A method and apparatus for identifying the channel to which a receiver is tuned includes a controller having a microprocessor, a ROM for storage of programs, a RAM for storage of data and a data storage and communication device; a controlled panel mounted adjacent a light emitting diode (LED) display on the receiver that displays the channel to which the receiver is tuned; and a light detection device mounted in association with the panel. The panel normally is maintained transparent so that the LED display may be readily seen through the panel. In order to determine the number being displayed on the LED display, selected portions of the panel are sequentially rendered transparent while the remaining portions of the panel are maintained opaque. The controller determines which selected portions of the panel have light being transmitted therethrough from the LED display. Based on these determinations, the channel being displayed on the LED display can be determined so that the channel to which the receiver is tuned can be identified and information relating thereto can be stored in the data storage and communication device for later evaluation. In one embodiment of the channel identifier apparatus, the light detecting device includes a light sensor mounted in front of and adjacent the panel. In another embodiment of the channel identifier apparatus, the light detecting device includes a photo-resistive wire embedded in or mounted on the panel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for determining the channel to which a receiver is tuned, and more particularly, to a new and improved method and apparatus for identifying the channel number being displayed by a light emitting display on the receiver.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various arrangements have been employed to determine the channel to which a television receiver is tuned. A disadvantage of many known monitoring arrangements is that an internal connection to the television receiver is required. For example, Haselwood et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,206, issued on Aug. 3, 1976, discloses a method of determining the channel to which a receiver is tuned by monitoring the varactor diode tuning voltage. However, this type of monitoring requires that internal connections be made inside of the television receiver.
Another method for determining channel tuning is disclosed in Haselwood et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,578, issued on Jan. 10, 1984. In connection with the method disclosed in that patent, a signal injection source and a detector/receiver are arranged so as to detect the combined signal from the injection signal source and a video carrier to which the video receiver is tuned. A significant drawback of signal injection monitoring arrangements of this type is the potential interference with the functional operation of the video receiver being monitored.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,302, issued on Feb. 2, 1988, discloses another method for determining channel tuning. This method utilizes a local oscillator frequency measurement of the monitored receiver. While this method is generally effective, the disclosed method and apparatus requires that a probe be positioned at a selected location in the monitored receiver. Consequently, physical access to the receiver is required.
Access to the tuning mechanism of a television receiver is becoming increasingly difficult. This is particularly the case with the advent of cable and pay television systems that utilize various converters and decoders, many of which are difficult to access. As a result, various other monitoring systems have been developed.
For example, Solar U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,808, issued on Aug. 16, 1988, discloses a method of determining the channel to which a receiver is tuned by detecting a horizontal sweep signal of the monitored receiver. The frequency of the detected sweep signal is compared to stored characteristic frequency values in order to determine the channel to which the receiver is tuned. Another example of a method used in determining the channel to which a receiver is tuned is disclosed in Kiewit U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,736, issued on Oct. 24, 1989. This method can be utilized when a remote control is being used to select the channel to which the receiver is tuned. The signal transmitted by the remote control is intercepted by a first receiver so that the desired channel can be stored. The first receiver than transmits an activating signal to the receiver.
These types of methods for determining the channel to which a receiver is tuned eliminates the necessity of actually gaining access to the receiver being monitored. However, the methods used in determining the channel to which the receiver is tuned are quite complex and/or only are usable if a remote control is utilized to change the channel to which the receiver is tuned.

Method and apparatus for determining channel to which a receiver is tuned


Methods and systems are provided for performing ventricular arrhythmia monitoring using at least two sensing channels that are each associated with different sensing vectors, for example by different pairs of extracardiac remote sensing electrodes. Myopotential associated with each of the sensing channels in monitored, and a ventricular arrhythmia monitoring mode is selected based thereon (e.g., based on determined myopotential levels). Ventricular arrhythmia monitoring is then performed using the selected monitoring mode. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.

Ventricular arrhythmias include ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF). A tachycardia is a fast heart rate (usually over 100 beats per minute) typically caused by disease or injury. It can also be part of a normal response to increased activity or oxygen demands. The average heart beats between 60 and 100 times per minute. When the tachycardia is due to disease or injury, it usually requires treatment. Tachycardias may begin in the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) or the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles). A ventricular tachycardia (VT) begins in the ventricles. Some are harmless, but others are life threatening in that they can quickly deteriorate to a ventricular fibrillation.
A ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a very fast, chaotic heart rate (usually over 300 beats per minute) in the lower chambers of the heart, resulting from multiple areas of the ventricles attempting to control the heart's rhythm. VF can occur spontaneously (generally caused by heart disease) or when VT has persisted too long. When the ventricles fibrillate, they do not contract normally, so they cannot effectively pump blood. The instant VF begins, effective blood pumping stops. VF quickly becomes more erratic, resulting in sudden cardiac arrest. This arrhythmia must be corrected immediately via a shock from an external defibrillator or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The defibrillator stops the chaotic electrical activity and restores normal heart rhythm.
Appropriate detection of ventricular arrhythmias (requiring high voltage therapy) and discrimination of supraventricular arrhythmias (not requiring high voltage therapy) in a noisy signal is challenging and of great importance, particularly as it relates to an implanted defibrillator using subcutaneous extracardiac electrodes or an external defibrillator. Since such signals are composed of both cardiac and skeletal myopotentials, motion artifacts, electromagnetic interference (EMI), etc., appropriate detection of arrhythmias relies heavily on accurate detection of each subcomponent of such composite signals. There is a need for improved methods and systems that can detect ventricular arrhythmias and discriminate between the different types of arrhythmias even when myopotentials and motion artifacts affect that cardiac signal that is being monitored.
Sensing cardiac electrical activity from electrodes spatially removed from the heart, as in a surface ECG or in a subcutaneous extracardiac configuration is challenging. Non-cardiac signals such as skeletal myopotential and motion artifact can easily be mistaken for an arrhythmia, which can lead to inappropriate therapy. Given the composite nature of subcutaneous signals, it is useful that a scheme for detecting non-cardiac events allow for changes (e.g., daily or hourly) in signal characteristics.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for detection of VT and VF from remote sensing electrodes


An image sensor includes a first pixel unit horizontally adjacent to a second pixel unit. Each pixel unit includes plurality of photodiodes and a shared floating diffusion region. A first pixel transistor region of the first pixel unit has a plurality of pixel transistors. A second pixel transistor region of the second pixel unit is horizontally adjacent to the first pixel transistor region and also has a plurality of pixel transistors. A transistor layout of the second pixel transistor region is a minor image of a transistor layout of the first pixel transistor region.

Image sensors have become ubiquitous. They are widely used in digital still cameras, cellular phones, security cameras, as well as, medical, automobile, and other applications. The technology used to manufacture image sensors, and in particular, complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor ("CMOS") image sensors, has continued to advance at great pace. For example, the demands of higher resolution and lower power consumption have encouraged the further miniaturization and integration of these image sensors.
Conventional CMOS image sensors typically have a configuration in which a plurality of pixels are arranged into a two-dimensional array, where each pixel includes a photodiode and associated pixel transistors. Recently, with the continued miniaturization of image sensors, in order to reduce the area occupied by each pixel, a pixel sharing structure has been implemented where pixel transistors are shared among several photodiodes. However, typical layouts of a pixel sharing structure often suffer from leakage problems between various portions of the pixel transistors due to their close proximity to one another.

Image sensor with pixel units having mirrored transistor layout


The present invention provides a lipid particle which has low cytotoxicity, can stably hold a nucleic acid molecule outside a cell (in blood), and can escape from an endosome and rapidly release the nucleic acid in the cytoplasm; a nucleic acid transfer carrier; a compound for manufacturing a nucleic acid transfer carrier; a method for manufacturing a lipid particle; and a gene transfer method. The lipid particle contains, as constituents, a phospholipid having one or more amino groups and one or more nitrogen-containing heterocyclic groups, a neutral lipid not containing a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group, a sterol, and a nucleic acid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lipid particle useful for transferring nucleic acids such as micro RNA (miRNA), asymmetrical interfering RNA (aiRNA), or small interfering RNA (siRNA) into a cell, a nucleic acid transfer carrier, a compound for manufacturing a nucleic acid transfer carrier, a method for manufacturing a lipid particle, and a gene transfer method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nucleic acid medicines have a clear mechanism of action for diseases and cause fewer adverse effects, hence they are expected as next-generation pharmaceutical products. For example, nucleic acid medicines utilizing RNA interference (RNAi) can inhibit expression of a target gene by inducing degradation of messenger RNA (mRNA) of a target gene present in a cell. Consequentially, the medicines can relieve or treat symptoms of diseases caused by the abnormal expression of a specific gene or gene family. For the nucleic acid medicines utilizing RNA interference, for example, nucleic acids such as miRNA, aiRNA, or siRNA are used, and in order to cause these nucleic acids to carry out their function, the nucleic acids need to be transferred into a cell.
As a method for effectively transferring the nucleic acid into a cell, a carrier (vector) is generally used, and the carrier (vector) includes viral carriers and non-viral carriers. Many of the viral carriers have not been clarified in terms of pathogenicity, immunogenicity, and safety regarding cytotoxicity. Therefore, it is desirable to use non-viral carriers for clinical application. The nucleic acid is anionic, and accordingly, as the non-viral carriers, cationic carriers that can hold the nucleic acid by electrostatic interaction are used. As the cationic carriers, for example, a cationic liposome using cationic lipids having a specific structure, complexes using a cationic polymer, and the like are generally known. Examples of the cationic liposome include a liposome in which nucleic acids are bonded to the surface of a lipid bilayer membrane by electrostatic interaction, a lipoplex in which nucleic acids are bonded to the surface of a lipid bilayer membrane and interposed between the lipid bilayer membranes, and the like.
For example, Gene Therapy, Vol. 6, page 271, 1999 discloses a liposome consisting of a cationic lipid, 1,2-dioleoyl-3-sn-phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), and polyethylene glycol lipid. Moreover, WO2012/000104A1 discloses a lipid particle containing a cationic lipid in an amount of 50 mol % to 85 mol %, and WO2011/0756556A1 discloses a lipid particle using plural cationic lipids. Further, US2013/0017223A1 discloses a lipid particle consisting of a first cationic lipid, a second cationic lipid, a neutral lipid, and a polyethylene glycol lipid. In addition, various complexes using a cationic polymer are known (Journal of Controlled Release 114 (2006), 100-109).
As means for further improving the cationic carrier, for example, an amphoteric liposome obtained by combining cationic lipids with anionic lipids is disclosed in JP2011-21026A, and an amphoteric liposome consisting of an amphoteric-amphiphilic lipid is disclosed in JP2005-517739A.

Lipid particle, nucleic acid transfer carrier, compound for manufacturing nucleic acid transfer carrier, method for manufacturing lipid particle, and gene transfer method


A method for automatic group tracking detects target formations and group tracks corresponding to each formation. Pseudo-observations are formed to represent missing observations in each track group. The pseudo-observations update the track states of undetected targets. Track validity estimates eliminate false tracks resulting from series of pseudo-observations. A group average velocity applied to each track in the group helps to maintain velocity stability. The operator has the option of suppressing the display of all tracks except for the leader of each group to eliminate the distraction of intra-group switching. This method can be applied to trackers that maintain a single track for each target or to trackers that maintain multiple track branches on each target, such as MHT.

When aircraft fly close together in formation, radars cannot always resolve them. This results in fewer reported observations than aircraft. Previous approaches do not include methods for determining when aircraft are flying in groups, calculating a group average velocity, forming pseudo observations, applying group tracking in the context of a multiple hypothesis tracker.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a group tracking method with the capability of determining when aircraft are flying in groups.
Other desirable capabilities include the calculation of a group average velocity, the formation of pseudo observations, and the application of group tracking in the context of a multiple hypothesis tracker.
It would be further advantageous to provide a method of group tracking which improves track velocity stability and track continuity, or which provides the option of displaying the individual tracks in a group or a single track representing the whole group.


An accessory holder for a chair comprising of a support arm having a first end and second end, the first end is adapted for connection to an accessory such as an umbrella or tray, at least one locking member extending from the support arm second end, at least one locking member comprising a pair of cooperating sleeve members adapted to be slidingly engaged in a concentric manner, one of the cooperating sleeves is adapted to be disposed around a leg of a chair whereby when the other cooperating sleeve members is slidingly engaged in a concentric manner with one of the pair of cooperating sleeves, the support arm is secured to the chair.

It is known to attach an umbrella to a chair to provide shade and protection. It is similarly known to secure a tray or cup holder to a chair. These attachment devices eliminate the need for having to hold an umbrella or tray while seated and thereby free up the use of one's hands.
Prior art attachment devices are usually secured to the upper portion of the chair with a single clamp having a screw or wing nut that tightens the clamp to the frame of the chair.
The prior art devices are not satisfactory if a large umbrella is secured to the chair because such umbrellas will render the attachment device unstable due to cantilever forces caused by wind acting on the umbrella and the weight of the umbrella. Further, prior art clamp members for chairs are known to have a complicated construction that makes it difficult to attach the umbrella in an efficient manner. The screws associated with such clamps are subjected prematurely to wear and failure. In addition, clamps employing screws are known to damage the chair frame because of the high grip forces required for attachment. Prior art accessory holders are typically constructed from metal materials because screws are used in the clamps; however, such devices do not provide a secure anchor for the umbrella and are subjected to rusting and eventual failure.
None of the prior art devices are adapted to receive a golf umbrella or similarly large and heavy umbrella that is unwieldy and therefore difficult to secure to a chair in a fixed manner.
Finally, none of the prior art devices are known to secure an umbrella to the chair whereby the attachment can be made to the leg portion of the chair. In the case of folding chairs, all of the prior art devices must be removed from the chair prior to folding and cannot remain secured to the chair when it is in a folded position.


A micro laser diode transfer method and a manufacturing method comprise: forming a bonding layer (515) on a receiving substrate (513), wherein first type electrodes (514) are connected to the bonding layer (515); bringing a first side of the micro laser diodes (500r) on a carrier substrate (520) into contact with the bonding layer (515), wherein the carrier substrate (520) is laser-transparent; and irradiating selected micro laser diodes (500r) with laser from the side of the carrier substrate (520) to lift-off the selected micro laser diodes (500r) from the carrier substrate (520). This method may improve yield.

The laser diode (LD) has been actively developed recently. Generally, a laser diode or a laser diode array is used as a light source for optical communications or a laser printer. The laser diode could be of a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) structure, which includes a lower contact layer, a lower Bragg reflector layer, a lower spacer layer, an active layer, an upper spacer layer, an upper Bragg reflector layer and an upper contact layer.
In the prior art, micro laser diodes are transferred onto a receiving substrate individually. The common electrode for the micro laser diodes is mounted at bottom on the receiving substrate. The top electrodes of the laser diodes are wire-bonded onto the receiving substrate. Although the laser diode is downsizing and thus an individual micro laser diode can be made, traditional assembling approaches are still used in transfer of the micro laser diode. They are not suitable for the application of a micro laser diode. Furthermore, they are not suitable for a display device using micro laser diodes, especially, a high definition (HD) display device.
US patent application No. 2016/0308333 A1 discloses a laser diode array, method of manufacturing the same, printer and optical communication device, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Micro-LEDs can be used as display light source. But, they are not suitable for projection display. A projection display apparatus using micro-LEDs requires a complicated optical focusing system, which limits its application.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,367,094 B2 discloses a display module and system applications, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Therefore, there is a demand in the art that a new solution for transferring micro laser diodes shall be proposed to address at least one of the problems in the prior art.

Micro laser diode transfer method and manufacturing method


A collapsible container includes a plurality of walls collapsible onto the base. At least one wall has a support pivotably and slidably mounted to an upper end portion thereof. The support is pivotable between a support position where it is partially supported on an adjacent wall and a retracted position. In the retracted position, the wall can be pivoted downward onto the base, with a portion of the support passing through a channel formed on the interior of the adjacent wall. As the wall is pivoted to the upright position, the support is automatically deployed into the support position by its engagement with the channel.

The present invention relates generally to collapsible crates and more particularly to a collapsible crate with support members for supporting another container thereon.
Collapsible crates are well known. Four walls each connected via a hinge to a base are selectively movable about the hinge between a use position, in which the wall is generally perpendicular to the base, and a collapsed position onto the base. Various mechanisms have been provided to connect adjacent walls at the corner to selectively lock the crate in the use position.


Functionalized polymers manifesting exceptional stress-strain properties are prepared from polyols having terminal and nonterminal hydroxyl groups.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to functionalized polymers and, more particularly, to polyurethanes, polyesters and polycarbonates derived from polyols which include both terminal and nonterminal hydroxyl groups.
2. Related Art
It is well known in the art to convert olefins to aldehydes having one additional carbon atom by contacting a C.sub.2 to C.sub.20 monoolefin or a C.sub.5 to C.sub.5000 nonconjugated polyolefin with hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst based on cobalt or rhodium metal. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,878.
It is also known, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,383,426, to hydroformylate polymers utilizing hydrocarbon-soluble phosphine and phosphite catalyst complexes which include a Group VIII transition metal and at least one ligand consisting of a carbon monoxide molecule.
It is also known in the art to prepare polyurethane block polymers by condensing diisocyanates with polyols which have --CH.sub.2 OH terminal groups attached to the polymer by way of initiator-transfer agents through dehydrochloration, hydroboration and oxidation steps. Thus, this process involves creating additional unsaturation in the polymer to be functionalized rather than taking advantage of existing unsaturation. See, for example, J. P. Kennedy, Chemtech, Nov., 694 (1986).
Polyols which are presently utilized in the industry to prepare polyurethanes, polycarbonates and polyethers are predominantly polyether and polyester polyols. Such polyols are generated by ethylene oxide and propylene oxide oligomerization reactions, typically utilizing adipic acid. Such polyols therefore contain only terminal hydroxyl groups. None of the polyols presently utilized to prepare polyurethanes have nonterminal --CH.sub.2 OH groups and therefore have limited functional density.


The present invention is directed to methods for preparation of a composition comprising mixed crystalline polymorphs rifaximin α and rifaximin β. For example, practice of a method of the invention can provide the composition comprising mixed crystalline polymorphs rifaximin α and rifaximin β wherein the rifaximin β is present in about 3-12% (w/w) or is present in about 5-8% (w/w). The composition comprising mixed crystalline polymorphs rifaximin α and rifaximin β is prepared by dissolving raw rifaximin in a water-soluble organic solvent, for example ethanol, at reflux, then adding water to achieve a final mixed solvent of about 7:3 (v/v) solvent to water ratio, then cooling to 35-40° C. until crystallization commences, then further cooling with stirring to 0° C., then recovery of the crystallized material, and drying to a water content of between 2.5% and 5.0%, to provide the composition comprising mixed crystalline polymorphs rifaximin α and rifaximin β. The composition is suitable for medicinal use, such as in treatment of infections of the gastrointestinal tract.

Rifaximin is a semi-synthetic, non-systemic antibiotic that can be derived from rifamycin O by condensation with 2-amino-4-methylpyridine. Xifaxan® has Rifaximin as the active ingredient, and its labels are hereby incorporated by reference.
The U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,341,785, 4,557,866, 7,045,620, 7,612,199, 7,902,206, 7,906,542, 7,928,115, 7,915,275, 7,923,553, 8,158,644, 8,158,781, and 8,193,196 provide methods for the synthesis of polymorphic forms of rifaximin and are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,785 patent describes the preparation and use of new imidazo -rifamycin derivatives of a general formula which includes the antibiotic rifaximin, having the structure
among the compounds claimed therein.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,866, a process is described for conversion of rifamycin O to rifaximin by contacting rifamycin O with 2-amino-4-methylpyridine. The product was purified by crystallization from ethanol/water 7:3.
The U.S. Pat. No. 7,045,620 describes crystalline polymorphous forms of rifaximin, named rifaximin α and rifaximin β, and a poorly crystalline form named rifaximin γ. These forms were described as obtained by means of a crystallization process carried out by hot-dissolving the raw rifaximin in ethyl alcohol and by causing the crystallization of the product by the addition of water at a determinate temperature and for a determinate period of time. The crystallization was followed by drying carried out under controlled conditions until a specific water content was reached in the end product. The rifaximin α and rifaximin β crystalline polymorphs were characterized by X-ray diffractogram properties. It is described that the production of rifaximin α and rifaximin β during drying depends on the amount of water remaining at the end, higher or lower than 4.5%, and not from the experimental conditions of pressure and temperature at which this critical limit of water percentage is achieved. In fact, the two polymorphous forms, with higher or lower water content, can be obtained by drying under vacuum or at atmospheric pressure, at room temperature or at high temperatures, in the presence or in the absence of drying agents, provided that the drying is conducted for the amount of time necessary so that the water percent characteristic for each polymorphous form is achieved. It is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 7,045,620 patent that polymorphous form rifaximin β is obtained when the drying of the product, crystallized and washed with water, is stopped at values of water higher than 4.5% and that the polymorphous form rifaximin α is obtained by continuing the drying until values lower than 4.5%, preferably between 2.0% and 3.0%, are reached. The polymorphous form rifaximin α, kept in an ambient environment with a relative humidity higher than 50% for a period of time between 12 and 48 hours, turns into the polymorphous form β, which in turn, by drying until an amount of water lower than 4.5% is reached, preferably comprised between 2.0% and 3.0%, turns back into the polymorphous form rifaximin α.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,612,199, it is disclosed that the polymorph called rifaximin α is characterized by a water content lower than 4.5%, preferably between 2.0% and 3.0% and from a powder X-ray diffractogram which shows peaks at the values of the diffraction angles 2θ of 6.6°; 7.4°; 7.9°; 8.8°; 10.5°; 11.1°; 11.8°; 12.9°; 17.6°; 18.5°; 19.7°; 21.0°; 21.4°; 22.1°. The polymorph called rifaximin β is characterized by a water content higher than 4.5%, preferably between 5.0% and 6.0%, and by a powder X-ray diffractogram which shows peaks at the values of the diffraction angles 2θ of 5.4°; 6.4°; 7.0°; 7.8°; 9.0°; 10.4°; 13.1°; 14.4°; 17.1°; 17.90; 18.30; 20.9° The polymorph called rifaximin γ is characterized by a powder X-ray diffractogram much poorer because of the poor crystallinity; the significant peaks are at the values of the diffraction angles 2θ of 5.0°; 7.1°; and 8.4°.
Crystal forms of rifaximin and their effect on pharmaceutical properties, are further described in Viscomi G C, et al, The Royal Society of Chemistry, CrystEngComm, 2008, 10, 1074-1081, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,158,781 and 8,158,644 claim the individual α, β, and γ crystalline polymorphs of rifaximin.

Rifaximin crystalline forms and methods of preparation thereof


A lead zirconate titanate ferroelectric film used as the dielectric layer in a ferroelectric capacitor is doped with calcium and/or strontium, and the lead composition selected to improve data retention performance. The chemical formula for the ferroelectric film is: (Pb.sub.v Ca.sub.w Sr.sub.x La.sub.y)(Zr.sub.z Ti.sub.(1-z))O.sub.3 ; wherein v is ideally between 0.9 and 1.3; w is ideally between 0 and 0.1; x is ideally between 0 and 0.1; y is ideally between 0 and 0.1, and z is ideally between 0 and 0.9. In addition, the chemical composition of the ferroelectric film is further specified in that the measured opposite state charge at a specific time and temperature of the ferroelectric capacitor is greater than eight micro-Coulombs per square centimeter, and the rate of imprint degradation is less than fifteen percent per decade.

This application contains subject matter which is related to copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/616,913 entitled A METHOD OF MEASURING RETENTION PERFORMANCE AND IMPRINT DEGRADATION OF FERROELECTRIC FILMS filed on the same date as this application entitled "A Method of Measuring Retention Performance and Imprint Degradation of Ferroelectric Films", which is incorporated herein by this reference.
This invention relates generally to ferroelectric films. More particularly, the present invention relates to doping lead zirconate titantate ("PZT") ferroelectric films with either strontium or calcium, or a combination thereof, and by controlling the lead composition of the PZT film, in a manner that improves data retention performance in a ferroelectric capacitor, and in a corresponding ferroelectric memory.
Within film grain boundaries, PZT crystallizes in the perovskite structure shown in FIG. 1. Unit cell 10 is a simple cubic unit with a large cation 12 on the corners of the unit cell, a smaller cation 16 in the body center of the unit cell, and oxygen anions 14 in the centers of the unit cell faces. Each large cation 12 occupies a designated "A site" in unit cell 10, which, in PZT, is lead (Pb). The small cation 16 occupies the designated "B site" in unit cell 10, which, in PZT, is either zirconium (Zr) or titanium (Ti). Each oxygen anion 14 occupies a designated "O site" in unit cell 10. The perovskite structure is a network of corner-linked oxygen octahedra, with the smaller cation 16 filling the octahedral holes and the large cation 12 filling the dodecahedral holes.
The unit cell 10 shown in FIG. 1 is not a perfect cube, but is slightly distorted, with the small cation 16 occupying one of two stable positions within the unit cell. Since the small cation 16 is not exactly in the center of the unit cell 10, the perovskite crystal has an associated spontaneous electric dipole. PZT is ferroelectric in that the direction of the electric dipole can be reversed by the temporary application of an external electric field. The direction of the electric dipole remains until an opposite electric field is applied.
Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a ferroelectric capacitor 18 is shown, wherein the dielectric material of the capacitor is formed of PZT or other ferroelectric materials. A corresponding hysteresis loop 20 is shown that is a measure of the ferroelectric polarization of ferroelectric capacitor 18. The applied external electric field is represented along the x-axis, and the resultant charge or polarization is represented along the y-axis. Once an externally applied electric field exceeds a material-specific "coercive voltage" (V.sub.C), ferroelectric capacitor 18 begins to polarize. If the applied electric field is increased, the ferroelectric material in capacitor 18 becomes fully polarized or "saturated", wherein the polarization vector of most of the grains in the material are aligned in the same direction. Once the external electric field is removed, a remanent polarization represented by point Q.sub.2 remains. If the electric field is reversed in polarity and exceeds the coercive voltage (-V.sub.C) in the opposite direction, ferroelectric capacitor 18 begins to polarize in the opposite direction. If the applied electric field is increased, the ferroelectric material in capacitor 18 saturates in the opposite direction. Once the external electric field is removed, a remanent polarization represented by point Q.sub.1 remains. The remanent polarization of "stable states" Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2 of ferroelectric capacitor 18 can be toggled by application of two opposite external voltages exceeding the coercive voltage.
Referring now to FIG. 3, an integrated ferroelectric memory cell 22 includes two ferroelectric capacitors 48A and 48B, as well as two field-effect transistors ("FETs") 46A and 46B. More specifically, ferroelectric memory cell 22 is actually the combination of two one-transistor, one-capacitor ("1T-1C") memory cells sharing a common bit line contact. Memory cell 22 includes a substrate or epitaxial layer 24, a thick field oxide layer 26 for isolating transistors associated with one pair of memory cells from the next, diffused areas 28 for forming the drain and source regions of transistors 46A and 46B, gate electrodes 30 that are each coupled to or form portions of a word line (extending orthogonal to the plane of FIG. 3 and therefore not shown), and isolation layers 32 and 34. Capacitors 48A and 48B are formed with a bottom electrode 36, typically fabricated of platinum and connected to a common "plate line" that is in turn coupled to a plurality of memory cells. The plate line is also orthogonal to the plane of FIG. 3 and therefore not shown. Capacitors 48A and 48B also include a ferroelectric dielectric layer 38 and a top electrode 40, also usually fabricated of platinum. The top electrodes 40 of the capacitors are coupled to respective source regions of transistors 46A and 46B via a metalization layer 42. Metalization layer 42 also contacts the common drain of transistors 46A and 46B, forming a common bit line contact. A passivation layer 44 of silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) is subsequently deposited over the entire surface of the integrated circuit.
The schematic diagram of FIG. 4A shows a memory cell 22' that roughly corresponds to the integrated ferroelectric memory cell 22 shown in the cross sectional diagram of FIG. 3, except that two distinct bit lines are shown instead of a single shared bit line contact. Memory cell 22' includes a word line 50 designated "WL", a plate line 52 designated "PL" and separate bit lines 54 and 56 designated BL and BL*, respectively. One portion of the memory cell 22' includes transistor 46A and ferroelectric capacitor 48A. Word line 50 is coupled to transistor 46A through gate contact 30, plate line 52 is coupled to ferroelectric capacitor 48A through bottom electrode 36, and bit line 54 is coupled to transistor 46A through one of the diffused areas 28. The other portion of memory cell 22' includes transistor 46B and ferroelectric capacitor 48B. Word line 50 is coupled to transistor 46B through gate contact 30, plate line 52 is coupled to ferroelectric capacitor 48B through bottom electrode 36, and bit line 54 is coupled to transistor 46B through one of the diffused areas 28.
Typically, in a two-transistor, two-capacitor ("2T-2C") memory cell having complementary bit lines, a valid logic state is resolved by comparing the two bit lines with a sense amplifier (not shown in FIG. 4A). Capacitors 48A and 48B are poled in opposite directions. When interrogated by pulsing the plate line 52, differing amounts of charge are transferred to the bit lines, depending upon the direction of the polarization vector in capacitors 48A and 48B.
The schematic diagram of FIG. 4B shows a 1T-1C ferroelectric memory cell 58. Memory cell 58 includes a word line 50, a plate line 52, a bit line 54 and a reference line 60 designated "REF." Word line 50 is coupled to the gate of transistor 46, plate line 52 is coupled to ferroelectric capacitor 48, and bit line 54 is coupled to a drain/source node of transistor 46. Typically, in a 1T-1C memory cell a valid logic state is resolved on bit line 54 by comparing the bit line charge and the reference charge on reference line 60 with a sense amplifier (not shown in FIG. 4B). When interrogated by pulsing the plate line 52, a charge is transferred to bit line 54 that is either less than or greater than the reference charge, so that a valid logic state can be resolved by the sense amplifier.
The operation of ferroelectric capacitors such as those found in the memory cells of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B is described in further detail with reference to the hysteresis FIG. 160 shown in FIG. 6A and the corresponding voltage waveform shown in FIG. 6B. FIG. 6A is a plot of the voltage versus charge or polarization behavior of a ferroelectric capacitor. While reference may be made to "charge" in the dielectric of the ferroelectric capacitor, it should be noted that the capacitor charge dissipates, i.e. is volatile. However hysteresis curve 160 also represents polarization, which is non-volatile. Reference is made to both aspects of charge and polarization, which generally correspond before the charge on the ferroelectric capacitor dissipates. One characteristic of a ferroelectric material such as PZT is a hysteresis curve or loop 160 as shown in FIG. 6B, wherein the x-axis represents the field voltage applied to the material and the y-axis represents the polarization vector (or charge) of the ferroelectric material. The flow of current through a ferroelectric capacitor depends on the prior history of the applied voltages. A voltage waveform 168 is shown in FIG. 6B that includes two positive voltage pulses and two negative voltage pulses that are applied to one electrode of a ferroelectric capacitor in a Sawyer tower circuit arrangement, which is explained in further detail below with reference to FIG. 5. The exact timing of the pulses is arbitrary, and can include extremely long pulse widths. Circled point numbers one through six on hysteresis curve 160 of FIG. 6A correspond to the same circled point numbers on the voltage waveform 168 of FIG. 6B.
Turning momentarily to FIG. 5, a Sawyer tower circuit is shown having a ferroelectric capacitor 152 in series with a conventional, "linear" load capacitor 154. The size of load capacitor 154 is made large with respect to the size of ferroelectric capacitor 152 so that most of the input voltage, V.sub.IN, supplied by voltage waveform 150, is dropped across ferroelectric capacitor 152. The output voltage, V.sub.OUT, provided by the Sawyer tower circuit, generates the characteristic hysteresis curve 156 typical of ferroelectric materials such as PZT.
Referring again to FIG. 6A, starting at a first point 161 on both the hysteresis FIG. 160 and the voltage waveform of FIG. 6B (which also corresponds to circled point number one), there is no externally-applied voltage across the ferroelectric capacitor being characterized, but previously a voltage was applied across the ferroelectric capacitor that left the capacitor polarized at point 161. Applying a positive voltage across the ferroelectric capacitor moves the operating point (i.e., the current polarization) along the hysteresis curve 160 to a second point 162. The change in polarization vector or charge is designated "P" and is labeled on the rising edge of the first voltage pulse shown in the voltage waveform 168 of FIG. 6B and on the hysteresis curve 160 shown in FIG. 6A. The charge liberated with the change in polarization vector (in this case, traversing from point 161 to point 162) is referred to as the "switched charge." Next, the trailing edge of the first pulse in FIG. 6B occurs between circled numbers 2 and 3, or points 162 and 163 on hysteresis curve 160. This transition is typically caused by a return-to-zero transition in the externally applied voltage. Returning the externally-applied positive voltage pulse moves the polarization along the hysteresis curve 160 to a third point 163. The direction component of spontaneous remnant polarization within the ferroelectric capacitor is unchanged in the transition from point 162 to point 163, although there is some loss of field induced polarization, i.e. a loss in the polarization magnitude in a non-ideal ferroelectric material used in the capacitor dielectric. The change in charge is designated "P.sub.a " (which is read as "P after") and is labeled on the falling edge of the first voltage pulse shown in FIG. 6B and on the hysteresis curve 160 shown in FIG. 6A. Circled point 3 on waveform 168 represents a zero externally-applied voltage and, but note that while the horizontal (voltage) component of hysteresis curve 160 is zero at point 163, there is a non-zero vertical component. Ideally, this remnant polarization ought to remain indefinitely. However, in practice some "relaxation" may occur. This is shown in FIG. 6A as the transition between points 163 and 164. Specifically, between the third and fourth points 163 and 164 on the hysteresis curve 160, there is a reversal of the polarization vector in some portion of the domains within the ferroelectric capacitor, resulting in a partial loss of the overall polarization magnitude.
Applying a second positive voltage across the ferroelectric capacitor moves the operating point from the fourth point 164 on the curve 160 back to the second point 162. The increase in charge is now labeled "U" and is less than the P increase produced by the first positive voltage. Removing the applied positive voltage moves the operating point to the fifth point 165 on the hysteresis curve 160, with a corresponding loss of charge labeled "U.sub.a " (which is read as "U after").
Applying a negative voltage across the ferroelectric capacitor at the fifth point 165 on the hysteresis curve 160 moves the operating point to a sixth point 166. The change in charge and polarization is labeled "N" and is shown on the leading edge of the first negative pulse in FIG. 6B (circled point 6 of waveform 168). The negative voltage reverses the polarization direction of the capacitor, resulting in the original polarization direction. Since the hysteresis curve is substantially symmetrical, removing and reapplying the negative voltage moves the operating point around the "bottom" portion of the hysteresis curve 160 in the same manner as described above with reference to operating points 161 through 165. The associated changes in charge around the bottom of hysteresis loop 160 are consecutively labeled "N", "N.sub.a " (which is read as "N after), "D" and "D.sub.a " (which is read as "D after") on waveform 168 of FIG. 6B. Note that the relaxation of the loop is not shown in the bottom portion of hysteresis loop 160, though it exists in a non-ideal ferroelectric capacitor. For the sake of simplicity in FIG. 6A, the bottom charge components labeled "N.sub.a ", "D" and "D.sub.a " are assumed to all be approximately equal. After the two negative voltage pulses are applied and returned to zero applied volts, the operating point is returned to the first point 161 on the hysteresis curve 160.
The memory cells shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B have the ability to store non-volatile data since the polarization vector stored in the ferroelectric capacitors in the cells remains once the poling electric field has been removed. The ability to preserve data in a ferroelectric memory for a long period of time is generally known as "retention." Retention includes the ability to store and read the same data state (same state performance). Retention also includes the ability to store an initial data state for a long period of time, followed by writing an opposite data state and correctly reading that opposite data state (opposite state performance). While the same state performance of a ferroelectric memory is seldom at issue, the opposite state performance of a ferroelectric memory is frequently a cause for concern. The failure to correctly read the opposite data state is generally known as "imprint", and refers to the fact that the original data state has been imprinted in the memory.
It is desirable, therefore, that retention performance be maximized as much as possible, primarily by minimizing the imprint failure mechanism. It is known that either strontium (Sr) or calcium (Ca) used singly can be used to dope the A site of the unit cell 10 for various purposes such as influencing the dielectric properties of a ferroelectric material. It is also known that lanthanum (La) can be used to dope the A site of the unit cell 10 for improved endurance (ability to withstand loss of polarization due to cycling) of a ferroelectric memory. However, any improvement in retention performance attained by the prior art single species dopant method must be further improved to meet the ever increasing demands of the marketplace for quality non-volatile memory devices.
What is desired is a ferroelectric memory having maximum retention performance beyond that which is currently available.

Use of calcium and strontium dopants to improve retention performance in a PZT ferroelectric film


A cart apparatus includes a child cart that includes a base frame structure including a pair of side beams and a lateral beam that extends between the pair of side beams. A parent cart includes a base frame structure including a pair of side beams and a lateral beam that extends between the pair of side beams. The base frame structure of the parent cart defines a nesting area that is sized and arranged to receive the base frame structure of the child cart. A cart interlock mechanism includes an engagement member that is rotatably mounted to the base frame structure and a foot pedal that is linked to the engagement member. The foot pedal rotates the engagement member from a locked position that engages the base frame of the child cart to an unlocked position that releases the base frame of the child cart.

Dolly or cart apparatuses may be used within manufacturing environments to carry relatively heavy loads of parts, such as automobile parts for an assembly line. It is known to have larger parent carts that interact with smaller child carts, where the child carts can detach and move independently of the parent carts. The mechanisms for locking the child carts and parent carts together can be relatively bulky and difficult to operate depending on the size and shape of the parts being carried by the carts.
What is needed are cart apparatuses that include cart interlocking mechanisms that are located near a frame structure of the parent cart that can be pedal-actuated by foot.

Cart apparatuses including cart interlock mechanisms

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A method of inducing a periodic variation of nonlinearity value in a sample of ferroelectric material comprises arranging a pair of electrodes on opposite faces of the sample, one electrode defining a desired pattern of nonlinearity variation, applying a pre-bias voltage across the sample for a predetermined time using the electrodes, the pre-bias voltage being less than the coercive field of the ferroelectric material; and after the predetermined time, applying a current-controlled poling voltage across the sample using the electrodes, to produce domain inversion in the sample according to the desired pattern of nonlinearity variation. The pre-bias voltage may be 75% of the coercive field or more, and applied for a pre-determined time between 1 and 100 seconds.

The present invention relates to an improved method for electric field poling of ferroelectric materials and apparatus for carrying out such a method.
Nonlinear optical devices are proving very useful in the field of optics for converting laser light between different wavelengths. Examples of conversion include second harmonic generation in which two photons combine to create a new photon at twice the frequency (half the wavelength), and optical parametric generation in which a single photon splits into two photons at longer wavelengths. In general, such processes must conserve photon energy and must be phase-matched to achieve useful efficiencies. The requirement for phase-matching is that the phase velocities of the interacting waves in the nonlinear material must be equal. One phase-matching technique makes use of birefringence in a crystalline material to achieve efficient interaction. An alternative technique is based on the concept of quasi-phasematching (QPM) in which the difference in phase velocities of the interacting waves is compensated by a periodic reversal of the nonlinear coefficient of the crystal. This periodic reversal can be achieved by many techniques, the most common of which uses an approach known as periodic poling, in which a high voltage pulse is applied to a ferroelectric material using a patterned electrode to create a corresponding pattern of domain reversals.
Many published periodic poling methods are based on that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,023. This method uses a pair of electrodes formed on opposite major surfaces of a ferroelectric substrate, one of which is patterned according to the desired domain reversal pattern, for application of a DC voltage across the substrate to create a pattern of or opposite polarisation direction. To produce domain inversion, the voltage must exceed the so-called coercive voltage for the ferroelectric material being used. Furthermore, for this method, the voltage is to be a pre-determined DC voltage or predetermined voltage pulse.
To implement this method, it is necessary to know in advance the voltage that both produces poling but prevents catastrophic breakdown. This can be difficult, because the electrical and physical characteristics of the actual crystal in use are often not known well so there is a significant element of guess work in determining the voltage characteristics. Furthermore, when working with samples cut from a larger wafer, the properties may vary from sample to sample as composition or thickness varies across the wafer, making it necessary to change the voltage for every sample.
The method is widely used, however, and it is common practise to set up such voltage controlled poling by using a voltage programmed source and a large resistor in series with the crystal to be poled. A voltage somewhat larger than the coercive voltage is applied, with the resistor acting to limit the current. However, this technique results in limitation as the large resistor sets up a large time constant (together with the capacitance of the sample). Thus precise control is difficult to achieve, and the poling proceeds at a rate set by the coercive field of the sample, the series resistor and the programmed high voltage.
A later-developed poling technique uses control of current rather than voltage. The poling apparatus uses feedback to give a desired current shape by dynamic variation of voltage, which overcomes many drawbacks of the approach taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,023 as it no longer requires a guess to be made as to the best poling voltage. Furthermore, it allows considerable control of the poling dynamic. Domain switching causes a displacement current which equals the current in the external poling circuit; thus the technique controls the rate of domain switching directly. The method also helps to recover from electrical breakdown events by limiting voltage to prevent high currents, in turn leading to improved yield.
Current-controlled poling has been described in many publications, for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,952,307. However, while disadvantages of the original voltage-controlled poling method are overcome, the approach of merely controlling the current does not necessarily lead to good results.

Electric field poling of ferroelectric materials


A novel catalytic process involving complete hydrodehalogenation of halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons in the presence of a hydrogen donor and a modified zeolite catalyst has been developed. The process is operated in a continuous flow mode and reaction products consist exclusively of hydrogen halide and hydrocarbons. The relative ratio of paraffins to olefins to aromatics obtained in the product distribution is a strong function of the ratio of hydrogen to reactant and the space velocity and temperature employed. The catalyst employed is a nickel metal modified shape selective zeolite that takes advantage of the hydrogenolysis ability of nickel and the acidic-shape selective properties of the zeolite.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a catalytic process for complete removal of heteroatoms from heteroatom-containing aliphatic hydrocarbons using a nickel-containing zeolite catalyst and is particularly suited for hydrodehalogenation of polyhalogenated compounds. The process is characterized by high conversion efficiencies without rapid catalyst deactivation. Ratios of paraffinic and aromatic products may be altered by modification of reaction conditions.
2. Description of Related Art
Various heteroaliphatic compounds are widely used commercially and industrially as solvents or reactants in the production of plastics, herbicides and other products. Unfortunately, many of these compounds are toxic and have posed significant problems in disposing of waste and residual material.
Present methods of disposing of toxic materials, particularly low molecular weight chlorinated liquid compounds, are not satisfactory. Landfills are inadequately protected against runoff or leakage into underground water supplies. Incineration frequently does not provide complete breakdown and in fact may produce other toxic compounds which are discharged into the atmosphere. Moreover, complete combustion of some compounds often requires high temperatures to obtain desired efficiency, resulting in high expenditure of energy.
Among the most common waste products are haloorganic compounds, including chlorinated hydrocarbons. There have been efforts to Develop efficient processes for removing one or more chlorine atoms from these compounds, especially the volatile chlorinated organics. A proposed alternative to incineration is biological and chemical waste conversion. In one example, chemical destruction of tetra- and trichloroethylenes in solution was achieved by reductive dechlorination with sodium naphthalenide (oku and Kimura, 1990). Another example of chemical destruction is the high-temperature gas phase reductive dehydrochlorination of chloroform and 1,1,trichloroethane by direct reaction with molecular hydrogen (Chuang and Bozzelli, 1986).
The major difficulty encountered in chemical reductive dehydrochlorination of these solvents is that many industrially important polychlorinated compounds, such as carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethanes, trichloroethylene, etc., are difficult to completely dechlorinate using economically acceptable routes. In principle, a catalytic process offers possibilities for chemical conversions and a number of studies have focused on hydrodehalogenation. However, these studies have been limited to only partial removal of the halogen, as in dehydrochlorination of 1,1,2-trichloroethane to 1,1-dichloroethylene over alumina (Mochida et al., 1978) or to mixtures of 1,1- and 1,2-dichloroethylenes over an alkali ion/SiO.sub.2 catalyst (Gokhberg et al., 1989). Also, zeolite catalysts have been employed to achieve partial dechlorination of a variety of di- and tri-chlorinated hydrocarbons (Diesen, 1983). Attempts at more extensive catalytic dechlorinations with zeolite Y and mordenite catalysts have resulted in rapid catalyst inactivation due to deposition of carbonaceous material on the catalyst surface (Imamura et al., 1989; Weiss et al., 1982). As illustrated in the present application, shape selective zeolite catalysts, similar in composition to those employed by Diesen (1983) and Butter, et al. (1975) also exhibit rapid catalyst deactivation when employed under reaction conditions in which complete dechlorination of polychlorinated reactants is attempted.
In general, efforts to remove multiple chlorine atoms from hydrocarbon compounds have not been successful, particularly where zeolite catalysts have been used. To date, every reported catalyst study in which complete dehalogenation of polyhalogenated reactants was attempted has failed as a result of rapid catalyst deactivation. Major drawbacks of attempts to use catalytic methods include inefficiency of the dechlorination process, relatively rapid poisoning or inactivation of the catalyst and/or economically unacceptable routes of conversion.

Catalytic hydrodehalogenation of polyhalogenated hydrocarbons

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


A semiconductor memory device includes a plate line driving portion having a control transistor connected to a plate line, a selection transistor in which a control electrode is connected to a word line and one end of a main current path is connected to a bit line, a ferroelectric capacitor connected to the other end of the main path of the selection transistor and the plate line, a first power supply connected to a sense amplifier and a precharge circuit, and a second power supply connected to a plate line driving portion, disposed as a separate system from the first power supply and insulated at the time of non-operation from the first power supply. The selection transistor is formed in a first semiconductor region and a main current path of the control transistor is formed in a second semiconductor region that is insulated through insulating films from the first region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor memory devices and methods of fabricating the semiconductor memory devices, in particular, semiconductor memory devices with a ferroelectric capacitor and methods of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor memory device with a ferroelectric capacitor has the nature that even after a voltage is removed, it retains polarization in a direction of an applied voltage (the nature of spontaneous polarization) and, by making use of the nature of the spontaneous polarization, it is used as a nonvolatile memory that retains data. However, the spontaneous polarization of ferroelectrics has the temperature dependency and tends to decrease as a temperature becomes higher. Accordingly, when the data retention due to the ferroelectric capacitor is performed under a high temperature environment, an amount of spontaneous polarization of the ferroelectric capacitor decreases and the data is likely to be destroyed.
An existing semiconductor memory device that uses a ferroelectric capacitor is described in, for instance, patent literature 1. In the semiconductor memory device, a first transistor that has a ferroelectric capacitor in a gate portion and second and third transistors respectively connected to source and drain regions of the first transistor are formed through an insulating film on a supporting substrate. In such a configuration, in the case of a voltage to the ferroelectric capacitor being ceased to apply, when the second and third transistors are in a non-conduction state, since an active region of the first transistor is insulated with the insulating film from the supporting substrate, the active region of the first transistor becomes a floating state. Thereby, both ends of a series circuit of the ferroelectric capacitor and a gate insulating film, that is, a potential of an electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor and a potential at an interface between the gate insulating film and the active region are inhibited from becoming the same potential, and thereby the inverse bias retention where electric charges are cancelled out between the ferroelectric capacitor and the gate insulating film is inhibited from occurring.
Patent literature 1: JP-A No. 2000-269444 (pages 4 and 5, and FIG. 1).
The semiconductor memory device described in the patent literature 1 is a semiconductor memory device in which an electrode of a ferroelectric capacitor is connected to a gate portion of a first transistor, and owing to the spontaneous polarization of the ferroelectric capacitor the conduction or non-conduction of the first transistor is controlled. In such a configuration, the reverse bias retention between the ferroelectric capacitor and the gate insulating film is suppressed from occurring.
On the other hand, in a semiconductor memory in which a ferroelectric capacitor is connected to source and drain regions of a selection transistor and thereby a voltage is read out of the ferroelectric capacitor, from a reason different from the reverse bias retention, the data of the ferroelectric capacitor are likely to be destroyed. That is, since the ferroelectric capacitor is connected to the source and drain regions of the selection transistor, in the case of the data retention being carried out under a high temperature environment, charges are likely to move through a supporting substrate. Specifically, the source and drain regions of the selection transistor that are connected to one electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor are formed on the supporting substrate and a plate line driving portion that drives a plate line that is connected to the other electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor is also formed on the supporting substrate; accordingly, a path of charge transfer is likely to be formed through the supporting substrate between both electrodes of the ferroelectric capacitor. Accordingly, when the data retention is performed under a high temperature environment, a polarization amount of the ferroelectric capacitor decreases, charges at the electrodes of the ferroelectric capacitor transfer through the above-mentioned path and decrease. Thereafter, even when the ferroelectric capacitor is returned to under a low temperature environment, since charges at the electrodes of the ferroelectric capacitor are diminished, the spontaneous polarization amount does not turn back and the data is likely to be destroyed. In the patent literature 1, there is no mention of the problem of the data retention of the configuration where the ferroelectric capacitor is connected to source and drain regions of the selection transistor, that is, the problem of the data retention capability under a high temperature environment.
An object of the present invention is, in a semiconductor memory device in which a ferroelectric capacitor is connected to a main current path end of a selection transistor, to improve the data retention capability under a high temperature environment.

Semiconductor memory devices and methods of fabricating semiconductor memory device


A turbine section according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an airfoil including an edge and a probe positioned a distance from the airfoil. The probe is configured to detect radiation emitted from a radiation source. A sensor is operatively coupled to the probe and is configured to generate a signal utilized to determine when the edge of the airfoil extends into a line-of-sight between the probe and the radiation source.

This disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine, and more particularly to a background radiation measurement system.
Gas turbine engines typically include a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. During operation, air is pressurized in the compressor section and is mixed with fuel and burned in the combustor section to generate hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases are communicated through the turbine section, which extracts energy from the hot combustion gases to power the compressor section and other gas turbine engine loads.
A typical turbine section includes at least one array of turbine blades arranged circumferentially about an about an engine central longitudinal axis. The turbine blades are subject to thermal distress due to the hot combustion gases, as well as mechanical distress at high rotational speeds about an engine axis. In some instances, the turbine blades may vibrate or deflect due to thermal and mechanical stresses or cracking.
Typical stress measurement systems include a laser source and a photo-detector mounted remotely away from the engine and connected to a probe via fiber optics cables. The laser source emits a laser beam via a transmit fiber and a lens onto each of the turbine blades as the turbine blades rotate through the field-of-view of the probe. The surface of each turbine blade reflects the laser beam toward a receive lens and fiber, which communicate the light to the photo-detector which converts the light to an electrical signal and in turn triggers a timer. This time is recorded to determine a "time of arrival" of the turbine blade. The turbine blades are positioned downstream from the combustor section. Thus, the system is typically configured to filter background radiation generated by a flame (which may closely match the wave length the photo-detector expects) from the combustor in order to minimize noise, which may affect the detection of the time of arrival of the blade, vibratory modes of interest, or signal strength. Accordingly, a system configured to receive radiation from a background radiation source is desirable.


The disclosure relates to a method for determining an incorrect operating state of an electrical machine with the aid of an electronic circuit having at least one comparator. The electrical machine is controlled with a pulse width modulation signal. The pulse width modulation signal is demodulated. A first signal, which represents the demodulated pulse width modulation signal, is compared with a second signal. The second signal represents a rotational speed or a rotational angle of the electrical machine and/or a current intensity of the electrical machine. This comparison is carried out with the aid of the at least one comparator. An error signal is generated based on the comparison in order to determine the incorrect operating state of the electrical machine.

A high degree of reliability is required in certain applications with electrical machines. Here, it may be desirable for a drive to operate safely and reliably. Such applications may arise, in the automotive sector, in aviation, or in machine tools. Operation of the electrical machine may be checked by controlling an underlying control algorithm.

Method and circuit arrangement for determining an incorrect operating state of an electrical machine


A vacuum treating device, comprising a treatment container having a container body (111) and a lid (112) and allowing an internal pressure to be reduced and a lid support mechanism (130), wherein an upper opening (111a) formed in the container body can be closed airtight by the lid (112). The lid support mechanism (130) opens and closes the upper opening (111a) of the container body by moving the lid (112) so as to be translatingly moved in the vertical direction and, when the lid (112) is moved upward from the container body (111), supports the lid (112) so as to be rotated around a vertical axis disposed around the lid.

Conventionally, a vacuum processing apparatus has been used for performing on a semiconductor substrate, an LCD substrate or the like, various processes such as film forming process, etching, ashing, heat treatment and the like, under a depressurized atmosphere. In such an apparatus, a processing vessel for performing vacuum processing includes a vessel main body having an upper opening, and a lid attached to the vessel main body to be opened or closed. Further, as for this kind of apparatus, it has been known that a lid is rotatably attached to the vessel main body around the horizontal axis line through a hinge or the like.
For example, an opening/closing lid hinge mechanism of a vacuum processor has been known, wherein a gear mechanism is configured to open or close a lid around a horizontal axis line along a longitudinally elongated elliptic path (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-open application No. H11-101345 (particularly, FIG. 2)). By this mechanism, the lid can be opened or closed without being overhung at the outside of the vessel main body.
Further, a vacuum processor including a slide mechanism for horizontally sliding a lid and a rotation mechanism for rotating the lid around the horizontal axis line has been known (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2001-185534 (particularly FIG. 6)). By using this mechanism, maintenance becomes easier, and at the same time, attaching or detaching a heavy object to or from the lid can be readily carried out.
However, in the former technology, a complicated mechanism needs to be provided to track the longitudinally elongated elliptic path during the opening or closing operation. Further, multiple or large-scale mechanism(s) need to be disposed around the lid to perform the sliding or rotational operation. Accordingly, the processor becomes expensive and large sized.
Still further, in these technologies, since the lid is rotated around the horizontal axis line to fully open the vessel main body, such a configuration cannot be adopted that a part of the processor (e.g., source material supply system) is disposed above the lid. As a result, not only is the foot print of the processor increased, the capability to maintain it is also undermined.
Still further, recently, there is a demand for a vacuum processing apparatus, wherein a source gas is produced by vaporizing a liquid source material or sublimating a solid source material, and is then supplied into a processing vessel. In this kind of apparatus, the conductance of a line provided between the source material vessel and the processing vessel has to be increased to ensure a supply amount of source gas, or to smoothly supply the source gas into the processing vessel. For this, the line provided between the source material vessel and the processing vessel must have a large diameter and short in length. However, in the configuration of the conventional apparatus, the line provided between the source material vessel and the processing vessel could not be made short.
Further, in the aforementioned technologies, since the lid is rotated around the horizontal axis line, if the source material vessel is fixed on the lid, the source material vessel will be tilted and thus, the source material accommodated therein is also tilted and cause other changes on the source material. Accordingly, a proper supply amount of source material cannot be achieved.

Vacuum treating device with lidded treatment container


A structure includes a solder element for electrically coupling a substrate of an integrated circuit (IC) chip package and a printed circuit board (PCB); and a first electrical property altering, substantially planar member positioned between the solder element and at least one of a landing pad of the substrate and a landing pad of the PCB. In another embodiment, the electrical property altering, planar member can be applied to the solder element(s) between the IC chip and the package substrate.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) packaging, and more particularly, to a structure including an electrical property altering, planar member with a solder element of an IC chip package.
2. Background Art
In integrated circuit (IC) packaging, a ball grid array (BGA) connection is formed by application of solder paste to the landing pad on the laminate substrate, placement of a solder ball upon the paste, and reflow of the subsequent structure. Alternatively, a solder element may lay upon the landing pad which has been coated with solder flux and the solder ball is reflowed upon the landing pad. In these IC packages, high speed differential pair signals (e.g., an HSS operating at 10-Gb/s) oftentimes require a direct current (DC) filter in order to allow the high speed alternating current (AC) signal to pass without detrimental effects such as DC noise from the system or from the communication with other modules operating at a different potential. DC filtering is typically provided by discrete surface mount technology capacitors (d-caps) placed in series of the signal line. This type of filtering, however, is not always possible because it requires a certain amount of space that may not be available, causes a disruption of the differential coupling, and may require additional wiring in the Z direction which adds to coupled noise problems.

Electrical property altering, planar member with solder element in IC chip package

International Business Machines Corporation


An implantable dispensing device for delivering a treatment agent to a body including a body fluid in which a variable permeability membrane responds to changes in an electro-magnetic parameter in order to vary the rate at which a hygroscopic media increases in volume, thereby controlling the rate of delivery of a treatment agent, such as a drug.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to implantable drug delivery techniques, and more particularly to such techniques in which fluid from a body is used to provide a force which delivers a treatment agent.
2. Description of Related Art
Drug delivery systems based on osmotic pumps are known and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,847 (Ayers et al.), issued Nov. 25, 1986. When using such an osmotic pump, it is impossible to control the rate of hydration of the osmotic medium. In known osmotic pumps, a porous membrane separates a hygroscopic media from body fluids. As the membrane passes water from the body into the pump due to osmosis, the media swells and forces the infusate out of a reservoir. Such an osmotic pump is a passive device that has a fixed infusion rate and no on/off control. This invention addresses the fixed infusion rate problem of known osmotic pumps which limits their therapeutic value.

Implantable variable permeability drug infusion techniques


An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate including a plurality of subpixel areas, a plurality of pixel electrodes positioned corresponding to each of the plurality of subpixel areas on the substrate, a white emission layer formed on the plurality of pixel electrodes; a common electrode covering the white emission layer, a plurality of capping layers positioned corresponding to each of the plurality of subpixel areas on the common electrode, and a color filter layer including a plurality of filter layers corresponding to each of the plurality of subpixel areas. At least two capping layers among the plurality of capping layers have any one of a refractive index and a thickness different from each other.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to an organic light emitting diode display, and more particularly, to an organic light emitting diode display including a white emission layer and a color filter layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic light emitting diode display includes a plurality of pixels configured of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) subpixels. Each subpixel has an organic light emitting diode (OLED) and a pixel circuit positioned therein. The OLED includes two electrodes (anode and cathode) and an organic emission layer positioned therebetween. The pixel circuit includes at least two thin film transistors and at least one capacitor.
Normally, the organic emission layer is configured of red emission layer, green emission layer, and blue emission layer positioned in each of red subpixel, green subpixel, and blue subpixel. In this case, since the organic emission layer for each color should be deposited separately in the subpixel area having a very fine size, complex patterning technology is required.
In order to overcome this limitation, a structure in which the white emission layer is formed on all the subpixels and the color filter layer is positioned in an encapsulation substrate (hereinafter, for convenience, referred to as a white OLED) has been proposed. In this case, the fine patterning technology to separately form the organic emission layer for each color is not required, thereby making it possible to easily manufacture and implement high resolution.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


A straddle-type vehicle with improved meter viewability and easier handle assembly. A handle cover covers a handle, and a meter unit is attached to the handle cover. The meter unit includes a side surface that extends upward from an upper surface of the handle cover, and a lens that covers a meter formed in an upper section of the side surface. An upper end of the meter unit is positioned above an upper end of the handle cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a straddle-type vehicle, and more particularly to a straddle-type vehicle in which a meter unit is attached to a handle.
2. Description of Related Art
Normally, in a straddle-type vehicle, a meter unit including a speedometer and the like is attached to a handle. For example, in JP-UM-B-4-2149, an integrated tray and a meter are assembled to an upper section of a handle. The tray and meter are formed as an integrated unit, and then, in order to ensure assembly strength without using a bracket or the like, a handle cover and the handle are joined together, and the handle cover and meter are joined together.
However, since the meter and cover of JP-UM-B-4-2149 are formed as an integrated unit, when the rider moves his/her line of sight in the direction of the handle, the rider may not immediately see the meter. In addition, the assembly operation requires attaching the front cover to the handle, then attaching a lens and the meter to the front cover, and then attaching a rear cover to the meter and the handle. As a result, it is difficult to provide the working space necessary for performing the assembly operation, and the assembly operation is complicated.


A printing device has a replaceable component. Printing by the printing device utilizes the replaceable component. Printing with the printing device is stopped when an end-of-life condition is detected for the replaceable component. A list of one or more identifiers (IDs) is output for pending print jobs. In response to an input of one of the IDs, the corresponding pending print job is printed.

Most types of printing devices are equipped with items that are used up and/or have a life cycle during printing operations. These items can include one or more printing supplies, a printing media available to be printed on during the printing, a printing substance available for application to the printing media during the printing, toner available for application to the printing media during the printing, a laser printer drum, laser printer developer, a laser printer fuser, a printing media transfer belt, staples for stapling the printing media during the printing, a storage volume that is available to store paper that has been printed on by the printing device, and the like. These items are referred to herein as replaceable components. When a replaceable component is exhausted or at the end of its life cycle, the replaceable component must be replaced for the printing device to continue to function properly. For example, a replaceable component can be removed and another installed in a printer to provide a printing supply for the printing process.
Replaceable components can be manufactured with memory which can be placed on the component itself or within a label affixed to the component. This memory is typically used to store printer-related data that the printer reads to determine various printing parameters. For example, the memory may store the model number of the component so that the printer may recognize the cartridge as valid or invalid for use with that printer.
As documents are printed, the replaceable component is gradually depleted. The printer communicates with the memory of the replaceable component to detect, estimate, determine, and/or derive when a state of exhaustion has been reached. Once the replaceable component is deemed to have been exhausted, the printer will stop printing. The printer is also configured to resume printing when the replaceable component is replaced.
In making a judgment as to the exhaustion of a replaceable component, a safety margin is generally included that accounts for variables such as temperature, humidity, sensor inaccuracy, etc. The safety margin effectively decreases the likelihood of printing any portion of the complete printout with poor print quality. As such, the replaceable component may be sufficient to print some, and perhaps the entire print job with good or near-good print quality. For instance, if a printer is printing a one hundred (100) page print job and the toner in the toner cartridge is sensed as reaching its safety margin for a state of out toner at the ninetieth (90th) page, the remaining ten (10) pages will not be printed. If the remaining ten (10) pages could be printed by the printer, they would likely still be readable, possibly with lighter printed characters due to the low toner condition.
Once the printing device determines that the margin of safety for the replaceable component has been exceeded so as to establish an end-of-life condition, the printing stops. The cessation from printing can occur at any point in a print job that a user has requested and has been waiting for. If a user cannot locate or is otherwise unable to obtain or install the needed replaceable component, the user will not be able to obtain the desired complete printout. Frustration can arise for the user where only a draft copy of the complete print job is needed and the user is not particularly concerned with the resultant print quality. Consequently, there is a need for improved methods and printing devices that can provide the user with the desired complete printout after a replaceable component is estimated to have been exhausted.

Selective printing after consumable exhaustion

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A recording apparatus, wherein in a photographing mode in which image data and audio data obtained using a camera section and microphone, respectively, built into the apparatus are recorded, a head element is moved at a first speed corresponding to the photographing mode, and in an external input mode in which image data and audio data input by external sources are recorded, a head mechanism is moved at a second speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, and in particular, to a device that records image and audio signals or the like on a disk-shaped recording medium.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, the density and capacity of disk-shaped recording media have been increased rapidly. Accordingly, image pickup recording and reproducing apparatuses have been proposed which can record not only audio signals but also high-definition still images and motion pictures for a long-time reproduction on a disk-shaped recording medium and which can reproduce the recorded signals from the disk-shaped recording medium.
Further, since a size of the disk-shaped recording medium itself has been reduced, such an image pickup recording and reproducing apparatus has been miniaturized compared to conventional apparatuses using tape-shaped recording media. Such an image pickup recording and reproducing apparatus has also achieved a superior high-speed and random data access capability compared to apparatuses using tape-shaped recording media. Furthermore, the functions of the disk-shaped recording medium have been drastically improved; for example, the disk-shaped recording medium can be easily transported, is more reliable, requires reduced costs, and is more quickly responsive to retrieval operations.
With an apparatus using a disk-shaped recording medium of this kind, as a reduction in size, an increase in density, or the like are promoted as previously described, the density of the components packed in the apparatus increases. Thus, for example, a disk drive unit and a microphone unit for the disk-shaped recording medium may be located close to each other. In this case, during a recording operation performed on the disk-shaped recording medium, a mechanical operating sound from the disk drive may mix into a sound from the microphone as noise.
For example, if a recording operation is performed on a disk-shaped recording medium 900 which is shown in FIG. 17, the disk-shaped recording medium 900 has an inner circumferential recording area 901, a middle recording area 902, and an outer circumferential recording area 903 as shown in this drawing. It is assumed that data has been recorded only in the middle recording area 902, while no data has been recorded in the inner circumferential recording area 901 and outer circumferential recording area 903.
If signals are recorded in the unrecorded areas of the disk 900, it is contemplated that image and audio data may be continuously recorded in the inner circumferential recording area 901 and the outer circumferential recording area 903. In this case, since the unrecorded areas 901 and 903 are discontinuous on the disk 900, a disk drive causes a head to perform a seek operation. As a result, mechanical seek noise (hereinafter also simply referred to as "mechanical noise") may occur and mix into an audio signal from the microphone.
Then, to solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-293965 has proposed an arrangement that cancels (reduces) noise by sampling assumed mechanical noise beforehand, storing the mechanical noise in a memory in a quasi-noise wave form, and subtracting and calculating the components of actual mechanical noise mixed into a sound from the microphone and the quasi-noise components stored in the memory.
However, the application of the arrangement described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-293965 still creates the following problems:
First, mechanical noise from the disk drive is attributed to non-periodic intermittent operations and it is a complicated combination of a disk rotation sound, a seek operation sound, or the like. That is, the tendency to generate the components of mechanical noise varies significantly with differences of the apparatus from other apparatuses of the same type, the internal mechanism of the apparatus, temporal changes therein, or the operating environment thereof.
Thus, the arrangement described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-293965 requires quasi-noise data of various patterns to be stored in a memory as quasi-noise. Consequently, a memory is required which can store an enormous amount of data.
Further, to detect and apply the pitch of complicated mechanical noise, a large-scale hardware configuration is required, which consumes more power. Furthermore, if the components of mechanical noise in itself generated vary owing to temporal changes or the like, this variation may not be compensated for.


A process for producing a thermoplastic elastomer having excellent elasticity even with a small rubber content and being excellent in strength, coatability and thermal adhesion to different materials such as various resins, metals or the like, which comprises melting and kneading a material mixture containing (A) particles of a polymer composed of a crystalline olefin polymer portion and a noncrystalline olefin polymer portion, (B) a graft-modifier and (C) a radical initiator to form a graft-modified and crosslinked thermoplastic elastomer having a cyclohexane-insoluble content of at least 40% by weight; and a thermoplastic elastomer obtained by the above method.

A thermoplastic elastomer has been conventionally widely used as an automobile part such as a bumper, etc. This thermoplastic elastomer has both of thermoplastic properties and elastic properties, and can be molded, by injection molding, extrusion molding, etc, into an article which is excellent in heat resistance, tensile properties, weatherability, flexibility and elasticity.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 34210/1978 discloses a thermoplastic elastomer in which 60 to 80 parts by weight of a monoolefin copolymer rubber and 40 to 20 parts by weight of polyolefin plastic are dynamically and partially cured. Japanese Patent Publication No. 21021/1978 discloses a thermoplastic elastomer comprising (a) a partially crosslinked copolymer rubber composed of an ethylene-propylene-non-conjugated polyene copolymer rubber and having a gel content of 30 to 90% by weight and (b) a polyolefin resin. Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. 18448/1980 discloses a thermoplastic elastomer in which an ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber and a polyolefin resin are dynamically and either partially or completely crosslinked. Meanwhile, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 187412/1983 discloses a crosslinked block copolymer which is derived from an olefinic block copolymer containing 50 to 70 parts by weight of a block (A) having a propylene content of 100 to 60% by weight and selected from a propylene homopolymer block and a binary propylene-ethylene or propylene-C.sub.4 -C.sub.12 .alpha.-olefin random copolymer block and 30 to 50 parts by weight of a binary ethylene-propylene random copolymer block (B) having an ethylene content of 30 to 85% by weight, and which has characteristic features in a specific content of a hot xylene-insoluble component and specific fluidity.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications Nos. 165414/1988, 165115/1988 and 161516/1988 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,454,306 disclose a process for producing a crosslinked olefinic block copolymer, which comprises kneading and crosslinking an olefin block copolymer containing a propylene homopolymer block (A) prepared in the presence of a specific Ziegler catalyst, a binary propylene ethylene random copolymer block (B) and a binary propylene ethylene random copolymer block (C) together with an organic peroxide, a divinyl compound and an antioxidant at a temperature of not more than 230.degree. C. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 21731/1973 discloses a process for improving a block copolymer in processability, which comprises mixing an organic peroxide with a block copolymer containing 3 to 30% by weight of a copolymer portion which is composed mainly of ethylene and contains not more than 70% by weight of an other .alpha.-olefin and 97 to 70% by weight of a polymer portion composed mainly of propylene, and subjecting the resultant mixture to heat treatment at a temperature between 180.degree. C. and 270.degree. C.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 90007/1982 discloses a process which comprises mixing 100 parts by weight of a block copolymer or a copolymer composition containing a polypropylene polymer portion and an ethylene propylene copolymer portion having an ethylene unit content of 20 to 80% by weight, in which the intrinsic viscosity of the polypropylene polymer portion is 1.4 to 3 dl/g, the content of this portion is not less than 70% by weight, the intrinsic viscosity of the ethylene.propylene copolymer portion is 4 dl/g, the content of this portion is not less than 2% by weight and the total ethylene unit content is not less than 5% by weight, 0.03 to 10 parts by weight of an .alpha., .beta.-unsaturated carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof, 0.005 to 1 part by weight of a radical reaction initiator and not less than 0.03 part by weight of water, and kneading the resultant mixture while it is melted. The above Publication also discloses that according to this process, there can be obtained a modified polypropylene resin molding material which has a melt flow index of 0.2 to 50 g/10 minutes and a grafted .alpha., .beta.-unsaturated carboxylic acid or its derivative graft in an amount of 0.03 to 5% by weight and which substantially does not contain a gel component. It is described that this modified polypropylene resin molding material substantially does not contain a gel component and that the gel percentage of the gel component insoluble in boiling xylene is hence not more than 2% by weight. That is, the process for producing a modified polypropylene resin molding material, disclosed in the above Publication, is solely intended for graft modification, and it is not intended to carry out the crosslinking at the same time.
The present inventors have made studies to produce a thermoplastic elastomer directly and dynamically by heat-treating polymer particles as an economical process, and found that when polymer particles having a specific composition with regard to crystallizability are used as polymer particles, there can be obtained a molded article which has remarkable uniformity, which has excellent elasticity even if the rubber content is small, which also has excellent strength and further, which has an excellent appearance, an excellent coated appearance in particular. On the basis of finding of these, the present invention has been completed.

Process for producing thermoplastic elastomer


A method and apparatus for retransmitting an MTC group message in a wireless communication system are disclosed. A method for performing retransmission of a Machine Type Communication (MTC) group message by an MTC-InterWorking Function (MTC-IWF) in a mobile communication system includes: receiving an MTC group message response from a network node; and determining whether to perform retransmission of the MTC group message on the basis of information contained in the MTC group message response, wherein the MTC group message response includes zero or more region information of a predetermined unit, related to completion of the MTC group message transmission.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for channel access in a wireless LAN (WLAN) system.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Machine Type Communication (MTC) refers to a communication scheme including one or more machines, and may also be referred to as Machine Type Communication (MTC) or Machine To Machine (M2M) communication. In this case, the machine may be an entity that does not require direct handling and intervention of a user. For example, not only a meter or vending machine including a mobile communication module, but also a user equipment (UE) (such as a smartphone) capable of performing communication by automatically accessing the network without user intervention/handling may be an example of such machines. Various examples of such machines may be referred to as MTC devices or MTC UEs. In other words, MTC communication refers to a communication scheme including one or more machines (i.e., one or more MTC devices) without user intervention/handling.
MTC may include Device-to-Device (D2D) communication and communication between an MTC device and an MTC application server, etc. Exemplary communication between the MTC device and the MTC application server includes communication between a vending machine and an application server, communication between a Point of Sale (POS) device and an application server, and communication between an electric meter, a gas meter or a water meter and a server. MTC-based communication applications may include security, transportation, healthcare, etc.

Method and apparatus for retransmitting MTC group message in wireless communication system


A tool system includes a magnetic tool base; mounting handles, each with an inner magnet and a lower magnet; interchangeable tool portions, each detachably attachable to a mounting handle; such that an interchangeable tool portion and a mounting handle form an assembled tool that is held together by the inner magnet, and such the assembled is secured in an upright position on the magnetic tool base by the lower magnet.

Consumers will frequently use an oil-based cannabis concentrates in conjunction with a heated surface for cannabis usage.
However, such usage often requires a dabber tool to extract the oil-based cannabis concentrate and place the oil-based cannabis concentrate to the heated surface. While some dabber tools are available, there are generally no available options for a magnetic mount structure and a multitude of interchangeable tool tops for efficient sanitation and organization.
As such, considering the foregoing, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for novel and improved devices and methods for dabber devices used in the extraction of the oil-based cannabis concentrates to a secondary surface.