Mobile payments and processing data related to electronic transactions. A near field communication connection is established between a mobile communication device of a consumer that serves as a mobile wallet and an electronic payment device of a merchant. Authorization data is shared between the mobile communication device and the electronic payment device without providing electronic payment instrument (e.g. credit card) data to the merchant. Authorization data is transmitted from the mobile communication device to a cloud computer or resource that serves as a cloud wallet and hosts respective data of respective electronic payment instruments of respective consumers, and from the electronic payment device a payment processor computer. The payment processor computer presents the authorization data to the cloud wallet, and in response, the cloud wallet transmits the credit card data to the payment processor computer, which processes the transaction.

Embodiments of the invention are generally related to electronic commerce and, more particularly, to electronic payments made utilizing a mobile communication device. Customers or consumers of merchant stores or retail establishments often pay for goods or services using a communication devices for accepting payment, and for this purpose, they may utilize a payment or transaction card such as a credit card. Some merchants utilize mobile Smartphone including a payment application or software program that is operable by the merchant for electronically accepting payment from a consumer. Payments can be accepted at various locations including various residential and commercial locations, houses, offices, job sites, cities, states and countries at various times.
For example, during a transaction, the merchant may manually enter credit card data into a payment terminal or the consumer or merchant may swipe the card through a payment terminal. If the merchant utilizes a mobile device, the merchant may enter data into the mobile device or swipe the card if the mobile device is so equipped. Transaction data is sent to a third party payment processor that serves as an intermediary to process the transaction.
While many transactions are successfully completed using credit cards, entry of credit card data can be time consuming and inconvenient. Mobile wallets are being developed to facilitate electronic payments. Rather than payment by cash, check or credit card, a consumer utilizes a mobile communication device for payment. For example, mobile wallets are utilized in Japan to purchase train tickets and in Europe to pay for parking, but implementation of mobile wallets in the United States for electronic payment in merchant stores has been slow and limited due to various concerns and limitations such as consumer security and privacy concerns and lack of supporting infrastructure. For example, certain studies have estimated only a small fraction of the about 105 million mobile payment users in the world are located in North America. Given these concerns and limitations, consumers may be more inclined to continue using traditional credit card and check payments until mobile wallet applications are more developed and secure such that consumers, merchants and payment processors can all be confident that mobile wallet payments can be reliably processed.

Processing electronic payment involving mobile communication device


[Object] To provide a screen printing stencil including an amorphous carbon film, such as a DLC film, and a water-oil-repellent layer provided on at least part of the amorphous carbon film so as to exhibit high fixability.

In a known technique for mounting an electronic component on a surface of a substrate, solder paste is applied onto the surface of the substrate by screen printing. Such screen printing is employed to apply metallic paste for forming inner electrodes of multilayer capacitors or multilayer inductors. In the screen printing, a screen printing stencil, such as a screen printing plate or a metallic mask, is disposed so as to overlie a recording medium such as a substrate, printing paste, such as solder paste or metallic plate, is then applied onto a surface of a squeegee with a scraper, and then the squeegee is moved so as to press the applied printing paste, so that the paste passes through multiple print pattern openings formed in the stencil and transferred to the recording medium. The screen printing stencil is required to have characteristics such as reduced bleeding of printing paste, smooth plate separation, and an enhanced paste-releasing property. Use of paste having high viscosity particularly demands smooth plate separation and an enhanced paste-releasing property.
In order to reduce the bleeding of printing paste and enhance plate separation and a paste-releasing property, for example, a metallic mask has been disclosed. In each of techniques proposed in Patent Literatures 1 to 3, an amorphous carbon film of, for example, diamond-like carbon (DLC) is provided on a surface of a screen printing mask or a print pattern opening to reduce the bleeding of printing paste and enhance plate separation and a paste-releasing property. Unfortunately, since the amorphous carbon film does not have an oil-repellent property and rather exhibits high affinity to a resin binder contained in paste, simply using the amorphous carbon film cannot reduce the bleeding of the paste and sufficiently enhance plate separation and a paste-releasing property.
Then, another technique has been studied, in which a DLC film is coated with fluorine. For instance, in Patent Literature 4, a DLC film is formed on a surface of the body of a mask by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method with fluorocarbon gas to incorporate a lubricant, such as fluorine resin, into the DLC film, so that a paste-releasing property can be enhanced and the bleeding of paste on a surface of a recording medium can be prevented.
Another technique has been also proposed, in which a fluorine-containing water-oil-repellent layer is formed on a surface of a DLC film without use of fluorine-containing gas. For instance, in a technique disclosed in Patent Literature 5, a surface treatment agent composed of highly stable perfluoroalkyl radical being an active ingredient is applied onto a surface of a DLC film formed on each surface of various solid substances, and then fluorine coating is further provided on the surface treating agent.

Screen-printing stencil having amorphous carbon films and manufacturing method therefor

Abstract: [Solution] A screen printing plate 10 of an embodiment of the present invention includes a mesh 16 fixed to a frame body 12; an emulsion layer 14 which fills up the mesh 16 and has a print pattern opening 18; an amorphous carbon film formed on at least part of the surface of an inner wall 22 of the print pattern opening 18 and composed of at least one element of silicon, oxygen, and nitrogen; and a thin film 20 of a fluorine-containing silane coupling agent formed on at least part of the amorphous carbon film.

TAIYO YUDEN CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A fluid recycling system includes a separator for physically separating glycol from at least a portion of other substances mixed with the glycol to produce a first effluent stream having separated glycol and a second effluent stream having the other substances and residual glycol. A catalytic reactor receives the second effluent stream and chemically reacts the other substances and residual glycol to produce a hydrogen stream and a remainder stream.

This invention relates to recycling and, more particularly, to recycling glycol that is mixed with various other types of substances.
Glycol is well known and used in a variety of different applications. For example, glycol has a relatively low freezing point (˜65° C.), which makes it attractive for use as an anti-freezing fluid in vehicles and other systems. One particular use of anti-freezing fluids occurs at airports for de-icing aircrafts before take-off. Typically, an aircraft is sprayed with a de-icing fluid that contains glycol to eliminate ice accumulation and prevent freezing of water on the aircraft. Spent glycol is then either released into the environment or collected within a collection system. Due to environmental concerns, the glycol is preferably collected rather than released.
Typically, the spent glycol is polluted with water, fumes from the aircraft, solid debris in the collection system such as leaves, grass, etc., and other substances. The spent glycol is not reused in this polluted state. Typically, the airport pays a fee to dispose of it. However, some airports employ a system to recover a portion of the glycol. For example, the spent glycol is collected in a reservoir wherein the undesired substances, which are generally lighter than the glycol, float on top of the glycol. The top is then ignited to burn off the undesired substances (often referred to as "flashing") to produce purer glycol. One drawback to flashing is that it is difficult to obtain highly pure glycol. Other recovery systems include aerobic digesters and distillation columns, however, these systems are prone to leaking, employ relatively expensive equipment, and can be relatively expensive to operate. Additionally, even if the glycol is recovered using any of the above systems, no use is made of the substances that are mixed with the glycol.
Accordingly, there is a need for a recycle system for recovering a spent substance such as glycol and also recovering or using the other substances mixed with the spent substance. This invention addresses those needs while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks of the prior art.


A method of forming a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor includes forming a first planar dielectric layer with a first metallization layer therein; forming a first passivation layer on top thereof; forming a planar conductive layer above the first passivation layer; patterning and selectively removing the conductive layer up to the first passivation layer in designated areas to form a set of conductive features; patterning and conformally coating the set of conductive features and the exposed first passivation layer with a high strength dielectric coating; disposing a second dielectric layer above the first passivation layer and enclosing the set of conductive features; patterning and selectively removing portions of the second substrate to form channels and trenches; performing a dual-Damascene process to form a second metallization layer in the trenches and channels and to form an upper conductive surface above the high strength dielectric coating.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors, and more particularly to a method for forming an enhanced MIM capacitor having a three dimensional structure with an increased and more tightly controlled capacitance and reduced parasitics without occupying additional area over existing three dimensional MIM capacitor designs.
2. Description of the Background
In high frequency applications, the elimination of parasitic resistance in capacitor electrodes is a critical factor in controlling the frequency dependence of the capacitor. Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors have low electrode resistances, and have been implemented in integrated circuits requiring high-speed performance. In addition, MIM capacitors have capacitance values that have a low correlation to voltage and temperature variation, thereby providing consistent performance over a wide operating range. A traditional approach to constructing a MIM capacitor utilizes two horizontal parallel conductive plates (electrodes) separated by a dielectric. However, the horizontal plate MIM capacitor required a relatively large surface area to implement a given capacitance value, and in a high-density integrated circuit environment surface area (real estate) is at a premium. The relatively large surface area of the horizontal plate MIM capacitor also leads to additional coupling noise between the MIM capacitor and surrounding dielectric substrate, which is not desirable in RF (radio frequency) applications.
In an effort to achieve higher specific capacitance values (capacitance per unit area) three dimensional capacitors have been constructed. The three dimensional capacitors add a vertical dimension to the two dimensional horizontal plate capacitor construction. The three dimensional capacitor construction provides for areas of additional overlap of the conductive plates in a given footprint, thereby increasing the overall specific capacitance. Existing three dimensional MIM capacitor constructs include interlocking digits or fingers separated by a dielectric, where the interlocking fingers form the electrodes. A second variation has pillars that extend from the face of one electrode, and are surrounded by the second electrode, with a dielectric disposed between the two electrode formations. Examples of these three dimensional MIM capacitors are presented in U.S. Pat. No. 6,825,080 (Yang et al.).
However, the three dimensional MIM capacitors presented by Yang et al. employ a partial subtractive etch processes to form the trenches that serve as a receptacle for the second electrode. Yang et al. rely on a timed subtractive etch with no etch stop, which can lead to a variance in trench depth, and an ensuing capacitance variability. In addition, the subtractive etch of Yang et al. is designed to only extend between 24 and 80 percent of the thickness of the conductive layer forming the bottom electrode of the MIM capacitor, thereby limiting the potential amount of overlap between the top and bottom electrodes and the resultant specific capacitance. Finally, the MIM capacitors proposed by Yang et al. are formed above the wiring layer metal, and require vias to connect to the top electrode, potentially introducing additional parasitic affects (i.e. lead inductance) to the circuit.

Structure and method for self aligned vertical plate capacitor

International Business Machines Corporation


Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with dynamically selectively configuring wireless transmitters associated with MRI detector coils are described. One example apparatus includes a detector coil to receive an NMR signal. The apparatus includes a dynamically configurable transmitter to transmit an RF transmission according to a configurable set of transmission parameters. The RF transmission is based on the NMR signal received by the MRI detector coil. The apparatus includes a tuning logic that cycles between an active state and a passive state under the control of a tuning program. While in the passive state, the tuning logic is to generate substantially no RF that could interfere with receiving the NMR signal at the MRI detector coil. While in the active state, the tuning logic is to configure the dynamically configurable transmitter to transmit according to the set of transmission parameters.

The diagnostic performance of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus varies directly with the number of detectors used to detect the available nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals emanating from an object. Yet conventional systems have a finite limit on the number of detectors. The finite limit is related to cabling connections between detectors and processing apparatus (e.g., scanner, computer). Consider that conventional systems with multiple detectors may include several miles of cabling connections. This increases the cost, space requirements, and weight of an MRI apparatus. This also produces the limitation concerning the number of detectors possible in conventional systems.
Since cabling connections between detectors and other MRI apparatus elements are a limiting factor, attempts have been made to connect detectors to other MRI apparatus elements using wireless techniques. The techniques include, for example, time multiplexed optical transmission, digital wireless transmission, and so on. However, time multiplexed optical transmission still experiences a limit on the maximum number of detectors that can be supported. Additionally, digital wireless transmission solutions have suffered from bandwidth limitations, have required complex digital conversion equipment, and have required an unacceptable amount of power. Therefore, research into additional wireless techniques for connecting detector coils to MRI apparatus elements is ongoing.
Recall that MRI apparatus use coil sensors to detect NMR signals emanating from an object. Recall also that these NMR signals are relatively weak compared to RF noise in a general environment. Therefore, MRI apparatus are generally located in rooms that are shielded by a Faraday cage. While the Faraday cage can limit the intrusion of RF noise from outside the room, it cannot address RF noise generated inside the room, in the MRI environment. Clearly the detector coils must be located in the room because the relatively weak NMR signals cannot escape the room. Therefore, electronics, circuits, cabling, and so on located inside the room have conventionally been shielded to limit the RF noise they can introduce into the room. However, this shielding adds yet more mass, volume, and expense to an MRI apparatus.
RF signals transmitted wirelessly from a detector coil may be more powerful than NMR signals transmitted from a resonating body. Thus, if RF signals are transmitted while NMR signals are being detected, detecting the NMR signals may be compromised. Therefore, using remote devices like wireless transmitters associated with detector coils has been limited, if even possible at all, because signals and noise associated with remote devices have interfered with detecting the NMR broadcast by the resonating body. To be practical, wireless transmission of signals from a detector coil to an MRI apparatus element must not interfere with the NMR signals being received by a detector coil. Additionally, circuitry to control wireless transmitters must not produce noise that interferes with detecting NMR signals.
Wireless transmitters associated with detector coils seem to provide a path to overcome mass, volume, and expense issues associated with cabling connections. And yet wireless transmitters need to be controlled by circuits that traditionally have introduced unacceptable RF noise into the room. Parameters that need to be controlled for wireless transmitters associated with detector coils include, for example, channel identification, channel spacing, power settings, and so on. Conventionally, a tuning logic may have configured a typical transmitter associated with a remote magnetic coil sensor. But this tuning logic may have produced electromagnetic (e.g., RF) noise while controlling the transmitter. This electromagnetic noise may have interfered with detecting relatively weaker NMR signals.
Previous efforts to mitigate these issues have included microcontroller governed MR devices. Conventional microcontrollers have been used to control the frequency of a multiplexing system and controlled digital transmissions. These conventional microcontroller based systems used volatile memory and thus required direct programming at each power up. This may have created configuration and interference issues. The volatile memory and/or microcontroller may have been continuously clocked and this may have continually produced RF noise. Another conventional microcontroller based system included an implantable detector tuning control that controlled a single detector but did not mitigate the issues described above.

Dynamically selectively configuring wireless transmitter associated with MRI detector coil


A cold-cathode emitter includes a high-voltage tank of a second conductivity that is formed in a substrate having a first conductivity. An emitter tip is integral with the tank and extends outwardly from the substrate. The tank forms either a drain region or a collector region of a transistor. A cold-cathode emitter device includes a drive transistor formed in a substrate of a first conductivity. The transistor includes an electron receive region of a second conductivity. An emitter tip is integral with the electron receive region and extends outwardly from the substrate.

A field emission display (FED) is a type of flat panel display that engineers have developed to replace the cathode ray tube (CRT) display. Typically, an FED includes a plurality of cathode emitter tips that can emit electrons while "cold," i.e., not heated like the cathode coil of a CRT. These electrons collide with a cathodoluminescent material that coats the inner surface of a display screen. The electrons from each tip collide with the screen at a corresponding location or point. Each collision point forms all or part of a picture element, i.e., pixel, of a displayed image. The greater the collision rate at a particular pixel, the brighter the pixel appears. Likewise, the lower the collision rate, the dimmer the pixel appears. A screen that displays the image in color typically includes one pixel for each component color.
An active matrix FED, which has been described in the literature, includes a drive transistor that is formed as part of the FED. Thus, the active matrix provides faster pixel signal response times and more precise brightness and color control as opposed to passive matrix FEDs, which are driven by off-FED drive transistors.
Each cathode emitter tip of an active matrix FED is typically coupled to the electron receiving region of a drive transistor. That is, the tip is coupled to either the drain of a field effect transistor or the collector of a bipolar transistor. Often, the tip is formed directly on the electron receiving region. When the transistor is activated, i.e., turned on, electrons flow through the transistor and out of the tip toward the display screen. The greater the electron flow, i.e., current, through the tip, the greater the electron collision rate at the pixel associated with the tip, and thus the brighter the pixel.
Because it is physically disposed between the drive transistor and the display screen, the emitter tip typically is formed after the drive transistor. Forming the tip after forming the drive transistor may increase the complexity of the FED manufacturing process. Furthermore, the coupling between the tip and the electron receiving region of the drive transistor may weaken over time, and thus reduce the lifetime of the tip, i.e., the time during which the tip can effectively emit electrons.

Cold-cathode emitter and method for forming the same


A system and method of antialiasing edges of a texture that is being projected onto a polygon surface are described. The system operates by determining an initial opacity value of a pixel of the polygon surface as mapped into the texture, and then adjusting the initial opacity value so as to achieve a single pixel wide projected texture edge. This adjustment is performed by determining whether the initial opacity value is less than a threshold, where the threshold represents a desired alpha value of pixels along a projected texture edge. If the initial opacity value is less than the threshold, then a new opacity value of the pixel is set equal to a value denoting full transparency. If, instead, the initial opacity value is greater than the threshold, then a new opacity value of the pixel is set equal to a value denoting full opacity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to antialiasing in computer graphics, and more particularly to antialiasing of texture edges.
2. Related Art
As is well known, a texture is a modulation of color, intensity, transparency, and/or other surface properties. A texture is applied to the surface of a graphics object in such a way that the texture appears attached to the surface as the viewpoint, perspective, and magnification of the object varies. Accordingly, textures are used in computer graphics to provide visual detail for surfaces of graphics objects. A texture includes a plurality of texture elements, called texels.
A color value and an opacity value are associated with each texel. A texel's color value (typically comprising red, green, and blue values) denotes the color of the texel. A texel's opacity value (also called the alpha value, or r) denotes the opacity of the texel. Total transparency is typically indicated by an alpha value of zero. Total opaqueness is typically indicated by an alpha value of one. Partial opaqueness is indicated by an alpha value between zero and one.
FIG. 1 is a representation of an example texture 102 having an image of a tree. A portion of an edge of this texture (i.e., a portion of the outline of the tree) is denoted by reference numeral 104. For illustrative purposes, suppose that this texture edge portion 104 is represented by texel 206B shown in FIG. 2 (for purposes of reference, texel 206B is called an edge texel). This texel 206B is straddled by texels 206A and 206C. Note that texels 206A and 206C are non-edge texels, since texel 206A is outside of the tree, and texel 206C is inside the tree. Example alpha values of texels 206A-206C are shown in FIG. 2. Note that the texture edge 104 is characterized by a transition from an alpha value of 0 (in texel 206A) to an alpha value of 1 (in texel 206B).
During magnification operations, each texel may affect multiple pixels of a graphics object, such as a polygon surface. For example, FIG. 2 shows an example where each texel of texture 102 covers (or affects) four pixels. In particular, texel 206B covers pixels 208B-208E. These pixels 208B-208E conventionally represent the texture edge in the resulting, magnified image. Texel 206A covers four pixels, including pixel 208A (the other three pixels are not shown for simplicity). Likewise, texel 206C covers four pixels, including pixel 208F (the other three pixels are not shown for simplicity).
When a texel covers multiple pixels, the texel's color value and alpha value are typically resampled in some manner and applied to all of the covered pixels. In particular, with respect to alpha values and in the case of an edge texel, the alpha value of an edge texel is typically spread among the covered pixels, such that there is a gradual transition (i.e., a ramp up) from an alpha value of 0 to an alpha value of 1.
In the example of FIG. 2, the alpha value of edge texel 206B is spread among pixels 208B-208E, such that the alpha value of pixel 208B is 1/4, the alpha value of pixel 208C is 1/2, the alpha value of pixel 208D is 3/4, and the alpha value of pixel 208E is 1. More generally, the alpha value of pixel 208B is 1/N, the alpha value of pixel 208C is 2/N, the alpha value of pixel 208D is (N-1)/N, and the alpha value of pixel 208E is N, where N is equal to the number of pixels covered by each texel (in this case, N is equal to 4). Ramp 216 depicts this ramping up of the alpha values over the projected texture edge (a "projected texture edge" is a texture edge, such as edge 104, that has been applied or projected to a polygon surface).
This typical approach for magnifying textures is not ideal, since the projected texture edges become blurry. Such blurriness results from having a multi-pixel wide projected texture edge, instead of having a single pixel wide projected texture edge. For example, after magnification, the projected texture edge in FIG. 2 is composed of four pixels 208B-208E. Such blurriness in the projected texture edge is a form of aliasing.
Thus, what is required is a system and method of antialiasing texture edges during magnification operations.


The present invention relates to a aqueous pigment paste for an offset ink, which paste is suitable for producing an offset ink by a flushing method, a process for the production of the aqueous pigment paste, and an offset ink obtained by a flushing method. The aqueous pigment paste for an offset ink contains a lake pigment of an azo dye obtained by coupling a diazonium salt of an aromatic amine having a soluble group and a coupler component, 3 to 15% by weight, based on the azo dye, of a rosin, 1 to 20% by weight, based on the azo dye, of a vehicle for an offset ink, the total amount of the lake pigment, the rosin and the vehicle being 10 to 40% by weight, and 60 to 90% by weight of water.

A monoazo lake pigment obtained by coupling an aromatic amine having a soluble group as a diazo component and .beta.-hydroxynaphthoic acid or .beta.-naphthol as a coupler component is widely used in the fields of printing inks, coating compositions and coloring of plastics. The monoazo lake pigment has been treated with a rosin for obtaining transparency and clearness in color tone and improving the dispersibility thereof. The rosin treatment is generally carried out by adding an alkali salt solution of a rosin (so-called "rosin soap") to a coupler component or a dye, and then adding a metal salt for a lake such as calcium chloride to precipitate the rosin on the surface of each pigment particle in the form of a rosin lake metal salt.
The above rosin treatment controls the pigment particles so as to have a fine particle size and improves the transparency and clearness of the pigment. Moreover, the rosin treatment has excellent effects that it as a coating prevents the coagulation of the pigment and that it improves the dispersibility of the pigment. However, it cannot be said that any conventional rosin treatment exhibits its full effects. In a pigment for an offset ink in particular, the amount of a rosin for improving the dispersibility is large. The use of the rosin in a large amount causes many problems such as a decrease in fluidity or a decrease in printing suitability caused by poor water resistance. Further, when the amount of the rosin is decreased, there are caused such problems as a decrease in transparency and clearness, an increase in bronze and a decrease in flushing compatibility.
It has been therefore desired to develop a surface treatment technique for effectively coating the pigment and to develop a monoazo lake pigment improved in flushing suitability, fluidity, clearness, gloss and freedom from bronze.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an aqueous paste of a monoazo lake pigment, which can decrease the amount of the rosin so that the flushing time length can be decreased and that an exhausted water is less colored, and which is excellent in fluidity, clearness, gloss and freedom from bronze and also excellent in the suitability for offset printing, a process for the production thereof, and an offset ink.

Aqueous pigment paste for offset ink, process for producing the paste, and use thereof


An electron beam lithography method includes extending the widths of a plurality of stripes which divide a region where an electron beam exposure is to be performed, so that the boundaries of the stripes overlap adjacent stripes at each boundary, and sequentially exposing each of the stripes to an electron beam.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a method of electron beam lithography for minimizing throughput loss and preventing butting errors from occurring.
A claim of priority is made to Korean Patent Application No. 2002-0047230, filed Aug. 9, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among semiconductor fabricating processes, a lithography process using an electron beam is used to transfer a delicate pattern. Until now, lithography using a electron beam has generally been used for fabricating a photo mask in which printing a delicate pattern is regarded as a very important factor.
When a mask is fabricated using the electron beam, the size of the electron beam is limited to a very small region, and so it is difficult to expose the whole mask. Therefore, electron beam lithography equipment will divide the region to be exposed to light into several segments, divide each of the segments into several stripes or frames, and then expose sequentially each of the stripes to the electron beam.
Since an optical system for the electron beam employed in the electron beam lithography equipment is limited in comparison to a typical optical system, it is necessary to divide the region to be exposed into several segments and to divide each of the segments into several stripes, in order to expose each of the stripes to the electron beam. In electron beam lithography, a chip region to be exposed is divided into regions having a certain length.
Electron beam lithography equipment, such as equipment of the MEBES family of ETEC, Inc. (located in the U.S.A), typically is configured to expose stripes of about 1 mm in width each. Electron beam lithography equipment of Toshiba, Inc. (located in Japan) is configured to expose frames. However, this equipment is similar in that they divide the region to be exposed into certain small units such as stripes or frames.
When the stripes or frames are sequentially exposed to the electron beam, a so-called butting error, i.e. wrenching between adjacent stripes, occurs. The butting error represents an error in which a pattern ranging over an interval between the stripes, which is transferred by the exposure, is wrenched or dropped from the stripe boundary. Because of the butting error, a critical dimension error in which the critical dimension of the pattern in the stripe boundary changes, or a position error in which a pattern position is wrenched may occur.
The butting error is sometimes called a stitching error in a method for scanning the electron beam, e.g., a vector scan or a raster scan. However, most butting errors are due to wrenching of the stripes when the stripes are scanned by the electron beam. In order to overcome such butting errors, a multi-pass printing method has been developed.
FIG. 1 a schematic diagram of a method for sequentially exposing the electron beam to each of the stripes. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a typical multi-pass printing method.
Referring to FIG. 1, a region to be exposed is divided into several segments and each of the segments into N stripes, and then each of the stripes are sequentially exposed. For example, a first stripe is exposed, and then other stripes are sequentially exposed. When the exposure of an Nth stripe has been completed, the exposure of an entire segment is completed.
However, the multi-pass printing method includes performing several exposure passes, as shown in FIG. 2, so as to prevent butting errors which may be caused when exposure is sequentially performed for each of the stripes. Performing several exposure passes includes setting an offset from the first stripe position, or in other words moving a stripe. For example, the process involves moving a stripe of a second exposure pass by a half or a quarter of the width of a stripe used in a first exposure pass, performing the second exposure pass, and repeating the above steps. Here, when two exposure passes constitute the whole exposure process, the amount of each exposure pass may be half of a target dose.
As a result, exposure inferiority at a boundary between stripes, which results during the first exposure pass, may be compensated for to a certain degree during the second exposure pass (or a third or a fourth exposure pass). As a result, butting errors can be effectively prevented. In practice, butting errors decrease in proportion to the number of the exposure passes.
However, when electron beam lithography is performed using the multi-pass printing method, the time between exposure passes increases in proportion to the number of exposure passes. Accordingly, the time necessary for electron beam lithography increases, a fact which ultimately causes a throughput loss.


Methods of harvesting cancellous bone and bone marrow include extracting loosened cancellous bone and bone marrow—including a liquid component thereof—to a collection container that has a first cup and a suction port to which a suction source is connected. After extraction, the suction source is disconnected and a lid of the collection container is removed and replaced with a lid having a plunger with a press head that is configured to filter the extracted liquid by depressing the plunger toward a bottom of the first cup. The filtered liquid is poured through a suction port into a second cup while depressing the plunger, thereby separating the liquid from a semi-solid mass of cancellous bone that remains. The bone is extracted through a cortical opening in the femur, tibia, or calcaneus, or from an intermedullary canal that is preferably formed by reaming of the tibia using an orthopedic reamer.

The invention generally relates to methods and apparatus used for harvesting cancellous bone and marrow and, preferably, harvesting autologous cancellous bone and marrow from a distal femur, proximal tibia, distal tibia, or calcaneus of an individual for use as an autograft for that individual; and an intramedullary canal that is formed in a medullary cavity of a bone of an individual for use as an autograft for that individual, which bone of the medullar cavity may be the tibia or the femur.
With regard to harvesting autologous bone, it is known when forming a intermedullary canal by reaming—which is basically done for a medullary nail—that autologous cancellous bone contained on the reamer after withdrawal may be recovered and used, if desired. Additionally with regard to specifically harvesting autologous cancellous bone and marrow, a procedure is known that is used for shallow-core harvesting of cancellous bone and marrow from the posterior superior iliac spine immediately prior to an anterior cervical discectomy/fusion ("ACDF"), wherein the harvested cancellous bone and marrow is used in that individual during the ACDF procedure. The procedure has been nicknamed the "Ray Iliac Procedure" and is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62/868,779 and in Ser. No. 16/916,012, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. The Ray Iliac Procedure is intended for use in the orthopedic surgical field.
The Ray Iliac Procedure is based on a repurposed use of a bone press apparatus as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,920,393, which is incorporated herein by reference. Such bone press apparatus are commercially sold by Hensler Surgical Products, LLC, of Wilmington, N.C. The bone press apparatus was designed for harvesting high-speed drilled bone during spinal procedures, which harvested bone was found to be a moldable and malleable matrix that could be reused in the patient to increase fusion healing rates.
While the Ray Iliac Procedure is believed to be adequate for use in harvesting cancellous bone and marrow in conjunction with an ACDF procedure, it is believed that additional improvements can be made in harvesting cancellous bone and bone marrow from other areas of the body by repurposing such bone press apparatus. Such additional improvements are believed to be provided by one or more methods in accordance with one or more aspects and features of the invention, especially when harvesting cancellous bone and bone marrow from condyles of the tibia and femur and from the calcaneous, and when harvesting cancellous bone and bone marrow from an intermedullary canal formed in the tibia or femur.
Indeed, it has been discovered that one or more methods in accordance with one or more aspects and features of the invention result in unexpectedly high yields of cancellous bone and bone marrow, especially when harvested from an intermedullary canal formed in the tibia or femur; and unexpectedly high yield rates of cancellous bone and bone marrow, especially when harvested from the condyles of the tibia and femur and from the calcaneous, and from an intermedullary canal formed in the tibia or femur.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Harvesting cancellous bone and marrow from distal femur, proximal tibia, distal tibia, or calcaneus using bone press apparatus


A mobile station (101) and a base station (103) coupled to a land line network (200) communicate over a radio frequency (RF) communication link (202). The mobile station (101) includes a jack (104) for optionally attaching a cord (172) between the mobile station (101) and the base station (103) for establishing a wireline communication link therebetween. When the wireline communication link is established, the RF communication link (202) is terminated. During a telephone call when the RF communication link (202) is established, the cord (172) may be attached to establish the wireline communication link without interrupting the telephone call.

Cordless communication systems are known. Such systems provide convenient communications between a pair of electronic devices without the use of a cord attached therebetween. Typically, at least one of the electronic devices is portable and thus requires a battery for electrical operation. Unfortunately, when the battery is low or fully drained, the electronic device may not be usable unless a fully-charged backup battery is readily available.
Cordless communication systems typically provide communications over a radio frequency (RF) communication link. Although such systems are thoughtfully designed and provide reliable communications, RF interference may sometimes hinder communication between the electronic devices. In addition, if a cordless communication system is not designed as a "secure" system, communication over the RF link may be susceptible to eavesdropping. Even when provided with an electronic device having secure communications, a user may nonetheless feel uneasy about communicating sensitive information over the RF link.
Accordingly, there is a need for a communication system which overcomes the deficiencies described above.

Method of and apparatus for communicating information signals


An agricultural baler for making cylindrical bales of crop material having a sledge assembly moveable between bale starting and full bale positions. The sledge assembly includes a plurality of rollers which cooperate with an apron to define a bale forming chamber. A dispensing mechanism is carried on the sledge assembly for dispensing web material, such as net or the like, into the bale forming chamber whereupon it is wrapped circumferentially around a cylindrical package of crop material in the bale forming chamber. A net supply assembly is associated with the dispensing mechanism to provide net for feeding into the bale chamber via the dispensing mechanism. Included along the path of the net between the supply assembly and the dispensing mechanism is a net severing assembly for cutting the net after it has been wrapped around the cylindrical hay package formed in the chamber. The net severing assembly comprises a cutting element operatively associated with a comb element in a manner that provides improved net cutting.

Prior art round balers generally have a bale forming chamber defined by an apron comprising an array of side-by-side belts, transverse slats trained on chains, a plurality of rolls or a combination of these various elements, e.g., rolls and belts. Crop material, such as hay, is picked up from the ground, as the baler travels across the field, and is fed into a fixed or expandable chamber where it is rolled up to form a compact cylindrical ha package. While still inside the bale forming chamber in its compacted form, the outer surface of the package is wrapped with twine or web material, such as net, prior to ejecting the wrapped bale from the chamber onto the ground for subsequent handling.
Exemplary of prior art round balers of the general type mentioned above is the baler disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,968 issued in the name of K. R. Underhill on Sep. 18, 1990. In this baler an apron consisting of a combination of rolls and belts is used for bale formation. The baler also includes a mechanism for supplying net to a dispensing assembly which in turn feeds the net material into the bale forming chamber for circumferentially wrapping a formed cylindrical package of crop material. The dispensing mechanism includes a net insertion arrangement having a grasping portion for pulling net from the supply mechanism and inserting the free edge, commonly referred to as the tail, into the chamber. Subsequent to wrapping, the net material is severed by a cutting device, comprising an assembly for thrusting a knife edge transversely through the path of the net while net tension is increased causing a severing action as the net is pulled against the knife edge.
In other round balers known in the art, various cutting devices are employed as exemplified by the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,241, issued Jul. 1, 1986, wherein a pair of opposing knives are used to shear the web material. In another known arrangement a knife strikes an anvil to provide the severing function as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,690, issued May 8, 1990. Still another prior art mechanism contemplates a knife that is projected into a recess on the opposite side of the web path to urge the web against a cutting abutment, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,844, issued Jul. 15, 1986.
Insofar a the severing element used in round balers is concerned, there are also different types used. In addition to the straight knife edge referred to above, other known means include a serrated edged knife as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,784, issued Oct. 18, 1983. Cutting devices in round balers wrapping systems have also been known to utilize a series of side-by-side triangular shaped knife elements projected into the path of the web material. This latter arrangement is embodied in the round baler apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,855 and No. 4,407,113, issued Aug. 12, 1986, and Oct. 4, 1983, respectively.
The web wrapping material used in round balers is another factor having a bearing on the net severing assembly. Materials vary from a thin film of plastic to numerous types of net. One of the most commonly known net materials used in round balers is a woven fabric material, as shown by way of example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,439, issued Feb. 11, 1986 and No. 4,570,789, issued Feb. 18, 1986. A second equally as common net material used is made from extruded plastic, an example of which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,291, issued Nov. 1, 1988.
During the general process of making a round bale, as discussed above, the package of hay becomes formed and wrapped by a continuous web of material while still in the bale forming chamber. At this stage in the process it is important that the severing of the net take place trouble free and that a substantially straight lateral edge is left on the end of the web that remains in the baler to enhance initiation of the next wrapping cycle. A straight lateral cut is also desirable from the standpoint of the bale that is being discharged to provide a snugly wrapped neat bale that facilitates handling. In the past, problems have been encountered when the woven net is improperly severed due to, e.g., bunching or sideways movement of the net at or prior to impact. Not only is the poor appearance and uneven end undesirable but a straggly end can be more readily snagged during processing of the next bale or handling of the discharged bale. Further, problems have arisen in attempts to provide a cutting means that is adaptable to effectively sever woven net as well as extruded net, both of which have different physical characteristics.


A light irradiation apparatus of the embodiment is a light irradiation apparatus that emits light including an ultraviolet ray to a target relatively moving in one direction, including a light irradiation device in which a light emitting element is disposed on one main surface of a base; and a light irradiation chamber in whose internal space the target moves with a light-irradiated surface up from an entrance to an exit thereof in the one direction, the light irradiation device being disposed in an upper section of the internal space.

In the related art, an ultraviolet ray irradiation apparatus is widely used for fluorescence reaction observation, sterilization purposes in the field of medical care or biotechnology, electronic component adhesion, or curing of ultraviolet ray curable resin and ink. In particular, as a lamp light source of the ultraviolet ray irradiation apparatus used in curing the ultraviolet ray curable resin for use in adhering small components in the field of electronic components, the ultraviolet ray curable ink for use in the field of printing or the like, a high pressure mercury lamp, a metal halide lamp, or the like is used.
In recent years, there has been a strong worldwide demand for a reduced burden on the global environment. Therefore, an ultraviolet ray irradiation element which has relatively long durability and energy-saving performance, and which can suppress ozone generation has been actively employed in the lamp light source.
However, the ultraviolet ray irradiation element has relatively low intensity of illumination. Therefore, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2008-244165, a light irradiation apparatus is generally used which has a configuration where plural devices are mounted on a support by preparing a device in which plural light emitting elements are mounted on one substrate. In this manner, ultraviolet ray irradiation energy needed to cure the ultraviolet ray curable ink is obtained.
However, depending on the service environment of the ultraviolet ray irradiation apparatus, and types of the ultraviolet ray curable ink and a target (recording medium) for applying the ultraviolet ray curable ink, there is a problem in that it is difficult to increase adhesion between the ultraviolet ray curable ink and the target.
The invention is made in view of the above-described problem, and an object thereof is to provide a light irradiation apparatus and a printing apparatus which achieve increased adhesion between an ultraviolet ray curable ink and a target regardless of the service environment of an ultraviolet ray irradiation apparatus, and types of the ultraviolet ray curable ink and the target for applying the ultraviolet ray curable ink.

Light irradiation apparatus and printing apparatus


A tufted article having a backing material and a plurality of tufts. The plurality of tufts can include cut tufts having first and second tuft portions projecting from a face surface of the backing material. The first and second tuft portions of each cut tuft have respective pile heights relative to the backing material. Each cut tuft also has a backstitch that joins the first and second tuft portions and extends across a portion of a back surface of the backing material. The plurality of tufts includes a plurality of asymmetric cut tufts that have first and second tuft portions with unequal pile heights. Systems and methods for making tufted articles having asymmetric cut tufts are also disclosed.

During conventional cut pile tufting operations, loops of yarn are sequentially disposed through a backing material, and a cutting assembly cuts the sequentially disposed loops of yarn to form cut tufts with first and second tuft portions that are joined by a backstitch. Conventionally, these cut tufts are cut in a manner that is intended to produce first and second tuft portions having substantially equal pile heights, and any variation in pile height among the two tuft portions is viewed as undesirable. Such variations in pile height are eliminated through the use of shearing and other cutting operations that produce first and second tuft portions having substantially equal pile heights.
Conventionally, variations in pile height among cut pile tufts have been achieved by varying the distance between the backing material or bedplate and the location where loops of yarn are cut to form the cut pile tufts. However, there are many tufting machines that employ a fixed distance between the tuft cutting location and the backing material or bedplate. Thus, there is a need for systems and methods that achieve desired variations in pile height without adjustment of the distance between the tuft cutting location and the backing material or bedplate.

Patterned tufted articles, and systems and methods for making same


At a first communication device in a wireless communication network, reference signaling is received from a second communication device in two or more beams with a same direction, and one or more values associated with a direction at which the first communication device received the reference signaling from the second communication device are determined. The one or more values are determined based on the received reference signaling. The direction has a higher accuracy than a beam width associated with the received reference signaling. The direction may be or include an angle of arrival or an angle of departure, for example, and in the case of an angle of departure signaling indicative of the one or more values is transmitted by the first communication device, to the second communication device or another component such as network equipment.

Wireless communication over frequency bands in the millimeter wave (mmWave)/sub-Terahertz (THz) bands (100-300 Gigahertz (GHz)) has been identified as a potential vehicle to further enhance the connectivity offered by fifth generation (5G) communication systems. Compared to lower bands (<100 GHz), the THz transmission channel has larger bandwidth (BW), higher scattering and reflection losses (more sparse channel), and higher path loss. One potential solution to address high path loss pertains to ultra-massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (UM-MIMO) systems with simple implementation through an array-of-subarrays (AoSA) structure. In this type of structure, antenna panels in multiple subarrays include many antenna elements connected to one or several Radio Frequency (RF) chains which, by using a hybrid of analog and digital beamforming at both the transmitter and receiver, can provide high beamforming gain with narrow beams. For such narrow beams, beam acquisition can be a challenge because it requires accurate estimation of the channel Angle of Arrival (AoA) and Angle of Departure (AoD).

Beam acquisition methods and communication devices


The Web Services Development Kit (WSDK) comprises a set of build-time tools and run-time components designed to support the development of web services and the interface to those services. WSDK provides a framework for the development of web services that isolates developers from the implementation details of the markup and transport layers, by separating the logical aspects of the service development from the physical aspects. A “call” generated by a client contains a batch of operations to be executed in the context of a single request/reply message exchange. A markup library translates logical structure to a specific markup language. Additional markup languages are supported by adding additional modules to the markup library.

"Web services" is an industry term that covers a collection of standards and proposals that define how distributed computing should be implemented in a web-based network environment, such as the World Wide Web. Web services is an evolving area of technology that has a broad range of potential applications but is immature in implementation. There are several general attributes that describe the essence of web services.
The primary paradigm for web services is that of a client/server relationship. A client sends a request to a server for the execution of some task. The server executes the task and sends an appropriate reply back to the client.
Interoperability is a main goal of current web services efforts. Applying lessons from past mistakes, the industry is focusing its efforts on ensuring that information communicated between components of the system will be interpreted identically by all of the parties involved. The focus on "on the wire" representation has allowed for the development of very different (and competing) technologies for constructing web service implementations. Two of the major contenders at present include Microsoft, with its .NET architecture that leverages its traditional COM technology, and IBM, with its WebSphere architecture that leverages such Java technologies as Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE).
Communication between client and server on the World Wide Web is typically accomplished via Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP). This is one of the factors that distinguish web services from other client/server approaches, such as remote procedure call (RPC) or common object request broker architecture (CORBA). Web service interactions also differ from those of typical Web browser interactions. In the typical browser interaction, the client sends a request for content from the server which will be rendered for display to an end user. In the web services model, the client sends a request for a task (or operation) to be executed by the server, and the reply contains the results of executing that operation.
Underlying most aspects of web services is the extensible markup language (XML). Most situations that call for representation of data employ XML as the base data structuring language. Most web services protocols are defined as a set of XML elements and conventions. This is another major factor that distinguishes web services from other client/server approaches. For example, CORBA employs one language (IDL) for defining interfaces and a different protocol (IIOP) for communicating between client and server. In the web services context, both the interface definition language and the client/server communication protocol are represented in XML.
There are two problems with XML, however, that probably originate from its original focus on supporting text processing. First, XML can be quite difficult and expensive to parse, due to such features as user-defined entities, processing instructions, etc., most of which are not needed for most inter-application communication. Second, as a text-based protocol, XML does not support the transport of raw binary information. Instead, it must be encoded into text for transmission (e.g., Base64 or similar encoding mechanisms).
There are essentially two approaches typically used for solving the first problem. The first approach is to define protocols that are based on the important core features of XML, but specifically forbid the use of particularly complex XML features (such as processing instructions). A recent example of this approach is the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). See "Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) 1.1," W3C Note, May 8, 2000. SOAP is an XML-based protocol that provides basic rules for the format of request and reply messages exchanged between client and server during operation execution. The second approach is to define a separate "logical" document model and then provide information to "map" that logical model onto the specific XML representation. A recent example of this approach is the Web Services Description Language (WSDL). See "Web Services Description Language (WSDL) 1.1," W3C Note, Mar. 15, 2001. WSDL is an XML-based interface definition language that is used to define the operations supported by a server and how requests and replies for those operations are represented in the messages exchanged between client and server.
SOAP defines four basic things:    1) A subset of XML grammar that is allowed in a SOAP message (basically, it disallows certain complex XML constructs that are difficult to parse and are not applicable to a remote method invocation paradigm);    2) A basic document structure for SOAP messages that include:            a top level SOAP "Envelope" element within which all SOAP-related XML data must reside,        a SOAP "Header" element which is intended to contain all information pertaining to routing and handling of the SOAP document, and        a SOAP "Body" element which is intended to contain all information pertaining to execution of the specific request (or reply);            3) How "faults" (document processing or task execution errors) should be represented within the document; and    4) A suggested approach for representing typed data in SOAP documents (e.g., mappings from low-level host programming language variable types to XML).
WSDL defines a grammar for describing web service interfaces. A WSDL interface description consists of the following five top-level elements:    1) A single types element. Within this element, you define the logical types that you will be referencing later in the specification. Types may be simple (refer to single elements) or complex (combinations of elements, e.g. struct or array). Different typing systems may be used here, but the most common one employed is XML Schema;    2) A set of message elements. A message element corresponds to a single logical "message" that will be sent from client to server or vice versa. Messages consist of "parts"—each part has a type (defined within the types element);    3) A set of portType elements. A portType element corresponds to single logical service definition. Port types consist of a set of operation definitions. An operation has a name and the set of messages involved in requesting execution of that operation (typically a request message, a reply message, and a fault message);    4) A set of binding elements. Up to this point, everything covered in the WSDL document represents a "logical" view of the service. The purpose of the binding elements is to define how the logical messages are represented in a particular markup language/transport. Support theoretically exists for several XML-based transports, but the most common binding is to SOAP/HTTP. In that case, the binding involves mapping each part of each message to the appropriate section of the SOAP document and identifying the approach that will be used for encoding the logically-defined data types in SOAP (typically the SOAP encoding rules are used here); and    5) A service element. Where the binding element is used to map the logical representation to a markup/transport, the service element is used to identify the physical locations that support a particular portType/binding pair. For the typical SOAP-HTTP binding, this would normally consist of uniform resource locators (URLs) (including host and port).
A full WSDL specification thus consists of logical information (types, messages and portTypes), physical information (bindings), and location information (services). Since this information is typically needed by clients at different points in the development, WSDL specifications are often produced in fragments that are assembled together via an analog of the C pre-processor "#include" directive.
Aside from SOAP and WSDL, there are other initiatives that are often considered web services "building blocks", such as XML schema and universal description, discovery, and integration (UDDI) protocol. XML schema provides a set of rules for defining logical data types in XML and is the preferred language for defining types in WSDL. UDDI is an XML-based protocol for obtaining information about the services provided by a particular organization. Typically, UDDI is used to retrieve the complete WSDL specifications (including location information) for a set of operations.
Combined, SOAP and WSDL perform three basic tasks when mapping information exchange onto a structured document:    1) Define a logical model for the interchange (the "parse tree" view of the problem). WSDL provides this.    2) Define a physical model for the interchange (the "on the wire" representation). SOAP provides this.    3) Provide a mapping between the logical and physical models. WSDL provides this.
Consider the following sequence of events, which describes a typical experience for a web services client developer:                The developer first obtains the "logical" portion of WSDL specifications for operations of interest via an "out of band" method, such as email or downloading from a web site.        The Developer imports the WSDL specifications into a web services toolkit and generates a native language (e.g., Java) client application programming interface (API) and writes code to that API.        At runtime, a complete WSDL specification for the operations of interest is obtained via UDDI from a service "registry" at the deployed site. The additional binding and location information in the "complete" WSDL files is necessary for actual communication between client and server (though it does not change the client API originally generated).        When runtime calls are made via the generated client API, they are translated into SOAP documents that are sent to the server via an HTTP POST. The server executes the requested operation and returns the results as a SOAP document via the HTTP POST reply. The returned document is parsed and used to populate the appropriate "output" parameters in the client API.
The two basic approaches represented by SOAP and WSDL have shortcomings. For example, SOAP does not define how one represents the tasks to be executed by the server, how the data associated with the request and reply is structured, relationships between request and reply messages, or real-world issues such as application versioning. These issues must be coordinated between client and server "out of band". WSDL addresses the "logical to physical" mapping problem by individually specifying how different elements in the logical model map to their counterparts in the physical model. Consequently, a consumer of such an interface must parse and understand such mapping instructions, which is not a trivial task. In addition, SOAP and WSDL are both XML-based. Consequently, without either changing the XML specification or manipulating the underlying transport (e.g., HTTP) protocol, one cannot pass binary data without encoding it as text. Other problems are associated with SOAP and WSDL, as described below.
Further, additional facilities are needed for effective implementation of typical web services, which are not provided by known current specifications. These facilities include user identification and authentication, access control, version management, transaction management, and ad hoc (dynamic) "batching" (sending several logical operation requests together in a single physical message).

Method and apparatus for developing web services using standard logical interfaces to support multiple markup languages


A multi-layer PrxCa1-xMnO3 (PCMO) thin film capacitor and associated deposition method are provided for forming a bipolar switching thin film. The method comprises: forming a bottom electrode; depositing a nanocrystalline PCMO layer; depositing a polycrystalline PCMO layer; forming a multi-layer PCMO film with bipolar switching properties; and, forming top electrode overlying the PCMO film. If the polycrystalline layers are deposited overlying the nanocrystalline layers, a high resistance can be written with narrow pulse width, negative voltage pulses. The PCMO film can be reset to a low resistance using a narrow pulse width, positive amplitude pulse. Likewise, if the nanocrystalline layers are deposited overlying the polycrystalline layers, a high resistance can be written with narrow pulse width, positive voltage pulses, and reset to a low resistance using a narrow pulse width, negative amplitude pulse.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to integrated circuit (IC) fabrication and, more particularly to a PCMO thin film, and associated deposition processes, with bipolar switching characteristics for use in Resistance Random Access Memory (RRAM) applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Perovskite materials such as Pr1-xCaxMnO3 (PCMO) show reversible resistive switching properties that can be used for low power, low operation voltage, high-speed, high-density memory applications. Nano-sized PCMO materials are known to exhibit mono-polar switching properties, while crystallized PCMO materials shows bi-polar switching properties. However, PCMO thin films are also known to exhibit poor endurance properties.
A perfectly uniform electric pulse induced resistance variation (EPIR) material memory resistor can only be programmed to a high resistance state using a relatively large amplitude narrow pulse, and reset to a low resistance state using a wide electrical pulse. However, high voltage pulses may degrade the electrical properties of the memory resistor. Further, to protect against spikes in the power supply and fluctuating supply voltages, it is often desirable to program the RRAM memory using opposite polarity (bipolar) narrow pulses to write and reset the resistance of the memory resistors.
Various methods, such as tailoring the crystalline structure and oxygen content distribution, have been proposed to create a stable material with bipolar switching characteristics. Bipolar switching can be achieved in PCMO films where there are large differences in crystalline structure. However, such a structure is difficult to scale for very thin film, small size memory devices. Likewise, bipolar switching characteristics are observed if a PCMO film is made with a higher oxygen content in the upper portion of the memory thin film, than in the lower portion. This result can be achieved easily using an annealing process, for example. However, oxygen is mobile in RRAM materials such as PCMO. Therefore, there is a reliability issue related to oxygen migration if the temperature of the device is raised in subsequent device fabrication processes or during circuit operation.
It would be advantageous if reliable, low cost, easy to scale PCMO film process could be developed that produced a PCMO film with bipolar switching characteristics.

System and method for forming a bipolar switching PCMO film


A control is provided for a machine that applies a material to a subgrade and pulls a floating screed over the top surface of the material behind the machine. The floating screed is attached to the machine by at least one tow arm at a tow point on the tow arm. The vertical height of the tow point is controlled by a hydraulic cylinder on the machine in response to a valve control signal applied to a hydraulic valve. The screed determines the thickness of the material on the subgrade as it is manipulated by adjusting the height of the tow point such that the top surface of the material follows a reference surface. A first sensor is mounted on the machine, adjacent the front of the machine, for sensing the relative height of the reference surface and providing a first sensor output related thereto. A second sensor for senses the height of the tow point relative to the machine and provides a second sensor output related thereto. This can be accomplished directly, or by sensing the height of the tow point with respect to the reference surface and subtracting the portion of the this sensed height attributable to changes in the reference surface. A control circuit, responsive to the first sensor output and the second sensor output, provides a valve control signal to the hydraulic valve for control of said hydraulic cylinder.

This relates to an improved control and control method for a paving machine and, more particularly, to such a control and control method for paving machines that utilized floating screeds for contouring the surface of the paved area to match adjacent, reference surfaces such as adjacent paved areas, adjacent curbs, and adjacent string lines that extend between surveyor located stakes.
Paving machines of this type typically include a tractor or towing vehicle that moves along a subgrade to be paved. The paving machine deposits a layer of asphalt or other paving material on the subgrade, and the thickness and contour of the asphalt layer are determined by a floating screed that is towed behind the vehicle. The screed has a plate that rides over the surface of the asphalt behind the vehicle, and a pair of forward extending tow arms. The tow arms are connected to the vehicle at tow points which can be raised and lowered by hydraulic cylinders. When the tow points are raised, the front edge of the screed plate is raised and the orientation of the plate is such that it tends to plane upward over the asphalt that is being deposited on the subgrade just ahead of the screed, raising the top surface of the asphalt layer. Conversely, when the tow points are lowered, the front edge of the screed plate is also lowered, reorienting the plate to plane downward, and lowering the top surface of the asphalt layer. It will be appreciated, that the screed smoothes the top surface of the layer of the paving material, while at the same time controlling the vertical position of this surface.
The paving machine deposits the paving material on the subgrade so that the top surface of the paving material follows a desired elevation contour. For example, when a second strip of asphalt is deposited on a roadbed next to a first strip of asphalt, it is desired that the surface height of the two strips match precisely at the seam where they abut. As another example, when an asphalt layer is deposited on a subgrade next to an existing street curb, it may be desired that the asphalt surface height be controlled precisely with respect to the curb. As a further example, a surveyor may have previously surveyed a road or other surface to be paved and set a series of stakes with a reference string line running from the top of one stake to the top of the next stake. In each instance, it is necessary that the vertical position of the top surface of the deposited paving material be controlled precisely with respect to a reference surface of some sort, and this requires that the tow points of the tow arms be controlled with precision.
Prior art paving machines have used a number of approaches to controlling the screed. It has been common to attach a horizontal bar to the tow point so that the bar extends parallel to the direction of movement of the paving machine and laterally displaced to the side of the machine. The bar is mechanically constrained in a horizontal position and has a number of downward facing ultrasonic sensors mounted along its length. The sensors determine the distances to the reference surface at measurement points directly beneath them. These distances can then be used to control the raising and lowering of the tow point. The tow point on the opposite side of the machine may be raised and lowered by the same amount, or it may be controlled independently using a second horizontal bar and a second set of ultrasonic sensors.
Such prior art control arrangements for paving machines are cumbersome, difficult to transport, and easily damaged. An improved control and method are needed for paving machines having fewer sensors and less cumbersome mounting arrangements, and providing effective control of the screed.

Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies, LLC


A multilayer thermoplastic extruded structure comprises at least one thermoplastic polyolefin layer; at least one thermoplastic vinyl aromatic polymer layer; and a multicomponent tie layer. The multicomponent tie layer comprises at least one thermoplastic polyolefin; at least one thermoplastic vinyl aromatic polymer; and at least one styrenic block copolymer. Preferred structures are multilayer films used for packaging or multilayer sheets for thermoformed containers.

Thermoplastic polyolefins (such as polyethylene and polypropylene) are ubiquitous items of commerce. Large volumes of these thermoplastics are extruded into sheets and films. Polyolefin films are widely used for packaging a wide variety of goods.
Thermoplastic polymers of vinyl aromatic monomers (such as styrene and alpha methyl styrene) are also well known. Such thermoplastic polymers (also sometimes referred to herein as thermoplastic styrenic polymers) are commonly used to provide rigid, clear packages for foods such as bakery goods, or opaque thermoformed containers for food and drink. Foamed polystyrene is often used to produce "clam shell" packages for take-out foods and to produce impact-resistant packages for eggs. However, polystyrene film is not in widespread use as a packaging material. Polystyrene tends to become highly oriented when extruded into thin films. This orientation may be used to generate a "splitty" film (i.e. a film with poor tear strength in the "machine direction") or a film with predictable shrink behavior.
It is known in the art to prepare co-extruded structures having a thermoplastic polyolefin layer and a thermoplastic polystyrene layer. However, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that thermoplastic polyolefins and thermoplastic styrenic polymers have different polarities. Accordingly, it is difficult to produce such coextruded structures with layers which adhere to one another. The prior art discloses several attempts to mitigate this adhesion problem, as briefly set out below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,455 (Karabedian, to Owens-Illinois) teaches a two layer coextruded structure in which a foamed polystyrene layer is adhered to a polyolefin layer. The polyolefin layer also contains polystyrene and a compatibility agent which is preferably a styrene-butadiene block copolymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,824 (Bonis, to Composite Container, Inc.) teaches a multilayer coextruded structure comprising a polyolefin layer; a high impact polystyrene layer; and an adhesive tie layer which is prepared from either ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer or an ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,666 (Schirmer et al., to W. R. Grace & Co.) teaches a five layer film in which two outer (skin) layers of styrene butadiene copolymer are bonded to a core layer of very low density polyethylene using two ethylene-vinyl acetate tie layers (with each tie layer being located between the core layer and the two skin layers).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,177 (Boice, to W. R. Grace & Co.) also teaches a five layer film in which a core layer (which may be a butadiene styrene copolymer) is sandwiched between two ethylene copolymer tie layers. The outer or skin layers of this structure are ethylene propylene copolymers, polypropylene or blends thereof.


According to one embodiment, a non-contact power supply device includes an inverter circuit configured to convert power supplied from a direct current (DC) power supply into alternating current (AC) power, a resonant circuit configured to supply the AC power to an external power receiving device in a non-contact manner, a current sensor electrically connected the inverter circuit, a voltage subtractor circuit configured to detect a voltage difference between a predetermined reference voltage and a voltage value of the AC power as detected by a voltage sensor in the external power receiving device, a current subtractor circuit configured to detect a current difference between a predetermined reference current and a current value of the AC power as detected by the current sensor, and a controller configured to control the inverter circuit to reduce the voltage difference and the current difference when the voltage is outside a predetermined range.

In the related art, information is transmitted between an electronic device and a peripheral device via a cable such as a universal serial bus (USB) cable. In addition, in recent years, devices are often connected in a cable-less manner by employing wireless transmission technologies. So as to maintain the portability provided by the cable-less technologies, there are also devices that transmit power wirelessly.
For example, in a cellular phone or the like, a technology capable of performing power transmission in a non-contact, wireless manner has been put to practical use. In such a technology, a power supply circuit and a power receiving circuit compatible with a non-contact power supply method such as an electromagnetic induction method or a magnetic field resonance method are used. By installing such a power supply circuit and a power receiving circuit in a power supply side device and a power receiving side device, respectively, it is possible to realize a non-contact power supply system that performs power transmission from the power supply side device to the power receiving side device in a cable-less manner. When an electric load of the power receiving side device will be large, a plurality of power receiving circuits can be connected in series with the electric load and power is supplied to each power receiving circuit from a plurality of power supply circuits provided in the power supply side device. In such a configuration, there is a possibility that an unbalance in the operating load between the power supply circuits (or the power receiving circuits) occurs. When the unbalance of the operating load occurs, there is a possibility that the charging/power supply operation becomes unstable, thus it is desired to eliminate the unbalance.
In the related art, to supply electric power to an electric load requiring a large current, there is a power conversion system in which a plurality of the power conversion devices are connected in series to a common voltage source and power is supplied from the plurality of the power conversion devices to the electric power load. In addition, to solve the unbalance of the operation load generated in each power conversion device, a technology has been proposed in which the output power of the power conversion device is set based on the deviation between an output voltage of the power conversion device and a target voltage and the output voltage is reduced when an input voltage of the power conversion device falls below a reference value set based on the power supply voltage.
However, the above-described related art is not for a non-contact power supply system, and it may be difficult to implement it in a non-contact power supply system. In addition, in the above-described technology in the related art, since the reference value varies according to the power supply voltage, there is a possibility that the configuration necessary to provide operational control becomes complicated.

Non-contact power supply device and non-contact power supply method


A method of providing a Social Networking Service (SNS) based on a phone book of a mobile terminal is provided. The method includes executing the phone book, receiving a selection of a group tab of the phone book from a first user of the mobile terminal, displaying a list of social groups that shares group activity information of its group members including a second user registered in the phone book in response to the selection of the group tab, and, when at least one social group is selected from the list of social groups, providing at least one piece of information from among group information, a group share space including group activity information, and link information corresponding to the selected at least one social group.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Social Networking Service (SNS). More particularly, the present invention provides a method of using a phone book that enables a user to easily use an SNS through the phone book, and a mobile terminal using the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the number of smart phone users increases, the number of SNS users also increases. An SNS denotes an online service that focuses on building social relationships among people. SNS users may build new social links or reinforce their current relationships.
However, users who do not use smart phones or that are not familiar with smart phones have great difficulty in familiarizing themselves with SNSs. In addition, those users may be easily cut off from their friends who do not use a SNS. Moreover, private information may inadvertently become publicly available through the SNS, which makes users feel anxious.
Therefore, a need exists for a system that allows users to easily and conveniently form an SNS group including people with whom a relationship is desired.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.

SNS providing method using phone book and mobile terminal using the method


A surveying system comprising a station and rover is used to make field measurements of a job site. The station at a first location has one or more cameras and one or more targets. The rover has one or more cameras and one or more targets. The rover is moved to a plurality of locations and images are acquired of the one or more targets of the station and/or the rover. The images are used to determine a spatial relationship between the first location and the plurality of locations.

This disclosure relates in general to surveying systems and, but not by way of limitation, to determining spatial relationships between different locations. Surveying allows plots of lands to be accurately measured. It is common for a plot of land to be surveyed before the plot of land is developed and/or modified.


Techniques for employing multi-gate field effect transistors (FETS) in logic circuits formed from logic gates are provided. Double-gate transistors that conduct only when both transistor gates are active can be used to reduce the number of devices hitherto required in series or “stacked” portions of logic gates. Circuit area can be reduced and performance can be enhanced.

Digital logic circuits may be constructed, for example, using complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. With reference to FIG. 1, in a typical NAND gate 100, a plurality of field effect transistors (FETS) of the p-type (PFETS) 102 can be connected together in parallel between a voltage source 104 and an output 106, to form a first, parallel portion 108. Gates of the PFETS 102 are connected to input terminals, and if any input is active (i.e., in a "LOW" state for a PFET), the supply voltage (VDD) at 104 will appear on the output 106. Prior art NAND gates also include a plurality of n-type FETS (NFETS) 110 interconnected in series or "stacked" fashion to form a second, stacked portion 112. Only if all inputs are active (i.e., "HIGH" for NFETS 110) will output 106 be grounded through stacked portion 112 to ground terminal 114.
Referring now to FIG. 2, in a prior art NOR gate 200, a number of PFETS 202 may be interconnected in series or stacked fashion to form a stacked portion 204 between a voltage supply terminal 206 and an output terminal 208. Furthermore, a plurality of NFETS 210 may be connected in parallel to form a parallel portion 212 between output terminal 208 and ground terminal 214.
It would be desirable to reduce the amount of area occupied by each logic gate. Furthermore, in conventional circuits, the size (i.e., area) for stacked devices must generally be increased to reduced the ON resistance of the gate; this leads to a practical limit on the number of inputs that can be realized in conventional NAND and NOR gates.

High-density logic techniques with reduced-stack multi-gate field effect transistors


A power supply apparatus for a display monitor includes a power factor correction circuit coupled to receive a primary voltage, for correcting a power factor of said primary voltage and generating a secondary voltage; a switch operable in response to a pulse signal; a switch control circuit for generating said pulse signal; a transformer including a primary winding and secondary windings connected to each other by mutual induction, in which the primary winding has a first terminal coupled to receive the secondary voltage and a second terminal connected to the switch, and in which the transformer is being supplied with primary induced voltage when the pulse signal has a primary duty ratio and supplied with secondary induced voltage lower than the primary induced voltage when the pulse signal has a secondary duty ratio; a rectifier for rectifying the primary and secondary induced voltages; and a smoothing circuit for smoothing an output voltage of the rectifier for application to the power factor correction circuit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a power supply apparatus for display monitors, and more particularly, relates to a power supply apparatus having a simplified power factor correction circuit incorporated therein for display monitors in computer systems.
2. Related Art
Generally, power supplies for display monitors such as cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors commonly used with computer systems are designed to provide the necessary voltages and currents within the desired specifications using internal control. A typical computer-controlled power supply for use in computer systems includes an AC line rectification, AC loop regulation and power factor correction as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,717 for Computer-Controlled Uninterruptable Power Supply issued to McCurry et al. Some power supply systems may include power saving circuitry to reduce power consumption such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,168 for Computer System With Power-Down Mode For Monitor issued to Walker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,245 for Apparatus For Automatically Reducing The Power Consumption Of A CRT Computer Monitor issued to Solhjell et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,730 for Monitoring And Control Of Power Supply Functions Using A Microcontroller issued to Brown et al. Other designs may include special circuitry to eliminate interferences such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,979 for Power Source Circuit Device For Monitors And Host Computers issued to Chang, and hazard prevention circuitry to prevent hardware power failure such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,732 for CRT Monitor Power Control Circuit issued to Shahbazi.
Typically, the power supply system is provided with a power-off circuit for interrupting the electrical power supply to the monitor during a power off. In many systems however, power regulation need to be improved because the output power voltage fluctuates as a function of input voltage as well as a load variation. Moreover, additional display power management signaling control circuit is necessarily required to support the power factor correction. Accordingly, further improvement in the power supply circuit design can be contemplated.

Display monitor power supply apparatus with a power factor correction circuit


A display device includes a substrate, a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, a common electrode disposed on the pixel electrode and spaced apart from the pixel electrode, where a microcavity is defined between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, and a common electrode cutout is defined in the common electrode; a roof layer disposed on the common electrode, a liquid crystal injection hole formed through the common electrode and the roof layer, where the liquid crystal injection hole exposes a portion of the microcavity, a liquid crystal layer disposed in the microcavity, and an encapsulation layer disposed on the roof layer, where the encapsulation layer covers the liquid crystal injection hole and seals the microcavity.

(a) Field
Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a display device and a manufacturing method of the display device, and more particularly, to a display device in which cutouts are provided on a common electrode of the display device using one substrate, and a manufacturing method of the display device.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display, which is one of the most widely used types of flat panel display, typically includes two display panels with field generating electrodes such as a pixel electrode, a common electrode and the like, and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. In the liquid crystal display, an electric field is generated in the liquid crystal layer by applying a voltage to the field generating electrodes to determine alignment of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer through the generated electric field and control polarization of incident light, thereby displaying images.
The two display panels of the liquid crystal display may include a thin film transistor array panel and an opposing display panel. In the thin film transistor array panel, a gate line for transferring a gate signal and a data line for transferring a data signal are provided crossing each other, and a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, a pixel electrode connected with the thin film transistor, and the like may be disposed thereon. In such a liquid crystal display, a light blocking member, a color filter, a common electrode and the like, may be disposed on the opposing display panel, or on the thin film transistor array panel.
In a conventional liquid crystal display, two substrates are generally used, and respective constituent elements are provided on the two substrates.

Display device and manufacturing method thereof


Facilitating exercise using easy to transport and easy to assemble components and, when assembled, providing a portable apparatus on which a human can engage in a wide variety of exercises. Support elements including vertical components are supported on bases. Collars slideably insert over the support elements and further include bar supports for receiving one or more stabilizers. The stabilizers join the support elements and the bases forming a system base.

There are many forms of exercises that humans use to maintain and improve their health. Some of such exercises are categorized as "aerobic" exercises, while others are considered to be "anaerobic" exercises. One group of primarily anaerobic exercises that are intended to develop and maintain strength and size of skeletal muscles are generally known as strength training. One form of strength training uses gravity to produce the desired effects. Typically, strength training involves lifting and lowering a given weight a number of times, each cycle of which is called a repetition, or "rep". A "set" is a series of reps. The type of exercise that is being repeated, the tempo at which the reps are performed, the number of reps and sets that are actually performed, and whether the person attempting the given exercise maintains proper form throughout the exercise (and doesn't "cheat", that is, use muscles other than the intended muscles to accomplish the exercise) are all important factors in determining whether and how quickly the objectives of the exercise regime are accomplished.
There are many known devices that are used by humans for exercising. A wide range of these devices include more complicated components that are professionally built in advance, then installed in the device but which, despite the complexity, often only provide a generally limited workout. With many of these more complex devices, the person using the machine must come into contact with belts or wheels or other movable features to conduct the subject exercises.
Other known devices are formed by the joining and adjustment of a multiple of components together before the person can begin exercising. Certain of these devices are not stand alone devices and, for example, must be fixed to floors, ceilings, or other parts of buildings before they can be used. Other of such devices rely on large fixed bases or platforms to provide the stability needed so that people can actually engage in exercises on the devices.
There are a variety of disadvantages associated with these known devices. The devices that utilize complex components, such as movable wheels or belts or computer-like elements must be maintained and, after breakage, must be repaired to have any usefulness. The certain known devices formed by the joining and adjustment of a multiple of components may be time consuming to assemble and require tools to complete the assembly. When disassembled, these multi-component devices require time and effort and a storage place to keep the components sufficiently organized and accessible so that the device can be set up again. The devices that must be fixed to various parts of buildings—such as ceilings, floors, and door jambs—often cannot be easily set up and taken down on as needed. The set up (and take down) may require one or more tools, some experience in using the tools, be time consuming, and ultimately cause disfigurement or damage to those parts of the buildings to which the devices are fixed. The fixing of the exercise device to a part of the building renders that part of the building to be largely unusable for any purpose other than the use of the device for exercising. Known devices with large fixed base structures or platforms may be costly to transport—because of the packaging needed for the device, and the possible relatively greater weight associated with such devices also may be difficult for a single person to move from shipment drop off point to the point where the device is going to be set up and used and be inconvenient to move once set up. Many known devices with large bases, while possibly more stable, may permit only a limited range of exercises to be conducted thereon because the base may block more complete access to the exercise device including by those in a wheelchair.
A demand therefore exists for a system and methods, embodiments of the apparatus of which are formed from light weight, easy to transport components that can be quickly joined together without the need for tools and, when fully assembled, provide a stable platform on which a wide variety of exercises can be performed. The present invention satisfies the demand.