A combined overlay target and methods for its use are disclosed. The combined overlay target includes a grating-type overlay target and an image placement error target having substantially perpendicular features with spaced apart edges. The grating-type target and the image placement error target have a common centroid and are sufficiently separated that the grating-type overlay target does not interfere with measurement of image placement error.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the testing of semiconductor wafers during the production of the wafer. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of a new alignment pattern to determine the registration accuracy between two patterned layers on a semiconductor wafer and image placement accuracy of each patterned layer.
2. Background
One of the most critical process control techniques used in the manufacturing of integrated circuits is the measurement of overlay accuracy between successive, patterned layers on a wafer (i.e., the determination of how accurately a patterned layer aligns with respect to the layer above or below it).
Presently this measurement is done with test patterns that are etched into the layers. The relative displacement is measured by imaging the patterns at high magnification on an electronic camera using any of a variety of known image analysis algorithms. The most commonly used patterns are concentric squares with dimensions of approximately 20 to 40 micrometers on each side, generally referred to as "box within a box" target. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical "box" type target 5. Such targets may be built into scribe lines between adjacent dies on a wafer. An inner box 1 is typically printed on a top layer of the semiconductor wafer being produced, while an open-center-outer box 2 is printed on the second layer down on the semiconductor wafer. The measurement process thus involves imaging target 5 on an electronic camera, by means of a microscope system, at a high magnification (e.g., 1000×, typically) and with high resolution in both x and y directions.
As is generally well known, the overlay error between the two boxes, along the x-axis for example, is determined by calculating the locations of the edges of lines c1 and c2 of the outer box 2, and the edge locations of the lines C3 and C4 of the inner box 1, and then comparing the average separation between lines C1 and C3 with the average separation between lines C2 and C4. Half of the difference between the average separations C1 and C3 and C2 and C4 is the overlay error (along the x-axis). Thus, if the average spacing between lines C1 and C3 is the same as the average spacing between lines C2 and C4, the corresponding overlay error tends to be zero. Although not described, the overlay error between the two boxes along the y-axis may also be determined using the above technique.
This prior art is further described and analyzed by Neal T. Sullivan, "Semiconductor Pattern Overlay", in Handbook of Critical Dimensions Metrology and Process Control, pp. 160-188, vol. CR52, SPIE Press (1993). The accuracy of this technique is limited by the asymmetry of etched line profiles, by aberrations in the illumination and imaging optics, and by image sampling in the camera. In addition, chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), which is often used in semiconductor manufacturing, can damage such alignment structures. Variations on such box-in-box structures are also described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,118,185 and 6,130,750, the disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Partly in response to the above concerns, a grating-type mark was developed. An example of such a mark 10 is shown in FIG. 2. The mark 10 includes a first periodic structure 12 and a second periodic test structure 14. The first periodic test structure 12 is placed on a first layer of a device and the second periodic structure 14 is placed on a second layer of the device adjacent the first periodic structure 12 when the second layer is placed on the first layer. Any offset that may occur between the first and second periodic structures 12, 14 may be detected optically, micro-mechanically or with electron beams. Such grating style targets (sometimes referred to as "AIM" marks) can be denser and more robust, than "box" or ring-type marks resulting in the collection of more process information, as well as target structures that can withstand the rigors of CMP. The use of such marks is described, e.g., by Adel et al in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,023,338, 6,921,916 and 6,985,618, all three of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Unfortunately, as the semiconductor industry uses smaller and smaller design rules, the total error budget for overlay becomes smaller. Part of this error budget includes measurement of both overlay error and a type of error known as image placement error. This latter error is related to the absolute displacement of features of the pattern formed in a layer during a semiconductor fabrication process, usually at the photomask or other tooling used to print the pattern at the wafer level. Unfortunately, grating-type (AIM) marks are not suitable for measurement of this error. Absolute displacement or image placement error measurements require isolated "X" and "Y" edges, which conflict with the dense grating-type marks.
Thus, there is a need in the art, for a new type of alignment mark that overcomes the above disadvantages and a method for using such a mark.

Registration target design for managing both reticle grid error and wafer overlay


A data processing method is designed to provide two-mode locks of an exclusive mode lock and a shared mode lock in serializing the access to a shared data list being concurrently processed among processes and release the shared mode lock and simultaneously obtain the exclusive mode lock if no process obtains the lock as a result of releasing the process out of the shared mode lock.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns with a data processing method and device which are capable of serializing the access for sharing a data list among the concurrently-operating processes under the multiprocessing or multiprogramming environment run on a computer. More particular, the invention concerns with the data processing method and device which can properly match the serialization of access to the shared data list to a tightly-coupled multiprocessor environment, in which two or more instruction processors share a main storage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The multiprocessing or multiprogramming environment run on a computer makes it possible to run many processes concurrently. Hereinafter, the term "process" refers to a unit of work done when an operating system performs the assignment of a central processing unit (CPU). In general, a term "task" is often used for representing the same meaning.
In operation, the process requires various kinds of resources such as a CPU, a memory, an input and output device, and the like. Since, however, these resources are shared by two or more processes, a conflict often takes place among these processes in accessing the resources.
In a program, these resources are, in general, represented as data blocks saved in a main storage (virtual storage). Hence, the conflict caused in accessing the resources is embodied as the conflict caused in accessing a list (data list) of each data block. The element processing executed in accessing the data list consists of insertion of a list element, retrieval of a list element, and deletion of a list element. The general operation can be realized by the series of element processings. The operating system has to provide a mechanism for executing the serialization of access to these data lists.
One example of this mechanism is described in S. E. Madnick et al. "Operating Systems" chapter 4.5, McGraw-Hill edition, 1974. As described in the example, a typical mechanism for executing the serialization of access to a data list can be realized by a series of instructions referred to as "lock" and "unlock". This mechanism provides status variables referred to as a lock byte or a lock word, which represents the corresponding data list.
In locking operation, a lock-request process takes the steps of checking the status variable and, if not used, changing the state to "in use" or, if used, waiting until it is not used. In unlocking operation, it takes the steps of changing the status variable from in use to not used and, if necessary, reporting a lock release to another process waiting for a lock.
In this mechanism, the process obtaining a lock includes an exclusive access capability for a data list, while the other processes cannot access the data list until the lock-obtaining process release the lock. In the meantime, the lock-waiting process interrupts the execution, resulting in being suspended or spinning, that is, iteratively checking status variables. In either case, the data processing is temporarily interrupted under this process.
For referencing or updating the status variables, this mechanism employs a machine instruction called as a read-modify-write type instruction which instructs the operation "read-compare-change-write" of a variable to be executed as a combined one. That is, while a process checks that a state variable is not in use and changes the status variable to be an in-use one, this mechanism is used for preventing the same status variable from being rewritten by another process. For example, in a HITAC M series computer, the machine instructions are a TS (Test and Set) instruction, a CS (Compare and Swap) instruction and a CDS (Compare Double and Swap) instruction.
An improvement of the "lock/unlock" mechanism is a mechanism in which a lock has a plurality of modes. This mechanism provides a shared mode lock and an exclusive mode lock. The process obtaining a shared mode lock is capable of merely referencing a data list, while the process obtaining an exclusive mode lock is capable of referencing and updating a data list. A plurality of processes can obtain the shared mode lock concurrently. The shared mode lock is contradictory to the exclusive mode lock as the exclusive mode locks are contradictory to each other. This mechanism is superior to the foregoing simple "lock/unlock" mechanism in that the former can execute the element processing of a data list concurrently even if a plurality of retrieval processings come into conflict with one another in one data list. Yet, only the sequential execution is allowed if the conflict is caused in the other processings except the retrieval one.
The Japanese First Publication No. 62-92061 discloses a mechanism by which the insertion, retrieval and deletion processings can be all executed for a data list concurrently. This mechanism provides a status variable containing discontinuous words. The element processing of a data list is separated into a start processing to be executed concurrently and a finish processing to be executed only sequentially.
A process serves to change the status variable and executes the start processing about a data list. In this case, another process may execute the start processing concurrently. If no other process comes into conflict with the current process, the process executes the finish processing, but if another process comes into conflict, it directly finishes the processing after cancelling the finish processing. Then, any one of the conflicted processes picks up and completes the cancelled processing.
This mechanism is referred to as "obligation passing", which is controlled by the partial change of the status variable. For the processing of the data list, no "obligation passing" is required about the insertion of a list element into a defined one end and the retrieval of any list element. About the deletion of a list element, the processing is separated into a logical deletion processing for setting an invalid flag to a list element and an actual deletion processing for releasing a list element out of a pointer chain, the latter of which is subject to the "obligation passing". Herein, the "obligation passing" is implemented by inserting a list element to a pointer chain for chaining the elements to be deleted, which pointer chain is provided independently of the pointer chain representing a data list.
The foregoing simple lock mechanism is capable of keeping only one process obtaining the lock alive, that is, interrupts the other processes if two or more processes comes into conflict with one another in requesting the lock obtaining. This function brings about the significant degradation of performance as in a tightly-coupled multiprocessor environment in which a plurality of instruction processors share a main storage. The two-mode lock mechanism may suppress the probability of conflict of locks involving the interruption of a process. The suppressing degree, however, is not sufficient.
The use of the "obligation passing" mechanism makes it possible to reference or update a data list without interrupting the process, though, it merely applies to a limited range of processings. That is, the application of the mechanism is limited to the processing which can be properly separated into a start processing to be executed concurrently by a plurality of processes and a finish processing to be processed sequentially and, if a conflict takes place among the processes, to be processed by the other process temporarily after cancelling the finish processing.
Hence, for example, in case the element has been already picked out of the pointer chain when a deletion request of a list element is issued, the "obligation passing" mechanism is ineffective. Such a case needs a processing in which an element deleted from the data list has been serially used in the same process. And, this mechanism provides more overhead of an individual itself in compensation for the upgraded concurrent processing level than the simple lock mechanism. Hence, in case all the elements in a data list are processed in the lump and in large quantity and a complicated manner, for example, this mechanism may lower its overall processing capability as a result. In such a case, the mechanism obtaining the lock and executing the processings in the lump can offer higher degree of freedom for processing and easily suppress the overhead.

Method and apparatus for releasing and obtaining shared and exclusive locks


A circuit breaker includes a housing forming an opening. A push switch is connected to a test circuit to enable testing of the test circuit in accordance with closing the push switch. A flexible membrane is formed in the opening and configured to form a seal between the housing and the flexible membrane. The flexible membrane is located in an operative relationship with the push switch such that pushing the flexible membrane results in a displacement of the push switch.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to circuit breakers, and more particularly, to a circuit breaker having a moisture resistant push to test button.
2. Description of the Related Art
Circuit breakers with ground fault or arc fault systems typically include a self-test button. These button designs usually include a mechanical spring, a secondary contact, and a hard plastic Push to Test (PTT) button. The test button is typically biased by a mechanical force provided by the spring. As the test button is depressed, the mechanical spring makes contact with a secondary contact. The secondary contact can be made of a similar material as the mechanical spring and may have spring type properties, or the secondary contact may be a stationary pin mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB).
One disadvantage is that a gap between the test button and a housing of the circuit breaker is present before or during when the button is depressed. When the gap between the button and the housing is present, several concerns arise related to moisture, corrosion, and potential electric shock. With the gap present, internal components are exposed to outside moisture and/or other containments that could disable the tripping functions of the test button. Although PCB's are typically conformally coated, this does not guarantee that moisture could not damage the PCB and/or related electrical components and disable the push to test button.
From a manufacturing standpoint, special care needs to be taken to ensure the contacting surfaces are not subject to corrosion or water damage. Current designs may be subject to corrosion on the contact surfaces if the mechanical parts were not properly coated, thus, disabling the push to test button functions. Further, the possibility of the user being exposed to electrical shock may be present.

Moisture resistant push to test button for circuit breakers


An apparatus for establishing a layout of a building. The apparatus includes a mechanism for scanning a first room of the building to obtain room data. The apparatus also includes a scanner for forming a representation of a layout of the first room from the first room data. The forming mechanism is connected to the scanner. A method for establishing the layout of a building. The method includes the steps of placing a scanner in a first room of the building. Then there is the step of scanning the first room with the scanner to obtain first room data. Then there is the step of forming a representation of the layout of the first room from the first room data.

The ability to measure as-built residential, commercial, and industrial structures is becoming increasingly important for real estate marketing and remodeling. The current state of the art in this field is manual measurement and sketching which is not cost effective enough to meet the demands of these applications. The present invention will overcome these problems and provides a system that will meet the existing demand for fast, low cost floor plan measurement.

Method and apparatus for establishing the layout of a building


A winch assembly is disclosed that eliminates rope crushing, even when synthetic ropes are used. Tension is applied to the rope by at least one traction sheave so that the tension at the drum is reduced. By using multiple sheaves with large wrap angles traction can be applied to the rope over a much larger area, reducing shear stress and minimizing internal wear due to relative motion of rope components. The winch drum and at least one traction sheave are driven independently, preferably by AC induction motors using frequency control. The winch assembly may operate in conjunction with a hydraulic tensioner so that lower horsepower motors can be used to maintain constant tension in moving systems.

This invention relates generally to the field of rope or cable tensioning devices and more specifically to a winch assembly for use with synthetic or organic ropes.
Winch drums are widely used for tensioning and storing wire ropes. They are simple, robust and, if properly designed, long-lasting. They are not, however, compatible with synthetic ropes which can be crushed by the compressive forces that accumulate as rope is spooled onto the winch drum under tension.
Steel used for wire ropes is nearly isotropic and resists crushing well. It has a high tensile strength and stiffness along with good wear resistance. Modern synthetic ropes, made from materials such as Kevlar™ and Vectran™, have even higher strength and stiffness in the longitudinal direction with much lower weight and vastly superior corrosion resistance. (Kevlar is a trade mark of DuPont de Nemours Co. Vectran is a trade mark of Hoechst Celanese Corp.) For applications where weight, strength, stiffness, corrosion resistance or rope flexibility are important synthetic ropes are preferred. Examples are elevators, hoists, cranes, tensioners in deep-sea rigs and lines used in Underway Replenishment at sea. Unfortunately these synthetics are highly anisotropic and can be easily damaged by stresses oriented orthogonal to the fiber direction. They are also subject to rapid wear and fibrilation due to stresses that arise when fibers move within the rope. For these reasons it is important to carefully manage stress within a synthetic rope in any application.
Elevators have successfully used synthetic ropes for considerable time. This application is, however, distinct from winches since there is no spooling of rope—crushing loads are therefore of no concern. Rope wear and the application of large traction forces to the rope are, however, concerns that are shared with winch systems.
De Angelis et al (U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,786-1996) is one of many patents that describes a synthetic rope for use with elevators or lifts. Typical of these patents, De Angelis makes claims for structures that are "for the protection of the fibers . . . ". Subsequent patents by De Angelis (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,318,504 and 6,397,574) teach the use of "an elastic intersheath between the layers of strands . . . to assist in transmitting torque within the rope over a large area." The need for shear transfer from the outer surface to the interior of the rope has been recognized but the inventor fails to appreciate that this problem can be better accomplished by using a large contact area between the traction sheave and the rope. Increasing the sheave diameter has no effect on the tension that can be applied but reduces the shear stress within the rope.
It is well known that the tension that can be applied to a rope by a traction sheave is expressed by the ratio T1/T2=eμα, where T1 and T2 are the tensions of the rope entering and exiting the sheave, μ is the coefficient of friction and α is the wrap angle of the rope around the sheave in radians. Both friction coefficient and wrap angle have been exploited as a means to increase the load that can be transmitted by a traction sheave.
In O'Donnell et al (U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,053) "the material for the jacket and sheave liner are selected to optimize the coefficient of friction between the hoist rope and traction sheave." Other inventors have claimed high-friction coatings or surface roughening to achieve the same result. In Heikkinen (U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,398) and in other patents the wrap angle is increased to nearly 270° by using one or more idler sheaves that are displaced from a traction sheave by a short distance along their rotational axes. This approach can cause excessive rope wear unless the sheave's groove is modified, which is undesirable as it allows excessive distortion of the rope with consequent internal wear. Ungrooved drums have been proposed by, for example, Salmon (U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,283) to achieve wrap angles in excess of 360° but eliminating the groove greatly increases rope distortion and wear.
In a patent by Köster (U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,017) multiple traction sheaves are used to tension a rope supporting an elevator. The sheaves are arranged such that wrap angles of more than 180° can be achieved. With this design very high tension can be achieved and the counterweight can be eliminated. (Hollowell et al contains similar teaching in U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,016 but these claims were anticipated by Köster).
All of the cited patents seek to increase the amount of tension that can be applied to a rope however none address the crushing that occurs on winch drums. In addition little thought has been given to how the sheaves can be driven when more than one are used to apply traction. In one embodiment Köster teaches that "The traction sheaves . . . may be driven via a common motor, with the use of a suitable transmission gearing . . . " although it must be noted that this is not the preferred embodiment. Such an arrangement ignores the change in length that occurs with changes in rope tension—with the result that slip is introduced between the rope and the sheaves if these latter are not independently driven. Hollowell et al make a similar statement: the multiple traction sheaves are driven by "one or more prime movers . . . "
No identified prior art addresses the problem that exists in wrapping a rope, particularly a synthetic rope, onto a drum at high tension. Motors and controllers that would allow tension or rotational velocity to be independently controlled over multiple traction sheaves and a winch drum have not been disclosed. The prior art is insufficient to design a winch system that is compatible with synthetic ropes.

Winch assembly for use with synthetic ropes


A method of manufacturing a band-shaped glass includes forming, while being drawn downward, the band-shaped glass having a thickness of 300 μm or less except both edge portions in a width direction thereof, and then changing a conveying direction of the band-shaped glass to a lateral direction so that a front surface constitutes an upper surface. The band-shaped glass is introduced to a region for changing the conveying direction under a curved state in which the front surface side thereof is concave in the width direction. The band-shaped glass in the curved state satisfies a relationship of 0>δ≧−200 mm, where δ represents a maximum separation distance with respect to an imaginary straight line connecting both the edge portions of the band-shaped glass in the width direction, provided that the maximum separation distance is positive on the front surface side of the band-shaped glass.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an improved technology for a method of manufacturing a band-shaped glass, which involves forming a band-shaped glass while being drawn downwardby, for example, an overflow downdraw method, followed by changing a conveying direction of the band-shaped glass to a lateral direction.
2. Background Art
In recent years, flat panel displays as typified by a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, an OLED display, and a field emission display have become widespread in place of CRT displays, which have conventionally been widespread, from the viewpoint of achieving space saving and the like.
There has been a demand that the OLED display, among other displays, be folded or rolled to facilitate its carriage, and be usable even in a shape conforming to a curved surface as well as a flat surface.
To meet this demand, a resin film may be applied as a substrate of the OLED display in consideration of high flexibility thereof. However, the light emitting element to be used in the OLED display is degraded when being exposed to gas such as oxygen and water vapor, and hence it is preferred from this viewpoint that a glass substrate having higher gas barrier property than the resin film be applied as the substrate of the OLED display.
However, the glass to be used in the substrate is vulnerable to tensile stress and thus low in flexibility unlike the resin film. Therefore, when the tensile stress is applied to the surface of the glass substrate due to bending of the glass substrate, the glass substrate may be damaged. Thus, there is a demand for higher flexibility of the glass substrate to be used in the OLED display.
Further, when solar cells and OLED lighting devices as well as displays can be mounted on the surface of an object including a curved surface, such as a body surface of an automobile and a roof, post, and exterior wall of a building, the range of uses of those devices is widened. Thus, there is a demand for higher flexibility of even a glass substrate and a cover glass to be used in those devices.
In addition, there is a demand from the market for further thinning of those devices such as displays, solar cells, and OLED lighting devices. Along with this, there is a demand for thinning of even a glass substrate and the like to be used in those devices.
To meet those demands for thinning and higher flexibility of the glass sheet, the use of a film-shaped glass having a thickness of 300 μm or less is proposed. Such a film-shaped glass is obtained by cutting a band-shaped glass into a predetermined length.
Such a band-shaped glass can be manufactured successively through use of, for example, an overflow downdraw method. In this case, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Literature 1, the band-shaped glass is formed while being drawn downward, and then the conveying direction of the band-shaped glass is changed to the lateral direction. With this operation, the subsequent processes for the band-shaped glass are facilitated.

Method for manufacturing band-shaped glass


A club head for a golf iron club comprises a head body having an inclined face, a back, and a sole, and heel and toe ends. A neck is connected in one piece with the head body at the heel end thereof for attaching thereto a club shaft. The head body is provided at the intersection of the face and sole thereof with a knife-edged leading edge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a clubhead for a golf iron club. More particularly, the invention relates to a clubhead for a golf iron club suitable for hitting a golf ball existing in a bad place such as thick rough or divot in which the clubhead is apt to get a large contact resistance from the grass or the ground at the time of hitting the ball.
2. Description of Related Art
Golf iron clubs have been used to hit a golf ball at various places such as teeing ground, fair way ground, rough, bunker, divot or the like, under various conditions. In the case that a golf ball exists on a teeing ground or fair way ground which generally provide a good situation or condition for good swing, it is easy to execute an accurate shot. On the other hand, in the case that a golf ball exists in a bad place such as thick rough or deep divot, the head or neck of a golf iron club is apt to get wrapped or caught with the grass when the iron club is swung through the rough, and it is therefore difficult to execute an accurate shot due to rotation of the clubhead during the swing of the club through the grass.


A method is disclosed for dressing a tool used for machining an internally toothed gear. The method includes meshing an internally toothed gear-like dressing gear, which is rotatable about the dressing gear rotation axis, with a barrel-shaped, screw-like grindstone. For machining an internally toothed gear, the outer diameter of the screw-like grindstone after dressing is estimated before dressing, the angle of intersection between a dressing gear rotation axis and the screw-like tool rotation axis is set on the basis of the estimated outer diameter of the screw-like grindstone after dressing, and dressing is performed with the dressing gear and the screw-like grindstone meshed with each other at the set angle of intersection between the axes.

Gears are in frequent use in transmissions, etc. for automobiles. In recent years, a further improvement in the machining accuracy of the gears has been desired with the aim of reducing vibrations and noise of the transmissions. With the gear machining method, it is common practice to carry out gear cutting in a predetermined gear material, thereby forming a gear, heat-treat the gear formed by gear cutting, and then perform finishing (grinding) in order to remove strain or the like due to this heat treatment. So far, the gear to be machined after heat treatment and a grindstone have been put in mesh, with an angle of axis intersection being given, and their grinding has been carried out. Tools used for these grinding processes are available in shapes, such as an external gear shape, an internal gear shape, and a screw (worm) shape, in accordance with the shape of the gear to be ground.
The sharpness of the grindstone decreases as the grindstone wears with the progress of grinding. After a predetermined number of gears are ground, therefore, it becomes necessary to dress the grindstone having a worn-out grinding surface, thereby regenerating a sharp cutting edge surface.
As a method for dressing, it is performed to dress the grindstone with the use of a dressing gear set to have nearly the same gear specifications as those of the finished gear. During dressing, it is general practice to liken the dressing gear to the gear to be machined, set the angle of intersection of the axes of the dressing gear and the grindstone at the angle of axis intersection during grinding of the gear to be machined, and carry out dressing at this angle. Patent Document 1, on the other hand, discloses a hard gear honing method related to grinding of an externally toothed work (external gear to be machined) with respect to an internally toothed grindstone, with a crossed axes angle (angle of axis intersection) between an externally toothed dressing gear and the internally toothed grindstone being gradually decreased each time dressing is performed, in order to increase the number of dressings becoming possible, and lengthen the life of the grindstone.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS
Patent Documents
Patent Document 1: JP-A-11-138346 (see, for example, the paragraphs [0011] to [0020])

Method for machining internally toothed gear and method for dressing tool used for same


The invention relates to a picture synthesizing apparatus for cutting out the background from a picture depending on the move of the viewing point, and presents a picture synthesizing apparatus capable of synthesizing a picture by hidden surface processing, processing of reflection motion by contact, or the like, which is mutual interference of background and foreground, wherein a background picture corresponding to the viewing field is cut out by a background cut-out unit from a background picture in a wide range stored in a background picture store, the shape and position information of moving object of foreground is generated in a moving foreground object generating unit, the interference of depth information corresponding to background picture from a background depth store and foreground object information is calculated in a background and foreground synthesizing unit, and a picture is synthesized by hidden surface processing or processing of change of moving direction of foreground object by reflection, so that the picture can be synthesized not as a shape such as column and plane, but in consideration of a picture hiding the foreground by the background, pass-through, and reflection of foreground object colliding against the background by making use of its undulation information.

1. Industrial Field of Utilization
The present invention relates to a picture synthesizing apparatus and method.
2. Related Art of the Invention
To present a picture with a presence so that the viewer feels as if seeing the actual scene, it is important to present the image corresponding to the changes of viewing point so that the surrounding scene may be looked around when the viewer turns the head.
When a picture is synthesized from a three-dimensional model of an object or a reflection model of a surface hitherto used in computer graphics or the like, it is possible to synthesize the picture from an arbitrary viewpoint.
It is, however, often impossible to synthesize a picture of high quality in real time, depending on the instruction of move of viewing point of the viewer, due to limitation of the performance of the apparatus and the like.
Another problem is that the generated picture by computer graphics CG is an artificial and unnatural picture quality as compared with the natural picture taken by a camera or the like.
To solve these problems, it has been attempted to take in and utilize a CG picture preliminarily prepared by taking a processing time or a natural picture taken by a camera, in a synthesized picture.
Conventionally, such known arts included image synthesizing apparatuses for cutting out a picture depending on the direction of viewing point and angle of field of view indicated by the viewer, from a wide-angle plane picture taken by a wide-angle lens, or a columnar projected picture taken by rotating 360 degrees in the horizontal direction around one viewing point known as a panoramic picture.
These arts are described below. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a method of cutting out a synthesized picture from a wide-angle plane picture. In the diagram, reference numeral 1101 denotes a plane picture taken by a wide-angle lens or the like, and the X-axis is defined in the horizontal direction with .smallcircle. at the center, and the Y-axis, in the vertical direction. Suppose to cut out a picture when rotated by .theta. degrees in the horizontal direction from the viewing point 1102. In this case, the center of a cut-out region 1103 is supposed to be P, and the right end and left end of the X-axis to be R and L, respectively. The X-coordinates of points R and L, Rx and Lx, are determined in the following formulas, supposing the angle of field of view in the horizontal direction to be .varies. degrees, and the distance from viewing point 1102 to the center .smallcircle. of the plane picture, that is, the focal length in taking picture to be F. EQU Rx=F.multidot.tan(.theta.-.varies./2) EQU Lx=F.multidot.tan(.theta.+.varies./2) [1]
where the angle of rotation is positive in the left-thread direction about the Y-axis.
Similarly, the Y-coordinates of the upper end and lower end of the cut-out coordinates in the vertical direction, Uy, By, are calculated in the following formula, supposing the vertical field angle to be .beta.. EQU Ux=F.multidot.tan(-.beta./2) EQU Bx=F.multidot.tan(.beta./2) [2]
Hence, by cutting out the region designated by Rx, Lx, Uy, By, depending on the angle of rotation .theta., a picture corresponding to the horizontal rotation of the viewing point can be synthesized.
Next is described a method of obtaining a synthesized picture in a certain viewing line direction from a panoramic picture. FIG. 12a is a schematic diagram showing the relation between a panoramic picture seen from above and a synthesized picture. Reference numeral 1201 is a panoramic picture projecting an image of 360 degrees in the horizontal direction on a circular cylinder. Various methods are known to create a panoramic picture, including a method of taking while rotating the photo detector of a vertical slit by 360 degrees, and a montage method of splicing plane pictures taken by rotating the camera or the like around the receiving plane by specific angles by deforming geometrically. The panoramic picture 1201 is a two-dimensional picture with angle of rotation of .theta. about the viewing point and height of h in the vertical direction. FIG. 12b is a plane development of this panoramic picture.
In FIG. 12a, the picture of observing the .theta.0 direction from the viewing point 1202 is a picture 1203 projecting the panoramic picture on a tangential plane of a circular cylinder.
Supposing the horizontal and vertical axes of a synthesized picture to be U, V and the focal length to be F, the point (.theta.1, h1) of panoramic picture corresponding to point (u1, v1) in the synthesized picture is determined in the following formula. EQU .theta.1=arc tan(u1/F)+.theta.0 EQU h1=v1.multidot.cos(.theta.) [3]
Supposing the angle of field of view to be a, a desired synthesized picture is obtained by calculating about u1 corresponding from .theta.0-.varies./2 to .theta.0+.varies./2.
FIG. 12c shows an example of a picture. Reference numeral 1204 in FIG. 12b is a region in a panoramic picture corresponding to the cut-out picture of FIG. 12c.
In such picture synthesizing apparatus, however, since all pictures are present on the same plane and circular cylinder, processing using the information of undulations on the picture is impossible.
That is, in the picture synthesizing apparatus, when a background picture is handled, a sufficiently remote far-shot picture can be synthesized, but a picture mutually interfering with the foreground cannot be synthesized.
For example, as the foreground other than the background, when an object by computer graphics or the like is synthesized simultaneously, there is no undulation information in the background picture, it is impossible to process so as to synthesize to hide part of the foreground object by part of the background, or to vary the mode of collision depending on the shape of the background when the foreground object moves to collide against the background.
When handling the background of a short distance to the viewing point such as a room or a corner of street, mutual interference of background and foreground is effective to enhance the presence of the synthesizing effect.

Picture synthesizing apparatus and method


An enhancement mode III-nitride heterojunction device that includes a region between the gate and the drain electrode thereof that is at the same potential as the source electrode thereof when the device is operating.

Depletion mode devices are normally ON, while enhancement mode devices are normally OFF. Depletion mode III-nitride heterojunction power semiconductor devices such as III-nitride high electron mobility transistors (BEMTs) are well known.
For various reasons, e.g. efficiency and simplicity of operation, enhancement mode III-nitride power semiconductor devices are desirable. To obtain an enhancement mode III-nitride heterojunction type power semiconductor device, the carrier-rich region (referred to as the two-dimensional electron gas or 2-DEG) under the gate must be interrupted, whereby the device is rendered normally OFF when no voltage is applied to the gate electrode.
In Control of Threshold Voltage of AlGaN/GaN BEMT by Fluoride-Based Plasma Treatment: From Depletion Mode to Enhancement Mode, Yong Cai, Yugang Zhou, Kei May Lau and Kevin Chen, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. 53, No. 9, September 2006 (Cai et al.) it is taught that using a CF4 process fluoride ions can be embedded in the barrier region of a depletion mode device in order to render the same normally OFF.
In practice, however, a depletion mode III-nitride BEMT which has been turned into an enhancement mode device using the CF4 process is unstable. Specifically, after a period of operation, the threshold voltage of such a device tends to shift back to negative. That is, the device reverts back to depletion mode operation.
It is believed that the electric field between the gate electrode and the drain electrode of a III-nitride power semiconductor device is responsible for the shift of the threshold voltage.
To overcome the drawbacks discussed above, according to one aspect of the present invention, the voltage between the gate and the drain is reduced, whereby a stable enhancement mode III-nitride device, which has been fabricated for example, by using the CF4 process is obtained.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, an enhancement mode III-nitride power device fabricated using the CF4 process is provided with a field plate over the heterojunction which is shorted to the source electrode of the device. As a result, the gate to drain voltage "seen" by the gate electrode is reduced, whereby the device is rendered more stable.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.

Enhancement mode III-nitride semiconductor device with reduced electric field between the gate and the drain


An image editing apparatus includes: a processor that: (i) generates an editing information indicating a content of editing applied to at least one of frames included in a video stream, and performs an editing process in which the editing is applied to the at least one frame; (ii) specifies a subject frame to be edited from among the frames, based on the editing information; and (iii) generates a thumbnail for the subject frame to which the editing has been applied, and outputs the generated thumbnail.

Patent Literature (PTL) 1 discloses a video editing device for obtaining and displaying a plurality of thumbnails from a predetermined zone in a video when a user edits the video, thereby allowing the user to check the thumbnails before the editing.
In addition, a mechanism has also been known that a series of information in relation to editing operation is allowed to be stored as editing project information, and the editing operation can be halted and restarted, in order to cope with a fact that the editing of the video takes much operation-time including, for example, trial and error by a user.

Image editing apparatus and thumbnail generating method

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


The present invention relates to a laundry processing apparatus comprising: a tub for storing water and provided with an opening for putting in and taking out laundry; a drum, provided in the interior of the tub, for storing the laundry supplied through the opening; an agitator rotatably provided inside the drum; a rotating shaft connected to the agitator by penetrating the tub and drum; a driving part for rotating the rotating shaft; a connecting part having a connecting body fixed to the drum, and a body-penetrating hole which is provided so as to penetrate the connecting body and through which the rotating shaft is inserted; and a power transmission part, provided inside the body-penetrating hole and connecting the rotating shaft and connecting body, for transmitting the driving power provided by the rotating shaft to the connecting body only when the rotating shaft is rotating in either the clock-wise direction or counter-clock-wise direction.

In general, a laundry treatment apparatus is understood to include an apparatus adapted to wash laundry (objects to be washed or objects to be dried), an apparatus adapted to dry laundry, and an apparatus adapted to perform both washing and drying of laundry.
A laundry treatment apparatus of the related art includes a cabinet, a drawer retractably provided in the cabinet, and an accommodation unit disposed in the drawer to provide a laundry accommodation unit (a laundry treatment space) for washing or drying laundry.
In the laundry treatment apparatus including a laundry accommodation unit that is disposed in a drawer retractably provided in a cabinet, in order to improve the washing performance of the laundry treatment apparatus, the volume of the laundry accommodation unit needs to be increased so that the laundry accommodation unit can contain a larger amount of water and laundry.
Therefore, when designing a laundry treatment apparatus including a laundry accommodation unit disposed in a drawer, it is very important to improve washing performance while minimizing the volume of the laundry accommodation unit.


A calibration standard for calibrating machines which count the somatic cells in a milk sample, comprises an aqueous dispersion of microbeads bearing a fluorescent dye, a suspending agent, and an electrolyte; the dye has an excitation wavelength below 580 nm and a fluorescence emission wavelength in the range of 550 to 660 nm, with the excitation wavelength being at least 10 nm below the emission wavelength; the microbeads are present in a predetermined number per unit volume of dispersion; typically the standard contains 1.times.10.sup.5 to 9.times.10.sup.5 beads/ml.

i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a calibration standard for calibrating a machine employed in the determination of the somatic cell count of milk, and more especially a shelf-stable standard; the invention also relates to the use of the calibration standard in the determination of the somatic cell count of milk samples.
ii) Description of Prior Art
The production of high quality milk is an objective of the dairy industry. By providing special care and close monitoring of the health status of their dairy cattle, farmers hope to reduce losses due to mastitis. Most commonly, subclinical mastitis caused by bacterial infections leads to a decrease in milk production. Early detection of such infections, is the cornerstone of udder health and has been shown to improve milk production and reduce production costs.
Mastitis occurs when bacteria enter through the streak canal of the teat and move into the udder where they multiply. The onset of mastitis stimulates the cows immune system, with the response of leucocytes migrating into the milk. Leucocytes, also referred to as somatic cells when found in milk, increase in number in milk in relation to the severity of mammary infection. Therefore the ability to accurately enumerate somatic cells in milk serves as an important method to detect mastitis before severe damage can occur to the cow's udder. The methods used to detect somatic cells in milk range from cow side testing to automated cell counters. However, the direct enumeration of somatic cells is usually employed by farm managers in milk recording programs or the dairy food industry for quality control purpose.
One of the services that Dairy Herd Analysis Centers provide to dairy farmers of the world is somatic cell counting of milk for the early detection of mastitis. There are two predominant types of machines which serve this function, the Coulter counter and the Fossomatic type cell counter, and the more recent Bentley Soma, referred to above.
Automated cell counting systems measure fluorescent light emission that occurs as stained somatic cells are observed by an electronic micro-optical system or when unstained somatic cells move through an electromagnetic field and are counted.
Typical of commercial machines which measure fluorescent light emission are the Fossomatic (Trade Mark) and Bentley Soma (Trade Mark) machines. Typical of machines which measure cells moving through an electromagnetic field is a Coulter (Trade Mark) counter.
Direct microscopic count can be achieved by examination of milk somatic cells under a microscope, the cells being fixed and stained to facilitate counting.
When employing these machines it is necessary to employ a calibration standard, and the standards widely used are cells from milk. The cell count of these standards is achieved by the method of direct microscopic determination, which counting method is tedious, time consuming and costly. Additionally, calibration standards derived from milk are of low stability and have a short shelf life.
Calibrating standards based on microbeads have been proposed for the alignment and calibration of flow cytometers and fluorescent microscopes. Representative Patents in this field are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,867,908; 4,857,451; 5,073,497; 4,609,689; 5,073,489; 4,774,189; 4,714,682 and 4,868,126. These calibrating standards are employed under flow conditions which are such that the beads remain in suspension. These calibrating standards are not suitable as milk calibration standards employing the commercially available machines described hereinbefore. In particular the commercially available machines do no employ the standard under flow conditions, and under static or non-flow conditions the microbeads in these calibrating standards for flow cytometers and fluorescent microscopes, settle from suspension and distort the results received. Surprisingly, agitation to resuspend the microbeads does not overcome the problem. Although available commercial machines, such as the Fossomatic and Bentley machines have some agitating capability it does not appear to be effective in re-suspending beads.


A bone fixation system including a bone plate and surgical drill guide is provided. The drill guide assembly includes one or more alignment drill tubes that are remotely aligned with corresponding fastener holes in the bone plate, and a plate holder to engage a hole in the bone plate. The surgical drill guide is releasably lockable to the plate holder.

The use of surgical fixation plates for a variety of orthopedic applications is widely accepted. The plates are used by surgeons to mend, align, and alter compression of patient's bones, and are typically fastened to the bones with a plurality of fasteners such as screws that are installed through holes in the plate. Proper orientation and alignment of fasteners and secure surgical fixation of the plates is advantageous in avoiding future complications after implantation.
Bone plates used in spinal applications must be installed with special care, as the plates are used for long term, intervertebral fixation, bone-fragment fixation, and anterior decompression in the cervical region of the spine. The margin for error in spinal surgery is quite small, particularly because of the sensitivity of the spinal cord and the risk inherent with invasive procedures around the spinal cord. In particular, the dimensions of vertebral bone available for setting fasteners are fairly limiting.
Each fixation fastener should properly align with its associated plate hole so that each screw is seated correctly with the plate and enters the bone at an appropriate angle. Any misalignment of the screw within the plate hole risks tissue damage. In addition, improperly seated screws may result in an unstable or insecure connection of the plate to the bony material, thus potentially defeating the usefulness of the plate. Locking plates, in particular, demand precise fastener alignment.

Plating system with multiple function drill guide


A protective carrying bag for a computer includes opposing front and back walls. An opening in the front wall provides access by a user for viewing a screen on the computer when the computer is contained within the bag. Opposing openable first and second side walls as well as a lower wall extend between the front and back walls. An openable upper flap is positioned between the front and back walls. A carrying strap is included which is capable of being secured in a first arrangement for carrying the bag in a substantially vertical orientation and in a second arrangement for carrying the bag in a substantially horizontal orientation such that the computer can be operated through the opening in the front wall while being carried in the substantially horizontal orientation.

Currently, luggage style bags are often employed for carrying and protecting laptop, tablet and other general purpose portable computers. Such computers are typically about 12 inches by 9.5 inches by 2.25 inches in size and about 8 lbs. in weight. In order to use the computer, the computer must be removed from the protective bag. While this may be suitable for most of the general population, there is a population of disabled people who carry a general purpose portable computer with them which provides assistance for their disability (for example, provides speech for people unable to speak). In addition, there are certain occupations where it would be useful to carry and operate a general purpose portable computer, for example, conducting inventory in a warehouse. Current computer bags are unsuitable for such uses because the user is unable to quickly access and easily operate the computer while carrying the computer.


An HVAC controller may include a user interface, along with a memory for storing a recurring programmable schedule having two or more time periods. The user interface may be configured to allow manual modification by a user of the recurring schedule stored in the memory, wherein the user can associate an HVAC-off control mode with any of the two or more time periods. In the HVAC-off control mode, the HVAC controller may not cycle the HVAC unit on regardless of the temperature of the air in the inside space. The HVAC controller further may include an output that is configured to issue operational commands to the HVAC unit in accordance with the programmable schedule.

Heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) systems are commonly used to control the comfort level within a building or other structure. There are various types of HVAC systems that are in use today. Some HVAC systems affect conditions in multiple rooms of a building with a centralized source of heated or cooled air (e.g., central furnace, air conditioner and/or air handler) and a network of ducts, dampers, etc., to manage airflow throughout the building. Other HVAC systems are more limited in extent, such as self-contained window air conditioner. Some HVAC systems, such as mini-split HVAC systems, include an indoor unit that circulates cooled and/or heated air inside a room of the building without a network of ducts, and an outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit via lines carrying a working fluid that transfers heat between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit.
Many HVAC systems include a controller that activates and deactivates one or more HVAC units or components of the HVAC system to affect and control one or more environmental conditions within the building. These environmental conditions can include, but are not limited to, temperature, humidity, and/or ventilation. In many cases, such an HVAC controller may include, or have access to, one or more sensors, and may use parameters provided by the one or more sensors to control the one or more HVAC components to achieve desired programmed or set environmental conditions.
An HVAC controller may be equipped with a user interface that allows a user to monitor and adjust the environmental conditions at one or more locations within the building. With more modern designs, the interface typically includes a display panel, such as a liquid crystal display panel, inset within a housing that contains a microprocessor as well as other components of the HVAC controller. In some designs, the user interface may permit the user to program the controller to control to a certain schedule that is determined by the user. For example, the interface may include a routine that permits the user to set the desired temperature at one or more times during a particular day and/or group of days. In many cases, such a programmable schedule may help reduce energy consumption of the HVAC system by changing the setpoint to an energy saving set back temperature during certain times, such as when the building or space is expected to be unoccupied or when the occupants are expected to be sleeping.

HVAC schedule with designated off periods


An apparatus for transferring powder from a bulk supply to a container comprising a first conduit 4 extending from a bulk supply 2 to the container 25, a second conduit 8 enabling the introduction of a purge gas into the container, a third conduit 28 enabling displaced gas to discharge from the container, a source of suction 17 communicating with the third conduit, a filter 13 through which passes the displaced gas, and an inflatable annulus 23 made of flexible material disposed round the conduits and adapted to enter into enter into engagement with the wall of the container.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for transferring particulate material such as powder granules and the like (referred to herein as "powders") from a bulk supply to flexible containers such as bags.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The transfer of powders from a bulk supply to smaller containers for marketing or storage is complicated by the fact that the flow characteristics of powders are very different from those of liquids. For example, some powders tend to be sticky and flow only with difficulty while others may be of very light and flocculent nature so that when they are poured into a container, displaced gas such as air carries with it substantial quantities of entrained powder. This can cause fire hazards if powder is flammable or financial loss or danger to health if the powder is expensive or toxic.
The filling of a large number of containers with powder from a bulk supply must for practical reasons be carried out rapidly and under conditions so that, preferably, the escape of powder is prevented or, if this is not possible, then efficient methods of powder recovery are employed. Various measures have been taken for the purposes of achieving this objective. For example, one of these involves fitting the delivery end of a filling head, which extends from the bulk supply of powder to the container to be filled with an inflatable annulus which may grip and form an air-tight seal with the mouth of the container when inflated. The powder is fed via a first conduit in the filling head. A second conduit is provided through which displaced gas containing entrained powder can pass on its way to a powder recovery station where powder can be recovered. In order to assist the process, a draught created by an exhaust fan assists the removal of displaced gas. However, in order to avoid any excessive reduction in pressure within the container, air from outside the container is allowed to enter the container, through a third conduit and merge with the effluent stream of gas leaving the container. In this way, an improvement has been effected. However, even with existing well designed machines, there is a tendency for small quantities of powder to escape.
Typical prior apparatuses for filling containers are represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,052,451(Gentilcore), 3,258,041 (Lau), 4,312,388 (Hager) and 3,384,134 (Hillerns).
Gentilcore describes both exhausting of displaced gases by an extraction fan and the introduction of purge gas for flammable or reactive products. There is also described a filter in the path of the exhausted gas. It does not describe, however, the use of an ambient venting conduit, nor any means for cleaning the filters.
Hager uses nitrogen as a purge gas and also powered air extraction. Again, however, there is no direct vent to atmosphere and no means of cleaning filters.
Both Lau and Hillerns describe filling systems whereby filters are cleaned by reverse flow. Neither, however, addresses the problem of achieving such filter cleaning in combination with inert gas purging.


An electric drive system for an electric vehicle has a DC power source and a contactor with an output coupled to a main bus and an input adapted to be connected to the DC power source. The contactor is selectably switched between an open state and a closed state. A link capacitor is coupled to the main bus. A precharge circuit is coupled between the DC power source and the link capacitor comprised of a controlled current source. The controlled current source is selectably activated with the contactor in the open state to charge the link capacitor to a predetermined voltage to before switching the contactor to the closed state.

The present invention relates in general to drive systems for electric vehicles, and, more specifically, to improved precharging of a main DC bus link capacitor.
Electric vehicles, such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), use inverter-driven electric machines to provide traction torque and regenerative braking torque. Such inverters typically employ an energy storage capacitor (or the main capacitor) as the DC link for a main DC bus, which is usually interfaced with the high-voltage (HV) power source such as a battery through a variable voltage converter (VVC), an input capacitor, and a pair of mechanical contactors (e.g., relays). An inverter and other loads are driven from the main DC bus.
If the contactors are initially closed with the link capacitor in a discharged or low charged state, a low impedance from the HV DC source to the main DC bus can result in a very high inrush current that could cause damage to the contactors and other components. Use of a current-limiting resistor in series with the contactors is undesirable because of the associated voltage drop and power consumption during subsequent normal operation. Therefore, a separate circuit branch, or precharging circuit, is often used. The known precharging circuits utilize a switch and a resistor in series between the DC supply and the link capacitor. Turning on the switch allows the link capacitor to be charged through the resistor, and the presence of the resistor limits the inrush current to prevent damage to the switch. Once the link capacitor is precharged, then i) the main contactors can be closed without receiving any inrush current and ii) the precharge switch can be opened so that the precharge resistor is disconnected.
It is desirable to complete the precharging process in a short amount of time so that the vehicle can be driven immediately after the driver activates it. The charging time of the capacitor in the conventional arrangement is governed by the RC time constant of the precharging circuit and link capacitor. Since the precharging resistor must be large enough to limit inrush current and the link capacitor necessarily has a relatively large capacitance, an undesirably long delay has sometimes occurred. Furthermore, the presence of additional loads on the main DC bus can affect the precharging by increasing the impedance. For example, a bleeder resistor is typically present across the link capacitor to discharge the link capacitor during shutdown of the electric drive. Other possible loads include an electric (PTC) heater. The loads may further prolong the precharging time.
The effective resistances of the loads may change over time, and some loads such as an electric heater could be switched on or off when performing a precharge. The capacitance of the link capacitor may also degrade over time. These variations have made it more difficult to ensure that a precharge is completed within a predictable amount of time.
For diagnostic and monitoring purposes, it is desirable to measure the capacitance and resistance associated with the main DC bus throughout the lifetime of the electric drive. Dedicated components have typically been required in order to perform these measurement functions. It would be desirable to perform such measurements without requiring dedicated components.

Capacitor precharging and capacitance/resistance measurement in electric vehicle drive system


A method of non-destructively evaluating or validating a processed area of an object such as a metallic laser shock peened surface by determining Rayleigh wave angles at various positions on the surface. The Rayleigh wave angle is determined by: (a) directing incident beams of ultrasonic waves onto at least one point of a surface at a plurality of incident angles; (b) simultaneously measuring intensity of a combination of corresponding directly reflected and re-radiated beams at a plurality of corresponding reflected angles equal in magnitude to the incident angles with respect to a line normal to the surface; (c) generating a null angle profile of data indicating intensity versus corresponding incident angles from measured intensities in step (b); (d) determining an intensity curve by applying a polynomial curve fit to a low intensity portion of the null angle profile; and (e) determining the effective critical angle for the corresponding Rayleigh wave by determining a substantially minimum point on the curve. The polynomial curve fit may be a second order polynomial fit and the plurality of incident angles and corresponding reflected angles are predetermined and in close proximity to a predetermined critical angle.

Laser shock peening or laser shock processing, as it also referred to, is a process for producing a region of deep compressive residual stresses imparted by laser shock peening a surface area of a workpiece. Laser shock peening typically uses multiple radiation pulses from high power pulsed lasers to produce shock waves on the surface of a workpiece similar to methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,698, entitled "Altering Material Properties"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,477, entitled "Laser Shock Processing"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,957, entitled "Material Properties". Laser peening as understood in the art and as used herein utilizes a laser beam to produce a strong localized compressive force on a portion of a surface by producing an explosive force. The explosive force is produced by instantaneous ablation or vaporization of a painted or coated or uncoated surface beneath a force containing overlay which is typically a water curtain. Laser peening has been utilized to create a compressively stressed protection layer at the outer surface of a workpiece which is known to considerably increase the resistance of the workpiece to fatigue failure as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,421, entitled "Laser Peening System and Method". Many methods and uses for using laser shock peening have been developed and could benefit from an accurate method of validation and non-destructive testing of effects of the process. Known methods include directing a beam of ultrasonic waves on to the surface of the material at a variable angle of incidence, detecting the energy of the corresponding reflected beam, and determining the critical angle of incidence at which the energy (or the amplitude of the reflected waves) appear to pass through a minimum. At the critical angle the acoustic energy within the material propagates along the surface of the material in what are defined as Rayleigh or Stonely waves which decrease logarithmically in amplitude with depth. Together with couplant velocities and Snell's Law, the critical angle can be used to calculate the propagation speed of the Rayleigh ultrasonic waves at the surface of the material. It is well known that these surface waves are useful in comparing material properties and changes in these properties.
An article in the ISA Transactions, Vol. 19, No. 2, published in 1980, entitled "Measurement of Applied and Residual Stresses" discloses an ultrasonic instrumentation system developed for nondestructive measurements of applied and residual stresses. The article discloses a system that measures time of flight of an ultrasonic wave through a material with a resolution of 0.1 nanoseconds and discusses how time of flight correlates directly with elastic stress levels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,028, entitled "Method And Apparatus For Ultrasonically Measuring Concentrations Of Stress", discloses an apparatus and method for ultrasonically measuring concentrations of stress in objects of interest. The apparatus includes an ultrasonic transducer array for propagating acoustic waves in the object along a plurality of determinable directions and from a plurality of determinable positions. Time of flight measurements are made and reconstructed into a map of the variations in acoustic velocity within the object. The changes in acoustic velocity are then mathematically converted into a map of stress concentration areas in the object of interest.
It is believed that laser shock peening imparts increased resistance to crack initiation and propagation resulting from cyclic fatigue by producing compressive residual stresses in the laser shock peened material. In addition to the compressive residual stress, the material may also be strengthened by the local work hardening due to plastic deformation at the site of the laser shock. Also, the orientation and degree of preferential crystallographic texture are expected to affect the fatigue damage tolerance of the part. All of these structural conditions affect the velocity of the different modes of acoustic wave propagation within a material. The wave propagation mode employed in this methodology is referred to as a Rayleigh wave, or Stonely wave. These are surface waves that decrease exponentially in amplitude with depth into the material. The velocity sensing methodology described in this disclosure employs Rayleigh waves generated by refraction, and senses their presence by a decrease, or "null" in the amplitude of the ultrasonic beam that is both reflected and re-radiated from the part's surface. It is well recognized that the Rayleigh or critical angle at the null may be used to determine and analyze absolute and relative material properties for evaluation and comparative purposes.
The Rayleigh wave may be generated by refraction of the incident acoustic beam at a liquid solid interface where the liquid, often water, is referred to as a couplant. The angle at which an incident longitudinal or compressional wave is refracted and converted to a Rayleigh wave propagating parallel with the surface of the material is referred to as the Rayleigh Critical Angle. Changes in the Rayleigh Critical Angle at which these surface waves are generated are an indicator of changes in the Rayleigh wave velocity and, therefore, an indicator of changes in material properties.
It has been found that the angle at which the Rayleigh Wave is generated is evidenced by a "sharp" decrease, or "null" in the intensity profile of the superimposed reflected and re-radiated acoustic beam. The depth of the null has been found to be a function of the attenuation within the material and of the wave length or frequency of the acoustic beam. There is a frequency related maximum null condition, and there is also a phase change associated with the received signal that is dependent on whether the frequency of the incident beam is above or below that associated with the maximum null. Because of these effects, simply measuring the changes in the amplitude of the received signal at some single fixed angle slightly smaller or larger than the Rayleigh Critical Angle (on the slope of the null) will result in indications colored by the effects of many material properties such as grain size, preferential crystallographic orientation or texture, work hardening, etc. and measurement related variables such as couplant temperature. To separate the effects of attenuation from properties related to residual stress and texture some means of directly determining the angular position of the null must be employed in a quick and effective manner suitable for process validation in a production environment. The prior art methods for determining critical angles are very time consuming and a more practical method for process evaluation and product validation is highly desirable. The present invention is directed towards this purpose. The present method provides a non-destructive material evaluation technique using ultrasonic waves and the determination of effective Rayleigh wave critical angles for use in quality control to evaluate the degree of change in properties due to materials processing operations such as laser shock peening. The effective Rayleigh wave critical angles of the present invention may not be exact but are sufficient for use in quality control to evaluate the degree of change in properties due to materials processing operations.

Determination of Rayleigh wave critical angle


An apparatus for burning green sheets of a plasma display panel comprises a feeding part that feeds a green sheet to a plasma display panel substrate, a heat and pressure roller that heats and compresses the green sheet and the plasma display panel substrate from above the plasma display panel substrate, and a heating module that applies heat to a contact portion between the green sheet and the plasma display panel substrate. The heat and pressure roller applies heat and pressure to the green sheet to bring the green sheet into intimate contact with the plasma display panel substrate and to remove residual solvent from the green sheet.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a plasma display panel, and more particularly to a apparatus and method for burning a green sheet of a plasma display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows related equipment for burning a green sheet of a plasma display panel (PDP). The related burning equipment comprises: a feeding roller 1 that feeds the green sheet 5 to a PDP substrate 100; a tension roller 2 that imparts an appropriate tension to the green sheet such that the green sheet can be tightly drawn from the feeding roller 1; a heat and pressure roller 3 that heats and compresses the green sheet so as to bring the green sheet into intimate contact with the PDP substrate 100; and a plurality of conveying rollers 4 that convey the PDP substrate 100.
As the heat and pressure roller 3 compresses the green sheet 5 onto the PDP substrate 100, it heats the green sheet 5. Because of the increased temperature of the green sheet 5, solvent, a component of a binder, contained in the green sheet is transformed into a gas and then diffused at the surface of the green sheet.
The above process is repeatedly carried out as the PDP substrate 100 is conveyed by means of conveying rollers 4, so that the solvent present in the green sheet 5 is removed as the green sheet 5 is compressed onto the PDP substrate 100.
Typically, the green sheet 5 is about 10˜300 μm thick, which is a relatively high thickness, and contains a great amount of solvent. Because of the thickness and concentration of solvent, it is important to enhance the adhesive force between the "thick" green sheet and the PDP panel substrate, and to effectively remove the solvent from the green sheet such that the solvent does not remain in the green sheet.
Accordingly, the green sheet 5 is rapidly heated for a relatively short time, approximately 5 minutes or less, at a temperature range of approximately 100 to 200° C., within which the solvent can be actively volatized, by the heat and pressure roller 3 such that the solvent present in the green sheet 5 is rapidly removed therefrom, thereby preventing the green sheet film from being damaged due to overheating.
Related burning equipment is adapted to heat and compress the upper side of the green sheet 5 in order to bring the green sheet 5 into intimate contact with the PDP substrate 100 and to remove the solvent from the green sheet 5.
However, the solvent is generally concentrated on the lower surface of the green sheet 5 where the green sheet comes into intimate contact with the PDP substrate 100. Accordingly, the thermal energy generated by the heat and pressure roller 3, which heats the upper surface of the green sheet 5, does not sufficiently transfer to the lower portion of the green sheet 5. As a result, defects, such as bubbles, protrusions, film detachment and the like, are generated because of ineffective solvent removal and reduction in adhesive force between the green sheet and the PDP substrate during the burning process, thus lowering the productivity of the PDP manufacturing process.
In order to solve the problem described above, the prior art approaches have suggested that, after being heated to a temperature of about 100° C., the PDP substrate 100 is introduced into the burning equipment for the green sheet of the plasma display panel. However, using this method, there is a problem of damage to the green sheet caused by overheating.

Burning equipment for green sheet of plasma display panel and method of burning the same


A device adapted for use in locking a window in closed position or in partially or fully open position which utilizes an elongated locking pin; and a flexible spiral shaped spring lying in a plane perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the pin. The spring has an inner end secured to the pin at a position intermediate the ends of the pin. The spring has an outer end with an opening therein.

Many types of devices are known for locking double hung windows in a closed position and which when unlocked allow the windows to be opened or closed. The present invention is directed towards a device which can be used to lock double hung windows not only in closed position but also in any different position between fully open and fully closed.


One nonlimiting variation of a detection arrangement includes one or more sensors each structured to detect at least one biochemical substance indicative of biochemistry of one or more target insect species and provide a corresponding sensor signal, a controller responsive to the sensor signal of each of the one or more sensors to determine if the one or more insect species are present and generate a corresponding output signal, and an indicator responsive to the output signal to indicate the presence of the one or more insect species.

The present invention relates to pest control, and more particularly, but not exclusively, relates to the detection, monitoring, and control of insects, including for example, bedbugs.
Recent data suggests bedbug infestations (Cimex species) of human domiciles are on the rise. At least 92 species have been identified globally, of which at least 16 species are in the North American continent. Generally, bedbugs are parasitic pests with its hosts including humans and various domesticated animals. It is believed that bedbug infestations are becoming more problematic now at least in part because long acting, residual insecticides are no longer being used to keep bedbug populations in check. In addition, increased international travel and insecticide resistance have made bedbug infestations spread and control with insecticides very difficult. In terms of scale, such infestations are of particular concern for hoteliers, cruise ships, trains, daycare facilities, and the like because of the business reputation risk posed by bad press or bad reviews. Other problematic areas tend to include nursing homes, barracks, dorms, hospitals, and various other forms of high density housing. Nonetheless, single family homes can likewise be impacted adversely.
For many of these dwellings, the pervasive application of long acting insecticides by spraying and/or dusting is undesirable. As a result, new approaches to bedbug detection, monitoring, and control are being sought. The present application provides contributions along these lines that are not only applicable to bedbugs, but may also find application in the detection, monitoring and control of other species of insects.

Bedbug detection, monitoring and control techniques


A folding-table arrangement includes a supporting device, a table housing accommodating a table top in an essentially vertical stowed position and a table top which can be adjusted from an essentially vertical stowed position in the table housing into an essentially horizontal use position. The table housing is arranged in a height-adjustable manner on the supporting device and, in the use position, the table top has its underside supported on the table housing.

Folding-table arrangements are widely used, in particular in means of transport, for example aircraft. They have a so-called folding table which can be adjusted from a use position into a stowed position, in which it can be removed from the immediate area of movement of the user, for example during takeoff and landing of an aircraft.
In particular in the first-class or business-class compartments of commercial long-haul aircraft, the distance between seats is usually such that folding tables for use by a passenger cannot be fitted in the backrest of the seat in front, as is known from the conventional seat arrangements in economy class. Instead, such a folding table has to be fitted laterally in front of the passenger seat, in a wall, a partition or a piece of furniture usually referred to as a credenza.


A method of forming an SRAM cell device includes the following steps. Form pass gate FET transistors and form a pair of vertical pull-down FET transistors with a first common body and a first common source in a silicon layer patterned into parallel islands formed on a planar insulator. Etch down through upper diffusions between cross-coupled inverter FET transistors to form pull-down isolation spaces bisecting the upper strata of pull-up and pull-down drain regions of the pair of vertical pull-down FET transistors, with the isolation spaces reaching down to the common body strata. Form a pair of vertical pull-up FET transistors with a second common body and a second common drain. Then, connect the FET transistors to form an SRAM cell.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to MOSFET SRAM cells and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a Vertical MOSFET SRAM cell and the structure provided thereby.
2. Description of Related Art
Use of vertical channel MOSFETs enables precise control of channel length, for high performance applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,080 of Noble for "Circuits and Methods for a Static Random Access Memory Using Vertical Transistors" describes a vertical SRAM device with floating bodies of the FET devices in the SRAM circuit. The patent also states as follows:
"The n-channel and p-channel transistors of memory cell . . . have gates that are formed of n+ and p+ polysilicon, respectively. The polysilicon gates in an inverter are coupled together with a gate contact that is formed of a refractory metal so as to provide a dual work function feature for desired surface channel characteristics in each transistor in the inverter. It is noted that the device bodies of the transistors in memory cell . . . are isolated from each other and the substrate such that the transistors exhibit semiconductor-on-insulator characteristics. Thus, the transistors may be fully depleted, floating body devices and no CMOS wells are needed for isolation.
"However, a body contact can be included using the technique of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/889,396, . . . ", (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,618 of Forbes et al. entitled "Memory Cell with Vertical Transistor and Buried Word and Body Lines").
We believe that there is a problem with a structure with individual floating body devices the components of the cross coupled inverters of an SRAM circuit. The problem is that with individual floating body devices the devices suffer from Vt mismatch, which means that the values of matched pull-up transistor pairs and matched pull-down transistor pairs will float to divergent Vt values due to body charging. In addition to potential loss of data due to errors caused by highly divergent Vt values, in less serious cases of Vt mismatch the result will be a compromise in the sensitivity of the cell. When the Vt values of the matched transistor pairs diverge, there is a significant risk of loss of data. Thus, the idea of external connections to the bodies of the FET devices are an alternative which could overcome the Vt mismatch problem.
The alternative of providing external body contacts is undesirable in that valuable surface area of the SRAM structure will be required to locate the contacts. Accordingly, it is believed that there is a need to find an alternative to either of the suggestions made by Noble.
While the Noble patent recognizes that the floating bodies of the FET devices is a concern. the citation of the application describing contacts to the bodies such that they can be held at a specific potential would exact a price would have to be paid in terms of extra cell area and process complexity. We recognize that by tying the bodies of the pull-downs together, and the pull-ups together, Vt matching is achieved.
The general direction of the industry is to scale aggressively the minimal lithographic dimension F (this is what one can print with photolithography). At present, a typical integrated circuit (IC) has F of 0.18 μm (1800 Å), while a high performance circuit has a cutting edge F of 0.13 μm (1300A), while processes and structures for 0.1 μm (1000 Å) F technology are being in development. Another general trend in the semiconductor industry is the reduction of relative area of various memory cells, that is a planar SRAM cell in 0.18 μm technology is measured 120–140F2 while in 0.13 technology it is smaller 100–120F2. It is highly desirable to have memory cells that can be scaled to the technology with F<0.1 μm without a substantial penalty in the relative area.
Noble's preferred embodiment is given for F=0.3 μm (column 5, line 15). There could be some features in the structure that have sublithographic dimensions. Deposition and etching techniques allows for the creation of such sublithographic features. For instance, in an extreme case, both deposition and etching can be controlled with a precision of one atomic monolayer (which is about 1–5 Å depending on particular chemical bonds). In practice, the control of these features are within 10% of the targeted deposition and/or removal. That is, one has available deposition and etching techniques that can routinely and reliably create/remove layers of 10–50 Å thick. A combination of such deposition techniques can be used to create more elaborate sublithographic structures. For instance, a borderless contact is defined by two (or more) sublithographic spacers formed on the walls of narrow lithography-defined 1F-wide trench. The material in between the spacers is etched selectively to the material of spacers, thus providing an opening with the width of 1F minus 2× spacer thickness.
In Noble's patent, the spacer thickness is ¼F and the opening thickness is ½F. In general, in order to make an elaborate sublithographic structure such as a borderless contact one has to use a none obvious combination of materials and process steps that would translate the precision of deposition and etching techniques into the useful three-dimensional structure. Often that none-obvious combination of materials and process steps may results in drawbacks and/or incompatibility with other structures.
The Noble patent teaches a borderless (sublithographic) structure between conductors that utilizes (a) formation of sublithographic overhang SiN spacers, (b) removal of one of the spacers with the aid of a photolithographic mask, (c) creating a one-sided sublithographic trench, (d) filling the trench with intrinsic polysilicon, (e) etching the oxide cap selective to the intrinsic polysilicon to create a space for the conductor. Note that the conductors are separated by the sublithographic (˜¼F) layer of intrinsic polysilicon. The intrinsic silicon is then partially removed in a layer and left in the other portions of the circuit as 530. The intrinsic polysilicon is not a good insulator material. It should be very thick in order to effectively isolate conductors. Even at F=0.3 μm , the polysilicon layer of 750 Å can hardly isolate the metallic conductors due to the residual doping and dopant outdiffusion from heavily doped source/drain. At F=0.1 μm, the polysilicon spacer becomes only 250 Å and surely result in the shorted structure.
In our case, the structure does not have any limitation due to the dopant outdiffusion and/or residual doping level. In fact, various conductor layers will isolated even at a technology node with F=0.03 μm. Between 0.3 μm and 0.03 μmm is two (2) orders of magnitude.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,618 of Forbes et al. entitled "Memory Cell with Vertical Transistor and Buried Word and Body Lines" describes and shows (FIG. 4 thereof) a DRAM device with a body line (208) juxtaposed with a pair of body regions (214) that forms a very complicated body contact structure. The body line (208) which provides mechanical and electrical body contacts to vertical sidewalls (223) of body regions (130) is formed on top of what appears to be a buried isolation layer (400). In order simply to make contact to the body regions (214) of two adjacent devices Forbes forms a recessed spacer (218) along with isolation layer (400) is provided for isolation of the body line (208) from the source region (212), and then forms the body line (208). Another complexity of Forbes is that the body line (208) is recessed so that it will not contact to the drain layer (216).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,608 of Flaker, et al. for "SOI-Body Selective Link Method and Apparatus", which does not relate to vertical transistors, describes a planar FET SRAM silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure and method of making the same includes an SOI wafer having a silicon layer of an original thickness dimension formed upon an isolation oxidation layer. At least two p-type bodies of at least two SOI field effect transistors (PFETs) are formed in the silicon layer. At least two n-type bodies of at least two SOI field effect transistors (NFETs) are also formed in the silicon layer. A conductive body link is formed in the silicon layer of the SOI wafer over a silicon oxide isolation layer for selectively connecting desired bodies of either the p-type SOI FETs or the n-type SOI FETs and for allowing the connected bodies to float.
The Flaker et al. patent states as follows: "For SOI devices, since all the bodies are floating, the initial body potential can range from near ground to near Vdd (when considering both NFETs and PFETs whose source may not necessarily be grounded or tied to Vdd). As referred to herein above, this produces a large Vt mismatch. This mismatch can slow down sensing (i.e., a slower set pulse is required) or it results in a complete failure to set the latch in a proper direction. The Flaker et al. patent also states as follows "By linking the bodies of pairs of devices, much of the performance advantage of SOI relative to bulk CMOS is maintained (e.g., dynamic Vt lowering). On the other hand, if all bodies were tied together, the charge state of any one device would not significantly affect the body potential. In addition, in the instance if all bodies were tied together, performance would approach a performance of bulk devices (except for reduced junction capacitance)." The problems with the Flaker et al. patent are that it relates to planar SRAM devices, not Vertical SRAM devices and it does not suggest a process for forming such devices. In addition, the Flaker et al. patent does not provide any guidance as to the kind of process to employ in the manufacture of a vertical SRAM device or the structure of a vertical SRAM device.
There is a problem of providing a Vertical SRAM device without the problems of floating body variations in Vt mismatch which are unreliable since they can destroy data on the one hand or the consumption of surface are of the devices to provide contacts to the bodies of the FET devices to overcome the Vt mismatch problems.
For a DRAM application, such those taught by Forbes et al which teaches at col 12 lines 58–62 thereof that Vt must remain sufficiently high to avoid sub-threshold leakage. Negative wordline (WL) low is not contemplated. There are problems with the scheme used for body contacting in Forbes et al. First, there is a need to align of the body contact precisely vertically with the channel to avoid leakage between the source/drain diffusions and the body contact. Secondly, the presence of the body contact in such close proximity to the gated channel and diffusions may introduce an extremely high carrier recombination velocity due to interfacial defects that would burden transistor operation with significant leakage currents.

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