A method for manufacturing III-nitride semiconductor devices is disclosed. The method employs oxidation and sulfurated treatment to reduce the specific contact resistance between metal and p-type III-nitride semiconductors. The method includes surface treatment of p-type III-nitride semiconductors using (NH4)2Sx solution to remove the native oxide from their surface; evaporating metal layer onto the surface-treated p-type III-nitride semiconductors; and then alloy processing the metals and the p-type III-nitride semiconductor with thermal alloy treatment. The method may further include a pre-oxidation step prior to the sulfurated treatment. In this way, ohmic contact can be formed between the metal layer and the p-type III-nitride semiconductors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing III-nitride semiconductor devices, especially to a method of reducing the specific contact resistance between metal and p-type III-nitride semiconductor devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since Nichia Company of Japan disclosed the technology of forming GaN epitaxy layer on Al2O3 (sapphire) substrate, III-nitride semiconductors have become more and more important and been considered as main material of blue light-emitting diodes, laser diodes and electronic devices. Nowadays one of the key factors that affects the lifetime of light-emitting diodes, laser diodes and electronic devices is ohmic contact between metal and p-type III-nitride semiconductors. Besides, in both of electronic devices and optoelectronic devices manufacturing process, it is a basic demand to form ohmic contact with low resistance between metal and p-type III-nitride semiconductors. The conventional methods for forming low specific contact resistance between metal and p-type GaN are as follows: (1) applying diffusion technology or ion implantation technology to p-type III-nitride semiconductor manufacturing process; (2) increasing doped concentration of magnesium in growing p-type III-nitride semiconductors; (3) evaporating a metal layer whose higher work function onto p-type III-nitride semiconductor surface; (4) processing p-type III-nitride semiconductors with various types of surface treatments, such as KOH, HCl, or aqua regia treatment, etc.
However, since the carrier concentration of p-type III-nitride semiconductors cannot be raised effectively and metal whose work function higher than p-type III-nitride semiconductors is absent, the conventional methods still fail to achieve a desired low specific contact resistance between metal and p-type III-nitride semiconductors.
Therefore, a method for lowering the specific contact resistance between metal and p-type III-nitride semiconductors is urgently required.
Therefore, one object of the invention is to provide a method for forming ohmic contact between metal and p-type III-nitride semiconductors.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing III-nitride semiconductor devices, which has a low specific contact resistance between metal and p-type III-nitride semiconductors.
According an embodiment of the invention, the method for forming ohmic contact between metal and p-type III-nitride semiconductors includes the steps of:
dipping samples formed with p-type III-nitride layer into ammonium sulfide solution to remove native oxide from the surface of said p-type III-nitride layer;
cleaning and drying the samples;
evaporating metal layer onto the surface of the p-type III-nitride layer; and
processing the samples with thermal alloy treatment.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the method for forming ohmic contact between metal and p-type III-nitride semiconductors includes the steps of:
performing oxidation treatment to samples formed with p-type III-nitride layer;
dipping the samples into ammonium sulfide solution to remove oxide from the surface of said p-type III-nitride layer;
cleaning and drying the samples;
evaporating metal layer onto the surface of the p-type III-nitride layer; and
processing the samples with thermal alloy treatment.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed descriptions.

Method of manufacturing III-nitride semiconductor devices


A self pinned magnetoresistive sensor having an anitparallel coupled pinned layer structure including a high coercivity (high Hc) layer of TbCo.

The heart of a computer is an assembly that is referred to as a magnetic disk drive. The magnetic disk drive includes a rotating magnetic disk, write and read heads that are suspended by a suspension arm adjacent to a surface of a rotating magnetic disk and an actuator that swings the suspension arm to place the read and write heads over selected circular tracks on the rotating disk. The read and write heads are directly located on a slider that has an air bearing surface (ABS). The suspension arm biases the slider into contact with the surface of the disk when the disk is not rotating but, when the disk rotates, air is swirled by the rotating disk. When the slider rides on the air bearing, the write and read heads are employed for writing magnetic impressions to and reading magnetic impressions from the rotating disk. The read and write heads are connected to processing circuitry that operates according to a computer program to implement the writing and reading functions.
The write head includes a coil layer embedded in first, second and third insulation layers (insulation stack), the insulation stack being sandwiched between first and second pole piece layers. A gap is formed between the first and second pole piece layers by a gap layer at an air bearing surface (ABS) of the write head and the pole piece layers are connected at a back gap. Current conducted to the coil layer induces a magnetic flux in the pole pieces which causes a magnetic field to fringe out at a write gap at the ABS for the purpose of writing the aforementioned magnetic impressions in tracks on the moving media, such as in circular tracks on the aforementioned rotating disk.
In recent read head designs a spin valve sensor, also referred to as a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor, has been employed for sensing magnetic fields from the rotating magnetic disk. The sensor includes a nonmagnetic conductive layer, hereinafter referred to as a spacer layer, sandwiched between first and second ferromagnetic layers, hereinafter referred to as a pinned layer and a free layer. First and second leads are connected to the spin valve sensor for conducting a sense current therethrough. The magnetization of the pinned layer is pinned perpendicular to the air bearing surface (ABS) and the magnetic moment of the free layer is located parallel to the ABS, but free to rotate in response to external magnetic fields. The magnetization of the pinned layer is typically pinned by exchange coupling with an antiferromagnetic layer.
The thickness of the spacer layer is chosen to be less than the mean free path of conduction electrons through the sensor. With this arrangement, a portion of the conduction electrons is scattered by the interfaces of the spacer layer with each of the pinned and free layers. When the magnetizations of the pinned and free layers are parallel with respect to one another, scattering is minimal and when the magnetizations of the pinned and free layer are antiparallel, scattering is maximized. Changes in scattering alter the resistance of the spin valve sensor in proportion to cos θ, where θ is the angle between the magnetizations of the pinned and free layers. In a read mode the resistance of the spin valve sensor changes proportionally to the magnitudes of the magnetic fields from the rotating disk. When a sense current is conducted through the spin valve sensor, resistance changes cause potential changes that are detected and processed as playback signals.
A spin valve sensor is characterized by a magnetoresistive (MR) coefficient that is substantially higher than the MR coefficient of an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensor. For this reason a spin valve sensor is sometimes referred to as a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor. When a spin valve sensor employs a single pinned layer it is referred to as a simple spin valve. When a spin valve employs an antiparallel (AP) pinned layer it is referred to as an AP pinned spin valve. An AP spin valve includes first and second magnetic layers separated by a thin non-magnetic coupling layer such as Ru. The thickness of the spacer layer is chosen so as to antiparallel couple the magnetizations of the ferromagnetic layers of the pinned layer. A spin valve is also known as a top or bottom spin valve depending upon whether the pinning layer is at the top (formed after the free layer) or at the bottom (before the free layer).
The spin valve sensor is located between first and second nonmagnetic electrically insulating read gap layers and the first and second read gap layers are located between ferromagnetic first and second shield layers. In a merged magnetic head a single ferromagnetic layer functions as the second shield layer of the read head and as the first pole piece layer of the write head. In a piggyback head the second shield layer and the first pole piece layer are separate layers.
Sensors can also be categorized as current in plane (CIP) sensors or as current perpendicular to plane (CPP) sensors. In a CIP sensor, current flows from one side of the sensor to the other side parallel to the planes of the materials making up the sensor. Conversely, in a CPP sensor the sense current flows from the top of the sensor to the bottom of the sensor perpendicular to the plane of the layers of material making up the sensor. In a CPP sensor design, the magnetic shields usually double as electrical leads for supplying a sense current to the sensor. Therefore, in CPP sensor design, the shields/leads contact the top and bottom of the sensor, and the space between the shields defines the length of a bit of data.
The ever increasing demand for data storage density and data rate have increasingly pushed the limits of data storage designs. Recently in efforts to overcome such limits, engineers and scientists have focused on the use of perpendicular recording. In a perpendicular recording system a write pole emits a highly concentrated magnetic field that is directed perpendicular to the surface of the medium (eg. the disk). This field in turn magnetizes a localized portion of the disk in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the disk, thereby creating a bit of data. The resulting flux travels through the disk to a return path having a much larger area than the area in which the bit was recorded. The increased interest in perpendicular recording has lead to an increased interest in current perpendicular to plane (CPP) sensors, which are particularly suited to use in perpendicular recording.
Ever increasing demands for increased data density and data rate have also pushed sensor designs to decrease the size of a bit of data in order to fit more bits onto a given length of data track. This requires shrinking the distance between the shields of the sensor to decrease the length of the data bits that can be read by the sensor. One method used to reduce this length between shields (or gap height) has been to eliminate the antiferromagnei (AFM) pinning layer used to maintain the magnetization of the pinned layer. As discussed above, sensor designs have used a layer of AFM material to set the pinning of the pinned layer of a sensor. This saves a great deal of gap budget, because in order for an AFM layer to effectively set the pinning of a pinned layer, the AFM must be constructed very thick. In fact the AFM is usually much thicker than many of the other layers of the sensor combined.
In order to eliminate the AFM layer, sensors have been recently designed as "self pinned" sensors, wherein a pair of antiparallel pinned layers having a strong positive magnetostriction are pinned by a combination of positive magnetostriction and compressive forces present in the sensor. One problem that has arisen as a result of such self pinning designs is that the pinned layers can be prone to flipping. The positive magnetostriction tends to keep the magnetization of AP pinned layers oriented in a desired orientation perpendicular to the ABS of the sensor. However, if the sensor undergoes a stress, such as a heat spike or a mechanical deformation during head disk contact, the pinned layers can momentarily loose their magnetostriction induced pinning and can change orientation, an event referred to as amplitude flipping. This renders the sensor unusable.
Therefore, there remains a need for a design that can reduce the gap height (distance between shields/leads) such as by eliminating the use of an AFM layer, while also achieving robust pinning. Such a design would preferably be useable in a CPP sensor design since such sensors have promising futures for use in future perpendicular recording systems.

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A method of partitioning an integrated circuit design for physical design verification includes steps of receiving as input a representation of an integrated circuit design having a number of physical design layers and a composite run deck specifying rule checks to be performed on the integrated circuit design. The composite run deck is partitioned into partitioned run decks so that the number of physical design layers referenced by each of the partitioned run decks is a minimum. The representation of the integrated circuit design is parsed to filter only the physical design layers required for each of the partitioned run decks into a filtered data deck for each of the partitioned run decks. The filtered data deck is generated as output for each of the partitioned run decks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the design of integrated circuits. More specifically, but without limitation thereto, the present invention relates to methods of partitioning an integrated circuit design into a smaller address space to increase efficiency of physical design verification tools.
2. Description of Related Art
Physical design verification tools are typically run on 32-bit processors and 64-bit processors to verify integrated circuit designs represented by GDS2 files. The 32-bit processors have an address space that can accommodate integrated circuit designs up to 3.5 gigabytes in size, while the 64-bit processors have a larger address space that affords the capability of accommodating integrated designs larger than 3.5 gigabytes.

Method of partitioning an integrated circuit design for physical design verification


A lock arm (33) is arranged on the upper surface of a female connector housing (27), and lock-arm protection walls (37) stand at opposite widthwise sides of the lock arm (33). Detector protection walls (38) are provided behind the lock-arm protection walls (37), and first and second lock receiving portions (43, 44) are formed on the inner surfaces thereof. Two inwardly deflectable locking arms (56) are formed on a detector (39) and locked to the first or second lock receiving portions (43, 44) to restrict a backward movement when the detector (39) is at an initial position and a detecting position. The locking arms (56) are arranged utilizing dead spaces behind the lock-arm protection walls (37).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-251540 discloses a connection detector mounted in one connector to detect whether male and female connectors have been connected properly. The connection detector is held at an initial position without being able to move forward until a proper connected state is reached. However, forward movement of the detector is allowed when the male and female connectors reach the properly connected state and the connection detector is displaced to a detecting position.
In this connector, a pair of operating springs are formed on opposite widthwise sides of a detector and are locked to holding projections formed in a connector housing to restrict a backward movement of the detector when the detector reaches a connection position.
However, in the above connector, the operating springs deflect out in a width direction when being locked to the holding projections. Accordingly, deflection spaces have to be ensured at outer sides of the operating springs in the width direction. Thus, the positions of protection walls formed to cover the detector in the width direction are made more distant toward outer sides in the width direction by that much. As a result, there has been a problem of enlarging the connector in the width direction.
The present invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to realize the miniaturization of a connector provided with a detector for detecting connection in a width direction.


An internal potential generation circuit operates with the potential levels of an output node N.sub.H1 of a first boosting circuit and an output node N.sub.H2 of a second boosting circuit maintained in common in response to a high voltage switch circuit attaining a conductive state at the initial stage of the operation of the internal potential generation circuit. After the output potential level of the second boosting circuit arrives at a predetermined potential level, the high voltage switch circuit is cut off, whereby the first and second boosting circuits drive independently the potential level of corresponding output nodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an internal potential generation circuit mounted in a semiconductor integrated circuit device, and receiving an external power supply potential for generating an internal potential. More particularly, the present invention relates to an internal potential generation circuit that receives an external power supply potential for generating an internal potential required for writing and erasing data with respect to a nonvolatile memory device in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and the like.
2. Description of the Background Art
In a semiconductor integrated circuit device, particularly, in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device such as a flash memory, data is written through a tunnel current and the like to a memory cell transistor having a floating gate. It is therefore necessary to generate a voltage higher than the external power supply voltage (for example Vcc=3.3V) on the chip.
When a structure is implemented in which a sense amplifier is commonly shared by left and right bit line pairs such as in a dynamic semiconductor memory device (referred to as DRAM hereinafter) as well as in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a boosted potential of a sufficient high level must be applied to the gate of the transistor for bit line isolation that opens/closes the connection between the sense amplifier and the left and right bit line pairs. If a boosted voltage is not applied, the potential level of the H level (logical high) data written into a memory cell will be reduced by the threshold voltage of the bit line isolation transistor even when the bit line isolation transistor is rendered conductive in a data writing operation to a memory cell or a data rewriting operation in a refresh operation mode.
For example, in a data output circuit, a great current flows to the output transistor. Therefore, an N channel MOS transistor is used to avoid CMOS latch up. In this case, reduction in the charging rate with respect to the load caused by a lower potential corresponding to the threshold voltage of the output transistor must be avoided. It is therefore necessary to drive the gate of the N channel MOS output transistor with a boosted potential.
In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device such as a flash memory, a negative potential must be applied to the control gate, the source line, and the substrate according to the operation mode in a write operation and an erasure operation, as will be described afterwards.
In general, a negative potential is applied to the substrate side in order to improve the latch up resistance of the CMOS circuit and to suppress threshold value variation of the MOS transistor in a DRAM.
In this case, a negative potential must be generated from an externally applied single power supply potential (for example Vcc=3.3V).
In the above-described cases where an internal potential higher than the external power supply potential or a negative internal potential is to be generated, a charge pump circuit is generally employed.
FIG. 19 is a circuit diagram showing main components of a charge pump circuit 2000 for generating a positive internal high potential.
Charge pump circuit 2000 includes N channel MOS transistors Q1-Q7 connected in series between an output node N.sub.H from which a positive internal high potential is output and a power supply potential Vcc, each transistor being diode-connected, and capacitors C1-C6 having respective ends connected to the gates of transistors Q2-Q7. A clock signal PH is applied to the other ends of capacitors C1, C3 and C5. A clock signal /PH complementary (non-overlapping) to clock signal PH is applied to the other ends of capacitors C2, C4 and C6.
FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section of transistors Q1-Q7 of FIG. 19. A structure equal to a diode with the forward direction from the source to the drain is implemented since the gate electrode and the source are connected.
FIG. 21 shows an equivalent circuit of FIG. 19.
FIG. 22 is a timing chart showing the transition of clock signals PH and /PH over time.
The operation of charge pump circuit 2000 will be described briefly hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 21 and 22.
The potential of the node connected to signals PH and /PH via the capacitor varies in synchronization with these signals.
At time t1 in FIG. 22 when signal PH attains an H level (Vcc level) and signal /PH attains an L level (GND level), the potentials of nodes N1, N3 and N5 have to rise, and the potentials of nodes N2, N4 and N6 have to become lower in response to signals /PH.
However, there is a diode connected respectively between nodes N1 and N2, between nodes N3 and N4, and between nodes N5 and N6. Therefore, a forward current flows from node N1 to node N2 via diode Q2. Similarly, a forward current flows from node N3 to node N4 via diode Q4. Also, a forward current flows from node N5 to node N6 via diode Q6. The potentials of nodes N2, N4 and N6 do not exhibit a great reduction during the period of time t1-t2.
At time t2, signal PH is driven to an L level, and signal /PH is driven to an H level. Likewise the case of time t1-t2, the potential reduction of node N1 does not correspond to the reduction of signal PH due to the current flowing from power supply potential Vcc via diode Q1. Similarly, the potential reduction of nodes N3 and N5 is not so great as the reduction of signal PH due to the current flowing from nodes N2 and N4 via diodes Q3 and Q4, respectively.
By repeating the above operation, a potential of a level sufficiently higher than the level of internal power supply Vcc is output to output node Nh.
The diode of charge pump circuit 2000 of FIG. 19 is formed by the connection of the source and gate of a MOS transistor. Here, the potential difference of boosting is represented by the following equation. EQU (Amplitude of signal applied as a pulse-threshold value of MOS transistor).times.number of stages (1)
In a steady state, the supply current I.sub.OUT provided from charge pump circuit 2000 is represented by the following equation. EQU I.sub.OUT =f.times.(C+Cs).times.V.sub.t (2)
where f is the frequency of the clock signal supplied to the charge pump, C is the sum of the capacitance of coupling capacitors C1-C6, Cs is the parasitic capacitance, and V.sub.L is the voltage amplitude when the coupling capacitor is charged/discharged.
It is appreciated from equation (2) that a greater output current is provided in proportion to a larger sum C of the capacitance of coupling capacitors C1-C6.
In a transition state, the load capacitor can be charged more speedily with a greater output current.
The operation of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, for example a flash memory, that operates employing the above internal potential generation circuit will be described hereinafter.
FIGS. 23A and 23B are schematic sectional views of a floating gate type transistor forming the memory cell of a conventional nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. The former shows the case of a writing operation, and the latter shows the case of an erasure operation.
Referring to FIGS. 23A and 23B, a memory cell transistor includes an n type drain region 1502 and an n type source region 1504 formed at the surface of a p type semiconductor substrate 1500, a floating gate 1506 formed on a channel region between drain region 1502 and source region 1504 with a thin tunnel oxide film (for example, film thickness=10 nm) thereunder, and a control gate 1508 layered on floating gate 1506 with an insulation film thereunder.
A bit line BL is connected to drain region 1502. A predetermined potential is selectively applied to source region 1504 via a source line SL (not shown). Source region 1504 alternatively attains a floating state.
The conductance across the source and drain corresponds to the potential applied to the control gate. The channel conductance increases as the potential applied to the control gate becomes higher. More specifically, when the potential of the control gate is increased while a predetermined voltage is applied across the drain and source, the current Ids flowing across the source and drain will also increase.
The level of the control gate potential at which a current Ids begins to flow across the source and drain by increase of the potential of the control gate is called the cell threshold value.
This cell threshold value increases as electrons are accumulated at floating gate 1506 initially attaining an electrically neutral state.
In other words, current will not flow across the source and drain unless a higher voltage is applied to the control gate in proportion to a greater amount of electrons accumulated at floating gate 1506.
Since a floating gate is electrically cut off by an insulation film, information is stored in a nonvolatile manner by the accumulated electrons. The data written in a memory cell can be identified depending upon whether a current flows across the source and drain when a predetermined potential difference, for example each 1V is applied across the source and drain and a constant potential, for example 3V, is applied to control gate 1508.
FIG. 24 shows examples of potentials applied to bit line BL, control gate 1508, source line SL and substrate 1500 for respective cases of writing data into the above-described memory cell, erasing data, and reading out data.

Internal potential generation circuit that can output a plurality of potentials, suppressing increase in circuit area


A magnetic attraction driving engine utilizing a permanent magnet is provided with a permanent magnet, an electromagnet formed by winding a coil on a magnetic core with one end thereof stuck to one magnetic pole end of the permanent magnet, an excitation controller for exciting the electromagnet to change a state of magnetic fluxes in the vicinity of the magnetic pole end of the permanent magnet, a movable member having magnetic attractivity set in the vicinity of the magnetic pole end of the permanent magnet by being supported and guided so as to be capable of coming close to or separating away from the permanent magnet and a returning force applying member for causing by pressure the movable member to retreat against a magnetic attracting force and move back and forth by changing a magnetic attracting force of the permanent magnet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic attraction driving engine for converting electrical energy into kinetic energy by utilizing a permanent magnet.
Also, the invention relates to a propulsion magnetic field generator for generating various propulsion magnetic fields by using a permanent magnet and an energy converter for converting magnetic field energy into kinetic energy by using this propulsion magnetic field generator, in particular to an energy converter useful when implemented as a rotary motor, a linear motor or the like.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, various energy converters utilizing permanent magnets have been used. Typical of those which convert electrical energy into kinetic energy is a motor. In the case of a DC motor, a DC current is caused to flow to the coil of a rotor placed in a magnetic field generated by a permanent magnet and the rotor is rotary-driven by working with a magnetic field thus generated.
In an AC synchronizing motor or an AC inductive motor which has also been conventionally used, an exciting current is caused to flow by applying an AC voltage to an exciting coil provided in a magnetic pole of a stator with a required phase difference to generate a rotating magnetic field, and a rotor is rotated by being synchronized therewith. In the case of a linear motor, likewise, an exciting current is caused to flow by applying an AC voltage to a number of linearly arrayed exciting coils with a required phase difference, a straight advance magnetic field is generated and a propelling power is imparted to a magnetic movable body.
That is, a propulsion magnetic field generator used in a rotary motor, a linear motor and the like for generating a rotating magnetic field or a straight advance magnetic field has a structure designed to generate a propulsion magnetic field in a required direction by supplying an exciting current to a plurality of exciting coils with a phase difference.
However, the energy converters of these conventional types, represented by the above-described DC motor, are not structured to directly extract magnetic energy possessed by a permanent magnet to the outside and thus the energy converting efficiency thereof is relatively low.
Furthermore, in an energy converter such as a rotary motor, a linear motor and the like using a conventional propulsion magnetic field generator, since a rotational speed or a position moving speed is set with a phase difference of a propulsion magnetic field, this depends on the frequency of an AC power source, making it difficult to set a rotational speed at an optional value except for some motors such as a coil type inductive motor and the like, and thus generally the rotational speed is controlled by means of an inverter. However, this inverter generates high frequencies and consequently damages control equipment in the vicinity thereof. Moreover, in a conventional device, since a rotational force or a straight advancing force such as kinetic energy is in proportion to a current to be applied, it is necessary to provide power capacitance corresponding to the necessary torque, and for this reason it has been difficult to improve energy efficiency.

Magnetic attraction driving engine using permanent magnet


An eye movement feature amount calculating system includes: a moving state input unit that inputs moving state values in a time series indicating a moving state of an eye of an examinee; a saccade period extracting unit that extracts a saccade period in which the eye performs saccadic movement based on time-series variation of the moving state values; and a feature amount calculating unit that divides a period including at least a part of the extracted saccade period into a plurality of periods and calculates a feature amount of eye movement of the subject based on the separate periods.

In the related art, technology of detecting a micro-saccade which is one type of involuntary eye movement has been proposed. For example, Kazutaka SUZUKI, Haruyoshi TOYODA, Ryohei HANAYAMA, and Katsuhiro ISHII, "Development of Binocular Microsaccade Measurement System Using Intelligent Vision Sensor and Evaluation of Synchronization between Left and Right Microsaccades," Transactions of Japanese Society for Medical and Biological Engineering, 53, 5, pp. 247-254, 2015, which is Non-patent Document 1, discloses that binocular micro-saccades of an examinee are detected and differences therebetween are analyzed.

Eye movement feature amount calculating system, eye movement feature amount calculating method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium


An electrodynamic acoustic transducer (1a . . . 1e) is presented, which comprises a housing (2), a membrane (3), a coil arrangement (6, 6a . . . 6h) attached to the membrane (3) and a magnet system (9, 10, 11). The coil arrangement (6, 6a . . . 6h) comprises a plurality of coils (7, 8) each having two terminals (T7a, T7b, T8a, T8b, T9a, T9b) being static in relation to the housing (2). Connecting wires (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) connect the coils (7, 8) and the terminals (T7a, T7b, T8a, T8b, T9a, T9b, T78b). The connecting points (C7a, C7b, C8a, C8b) between the connecting wires (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) and the coils (7, 8) are symmetrically arranged on the coil arrangement (6, 6a . . . 6h).

The invention relates to an electrodynamic acoustic transducer, which comprises a housing, a membrane and a coil arrangement attached to the membrane, wherein the coil arrangement comprises a plurality of coils each having two terminals being static in relation to the housing. Furthermore, the transducer comprises a magnet system being designed to generate a magnetic field transverse to a longitudinal direction of a wound wire of the coil arrangement. Finally, the transducer comprises connecting wires connecting the coils and the terminals.
An electrodynamic acoustic transducer of the kind above generally is known. In this context US 2014/321690 A1 discloses a speaker with two coils stacked above another.
A drawback of prior art transducers is that an electric signal is not just transformed in a desired piston-like movement of the membrane, but also leads to a rocking movement respectively tumbling movement of the membrane caused by undesired but unavoidable asymmetries of the speaker. One parameter, which influences the rocking/tumbling movement is the length of the connecting wires. Usually, the connecting wires are comparably long and often shaped like a loop so as to provide a low spring constant, thus keeping the influence of the connecting wires on the rocking/tumbling movement of the membrane low. Although said influence may be reduced in the presented way, it does not disappear.

Electrodynamic acoustic transducer with improved wiring


The present invention comprises an improved method for refining cellulose that produces a highly refined cellulosic material. The method comprises soaking raw material from primarily parenchymal cell wall structures in an aqueous solution which need not contain an agent to modify the fiber (e.g., a mild alkalizing or alkaline agent and/or solution) using reduced temperatures and pressures, and refining the material with a plate refiner so that a waste water stream is reduced in volume. The mass is dried to produce the HRC fiber. The HRC fiber displays a water retention capacity of about 25 to at least about 56 g H2O/g dry HRC and retains moisture under conditions that are ordinarily used to remove moisture from materials. The highly refined fiber product can also provide excellent thickening properties and can be used in a wide variety of materials, including edible materials.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the manufacture of compositions from cellulose fiber material, the fiber based product, and products containing the fiber based product.
2. Background of the Art
Many food and agricultural byproducts contain substantial amounts of cellulose. Cellulose is known to be useful in a wide range of markets. The food industry uses cellulose as a fat replacement, a component in products such as dietary fiber supplements, suspension agents, emulsifiers, water binding agents, as well as for edible films and coatings. The pharmaceutical industry uses cellulose as a component in bulking agents and dietary fibers for treatment and prevention of coronary heart disease, Type II diabetes, hypertension, diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, obesity, and so forth. Industrial applications of cellulose include use in filter media, latex paint, and so forth.
Native cellulose fibers contain lignin, a polymeric material found in every type of vascular plant. Prior art processes for refining cellulose seek to remove lignin before any substantive treatment of the fibers. Lignin is known to cause cellulose fibers to stick together, thus reducing the surface area available for any subsequent reactions. It is believed that the presence of lignin also reduces the ability of cellulose microfibers to intertwine and entangle, thus reducing the structural integrity and/or strength of the final product.
U.S. Published patent application 0020060382 describes a process for making lyocell fibers comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a pulp comprising cellulose and hemicellulose with an amount of a reagent sufficient to reduce the degree the of polymerization of the cellulose to the range of from about 200 to 1100 without substantially reducing the hemicellulose content of the pulp; (b) reducing the kappa number of the pulp treated in accordance with step (a) to a value less than about 2.0; and (c) forming fibers from the pulp treated in accordance with steps (a) and (b).
The process described by Turbak et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,702) for preparation of MFC from wood pulp basically involved a homogenization operation, during which wood pulp was repeatedly passed through a high pressure homogenizer until the suspension becomes a substantially stable dispersion. The homogenizer had a small diameter orifice in which the suspension was subjected to a pressure drop of at least 2000 psi and a high velocity decelerating impact against a solid surface. Homogenization is a very efficient process that converts the fibers into microfibrillated cellulose without substantial chemical change of the starting material. The term "without substantial chemical change" means the fact that the cellulosic material is not intended for uniform chemical modification, such as esterification, acidification, substituent addition, massive molecular breakdown and the like. Homogenizing primarily effects a physical size change, with only potentially modest chemical changes occurring incidentally. Finely divided cellulose is also produced in traditional processes used in manufacturing mechanical pulp, fiberboard and paper pulp. However, these traditional processes involve the use of additional chemical treatment to available cellulose pulps, as for example, acid hydrolysis or mercerization, which chemically alter or degrade the prepared cellulose pulps. In the paper industry, it is well known that paper strength is directly related to the amount of beating or refining which the fibers receive prior to formation. However, beating and refining as practiced in the paper industry are relatively inefficient processes since large amounts of energy are expended to gain relatively minor amounts of fiber opening fibrillation.
Lignin removal from cellulose is currently accomplished using extremely high temperatures and pressures. These extreme conditions cause raw material fragments to break apart, thus releasing the desired cellulose-based micro fibers. In addition, the raw materials are subjected to high concentrations of sodium hydroxide. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,381 to Chen, et al. Such a process is extremely energy-intensive in terms of the required temperatures and pressures. Further, the process produces a waste stream regarded as hazardous due to elevated pH levels caused by the use of large amounts of sodium hydroxide. Treatment of the waste stream adds to the cost of production and impacts the overall efficiency of this process.
A recent improvement in that process by Lundberg et al. (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/432,945) comprises a method for refining cellulose, the process comprising soaking raw material in NaOH having a concentration of about five (5) to 50% (dry basis) to produce soaked raw material which steeps for about 6 hours to allow the NaOH to work, refining the soaked raw material to produce refined material, dispersing the refined material to produce dispersed refined material, and homogenizing the dispersed refined material to produce highly refined cellulose (HRC) gel having a lignin concentration of at least about one (1) % and a water retention capacity (WRC) of about 25 to at least about 56 g H2O/g dry HRC. The method of the Lundberg et al invention produces a waste stream having a pH within a range of 8 to 9 and a reduced volume as compared to conventional cellulose refining processes.
In one embodiment, the method further comprises draining and washing the soaked raw material until the pH is down to about 8 to 9, bleaching the washed material at a temperature of about 20 to 100° C. in hydrogen peroxide having a concentration of about one (1) to 20% dry basis, and washing and filtering the bleached material to produce a filtered material having a solids content of about thirty percent (30%) The filtered material may be refined by being passed through a plate refiner. The plate refiner essentially breaks up the lignin as it shreds the material into refined cellulose particles. The method of that invention is asserted to be energy efficient because it does not require high pressures and temperatures as in prior art processes. Despite the presence of higher lignin concentrations in the final product, the HRC gel of the Lundberg et al invention has a water holding capacity that is at least as good or better than prior art products. Use of a plate refiner to break up the lignin rather than using high concentrations of NaOH has the added advantage of producing a non-hazardous waste stream having pH within a range of 8 to 9 and a reduced volume.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,582 describes a process and materials are described in which highly refined cellulose fibers are broken down into microfibers and further processed into compositions, films, coatings and solid materials which are biodegradable and even edible. The process for the formation of hardenable compositions may comprise providing a composition comprising highly refined non-wood cellulose fiber, mechanically reducing the size of the non-wood cellulose fiber to less than 2 mm, reducing the amount of binding of microfibers by lignin within said non-wood cellulose fibers present in said composition comprising cellulose fiber to form a first fiber product, providing pressure of at least 300 psi to said first fiber product while it is in the presence of a liquid, and removing said pressure within a time interval which will cause said cellulose fiber to break down into a second fiber product comprising microfibers in said liquid. The Patent describes edible foodstuff wherein material having nutritional value is coated, wrapped or coated and wrapped with a film of material made from the fibers of the Patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,913 describes a pre-emulsion fiber composition (i.e., the mixture formed from an oil and mixture that can be formed into an oil-in-water emulsion using standard emulsification equipment known by those of skill in the art, such as a high-pressure, ultrasonic, or other homogenizer, a rotator/stator device, and like equipment. The pressure employed, the shear rate, and/or the time of emulsification may vary widely depending upon the particular equipment employed. The pressure employed when homogenizers are used for the emulsification will generally range from about 130 psi to about 220 psi, with about 180 psi being preferred. When equipment other than homogenizers is used for the emulsification, the shear rate employed will generally range from about 9,000 to about 100,000 reciprocal seconds. The emulsification time will generally range from about 1 second to about 10 minutes, but may be higher, depending upon whether the emulsification is performed in a single pass, or in multiple passes, and will more usually range from about 2 seconds to about 30 seconds.
In spite of the improvements in cellulose fiber manufacture and properties that are provided among these various processes and materials can still be improved upon. Additionally, the processes, even if they are improved with regard to their environmental friendliness, it would be desirable if the processes could be further simplified, improved to produce more functional products, and produce fewer and less harmful by-products.

Process of manufacturing and using highly refined fiber mass


Water-borne epoxies and/or water-borne urethanes are employed as a replacement for at least a portion of the bonding materials utilized in various print bonding processes. The additives may operate in conjunction with standard print bonding adhesives such as ethylene vinyl acetates to bond fibers together in a pulp-containing web. The paper-based sheet material made according to this process is also provided.

Disposable products made from papermaking fibers, either exclusively or in conjunction with various synthetic fibers, often serve as substitutes in both the home and in industrial shops for conventional cloth wipers and towels. Disposable paper-containing products such as wipers, baby wipers, food service wipers, feminine products, and other similar products should closely simulate cloth in both consumer perception and performance. Such products, including paper towels, industrial wipers, and other wiping products, are engineered to have as many cloth-like properties as possible.
For example, paper wiper products should exhibit good bulk, have a soft feel, have adequate strength even when wet, have good stretch characteristics, and resist tearing. These products should also be highly absorbent and be abrasion resistant.
Moreover, such products should not deteriorate in the environment in which they are used, regardless of whether they are used to absorb water or other types of liquids. In other words, in order to function as wipers to absorb liquids other than water, such products should exhibit a certain degree of solvent tensile strength. Solvent tensile strengths are machine direction and cross-machine direction strengths of a product that exist after the product has been exposed to, or wetted with, various solvents other than water. A paper wiping product that exhibits an acceptable solvent strength will generally maintain sufficient structural integrity even when wetted with a particular solvent to allow it to be used for its intended purpose of wiping and/or absorbing various liquids.
Typical solvents used for testing the solvent strength of products include methyl ethyl ketone, isopropyl alcohol, turpentine, and diesel fuel. If the wiping products retain sufficient dimensional strength after being soaked in solvents such as these, then such products are generally acceptable as heavy-duty wiper products.
In the past, many attempts have been made to enhance certain physical properties of disposable wiping products. Unfortunately, however, when steps are taken to increase one property of a wiping product, other characteristics of the product may be adversely affected. For instance, in cellulosic-based wiping products, softness is typically increased by reducing cellulosic fiber bonding within the paper product. Inhibiting fiber bonding, however, usually adversely affects the strength of the paper web.
One method that has been employed to reduce the stiff papermaking bonds is to crepe the paper from a drying surface with a doctor blade, which disrupts and breaks many of the interfiber bonds in the paper web. Other methods reduce these bonds by preventing formation of the bonds, rather than breaking them after they are formed. Examples of these other methods are chemical treatment of the papermaking fibers to reduce their interfiber bonding capacity before they are deposited on the web-forming surface, use of unrefined fibers in the slurry, inclusion into the slurry of synthetic fibers which are unable to form papermaking bonds, and use of little or no pressing of the web to remove the water from the paper web after it is deposited on the web-forming surface. This latter method reduces formation of bonds by reducing close contact of the fibers with each other during the forming process. Although these methods successfully increase the softness of paper webs, they result in a loss of strength in the web.
Attempts to restore the strength lost by reduction of papermaking bonds have included the addition to the web of bonding materials that add more strength than stiffness to the web. Such bonding materials may be added to the aqueous slurry of fibers and deposited on the web-forming surface along with the fibers. This method is commonly referred to in the industry as xe2x80x9csaturation bondingxe2x80x9d. With this method, the bonding material can be distributed generally evenly throughout the web to avoid the harshness which may accompany concentrations of bonding material. However, this method has the disadvantage of reducing the absorbency of the web by filling the pores between the fibers with bonding material.
Another method which has been used to apply bonding material to the web is to apply the bonding material in a spaced-apart pattern to the web. This method of applying the bonding materials to the webs in various pattems, typically through the use of rollers or the like, is known in the industry as xe2x80x9cprint bondingxe2x80x9d. Printing a bonding material, or adhesive, onto webs in various patterns results in a product where binder is applied only at localized areas defined by the particular roller pattern being utilized. In products made by this method, the majority of the web surface does not contain the absorbency-reducing bonding material. Print bonding is a method to be contrasted with other bonding methods such as the above-described saturation bonding method which results in a web that is impregnated with a bonding material substantially continuously over its entire surface.
In contrast to synthetic fiber-only nonwoven webs, webs made entirely or principally from cellulosic fibers require print bonding areas to be relatively close together because such cellulosic papermaking fibers are typically very short. The fibers are generally less than one-quarter of an inch long. Thus, it has been thought that to apply sufficient bonding material in a pattern to a paper web to the degree necessary to bond each fiber into the network would result in a harsh sheet, having poor softness characteristics, particularly in the areas where the bonding material is located. Various methods have been developed to enhance the softness characteristics of sheets where the bonding material is highly concentrated. Some of these processes that have proved to be successful in producing paper towels and other wiping products are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,257 to Gentile, et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In Gentile, et al., processes are disclosed for producing soft, absorbent, fibrous webs having a laminate-like structure that are particularly well suited for use as wiping products.
The fibrous webs disclosed in Gentile, et al. are made from a fibrous web formed from an aqueous slurry of principally lignocellulosic fibers under conditions which reduce interfiber bonding. A bonding material, such as a latex elastomeric composition, is then applied to a first surface of the web in a spaced-apart pattern. In particular, the bonding material may be applied so that it covers from about 50 percent to about 60 percent of the surface area of the web. The bonding material provides strength to the web and abrasion resistance to the surface. Once applied, the bonding material may penetrate the web typically from about 10 percent to about 40 percent of the thickness of the web.
The bonding material is then similarly applied to the opposite side of the web for further providing additional strength and abrasion resistance. Once the bonding material is applied to the second side of the web, one side of the web is brought into contact with a creping surface. The web adheres to the creping surface according to the pattern to which the bonding material was applied. The web is then creped from the creping surface with a doctor blade, which disrupts the fibers within the web where the bonding material is not disposed, thereby increasing the softness, absorbency, and the bulk of the web.
In an embodiment disclosed in Gentile. et al., each side of the paper web is creped after the bonding material has been applied to the side. Gentile et al. also discusses the use of chemical debonders to treat the fibers prior to forming the web in order to further reduce interfiber bonding and to increase softness and bulk.
Various other print bonding processes are also known in the art. A common denominator among such processes is that they employ a bonding material that usually comprises a latex elastomeric material. Typically, the use of such bonding materials is one of the most costly raw materials expenditures involved in the formation of paper-containing wiping products. In fact, where two printing (or latex bonding) processes are required, as in the double-print/double crepe processes disclosed in some embodiments of Gentile et al., the costs associated with producing soft, absorbent products can be very high.
Various water-borne epoxy resins and water-borne urethane resins have been utilized in a variety of instances in the past. For example, water-borne epoxy resins have been utilized in forming packaging materials and as adhesives binders for various ink formulations. A water-based polyurethane resin was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,701 to Miyamoto et al. as being used either as a binder for water-based printing inks or as a water-based laminating adhesive in conjunction with various resins such as low-density polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and polypropylene. Miyamoto et al., however, only describes the use of water-based polyurethanes as laminating adhesives for various plastic films produced from materials such as polyolefins, modified polyolefins, polyesters, nylons, and polystyrenes.
The prior art, however, is deficient in demonstrating the use of water-borne epoxies or water-borne urethanes in connection with standard print bonding adhesives in the context of print bonding fibers together to form paper-containing webs. The present invention provides that teaching.
The present invention recognizes and addresses some of the foregoing drawbacks, and deficiencies of prior art constructions and methods.
The present invention may accomplish its intended results by employing water-borne epoxies and/or water-borne urethanes as a replacement for at least a portion of the bonding materials utilized in various print bonding processes. The present additive may operate in conjunction with standard print bonding adhesives such as ethylene vinyl acetates to bond fibers together in a pulp-containing web.
More specifically, the present invention may involve the formation of a cellulosic-containing web and then printing a pattern onto at least one surface of the paper-containing web with a bonding material containing water-borne epoxies and/or water borne urethanes. The other surface may, if desired, then be printed with a similar bonding material in the same or another pattern. In order to enhance the properties of the web, the web may then be pressed to a creping surface where it is dried before being creped from the creping surface with a doctor blade, or comparable creping knife, thereby resulting in a product having increased softness, absorbency, and bulk, with a high amount of strength and elasticity. If desired, a second creping process may be utilized either after application of the bonding material to the first surface or after the bonding material has been applied to both surfaces.

Method of using water-borne epoxies and urethanes in print bonding fluid and products made therefrom


In an example embodiment, a method is provided. The method may comprise receiving an auction item identifier from a global positioning system (GPS) apparatus. Auction data associated with the auction item identifier is accessed and transmitted to a voice portal server. The voice portal server may call a telephone number and receive a request to acquire the auction item.

An online auction is a publicly held sale over a computer network at which users may bid on or purchase auction items. A user may search for auction items and, in response to the search, a list of auction items from the search may be displayed. Each auction item may be located in different locations. In order for a user to determine the locations of the auction items, the user must laboriously read through all descriptions associated with the auction items. The list of descriptions makes the identification of auction item locations extremely difficult, especially when the user does not have much time to read through the descriptions, such as when the user is on the road.

Acquisition of online auction items through a global positioning system


Both an apparatus and method for testing smoke detector operation is provided. The apparatus and method is used to either standardize conventional smoke detectors, or to test the actuation of an alarm signal for smoke detectors. In one embodiment of the invention, a standard dispenser is used which contains a liquid suspension of substantially uniformly sized latex particulates which are introduced into the smoke detector. The substantially uniformly sized latex particulates enter the smoke detector and simulate combustion product particulates. The uniformly sized latex particulates are used to actuate an alarm signal for a conventional smoke detector to test the smoke detector operation. In this manner, there is provided both a system and a method of testing smoke detectors which does not leave a residue on or in the smoke detectors and advantageously does not effect the operation or operating life of a smoke detector.

This invention is directed to an apparatus and method for testing smoke detector operation. In particular, this invention is directed to a system and method for applying simulated smoke particulates to conventional smoke detectors to test the alarm actuation thereof. More in particular, this invention is directed to a system and method whereby a user may control the size and distribution of sizing of particulates being impinged and entering a conventional smoke detector. Additionally, this invention relates to a system and method for testing smoke detector operations where the particulate matter may be used for standardization of testing procedures and standardization of test parameters between various conventional smoke detectors. Further, this invention directs itself to a smoke detection test system which utilizes atomized spray compositions formed of substantially uniformly sized latex particles in liquid suspension. More in particular, this invention pertains to a smoke detection test system utilizing atomized spray compositions having a diameter range between 0.01 .mu.m-1.0 .mu.m with a preferred range between 0.01 .mu.m-0.5 .mu.m. Further, standard aerosol containers containing the substantially uniformly sized latex particulates may be used in construction of the invention, or in the alternative, a manually dischargeable pump action container may be used for insertion of the particulates into the conventional smoke detector systems. Additionally, mixtures of differing diameters may be used simulating the particle distribution diameters of various combustion products. Further, this invention directs itself to the method and apparatus for testing smoke detector operations where the particulate being inserted into the smoke detectors is substantially inert with respect to the environment, as well as the smoke detectors, and does not leave a residue which would hamper future use of the smoke detectors.
Still further, this invention concept pertains to a system and method where simulated particulates may be provided in a sized distribution which closely approximates actual combustion product particulate sizes and distributions.

Apparatus and method for testing smoke detector operation


A plating apparatus and a plating liquid removing method removes a plating liquid remaining on a substrate-contacting portion, or portions in its vicinity, of a substrate holding member. The plating apparatus comprises a head having a rotatable housing provided with a substrate holding member for holding a substrate, a plating process container, disposed below the head, for holding a plating liquid therein, and a plating liquid removing mechanism for removing plating liquid remaining on the substrate-contacting portion, or the portions in its vicinity, at an inner circumferential edge of the substrate holding member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plating apparatus and a plating liquid removing method, and more particularly to a plating apparatus useful for filling a metal such as copper into recesses for interconnects formed in a semiconductor substrate, and a method for removing plating liquid remaining on a substrate-contacting portion, or portions in its vicinity, of a substrate holding member for use in the plating apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, aluminum or aluminum alloy has been used as a material for forming interconnect circuits on a surface of a semiconductor substrate. Higher integrated density on the semiconductor substrate requires that a material having a higher electric conductivity should be used for interconnect circuits. Therefore, there has been proposed a method comprising plating a surface of a substrate to fill interconnect patterns, formed in the substrate, with copper or a copper alloy.
Various methods such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, sputtering process, and the like have been used to fill interconnect patterns, formed in a substrate, with copper or a copper alloy. However, when a metallic layer on a substrate is formed of copper or a copper alloy, i.e., when copper interconnects are formed on the substrate, the CVD process requires high cost, and, if an aspect ratio is high (i.e., a depth of the pattern is larger than a width thereof), then it is difficult to fill the interconnect patterns with copper or a copper alloy during a sputtering process. Therefore, the aforementioned plating method is most effective to fill interconnect patterns, formed in a substrate, with copper or a copper alloy.
There are various methods for plating a surface of a semiconductor substrate with copper. For example, in a cup-type plating method, a dip-type plating method, or the like, a plating tank always holds a plating liquid, and a substrate is dipped into the plating liquid. In another plating method, a plating tank holds a plating liquid only when a substrate is fed into a plating container. Further, in an electrolytic plating method, an electric potential difference is applied to plate a substrate. On the other hand, in an electroless plating method, an electric potential difference is not applied.
In cup-type plating apparatuses, a substrate is held by a substrate holding member with a peripheral edge and a back surface of the substrate being sealed, and plating is performed by contacting an exposed front surface of the substrate with a plating liquid. After this plating treatment, plating liquid is likely to remain on a substrate-contacting portion, or portions in its vicinity, of a substrate holding member. This remaining plating liquid, when dried, can produce undesired particles. Moreover, the remaining plating liquid can adhere to a subsequent substrate to be plated, leading to an insufficient plating of this substrate.
A method has been developed for removing such a plating liquid remaining on the substrate-contacting portion, or portions in its vicinity, of a substrate holding member. According to this method, a plating liquid removing device, having an absorbent for absorbing a plating liquid, or a sucking tool for sucking a plating liquid, is allowed to move in a circumferential direction along the substrate-contacting portion, or portions in its vicinity, of a substrate holding member so as to remove by absorption or suction plating liquid remaining on the substrate-contacting portion or portions in its vicinity.
The above conventional plating apparatuses that carry out this method, however, have the following drawbacks. The conventional apparatuses are so designed that the substrate holding member is fixed stationarily while the plating liquid removing device is allowed to rotate. This makes it impossible to conduct dewatering (spin-drying) of the substrate-contacting portion, or portions in its vicinity, of the substrate holding member. Since a large quantity of plating liquid thus remains, it is necessary to conduct a plating liquid removing operation for every plating treatment. Moreover, each plating liquid removing operation requires a considerably long time. Furthermore, removal of the large a quantity of plating liquid leads to consumption of an increased amount of plating liquid, resulting in an increased production cost.

Plating apparatus and plating liquid removing method


Methods and compositions are provided for a rapid quantitative nucleic acid hybridization assay for detecting a DNA or RNA sequence in a biological sample. The method comprises solution hybridization of a target nucleic acid sequence with a detectably-labeled probe, separation of the target-nucleic acid probe from the unhybridized probe by gel exclusion or affinity chromatography and detection of the amount of labeled probe as an indication of the target nucleic acid present in the biological sample.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and compositions for detecting nucleic acid sequences including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) ["target nucleic acids" or "target nucleic acid sequence"] in a biological sample. The method permits the rapid determination of the presence of specific DNA or RNA sequences in the biological sample by hybridizing labeled DNA or RNA probes with the target nucleic acids in a solution. Following hybridization of the labeled probes to the target nucleic acid, the resulting hybridized and non-hybridized probes are separated by gel exclusion or affinity chromatography. The methods of this assay are suitable for use with biological samples, such as crude serum, plasma or tissue culture cells or tissue extracts or with purified or partially purified samples.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The nucleic acids DNA and RNA contain linear sequences of purine and pyrimidine bases which have the ability to form hydrogen bonds resulting in double-stranded helical regions. The process of forming a double-stranded hydrogen bonded helical region is referred to as hybridization or DNA renaturation. Such hybridization occurs when DNA or RNA samples containing complementary sequences are incubated under proper salt, pH and temperature conditions. Any two nucleic acid sequences can hybridize with one another, i.e., DNA:DNA, RNA:RNA or RNA:DNA, as long as they have a complementary nucleotide sequence. The rate of double helix formation is a function of both the concentration of reactants and the temperature. When one of the two nucleic acid chains contains a known sequence and a label, then the presence of a complementary nucleic acid sequence in an unknown solution can be determined by hybridization and detection of the label.
DNA probes labeled with radioisotopes have been widely used to localize specific nucleic acid sequences in mixtures of DNA restriction fragments fractionated by gel electrophoresis. A replica of a gel electrophoresis pattern is made by transferring fractionated DNA fragments to a sheet of nitrocellulose paper either by electrophoresis or by diffusion in a process called blotting. By hybridizing a radioactive probe to DNA or RNA bound to the nitrocellulose paper, hybrids are formed between the probe and the specific DNA sequence sought. Unhybridized probe is washed away and labeled areas of the nitrocellulose paper are detected as by autoradiography.
Another blotting method adapted to detect hepatitis B viral DNA in serum or plasma was described by Scotto et al., Hematology, 3:279-284 (1983). This method permits use of a larger sample volume of unextracted serum or plasma by binding sample DNA directly to nitrocellulose paper using a vacuum filtration apparatus.
The methods described above rely on binding the target nucleic acid sequences to a solid phase, such as nitrocellulose paper, then removal of unhybridized labeled probe by washing and detection of labeled probe hybridized with target nucleic acid sequences bound to the solid phase. These solid phase methods can result in extensive loss of sample, are time-consuming and involve numerous steps including solid phase preparation, binding, blocking and washing.
The procedures presently available for preparation of sample, hybridization and separation of hybridized probe from unhybridized probe are not generally suitable for routine use due to either the complexity of the procedures requiring highly trained personnel, the time-consuming nature of the procedure or the need for specialized equipment. There has been a need for a simple method which shortens the time required to perform the assay, requires a minimum quantity of materials, is reliable and reproducible and provides a method of quantitation.
Nobrega, et al., Analytical Biochemistry, 131:141-145, (1983) describe a method for detection of specific RNA transcripts during RNA processing wherein both the target nucleic acid and probe are in solution. In this method the free DNA probes are separated after hybridization utilizing electrophoretic migration on agarose and visualization by autoradiography.
The principle of separating small molecules from larger, higher molecular weight molecules based on differences in weight and/or conformation is known in the literature. Such methods include differential centrifugation, chromatographic methods, electrophoretic methods, dialysis and like methods.
Methods for the production of DNA containing the sequence of the hepatitis B virus genome by the cloning of the hepatitis sequence onto a bacterial plasmid are described in U.K. Patent Application No. GB 2034323A, published Jun. 4, 1980. Reagents and methods for the quantitative determination of viral DNA, such as hepatitis B virus DNA, utilizing a known amount of a phage vector was described in PCT Application No. WO 85/3951, published Sep. 12, 1985. Methods and compositions useful for detecting denatured, solid phase-affixed pathogen DNA, together with a labeled DNA probe suitable for hybridization was also described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,535.

Diagnostic assays using nucleic acid probes


A social network content recommendation system allows users to identify friends, recommend content to friends, and receive awards for influencing friends. Internet pages can be used to display rankings of recommended programs, user profiles and their awards, and dynamic chats relating to specific programs, such as television shows.

Watching television has traditionally been a fairly private experience, with viewers tending to watch their own programs in their own homes. Newspaper schedules, television commercials, and electronic program guides have helped viewers find programs of interest, but there always remains for better ways to engage viewers, and to provide them with an optimal content experience. Features described herein may help with keeping viewers (or listeners, in the case of musical content) engaged.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A thin pivotal apparatus includes a holding seat, an arc-shaped driven member and at least one torsional force generation member. The holding seat includes a base, a housing space and a first assembly portion and a second assembly portion that are located on the base corresponding to two opposite sides of the housing space. The arc-shaped driven member is located in the housing space and includes an operational portion, a curved portion connected to the operational portion and a driving portion extended from the curved portion toward the operational portion to couple with the first assembly portion to form a pivotal relationship. Each torsional force generation member includes a first connection portion located on the second assembly portion, a second connection portion connected to the junction of the driving portion and the curved portion, and a hydraulic portion connected to the first connection portion and the second connection portion.

The general flip-top electronic devices such as notebook computers, mobile phones or the like usually have a display device and a host body pivotally coupled together through a pivotal apparatus. In general the pivotal apparatus mainly includes an axle and two connection members hinged on the axle to couple respectively with the display device and the host body. When in use the display device can be flipped against the host body in an unfolding state to perform operation as desired. When not in use, the display device can be folded over the host body in half. Through the pivotal apparatus the size of the flip-top electronic device can be greatly shrunk to facilitate storing and carrying.
Conventional pivotal apparatus, such as those disclosed in Taiwan patent Nos. 1463078, M483333, M471736 and M466462, mainly include a holding seat, two axles located abreast on the holding seat to couple respectively with a display device and a host body, and two torsional force generation members corresponding to one of the axles. Because the two axles are arranged abreast the pivotal apparatus cannot be shrunk to a smaller size. As a result, the electronic device employed the pivotal apparatus cannot be thinned as desired. In addition, the torsional force generation member used on the conventional pivotal apparatus is formed by stacking a plurality of elastic blades, and the tightness between the elastic blades is adjusted by wrenching an adjustment nut mounted onto the torsional force generation member, thereby provides a swivel torsional force to the axle. However, because the conventional structure deploys the torsional force generation member on one of the axles, during assembly each torsional force generation member requires torsional force adjustment. Such a practice cannot guarantee the two axles receiving same amount of torsional force during turning. Hence there is still room for improvement.


A circuit (10) for powering a halogen lamp (20) comprises an inverter (100) and an output circuit (300). During operation, the inverter (100) and output circuit (300) provide a magnitude-limited current to the halogen lamp such that the lamp power during an initial period is substantially less than the lamp power during a steady-state operating period. Preferably, output circuit (300) is a non-isolated circuit that includes a current-limiting inductance, and inverter (100) includes a frequency control circuit (R2,C4,C7,Q3,R3,R5,C8) for operating the inverter at a higher frequency during the initial period so as to reduce stress upon the lamp filament and preserve the operating life of the lamp. The circuit (10) is especially suitable for powering low voltage halogen lamps.

A halogen lamp that includes a low voltage filament (e.g., rated for operation with a filament voltage of 50 volts or less) provides significant advantages in comparison with a halogen lamp for which the filament is rated for excitation by a typical alternating current (AC) power source (e.g., 120 volts or more). A low voltage halogen lamp operates at a higher current and at a higher temperature, and provides visible light having a color spectrum that is preferred over that which is provided by higher voltage halogen lamps. Moreover, a low voltage halogen lamp has a filament with a larger cross-section area and a shorter length, which makes the lamp last longer. Optically, the filament of a low voltage halogen lamp more closely approximates an ideal point light source, as it provides (in comparison with a filament having a greater length) improved focus with the reflector in the lamp. Thus, a halogen lamp that includes a low voltage filament provides a highly desirable type of illumination.
A low voltage halogen lamp cannot be connected directly to a conventional AC power source. Because the voltage of the AC power source is significantly higher than the rated voltage of the filament/lamp, direct application of the AC power source voltage to the lamp would damage the filament. Consequently, some form of power supply is required in order to at least step down (i.e., reduce) the voltage provided by the AC power source to a level that is suitable for operating the lamp. The predominant power supply for this purpose is commonly referred as an "electronic transformer," which essentially operates as a constant voltage source. In practice, an electronic transformer is coupled between the AC power source and the halogen lamp, and is generally situated with a housing that is separate from the lamp; with regard to the latter point, safety purposes dictate that the electronic transformer must have an output that is electrically isolated from earth ground in order to preclude any potential hazard involving electrical shock. Typically, such electrical isolation is provided by including an output transformer within the power supply. Unfortunately, an output transformer tends to add significant material cost and physical size, and also detracts from the overall energy efficiency of the power supply.
When the filament of a halogen lamp is "cold" (i.e., as when power is first applied to the lamp), the resistance of the lamp filament is dramatically lower than when the filament is "hot" (i.e., as when power has been applied to the lamp for some time). The resistance of a cold filament can be as low as one-twentieth of the resistance of a hot filament. When the lamp is powered by a circuit (e.g., an electronic transformer) that essentially operates as a constant voltage source, the current that flows through the lamp during an initial period after power is first applied (i.e., when the filament is cold) will be dramatically greater than the steady-state operating current that flows through the lamp once the filament warms up. The relatively high current that flows during the initial period subjects the lamp filament, as well as the components within the power supply, to high amounts of stress that may damage the lamp filament and/or the components within the power supply, and that, over time, negatively impacts the operating life of the lamp and/or the reliability of the power supply.
Therefore, a need exists for a power supply circuit for low voltage halogen lamps that is capable of being realized in a highly economical and energy efficient manner. A need also exists for a power supply circuit that may be readily placed within the base of the lamp. A further need exists for a power supply circuit that reduces and/or limits the lamp current provides to a cold filament so as to protect the filament and the power supply circuit and thereby safeguard the operating life of the lamp and the reliability of the power supply circuit. A power supply circuit with these advantages would represent a considerable advance over the prior art.

Power supply for halogen lamp having an inverter and output circuit


A material for processing includes an elastically deformable single thin plate comprising a plurality of through-holes. The plate has a first wave-like shape, which is formed in a first direction and, in which troughs and ridges are alternately connected in repetition, and a second wave-like shape which is formed in a second direction crossing the first direction and in which troughs and ridges are alternately connected in repetition. The first wave-like shape has a corrugated shape in which the ridges each include a pair of side parts rising from the corresponding troughs and an apex part connected between the pair of side parts. An apex length of the apex part along the first direction is defined as being longer than an opening length, along the first direction, between base parts of the pair of side parts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a material for processing usable for, for example, a target which generates vibration or noise and formed of a single thin plate performing a vibration damping function or a sound absorption function on the target, and a molded member using the same.
2. Background Art
One example of such a target which generates vibration is an internal combustion engine. From a main body of an internal combustion engine or an exhaust system connected to the internal combustion engine such as an exhaust manifold or the like, heat, noise, vibration or the like is released outside. In order to prevent an unnecessary release of vibration from a vibration source such the internal combustion engine main body, the exhaust system or the like to the outside, various types of covers such as an insulator are used for the vibration source.
FIG. 18 is an isometric view of a typical conventional exhaust manifold insulator 1 (hereinafter, referred to as the "insulator") described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-266850 (e.g., paragraph 8 through 11, and FIG. 1 of the reference) mentioned below. Hereinafter, the insulator 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 18.
The insulator 1 is attached to, and covers, an exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine. The insulator 1 includes a substantially flat front part 1a and a side part 1b bent from the front part 1a and extending toward a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. The insulator 1 is formed of an assembly of two steel plates 1A and 1B brought together, and one of the two steel plates is folded onto the other steel plate along a folding line at least one appropriate position on an edge of each slit 2. This folding arrangement reinforces the bonding of the two steel plates 1A and 1B.
Due to the structure in which the two steel plates 1A and 1B are brought together, the conventional insulator 1 acts such that the vibration at a frequency of several thousand cycles per minute generated from the exhaust manifold, in which high temperature exhaust gas pulsating at such a frequency passes, is not unnecessarily released to an outside environment.
Such a conventional insulator has a structure in which two steel plates 1A and 1B are brought together as described above, and has a problem of being relatively heavy. There is another problem that the insulator 1 causes plane vibration due to vibration propagated from the exhaust manifold, and when the vibration frequency matches the resonance frequency of the insulator 1, the insulator 1 itself becomes a source of noise.

Material for processing and molded member using the same


A pivot mechanism for adjusting a blade on a work vehicle is provided. The pivot mechanism includes a bushing bolt fastened to a mounting bracket on the blade. The bushing bolt has a spherical portion fixedly positioned between coupling ends and configured to receive a bushing. The pivot mechanism further includes a cylinder coupled to the bushing bolt for controlling the position of the blade.

Both wheeled and tracked work vehicles, such as a bulldozer, may include a PAT (power angle tilt) blade for pushing, shearing, carrying, and spreading dirt and other material. Hydraulic cylinders are often used to control the orientation of the blade relative to the ground. Spherical bearings coupled between the hydraulic cylinders and the blade allow for the adjustment of the angle, tilt, and pitch of the blade. However, axial play in the spherical bearing has been found to reduce the precision of the blade control. In systems utilizing integrated grade control, the axial play of the spherical bearing may cause the control system to repeatedly correct the position of the blade, resulting in increased wear on the spherical bearing, the blade, and the blade control mechanisms. Further, replacement of the spherical bearing leads to significant vehicle downtime.


Filter (3) for absorbing X-rays (2), having a controllable field-generating matrix arranged on a housing (7). The matrix generates electric or magnetic fields acting on liquids (13, 14) located in the housing. The housing (7) has at least one first and one second chamber (9, 10) which are separated in a sealed fashion from one another by means of a flexible diaphragm (8). The first and second liquids (13, 14) are located in the first and second chambers (9, 10) respectively, and differ in their X-ray absorption characteristics. At least one of the liquids is a magneto-rheological or an electro-rheological liquid, depending on the type of matrix provided. In operation, a minimum pressure is applied to at least one of the liquids, and the localized fields produced by the matrix cause the liquids (13, 14) to alter their respective thickness ratios, to provide a an X-ray filter having location-specific absorption characteristics.

The invention relates to a filter for absorbing X-rays. More particularly, the invention relates to an X-ray absorbing filter having a controllable matrix for generating a field acting on a liquid located in a housing. In addition, the invention is directed to an X-ray machine having such a filter for absorbing X-rays.
In X-ray examinations, the patient and his/her organs in the region to be examined often exhibit strongly differing absorption characteristics with respect to the X-rays applied. For example, for chest X-rays, the attenuation in the mediastinum (i.e., in the region in front of the pulmonary lobes) is very largely determined by the organs to be found there. In the region of the pulmonary lobe itself, by contrast, the attenuation is small. In order both to obtain an informative picture and, in particular, to spare the patient unnecessary exposure to radiation, it is sensible to set the applied dosage based on the characteristics of the region being examined, in such a way that no more X-rays than necessary are supplied. In other words, a larger dose should be applied in regions of large attenuation than should be applied in regions of low attenuation.
In addition, there are applications in which only a portion of the region to be examined need be recorded with high diagnostic quality, i.e. with little noise. The surrounding parts are important for orientation but not for the actual diagnosis. These surrounding regions could, then, be imaged with a smaller dose of radiation in order thereby to reduce the total dosage applied.
Such a filter is disclosed, for example, in German Laid-Open publication DE-A 44 22 780. This filter has a housing with a controllable electrode matrix that is used to generate an electric field. This field acts on a liquid in contact with the electrode matrix. Ions that absorb X-rays are present in this liquid. These ions move freely, and migrate as dictated by the applied field. Hence, by appropriately forming the field in the region of one or more electrodes, it is possible to accumulate a correspondingly large or small number of ions so as to change the local absorption behavior of the filter. However, the absorption profile that can thereby be achieved over the filter area, i.e. the attenuation pattern caused by ion accumulation, frequently does not provide effects which are satisfactory for specific applications in the fields of diagnosis and therapy. In addition, there is a further disadvantage in that the accumulation requires ions to migrate in the field. It requires a relatively long time in order to achieve a state of equilibrium, in which ion migration ceases. (The equilibrium state is a function of the field.)

X-ray absorption filter having a field generating matrix and field sensitive liquids


A unit image area is specified, and unit image data representing a unit image in the unit image area is prepared. A plurality of the unit image areas are laid out on an image plane in a multi-composing manner, whereby layout information representing the multi-composing layout of the unit image areas is created. Mask data representing a plurality of multi-composed unit image areas are then prepared, based on the unit image area data and the layout information. Generated subsequently is an image recording signal representing unit images to be respectively drawn in the plurality of unit image areas, which are expressed by the mask data, on the image plane. Multi-duplicated images are eventually recorded on a photosensitive material according to the image recording signal without using a photocomposer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for preparing multi-composed images by laying out identical images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Boxes and vessels made of paper sheets are called `paper ware`. In many cases, various image are printed on the surface of a paper ware such as a photograph or illustration of a product, a trade name, and a bar code. In the process of color printing of images on paper wares, plural copies of a development view of the paper ware are laid out on an image plane corresponding to a photosensitive material, such as a presensitized plate, and respective color separation images are exposed from halftone films on the photosensitive material to produce printing plates for plural color inks. The reason why the development view of a paper ware is laid out in a multi-composing manner is that the development view is relatively small in general and that it is thus uneconomical to print only one image of the paper ware on a printing plate.
Photocomposers are conventionally used to lay out and expose a plurality of identical images on a photosensitive material. The photocomposer successively locates one original film, on which an original image of a paper ware is recorded, at each image position of multi-duplication and expose the original image on a photosensitive material at each image position, thereby recording a plurality of multi-composed images on one photosensitive material.
Recent advancement of computer technology enables an image, which is to be printed on a paper ware, to be prepared by an image processing system. This technology does not require the original film, but can prepare an original image with an image processing system and record image data representing the original image in a storage medium. Since the conventional method of preparing multi-composed images of a paper ware, however, expose an image on an original film on a photosensitive material, it is required to prepare an original film from the image data generated by the image processing system and expose multi-composed images with a photocomposer. Similar problems also arise in the process of preparing multi-composed images of labels.

Method for preparing multi-composed images without use of a photocomposer


A pattern formation board game and method of play are presented. The present invention includes a board having a play area with a plurality of overlapping substantially circular patterns thereon. Circular patterns are composed of a plurality of interlocking spaces including two geometric shapes. Game pieces are substantially identical in shape and size to the geometric shapes on the game board. Game pieces are placed onto likewise-shaped spaces so as to form overlapping primary and second geometric patterns. A player declares any primary and secondary patterns formed after placement of a game piece, records a pattern as a tally mark on a score sheet, and calculates a total score after no further primary patterns are possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a board game whereby players compete to complete defined patterns and score points. Specifically, the invention includes a play area having a plurality of overlapping substantially circular patterns thereon. Circular patterns are composed of a plurality of interlocking spaces including two shapes. Game pieces are placed onto likewise-shaped spaces so as to form one or more completely overlapping geometric patterns, each having a point value totaled to determine the game points awarded.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pattern formation games are described in the related arts. Presently known games include game pieces having sides composed of single linear segments and game board spaces composed of a single geometric shape arranged to form a single geometric pattern. Linear-based game boards and pieces limit the variety of geometric patterns achievable during play and therefore preclude embedded secondary geometric patterns within a larger primary pattern. As such, the related arts include design features and methods of play to offset the limitations, constraints, and deficiencies imposed by linear-based board games.
For example, the complexity and challenge of a pattern formation board game may reside with surface ornamentation to limit the placement of game pieces. Macy, U.S. Pat. No. 214,048, describes and claims a board game composed of six hexagons having six equilateral triangles therein and thirty-six equilateral games pieces with one to six dots along each side. Brautovich, U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,235, describes and claims a board game composed of seven equal sized hexagonal areas each having six equilateral triangles therein and a plurality of triangular-shaped game pieces with one to three dots along each side. Methods of play include the placement of game pieces so as to match the number of dots between abutting game pieces. As such, the primary objective of the both games is numerical matching within the constraints of defined patterns rather than pattern formation.
In another example, the complexity and challenge of a pattern formation board game may reside with the completion of two partially-overlapping patterns. Mastronunzio, U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,897, describes and claims a board game having a hexagonal playing surface composed of a plurality of isosceles triangles. A method of play includes the placement of colored game pieces onto the described board by each player so as to substantially occupy star-shaped patterns and row-shaped patterns overlapping at least two star patterns. Points are awarded for having more game pieces covering a star shaped pattern than other players, for having more playing pieces covering a row of spaces than other players, for the total number of playing pieces on the playing surface, for completely occupying a star, and for completely occupying a row. The described triangular-shaped game pieces and spaces and star-shaped patterns thereof preclude the formation of patterns with smaller sub-patterns therein.
In yet another example, the complexity and challenge of a board game may reside with the formation of arbitrary shapes traversing two or more patterns of a single defined shape. Watanabe, U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,729, describes and claims a board game having a regular periodic pattern of seven identical hexagonal frames, each composed of twenty-four equilateral triangles. A method of play includes placing one of several polygonal-shaped playing pieces, namely, triangles, rhombi, trapezoids, and hexagons, onto a playing surface so that a newly added game piece completely abuts a side along one or more game pieces with which it contacts. A player scores points by completely filling a hexagonal frame, irrespective of the color of the other games pieces therein, as it is unlikely that one player would exclusively occupy a single frame. The described triangular-shaped game pieces and spaces and hexagonal-shaped patterns thereof preclude the formation of patterns with smaller sub-patterns therein.
What is required is a complex and challenging board game enabling the formation of a variety of defined patterns by the assemblage of two interlocking game pieces.
Furthermore, what is required is a complex and challenging game board and method of play enabling players to score points by forming a defined pattern and one or more smaller defined patterns therein.


A turning drive device is provided that converts power of an engine into electric power and turns a turning body using the converted electric power. The turning drive device includes an electrical energy storage unit that stores electrical energy, a turning motor that is driven by an electric power from the electrical energy storage unit and is configured to drive a turning body, an inverter that controls a drive operation of the turning motor, a controller that is connected to the inverter via a control signal line, and an emergency operation part that supplies a command to the inverter when an abnormality occurs in a control operation of the turning motor. The inverter blocks the control signal line based on a signal from the emergency operation part and controls the drive operation of the turning motor.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a turning drive device for driving a turning body arranged at a construction machine and similar machinery.
2. Description of Related Art
Construction machines such as excavators generally include a drive device for driving a turning body to which a work element such as a bucket is mounted. For example, in an excavator, a bucket corresponding to a work element may be mounted to an upper turning body where a cabin is arranged so that the bucket may turn along with the turning motion of the upper turning body. In this way, the bucket may be turned around the excavator and moved to a desired position where work is to be performed. The excavator includes a turning mechanism for driving and turning the upper turning body.
Such a turning mechanism may use a turning motor as a drive source. Power supply to the tuning motor is controlled by an inverter. The inverter is controlled by a controller that controls overall operations of the drive mechanism of the excavator. When an abnormality occurs at the controller itself or within a control signal line between the inverter and the controller, the controller may no longer be able to control the inverter, and as a result, normal drive operations of the turning mechanism may become impossible.
In this respect, a technique is known in which a subordinate control unit (e.g., inverter) monitors a superordinate control unit (e.g., controller) for an abnormality, and the subordinate control unit, upon detecting an abnormality in the superordinate control unit, controls the drive device.

SUMITOMO(S.H.I.) CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.