terminals to be used in a data conference. The proposed display-screen-sharing system is capable of allowing a display screen shown on a terminal used by a presenter to be shared by terminals used by other participants of the data conference. In this display-screen-sharing system, the terminal used by a presenter (transmission-side terminal) transmits data of the display screen to terminals used by other participants (reception-side terminal) and the terminals used by other participants each reproduce the data on a display screen so that each of the other participants is capable of browsing information such as the contents of a presentation given by the presenter and the contents of a displayed material.
In the conventional display-screen-sharing system, data of a display screen on the transmission side is generally encoded at a proper frame rate according to network parameters such as a transmission rate assumed in advance in the same way as, for example, transmission of a moving picture by adoption of a streaming technique, and results of encoding are transmitted to reception sides at predetermined time intervals. In addition, every time the display screen is updated on the transmission side, the data of the updated display screen is transmitted sequentially one piece after another to the reception side without regard to the processing state on the reception side.
In the method adopted by the conventional display-screen-sharing system as a method of transmitting data of a display screen, however, not only does the load borne by the transmission-side terminal inevitably increase, but unnecessary data generated in a picture-rendering process carried out in a reception-side terminal is also transmitted, raising a problem of an unavoidably increased amount of the network traffic. Particularly, in a data conference or the like, there are many cases in which it is sufficient to transmit the contents of a presentation or the like as data of still pictures. In such cases where still pictures required after a picture-rendering process are demanded more than moving pictures are necessary in the course of the picture-rendering process so that complete real-time conditions are not needed between the transmission and reception sides, the conventional transmission technique described above results in much waste in data transmission, making the transmission inefficient.
In addition, since data of a display screen is transmitted continuously on a one-sided basis without regard to the processing state on the reception side, there is raised a problem that it is quite within the bounds of possibility that a reception-side terminal bears an excessively heavy load and/or an overflow occurs in a buffer employed in the reception-side terminal.

Display-screen-sharing system, display-screen-sharing method, transmission-side terminal, reception-side terminal, and recording medium


The vessel in which the chips are pre-treated with steam (ST) is provided with a ventilation channel at the top of the vessel for the leading away of weak gases to a weak gas system (NCG). A simple safety system has been installed with the aim of guaranteeing that these weak gases do not reach a level of concentration at which these weak gases become explosive. The safety system has a control unit (CPU) that detects a process parameter that is indicative of the fraction of moisture in the weak gases and opens dilution lines that supply air for the dilution of the weak gases in the ventilation channel. It is appropriate that the dilution take place in stages, where the dilution lines are opened in stages with successively increasing temperature of the weak gases.

When manufacturing chemical cellulose pulp from chopped chips, it is desired to expel air and moisture from the chips. It is at the same time desired to heat the chips to the desired process temperature, suitably to a level around 100° C., since the chips are finally to reach a temperature of approximately 130-160° C. during the cooking process. This requires large volumes of steam, since not only is the correct chip temperature to be achieved with the aid of the steam, not only is the bound air to be expelled by the steam, but also the bound chip moisture is to be heated.
In certain older conventional systems, atmospheric chip bins have been used in which the chips are pre-heated with steam in order to expel the air. Very large volumes of withdrawn air are obtained from these systems, which volumes are contaminated with turpentine, methanol and other explosive gases that have been expelled from the chips, the latter being denoted by the term "NCGs" (where "NCG" is an abbreviation of "non-condensable gas"). If steam is used that has been obtained from the release of pressure of black liquor, this steam contains also large quantities of sulphides, known as TRS gases (where "TRS" is an abbreviation of "total reduced sulphur"), which are very malodorous. These TRS gases contain, among other compounds, hydrogen sulphide (H2S), methyl mercaptan (CH3SH), dimethyl sulphide (CH3SCH3), dimethyl disulphide (CH3SSCH3), and other strongly malodorous gases. Hydrogen sulphide and methyl mercaptan, which principally come from the steaming of black liquor, have boiling points of −60° C. and +6° C., respectively, and it will thus be difficult to condense these compounds out from the gases.
Pure steam is often used for heating in the chip bin in order to minimise the release of TRS gases, and black liquor steam is used first in the subsequent steam-treatment step that follows the chip bin. Even if black liquor steam is used only in a subsequent steam-treatment step, it is still possible that these TRS gases leak up into the chip bin or are deliberately allowed to escape up into this chip bin during, for example, interruptions in operation.
Systems are revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,795 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,284,095 in which it is attempted to disperse TRS gases from a pressure isolation device arranged between a chip bin and a steam-treatment vessel, where the TRS gases are withdrawn from the pressure isolation device and reintroduced at a position that lies downstream in the input sequence, at the outlet end of the steam-treatment vessel. The system has a chip bin arranged upstream, and a ventilation system is arranged at this bin in order to deal with weak gases. The system also provides possibilities for the dispersion of the TRS gases on certain occasions, either at a standpipe into the atmosphere, or to lead these TRS gases to the superior chip bin. Both of these alternatives involve the risk that TRS gases leak into the surroundings and create odour problems. The dispersal of pressurised TRS gases from the pressure isolation device, however, is combined with problems, since chips and fragments of chips can readily become stuck in the system, resulting is malodorous TRS gases being released up into the chip bin.
The prior art technology has identified the problem that it is desired to minimise leakage of harmful and toxic gases that arise during the steam pre-treatment with hot steam. It is normal to allow removal of weak gases from the chip bin to a destruction system, and to allow a further dispersal of gases from the steam pre-treatment vessel, the latter often being considered to be strong gases. It is attempted to maintain the concentration of the weak gases at well under 4% by volume, and the concentration of the strong gases at well over 40% by volume.
In the previously known chip bins in which steam is blown into the bed of chips, large volumes of weak gases are formed, and either pure steam or special systems that manage to deal with these weak gases are required. It is a property of weak gases that they very readily obtain a very explosive composition. As long as the concentration of NCGs lies lower than approximately 4% by volume or well over 40% by volume, there is no risk of explosion. For this reason, weak gas systems that maintain the concentration below under 4% by volume, typically below 1-2% by volume, or strong gas systems that maintain the concentration well over 40% by volume are used. It is thus ensured that the concentration in weak gas systems is held well below 4% by volume, and this entails the transport of large volumes of air: as soon as the volume of NCGs is set to increase, an equivalent increase in the fraction of air must be carried out in order to maintain the concentration below the critical limit.
If, for example, 1 kg/min of NCGs are steamed off in a chip bin, the air amount must lie around approximately 50 kg/min in order to maintain the concentration at approximately 2% by volume. If an increase in the NCGs to 2 or 3 kg/min takes place, as may occur in certain interruptions in the process, it is necessary temporarily to increase the amount of air to 100 or 150 kg/min. This results in the system being normally dimensioned such that it can deal with the normal flow, and that excess gases are vented directly into the atmosphere through the vent pipe when interruptions in operation occur.
Another solution to minimise the volumes of weak gases is to control the flow of chips through the chip bin such that a stable plug flow through the chip bin is obtained, and the supply of steam to the chip bin is in this case controlled such that only the chips in the lower part of the bin are heated. This technique is known as "cold-top" control and is applied in systems that are marketed by Kvaerner Pulping AB under the name DUALSTEAM™ bin.
A number of very expensive solutions have been developed in order to reduce the explosiveness and toxicity of the weak gases. Different systems are revealed in, for example, WO 96/32531 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,971, in which cooking fluid withdrawn from the digester generates pure steam from ordinary water. The use of totally pure steam for the steam pre-treatment of the chips reduces the TRS content in the weak gases, since the steam used is totally free from any TRS content.
These systems, however, inevitably give rise to energy losses and additional expensive process equipment.
The principal aim of the invention is to obtain a chip bin or similar vessel for the steam pre-treatment of chips in which the risks of leakage of weak gases are minimised and that is not associated with the disadvantages of the prior art.
A second aim is to obtain a safe system with simple regulation in which it is ensured that the weak gases that are drawn from the chip bin always maintain a concentration of TRS gases (or of NCGs) that lies well below the level at which the mixture of gases becomes explosive.
The system uses a simple temperature regulation, in which, with increasing temperature of the weak gases, a gradually increasing amount of dilution air is added at the ventilation channel in which the weak gases are transferred to the destruction system or the DNCG system (where "DNCG" is an abbreviation for "diluted NCG").
A further aim is to use a condensation arrangement in the weak gas system such that the gas volumes can be reduced early in the weak gas system, in which way an effective reduction in the volumes of weak gases can be achieved if large flows of steam are suddenly emitted from the top of the chip bin, and to avoid in this manner the customary venting to atmosphere. Current weak gas system are normally dimensioned such that they are able to deal with a nominally interruption-free flow of exhaust gases, and not to be able to deal with the increased volume of NCGs that may temporarily arise in the event of an interruption in operation. The volumes of gases obtained during such interruptions of operation are much larger than those that the weak gas system can manage, and the extra gas volume has, in general, been emitted to the surrounding air, through a dispersal standpipe of the roof of the mill, which has had as a consequence that the pulp mill has been compelled to emit malodorous gases.
A further aim is that the safety system is preferably used during what is known as "cold-top"-regulation of the heating of the chips, in which the chips are heated in such a manner that a temperature gradient is formed in the volume of chips, where the chips at the top of the chip bin maintain a temperature of approximately 40° C., and successively higher temperatures down towards the bottom of the chip bin are established with an advantageous temperature of approximately 90-110° C. established at the bottom of the chip bin. This system ensures that the volumes of gases that are expelled from the chips in the chip bin are very low, and the load on the weak gas system will be minimal during continuous routine operation. The system does, however, possess the property that NCGs tend to accumulate in a condensation layer in the chip bin, and in the event of steam break-through, when the chips reach a temperature of well over 40° C. at the top of the chip bin as a result of interruptions in the system, large amounts of NCGs are expelled from the bed of chips, which amounts must be dealt with by the weak gas system.

System and a method for the steam pre-treatment of chips in association with the production of chemical cellulose pulp


A complementary clock generator and a method for generating complementary clocks are disclosed. A complementary clock generator according to the present invention includes a first inverter, a first transmitting switch and a second transmitting switch. The first inverter outputs inverted clock signals by inverting input clock signals. The first transmitting switch has an input terminal, an output terminal, a first control input terminal and a second control input terminal, and connects the input terminal to the output terminal when the input clock signal reaches the first control input terminal and the inverted clock signal from the first inverter reaches the second control input terminal. The second transmitting switch has an input terminal, an output terminal, a first control input terminal and a second control input terminal, and connects the input terminal to the output terminal when the inverted clock signal from the first inverter reaches the first control input terminal and the input clock signal reaches the second control input terminal, wherein same-phase clock signals are obtained from the output terminal of the first transmitting switch, and opposite-phase clock signals are obtained from the output terminal of the second transmitting switch.

In many digital electronic circuits, complementary clock signals having a mutually inverse relationship are required. Because the operating speed of the electronic circuits gradually increases, clock signals having an exactly inverse relation in the time axis are required.
As illustrated in FIG. 1A, a conventional CMOS complementary clock generator for generating complementary clocks includes: a same-phase path having two serially connected CMOS inverters Inv1 and Inv2 for outputting a clock signal with a phase the same as that of an input clock; and an opposite-phase path having three serially-connected CMOS inverters Inv3, Inv4 and Inv5 for outputting a clock signal with a phase opposite to that of the input clock. The same-phase path is formed by serially connecting an even number of inverters, while the opposite-phase path is formed by serially connecting an odd number of inverters.
As illustrated in FIG. 1B, each of CMOS inverters Inv1, Inv2, Inv3, Inv4 and Inv5 is constituted such that PMOS transistor MP1 and NMOS transistor MN1 are serially connected, with the gates of PMOS transistor MP1 and NMOS transistor MN1 connected to receive an input signal, and an output is outputted through a connection point of the sources and drains of the transistors as illustrated.
This circuit operates in the following manner. For example, if input clock signal Clkin has pulses with a duty cycle of 50%, same-phase output clock signal Clk, with pulses having passed through the same-phase path, i.e., inverters Inv1 and Inv2, have the same phase as that of the input clock, while opposite-phase output clock signal /Clk, with pulses having passed through the opposite-phase path, i.e., inverters Inv3, Inv4 and Inv5, have a phase opposite to that of the input clock. Therefore, the clocks have a duty cycle of 50%, and they cross each other at a point of 50%.
If precise complementary clocks having opposite phases at the same timing point are to be formed, the delay of the same-phase path and the opposite-phase path has to be the same, and the number of the inverters of the opposite-phase path has to be larger than that of the inverters of the same-phase path by one. Therefore, the size of the inverters of the opposite-phase path is made to be larger than that of the inverters of the same-phase path, so that the delay of each of the inverters of the opposite-phase path would be smaller than the delay of each of the inverters of the same-phase path. Thus the total delay required in passing through the opposite-phase path is made to be same as the total delay required in passing through the same-phase path.
Generally, the loads of clock signals Clk and /Clk are the same, and the inverters of the opposite-phase path are designed to be bigger than the inverters of the same-phase path. Due to instability of the manufacturing process, the actual sizes of the CMOS inverters are not exactly formed as designed, but instead deviate from the intended design. Therefore, the ratios of the channel widths to the channel lengths of the transistors, i.e., W/L ratios, become different from the intended design. Further, the delay varies in accordance with variations of operating temperature, and, therefore, even if the two paths are matched in the normal operation, the delay can become different if the operating conditions are even slightly different.
As a result, viewed from the time axis, the two complementary clocks are not exactly of an opposite relation, but instead one of them lags behind the other, thereby forming a varying wave pattern. This phenomenon occurs frequently. Further, under certain operating conditions, after maintaining an exactly opposite relationship, if the operating conditions vary even slightly, then a deviating wave pattern is produced.
The basic cause for this phenomenon is as follows. The circuit elements forming the two paths of the same and opposite phases are asymmetrically provided. That is, in the case of the same-phase path, two (or an even number of) inverters form the signal transfer path, while in the case of the opposite-phase path, three (or an odd number of) inverters form the signal transfer path. That is the two paths pass through different kinds of transistors or different numbers of transistors.

Complementary clock generator and method for generating complementary clocks


An optical waveguide device for optically coupling a semiconductor laser to an optical waveguide. An optical waveguide substrate having the optical waveguide therein is mounted on a smooth surface of a heat sink for the semiconductor laser on which surface the semiconductor laser is mounted so that a light entry end surface of the optical waveguide abuts against a light exit end surface of the semiconductor laser and that a surface of the optical waveguide substrate on the side where the optical waveguide is formed abuts against the smooth surface of the heat sink. Accordingly, accurate alignment between a light exit end of the semiconductor laser and a light entry end of the optical waveguide can be effected by a simple construction.

The present invention relates to an optical waveguide device, and more particularly to an optical waveguide device using a semiconductor laser beam as an incident light.
In a conventional optical waveguide device having an optical waveguide in an optical modulator, SHG (second harmonic generator), optical integrated circuit, etc., a semiconductor laser is used as an incident light source for the optical waveguide.
It is desired that the semiconductor laser and the optical waveguide are to be optically coupled together with the utmost coupling efficiency. It is therefore necessary to effect accurate alignment between a light exit end of the semiconductor laser and a light entry end of the optical waveguide.
There have conventionally been proposed various coupling methods considering such accurate alignment. In Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 57-118686, for example, there is disclosed a structure that a semiconductor laser and an optical waveguide substrate are mounted on a common silicon substrate. In this structure, the alignment (equalization in level) between a light exit end of the semiconductor laser and a light entry end of the optical waveguide is effected by forming a recess on the silicon substrate and locating the semiconductor laser in this recess.
However, this prior art method has a problem in working such that a high accuracy is required in working the silicon substrate, for example.

Optical semiconductor laser and optical waveguide alignment device


A water injection system positioned about a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The water injection system may include a water manifold and a pressure relief system in communication with the water manifold. The pressure relief system may include a relief vent positioned on a pressure relief line.

Gas turbine engines generally include a compressor for compressing an incoming air stream. The air stream is mixed with fuel and ignited in a combustor for generating hot combustion gases. The combustion gases in turn flow to a turbine. The turbine extracts energy from the combustion gases for driving a turbine shaft. The turbine shaft powers the compressor and generally an external load such as an electrical generator.
Exhaust emissions from the hot combustion gases generally are a concern and may be subjected to mandated limits. Certain types of gas turbine engines are designed for low exhaust emissions operation, and, in particular, for low NOx (nitrogen oxides) operation. Low NOx turbine engines generally include a combustor in the form of a number of burner cans circumferentially adjoining each other around the circumference of the engine.
NOx emissions generally are related to the combustion temperature within the combustor. To control the temperature and the NOx emissions output, water can be added to the combustion process via a manifold positioned about the combustor. The amount of water generally is controlled as a function of fuel flow, relative humidity, and ambient temperature.
A load rejection is an instantaneous disconnection of the turbine generator from an electrical grid. The supply of fuel to the turbine therefore must be cutback quickly to prevent an over speed condition. Cutting back the fuel supply also must be done in a controlled manner so as to maintain flame stability. As the amount of water injected for NOx abatement is a function of fuel flow, the water flow to the combustor also must be stopped during a load rejection. Water injection manifold pressure reduction, however, may not always be fast enough to reduce the possibility of a flameout, i.e., the water already in the manifold may continue to flow into the combustor.
Thus is a desire, therefore, for an improved water manifold pressure relief system design that can react quickly to a load rejection. The increased reaction time should limit the possibility of flameout and the associated restart expenses.

Water injection manifold pressure relief vent


The present invention relates to a valve assembly for the supply of users in hydraulic control systems with pressurized fluid for the load pressure (LS) independent control of several simultaneously actuated hydraulic users wherein the ratio of the partial flows once set is maintained at undersupply of the system with the pressurized fluid. When the demand of the users exceeds the maximum output flow of the variable displacement pump, the (high) priority users receive the demanded quantity whereas the low priority users receive a reduced quantity by switching the control pressure for the low (i.e. no) priority users via a directional control valve and a pressure relief valve to a lower pressure level. Only when undersupply of the entire system occurs, i.e. when the maximum output flow of the variable displacement pump is no more sufficient despite the limitation of the control pressure for the low priority users, then the presently flowing partial flows of all users are reduced proportionally.

With construction vehicles or machines, in particular with excavators, it is essential to actuate the individual users such as slew means, boom, dipper, and bucket independently from each other and sometimes also simultaneously. During independent individual operation of the users, the maximally available amount of pressurized fluid can be supplied to the users, if necessary.
During parallel operation during which a constant speed of the users is desirable, the maximally available amount of pressurized fluid must be distributed evenly (or proportionally) to the users. In every mode of operation the users should be operating independently of the load.
For example, in the control of an excavator, during individual operation, high speeds of the equipment such as boom and dipper are required whereas the speed of the slew means should be less. During parallel operation, such as when loading, the movements of the boom, dipper, and slew means should occur at approximately the same speeds. To facilitate manipulation or control this should occur automatically at the extremal position of the control signal generator means.

Valve assembly for load independent control of multiple hydraulic loads


There is provided a wiring board including: a terminal group including a plurality of terminals arrayed along a specified array axis; and a pair of alignment marks disposed on opposite sides of the terminal group in the direction of the array axis. The alignment marks each have a first portion extending so as to intersect at an angle to the array axis. The first portions of the alignment marks and the plurality of terminals extend from the terminal group to a common phantom center point that is apart from the terminal group in the direction intersecting the array axis.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a wiring board and a mount structure in which the wiring board is mounted on a mounting object such as an electrooptic panel, for use in personal computers, portable phones, etc. and to a method for manufacturing the mount structure including the step of connecting the terminal groups formed on the components.
2. Related Art
Known electrooptic devices mounted to electronic devices such as portable phones, notebook computers, and TV sets include a structure having an electrooptic panel and a wiring board mounted on the electrooptic panel. When a driving circuit for driving the electrooptic panel is mounted to the panel, the wiring board supplies display data and control signals sent from the display control system of the electronic device to the electrooptic panel. When the driving circuit is not disposed on the electrooptic panel, the driving circuit is mounted on the wiring board or another circuit board connected to the wiring board. In this case, the wiring board supplies the driving signals output from the driving circuit to the electrooptic panel.
With the above structure, a plurality of input terminals is arrayed in line along a rim of the electrooptic panel, while a plurality of connecting terminals is arranged in line along a rim of the wiring board in correspondence with the input terminals. When the wiring board is mounted to the electrooptic panel, the input terminals and the connecting terminals are opposed to each other with an anisotropic conducting material in between, to which heat and pressure are applied by tools so that corresponding input terminals and connecting terminals are electrically connected. For the anisotropic conducting material, insulating resin containing dispersed conductive particles is used so that the input terminals and the connecting terminals are electrically connected via the conductive particles.
The connecting terminal array of the wiring board is disposed in proper correspondence with the input terminal array of the electrooptic panel. However, the wiring board expands or contracts significantly because it is basically made of polyimide resin, which changes the pitch of the connecting terminal array. This causes a pitch gap between the connecting terminal array and the input terminal array formed on the glass substrate that is hardly influenced by temperature changes or moisture absorption. This causes disagreement of the positions of the connecting terminal array and the input terminal array, thus posing the problem of mount failure.
Therefore, a mount structure is proposed in which the input terminals and the connecting terminals are disposed in belt shape along a plurality of lines that passes through a common point (a phantom center point) that is apart from the input terminal array and the connecting terminal array in a predetermined direction intersecting the direction of the terminal arrays, so that even if the pitch of the connecting terminal array changes to some extent because of the expansion or contraction of the wiring board, the pitches can be agreed by relatively shifting the input terminal array and the connecting terminal array in the direction in which the distance from the common point changes (for example, refer to JP-A-2003-258027).
Known methods for mounting the wiring board on the electrooptic panel in such a mount structure includes a method for aligning the electrooptic panel and the wiring board using a reference mark formed at one of the electrooptic panel and the wiring board and a scale formed at the other (for example, refer to JP-A-2003-258396).
However, the alignment method using the reference mark and the scale requires the operator to determine the amount of the expansion or contraction of the wiring board, thus posing the problem of complicated work. Moreover, since the scale is constructed of a plurality of linear patterns, extremely thin linear patterns are needed for higher alignment accuracy. Particularly, a wiring board made of polyimide or the like has the problem of low yields and high manufacturing cost because of difficulty in increasing the accuracy of the pattern of the alignment mark. This method also has the problem of low visibility and taking much time and labor for alignment work because of a large number of linear patterns formed on the scale.

Wiring board, mount structure, and method for manufacturing the same


A process for producing via patterns in a ceramic sheet which includes the steps of forming an array of vias and then selectively filling in at least a portion of the vias with a non-conductive filler material, such as a ceramic, to create a custom via pattern. The process is particularly useful for fabricating grid transformers and ceramic printed circuit boards. The present invention also relates to ceramic devices produced by the process, and a universal tool adapted for carrying out the process.

The present invention relates to the fabrication of ceramic sheets, particularly ceramic sheets suitable for the production of multi-layer ceramic devices.
Multi-layer ceramic (MLC) devices are fabricated from a plurality of stacked ceramic sheets, wherein each sheet has a particular screened metal pattern on its planar surface and a particular pattern of feed-through vias, or holes. The vias in the ceramic sheets are usually filled in the unfired or "green" state with a slurry of metal paste. Screen printing techniques, through either a stencil or a screen, are typically used to force the metallizing paste into the via holes. After the patterned and via-filled layers are stacked in the proper order, they are laminated together with heat and pressure to form an aligned assembly ready for firing.
During the firing operation, the binder is volatilized from the ceramic tape, the patterned metallization and the via metallization. After binder removal, the temperature is increased to provide densification by sintering of the ceramic and metal portion of the assembly. The metal filled via hole now becomes an electrical conductor and provides the desired electrical interconnection between the various layers of patterned metallization.
MLC devices may be composed of a number of different layers. These layers may include a top surface for integrated circuit (IC) attachment and wire bonding, redistribution or "fan out" layers, signal distribution layers, power distribution layers, and bottom surface pads.
Vias permit electrical interconnection between the multiple layers. Vias may also act as heat sinks for heat generating components placed on top of the device, or as electrical grounds for the components. The vias are most commonly formed using a tool to mechanically punch the holes into the ceramic layers.
The present trend is toward larger ceramic printed circuit boards with increased interconnect density, that is, an increased density of vias. For example, five inch square modules are now commonly in use. A five inch square module having vias on a 25 mil grid will require 40,000 via holes. A "mil" is equivalent to 0.001 inch, or about 0.0254 mm. As used herein, the phrase 25 mil grid refers to an array of via locations, wherein each via is located approximately 25 mils, or 0.025 inch, from each adjacent via in the same row. This description applies herein to any "grid" preceded by a measurement reference. Other parts may require a higher density, such as vias on a 10 mil grid. The distance between adjoining vias may also be referred to as the "pitch." For example, a 10 mil grid has a finer pitch than a 25 mil grid. While most designs will not require solid grid vias, it is not uncommon to manufacture a grid having, for example, 12,000 vias on one surface.
Typically, at least one of the ceramic layers in the device will have a via pattern that differs from the via pattern in one or more of the other ceramic layers. Hence, separate punch tools, known as permanent cluster punch tools, must be fabricated for each different layer. Often, the MLC device will have in excess of five layers, each having a different via pattern. This requires the fabrication of multiple punch tools, which are relatively expensive. The fabrication of a separate punch tool for each layer can be prohibitively expensive, particularly when the multi-layer devices are produced for a customer in relatively small quantities.
One alternative is the use of programmable punches, wherein each individual layer pattern is programmed into a computerized punch and the punch fabricates each layer individually. These numerically controlled (NC) punches are presently available from several suppliers. Typically, the programmable punch apparatus has a single punch which can be activated at a speed of about 10 punches per second. Thus, with this machine, one layer of a 12,000 via part will require about 20 minutes to punch. In comparison, a full permanent cluster punch tool can operate at punching rates between about 3 and 30 seconds per layer, independent of the number of vias in the layer.
Another alternative is the use of a laser drilling apparatus. Again, productivity rate is a severe limitation of laser drilling techniques. The best laser drilling apparatus known to the inventor at the present time is rated at about 40 vias per second. Other problems with laser drilling include poor via quality and excess material deposition around the edges of the vias.
There is a need for an inexpensive and effective process for the formation of via patterns in individual layers, so that the fabrication cost of MLC devices can be reduced. Such a process would be particularly useful for low quantity production devices and devices that have a large number of individual layers with differing via patterns. It would be particularly advantageous if the process could be carried out using equipment that manufacturers of multi-layer ceramic devices typically have in their possession.

Method for obtaining via patterns in ceramic sheets