Managing a lifecycle of a container includes defining a plurality of states, each state corresponding to a particular phase in the lifecycle of the container, determining one or more current properties of the container while a current defined state of the container is in a first defined state of the plurality of defined states, and controlling an action associated with the container based on at least the first defined state and the one or more determined properties of the container. Determining one or more current properties of the container may include determining a current fill level of the container and information about at least one other current physical property of the container. Controlling an action may include changing the defined state of the container from the first defined state to a second defined state of the plurality of defined states.

In some embodiments of the system described herein, a method of monitoring a container with a sensor device having a first sensor that detects signals indicative of a level to which a container is filled with contents and a second sensor that detects at least a first property of the container other than the level to which a container is filled with contents is performed. The method may include the sensor device communicating with the first sensor, the sensor device communicating with the second sensor, and the sensor device monitoring the level and the at least a first property of the container. The sensor device may be physically coupled to the container. The method may further include the sensor device using an ultrasonic sensor controller coupled to the first sensor and the processing unit to process signals detected by the first sensor to determine the level to which the container may be filled with the contents. The method may further include detecting movement of the sensor device. The method may further include detecting damage to the sensor device. The method may further include communicating status information of the container to a container management network. The method may further include securing information stored on and/or communicated from the sensor device. The method may further include determining action to be taken for the container based on the level and the detected at least first property and controlling taking the action. The method may further include communicating information about the container to the one or more devices of a container management network as transaction blocks of a blockchain. The method may further include receiving a remotely transmitted digitally signed software update, authenticating the software update, and if the software is authentic, updating software on the at least one sensor device with the authenticated software. The second sensor may be a climate sensor that detects at least one of: temperature, air pressure, and air humidity of the sensor device. The climate sensor may include a pressure compensation membrane such that the climate sensor detects one or more environmental properties external to the sensor device. The method may further include detecting a temperature difference between the contents of the container and gas/air within the container, and determining the level of the contents from the detected temperature difference. The method may further include determining a property of the container based on sound waves captured by a microphone as a result of acoustic stimulation of the container. The method may further include digitally sampling sound waves captured by a microphone as a result of acoustic stimulation of the container, and transmitting the digital samples to a component of a container management system for frequency analysis.
In some embodiments of the invention, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media may be provided having software stored thereon for monitoring a container with a sensor device having a first sensor that detects signals indicative of a level to which a container is filled with contents and a second sensor that detects at least a first property of the container other than the level to which a container is filled with contents. The software includes executable code that communicates with the first sensor, executable code that communicates with the second sensor, and executable code that monitors the level and the at least a first property of the container. The sensor device may be physically coupled to the container. The software may further include executable code that uses an ultrasonic sensor controller coupled to the first sensor and the processing unit to process signals detected by the first sensor to determine the level to which the container is filled with the contents. The software may further include executable code that detects movement of the sensor device. The software may further include executable code that detects damage to the sensor device. The software may further include executable code that communicates status information of the container to a container management network. The software may further include executable code that secures information stored on and/or communicated from the sensor device based on data stored within a trusted platform module. The software may further include executable code that determines action to be taken for the container based on the level and the detected at least first property and controlling taking the action. The software may further include executable code that communicates information about the container to the one or more devices of a container management network as transaction blocks of a blockchain. The software may further include executable code that receives a remotely transmitted digitally signed software update, executable code that authenticates the software update, and executable code that, if the software is authentic, updates software on the at least one sensor device with the authenticated software. The second sensor may be a climate sensor that detects at least one of: temperature, air pressure, and air humidity of the sensor device. The climate sensor may include a pressure compensation membrane such that the climate sensor detects one or more environmental properties external to the sensor device. The software further may include executable code that controls detecting a temperature difference between the contents of the container and gas/air within the container, and executable code that determines the level of the contents from the detected temperature difference. The software may further include executable code that determines a property of the container based on sound waves captured by a microphone as a result of acoustic stimulation of the container. The software may further include executable code that digitally samples sound waves captured by a microphone as a result of acoustic stimulation of the container, and executable code that transmits the digital samples to a component of a container management system for frequency analysis.
In some embodiments of the system described herein, the system is for managing a lifecycle of each of a plurality of containers remotely located from one or more servers having at least a first database defining information for managing the lifecycles of the plurality containers, each of the plurality of containers having a sensor device physically coupled thereto. The system includes one or more container management components communicatively coupled to, and remotely located from, the one or more servers, and each container management component manages, at least in part, a lifecycle of one or more of the plurality of containers based at least in part on the information defined in the first database. At least one of the one or more container management components may be included in a gateway communicatively coupled to, and remotely located from, at least one sensor device physically coupled to the one or more containers, and the gateway may manage, at least in part, the lifecycle of the one or more containers by exchanging communications with the at least one sensor device. At least one of the one or more container management components may be included in a sensor device physically coupled to the one or more containers, and the sensor device may be in direct communication with at least one of the one or more servers. The defined information may include a plurality of defined states within a container lifecycle for the plurality of containers. Each of the plurality of containers may have a current defined state from among the plurality of defined states, and at least a first of the one or more container management components may determine one or more actions to be taken for at least a first of the plurality of containers based on the current defined state of the first container and one or detected properties of the first container. The one or more detected properties may include at least a fill level of contents of the at least first container. The one or more container management components may communicate information about one or more of the plurality of containers to the one or more servers as transaction blocks of a blockchain. One or more transactions corresponding to one or more of the plurality of containers may be stored as a smart contract in blockchain form. At least one sensor device may be physically coupled to a container and receive a remotely transmitted digitally signed software update, authenticate the software update and, if the software is authentic, update software on the at least one sensor device with the authenticated software. The system may further include one or more applications that maintain an inventory of the plurality of containers based at least in part on information transmitted by the sensor devices physically coupled to the containers. The system may further include one or more applications that automatically order more containers for an entity based at least in part on information transmitted by the sensor devices physically coupled to the containers.
In some embodiments of the system described herein, a method of managing a lifecycle of each of a plurality of containers remotely located from one or more servers having at least a first database defining information for managing the lifecycles of the plurality containers, each of the plurality of containers having a sensor device physically coupled thereto, is performed. The method includes using container management components communicatively coupled to, and remotely located from, the one or more servers, to manage, at least in part, a lifecycle of one or more of the plurality of containers based at least in part on the information defined in the first database. At least one of the one or more container management components may be included in a gateway communicatively coupled to, and remotely located from, at least one sensor device physically coupled to the one or more containers, and the gateway may manage, at least in part, the lifecycle of the one or more containers by exchanging communications with the at least one sensor device. At least one of the one or more container management components may be included in a sensor device physically coupled to the one or more containers, and the sensor device may be in direct communication with at least one of the one or more servers. The defined information may include a plurality of defined states within a container lifecycle for the plurality of containers. Each of the plurality of containers may have a current defined state from among the plurality of defined states, and the method may further include determining one or more actions to be taken for at least a first of the plurality of containers based on the current defined state of the first container and one or detected properties of the first container. The one or more detected properties include at least a fill level of contents of the at least first container. The method may further include communicating information about one or more of the plurality of containers to the one or more servers as transaction blocks of a blockchain. The method may further include storing one or more transactions corresponding to one or more of the plurality of containers as a smart contract in blockchain form. The method may further include receiving a remotely transmitted digitally signed software update, authenticating the software update, and, if the software is authentic, updating software on the at least one sensor device with the authenticated software. The method may further include maintaining an inventory of the plurality of containers based at least in part on information transmitted by the sensor devices physically coupled to the containers. The method may further include automatically ordering more containers for an entity based at least in part on information transmitted by the sensor devices physically coupled to the containers.
In some embodiments of the system described herein, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media are provided having software stored thereon for managing a lifecycle of each of a plurality of containers remotely located from one or more servers having at least a first database defining information for managing the lifecycles of the plurality containers, each of the plurality of containers having a sensor device physically coupled thereto. The software includes executable code that uses container management components communicatively coupled to, and remotely located from, the one or more servers, to manage, at least in part, a lifecycle of one or more of the plurality of containers based at least in part on the information defined in the first database. The software may be included in a gateway communicatively coupled to, and remotely located from, at least one sensor device physically coupled to the one or more containers, and the gateway may manage, at least in part, the lifecycle of the one or more containers by exchanging communications with the at least one sensor device. The software may be included in a sensor device physically coupled to the one or more containers, and the sensor device may be in direct communication with at least one of the one or more servers. The defined information may include a plurality of defined states within a container lifecycle for the plurality of containers. Each of the plurality of containers may have a current defined state from among the plurality of defined states, and the software may further include executable code that determines one or more actions to be taken for at least a first of the plurality of containers based on the current defined state of the first container and one or detected properties of the first container. The one or more detected properties include at least a fill level of contents of the at least first container. The software may further include executable code that communicates information about one or more of the plurality of containers to the one or more servers as transaction blocks of a blockchain. The software may further include executable code that stores one or more transactions corresponding to one or more of the plurality of containers as a smart contract in blockchain form. The software may further include executable code that receives a remotely transmitted digitally signed software update, executable code that authenticates the software update, and executable code that, if the software is authentic, updates software on the at least one sensor device with the authenticated software. The software may further include executable code that maintains an inventory of the plurality of containers based at least in part on information transmitted by the sensor devices physically coupled to the containers. The software may further include executable code that automatically orders more containers for an entity based at least in part on information transmitted by the sensor devices physically coupled to the containers.


A method forms a first voltage node of a high voltage component of a microelectronic device. The method also forms a plurality of dielectric layers. The method also forms a second voltage node of the high voltage component of the microelectronic device in a fourth position such that the plurality of dielectric layers is between the first voltage node and the second voltage node. During the forming a second voltage node step, a portion of a third layer in the plurality of dielectric layers, in a region outwardly positioned relative to the second voltage node, is removed to expose the second layer, in the plurality of dielectric layers, in the region.

The example embodiments relate to high voltage components in microelectronic devices, such as integrated circuits (IC singular, ICs plural).
High voltage microelectronic devices, sometimes referred to as or including isolation devices, can experience voltage differentials of 100 to 1000 VRMS, or greater. A high voltage microelectronic device typically includes an internal electrical separation, which can be within a single or multiple IC packages. The isolation is included to prevent current flow between the isolated sections, while often permitting transmission of an AC signal between the isolated sections. For example, the AC signal may be accomplished by a large voltage differential across an internal capacitor, which is sometimes referred to as a high voltage capacitor due to the large voltage differential. An isolation IC also may be used for internal noise suppression or circuitry protection, or for safety purposes to prevent high voltage injury to someone near a device that includes the IC. Indeed, typically an isolation IC is constructed with a first set of high voltage pins positioned on a first side of the IC package and a second set of low voltage pins positioned on a second and opposite side of the IC package, with internal isolation between the two sets of voltage pins. Other design considerations may apply to the package itself to reduce the chance of arcing between the high voltage and low voltage pins, for example during testing of the IC package. Isolation ICs also may be used in various applications, including industrial, building and climate control, security systems, transportation, medical, robotics, motors, digital converters, telecommunications, and others.
Isolation between high differential metal nodes of the isolation IC is sometimes achieved with a number of dielectric layers. For example, a stack of dielectrics, from and between the high voltage node and the low voltage node may include first a relatively thin and first bandgap dielectric layer, such as silicon nitride (SiN), proximate the high voltage node, followed by a second and relatively thicker higher-bandgap dielectric, followed by a third layer (or a stack of layers forming the third layer) of an even thicker and highest-bandgap dielectric, between the thicker higher-bandgap dielectric and the low voltage node. The bandgap (electron mobility) of each layer differs, so that each layer provides some level of breakdown protection by a tradeoff between lower bandgap for a thin layer (e.g., SiN) and higher bandgap for a thicker layer.
While the preceding approach generally reduces or provides controlled breakdown in the direction (typically referred to as vertical) between the higher and lower voltage node, charge can leak into the thin first bandgap dielectric layer and also spread laterally. Accordingly, while the thin first bandgap layer may not fail in the vertical direction due to the addition of the other layers described above, it may instead undesirably leak or fail laterally in the layer spanning between higher and lower voltage metal nodes.
Accordingly, example embodiments are provided in this document that may improve on certain of the above concepts, as further detailed below.

High voltage isolated microelectronic device


A flat-plane antenna for mobile communications, used in automobiles, etc. including a table form antenna element made up of a conductive flat-plate section and a plurality of leg sections which connect to the flat-plate section to a ground plate, a strip line resonator provided beneath the table form antenna with a space in between, and a capacitor electrode provided on the strip line resonator directly under the center of the table form antenna element. A feeding line is connected to the strip line resonator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna for use in mobile communications such as automobile telephones and MCA (multi-channel access), etc. which is flat-plate shaped and installed in a flat portion such as roof, trunk lid, etc. of the body of a vehicle such as an automobile, etc.
2. Prior Art
Various types of wire-form or linear antennas have been used in the past as antennas for mobile communications. The reasons for this are that wire-form antennas have maximum radiative characteristics in the horizontal direction, as required for mobile communications, and such antennas can easily be endowed with characteristics which are non-directional in the horizontal plane. Furthermore, antennas used for automobile telephones and MCA require broad-band characteristics, and since broad-band techniques have been well established for wire-form antennas, the design and development of such antennas are relatively easy.
In recent years, flat-plate antennas have received attention as antennas for use in mobile communications. The reason for this is that when a flat-plate antenna is attached to an automobile, there is no projecting object as in the case of conventional and antennas, and there is no deleterious effect on the style of the automobile, and wind noise occurring during operation of the automobile is decreased. Furthermore, since there is no danger that the antenna will contact car-wash machinery, garages or roadside trees, etc., the problem of damage to the antenna from such sources is eliminated. In these and other respects, such antennas have great practical merit.
In flat-plate antennas it is necessary to endow the antenna with broad-band characteristics. For this reason, antennas with a multi-layer structure have been proposed in the past. Such multi-layer antennas, however, has a complex integral structure and is therefore difficult to adapt as a commercial product.

Flat-plate antenna with strip line resonator having capacitance for impedance matching the feeder


Classifying a portion of an electrical signal propagating through a conductor includes digitizing the electrical signal to provide a digitized signal, providing a plurality of stored digitized signals, wherein each stored digitized signal corresponds to a type of fault for the conductor, comparing the digitized signal to each of the stored digitized signals to determine a score therefore, if the score is less than a predetermined value for a particular one of the stored digitized signals, classifying the portion of the electrical signal as a fault corresponding to the particular one of the stored digitized signals, and, if none of the scores are less than the predetermined value, classifying the portion of the electrical signal as having no fault. Classifying a portion of an electrical signal may also include converting the digitized electrical signal to reflection coefficients.

1. Technical Field
This application relates to the field of diagnostics, and more particularly to the field of diagnostics that determine the condition of cables and wires.
2. Description of Related Art
Wiring systems may be used in a variety of industries, such as the aviation and aircraft industry. Different devices and components may be controlled, monitored and/or enabled using the wiring systems. Existing wiring systems may experience problems that are difficult to detect and diagnose.
One existing technique is detection of problems through visual inspections, for example, as in connection with general procedures and inspections of aircraft wiring systems. However, defects may go undetected and may only be detected after a system failure or after a more noticeable amount of damage has occurred.
It may be desirable for a variety of different reasons, including safety considerations, to provide an efficient and effective technique that may be used in wire diagnostics. It may be desirable that this technique provides for diagnosing and detecting faults that may not be detected using visual inspection. It may also be desirable that this technique provides for detection as early as possible and perform the diagnostics in a non-destructive manner that may be included in a routine maintenance plan.


A method for manufacturing a ceramic device is provided. The ceramic device comprises a ceramic layer. A polyimide layer is on the ceramic layer. The polyimide layer has disposed therein a plurality of copper vias. Each copper via is in physical contact with the ceramic layer. A plurality of pads are formed on the polyimide layer. Each of the plurality of pads is in physical contact with a copper via of the plurality of copper vias. In this way, the pads are supported by a continuous copper arrangement, thereby providing greater support for the probe pads than if the probe pads were supported by the polyimide layer, as the mechanical strength of polyimide layer is lower than the mechanical strength of copper.

In recent years, there has been a tremendous push to miniaturize all electrical components, including integrated circuits and other computer chip products. The reduction in the size of ICs has placed a demand on test systems to determine new ways to achieve the tighter spacing needed to test the contact pads of the ICs.
Current processes utilize lithography to produce pad structures of copper and polyimide that have a tight-pitch of 150 μm or less. In these conventional processes, the resulting pads are pliable due to the fact that the pads are routed by copper/polyimide with a flexible polyimide located below the pad. As a result, wire bonding cannot be performed on these pads in a consistent manner.
Recently, a process called Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) was developed to remove material from uneven topography on a wafer surface until a flat (planarized) surface is created. This allows subsequent photolithography to take place with greater accuracy, and enables film layers to be built up with minimal variations in height. CMP combines the chemical removal using a base fluid solution with a mechanical effect provided by abrasive polishing. CMP has particular applicability in the fabrication of copper-based semiconductors, where it is used to define the copper wiring structures.

Probe pad structure in a ceramic space transformer


A drill string caliper includes a mandrel configured to be coupled within a drill string. At least one laterally extensible arm is coupled to an exterior of the mandrel. A biasing device is configured to urge the at least one arm into contact with a wall of a wellbore. A sensor is configured to generate an output signal corresponding to a lateral extent of the at least one arm.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of measurement while drilling systems. More specifically, the invention relates to devices for measuring parameters related to the shape of the interior wall of the wellbore, more commonly called "calipers."
2. Background Art
Measurement while drilling ("MWD") systems and methods generally include sensors disposed in or on components that are configured to be coupled into a "drill string." A drill string is a pipe or conduit that is used to rotate a drill bit for drilling through subsurface rock formations to create a wellbore therethrough. A typical drill string is assembled by threadedly coupling end to end a plurality of individual segments ("joints") of drill pipe. The drill string is suspended at the Earth's surface by a hoisting unit known as a "drilling rig." The rig typically includes equipment that can rotate the drill string, or the drill string may include therein a motor that is operated by the flow of drilling fluid ("drilling mud") through an interior passage in the drill string. During drilling a wellbore, some of the axial load of the drill string to the drill bit located at the bottom of the drill string. The equipment to rotate the drill string is operated and the combined action of axial force and rotation causes the drill bit to drill through the subsurface rock formations.
The drilling mud is pumped through the interior of the drill string by various types of pumps disposed on or proximate the drilling rig. The mud exits the drill string through nozzles or courses on the bit, and performs several functions in the process. One is to cool and lubricate the drill bit. Another is to provide hydrostatic pressure to prevent fluid disposed in the pore spaces of porous rock formations from entering the wellbore, and to maintain the mechanical integrity of the wellbore. The mud also lifts the drill cuttings created by the bit to the surface for treatment and disposal.
In addition to the above mentioned sensors, the typical MWD system includes a data processor for converting signals from the sensors into a telemetry format for transmission of selected ones of the signals to the surface. In the present context, it is known in the art to distinguish the types of sensors used in a drill string between those used to make measurements related to the geodetic trajectory of the wellbore and certain drilling mechanical parameters as "measurement while drilling" sensors, while other sensors, used to make measurements of one or more petrophysical parameters of the rock formations surrounding the wellbore are frequently referred to as "logging while drilling" ("LWD") sensors. For purposes of the description of the present invention, the term MWD or "measurement while drilling" is intended to include both of the foregoing general classifications of sensors and systems including the foregoing, and it is expressly within the scope of the present invention to communicate any measurement whatsoever from a component in drill string to the surface using the method to be described and claimed herein below.
Communicating measurements made by one or more sensors in the MWD system is typically performed by the above mentioned data processor converting selected signals into a telemetry format that is applied to a valve or valve assembly disposed within a drill string component such that operation of the valve modulates the flow of drilling mud through the drill string. Modulation of the flow of drilling mud creates pressure variations in the drilling mud that are detectable at the Earth's surface using a pressure sensor (transducer) arranged to measure pressure of the drilling mud as it is pumped into the drill string. Forms of mud flow modulation known in the art include "negative pulse" in which operation of the valve momentarily bypasses mud flow from the interior of the drill string to the annular space between the wellbore and the drill string; "positive pulse" in which operation of the valve momentarily reduces the cross-sectional area of the valve so as to increase the mud pressure, and "mud siren", in which a rotary valve creates standing pressure waves in the drilling mud that may be converted to digital bits by appropriate phasing of the standing waves. It is also known in the art to communicate signals between the surface and instrumentation in a wellbore using "wired" drill pipe,", that is, segmented pipe having an electromagnetic communication channel associated therewith. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,434 issued to Boyle et al. and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. It is also known in the art to use extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic signal telemetry for such wellbore to surface signal communication.
It is frequently desirable to have information concerning the shape of the wellbore wall, for example, for calculating cement volume necessary to cement a pipe of casing in the wellbore. It is also desirable to know the distance between certain types of sensors and the wall of the wellbore, for example, acoustic, neutron and density sensors. Caliper devices known in the art for use in drill strings include acoustic travel time based devices. An acoustic transducer emits an ultrasonic pulse into the drilling fluid in the wellbore, and a travel time to the wellbore wall back to the transducer of the acoustic pulse is used to infer the distance from the transducer to the wellbore wall. There are circumstances in which such calipers are undesirable or fail to function properly, e.g., drilling fluid having entrained gas. It is also necessary to accurately determine the acoustic velocity of the drilling fluid proximate the caliper. Therefore, there exists a need for other types of wellbore calipers that can be used with drill strings.

Wall contact caliper instruments for use in a drill string


Existing satellite solar arrays are deployed perpendicular to the satellite so that they rotate to track the daily movement of the sun to increase the solar array's' output power. In the present invention, the solar arrays are biased by a fixed amount away from the orbit perpendicular axis to maximize their minimum output power over the seasons. As the satellite orbits about the earth, the solar array rotates about the orbit perpendicular axis along a conical path so that the array faces towards the sun and maintains its biased attitude with respect to the sun. The biased attitude is preferably selected to equalize the solar array's summer and winter solstice output power minimums, thereby maximizing the worst case output power for a single axis of rotation solar array. The solar array is preferably biased by either forming the shim between the solar array drive mechanism and the solar array with the desired bias or by using the Adjustable Solar Wing Actuator (ASWA) available on certain satellites.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to satellite solar arrays and more specifically to a method for biasing a solar array with respect to its rotational axis to increase the solar array's worst case output power.
2. Description of the Related Art
Satellites orbit the earth to provide point-to-point communications, weather detection, and remote sensing functions. These satellites employ solar arrays, which convert the sun's energy into electrical energy to power the satellite and its subsystems. One type of satellite, commonly known as a 3-axis body stabilized satellite, deploys a pair of solar arrays in a wing configuration along an axis perpendicular to the body of the satellite and its orbital plane.
As the satellite orbits the earth, its attitude is maintained so that the antenna array or sensing devices at the front of the satellite always point towards the earth. This continuously changes the orientation of the satellite, and hence the orientation of the solar array to the sun. As a result, existing satellites rotate the solar arrays around the perpendicular axis to track the daily movement of the sun to maintain the solar array's output power at a high level.
As the earth orbits the sun, the tilt of the earth's spin axis causes the angle or declination of the sun to change. The declination is zero at the autumnal and vernal equinox and attains an absolute maximum of approximately 23.45.degree. at the summer and winter solstices. This seasonal variation also causes the solar array's output power to fluctuate. This seasonal variation in the solar array's output power can be eliminated by providing a second axis of active rotation to track the seasonal movement of the sun. The solar array's minimum output power level is critical because satellites and their payload must be designed to use no more than the minimum output power generated by the solar array. Tracking the seasonal movement, in addition to tracking the daily movement, would maximize the minimum output power of the solar array.
However, 2-axis satellites are not implemented for several reasons. First, the power fluctuations caused by seasonal variations are much less than the fluctuations caused by the orbit of the satellite around the earth. Second, it is not currently cost effective to provide an actuator that is capable of sustaining constant rotation to track the seasonal changes. Furthermore, adding an additional rotation axis and actuator would reduce the satellite's overall reliability and lifetime. Lastly, some fluctuation in the solar array output power is desired. Around the vernal and autumnal equinox the declination of the sun is small enough that the satellite falls in the shadow cast by the earth during its daily orbit. Thus, at equinox the output power must be sufficiently high to not only power the satellite but to recharge its batteries, which then provide power when the satellite is eclipsed.

Satellite solar array and method of biasing to reduce seasonal output power fluctuations


Systems and methods related to computer peripheral devices and mounts are described including device mounts with three linkages. A first linkage may include a body, an abutment piece approximately perpendicular to the body, and a device attachment mechanism disposed proximate to said abutment piece. A second linkage is rotatably connected to the first linkage and a third linkage is rotatably connected to the second linkage. The third linkage may at least partially overlaps the second linkage and extend beyond an end of the second linkage. A camera housing may also be attached to the first linkage, e.g. by a hinge or socket joint. The second linkage may be connected to the first linkage via a friction hinge, and the third linkage may be connected to the second linkage via another friction hinge. The third linkage may preferably include a substantially planar contact surface with a chamfered leading edge.

The present invention generally relates to peripheral devices for computers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a clip for use with a sensor, such as an image capturing device, or the like, and methods of manufacturing and using such clips.
An example of a sensor that is typically attached to another device is a webcam. A webcam is a peripheral device configured to be used with a computer, set-top box, etc., to capture light from a scene and generate a still images and/or a video stream from the captured light. Webcams are also often configured to capture audio and generate an audio-visual (AV) stream from the captured video and audio. The video stream and/or the AV stream are transferred from the webcam to a computer. The computer typically receives the video stream and/or the AV stream from the webcam for transmission across a network for viewing on a remote computer. The computer might also store the video stream and/or the AV stream for future access and viewing. The generated video stream and/or AV stream may be used for a video telephone call or a video conference on the Internet.
Various webcams have been designed to meet a variety of purposes, such as the webcams described in U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D579,967 issued Nov. 4, 2008, D564,559 issued Mar. 18, 2008, D563,446 issued Mar. 4, 2008 and D554,682 issued Nov. 6, 2007, each of which is assigned to the assignee of the instant application. U.S. Design Pat. No. D/595,328 assigned to Microsoft Corp. shows a webcam having a base for desktop use but not for placement on a computer monitor. While a variety of webcams are currently on the market, businesses continue to strive to provide users with new webcams that have new features, which improve the comfortable and efficient use of the webcams. In particular, there is need for an image capturing device that can readily and securely be applied to a wide variety of computer monitors and displays, including newer monitors and laptop displays having a very narrow panel depth, e.g. 5 mm or less.

Multi-linkage clip for camera and other devices


An air plenum is located within a conduit forming a spout for a granular material supply tube, and air is fed through the air plenum while granular material flows around the plenum and out of the spout. The moving air carries the material away from under the spout and permits the receiving compartment to be completely filled. A material flow control valve is constructed in the annular space around the air plenum by using a fixed plate and a rotatable plate, each with matching holes. If material accumulates to a height blocking the spout, a level sensor within the spout activates a pneumatic cylinder which causes the material flow valve to close by misaligning the holes. The continuing air flow then distributes the material throughout the receiving compartment, and when the level sensor is free of material the flow valve reopens. A pressure sensor in the air system also controls the granular material flow to shut off the flow when the air pressure builds up because the receiving compartment is full.

This invention deals generally with the loading of containers with granular material, and more specifically with a spout which permits the complete filling of a compartment from a single hatch.
The loading of granular materials into bulk carriers such as railcars or trucks is a common requirement in industry. Generally this loading is accomplished with a retractable gravity flow spout supplied with material from a source above the carrier. However, this technique has a limitation because the material being loaded tends to accumulate directly below the loading hatch and form a mound. The volume of material in such a mound is determined by the angle of repose of the specific material, but regardless of the material, the space in the carrier immediately surrounding the hatch does not fill up.
Even the use of several hatches does not solve this problem because a mound forms under each hatch. Sometimes the carrier is vibrated to attempt to reduce such mounds and completely fill the carrier. However, vibrating such a large structure is difficult and requires a significant investment in complicated equipment which is also difficult to maintain. In addition, vibrating such a large carrier may also cause actual structural damage to the carrier.


A system and method for printing is provided including actuating a job supplement process on a user interface to enable a job supplement print job to be built up from opposing sides of an object. The system initiates manual document handling mode. The user places a first side of an object to be scanned on a platen of a printing system. The system scans a first side image of the object, the scanning includes a scanner for scanning the platen and converting objects on the platen to image signals. The system stores the first side image of the object. The user turns the object onto a second side and places the second side on the platen. The system scans a second side image of the object. The system further prints the first side image adjacent to the second side image in a single pass on a media sheet.

The present exemplary embodiments relate to media (e.g., document or paper) handling systems and systems for printing thereon. More particularly, the embodiments relate to a job supplement process for enabling print jobs to be built up to meet specialized job requirements.
Many users find it useful to include a copy of, for example, identification (ID) sized documents such as an individual's driver's license, ID card, health insurance card, business card, social security card, credit card, certificate, passport, et. al. (collectively referred to hereinafter as ID cards), in an individual's record so that information contained on these ID cards can be later referenced. Most ID cards contain important information on both front and back sides of the card. One problem with current devices is that while they are well-suited to capture information on the ID cards by making a copy of them, they cannot print the information from both the front and back sides of the card on the same face of a page. This results in a person's information contained on two separate pages (or the front and back side of a page if copying in duplex mode). The result is two separate pieces of information in two different locations. With current copiers, the only way to achieve all information on a single side of a sheet of paper is to make a copy of one side of the ID card, reload the output for re-imaging and make a copy of the second side. This method is cumbersome and confusing, as it requires the user to understand how the paper will feed through the machine and in what orientation the new image will be placed in relation to the first.
Electronic printing systems typically employ a scanner for scanning image bearing documents and convert the image to image signals or pixels for use in making prints. The job source usually consists of a quantity of documents having the same or similar parameters that enable the documents to be scanned en masse and without special treatment for individual documents. In some cases, however, the job may include diverse documents that require special treatment and therefore cannot be scanned with the other documents in a single scan. Similarly, the job program may necessitate that some documents be processed apart from the other documents that comprise the job. In other cases, the documents may differ in size and thus require different scaling ratios to provide prints of the same size. Some documents in a job may be fragile or unable to pass through an automatic document handler, and thus require manual handling. In these and the manifold other situations in which special processes are required, it would be highly desirable if a system or procedure to allow these special cases to be handled expeditiously and efficiently existed.
In view of some of the aforementioned job requirements, it may be desirable to "build" a job on a segment-by-segment basis. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,494 to Reed et al. (Issued: Jan. 14, 1992) various parts of a job are merged through use of a job supplement mode. Through this mode, the job supplement function is used to append content to a job as it is being scanned into the printing system. That is, when the job supplement mode is engaged, any number of additional documents or groups of documents may be scanned in with the job currently being scanned. Upon supplementing the job at the scanner, an END JOB icon is selected, and the supplemented job is stored in a memory section of the printing system. The '494 patent provides a job supplement process for a printing system effective when actuated to enable a print job to be built up from a plurality of smaller print jobs, the printing system including document scanning means with a platen on which documents to be scanned are placed, the scanning means having automatic and manually assisted document handling modes for inputting documents to the platen for scanning and converting the document images to image signals for use in making prints, the steps comprising: automatically implementing job supplement in response to operation of the scanning means in the manually assisted document handling mode; manually implementing the job supplement in response to operation of the scanning means in the automatic document handling mode; and preventing scanning of the next job by the scanner in response to implementation of the job supplement process.
It is also sometimes desirable to make multiple copies of small images as for example of an ID card or business card. However, since the image source, i.e., a business card, is smaller than normal, conventional copying by placing the card on the platen of a copier and running the desired number of copies cannot readily be done. This is because the copier is designed to make a copy of the entire platen area so that the resulting copies that are made will include not only the image from the card but also a large non-image area around the card. In that situation, to obtain copies of the small image, the copies that are made must then be cut to remove the unwanted and extraneous non-image areas or a make ready original prepared. This results in a substantial waste of copy paper, excessive copying costs since a full copy must be made for each image desired, and a very time consuming and inefficient job. And in cases where the multiple up image is a duplex image, copying becomes almost impossible due to the inability to accurately register and size the second side image with the first side image.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,429 to Rourke provides a process for printing reduced size multiple up images in an electronic reprographic printer, comprising the steps of: providing an electronic page comprised of image signals representative of the multiple up image; from the electronic page, determining the size of the multiple up image; determining the size of the paper stock on which the multiple up images are to be printed by the printer; determining the maximum number N of the multiple up images that can be optimally fitted onto the paper stock without interference; and in a single pass, using the electronic page to print the multiple up images N times on each of the paper stock.
The U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,081,494 and 5,191,429 patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Job supplement for electronic printing machines


A connector backshell assembly is provided for strain relief mounting to an electrical cable. The assembly includes a backshell having forward and rearward ends and an axially extending cable-receiving aperture therethrough. A toroidally configured, radially compressible strain relief coil spring surrounds the cable and is disposed near the rearward end of the backshell. A compression nut is engageable with the backshell for selective rotational and axial movement relative thereto. The compression nut includes a forwardly facing concave cam surface for engaging and radially compressing the coil spring into strain relief engagement with the cable. An interference surface is operatively associated with the backshell and non-rotatably engageable with the strain relief coil spring to prevent rotation of the coil spring with the compression nut relative to the backshell.

Electrical cables, such as shielded cables, and associated connectors frequently are used in military applications and other industrial cable assembly applications. In such applications, the connector/cable interface often is environmentally sealed and should provide a superior strain relief connection to ensure that the quality of the electrical connection is not affected by any physical abuse to which the connector and cable might be subjected.
Typically, an industrial-type connector found in such a cable assembly is provided with a backshell and a front connector combination which are mechanically connected to one another. The backshell mechanically supports and secures the cable for strain relief. The backshell often may be provided with a plurality of components for achieving shielding, sealing and/or strain relief. In practice, there have been various types of strain relief structures in the connector or backshell assemblies, three types being most prevalent. The first and most common type of strain relief is to provide a conventional split shell screw-type clamp which is positioned over the connector and backshell after assembly and then tightened by one or more screws to effect a gripping strain relief about the cable. This type of strain relief structure does not provide uniform stress throughout the clamp, and uneven wear and ultimate insulation breakage eventually may be caused at the stress points.
A second type of strain relief structure is embodied in a grommet compression-type backshell which includes a rubber or other elastomeric grommet or sleeve which is compressed onto the cable to provide strain relief therefor. The grommet usually is provided primarily as a seal for the connector, and the strain relief function is secondary and, consequently, usually inadequate. In addition, elastomeric rings do not provide uniform clamping pressure throughout the entire circumference thereof when subjected to considerable radial compressing forces.
A third type of strain relief structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,611 (and corresponding parent U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,015) to Michaels et al, dated Jun. 11, 1991 and assigned to the assignee of this invention. As disclosed therein, a coiled strain relief spring is formed in a generally toroidal configuration which is dimensioned to receive an insulated cable axially therethrough. The coil spring is radially compressible to achieve a secure strain relief engagement with a jacketed cable on compression by a compression nut of the backshell assembly. This system uses few components and has been shown to give superior performance in strain relieving a cable due to the fact that the spring radially compresses as it is biased by a frustoconical camming surface, resulting in no high points of compression or stress. Still, in some applications, it has been found that the spring will rotate with the compression nut as the nut is rotatably coupled to the backshell. Rotation of the strain relief coil spring can cause wear and damage to the jacketed cable and possibly cause breakage of the individual conductors of the cable. The present invention is directed to still a further improvement wherein means are provided to prevent rotation of the strain relief coil spring when it is compressed onto the cable by relative rotation between two connector members, such as the backshell and the compression nut.


Bias networks are provided for accurate generation of biases of cascode transistor arrangements. Network embodiments generate a voltage that accurately biases the transistor of a cascode arrangement at a selected point in its saturation region and this voltage is accurately transferred to the drain of a transistor via the gate-to-source voltage drops of a pair of gate-coupled transistors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cascode transistor arrangements.
2. Description of the Related Art
For metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors, a cascode arrangement often couples a common-gate cascode transistor to the drain of a second transistor. The cascode transistor provides a substantially enhanced output impedance. Other cascode transistors can be added to further enhance the output impedance. Although various networks have been proposed for biasing cascode arrangements, they have generally failed to accurately bias the second transistor at a desired point in its saturation region and maintain that point over variations in operating conditions (e.g., process, supply and temperature).


Provided is a composition for inducing tumor cell senescence and a method for inducing tumor cell senescence using the same. The composition can inhibit a PAPSS2 gene in a tumor cell to thereby induce senescence of the tumor cell, and if the composition is used concurrently with irradiation of the tumor cell, the composition can improve the sensitivity of the tumor cell to radiation.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition for inducing senescence in tumor cells comprising an inhibitor against a 3′-phosphoadenosine 5′-phosphosulfate synthase 2 (PAPSS2) gene or protein encoded by the gene and a method for inducing senescence in tumor cells using the same.
Description of Related Art
Premature senescence, also known as stress-induced premature senescence, in tumor cells means senescence caused in tumor cells by various stimuli. In contrast to normal cells that undergo senescence after a particular number of cell division, tumor cells divide indefinitely due to changes in characteristics of replicative senescence during tumorigenesis, and it has long been known that tumor cells may not undergo cellular senescence. In recent years, however, various stimuli have been known to rapidly induce senescence in tumor cells, which is called stress-induced premature senescence (Sugrue et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94:9648-9653, 1997; Mason et al., Oncogene, 23; 9238-9246, 2004). It has been reported that stress sources capable of inducing senescence in tumor cells are genotoxic chemicals (e.g., etoposide, cyclophosphamide, etc.), radiation, and UV light (Hemann and Narita, Genes & Dev., 21:1-5, 2007; Chang et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 99:389-394, 2002).
Suppression of tumor cell proliferation by inducing senescence in tumor cells through stress-induced premature senescence has recently been suggested as an effective mechanism for cancer therapy (Roninson et al., Drug Resist Updates, 4:303-313, 2001; Campisi, Science, 309:886-887, 2005), and studies on the mechanism of cellular senescence contributed to an improvement in the efficiency of cancer therapy (Narita and Lowe, Nature Medicine, 11:920-922, 2005). Moreover, a histological analysis of cancer patients with inhibited malignant progression of tumor reported that senescence was effectively induced in tumor cells (Collado et al., Nature, 436:642, 2005). In addition, the tumor suppressor protein p53 was reported to be implicated in the removal of tumor tissues through cellular senescence, as proven in an animal test (Xue et al., Nature, 445:656-660, 2007). This indicates that cellular senescence can be effectively applied to cancer therapy. In practice, the activation of the senescence mechanism in tumor cells makes it possible to treat cancer with lower doses of anticancer agents or radiation than does the activation of cell death mechanisms, thus improving the side effects associated with conventional cancer therapy and overcoming the resistance to cancer therapy of cancer cells which acquire the resistance to the cell death (Rebbaa, Cancer Lett, 219:1-13, 2005).
Meanwhile, 3′-phosphoadenosine 5′-phosphosulfate synthase 2 (PAPSS2) is a gene with National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Access No. NM_004670 (SEQ ID NO: 1) or NM_001015880 (SEQ ID NO: 2) and has not been known to be associated with premature senescence in tumor cells in the prior art.

Composition comprising inhibitor against PAPSS2 gene or protein encoded by gene for inducing senescence in tumor cells and method for inducing senescence in tumor cells using the same

Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences

Inha University Research and Business Foundation


A method of driving the impression cylinder receiving carriages into the printing elements of a rotary printing machine whilst executing a simultaneous displacement of all the impression cylinder receiving carriages provided in the printing elements and of all the impression cylinder receiving carriages arranged in a waiting position in front of the printing elements, the displacement movement taking place in a first direction of advance and, for the subsequent driving-in of the impression cylinder receiving carriages, the latter being displaced simultaneously and together with the carriages located in the printing elements in the opposite direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The abovementioned invention relates to a method, with which it is possible to drive impression cylinder receiving carriages into the printing elements automatically.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known that rotary printing machines consist of a series of printing elements which are arranged with mutual spacing and are fitted with known mechanical equipment which allows the web of paper to be printed to be moved through a multiplicity of successively arranged printing elements. Each of these printing elements has in a known manner a pressing roller which has the task of pressing the web of paper against an impression cylinder. Each impression cylinder is mounted in its own receiving carriage and each receiving carriage has a known squeegee device and an ink application device.
It is known that, when the printing programme is changed if, for example, a change is made from printing a particular product to printing a different product, it is necessary to stop the rotary printing machine in order to allow the individual impression cylinder receiving carriages to be driven out of the printing elements. Subsequently, the impression cylinder receiving carriages which are no longer to be used must be transported away from the associated printing element and only then is it possible to drive new impression cylinder receiving carriages into the gaps provided between the printing elements in order subsequently to drive the receiving carriages with the new cylinders into the printing units in order to start up the printing operation of the new product after carrying out the operations previously described.
Considering the fact that the investments to be made for a printing machine are very great, it is understandable that a printing works will strive to reduce the stoppage times of the machine to a minimum, that is to say those stoppage times required for exchanging the impression cylinder receiving carriages, an operation which even today is still largely carried out by hand.
An apparatus has been disclosed by the prior art, in which a transporting device is provided coaxially with the printing elements, on which transporting device the impression cylinder receiving carriages are arranged in order to drive the carriages from a waiting position into the gap between two printing elements in each case and subsequently to drive the corresponding impression cylinder receiving carriage into the printing element.
If the impression cylinders are to be exchanged by new cylinders, the cylinders are pushed through the individual printing units in order to occupy the adjacent gap between two printing elements and subsequently deposited on the transporting device again by a transverse movement.
This known apparatus has the disadvantage that it is necessary to provide a deep channel in the longitudinal direction of the rotary printing machine, which channel is suitable for receiving the components for the transporting device of the impression cylinder receiving carriages.
The necessity of providing a channel which extends over the entire length of the rotary printing machine entails considerable disadvantages and often cannot be accomplished for technical reasons, for example if the rotary printing machine is mounted on a floor which may not be changed.
A rotary printing machine has also been disclosed, in which the attempt has been made to reduce the stoppage times for exchanging the impression cylinder receiving carriages by providing for each printing element a twin-design impression cylinder receiving carriage, that is to say a receiving carriage which is constructed for receiving two impression cylinders, two squeegee devices and two corresponding ink application devices.
The disadvantage of this embodiment is to be seen in the fact that, for driving an impression cylinder receiving carriage of double width into the gap between two printing elements, said gap must be doubled in its dimensions, which leads to the overall length of the rotary printing machine increasing in an undesirable manner.
Furthermore, when using receiving carriages for two impression cylinders, a certain inertia is found in the displacement movement, which inertia does not allow the impression cylinder receiving carriage which is just in the waiting position to be exchanged, if required, by another impression cylinder receiving carriage which is fitted with a different impression cylinder.
A further disadvantage is to be seen in the fact that the receiving carriages for two impression cylinders are very heavy and consequently a great amount of force is required for moving these impression cylinder receiving carriages.

Method of driving the impression cylinder receiving carriages into the printing elements of a rotary printing machine

Officine Meccaniche Giovanni Cerutti S.p.A.


A lockable firearm storage box is provided. The box includes a lid and a base forming a storage chamber for a firearm. The box is provided with a locking device that includes a plurality of latching members that will secure the lid and base of the box in a closed configuration. A tether is also provided for securing the box at a given location.

Gun ownership has been increasing in recent years. The concern for safe storage of guns and, in particular, pistols has also increased. Safe storage has two components, the first is unauthorized use from easy access, and the second is theft. While no means has been provided which absolutely provides security for both, the goal is to make access and theft more difficult to achieve.
Numerous devices have been provided to achieve one or both goals. For example, there are numerous types of trigger locks available that make unauthorized use much more difficult by precluding easy access to the trigger of the firearm. These have been provided for both long guns, for example rifles and shotguns, and for pistols. While effective, they have no impact on theft or unauthorized movement to a different location. Because of the different shapes of trigger guards, trigger locks can be difficult to use on one firearm, while easy to use on another firearm.
Storage containers have also been provided for securing firearms. One form of a storage container is the so-called gun safe. High quality gun safes are large and very heavy, and take up a lot of space, as some can weigh on the order of 2,000 pounds. They are not easily movable and require a significant amount of time to open. They can be provided with both mechanical combination locks and electronic locks. While likely the most secure, they have the aforementioned drawbacks. Another form of storage container is a portable locking box. Numerous versions are available on the market. They are small and therefore readily portable, making theft easy, while providing a fair level of resistance to unauthorized access to a firearm contained inside. Typically, such boxes are used for the storage of pistols. Such portable boxes can be easily stored at any desired location, for example, in a drawer next to a bed, making them readily available for use in a time of need.
A typical portable locking box has a lid portion hinged to a storage base. Upon unlocking, the lid is moved to an open position, providing access to the contained firearm. However, many of these boxes can have a tool easily inserted between the lid and the base to pry the lid open. Typically, such boxes can be readily moved about a premise, or removed from the premises easily.
Thus, there is a need for an improved lockable firearm storage box.


A data normalization system is described herein that represents multiple data types that are common within database systems in a normalized form that can be processed uniformly to achieve faster processing of data on superscalar CPU architectures. The data normalization system includes changes to internal data representations of a database system as well as functional processing changes that leverage normalized internal data representations for a high density of independently executable CPU instructions. Because most data in a database is small, a majority of data can be represented by the normalized format. Thus, the data normalization system allows for fast superscalar processing in a database system in a variety of common cases, while maintaining compatibility with existing data sets.

Superscalar central processing units (CPUs) that can execute more than one instruction per clock cycle are becoming more and more common for computing systems. Unlike pipelined architectures, superscalar architectures include multiple, redundant functional units that can operate on many instructions in parallel. Superscalar architecture and pipelining can be used together to provide even more CPU efficiency. Superscalar processing depends in part on the processor being provided with (or detecting on its own) instruction streams that are intrinsically parallel, meaning that the stream contains operations that operate on independent sets of data or in a way that order of execution between the operations will not lead to different results. This allows the processor to perform multiple operations at the same time.
Most database systems were implemented before superscalar CPUs started to dominate the market. Superscalar CPUs process data faster provided there are enough independent instructions inside small instruction windows (e.g., on the order of up to ˜100 instructions). In such cases, superscalar processors can detect enough independent operations to utilize multiple available CPU execution units. Independent operations are those with no data or control flow dependencies between them. Database systems often rely on optimizations that are no longer efficient for superscalar architectures. For example, a database implementation may include long functions with many conditional branches.
To take advantage of superscalar CPUs, databases need to improve data warehouse processing to achieve higher efficiency in processing for a majority of data warehouse specific data values. Current internal data representations do not lend themselves to efficient scalar processing. Database systems provide many data types, such as integers, strings, floats, binary blobs, and so forth that may each include a different type of internal data structure or other representation. Some of these are more appropriate for superscalar processing than others. Code paths have to be constructed with care to ensure very efficient processing and high density of independent CPU instructions, which often is not the case for database systems being used on superscalar processors. Various specialized data warehouse engines have been built to take advantage of superscalar CPUs, such as Monet DB/X100 and Microsoft Analysis Services. However, these engines are not generic relational database management system (RDBMS) engines and provide advantages only in limited situations that do not address superscalar issues with the database system core.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Normalizing data for fast superscalar processing


A sliding device for snow is provided with a supporting slide (1) and a turning slide (2) arranged in front of the supporting slide. The smallest portion of said turning slide (2) is wider than the widest portion of the supporting slide (1). The ground contact portion (2a) of said turning slide spreads out forward and is essentially a trapezoid-like plate. The largest width of this ground contact portion is about 1.01–1.1 times the smallest width of the ground contact portion.

A sliding device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,975, wherein the turning slide is round-shaped and the supporting slide is essentially a rectangular plate having a rounded front end. A stabilizing bar is provided between a sleeve in which the fork is rotatable and the front end of the supporting slide, so that this stabilizing bar is positioned before the rider's feet, which are to be positioned on a supporting plate provided on the supporting slide.
Such a sliding device presents some problems. Since the front portion of the turning slide is round-shaped, the sliding device cannot move in a straight line properly. While the sliding device moves forward in curves, the length of the edge of the turning slide in contact with the snow is relatively short; therefore, the edge effect does not function well and changing direction is difficult.


In a semiconductor apparatus, a first conductive interconnection layer and a second conductive interconnection layer are formed respectively on a lower surface and a higher surface of an interlayer insulation film interposing a step-like portion therebetween by employing different photolithography and etching. A dummy interconnection is provided directly beneath the second conductive interconnection layer in the vicinity of the step-like portion. The first and second conductive interconnection layers and are electrically connected to each other by a conductive layer formed directly on the dummy interconnection in a region including the step-like portion to extend over the surface of a silicon substrate. Consequently, even if the step-like portion is larger than depth of focus, the first and second conductive interconnection layers are precisely patterned within depth of focus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor apparatus and manufacturing methods thereof and, more particularly, to a technique for formation of a desired conductive interconnection pattern without being affected by step-like portions formed in an interlayer insulation film.
2. Description of the Background Art
Mostly, an integrated circuit (hereinafter referred to as "IC") memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) is comprised of a memory cell array including a large number of storage elements and a peripheral circuit necessary for input/output, and the memory cell array and the peripheral circuit are formed on the same substrate.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing one example of structure of a general DRAM. With reference to FIG. 12, a memory cell array 1 includes a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines arranged to cross over each other therein. Memory cells are provided at respective cross-over points of the word lines and the bit lines. Each of the memory cells is selected by selecting a corresponding one of the word lines by an X address buffer decoder 2 and a corresponding one of the bit lines by a Y address buffer decoder 3. Data is written into a selected one of the memory cells, or data stored in the selected memory cell is read. Instruction of such data writing/reading is made by a read/write control signal (R/W) which can be applied by a R/W control circuit 4. In data writing, input data (Din) is applied as an input to the selected memory cell via R/W control circuit 4. In data reading, data stored in the selected memory cell is detected and then amplified by a sense amplifier 5. The amplified data is output as output data (Dout) via a data output buffer 6 to the outside.
FIG. 13 is an equivalent circuit diagram of a dynamic type memory cell for use in explaining a writing/reading operation of the memory cell.
Referring to FIG. 13, the dynamic type memory cell includes a set of field effect transistor 7 and capacitor 8. A gate electrode of field effect transistor 7 is connected to a word line 9. A source/drain electrode of field effect transistor 7 connected to capacitor 8 is connected to a bit line 10. A predetermined potential is applied to word line 9 in data writing. This renders field effect transistor 7 conductive, so that charges applied to bit line 10 are stored in capacitor 8. In data reading, a predetermined potential is applied to word line 9. This renders transistor 7 conductive, so that the charges stored in capacitor 8 are extracted via bit line 10.
A description will now be made on one example of structure of a conventional IC memory with reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B. FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a conventional memory cell array 102 and peripheral circuitry 101, and FIG. 11B is a plan lay-out of the corresponding part. Here, a stacked capacitor is shown as an example of a capacitor of a memory cell.
In this memory cell, with reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B, a field effect transistor 18 is formed on a silicon substrate 11. Field effect transistor 18 includes a gate oxide film 19, a gate electrode 20, an overlying insulator film 21 and a sidewall insulator film 22. While gate electrode 20 is not shown in the figures due to structure of the memory cell array, the gate electrode is disposed also on a field oxide film 12 for isolation. A diffusion layer 13 for reinforcing isolation is formed beneath field oxide film 12. Also, diffusion layers 14 and 15 serving as a source/drain region of field effect transistor 18 are formed.
As the one corresponding to capacitor 8 of FIG. 13, a capacitor including a storage node 29, a capacitor insulation film 31 and a cell plate 32 is formed. This capacitor is electrically connected through a contract hole 27 to the aforementioned diffusion layer 15. As the one corresponding to bit line 10 of FIG. 13, a bit line 40 is formed. This bit line 40 now has polycide structure formed of a polycrystalline silicon layer 38 and a tungsten silicide layer 39. This bit line 40 is electrically connected through a contact hole 34 to the aforementioned diffusion layer 14. A diffusion layer 17 is formed in a peripheral circuit 102 and electrically connected through a contact hole 37 to bit line 40. Insulation between the capacitor and bit line 40 is achieved by an interlayer insulation film 33.
At present, IC memories employ the above-described stacked capacitors in order to increase integration density and capacitance. Thus, there arises a problem with respect to step-like portions due to a difference in height between a portion on an IC chip where a capacitor is disposed and a portion where no capacitor is disposed. Particularly, in a case where bit line 40 is formed in an upper portion of the capacitor as shown in the foregoing conventional example, if depth of focus in resist pattern formation is smaller than the above-described step-like portions in photolithography using a photoresist mask for use in formation of bit line 40, it has been very difficult to precisely process all bit lines 40 on chip to a desired dimension in comply with the photoresist mask.

Semiconductor device with an interconnection layer on surface having a step portion


Methods and apparatus are provided for identifying participants in a peer-to-peer network, such as an Ares™ network. Peers are identified by sending a bootstrap request message to at least one peer; receiving a response from the at least one peer to the bootstrap request, wherein the response identifies one or more additional peers; and repeating the sending and receiving steps for the one or more additional peers until the bootstrap response satisfies one or more predefined criteria. The predefined criteria can be that the bootstrap response does not identify at least one new peer within a predefined period of time, or that the bootstrap response does not identify at least one new peer at all. The bootstrap requests are generally sent only to peers that have not been previously contacted. The bootstrap request message may comprise, for example, only one packet and requests that the recipient identify a predefined number of random peers. A list of identified peers can be presented to a user, for example, based on one or more demographic criteria.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) applications partition tasks among peers. Peers make a portion of their resources, such as processing power, storage or network bandwidth, available to other network participants. Peer-to-peer applications were popularized by file sharing systems, such as the Napster™ file-sharing system and the BitTorrent™ file-sharing system. In a peer-to-peer file sharing model, one or more users (referred to as "peers") share a file with other users. Peers are said to form a peer-to-peer network of nodes.
Due to the distributed nature of P2P networks, there is typically no central information about the network participants. P2P file sharing networks, for example, typically do not require coordination by centralized servers to list the content that is available in the P2P network. A Distributed Hash Table (DHT) is often used in P2P networks to distribute the directory database among all participating clients. Kademlia is a popular DHT. See, for example, Petar Maymounkov and David Mazieres, "Kademlia: A Peer-to-Peer Information System Based on the XOR Metric," International Workshop on Peer-To-Peer Systems (2002). Kademlia is currently implemented in several P2P clients, such as Ares™ (http://aresgalaxy.sourceforge.net and http://www.officialares.com), eMule (www.emule-project.net) and BitTorrent™ (www.bittorrent.com).
Peer-to-peer file sharing systems are typically primarily employed for personal use. In addition, a significant portion of the shared content is copyright protected. It has been found that many users of peer-to-peer file sharing systems stay connected only for the time required to download the desired content. Thus, the user population of these peer-to-peer systems is highly dynamic, with peers frequently joining and leaving the network. It is therefore challenging to obtain a complete list of the users that are connected to the P2P network at a given time.
A need therefore exists for methods and apparatus that identify the participants (for example, by their IP addresses) that are executing a P2P client on their computer at a given time.

Methods and apparatus for identifying peers on a peer-to-peer network


A semiconductor device having a gate electrode free from increasing of resistance of the gate electrode, from decreasing of capacitance of the insulation film due to depletion, and from penetrating of impurity. The semiconductor device includes a silicon layer, a gate insulating film formed on the silicon layer, a metal boron compound layer formed on the gate insulating film, and a gate electrode formed on the metal boron compound layer and containing at least silicon.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device and a fabricating method for the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) device with a gate length of sub-micron (0.1 micrometer) generation is fabricated, there is a high possibility that silicon used for a generation before the above cannot be utilized for a gate electrode as it is.
The first reason thereof is that because silicon has a relatively high specific resistance of several tens Ω/□, RC delay cannot be disregarded in device operation if it is used as a gate electrode. For a device whose gate length is in the sub-micron generation, it is thought that the RC delay cannot be negligible unless the specific resistance of the gate electrode is 2 Ω/□ or less.
Furthermore, as the second reason of the above, there is a problem that the silicon gate electrode gets depleted. This is the phenomenon that solubility of the dopant impurity added in the silicon is limited to the extent of 1×1020 per cubic centimeter at most and a depletion layer of a finite length comes to expand in the silicon gate side at the interface between the silicon gate electrode and a gate insulating film.
Because this depletion layer becomes practically a capacitance connected in series to the gate insulating film, the capacitance results in being accumulated to the gate insulating film. The accumulated capacitance is to be 0.3 nm (nanometer) in thickness calculated in terms of a silicon oxide film. The gate insulating film for a future device ought to be 1.5 nm in thickness calculated in terms of a silicon oxide film, so that the thickness of 0.3 nm of the accumulated capacitance calculated in terms of a silicon oxide film cannot be ignored.
On the other hand, decreasing the resistance of the silicon gate electrode is being tried by means of adding an impurity (such as phosphorus or boron) in high density thereto. However the thickness of the gate insulating film is required to be not greater than 1.5 nm calculated in terms of a silicon oxide film, so that a problem that the impurity of high density passes through the thin-filmed gate insulating film and reaches the silicon substrate becomes obvious. Therefore, a problem arises that the density of the impurity deviate from the designed value and then the threshold voltage gets varied.
In view of the above, it has been thought that a metal with a high melting point such as molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum or their nitrides is utilized for the gate electrode. This is so-called metal gate technology.
The metal gate has a low specific resistance compared to silicon in principle, so that the RC delay can be taken no account. In addition, because no depletion layer generates theoretically in the metal gate, any capacitance accumulated thereto does not take place. Furthermore, the metal gate is expected to be able to solve some problems concerning the silicon gate. For example, the problem that impurity penetrates to the gate insulating film never occurs, because the metal gate does not require addition of any impurities to decrease the resistance thereof.
However, the metal gate has some particular problems described below when the CMOS devices are prepared.
When the CMOS devices are formed, so-called dual φ (phi) metal gate technology, in which a metallic material having a work function of p+ silicon and a metallic material having a work function of n+ silicon are employed as a gate electrode of a p channel MOS transistor and a gate electrode of an n channel MOS transistor respectively, has been proposed.
The method mentioned above can be expected to control effectively the threshold voltage of the p channel MOS transistor and that of the n channel MOS transistor. However the dual φ metal gate is restricted by some conditions where a metallic material having a work function of p+ silicon and a metallic material having a work function of n+ silicon must be found and moreover those materials must be heat resistant, so that it will be quite difficult to find combination of the appropriate materials.
Moreover, even if two kinds of metallic materials having heat resistance and an appropriate work function can be found, there is a disadvantage that complicates fabricating process of LSI because the gate electrode of the p channel MOS transistor and that of the n channel MOS transistor need to be formed by separate steps from each other for the fabricating process.
As mentioned above, the RC delay cannot be disregarded because a conventional silicon gate electrode has a high specific resistance, and consequently results in a decrease of capacitance thereof caused by depletion of the silicon gate electrode. Besides, there are more problems that if an impurity is doped to lower the resistance, the impurity penetrates the gate insulating film out of the silicon gate electrode, so that the threshold voltage thereof gets fluctuated.
Furthermore, in a method where the n channel MOS and the p channel MOS employ two kinds of metallic gates (dual φ metal gate technology) as the gate electrodes, not only it is predicted that discovering combination of metallic materials used for the gate electrodes of the p channel MOS transistor and the n channel MOS transistor is difficult, but also there is a problem that the fabricating process thereof gets complicated.

Semiconductor device with a CMOS transistor


Polyether polymers providing a backbone substituted at intervals with electron stabilizing groups containing electron withdrawing groups are described. The polymers capture electrons and are electronegative. The polymers act to solvate alkali metals so that electrons are withdrawn from the alkali metal into the polymer. The polymer compositions are conductive under certain conditions and are magnetic. The compositions are useful in electronic applications.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel polyether polymers which are particularly useful for solvation of electrons. The polymer can be treated with alkali metals so that electrons are disassociated from the alkali metal into the structure of the polymer. Electrons can be introduced by photolysis, electrochemically from an electride or alkalide or from a radio-isotrope among other means. Electron withdrawing group attached along the backbone of the polyether polymer attract the electrons from the alkali metal or other source.
(2) Description of Related Art
There are tremendous practical limitations on use of crystalline substances as key structural elements in technology. Unfortunately, magnetic materials are invariably crystalline and therefore not easily processed. Polymers represent an important format for the preparation of substances for general utility applications and are easily the most widespread in use of all man-made materials. The methods used to process them are many and allow the production of a myriad of formats including films, sheets, blocks, wires, coatings, pellets, laminates, colloids, nano-systems and fibers. In addition, solutions of polymers or polymer melts can be used for patterning of surfaces using stenciling, lithographic, electrostatic, magnetostatic, laser printing or jet printing technologies. The ability to produce advanced materials in such formats has driven technology. Success in the development of a general class of stable polymeric organic substances with special optical, electronic or magnetic properties that could be processed by such methods would represent a significant advance in material science.
Much theoretical and practical research has been performed on the energetics of electron captured by hexafluorobenzene and on the structure and properties of the resulting radical anion species (Sowada, U., et al., J. Phys. Chem. 84 1150–1154 (1980); Nyikos, L., et al., J. Phys. Chem. 84 1154–1155 (1980); van den Ende, C., et al., Radiat. Phys. Chem. 19 297–308 (1982); Shchegoleva, L. N., et al., chemical physics Letters 312 325–332 (1999); Beregovaya, I. V., et al., International Journal of Quantum Chemistry 88 481–488 (2002); Stass, D. V., et al., chemical physics Letters 243 533–539 (1995); Oomori, T., et al., Chemical Physics 178 477–481 (1993); Faidas, H., et al., Chemical Physics Letters 193 487–492 (1992); and Gant, K. S., et al., The Journal of chemical Physics 65, 2977–2981 (1976)). Hexafluorobenzene has a very high cross section for electron capture. The energy required to bounce the electron back out of the radical anion has been estimated at 0.5 to 0.8 eV based on theoretical analyses (Faidas, H., et al., Chemical Physics Letters 193 487–492 (1992)). Consistent with this, the wavelength of light required to cause the photo-dissociation of the radical anion to a free election and Hexafluorobenzene in the gas phase by laser induced separation has been found experimentally to be ˜450 nm (2.75 eV) (Sowada, U., et al., J. Phys. Chem. 84 1150–1154 (1980)). This is in the green area of the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. In one such study, (Faidas, H., et al., Chemical Physics Letters 193 487–492 (1992)) it was demonstrated that a laser pulse to the radical anion in the gas phase at this wavelength in the presence of an electric potential triggered dissociation and a current pulse that fell to zero within 1 nano second of the end of the laser pulse. The wavelength at which this photodissociation process takes place has special practical significance. If it occurred at lower wavelength (blue or UV) the cost availability of lasers that operate in these areas would be a limitation. If the wavelength were in the red or near IR region then the electron would be so loosely held that the system would be extremely reactive and chemically unstable at room temperature and would reduce most things it came in contact with.
Electride and alkalide compounds are well known to those skilled in the art. Such compounds are highly unstable at room temperatures. The alkalides and electrides are able to react with metal salts to form metals.
Polyether polymers are well known to those skilled in the prior art. The types of polyether polymers disclosed herein are not known to the prior art.

Polyether polymers and compositions derived therefrom

Board of Trustees of Michigan State University


A positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode active material particle and a compound containing a rare earth element and a carbonate, the compound having a particle size of 1 to 100 nm and being adhered to a surface of the positive electrode active material particle. The ratio of the compound relative to the positive electrode active material particle is 0.005% to 0.4% by mass on a rare earth element basis. The positive electrode active material particle is composed of a lithium transition metal oxide having a layered structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements of a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, a method for making the positive electrode active material, etc. The present invention relates to a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery that can yield high reliability even when the battery features high capacity, a method for making the positive electrode active material, etc.
2. Description of Related Art
Reduction of the size and weight of mobile information terminals such as cellular phones, notebook computers, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) has progressed rapidly in recent years, and batteries used for driving such terminals are required to achieve ever higher capacity. Of the secondary batteries that can meet such demand, nonaqueous secondary batteries that use an alloy, a carbon material, or the like that can occlude and release lithium ions, as a negative electrode active material and a lithium transition metal complex oxide as a positive electrode active material are drawing much attention as a battery that has a high energy density.
The capacity of nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries has been increased by reducing the thickness of components not related to the capacity, such as a battery can, a separator, and a collector (aluminum foil or copper foil), and by increasing the amount of the active material packed in the electrode (improvement of electrode packing density). However, even if those approaches for increasing the capacity are employed, the capacity of the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries cannot be sufficiently increased. Another conceivable approach to increasing the capacity and energy density is to raise the charge cut-off voltage. However, if the charge final voltage is raised, the positive electrode active material may be deteriorated and the electrolyte may be decomposed by oxidation, resulting in lowering of the battery characteristics.
To address this issue, as described below, there has been proposed a technique for suppressing the reaction between the positive electrode and the electrolyte in a charged state.
A positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery has been proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-218217 (Patent Document 1). This positive electrode active material includes a core that contains at least one lithium compound and a surface-treated layer on the core and exhibits good electrochemical characteristics such as lifetime, discharge potential, and electric energy characteristic since the surface-treated layer contains at least one coating material selected from a hydroxide, an oxyhydroxide, an oxycarbonate, and a hydroxycarbonate of a coating element which is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Co, K, Na, Ca, Si, Ti, Sn, V, Ge, Ga, B, As, Zr, and a mixture thereof.
However, this technique does not sufficiently suppress the reaction between the positive electrode and the electrolyte in a high-temperature high-voltage charge state. When a battery is stored and retained in this state, formation of films and gassing caused by decomposition of the electrolyte cannot be sufficiently suppressed.

Positive electrode active material for nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, method for making the same, positive electrode including the same, and battery including the positive electrode