An illustrated view of an exemplary guitar pick for strumming guitar strings is presented. The guitar pick is useful for always being in a proper place for strumming the guitar strings. The guitar pick is further easy to place on one's finger and to use. The guitar pick is further efficient in costs.

The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that usually has six strings. It is typically played with both hands by strumming or plucking the strings with either a guitar pick or the fingers/fingernails of one hand, while simultaneously fretting (pressing the strings against the frets) with the fingers of the other hand. The sound of the vibrating strings is projected either acoustically, by means of the hollow chamber of the guitar (for an acoustic guitar), or through an electrical amplifier and a speaker.
The guitar is a type of chordophone, traditionally constructed from wood and strung with either gut, nylon or steel strings and distinguished from other chordophones by its construction and tuning. The modern guitar was preceded by the gittern, the vihuela, the four-course Renaissance guitar, and the five-course baroque guitar, all of which contributed to the development of the modern six-string instrument.
There are three main types of modern acoustic guitars: the classical guitar (Spanish guitar/nylon-string guitar), the steel-string acoustic guitar and the archtop guitar, which is sometimes called a "jazz guitar", The tone of an acoustic guitar is produced by the strings' vibration, amplified by the hollow body of the guitar, which acts as a resonating chamber. The classical guitar is often played as a solo instrument using a comprehensive finger-picking technique where each string is plucked individually by the player's fingers, as opposed to being strummed. The term "finger-picking" can also refer to a specific tradition of folk, blues bluegrass, and country guitar playing in the United States. The acoustic bass guitar is a low-pitched instrument that is one octave below a regular guitar.
A "guitar pick" or "plectrum" is a small piece of hard material generally held between the thumb and first finger of the picking hand and is used to "pick" the strings. Though most classical players pick with a combination of fingernails and fleshy fingertips, the pick is most often used for electric and steel-string acoustic guitars. Though picks today they are mainly plastic, variations do exist such as bone, wood, steel or tortoise shell. Tortoise shell was the most commonly used material in the early days of pick-making, but as tortoises and turtles became endangered, the practice of using their shells for picks or anything else was banned. Tortoise-shell picks made before the ban are often coveted for a supposedly superior tone and ease of use, and their scarcity has made them valuable.
Picks come in many shapes and sizes. Picks vary from the small jazz pick to the large bass pick. The thickness of the pick often determines its use. A thinner pick (between 0.2 and 0.5 mm) is usually used for strumming or rhythm playing, whereas thicker picks (between 0.7 and 1.5+ mm) are usually used for single-note lines or lead playing.
Thumb picks and finger picks that attach to the fingertips are sometimes employed in finger-picking styles on steel strings. These allow the fingers and thumb to operate independently, whereas a flat pick requires the thumb and one or two fingers to manipulate.
When using a pick to play the guitar, banjo or any other stringed instrument, the pick sometimes moves out of position or is inaccurately placed in the proper position to play the stringed instrument. Therefore, the pick is not placed into the proper position to utilize the guitar pick.
Accordingly, in light of the foregoing, there is a need for a device to provide easier use of a pick for playing a stringed instrument and ease of placement in the proper position for playing.


A glass antenna having a high reception sensitivity while not blocking a driver's sight. On a window glass, a longitudinal length y of a pattern of the glass antenna is set so as to satisfy y.ltoreq..lambda./4.multidot..alpha. (.lambda.: reception frequency wavelength; .alpha.: glass reduction ratio), and a transversal length x of the pattern is set so as to satisfy 60 cm-y.gtoreq.x.

This invention relates to an antenna such as a glass antenna placed on a glass window pane of a vehicle and the like and a method for setting the antenna on a window glass, and more particularly to improvement of antenna shape.
Vehicular window panes limit drivers' sight. To ensure visibility, various legal regulations are made on vehicular antennas provided on the window panes. Accordingly, the glass antennas must be designed within predetermined limitations regulations on size, width and length.
The above limitations on the shape of the glass antennas by the regulations have serious influence on performance of glass antennas which are already disadvantageous in comparison with rod antennas in point of sensitivity.
Known conventional glass antennas, such as a vehicular antenna device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-74845 and a loop-shaped glass antenna disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-1703, are not made with consciousness of the regulations, but are well-designed in antenna shape. Further, an antenna according to an article "Disc Shaped Mono-Pole Antenna with Wide Range and Directivity-less Reception Performance" (by Michiaki Ito and Hajime Seki) is known.
The vehicular antenna device in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-74845 is made based on the relation between the antenna and a metal pillar. That is, the length of the pillar is set to .lambda./2 (.lambda.: wavelength of received wave) or shorter, while the length of the antenna is .lambda./4 or shorter. Since this prior art is made on the relation between the antenna and the pillar, and the antenna is basically a mono-pole type antenna, it includes no reference regarding a widthwise direction. Therefore, in consideration of present vehicle size, this antenna device is applicable to the FM band at most.
The glass antenna in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-1703 has a 200 to 1500 mm loop shape, a conductive wire is provided to connect the antenna at a feeding point in approximately parallel to a longitudinal central line of the vehicle. This prior art is made on the point of the total length of the loop antenna, however, the relation between a longitudinal length and a transversal length of the antenna is not considered. Accordingly, to clear the regulations and attain high reception performance, trials and errors with various lengths in the lengthwise and widthwise directions must be repeated within a range of 200 to 1500 mm.
The disk mono-pole type antenna as shown in the above article has a wide range performance with a round disk shape. However, this shape obstructs a driver's sight if the antenna is applied as a vehicular glass antenna. If the size of this antenna is reduced to ensure the driver's sight, a desired performance may not be attained.

Glass antenna having a shape to provide maximum reception sensitivity while not blocking a driver's sight


At the time of forming irregularities on at least one of a reflection face and an emitting face of a light-guide plate, irregularities are formed as a plurality of linear grooves formed in a direction perpendicular to the entrance face. When the grooves are formed by means of grinding, surfaces of the grooves are made rough. Therefore, light can be appropriately condensed and diffused by the grooves, and the luminance can be enhanced and the unevenness of the luminance can be reduced.

The present invention is a technique relating to a surface light emitting device used for a liquid crystal display and others.
As a device for illuminating a liquid crystal display board and others, a surface light emitting device referred to as a front light or back light has been proposed. In the surface light emitting device, a point light source or a line light source is arranged on the side of a light-guide plate, a beam of light emitted by the light source enters into the light-guide plate and reflected, and the beam of light emits upward or downward with respect to the light-guide plate. In order to realize the emitting of light described above, irregularities for reflecting light sent from the light source are formed on a predetermined face of the light-guide plate or on an optical sheet laminated on the light-guide plate. Concerning the forms of providing these irregularities, various forms are proposed so as to enhance the luminance and reduce the unevenness of the luminance.
The forms of these irregularities are divided into two main forms. One is a form in which the irregularities are made into points of various shapes such as a column, circular cone and hemisphere, and the other is a form in which the irregularities are made into various linear shapes, the cross sections of which are formed into a triangle and others. In the former form in which the irregularities are made into points of various shapes, the diffusion of light tends to be facilitated, and the unevenness of luminance tends to be reduced. However, the luminance tends to be deteriorated. On the other hand, in the latter form in which the irregularities are made into various linear shapes, the luminance tends to be enhanced, however, the unevenness of luminance tends to be generated along the lines.
As a specific example of the related art, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which a projecting portion having a pair of inclined faces formed In a direction perpendicular to an entrance face is repeatedly formed in a direction perpendicular to the entrance face on a reflection face opposed to an emitting face. Patent Document 2 discloses a technique in which the same projecting portions are provided on the emitting face.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-10-268138    Patent Document 2; JP-A-2003-86012
In the case where a surface light emitting device is incorporated into a small device such as a cellular phone, a sufficiently large space can not be provide for arranging the light source. Therefore, a point light source such as LED is preferably adopted, compared with a line light source such as a cold cathode ray tube. However, in the structure disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the following problems may be encountered. Although the emitting efficiency is high, in the case of using a point light source, a front portion of the light source with respect to a direction perpendicular to the entrance face becomes bright linearly, and further unevenness of the luminance tends to be caused in the vicinity of the light source on the emitting face.

Light-guide plate, surface light emitting device using light-guide plate and method of manufacturing light-guide plate


A parity check circuit may include a first signal combination unit for generating first to Nth combination signals by combining first to Nth signals, wherein a Kth (K is a natural number of 2≦K≦N) combination signal of the first to Nth combination signals is obtained by combining the first to Kth signals of the first to Nth signals, a parity check unit for detecting whether an error is present in the first to Nth signals in response to the Nth combination signal, a second signal combination unit for generating first to Nth reconstruction signals by combining the first to Nth combination signals, wherein a Kth reconstruction signal of the first to Nth reconstruction signals is obtained by combining a (K−1)th combination signal and the Kth combination signal of the first to Nth combination signals, and a signal storage unit for storing the first to Nth reconstruction signals.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a parity check circuit and a memory device including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A parity check is a technology for checking whether data has been lost or damaged during transmission. There are multiple different types of parity check methods being used in the verification of data transmission. In addition, n-out-of-r code (nCr) methods and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) methods are also used to verify the transmission of data.
In a parity check, the number of bits of received multi-bit data that have a value of "1" is set as an even (or odd) number. Therefore, an error in the received data may be detected by checking whether the received data have an even (or odd) number of bits with a value of "1". For example, in an even parity check, if the number of bits of received multi-bit data that have a value of "1" is an even number, it means no errors should be present. If the number of bits having a value of "1" is odd, this means there is an error. In contrast, in an odd parity check, if the number of bits of received multi-bit data that have a value of "1" is an odd number, there should not be any errors. If there is an even number of bits with a value of "1", an error has occurred.
In accordance with the JEDEC specs for DDR4 SDRAM, now being discussed in the industry, a function for performing a parity check using a command and an address applied to a memory device and sending information about the command to a memory controller if an error is detected in the command is defined. The memory controller may stop operations subsequent to the command, that is, operations after an error occurs, based on transmitted detection information.
For a parity check, parity data combined through exclusive OR (hereinafter referred to as XOR) for all the bits of data to be checked may be generated. If there are a lot data bits to be checked, parity data needs to be generated by connecting multi-stage XOR gates. An XOR gate has asynchronous delay and is problematic in that it may generate data errors or cause difficulty in setting the timing of a parity check operation accurately.

Parity check circuit and memory device including the same


In one embodiment, a system receives vehicle information from one or more ADVs. The system determines a location and a heading of each ADV from the vehicle information of the ADV. For each of the ADVs, the system determines if the ADV is approaching a traffic light junction based on the location and the heading of the ADV. The system sends the vehicle information of the ADVs to a traffic light control system in response to determining the ADV is approaching the traffic light junction, where the vehicle information is used by the traffic light control system to direct a traffic flow at the traffic light junction, including adjusting a time duration of a light signal at one or more traffic lights disposed at the traffic light junction in advance of the ADVs arriving at the traffic light junction.

Vehicles operating in an autonomous mode (e.g., driverless) can relieve occupants, especially the driver, from some driving-related responsibilities. When operating in an autonomous mode, the vehicle can navigate to various locations using onboard sensors, allowing the vehicle to travel with minimal human interaction or in some cases without any passengers.
There are two types of traffic light control system. A first type is a fixed time delay traffic light control system. For this type, traffic light signals are synchronized to fixed time delays. A second type is a density based traffic light control system. For this type of a traffic light controls system, traffic light signals are synchronized to a density of a traffic flow at the traffic lights, which can be provided by cameras or detectors installed right before the traffic lights. For ADVs, however, more information (such as the ADVs will likely cross the intersection in the next traffic light cycle) can be made available for a density based traffic light control system. Such information can be used in addition to cameras and motion detectors to optimize a timing for traffic light signals synchronization to improve a traffic flow.

Density based traffic light control system for autonomous driving vehicles (ADVs)


A catheter for draining urine from the bladder and which is composed of a flexible plastic tube (1) having an insertion aid (2) secured to the insertion end of the tube. Thus the insertion aid and tube may be inserted into the urethra and guided therethrough into the bladder. The tube (1) has at least one orifice (4) in the region adjacent the insertion aid (2). Also, the insertion aid (2) connects with essentially the same diameter to the tube (1) and ends with a rounded head portion (3), whose diameter may be slightly larger than the diameter of the tube (1). The insertion aid may be significantly more flexible as compared to the tube.

The invention relates to a catheter for draining urine from the bladder of a user, and which is composed of a flexible tube and an insertion aid secured to the insertion end of the tube for inserting it into the urethra and guiding it therethrough into the bladder, and with the tube having at least one orifice in the region adjacent the insertion aid.
The invention further relates to a catheter for draining urine which is composed of a flexible tube for inserting it into the urethra and guiding it therethrough into the bladder, with the tube being made of plastic and having at least one orifice adjacent its insertion or free end or in the region preceding the free end.
For managing incontinence of male persons, in particular in the case of paraplegia, one applies, among other things, the so-called intermittent self-catheterization (ISK), by which the incontinent male person catheterizes himself four to six times a day. To remain continent between catheterization phases, the treating physician normally prescribes a medication that deactivates or sedates the bladder.
However, the known catheters for draining urine are problematic in practice, inasmuch as during the introduction of the catheter into the urethra and while guiding the catheter tip through the urethra into the bladder, it is necessary to overcome pockets, folds, bends, or the like. If one pushes the catheter with a corresponding force against the existing impediments in the urethra, one will face a considerable risk of injury
For example, in the art, one may refer to EP 0 384 476 BE1, which provides as an insertion aid a very special catheter tip. While this catheter tip is made flexible or elastic, it conically tapers toward its free end, and is rounded at its front or free end. Although this specific configuration permits pushing the catheter through the urethra into the bladder, while overcoming the aforesaid problem locations, it also presents in this instance a significant risk of injury because of the necessary application of force.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve and further develop a catheter, in particular a disposable catheter, in such a manner that it is easy to be handled by the user, and which reduces the normal risk of injury quite considerably, when being pushed into and through the urethra.


An optical interface arrangement includes a tile carrying an optical component which is mounted substantially at right angles to a closely adjacent circuit board which carries an electrical circuit. The circuit board has an electrically conductive track extending to an edge of the board adjacent to an edge of the tile. The edge surface of the tile has a localized recess carrying an electrically conductive material which extends across the thickness of the tile and along a major surface of the tile to connect with the optical component. A short bondwire is provided which links the electrically conductive material in the recess to the adjacent electrically conductive track on the circuit board.

This invention relates to an optical interface arrangement in which an optical signal is received or transmitted by a photoelectric device. The optical signal will usually be brought to, or transmitted from, the optical arrangement by means of an optical fiber.
In the case of a receiver, the photoelectric device will usually be a photodiode, for which an electrical amplifier can be placed after the photodiode to boost the electrical signal if necessary.
Such receivers can be used in a wide range of analogue and digital systems to convert the optical signals present in the optical fiber into electrical signals. Digital applications include telecommunications systems. Analogue applications include remote control of microwave transmitters and optically-fed phased array antennas. In such applications the broad-band high-frequency signals are transmitted over optical fiber. The optical modulation frequencies and hence the electrical carrier frequencies of interest are in the microwave and millimeter wave region.
At such high frequencies the minimization of unwanted parasitic elements of the electrical components and electrical connections becomes very important.
In a conventional photodiode the optical signal is directed at its surface. Usually such a photodiode is placed on a ceramic tile which is made of dielectric material. Metal tracks on the surface of the tile carry the detected electrical signal. Electrical connection from the tile to the photodiode is made using solder contacts.
In a conventional optical receiver design, the photodiode tile is placed horizontally on a flat surface adjacent to the electrical amplifier with both being in the same plane. By making the components small and placing them close together the length of the connecting bondwire can be minimized to maintain a low parasitic inductance and therefore minimize its detrimental effects.
Because of the surface entry design of a conventional photodiode the light must enter or leave from a direction orthogonal to the photodiode surface. The interfacing of the optical input from the optical fiber to the photodiode can be performed in several ways. For example, the fiber can be placed such that its axis is orthogonal to the photodiode surface so that the end of the optical fiber is placed close (butt coupled) to the photodiode detecting region and no intervening optical coupling or focusing components are required. Unfortunately, in many applications it is desirable to place the input fiber and an output electrical connector in the same plane as each other and in the same plane as a substrate carrying electrical circuits including the amplifier.
In such a case, this can be achieved by leaving the photodiode tile in the same plane as the electrical circuits, and by deflecting the light through 90xc2x0 down onto the photodiode. The methods used for this technique could include the use of a focusing lens and prism, or a 45xc2x0 polished fiber end. The manufacture of components and the optical alignment of these methods are more difficult than that of the simple butt coupling method.
One way to avoid the 90xc2x0 deflection of the light into the photodiode is to place the photodiode tile at right angles to the substrate which carries the electrical circuits, but it is difficult to use conventional wire-bonding equipment to bond around such a 90xc2x0 comer, and also the bondwire can be excessively long, introducing too much parasitic inductance and hence degrading the performance. One known arrangement in which the photodiode plane is at right angles to that of the electrical circuits is disclosed in UK patent application GB 2185151A, in which the photodiode tiles are formed from a larger substrate which is sawn partway through in a series of parallel lines where the edge of the photodiode tiles will be. Patterning of electrically conductive tracks is then performed which pass around the tile edge into the troughs made by the partial sawing. The substrate is then turned over and sawn up into individual tiles by sawing the rest of the way through the substrate from the opposite face. Thus, the resultant track goes around the edge of the tile and continues partway along the edge of the tile. The length of the bondwire linking the photodiode to the electrical substrate is minimized by such an arrangement, but it has disadvantages in that a relatively thick phototile is required, and the electrically conductive tracks extend only partway along the edge thickness of the tile.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved optical interface arrangement. According to a first aspect of this invention, an optical interface arrangement comprises: a tile carrying an optical component which is mounted substantially at right angles to a closely adjacent substrate which carries an electrical circuit and which has an electrically conductive track extending to an edge of the substrate adjacent to an edge of said tile; the edge surface of said tile having a localized recess carrying an electrically conductive material which extends across the thickness of the tile and along a major surface of said tile to connect with said optical component, and a short bondwire linking the electrically conductive material in said recess to the adjacent electrically conductive track on the substrate.
According to a second aspect of this invention, a method of making an optical interface arrangement includes the steps of: forming an array of holes through a sheet of tile material; coating the walls of the holes with an electrically conductive material, dividing said sheet into a plurality of smaller tiles such that an edge of each tile passes through a hole to leave a recess on that edge which carries electrically conductive material; mounting an optical component on each tile so that it is electrically connected to said electrically conductive material; mounting each tile at right angles to an adjacent substrate which carries an electrically conductive track; and linking said electrically conductive track to said material in the recess by means of a short bondwire.


An automatically readable medium encoded with a time-based media file which comprises a factory object which uniquely identifies the instantiation of an object of a particular type. The factory object can be one of the following: a scene object; a behavior object; or a filter object. The scene object can include at least one of the following: global setting for the scene; or the last settings used to render to a resulting time-based media file. The scene object can ultimately contain a reference to media used by the object. A scene object can include a reference to another scene object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the area of storage of files, specifically time-based media (multimedia) files, in a tangible medium.
2. Background of the Invention
Prior art multimedia files have suffered from a variety of shortcomings. Manufacturers have tended to develop their own internal file formats unique and optimized to their products. They are often represented in binary. Generally, they are designed to be used by known application programs (their own) for known purposes, those supported by their applications. As a result, such files have suffered not only from incompatibility among each other, but also have suffered from the shortcoming that they are inextensible.
Web browsers have long had the ability to handle data which the underlying browser does not know how to process. Web browsers typically parse HTML and its variants (HTML+) to present web pages to a user and have had facilities implemented for handling disparate file data types in an HTML file through a MIME registry. If a web browser encounters a data type in a HTML file that it is processing that it cannot handle within the browser, then it makes an attempt to find a plug-in or helper application which can process the data outside the domain of the browser.
XML has recently grown into favor for describing data generally which, unlike HTML, is not necessarily to be presented to a user, for example, on a display or on hardcopy. XML, unlike HTML, is extensible and can have user-specified tags asscociated with it. Some multimedia authoring applications (e.g. Final Cut Pro 5 from Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. [hereinafter "Apple"]), have added facilities for basic file interchange using XML. However, to date, no multimedia authoring applications have stored their native file format in XML with the ability to handle a variety of data types, including those of which the application has no ability to process.


An autonomous vehicle is improved with a navigational system having both cameras and echolocation sensors, each including overlapping fields of view. The cameras and echolocation sensors may be part of an optical and echolocation system, respectively, that may work in conjunction with a global positioning system to determine a course for the autonomous vehicle to reach an objective while detecting and avoid obstacles along the course.

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology has proven to be a valuable tool for mission profiles involving intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and payload delivery. In contexts such as low-altitude urban reconnaissance, a UAV such as a micro air vehicle (MAV) may encounter both large and small obstacles that may be fixed or moving, and whose position is not known in advance. There remains a need for improved autonomous vehicle navigation systems that can respond to varied and unknown obstacles in cluttered navigational environments.

Autonomous vehicle navigation system and method


A data processing circuit that holds a state of a clock signal of each phase of an input multi-phase clock at a timing of an input latch clock, the multi-phase clock including clock signals of a plurality of phases sequentially shifted at certain intervals determined in advance, and generates a digital signal obtained by digitizing the states of the phases of the multi-phase clock at a timing at which the latch clock is input, the data processing circuit including: a latch portion including n latch unit groups (n is an integer of a power of 2) including the same number and a plurality of latch units, each latch unit holding the state of the clock signal of the corresponding phase of the multi-phase clock and outputting an output signal indicating the held state of the clock signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing circuit and a solid-state imaging device.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-209541, filed Sep. 24, 2012, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor has attracted attention and has been put to practical use as a solid-state imaging device. A CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor is manufactured through a dedicated manufacturing process whereas a CMOS image sensor can be manufactured using a general semiconductor manufacturing process. Based on this, in the CMOS image sensor, for example, many functions can be realized by incorporating various functional circuits in the sensor like an SOC (System On Chip).
Also, in recent years, examples in which a solid-state imaging device including an analog-to-digital converter (hereinafter referred to as an "A/D conversion circuit") is used as a solid-state imaging device having a digital camera, a digital video camera or an endoscope mounted thereon are increasing. In such an A/D conversion circuit included in the solid-state imaging device, a ramp type A/D conversion circuit may be used. When the A/D conversion circuit is described in the following description, the A/D conversion circuit is assumed to indicate a ramp type A/D) conversion circuit.
A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of A/D conversion circuits having the same configuration, each including a comparator, an upper counter, a data processing circuit, and a memory. In each A/D) conversion circuit, the comparator performs a comparison (hereinafter referred to as a "comparison process") of a voltage value of a pixel signal (an analog signal) with a voltage value of a reference signal in a ramp shape (ramp wave). Also, each A/D conversion circuit generates a digital signal corresponding to a size of each input pixel signal by the upper counter and the data processing circuit digitizing (binarizing) a time from a timing of an initial value of the ramp wave to a timing at which the comparison process is completed, as an upper-bit signal and a lower-bit signal of the digital signal, respectively, and the memory holding the digitized digital signal (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2011-166235 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-258806).
FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a data processing circuit included in a conventional A/D conversion circuit. The conventional data processing circuit 900 illustrated in FIG. 20 includes a latch portion 901 and a digital generation unit 902.
The data processing circuit 900 generates and outputs the binarized digital signal by the latch portion 901 holding states of phases of a plurality of clock signals having different phases at certain intervals (hereinafter referred to as a "multi-phase clock") at a timing at which the comparator has completed the comparison process, and the digital generation unit 902 digitizing the held states of the phases of the multi-phase clock. In the following description, numbers shown in brackets ("[ ]") subsequent to a reference sign indicates the bit of each signal. For example, a signal of a second bit is indicated as "[1]" and a signal of a sixteenth bit is indicated as "[15]."
The latch portion 901 is a circuit that latches (holds) the state of the clock signal of each phase of the multi-phase clock DU, and includes the same number of latch circuits 91 as the number of multi-phase clocks DU.
A case in which the latch portion 901 included in the data processing circuit 900 illustrated in FIG. 20 includes sixteen latch circuits 91 (LAT[15:0]) corresponding to the respective phases of the multi-phase clock DU[15:0] of sixteen phases is shown.
In the latch portion 901 illustrated in FIG. 20, "LAT" is given as a reference sign of the latch circuit 91 and a number indicating each phase of the multi-phase clock DU is shown in brackets ("[ ]") subsequent to the reference sign "LAT" in order to indicate the latch circuit 91 corresponding to each phase corresponding to a bit in the multi-phase clock DU, thereby indicating a bit of the latch circuit 91. For example, a fifteenth phase of the multi-phase clock DU is indicated by a multi-phase clock DU[14], and the latch circuit 91 corresponding to the multi-phase clock DU[14] is indicated by a latch circuit LAT[14].
Each latch circuit 91 latches (holds) a state of "high" or "low" of the clock signal of each phase of the corresponding multi-phase clock DU at a timing of a falling edge (or a rising edge) of the latch clock LATCLK indicating that the voltage value of the pixel signal (analog signal) and the voltage value of the reference signal in a ramp shape (ramp wave) match in the comparison process of the comparator, namely, indicating that the comparator has completed the comparison process.
Also, the latch portion 901 sequentially outputs an output signal DO[15:0] indicating states of clock signals of respective phases of the multi-phase clock DU latched in the latch circuits 91 to the readout line OL[1:0] according to a timing of readout switch signals SW1[14:0] and SW2[15:1] corresponding to the respective latch circuits 91.
The digital generation unit 902 is a circuit that binarizes the states of the phases of the multi-phase clock DU when the comparator has completed the comparison process based on the output signal DO[15:0] sequentially output from the latch portion 901 to the readout line OL[1:0] to generate a 4-bit digital signal DOUT[3:0], and includes, for example, an encoder 92 and a lower counter 93, as illustrated in FIG. 20.
The encoder 92 includes a general logic circuit, and generates a count clock CNTCLK to be counted by the lower counter 93, according to a signal of any 2 bits of the output signal DO[15:0] input by the readout line OL[1:0]. The lower counter 93 generates a binarized 4-bit digital signal DOUT[3:0] by counting the number of instances of "high" of the count clock CNTCLK.
FIG. 21 is a timing chart illustrating an example of a timing of the multi-phase clock and the latch clock input to the data processing circuit included in the conventional A/D conversion circuit. In FIG. 21, an example of the multi-phase clock DU[15:0] of sixteen phases having a phase difference of Ts/16 when a period of the clock signal of each phase of the multi-phase clock DU is a period Ts is illustrated.
As illustrated in FIG. 21, when the respective latch circuits 91 of the latch portion 901 latch the states of the clock signals of the respective phases of the corresponding multi-phase clock DU at a timing at which the latch clock LATCLK is inverted, the output signal DO[15:0] indicating the states of the clock signals of the respective phases of the multi-phase clock DU is "0000011111111000." The data processing circuit 900 generates a 4-bit digital signal DOUT[3:0]="1011" ("11" in decimal notation) by the digital generation unit 902 binarizing the states of the phases of the multi-phase clock DU based on the output signal DO[15:0].
Here, an operation when the digital generation unit 902 binarizes the states of the phases of the multi-phase clock DU will be described. FIG. 22 is a timing chart illustrating an example of a timing of an operation of binarizing states of phases of the multi-phase clock in the data processing circuit included in the conventional A/D conversion circuit.
The output signal DO[15:0] is sequentially output to the readout line OL[1:0] by 2 bits based on the readout switch signals SW1[14:0] and SW2[15:1], as illustrated in FIG. 22. In this case, the encoder 92 detects the state of the phase of the multi-phase clock DU, more specifically, a position of the bit of the latch circuit 91 in which there is a timing of a rising edge of the multi-phase clock DU, based on the readout line OL[1:0].
Also, the encoder 92 initiates generation of the count clock CNTCLK when the timing of the rising edge of the multi-phase clock DU is detected. When the output signal DO[15:0] of each latch circuit 91 of the latch portion 901 is "0000011111111000," the encoder 92 generates a count clock CNTCLK which becomes "high" eleven times until reading of all bits of the output signal DO[15:0] ends, as illustrated in FIG. 22.
The data processing circuit 900 outputs a digital signal DOUT[3:0]="1011" ("11" in decimal notation) obtained by binarizing the states of the phases of the multi-phase clock DU, as a lower-bit signal in the digital signals subjected to analog-to-digital conversion in the A/D conversion circuit, by the lower counter 93 counting the number of instances of "high" of the count clock CNTCLK.

Data processing circuit and solid-state imaging device


A testing system for testing a temperature characteristic of a first motor includes a second motor, a controller, a driver, a load, a temperature sensor, and a temperature recorder. The controller provides a drive command for the driver to drive the second motor. The second motor drives the first motor via a coupling. A current of the first motor is determined by adjusting the resistance of the load. The temperature sensor senses the temperatures of the first motor every a determined time and sends the temperatures to the temperature recorder. The temperature recorder records and transmits the temperatures to the controller for the temperature characteristic test of the first motor.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to testing systems and methods, and particularly, to a testing system and method for testing a temperature characteristic of a motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
If a motor operates at temperature above what it is rated for, it could have a shorter life than expected. Therefore, it is important to perform a temperature characteristic test on motors in the manufacturing process. A conventional temperature characteristic testing system includes a driver providing the motor current to drive the motor to rotate at a rated speed. However, the current provided for the motor by the driver may raise the temperature of the motor, for example, when the current contains impulse noise or high-order harmonics. Therefore, it is hard to determine whether high operating temperatures of a motor under test are the result of a problem with the motor or the driver.


The present invention relates to novel insulin analogs comprising mutations at position A14 in the A chain and at positions B27, B28, B29 and B30 in the B chain and exhibiting resistance towards protease; a method for the preparation of such insulin analogs; insulin preparations containing the insulin analogs of the invention; and, a method of treating diabetes mellitus using these insulin analogs.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder in which the ability to utilize glucose is partly or completely lost. About 5% of all people suffer from diabetes and the disorder approaches epidemic proportions.
Human insulin consists of two polypeptide chains, the A and B chains which contain 21 and 30 amino acid residues, respectively. The A and B chains are interconnected by two disulphide bridges. Insulin from most other species is similar, but may contain amino acid substitutions in some positions. In the treatment of diabetes mellitus, many varieties of insulin formulations have been suggested and used, such as regular insulin, isophane insulin (designated NPH), insulin zinc suspensions (such as SEMILENTE®, LENTE®, and ULTRALENTE®), and biphasic isophane insulin. Also human insulin analogues have been developed. They are designed for particular profiles of action, i.e. fast acting or prolonged action. Commercially available products comprising such insulin analogues include LEVEMIR®, NOVORAPID®, HUMALOG®, APIDRA® and LANTUS®.
Normally, insulin formulations are administered by subcutaneous injection.
However, administration by the oral route would be advantageous due to patient compliance, safety and convenience.
Oral administration of protein drugs such as insulin often results in very low bioavailability due to several barriers such as enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, drug efflux pumps, insufficient and variable absorption from the intestinal mucosa, as well as first pass metabolism in the liver. Human insulin is degraded by various digestive enzymes found in the stomach (pepsin and gastricsin), in the intestinal lumen (chymotrypsin, trypsin, elastase, carboxypeptidases, etc.) and in mucosal surfaces of the GI tract (aminopeptidases, carboxypeptidases, enteropeptidases, dipeptidyl peptidases, endopeptidases, etc.). Recent formulation designs for oral protein/peptide delivery include co-formulations with protease inhibitors, permeation enhancers, polymer-based delivery systems and insulin conjugates. The latter includes hexyl-insulin-monoconjugate-2 (HIM2) (Nobex Cooperation and GSK), a human insulin analogue with a PEG 7-hexyl group attached to B29. In for example U.S. Pat. No. 7,030,082, U.S. Pat. No. 6,867,183 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,770,625 oral HIM2 has been reported to have increased proteolytic stability and bioavailability compared to insulin.
Combination of a protease resistant insulin analogue with an oral protein delivery system represents a promising strategy for oral insulin administration. Furthermore no enzyme inhibitors need to be incorporated in the delivery system.


Data validation uses redundant storage of the data on two-layer magnetic tapes. A method and system provide data recording and reading on such magnetic tapes with a high degree of protection from errors and/or fraudulent behavior. The two-layer tape includes a first layer with a high coercive field positioned on a support and a second magnetic layer with a lower coercive field covering the first layer. Synchronous recording is done on the two layers so that all data is recorded on the second layer and some of the date is recorded on the first layer. Data on the second layer is validated upon reading by reading the data in the first layer after erasure of the second layer.

The invention relates to two-layer magnetic tapes and, more particularly, to a method and system that enable the recording and reading of such tapes in providing for a high degree of protection from errors and/or fraudulent behaviour.
More specifically, this high degree of protection from errors and/or fraudulent behaviour is obtained by seeing to it that it is no longer possible to modify the useful information without incurring a refusal during the reading of the modified information.
The invention shall be described with reference to a particular application to the recording and reading of magnetic labels carried on the packages of medicines. These magnetic labels are designed to record a number of information elements such as the pharmaceutical identification code (P.I.C.), the reimbursement ratio (under health insurance), the price etc. When a medicine is sold by a pharmacist, this magnetic label is read by a reader connected to a computer and the information elements read are processed by this computer to be entered into the accounts by the pharmacist and/or sent to the insurance organisation.
To prevent the consequences of errors and curb fraudulent behaviour, it is of prime importance that a medicine sold should not be entered into the accounts or be subject to a refund or reimbursement more than once.
The object of the invention, therefore, is to implement a method and a system for the recording and reading of magnetic labels that does not allow such errors and/or fraudulent behaviour.
To this effect, the invention proposes the use of a two-layer magnetic tape or label, one layer of which has a high coercive field while the other layer has a lower coercive field. The recording is done on these two layers in synchronism so as to record all the necessary information elements in the layer with a low coercive field and only a portion of these information elements, for example the price, in the layer with a high coercive field. When the label is read at the time of a sale, the information elements of the layer with a low coercive field are erased after a reading without error and the information elements of the layer with a high coercive field are read to be compared with the corresponding information elements read previously on the layer with a low coercive field. If the comparison reveals no error, then the information elements read on the layer with a low coercive field are validated in order to be entered into the accounts and/or forwarded to the refunding organisation. If the opposite is the case, they are considered to be erroneous or false, and are not taken into account.

Method for the recording and reading of a two-layer magnetic tape, and system of implementation


The present invention provides a device structure and method of forming a finFet device having stacked fins. The method of the present invention comprises: providing a substrate with a first semiconductor layer on a first insulator layer, a second insulator layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer on the second insulator layer; forming a first fin and a second fin in the second semiconductor layer; masking the first fin; and forming a third fin in the first semiconductor layer, where the second fin is stacked on the third fin. The structure of the present invention comprises: a semiconductor substrate having a first semiconductor layer on a first insulator layer, a second insulator layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer on the second insulator layer; a first and second fin formed in the second semiconductor layer; and a third fin formed in the first semiconductor layer, where the second fin is stacked on the third fin.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of semiconductor processing and, more specifically, to finFET CMOS devices.
2. Background Art
The need to remain cost and performance competitive in the production of semiconductor devices has caused continually increasing device density in integrated circuits. To facilitate the increase in device density, new technologies are constantly needed to allow the feature size of these semiconductor devices to be reduced.
The push for ever increasing device densities is particularly strong in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technologies such as in the design and fabrication of field effect transistors (FETs). FETs are the basic electrical devices of today's integrated circuits and are used in almost all types of integrated circuit design (e.g., microprocessors, memory, etc.). FETs may be formed on conventional substrates. For example, a conventional CMOS FET formed on a silicon wafer may include a gate oxide layer formed on the wafer, a gate formed on the gate oxide layer, spacers formed beside the gate on the gate oxide layer, and doped source/drain (S/D) regions arranged on respective sides of a gate conductor. The gate is separated from a channel (which is situated between the S/D regions) by the gate oxide layer. Shallow trench insulator (STI), local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS), or poly-bared LOCOS isolations are usually employed to provide for isolation of adjacent transistors. When the FET is operated, an electric field is grated by applying a voltage to the gate. The electrical field is used to control the channel situated between the S/D regions. For example, if the channel is turned on, the electrons/holes flow from the source region to the drain region. In contrast, if the channel is turned off the electrons/holes cannot flow between the source region and the drain region. Therefore, the on/off state of the channel controls the connection/disconnection of the circuit.
Unfortunately, increased device density in CMOS technologies often results in degradation of reliability. One type of FET that has been proposed to facilitate increased device density is a double gated FET (finFET). FinFETs use two gates, one on each side of a fin body (i.e. transistor body), to facilitate scaling of CMOS dimensions, while maintaining an acceptable performance. In particular, the use of the double gate suppresses Short Channel Effects (SCE), provides for lower leakage, and provides for more ideal switching behavior. In addition, the use of the double gate increases gate area, which allows the finFET to have better current control, without increasing the gate length of the device. As such, the finFET is able to have the current control of a larger transistor without requiring the device space of the larger transistor. However, conventional fin height control techniques have drawbacks that introduce undesirable variation into the height of fins. For example, conventional non-silicon-on-insulator finFET technologies rely on a silicon etch-stop height control technique for determining fin height. This technique involves the process of etching fins from silicon where the silicon fins have different heights. The height of a fin is determined by how much bulk silicon is etched. Variability in the etch depth translates to undesirable variability in fin height. Such a technique introduces too much variation into the manufacture of variable height fins because the etch process is difficult to precisely control.
Another way to facilitate scaling of CMOS dimensions, while maintaining an acceptable performance, is to increase the mobility of carriers in a semiconductor material. In CMOS technology, n-channel FETs (n-FETs) use electrons as carriers and p-channel FETs (p-FETs) use holes as carriers. When an electric field is applied to a semiconductor substrate, each of the carriers (i.e. holes and electrons) in the substrate will experience a force from the field and will be accelerated along the field. The velocity of the carriers due to this effect is called drift velocity and it is proportional to the applied electric field. This proportionality factor is known as mobility (μ). The higher the mobility, the higher the current density the transistor will have, resulting in a faster switching speed.
In conventional CMOS technologies, mobility of carriers is dependent on a number of factors, especially the surface plane of a wafer. That is, carriers see the periodicity of the atoms (the pattern the atoms form), which is completely determined by the crystal plane. Thus, planar devices always have the mobility associated with the plane on which they are formed.
Accordingly, conventional CMOS technologies use silicon substrates having a surface oriented on a (100) crystal plane. Conventional silicon substrates having a surface oriented on the (100) crystal plane are chosen because: (a) the surface state density between the silicon substrate and the silicon oxide film is at a minimum when the silicon substrate surface is oriented on the (100) plane; and                (b) the mobility of electrons in the (100) plane is higher than in other crystal planes, and therefore, the source-drain current of a n-channel FET formed on the semiconductor substrate having the (100) plane provides the largest current. However, the mobility of holes is not optimized in the (100) plane, and therefore, the source-drain current of a p-channel FET formed on the semiconductor substrate having the (100) plane is inevitably small. The p-channel FET therefore fails to have desirable characteristics, even though the n-channel FET exhibits good characteristics. Many planes in a lattice are equivalent by a symmetry transformation. For example, the (100), (010), and (001) planes are planes of equivalent symmetry. In this application, a plane and all of its equivalent planes are denoted by { } parentheses. Thus, the designation of the plane {100} includes the equivalent (100), (010), and (001) planes. Like the crystal direction, a crystal plane in this application includes both positive and negative integers unless specifically stated or shown otherwise. Accordingly, for example, the designation of the plane {100} includes the (−100), (0–10), and (00–1) planes in addition to the (100), (010), and (001) planes.
Hole mobility could be enhanced, especially at high electric fields, if p-channel FETs were formed on the (111) plane. However, because the (111) plane has a worse mobility for electrons, it is not used in conventional planar CMOS. In conventional planar CMOS, since utilizing different planes for different devices is impossible (i.e. since planar CMOS is "planar", both n-channel FETs and p-channel FETs must be on the same plane), the (100) plane provides a compromise between maximizing hole and electron mobility.
Conventional finFET technologies have drawbacks regarding hole mobility. For example, due to mobility differences between electrons and holes in silicon, conventional finFET technologies require the number of p-finFET devices to be approximately twice that of n-finFET devices so to obtain the same electrical current when p-finFET height is the same as n-finFET height. Thus, the total area required for p-finFET devices is approximately twice that of n-finFET devices. Alternatively, conventional techniques for accommodating mobility differences rely on the fabrication of multiple parallel fins on a substrate. This technique has an undesirable circuit density penalty. By fabricating parallel fins for a single device to accommodate mobility differences, one problem is created (more substrate area is consumed per device) while addressing another (mobility differences).
Thus, there is a need for improved finFET technologies that: improve circuit density by forming finFET devices from single fin n-finFETs and from stacked fin p-finFETs without impacting device performance; utilize various crystal planes for FET current channels in order to optimize mobility and/or reduce mobility in specific devices depending upon the particular application; and improve fin height control by forming finFETs from multiple silicon layers having buried oxide layers in between the silicon layers, thus eliminating the need for a silicon etch-stop height control technique.

Structure and method of manufacturing a finFET device having stacked fins

International Business Machines Corporation


A atomic beam generating method and apparatus for producing an atomic beam that is high in flow rate is disclosed which makes vacuum equipment simpler in construction, and is high in the rate of extraction of atoms, capable of adjusting its flow rate and applicable to many different atomic species. The atomic beam generating apparatus used produces a beam of atoms by extracting the atoms from a low temperature atomic cloud formed by laser cooling. The low temperature atomic cloud is formed by irradiating the atoms with at least two sets of laser lights in a region of laser beam intersection in which they intersect, each of the sets of laser lights being made of a pair of laser beams which are opposite in direction of travel to each other, the laser beams intersecting in the region of laser beam intersection. In this region of laser beam intersection there is provided a laser beam shading zone in which one of the laser beams in each of the sets of laser lights that is traveling in a particular direction is obstructed to provide a shade therefor. The laser beam shading zone is so located in the region of laser beam intersection that in the laser beam shading zone a force is brought about that is effective to force atoms in the laser beam shading zone to move towards a preselected direction, thereby forming a beam thereof.

This invention relates to an atomic beam generating method and apparatus for producing a low velocity beam of atoms.
The conventional methods of producing an atomic beam are classified into the method whereby atoms placed under an elevated pressure or at a raised temperature are injected into a vacuum and the method that utilizes magneto-optical trapping as one of laser cooling techniques.
The method of injecting into vacuum requires atoms if in a solid state at a room temperature to be heated to a high temperature in an oven. An atomic beam that can be obtained by the injection method has an average velocity as high as about several hundred meters/second and a velocity distribution that largely spreads out.
In contrast, the method in which magneto-optical trapping is utilized makes it possible to produce a low velocity atomic beam that is as slow as several centimeters/second.
Magneto-optical trapping is a technique that associates a Doppler cooling process using a laser light with a central force produced according to a Zeeman shift of an atomic level by a quadruple magnetic field, which forms a low temperature atomic cloud having a temperature as low as about 1 micro-degree Kelvin. See Phys. Rev. Lett. 59, 2631 (1987), E. L. Raab et al and Applied Physics (in Japan), 60, 864 (1991), SHIMIZU, Fujio. The Doppler cooling process referred to above is a process in which atoms are irradiated with laser lights of a frequency slightly lower than the resonant frequency of the atoms, which are directed towards the atoms from six or four different directions. In this process, increases by Doppler shifts in the probabilities of absorption of the atoms moving towards the laser lights are exploited to effect three dimensional cooling thereof. See Phy. Rev. Lett. 55, 48 (1985), S. Chu et al.
As the atoms magneto-optically trapped are cooled to a temperature of 100 micro-degrees Kelvin or so, extracting the atoms trapped effectively enables a beam of atoms moving at a low velocity to be produced. In such a background, there have already been realized two methods of extraction of trapped atoms, viz. first by using a mirror with a hole designed to provide a shade for one of the cooling laser beam (see Phy. Rev. Lett. 77, 3331 (1996), Z. T. Lu et al) and second by changing the internal state of the trapped atoms (Nature, 380, 691 (1996), J. Fujita et al).
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view for the illustration of the conventional method in which a perforated mirror (a mirror with a hole) is used to obstruct one of cooling laser beams and to hinder it from reflecting.
In FIG. 10, there are shown vacuum chambers 70 and 71, low temperature atomic cloud 73 and 74 magneto-optically trapped and thereby held in place, laser beams 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d and 7e for three dimensionally trapping the atoms and forming such two low temperature clouds of these atoms and so holding them by Doppler-cooling the atoms. A mirror 72 is associated with one of the laser beams 7b for reflecting the laser beam 7b and is formed in its center with a hole 75. The hole 75 is designed to provide a shade for the laser beam 7b for irradiating the low temperature atomic cloud 73 therewith. The atoms located in the low temperature atomic cloud 73 thus so shaded from irradiation with the laser beam 7b gain a force directed downwards as shown in FIG. 10 and as a result a beam of the atoms is produced. The atomic beam so produced passes through the hole 75 and a transport tube 77 and is transported to the low temperature atomic cloud 74.
FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view for the illustration of the conventional method in which a perforated mirror (a mirror with a hole) is used to obstruct one of cooling laser beams and to hinder it from reflecting.
In the method using such a hole formed mirror to provide a shade for one of cooling laser beams, however, extracting an atomic beam in an exploitable state requires the mirror to be incorporated into vacuum equipment. See Phys. Rev. A58, 3891 (1998). This poses problems such as those of the vacuum equipment becoming complicated and the mirror that may be contaminated. Furthermore, the atomic beam spreading in its velocity direction causes a portion thereof to become intercepted by the mirror, which prevents the produced atomic beam from its effective extraction.
The other method, in which the internal state of atoms is varied, irradiates the atoms with a laser light that is different in wavelength from their trapping laser light to shift the atoms to an energy level at which they do not absorb the trapping laser light, thereby releasing them from their trapped state. This renders the method applicable only to those atomic species that possess a proper energy level at which the atoms do not absorb their trapping laser light. Also, a portion of atoms that absorbed the laser light for freeing them from trapping may have shifted to an unusable energy level, which reduces the efficiency of usable extraction. See Phy. Rev. A46, R17 (1992).
It should also be noted that while atomic beams can be useful in various technical fields including high resolution spectroscopy, frequency standard, atomic wave interferometers, Bose condensation atom formation, atomic ray lithography and atomic ray surface analysis, their application to these utilizations makes it essential that they be controllable in flow rate. It has so far been difficult to control the flow rate of an atomic beam, however.
With the foregoing points taken into account, the present invention is aimed to provide an atomic beam generating method and apparatus that can produce an atomic beam with simpler vacuum equipment and at an enhanced efficiency of extraction while making its flow rate controllable and that can produce beams of atoms in an expanded range of atomic species.
In order to achieve the object mentioned above, the present invention as set forth in claim 1 in the claims appended hereto, provides an atomic beam generating method for producing an atomic beam by extracting atoms from a low temperature atomic cloud formed utilizing laser cooling, which method comprises the steps of forming a low temperature atomic cloud by irradiating the atoms with at least two sets of laser lights in a region of laser beam intersection in which they intersect, each of the sets of laser lights being made of a pair of laser beams which are opposite in direction of travel to each other, the laser beams intersecting in the said region of laser beam intersection; and providing in the said region of laser beam intersection a laser beam shading zone in which a portion of one of the laser beams in each of the sets of laser lights that is traveling in a particular direction is obstructed to provide a shade therefor, wherein the said laser beam shading zone is so located in the said region of laser beam intersection that in the said laser beam shading zone a force is brought about that is effective to force atoms in the said laser beam shading zone to move towards a predetermined direction, thereby forming a beam thereof.
In an atomic beam generating method, the present invention as set forth in claim 2 in the appended claims provides that the said laser beam shading zone is created by a tube for transporting the said beam of atoms, the said tube obstructing the said one of the laser beams in each of the sets to provide the said shade therefor.
A method as described above enables a force of high strength to push atoms to be provided and hence the atoms to be extracted efficiently, thereby producing an atomic beam effectively. Also, disusing the internal state of atoms makes the method applicable to atoms of practically all of the atomic species. Further, the method no longer requires a mirror to be incorporated in vacuum equipment and hence makes the vacuum equipment simple in construction and the mirror free from contamination.
In an atomic beam generating method, the present invention as set forth in claim 3 in the appended claims further provides adjusting the flow rate of the said beam of atoms that the said atomic beam transporting tube transports, by applying a magnetic field to the said low temperature atomic cloud to change its position in the said region of laser beam intersection so as to change the distance between the said low temperature atomic cloud and an upper end of the said atomic beam transporting tube.
Alternatively in an atomic beam generating method, the present invention as set forth in claim 4 in the appended claims further provides adjusting the flow rate of the said beam of atoms by irradiating the said low temperature atomic cloud with an additional laser beam to force atoms in the said low temperature atomic cloud aside into the said laser beam shading zone.
In an atomic beam generating method, the present invention also provides that the said additional laser beam has a wavelength with which it resonates with atoms in the said low temperature atomic cloud.
These methods make it possible to adjust the flow rate of an atomic beam being produced.
The present invention as set forth in claim 6 in the appended claims also provides an atomic beam generating apparatus for producing an atomic beam by extracting atoms from a low temperature atomic cloud formed utilizing laser cooling, which apparatus comprises: a laser system for forming a low temperature atomic cloud by irradiating the atoms with at least two sets of laser lights in a region of laser beam intersection in which they intersect, each of the sets of laser lights being made of a pair of laser beams which are opposite in direction of travel to each other, the laser beams intersecting in the said region of laser beam intersection; and a means for providing in the said region of laser beam intersection a laser beam shading zone in which a portion of one of the laser beams in each of the sets of laser lights that is traveling in a particular direction is obstructed to provide a shade therefor, wherein the said means is adapted to so locate the said laser beam shading zone in the said region of laser beam intersection that in the said laser beam shading zone a force is brought about that is effective to force atoms in the said laser beam shading zone to move towards a predetermined direction, thereby forming a beam thereof.
In an atomic beam generating apparatus, the present invention as set forth in claim 7 in the appended claims also provides that the said means for providing the laser beam shading zone comprises a tube for transporting the said beam of atoms, the said tube being arranged to obstruct the said one of the laser beams in each of the sets to provide the said shade therefor.
An apparatus as described above enables a force of high strength to push atoms to be provided and hence the atoms to be extracted efficiently, thereby producing an atomic beam effectively. Also, disusing the internal state of atoms makes the apparatus applicable to atoms of practically all of the atomic species. Further, the apparatus no longer requires a mirror to be incorporated in vacuum equipment and hence makes the vacuum simpler in construction and the mirror free from contamination.
In an atomic beam generating apparatus, the present invention as set forth in claim 8 in the appended claims further provides means for applying a magnetic field to the said low temperature atomic cloud to change its position in the said region of laser beam intersection so as to change the distance between the said low temperature atomic cloud and an upper end of the said atomic beam transporting tube, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the said beam of atoms that the said atomic beam transporting tube transports.
In an atomic beam generating apparatus, the present invention as set forth in claim 9 in the appended claims further provides that the said laser system is adapted to irradiate the said low temperature atomic cloud with an additional laser beam to force atoms in the said low temperature atomic cloud aside into the said laser beam shading zone, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the said atomic beam.
In an atomic beam generating apparatus, the present invention as set forth in claim 10 in the appended claims further provides that the said additional laser beam has a wavelength with which it resonates with atoms in the said low temperature atomic cloud.

Atomic beam generating method and device

Japan Science and Technology Corporation


Arterial and venous endothelial cells are molecularly distinct from the earliest stages of angiogenesis. This distinction is revealed by expression on arterial cells of a transmembrane ligand, called EphrinB2 whose receptor EphB4 is expressed on venous cells. Targeted disruption of the EphrinB2 gene prevents the remodeling of veins from a capillary plexus into properly branched structures. Moreover, it also disrupts the remodeling of arteries, suggesting that reciprocal interactions between pre-specified arterial and venous endothelial cells are necessary for angiogenesis.

The process of blood vessel formation is fundamental in both development and disease. The circulatory system is the first organ system to emerge during embryogenesis, and is necessary to nourish the developing fetus. Disorders of the circulatory system, such as coronary artery disease, are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in modern society. Thus, repairing, replacing and promoting the growth of blood vessels is a major target of clinical research and of pharmaceutical development. Conversely, the ingrowth of new capillary networks into developing tumors is essential for the progression of cancer. Thus, the development of drugs that inhibit this process of tumor angiogenesis is an equally important therapeutic goal. Little attention has been paid to the problem of how arteries and veins acquire their distinct identities. Indeed, many people have assumed that the anatomical and functional differences between arteries and veins simply reflect physiological influences, such as blood pressure, oxygenation and shear forces. Additional knowledge of how arteries and veins acquire their respective identities would be valuable in both research and clinical settings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Artery- and vein-specific proteins and uses therefor


An integrated circuit die is tested by inserting test probe needles into flat solder pads before reflow. The testing is performed at different temperatures to functionally test the integrated circuit die. The solder pads are flat during probe test to improve the uniform contact point and pressure for the test probes, and help avoid slippage or sliding. The probe needles may cause indentation in the solder pads. Following probe test, the solder pads are reflowed to transform the solder pads into solder bumps. Reflow after probe test removes any indentations from the solder pads created during the probe test and leaves only rounded solder bumps without probe damage. The solder bumps are used to flip-chip interconnect the IC into end user systems.

The present invention relates in general to integrated circuit testing and, more particularly, to reflowing solder pads on an integrated circuit die following probe test.
In the prior art during manufacturing, solder pads are disposed on the integrated circuit (IC) die and reflowed into solder bumps shaped as a half hemisphere. The solder bumps are used to flip-chip interconnect the IC die into end user systems. The flip-chip interconnect technique saves having to use conventional plastic dual in-line or surface mount packages which are much larger than the IC die. The solder bumps perform a similar function as wire bonding in conventional IC packaging to electrically interconnect the IC die to the outside world. The flip-chip die is placed facing the printed circuit board and the solder bumps are reflowed to ensure conductivity to the interconnect channels on the printed circuit board.
During the manufacturing process, a functional test of the IC die typically occurs before final inspection and shipping. In the prior art, testing is performed after the reflow process. A test set inserts a plurality of probe needles into the solder bumps to perform an electrical functional test of the integrated circuit die prior to final inspection and assembly. The testing is often performed at multiple temperatures, e.g. 150.degree. C. and -40.degree. C., to test the integrated circuit die over a full range of operating conditions. Thus, the solder bumps may be pierced a number of times during the testing procedure. The solder bumps become gouged when the test probes are inserted into heated solder bumps. Alternately, a sliding defect can occur when the test probes slide off cold solder bumps.
Another problem occurs from variability in probe contact to the solder bumps during electrical testing. It is difficult to consistently contact the test probes to all the solder bumps simultaneously because of variations in their rounded shape. Consequently good devices may be rejected as failures. In addition to erroneous electrical test yield losses, there are valid inspection yield losses associated with visual rejects if the solder bumps have excessive damage due to probe testing.
Hence, a need exists to functionally test the IC die without damaging the solder bumps.

Method of reflowing solder bumps after probe test


The invention relates to a coating unit (2) for transferring imaging or covering layers from a transfer film (5) to a printed material. The coating unit is flexible thus enabling the integrated production of complex printed material. In particular, overprinting of film coatings should be able to be carried out in a problem-free manner. One or several discharge devices (E, EI), which are connected to the film application module (FA), are used for modifying the surface tension of the transfer film (5) or the printed sheet in the rotary sheet printing machine ensuring that the printing and also the film-coated surfaces of the printed sheet are of high quality.

Producing metal layers on printing sheets by means of a film transfer method is known. A printing material and a printing device that uses the material are described in EP 0 569 520 B1. Printing units and a coating unit are arranged in a sheet processing machine having a feeder and a delivery unit. An adhesive pattern is applied as a print pattern in a planographic printing process in at least one printing unit. An impression cylinder, a press roller and a film guide are provided in the coating unit downstream of the printing unit. A film strip from a film supply reel is led through the transfer nip of the coating unit between the impression cylinder and the press roller, and is again wound up on the outlet side after leaving the coating unit. The transfer film contains a carrier film onto which functional layers of various types such as metallic layers of aluminum or plastic layers can be applied. A separation layer, which enables the functional layer to be pulled off the carrier layer, is provided between the functional layer and the carrier film.
After the printing sheet has been provided with a two-dimensional adhesive deposit or an adhesive pattern, it is led through the coating unit. In the coating unit, the printing sheet on the impression cylinder is brought into connection with the film material by the press roller. In the process, the functional layer, which is facing downward, becomes tightly bonded to the adhesive. Thereafter the functional layer adheres only in the areas of the pattern that are furnished with adhesive or in two-dimensional adhesive areas. The functional layer is removed from the carrier film in the area of the adhesive patterns. The printing sheet is delivered in the coated state.
Some problems with the above-described methods are that the methods are not flexibly usable, require extensive know-how regarding the complex processes, and are difficult to manage. In particular, the further processing is limited in previously known production methods.


A push button for a connector having a push bar slidably retained in a channel structure formed on a longitudinal side of the connector. The push button comprises a linking receptacle having a body portion fixed to the push bar at a first face thereof and two tabs extending from a second face opposite the first face thereby defining a recess therebetween. A button device is partially and pivotably received in the recess of the linking receptacle by a pivot and includes a spring having a first end fixed therein and a second end pivotably engaged with the pivot.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a push button for a card connector and the card connector using the same, and especially to a bendable push button which can assume either a bent status (retracted status) or a straight status for normal storage purposes or card ejection purposes, respectively.
2. The Prior Art
PCMCIA card connectors have become popular in portable computers. The card connectors are commonly configured with an ejector mechanism mounted on a frame and driven by a push button to disconnect and eject IC cards therefrom. However, the push button normally extends beyond the terminal end of the frame a considerable distance thereby occupying too much space and hindering the compact requirement of the connector.
For fulfilling the compact requirement, a bendable push button and a related connector are disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 85103753 which is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The connector 9 comprises an ejector mechanism 91 having a push button 92 at the end thereof. The push button 92 has a linking block 93 and a button 94 pivotably engaged with the linking block 93. The linking block 93 comprises a body portion 93A, a lower plate 935 extending vertically from a bottom of the body portion 93A, and a rib 931 formed at an intermediate portion of the lower plate 935 thereby defining two cavities 932, 933 on opposite sides thereof. An elliptical hole 934 is defined through an intermediate portion of the rib 931 in communication with the cavities 932, 933. The button 94 has a body portion 94A and two tabs 942, 943 extending upward from a top surface of the body portion 94A thereby defining a reception space 941 therebetween. A pair of aligned holes 945, 946 are respectively defined in the tabs 942, 943. A recess 944 is defined in the body portion 94A of the button 94 for receiving a spring 95 and a ball 96, wherein the ball 96 has a greater diameter than the spring 95 thereby ensuring that the ball 96 is biased by the spring 95. The button 94 is pivotably connected to the linking block 93 by inserting a pivot 97 into the elliptical hole 934 of the linking block 93 and the aligned holes 945, 946 of the button 94, wherein the tabs 942, 943 are loosely retained in the cavities 932, 933 of the linking block 93 after the spring 95 and the ball 96 have been forced into the recess 944 by the bottom edge of the rib 931. At least a portion of the ball 96 extends beyond the recess 944 for rolling along the bottom edge and an adjacent side of the rib 931 during pivotable movement of the button 94 with respect to the linking block 93. The elliptical hole 934 provides clearance for the pivot 97 when the ball 96 rolls over a corner of the rib 931. Formation of the recess 944 is laborious thereby increasing manufacturing costs. Moreover, the pivot movement of the button 94 is not smooth when the ball 931 rolls over the corner of the rib 931. Additionally, fixing the ball in an opening of the recess 944 is very difficult due to a bouncing force from the spring 95.
Therefore, it is requisite to provide a new push button which is easily configured and has a reliable performance.

Push button for a card connector and the card connector using the same


A fuel bowl for a carburetor has no valves and is configured for continuous flow of fuel through the bowl. The fuel bowl can be constructed to constrain the constantly flowing fuel within a compartment of the bowl to maintain fuel level in the bowl sufficient to meet the carburetor demand under circumstances of high fuel demand and/or high g-forces. A method of continuously circulating fuel through the fuel bowl facilitates fuel level maintenance over a range of performance requirements.

The present invention relates generally to carburetors for gasoline engines and more particularly to fuel bowls for carburetors and methods of feeding fuel to carburetors.
Carburetors used to supply a fuel/air mix to internal combustion engines rely on a fuel bowl to hold liquid fuel (e.g., gasoline) to be drawn into the carburetor. High-performance engines, such as those used in automobile racing, may put extraordinary demands on the carburetor. Carburetors typically include a main body through which a stream of air from the air intake passes to the manifold, and in which gasoline is fed into the air stream. A fuel bowl holding a reservoir of gasoline is mounted on the main body by a meter block through which a measured flow of gasoline is aspirated from the fuel bowl to the air stream in the main body. One face of the meter block forms a wall of the fuel bowl which is usually immersed about halfway up the face in the gasoline in the fuel bowl. Fuel supply ports in the meter block are positioned to be covered by the gasoline in the fuel bowl so that liquid fuel can be drawn into the meter block and carburetor as needed. It will be understood that there are times when additional liquid fuel will be needed in the fuel bowl and other times when little or no additional fuel is required. Accordingly, fuel bowls typically rely on a float valve to control the level of gasoline in the bowl. As the fuel bowl fills with gasoline, the buoyancy of the float valve causes it to rise on the gasoline until it block a fuel inlet into the fuel bowl. When the level of gasoline drops in the fuel bowl as gasoline is drawn into the carburetor, the float valve moves off the fuel inlet allowing additional gasoline to flow into the fuel bowl.
Upon acceleration in high-performance engines such as those found in automobile racing, immediate and high demand for liquid from the fuel bowl may occur. Conventionally, fuel bowls have relied upon float valves to replenish fuel in the fuel bowl as it is drawn off by carburetor. Valves in general and float valves in particular have finite reaction times, so that there is a small but measureable delay between the rapid intake of gasoline by the carburetor and the flow of replenishing gasoline into the fuel bowl. Moreover, the flow of fuel must go from zero to full flow as the valve opens, which requires some time. In high-performance engines, the delays may be such that there can be a period in which the gasoline level in the fuel bowl falls to a level below that of the fuel supply outlet into the carburetor. As a result, the engine may be starved for fuel for a few moments until the gasoline level in the fuel bowl rises to cover the carburetor fuel supply outlet, producing a significant reduction in engine performance. Starving the engine for fuel can damage the engine. Rapid onset of gasoline flow (i.e., from zero to maximum flow) has been found to produce foaming of the gasoline. If foam is covering the fuel supply outlet to the carburetor, it receives a mixture of gasoline and air rather than solely liquid gasoline. This can also reduce the performance of the engine.
In addition to issues that may be raised by high fuel demand, inertia of the fuel can cause the carburetor and hence the engine to be starved for fuel in situations where the racing automobile experiences significant acceleration. For example as the automobile corners at high speed, substantial acceleration is developed because of the change in direction of the automobile. The inertia of the gasoline in the fuel bowl causes the fuel to move to one side of the bowl in this situation. Often the fuel bowl has two fuel supply outlets to the carburetor, one for each side of the engine. Movement of the fuel to one side of the bowl may uncover one of the fuel supply outlets, causing one side of the engine to be starved for fuel. Conceivably, both fuel supply outlets from the fuel bowl may be uncovered. Reaction of the float valve to this circumstance involves delay and it cannot prevent one or both of the fuel supply outlets from becoming uncovered so no gasoline is delivered to the carburetor.


In the present specification, a digital device and a method of processing data in said digital device are disclosed. Here, a digital device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a memory; a user interface unit that receives a menu request signal through a remote application executed in an external device; a display unit that displays an executed application; and a control unit that determines the properties of the received menu request signal on the basis of the application being displayed and generates menu data, implements controlling to transmit the generated menu data to the external device and output the menu data through a screen of the external device, and when a menu item selection signal of the menu output from the external device is received, implements controlling to transmit or activate menu data corresponding to the menu item selection signal.

Not only various standing devices such as a Personal Computer (PC) and a television (TV), but also various mobile devices such as a smartphone, a tablet PC and a wearable device have been remarkably developed. Although the standing devices and the mobile devices have been developed in different ways in their unique regions, their unique regions become ambiguous in accordance with the recent boom of digital convergence.
In accordance with remarkable increase of smart TVs or smartphones, various applications could be driven in the smart TV or smartphones. For example, a TV of the related art is simply based on volume or channel change through a remote controller but the various applications could be driven even in a TV in accordance with popularization of the smart TV. Meanwhile, the applications include an application having a function such as a remote controller of the smart TV. However, since this application is the same as a remote controller or includes key buttons simpler than the remote controller, there is a limitation in controlling the smart TV through a smartphone. For example, simple functions such as channel change and volume change of the smart TV are performed through the application, there is an inconvenience that a user should use the remote controller to perform a specific function.

Digital device transmitting menu data to an external device, and control method thereof


A light source device (10) includes a lamp unit (1) and a lamp cartridge (2) in which the lamp unit (1) is housed. The lamp unit (1) includes a discharge lamp (11), a reflection mirror (12) and a transparent plate (13). The reflection mirror (12) has ventilation openings (121). The lamp cartridge (2) has ventilation openings (214, 215 and 231). Fragment-passage prevention members (30, 31 and 32) are provided on the ventilation openings (214, 215 and 231). The fragment-passage prevention members (30) allow the passage of the air but prevent the passage of the fragments of the discharge lamp (11). With such an arrangement, it is possible to prevent the fragments from being scattered out of the lamp cartridge (2), even when the breakage of the discharge lamp (11) occurs.

This invention relates to a light source device having a lamp, and relates to a projection-type image display device using the light source device.
A light source device used in a projection-type image display device includes a lamp unit and a lamp cartridge in which the lamp unit is housed. The lamp unit includes a lamp (such as a metal halide lamp or a xenon lamp) and a reflection mirror. Conventionally, there is a case where an arc tube of the lamp is broken (due to the increase of internal pressure) while the lamp is turned on, and therefore it is necessary to prevent components in the projection-type image display device from being damaged by fragments (i.e., broken pieces) of the lamp. For this purpose, there is provided a lamp unit having an encapsulated structure in which a transparent plate (such as a glass plate) closes an opening of the light emitting side of the reflection mirror, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 8-7841 (Page 2, FIG. 1).
However, in such a lamp unit having the encapsulated structure, the temperature of the interior of the reflection mirror (i.e., a space surrounded by the reflection mirror and the transparent plate) tends to increase due to an arc between electrodes while the lamp is turned on. Further, in these days, the luminance of the projection-type image display device increases, and therefore the output of the lamp also increases, with the result that the temperature of the interior of the reflection mirror tends to increase. As a result, there are problems that the lifetime of the lamp may be shortened, the luminance may be reduced, and the breakage of the lamp may easily occur.
In order to solve these problems, there is proposed a light source device having a ventilation opening formed on the reflection mirror for circulating the air. In such a light source device, it is necessary to prevent the fragments of the lamp from being scattered out of the light source device (i.e., in the projection-type image display device) via the ventilation opening. Therefore, a mesh member (made of metal) is provided to cover the ventilation opening, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3275755 (Pages 1-2, FIG. 1) and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEI 10-254061 (Pages 4-5, FIG. 1). Additionally, there is proposed another light source device configured to open the ventilation opening when the light source device is mounted in the projection-type image display device, and to close the ventilation opening when the light source device is detached from the projection-type image display device, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-107823 (Page 2, FIG. 8).
However, if the mesh member closes the ventilation opening (as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 3275755 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. HEI 10-254061), the mesh member needs to be formed in accordance with the shape of the ventilation opening. Further, if a plurality of ventilation openings are formed on the reflection mirror, it is necessary to provide a plurality of mesh members for covering the respective ventilation openings.
Moreover, the reflection mirror and the transparent plate are generally made of hard-cutting material (i.e., quarts glass), and therefore the shape of the ventilation opening is limited, and the tolerance is relatively large, in terms of manufacturing method and manufacturing cost. In order to prevent the small fragments of the lamp from being scattered via a clearance between the ventilation opening and the mesh member, it is necessary to take measures to fill in the clearance, and therefore the manufacturing cost may increase. Further, if the mesh member is not properly fixed to the ventilation opening of the reflection mirror, the lamp unit itself becomes a defective unit, and therefore yield ratio is lowered.
Furthermore, a ventilation opening is also formed on the lamp cartridge in accordance with the position and the shape of the ventilation opening of the reflection mirror. Therefore, a common lamp cartridge can not be used for different lamp units whose reflection mirrors have different ventilation openings in shape or position.
Additionally, in the light source device configured to open and close the ventilation opening of the reflection mirror (as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-107823), the ventilation opening is not closed when the breakage of the lamp occurs, and therefore it is not possible to prevent the fragments of the lamp from being scattered out of the light source device (i.e., in the projection type image display device). Further, there is a possibility that the fragments of the lamp may be carried by the cooling air to the exterior of the image display device.

Light source device and projection-type image display device


A method and system for efficient buffer status reporting at a base station is provided. The method may include identifying a transmission opportunity associated with a first protocol layer of the base station, where the transmission opportunity indicates a transmission capacity of the base station. The method may further include determining, via one or more hardware processors, a time interval for sending a buffer status report from a second protocol layer of the base station to the first protocol layer based on at least the transmission opportunity. The method may further include determining, via the one or more hardware processors, an expected buffer occupancy based on at least the time interval and a packet incoming rate associated with downlink packets, and sending the buffer status report from the second protocol layer to the first protocol layer based on at least the time interval.

Rapid increase in the mobile subscriber base and recent emergence of new applications such as multimedia online gaming, mobile TV, streaming multimedia content, etc. have resulted in large scale increases of mobile data usage. The rapid increase of mobile data usage has motivated development of new protocols and modification of the current protocols in the wireless access and core portions of wireless networks to support efficient end-to-end packet transmission. An example of a wireless broadband network is 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long-Term Evolution (LTE). LTE is an end-to-end broadband internet protocol (IP) network that aims to provide high sector capacity, scalability, improved end-user throughputs, and reduced user plane latency, bringing a significantly improved user experience with full mobility.
As the number of users and applications in wireless networks increase, the number of internal control messages exchanged within a network entity, such as a base station, can be high. The increased number of internal control messages may cause processing delays in the network entity and, as a result, degrade the quality of service (QoS). Accordingly, it is desirable to reduce the number of internal control messages exchanged within a network entity, reduce the processing delays, and in the meantime maintain network throughput and the level of QoS provided to the users.

Systems and methods for buffer status reporting in wireless communication systems


An engine control system of a vehicle comprises a first module and a cylinder deactivation module. The first module selectively adjusts torque output by an engine based on a vehicle torque request that is greater than a driver torque request. The cylinder deactivation module selectively deactivates a cylinder of the engine when a difference between an estimated maximum torque output of the engine and the driver torque request is greater than a predetermined maximum torque.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Internal combustion engines combust an air and fuel mixture within cylinders to drive pistons, which produces drive torque. Airflow into the engine is regulated via a throttle. More specifically, the throttle adjusts throttle area, which increases or decreases air flow into the engine. As the throttle area increases, the air flow into the engine increases. A fuel control system adjusts the rate at which fuel is injected to provide a desired air/fuel mixture to the cylinders. Increasing the air and fuel to the cylinders increases the torque output of the engine.
Engine control systems have been developed to control engine torque output to achieve a desired torque. Other vehicle systems, such as a chassis control system, may request that the engine produce torque in excess of torque requested by a driver of the vehicle. For example, the excess torque may be used to eliminate dragging of a wheel of the vehicle, increase vehicle traction, increase vehicle stability, smooth a gear shift, and/or for any other suitable purpose.

Fast exit mode engine torque control systems and methods