There is provided a sheet feeder for a sheet-fed press which allows an optimum separation state of printing sheets 27 to be established readily and certainly. Air is jetted out from an injection nozzle 6 toward the upper part of a bundle 2 of printing sheets to thereby float up printing sheets 27. A top printing sheet 27 thus floated is absorbed by an absorption foot 8 and conveyed to a printing process. The number of floating printing sheets 27 is detected using photoelectric sensors 21 and 22, and in order to establish the optimum separation state, is adjusted by varying the injection air quantity from the injection nozzle 6 or by moving the paper pressure bar 4 in directions of arrows 93 and 94. Further, by equalizing outputs G1 and G2 from detection areas M1 and M2, it is possible to place the top printing sheet 27 in parallel with the absorption surface 8Q of the absorption foot 8 and realize secure absorption. A fuzzy inference system may be used for adjustment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeder for conveying and supplying with a printing sheet to a printing process and, more particularly, to a sheet feeder for a sheet-fed press which can feed a printing sheet accurately and readily without defective feeding.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
A conventional sheet feeder for a sheet-fed press will be outlined in accordance with FIG. 1A. A bundle 2 of printing sheets comprising a lot of printing sheets 27 piled up is placed on a loading base 9. These printing sheets 27 are successively conveyed, one by one from the upper end of the bundle 2, to a printing process, where they are subjected to a prearranged printing process.
It sometimes occurs that a plurality of printing sheets 27 are made to adhere due to electrostatic force or the like. Such a case may result in feeding two or more printing sheets 27, obstructing the subsequent printing process. In order to prevent such two sheets feeding and feed exactly only one sheet to the printing process, the following way has been adopted.
As shown in the figure, an injection nozzle 6 is provided near the upper side edge of the bundle 2 to thereby jet air toward the bundle 2 of printing sheets. Owing to jets of air, several to several tens of printing sheets 27 constituting the upper part of the bundle 2 are forced to float and separate from the remaining part of the bundle 2, thus separate printing sheets 10 are formed. As described above, by separating printing sheets 27 into independent pieces, it is possible to relieve two sheets feeding due to electrostatic force or the like. Further, a sheet separator 12 is attached on top of the injection nozzle 6, allowing a top sheet of separate printing sheets 10 to be caught thereby. This serves to set limits to the floating height of printing sheets 27, so then the top printing sheet 27 is kept in a fixed position.
In addition, a paper pressure bar 4 for applying pressure on printing sheets 27 is provided on top of the bundle 2. Provision of the paper pressure bar 4 is intended to apply pressure on printing sheets 27 in the width direction from side to side and thereby block jets of air. By the presence of the paper pressure bar 4, it is possible to efficiently send the air from the injection nozzle 6 into every spaces of each adjoining printing sheets 27 and form separate printing sheets 10. Incidentally, the paper pressure bar 4 is unrestrictedly movable in directions of arrows 93 and 94. Also, at every moment when the printing sheet 27 is conveyed, the paper pressure bar 4 periodically rises in the direction of an arrow 95 so as not to impede sheet conveyance.
An absorption foot 8 is provided close over separate printing sheets 10, as shown in the figure. First, the absorption foot 8 lowers in the direction of an arrow 92 and holds the top printing sheet 27 of separate printing sheets 10 by absorbing it. Then, the absorption foot 8 rises in the direction of an arrow 91 and thereafter moves in the direction of the arrow 93, thus conveying the printing sheet 27 to the prearranged printing process. Incidentally, the loading base 9 is made to lift according as printing sheets 27 are fed to decrease.
If the top printing sheet 27 of separate printing sheets 10 is not floated up to the position of the sheet separator 12, the absorption foot 8 cannot absorb the printing sheet 27. Further, even in the case where the top printing sheet 27 is extended to the sheet separator 12, if too many printing sheets 27 are made to float up, floating sheets are closed to each other and adhered due to electrostatic force or the like. This is responsible for two sheets feeding. Therefore, it is desired as optimum separation state that the top printing sheet 27 is extended to the position of the sheet separator 12 with every floating sheets moderately separated.
However, the optimum separation state becomes different according to sheet thickness, sheet quality or the like. Consequently, in sheet feeding, it has been necessary to establish the optimum separation state in compliance with the printing sheet 27 involved. The optimum separation state is established by adjusting the injection air quantity from the injection nozzle 6 or by moving the paper pressure bar 4 in directions of arrows 93 and 94, with the state of separation visually inspected at the same time.
However, the conventional sheet feeder for a sheet-fed press has the following problems. Establishing the optimum separation state of the printing sheet 27 to be processed is conducted by adjusting injection air quantity or by moving the paper pressure bar 4 with the aid of manual operation of a worker. Printing sheets 27 are allowed to float up to higher position by increasing the injection air quantity from the injection nozzle 6, whereas the floating height is made to lower when the injection air quantity from the injection nozzle 6 is decreased. Also, moving the paper pressure bar 4 in the direction of the arrow 94 causes air to be jetted over a wide range of each printing sheet 27, with the result that printing sheets 27 are floated up to higher position. On the other hand, if it is moved in the direction of the arrow 93, the floating height of printing sheets 27 becomes low.
As described above, by adjusting injection air quantity, moving the paper pressure bar 4, or combining these two operations while visually inspecting the state of separation at the same time, a worker, through trial and error, establishes the optimum separation state. The operation of adjustment, therefore, takes a lot of time and also requires a skill, leading to the problem that the optimum separation state is not readily established.
In addition, even if the optimum separation state is established before starting sheet feeding as described above, it sometimes turns ill-suited in the course of sheet feeding because of the change in printing speed in printing or the rise of the loading base 9. As a result, the problem of defective sheet feeding such as feeding two printing sheets 27 or the like may occur.
An additional problem is as follows. As shown in FIG. 1B, printing sheets 27 sometimes curl due to, for example, sheet property, or the effect of printing ink parched after they are subjected to printing. In such a case, the absorption foot 8 cannot securely absorb the printing sheet 27, because the printing sheet 27 and an absorption surface 8Q of the absorption foot 8 are not placed in parallel with one another. Correcting the position of such printing sheets 27 is more difficult as compared with ordinary adjustment.


A plug detecting device comprises a circuit board, a signal processing unit, a connector, and a metal piece. The signal processing unit is installed on the circuit board. The connector is installed on the circuit board and electronically connected to the signal processing unit for connecting a plug having a metal outer ring with a first potential. The metal piece with a corresponding potential is electronically connected the signal processing unit and installed in the proximity of the connector. While the plug is plugged into the connector, the metal outer ring contacts the metal piece making the metal piece from the corresponding potential to the first potential, and that the signal processing unit confirms the plug has been plugged into the connector, so as to transmit or receive signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plug detecting device, especially to a plug detecting device installed on electronic products for detecting if a plug is plugged into a connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The plug detecting function is used for detecting if a plug of an electronic product is plugged into a connector. According to demand, some electronic products have to detect if the plug is plugged into the connector, so as to shunt the signals or remind the user that the plug is not plugged in yet.
According to the differences in standard or design, the connector comprises a plurality of pin holders with some functions, and the plug comprises the same number of pins with the same functions corresponding to the pin holders. The plug detecting method of the electronic products of the prior art is to detect the potential of one specific pin holders at fixed periods of time. Once the plug is plugged into the connector, the potential of the specific pin holder will change. The electronic product perceives the plug has been plugged into the connector and performs the corresponding function.
The plug detecting function of the prior art has to utilize a specific pin holder of a connector and the corresponding pin of a plug to perform detection. However, due to differences in standard and design, connectors of many standards may not provide the specific pin holder to perform detection. When each the pin holder has the specific function for transmitting signals respectively, there will be no extra pin holder to detect the plug. Therefore, the prior art cannot achieve the objective of detecting the plug via the present hardware.
Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is an external view of the plug 10 of the prior art. The standard of the plug 10 is S-Video (4-pole miniDIM), i.e. S-terminal, which is usually used to transmit signals between video/audio player and image output/input apparatus, e.g. communication of signals between DVD player or Digital Video Disc Player and TV. The plug 10 comprises four pins 11, 12, 13, 14, and each pin of the plug 10 is corresponding to a pin holder on the connector respectively. Moreover, the plug 10 comprises a metal outer ring 15. In this example, according to the standard of the plug 10, each pin and each the corresponding pin holder have different functions of signal communication respectively. Pin 11 is used for luminance return; pin 12 is used for chrominance return; pin 13 is used for luminance, and pin 14 is used for chrominance. The standard of the connector and the plug does not provide the needed pin holder and the corresponding pin for detecting the plug. If a designer wants to add the plug detecting function, he/she can only reset the signal communication protocol of the connector without increasing the number of pin holders, so as to obtain a pin holder for detecting the plug; otherwise, the designer can readjust the circuit of the connector and the plug to add a new pin holder and a corresponding pin for detecting the plug. The above-mentioned methods need to modify the communication manner, readjust the circuit, alter the hardware, or so on, so the cost of production is high, and the design is inconvenient.


A display system and method for a work machine is provided. A terrain map indicative of a current surface configuration for a geographic location is displayed. The display of the terrain map includes a plurality of elevation segments. Each of the plurality of elevation segments has an actual surface elevation value for a discrete area of the geographic location. A position of a ground engaging tool operatively connected to the work machine is monitored. A current elevation of the ground engaging tool is identified. The display of the elevation segment corresponding to the location of the ground engaging tool is updated when the current elevation of the ground engaging tool indicates a change in the actual surface elevation value for the elevation segment corresponding to the location of the ground engaging tool.

Work machines are commonly used to excavate earth or other material from a geographic location such as, for example, a construction site. A work machine typically includes a ground engaging tool, such as, for example, a bucket or shovel to remove earth or material from the surface of the geographic location. A work machine operator may control the movement of the ground engaging tool to excavate earth or other material from the geographic location to shape the surface to conform to a desired surface configuration.
The ground engaging tool of a work machine may be powered by a hydraulic system. A typical hydraulic system includes a series of hydraulic actuators, which may be, for example, hydraulic cylinders, that are interconnected with a work implement linkage that mounts the ground engaging tool. The hydraulic system may also include a series of control valves that govern the rate and direction of fluid flow into and out of each hydraulic actuator. By coordinating the fluid flow to and from each hydraulic actuator, the overall motion of the work implement linkage and the ground engaging tool may be controlled.
An operator may control the motion of the ground engaging tool on the work machine to excavate earth from a geographic location to achieve the desired surface configuration, which may be, for example, a surface having a certain slope or a trench having a certain length, width, and depth. In many cases, a substantial amount of earth, or other material, must be excavated to achieve the desired surface configuration. The operator may have to make several measurements of the current elevation of the surface of the geographic location to determine when the proper amount of material has been excavated and the desired surface configuration achieved.
To reduce the amount of measuring required, a work machine may include a positioning system that indicates the position of the ground engaging tool relative to the work machine. For example, a series of position sensors may be engaged with the ground engaging tool or the work implement linkage. Based on information provided by the sensors, a control system may determine the position of the ground engaging tool relative to the work machine. This positional information may be provided to the operator, who may use the information to estimate the current surface location of the area being excavated. In this manner, the positioning system may reduce the amount of measuring time required during an excavation procedure.
A work machine may also include a display system to provide the positional information to an operator in a graphical format. For example, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,453,227 to Kalafut et al., a work machine may include a display system that is configured to show the location of the ground engaging tool relative to the body of the work machine and the work site. As the display system indicates the position of the ground engaging tool relative to the work machine, the operator may use the display system to estimate the current elevation of the surface of the geographic location.
However, the positional information provided by this type of display system may be insufficient to allow the operator to efficiently excavate a geographic location. For example, this type of display system does not indicate the location of the ground engaging tool relative to the desired surface configuration. In addition, this type of display system does not indicate the current surface level of the current geographic location relative to the desired surface configuration.
The display system of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above.


The present invention is directed to a transmitter system. The system is made up of a reference clock, a differential oscillator and an edge combining power amplifier (ECPA). The clock feeds a low frequency reference signal into the differential oscillator to produce at least two low frequency outputs with opposite phases. Each low frequency output is made up of a number of low frequency subsignals equal to the number of oscillator stages. Each low frequency output is fed into a branch in the ECPA having a number of sub-branches equal to the number of oscillator stages. A processor uses an edge combining algorithm to combine these subsignals into a high frequency signal.

1. Field
This invention relates to the field of transmitting systems, and more specifically, to an injection-locked differential oscillator transmission system.
2. Background
Power conservation is a critical concern for many transmitting systems known in the art. Power creates electromagnetic signals for transmission and is used by processors which receive the signals. Higher frequency signals require increased component power consumption. A signal created by a transmitter generally travels a path between the device that generates the signal and an antenna. While the signal does not need a high frequency along this path, most antennas which receive a communications signal for transmission to a receiving device only have the capability to transfer signals at a high frequency. Therefore the signal must be upconverted at some time prior to transmission.
An article published by the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits in 2011, entitled "A Sub-100 μW MICS/ISM Band Transmitter Based on Injection-Locking and Frequency Multiplication", authored by J. Pandey et al., is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for its teachings on the use of injection-locked frequency multiplication (ILFM) systems. An ILFM system uses a circuit assembly to delay conversion from low to high frequency for as long as possible in order to conserve power. In an ILFM system, a low frequency clock creates a "steady" signal with a constant amplitude. The clock is coupled to a frequency oscillator with multiple phase outputs. All of these outputs feed into a component called an edge combining power amplifier (ECPA). The ECPA uses digital logic to combine the waveform signals into a single high frequency signal. The output logic is based on the following expression:Output=AB+BC+CA, where A, B and C are outputs from the oscillator.
In an ILFM system, only the ECPA operates in high frequency. This reduces overall power consumption to about 90 μW.
A problem known in the art with the ILFM system is that it is limited to Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) modulation and cannot perform On-Off Keying (OOK) modulation, Binary Phase-Shift Keying (BPSK) modulation or Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) modulation. An FSK modulation requires a higher signal-to-noise ratio than OOK, BPSK, or QPSK modulation traveling the same distance.
Another problem known in the art with the ILFM system is that it does not provide bandwidth sufficient for many communications applications.
It is desirable to structurally modify an ILFM system known in the art so that it is enabled to perform OOK, BPSK and QPSK modulation over a wider bandwidth.

The United States of America as represented by Secretary of the Navy


Apparatus and methods for estimation and compensation of phase imbalance and gain imbalance are provided. A receiver for estimation or compensation of phase imbalance or gain imbalance utilizing a QPSK modulation and a modulation scheme based on a complex scrambling code includes means for estimating the phase imbalance or gain imbalance prior to symbol synchronization. Thus, the phase imbalance and gain imbalance will not introduce losses in subsequent phases of signal processing.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a receiver for estimation or compensation of phase imbalance or gain imbalance and methods which can be applied in a receiver for estimation or compensation of phase imbalance or gain imbalance. A transmission technique used in the receiver is based on a QPSK (quadrature phase shift keying) modulation and a modulation scheme based on complex scrambling code.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System or UMTS is one of the major new 'third generation' (3G) mobile communications systems being developed within the framework defined by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) and known as IMT-2000.
Methods for estimation or compensation of phase imbalance or gain imbalance typically rely on reference signal generation, adaptive interference cancellation, blind source separation or a least square approach in the Fourier domain. Such methods are known, e.g., from "Digital I/Q imbalance compensation in a low-if receiver", Jack P. Glas (Bell Labs)-1998-IEEE, "Improving QPSK Demodulator Performance for Quadrature Receiver with Information from Amplitude and Phase Imbalance Correction", Hung Ngyen (The Aerospace Corp.)-2000-IEEE, "Blind Source Separation Based I/Q imbalance compensation", Valkama, Renfors, Koivunen-2000-IEEE, "Advanced methods for I/Q imbalance compensation in Communication Receivers", M. Valkama, M. Renfros, V. Koivunen-IEEE transactions on signal processing-Vol. 49, no. 10, October 2001.
WO 0150616 discloses a receiver for correcting the phase error in a received signal. However, this receiver does not provide an efficient estimation or compensation of phase imbalance or gain imbalance in the received signal.

Phase/gain imbalance estimation or compensation


In a segmented water-cooled induction melting crucible mainly used for melting special metals such as reactive metals or alloys, two adjacent segments are coupled as a segment having two legs, one leg having an inlet water passage and the other leg having an outlet water passage, so that these water passages form a one-way water flow path when they are connected. When the two legs are connected at their top portion to form a shorted portion, the lower end of the legs are insulated from each other and from a base forming a bottom of the crucible. Alternatively the two legs can be entirely separated by elongating the slit and the water passage formed in each leg can be connected throgh an insulative, connecting member. In either case, the water pasage in each leg can be reduced to the same size as the inner tube in each segment of a conventional crucible, and by virtue of this construction, both the radial thickness and the width of each segment can be reduced which enables an increase the number of segments in a crucible with the same inner space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to induction melting crucibles generally called as segmented cold wall induction melting crucible having construction suitable for melting metals and alloys called special metals mentioned below, and more particularly to improved crucible body construction including side wall and base portion.
The special metals referred to above can be classified into the following three types, that is,
1) high purity metals and alloys known to be semi-conductor materials,
2) reactive metals such as titanium, zirconium(Zr) and their alloys which are difficult to melt as high purity products due to their chemical properties being liable to react with oxygen and nitrogen, and
3) metals having very high melting temperature such as tungsten(W), molybdenum(Mo), tantalum and niobium.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Heretofore, special metals and alloys referred to above have been melted using electron beam melting furnace, a nonconsumable electrode arc furnace or the like, however these furnaces have revealed some problems in melting the above-mentioned high purity or reactive metals and alloys which are difficult to melt, for instance, with an electron beam melting furnace it is necessary to restrict its melting atmosphere so as to be lower than 10.sup.3 Torr, and thus induction melting techniques have been widely used in place of the electron-beam melting by virtue of the simple construction requested together with covenient ways of use.
Among various induction melting furnaces, cold wall induction melting (alternately referred to as cold-crucible induction melting,induction skull melting or the like) has been widely adopted as a melting method suitable for melting the aforesaid special metals and alloys.
A cold wall induction crucible which has generally been used heretofore, as typically shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, is a metal crucible used for induction melting comprising; a main crucible body 1 made of metals having good thermal and electrical conductivity mainly of copper and formed to have a shape generally of hollow cylinder with a bottom, the side wall of which or even the entire side wall and a part of the base portion being divided into a plurality of segments 3 by a plurality of slits 2 separating adjacent segments 3, and an induction heating coil 8 surrounding the crucible main 1, wherein the interior of each segment 3 is cooled by a cooling medium such as water.
Next, an explanation will be provided as to the process of melting the metallic material charged in the cold wall type induction melting crucible.
A metal or metals and or master alloys to be melted are charged into the crucible chamber in the form of lumps, granules, plate-like, powder mixtures thereof or the like.
Upon starting of induction melting, the charged materials start melting beginning from the outer surface thereof and the molten metal flows down toward the bottom of the crucible, where it solidifies as a skull of a shallow dish-like configuration acting as a second metellurgical vessel holding thereon the molten metal and the charge not yet melted.
As the amount of molten metal increases due partly to stirring caused by the rather high frquency of the power than that supplied to ordinary induction melting process, the level of the molten metal rises and the skull formed around the inner surface of the segments also grows upward and forms a side wall of the skull upstanding integral with the dish-like bottom part and constitutes a metallurgical vessel like a pan, which prevents molten metel from directly adhering to the side wall of the segments and entering into the slits and contains therein the increased amount of molten metal and the charge still remaining unmelted.
As melting further proceeds until the whole of the charge has melted down, the level of the molten metal also rises so as to constitute a molten pool of the charged metal.
Under this condition, central part 9a of the molten metal 9 along the vertical axis of the crucible body is raised upward, while the peripheral portion of the molten metal 9 is lowered along the side wall of the crucible to form a convex curved surface as shown in FIG. 7A, thereby the molten metal generally leans away from contact with the inner face of the segments 3, thereby preventing any of the adjacent water cooled segments 3 electrically insulated from each other by respective slits from being shorted by the molten metal.
Copper is selected as the material suitable for forming a crucible in place of a usual refractory material. By virtue of its high thermal and electrical conductivity, segments made of copper forming a side wall of the crucible when cooled by a suitable cooling medium such as water, can be held at a temperature considerably lower than that of the molten metal received therein.
Since the crucible is constructed as explained above, the crucible itself will never reach such a high temperature at which it reacts with the metal or metals to be melted so that undesirable chemical compounds are formed which would contaminate the molten metal as usually encountered in crucibles made of refractory material which are impossible to water cool.
Instead, since the substances to be melted are limited only to those materials charged into the crucible, inclusion of impurities can be avoided thereby giving rise to high purity products, and moreover the uniformity in the melting process also can be attained by virtue of a stirring action which is a feature of induction melting.
On the other hand, due to the high electrical conductivity there is such another problem that the crucible itself is liable to be induction heated, but the possibity of the crucible being heated as a secondary coil with respect to a primary induction coil up to such a high temperature as mentioned above, can be avoided by splitting the crucible wall vertically into a plurality of segments each having therein a hollow cylindrical chamber into which a cooling medium such as water is introduced for cooling each segment.
However, it is still inevitable for the segments, due to their good electrical conductive properties, to be heated to some extent by the primary induction heating coil in a manner similar to the material to be melted.
Actual measurements have revealed that, if the amount of power used for melting the material charge is assumed to be a value of one (1) the power used for heating the crucible was found 1,3, and as result it has been roughly estimated that only 40% of the input power was utilized for melting charged material.
It is considered effective, as a measure for reducing the extent of heating for the water cooled segments themselves, to reduce the radial wall thickness of each segment, however, each water cooled segment of conventional type, as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, is a double tube construction having both an inlet passage and an outlet passage in a single segment, that is, cylindrical hallow tube 11 further receives therein an inner tube 11a, and as a consequence there is a restriction for reducing the radial thickness of each segment in the radial direction.
On the other hand, the greater the number of segments disposed, the less becomes the chance that each segment is heated, and the magnetic flux density adjacent to the wall of the crucible becomes more uniform which contributes to stabilize the molten metal, however, there still remains the same restriction as mentioned above due to the restriction for reducing the wall thickness in the radial direction.

Segmented cold-wall induction melting crucible


A combined automatic toilet self-cleaning and user hygienic system, comprising a housing assembly, an electrical system, a liquid matter system, a turbine assembly, and a manifold assembly comprising a first at least one cut out. The manifold assembly is partially housed within a manifold. The manifold assembly has ducting for air to flow originating from the turbine assembly. The manifold assembly further comprises a bidet for liquid matter to exit originating from the liquid matter system. A toilet seat assembly has mounting brackets to mount onto the manifold assembly and a cover assembly has a mounting frame to mount onto the manifold assembly. The cover assembly has a second at least one cutout for air to flow originating from the turbine assembly. The cover assembly further has a third at least one cutout for the liquid matter to exit originating from the liquid matter system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toilet systems, and more particularly, to an automatic toilet seat cleaning system that also serves to hygienically cleanse and dry a user of such system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Applicant believes that one of the closest references corresponds to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0064810, published on Mar. 30, 2006 to Teranishi, et al. for a human private part washing apparatus. However, it differs from the present invention because Teranishi, et al. teach a human private part washing apparatus that includes a base, a toilet seat supported by the base to pivot, a washing portion provided at the base and capable of washing at least one private part of a person seated on the toilet seat, a microcomputer-based controller provided at the base and incorporating a storage media, in which at least one program can be stored, and a write connector, which includes at least one terminal and a ground terminal and is capable of writing the at least one program at the storage media, and a connector cover configured to detachably cover the write connector; the connector cover being provided with at least one terminating resistance capable of connecting the at least one opened terminal to the ground terminal.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0246828, published on Nov. 10, 2005 to Shirai, et al. for a hygiene washing apparatus. However, it differs from the present invention because Shirai, et al. teach a hygiene washing apparatus that, when the human body is washed, washing water is sprayed on a surface to be washed of the human body from a posterior nozzle and a bidet nozzle. On the other hand, when the human body is not washed, the posterior nozzle and the bidet nozzle are subjected to high-temperature cleaning by a nozzle cleaning nozzle. When it is detected that a sanitary washing apparatus has not been employed yet, the posterior nozzle and the bidet nozzle are allowed to be cleaned by the nozzle cleaning nozzle by a controller. After a cleaning operation is terminated, a user is notified that the cleaning operation is terminated by a notification lamp and a speaker. A scale inhibiting material supply device is interposed in a pipe on the upstream side of an instantaneous heating device by the nozzle cleaning nozzle.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0028263, published on Feb. 10, 2005 to Wodeslavsky for a water and space conservation toilet/bidet combination. However, it differs from the present invention because Wodeslavsky teaches a dual purpose toilet bowl which consists water conservation system which also consists a built in bidet, and this water conservation system is functioning by two stages of the toilet flushing, the first state it is by pressurized water and by gravity simultaneously whereby the gravity tradition flushing method is incorporating a water pressure method being controlled by a proportion valve. The second stage, most of the water will come from the gravity dumping valve. The proportion valve will control the amount of water that will be injected to the toilet bowl relative to the amount of water that will be dumped from the tank by the gravity. The pressurized water is aiming to the bottom of said toilet bowl where the waste is being accumulated whereby the flushing cycle based on water injection into the bottom of said bowl for few seconds in order to create the first push of the waste and simultaneously water dumping until the water will be diverted from the bottom of the toilet to the toilet tank, and said toilet bowl will also consist a bidet apparatus in order to save water on toilet flushing. This bidet apparatus consists safety valves and drainage to ensure that the waste will not go backwards to the fresh water. This bidet nozzle can wash itself and also this nozzle can rinse with soap and also this nozzle can dry the user by warm air.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,216,374 issued to Hassan on May 15, 2007 for a smart toilet seat. However, it differs from the present invention because Hassan teaches a multi-function toilet seat having a body including an oval and arcuate shaped portion, defining an ergonomically configured upper surface and an open interior. A rear portion interconnects opposite extending ends of the arcuate shaped portion. A fluid inlet plug extends from a first location associated with the body and communicates with a plurality of succeeding and interior extending passageway channels. The channels communicate in turn with a plurality of spray nozzles located at spaced locations along an inner defining surface of the seat. A suction outlet extends from a second location associated with the body and communicates with an exhaust motor incorporated into the rear portion. A plurality of exhaust apertures extend along spaced inner locations of the seat and evacuate an airflow from within an associated toilet bowl interior and through the suction outlet.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,191,473 issued to Matsumoto, et al. on Mar. 20, 2007 for a sanitary washing apparatus. However, it differs from the present invention because Matsumoto, et al. teach a sanitary washing apparatus that, when a user sets water power using a water power adjustment switch in a remote control device, a controller controls the period of pressure fluctuations, the width of pressure fluctuations, and the central pressure of the discharge pressure of a pump on the basis of a signal transmitted by radio from the remote control device. When the user sets the divergent angle of washing water using a washing area adjustment switch in the remote control device, the controller controls the divergent angle of the washing water sprayed from a posterior nozzle on the basis of the signal transmitted by radio from the remote control device. Consequently, the washing water supplied to a side surface of a cylindrical swirl chamber from a first flow path in the posterior nozzle is sprayed from a spray hole as dispersed spiral flow, and the washing water supplied to a lower part of the cylindrical swirl chamber from a second flow path in the posterior nozzle is sprayed from the spray hole as linear flow.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,155,755 issued to Olivier on Jan. 2, 2007 for a toilet seat having a cleansing facility. However, it differs from the present invention because Olivier teaches a toilet seat (10) having a cleansing facility with an pivotable arm (18) supplied with warm water for cleaning and warm air for drying the anal and genital areas of a user. The arm (18) being automatically controlled to operate along a path substantially parallel with the central fore and aft axis of the toilet seat (10) between a stored position and an active position. The water is supplied though a duct (36), which has a relatively small cross-sectional area and the air, is supplied through a duct (44) having a relatively large cross-sectional area so as to provide respectively differing volumes of fluid to the user. The water duct (36) and air duct (44) are substantially parallel and both terminate in upward disposition to direct the water and air upwardly onto the user at a close range for efficient cleaning and drying, respectively. The toilet seat (10) has a bi-directional fan (50) that rotates clockwise for delivering air to the anal area of the user and anti-clockwise for delivering air to the genital area of the user. A heater coil (49) is provided in the air duct (44) and optionally upstream of the fan (50). A second water outlet (60) is provided for cleaning male genitals and can be manipulated to adjust its orientation.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,518 issued to Takenaga on Aug. 29, 2006 for a body part cleansing unit for toilet. However, it differs from the present invention because Takenaga teaches a body washing unit for a toilet stool, comprising: a case body disposed on the upper surface of a toilet-stool main body, a toilet seat and a toilet-seat cover being connectable to the case body so as to hinge; and a warm-water nozzle incorporated into the case body, wherein cold water in a duct passage for the warm-water nozzle is discharged, before the warm-water nozzle is used.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,140 issued to Olivier on Aug. 3, 2004 for a toilet seat having a cleansing facility. However, it differs from the present invention because Olivier teaches a toilet seat (10) having a cleansing facility with an pivotable arm (18) supplied with warm water for cleaning and warm air for drying the anal and genital areas of a user. The arm (18) being automatically controlled to operate along a path substantially parallel with the central fore and aft axis of the toilet seat (10) between a stored position and an active position. The water is supplied though a duct (36), which has a relatively small cross-sectional area and the air, is supplied through a duct (44) having a relatively large cross-sectional area so as to provide respectively differing volumes of fluid to the user. The water duct (36) and air duct (44) are substantially parallel and both terminate in upward disposition to direct the water and air upwardly onto the user at a close range for efficient cleaning and drying, respectively. The toilet seat (10) has a bi-directional fan (50) that rotates clockwise for delivering air to the anal area of the user and anti-clockwise for delivering air to the genital area of the user. A heater coil (49) is provided in the air duct (44) and optionally upstream of the fan (50). A second water outlet (60) is provided for cleaning male genitals and can be manipulated to adjust its orientation.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,178 issued to Kurisaki, et al. on Aug. 22, 2000 for a sanitary cleansing apparatus. However, it differs from the present invention because Kurisaki, et al. teach a sanitary cleansing apparatus 20 with attachment state sensor 180 for detecting the state of attachment to toilet bowl 21. When OFF signal is output from attachment state sensor 180, first closing valve 137a is closed at step S82 and power supply to cleansing water heater 129 is stopped at step S84; shower nozzle 24 is finally stored in standby position. Therefore, troubles are fairly prevented since shower nozzle 24 is stored in standby position with inhibition of water spouting function when sanitary cleansing apparatus 20 is detached from toilet bowl 21.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,736 issued to Olivier on Nov. 1, 1994 for a spray means for a toilet pedestal. However, it differs from the present invention because Olivier teaches a bidet device useable with a toilet has a nozzle (82) which supplies water in an accurate confined spray to the anal or genital area followed by air blown through the same nozzle so as to dry the wetted areas. Both water and air are electrically heated in unit (12) under thermostatic control. A hand grip (60) is used to slide spray conduit (62) and nozzle (82) from a storage position under the lop of the toilet bowl to an appropriate longitudinal position. Switch (52) is then used to control a low voltage circuit, which energizes solenoid valves for the alternate supply of water and air. The unit will not operate unless both microswitch (80) [activated by cam (78)] and a pressure switch responding to the user's weight, are closed. In alternative arrangements the spray assembly is carried on an arm turning on a vertical pivot attached to the toilet pedestal or it forms part of a hand-held wand having no attachment to the toilet pedestal.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,811 issued to Haurion on Jun. 14, 1994 for a closet seat for a water closet as well as an apparatus for cleaning the posterior on a water closet having a seat. However, it differs from the present invention because Haurion teaches a water closet that includes a toilet bowl, a toilet seat liftably and lowerably mounted on the toilet bowl, and an apparatus supported adjacent the toilet seat for the personal hygiene of the occupant of the water closet. The apparatus comprises a tank for storing water therein; and an air pump connected with the tank for introducing compressed air into the tank to place a volume thereof under pneumatic pressure. The air pump includes an actuating member for operating the air pump. The apparatus further has a spraying device connected to the tank and supported in a zone of the toilet seat for discharging, from the tank, water driven by the pneumatic pressure to clean the posterior of the occupant. A valve is connected between the tank and the spraying device. The valve has a closed position in which water is prevented from being discharged by the spraying device and an open position in which water is discharged from the spraying device.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,548 issued to Kurosawa, et al. on Dec. 16, 1986 for a device and method of moving and controlling the position of a slidable body such as used for body cleansing. However, it differs from the present invention because Kurosawa, et al. teach a device for moving a cleansing nozzle connected to a water supply system that includes an elongated nozzle, a cylinder in which the nozzle is axially slidable, a motor having an output shaft, a drum body mounted on the output shaft, the drum body having a cylindrical rim surface and a sectoral recess extending from the surface, a sectoral insert disposed in the recess and having a partial cylindrical surface conforming to and forming a continuation of the cylindrical rim surface, and a leaf spring having one end connected to the nozzle and the other end held between the drum body and the sectoral insert such that rotation of the drum body extends and withdraws the nozzle longitudinally as the leaf spring unwraps and wraps around the drum body. The method includes counting the number of cycles of the frequency of the electric power supplied to the motor, determining the actual position of the nozzle on the basis of the counted pulses, establishing a predetermined position of the nozzle, comparing the actual position with the predetermined position, and transmitting the results of the comparison to a power circuit for the motor to turn the motor on and off so that the motor thereby positions the slidable nozzle at the predetermined position.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,473 issued to Morikawa, et al. on Dec. 17, 1985 for sanitary cleaning equipment. However, it differs from the present invention because Morikawa, et al. teach a sanitary cleaning equipment, which includes a flushing portion adapted to direct a jet of cleaning water against a selected area, a deodorizing portion for withdrawing odoriferous air from the neighborhood of the selected area and deodorizing the same, and a dryer portion adapted to direct a jet of warm air against the area. The above deodorizing portion has a first wind tunnel including a deodorant and the above dryer portion has a second wind tunnel including a heater, the first and second wind tunnels being constructed so that they are selectively communicated with a single fan by switching operation of a damper device, thereby providing a sanitary cleaning equipment which is compact and has a high warm air blowing efficiency and a high deodorization efficiency.
Applicant believes that another reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 3,247,524 issued to Umann, on Apr. 26, 1966 for a hygienic apparatus for use on toilet bowls. However, it differs from the present invention because Umann teaches a hygienic apparatus for use on toilet bowls adapted to be mounted on a toilet bowl in place of the conventional seat, and which is arranged to direct a jet of warm water of small diameter at the anus or adjacent body openings in such a manner that the water is confined essentially to the relatively small region to be cleaned rather than covering large areas of the buttocks. Because the water jet is confined to the region to be cleansed, not only is a minimum volume of warm water required but also a minimum of warm air is required to dry the region, thereby permitting construction of the apparatus in a particularly compact form and minimizing the amount of electrical power required to heat the water and air. Components, such as a water heater, air heater and blower, regulator and shut-off valve, and vacuum relief valve are all contained in a compact housing secured at the rear of the toilet bowl, forwardly of the flush tank; and wherein the toilet seat and cover are hinged or otherwise joined to the housing to form therewith an integral unit, which may be readily attached to the conventional toilet bowl. The hygienic apparatus incorporates means whereby a preliminary supply of water is maintained at essentially body temperature, so that even the initial portion of the water contacting the body does not produce a temperature shock; and is so arranged that a douche attachment may be quickly attached or removed, and which eliminates the need of a long hose line between the hygienic apparatus and the douche tip.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.

Auto cleaning toilet seat with anal cleaning device and blow dry


A method of depositing a hard silicon oxide based film is provided by controllably flowing a gas stream including an organosilicon compound into a plasma. The organosilicon compound is preferably combined with oxygen and helium and at least a portion of the plasma is preferably magnetically confined adjacent to a substrate during the depositing, most preferably by an unbalanced magnetron. These silicon oxide based films may be reproducibly deposited on small or large substrates with preselected properties.

Plasma polymerization has been a known technique to form films on various substrates. For example, mixtures of silane with or without oxygen, nitrous oxide or ammonia have been plasma polymerized to form silicon oxide films. However, silane has a repulsive odor, can be irritating to the respiratory tract and is pyrophoric and corrosive.
Some attention turned from silane to the deposition of organosilicon films in plasmas. Sharma and Yasuda, Thin Solid Films, 110, pages 171-184 (1983) reviewed the preparation of films from several organosilicon compounds in which silicon based polymers were deposited and described the plasma polymerization of tetramethyldisiloxane by a magnetron glow discharge with the addition of oxygen gas. The films so formed were reduced in carbon to silicon ratio with respect to the organosilicon starting material, but still retained a significant amount of carbon. However, the incorporation of oxygen in the feed mixture, despite silicon enrichment of the film, resulted in poor polymer adhesion.
Sacher et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,946, issued Dec. 10, 1985 describes use of plasma polymerized coatings from organosilicon compounds to form a moisture barrier on the substrate by heating the substrate and controlling the plasma power level. Wertheimer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,678, issued Jul. 8, 1986, discloses use of an organosilicon in a glow discharge to coat thin film capacitors when these substrates are heated to a temperature in excess of 50.degree. C.
In general, the films formed from organosilicons have typically been formed at a relatively low deposition rate (as compared with, for example, sputtering), have tended to be soft, and often have been hazy. The requirement that the substrate be heated, as in Sacher et al. and Wertheimer et al., is also disadvantageous for some substrates.
A further problem with use of organosilicon compounds in plasma enhanced deposition has been the variation in polymerization conditions and lack of control during the deposition. The traditional method used to control plasma processes has been the use of power, pressure and flow to monitor and attempt to control the process. However, these three variables represent inputs and do not accordingly control the thin films being produced. As a consequence, the scale-up of such a process is extremely complex.

Method of plasma enhanced silicon oxide deposition


Hard tissue replacement materials and methods for making same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the present composition comprises a synthetically derived, substantially homogenous composite containing collagen component and calcium phosphate-containing component precipitated from a liquid medium in which the collagen component is contained.

This invention relates to composite materials for hard tissue replacement, and to methods for producing such materials. More particularly, the invention relates to collagen-containing composites, substrates coated with calcium, phosphate-containing components and methods for producing same. The collagen-containing composite materials can be prepared by precipitation of calcium, phosphate-containing materials, such as calcium apatite materials, in a collagen slurry. The coated calcium, phosphate-containing substrates can be prepared by contacting an uncoated substrate in a supersaturated or oversaturated solution of coating materials, such as calcium apatites, to coat the surface of the substrate.
The composition of hard tissue, such as natural bone, comprises collagen and inorganic calcium phosphate, particularly biological apatite. Bone contains about 60% to 75% by weight of biological apatite and tooth has more than 98% by weight of biological apatite. Biological apatite is a naturally occurring calcium apatite-type material which is formed in the body by precipitation from body fluids at body conditions. This biological apatite has a structure which is similar to pure hydroxyapatite, but contains some substitute ions for the calcium, phosphate and hydroxyl ions. Strictly speaking, synthetically produced precipitated hydroxyapatite is more similar to biological apatite than are the hydroxyapatite ceramics.
Synthetically produced precipitated hydroxyapatite is a very fine powder. It has limited application as a hard tissue implant material because it is somewhat difficult to manipulate.
Recently, premolded collagen incorporated with a granule form of hydroxyapatite ceramic (HA) have been commercialized. In such collagen-HA composites, the collagen and hydroxyapatite ceramics form a completely heterogeneous mixture. In effect, the collagen serves as the binder system for the granules of the hydroxyapatite ceramics. Such heterogenous composite materials are completely different from the natural bone. It would be advantageous to provide a hard tissue replacement material which has an increased similarity to natural bone.
In the last decade or so, many calcium phosphate-containing ceramics and glasses have been prepared in granule form or block form for hard tissue substitute materials. Among these are hydroxyapatite ceramics, tricalcium phosphate ceramics and calcium, phosphate-containing bioglasses. Clinical studies have confirmed that hydroxyapatite ceramics and such bioglasses are very good biocompatible materials for use as artificial hard tissue implant materials. After implantation, hydroxyapatite ceramics and calcium, phosphate-containing bioglasses bond very strongly with bone.
The hydroxyapatite ceramics, as well as the bioglasses, are somewhat different from biological apatite. In general, hydroxyapatite ceramics and bioglasses after implantation take a certain amount of time to adjust to the body's environment. Biological apatite from new bone starts to grow and bind to the surface of these implant materials. For example, calcium, phosphate-containing bioglass, after soaking in body fluid, takes several weeks to form a precipitated hydroxyapatite surface layer. The time for the formation of a hydroxyapatite layer depends strongly on the composition of the bioglass. Clinical studies have showed that the bonding strength between the bioglass and the bone during the initial healing stage also depends on the rate of formation of this hydroxyapatite surface layer. In general, those bioglasses with a fast rate of formation of precipitated surface hydroxyapatite also show a strong bonding with bone. Even though untreated hydroxyapatite ceramics and bioglasses have excellent biocompatibility, it would be advantageous to provide additional biocompatibility and to provide hard tissue replacement materials which shorten the healing time.

Composite materials for hard tissue replacement


A method for manufacturing a multilayer ceramic substrate including the steps of providing multilayers of ceramic green sheets each having an electrode layer formed on a dielectric layer such that, after firing, at least one electrode layer which is separated by the dielectric layer from the adjacent electrode layer in the substrate has an overlapping area of 0.4 mm2 or smaller with the adjacent electrode; and firing the multilayers of the ceramic green sheets at a selected temperature such that, after firing, an interface between the dielectric layer and the electrode layer in the substrate has irregularities with a roughness Rmax of 6 μm or less per 100 μm standard length and the dielectric layer has a saturation sintered density.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacture of a multilayer ceramic substrate which is applicable for use in mobile communication terminals such as portable phones, and also to a multilayer ceramic substrate.
2. Description of Related Art
With the need of miniaturizing recently spread mobile communication equipment, such as portable phones, and portable communication terminals, the size reduction and performance increase of high-frequency circuit parts for use therein have been pursued.
In high-frequency circuit substrates, a conventional module including a printed substrate and a capacitor or inductor mounted on its surface has been increasingly replaced by a smaller size module consisting of multilayers of dielectric ceramic substrates each patterned with a capacitor or inductor circuit.
The multilayer ceramic substrate is generally fabricated by providing multilayers of green sheets, such as glass-ceramics, each carrying a predetermined circuit pattern formed by screen printing or the like, and firing them at a temperature of about 900° C. A popular material used for the circuit pattern is silver (Ag) which is highly conductive and air-firable.
However, due to a higher tendency of silver to exhibit a migration phenomenon, short circuit defect often occurs between silver wiring electrodes separated by a dielectric layer, which has been a problem.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. Hei 11-49531 describes that inclusion of CuO in a glass component of a glass-ceramic for use in a dielectric layer suppresses ionization of Ag during a firing process and thus restrains diffusion of Ag into the glass-ceramic.
In Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. Hei 8-288643, a surface roughness Ra of an insulating base, to which a wiring conductor is adhered, is specified as being in the range of 0.2–0.7 μm. This is contemplated to strengthen a joint between the insulating base and the wiring conductor in a three-dimensional fashion.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-339166 describes a wiring board which includes an insulating base composed of a glass-ceramic and a wired circuit layer formed on a surface or internally of the insulating base and proposes that a surface of the wired circuit layer on the insulating base, opposite to its surface in contact with the insulating base, should have a surface roughness Rz of 1–8 μm. This is described to permit a constraining sheet to constrain the wiring board more evenly so that shrinkage thereof during a firing process is restrained more effectively.

Method for manufacture of multilayer ceramic substrate and multilayer ceramic substrate


A method of generating television Audience Measurement System (AMS) reports and a system executing the method are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving a plurality of encoded report payloads from a plurality of client devices, storing the encoded report payloads in a database, transferring at least one encoded report payload from the database into randomly addressable memory (RAM), decoding the at least one encoded report payload in RAM, parsing the decoded data in RAM with at least one matching algorithm to determine the occurrence of events, compiling a database of parsed data, and generating an AMS report from the database of parsed data.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to television advertisements. Specifically, the invention is directed to reporting viewership of television advertisements and programs.
2. Background of the Invention
Audience Measurement Systems (AMS) should record all events generated by a consumer device, sends them to a centralized location, and allows interested parties to generate reports on all viewed content units, including channel, program, advertisements, etc. Audience Behavior Measurement Systems (BMS) should allow for the recording and monitoring of an audience's interaction with virtually any device or system, including household appliances, radio, TV, gaming consoles, smart phones, tablets, PCs, and so forth.
Due to the amount of data that needs to be collected, transported, stored, retrieved, and processed, the capabilities of existing cost-effective systems can be easily exceeded if the systems are used to generate reports on each and every content unit (program, ad, interactive TV applications, video-on-demand content, etc.) with no margin of error while allowing the user to look back and generate any type of report based on historical data. For example, the PayTV industry in the U.S.A has 60 million digital TV subscribers, where each subscriber generates, on average, approximately one hundred events per day. An Audience Measurement System with such capabilities would need to generate, transport, and store approximately 6 billion events to generate a report on every subscriber. To generate a program or ad rating report, such a system, for each report, will have to process 6 billion records per day of data. Moreover, considering that a typical linear channel lineup in the U.S.A is approximately 300 channels, and each hour of a broadcasted programming has up to 22 minutes allocated for ad spots (which are typically 30 seconds or less), there are up to 316,800 ad units per day which need to be mapped to about 1,000 socioeconomic, demographic, purchasing, housing, and other profiles. Such an amount of data currently makes creation of such systems impractical.
To date, no AMS have been created for the PayTV industry with the abovementioned capabilities, within a reasonable budget, because they have not overcome the limitations caused by the set-top-box return path (i.e. the set-top-box's upstream bandwidth to the head-end), the speed of data retrieval from centralized storage, the cost of CPU data processing to generate the necessary reports, and the time necessary to complete the requested reports (with 316,800 ad units, six billion US records per user per day, and 0.01 millisecond per one comparison, report generation can take up to 602 years to process on a modern computer).
Existing systems (for example, the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,478 entitled Method and System For Tracking Network Use) propose to create event timelines for each panel participant in a Parse and Merge Data engine by decoding and parsing data received from each panel participant's set-top-box, merging event records data with programming and ad data, and forming even timeline records for each of panel participant's set-top-boxes
Such a design and listed operations present two problems. The first challenge is that the systems require substantial amount of processing power to perform parsing, and a substantial amount of I/O (read and write) operations to create and store timeline records. This requirement dramatically limits the ability to cost-effectively scale, to provide support panels with reasonable number of panel participants, and to accurately represent viewing patterns of a requested targeting profile.
A second problem associated with the abovementioned approach creates timeline data records which are very large by their nature. Considering that the final product of this process is analytics report(s), and to generate such report analytics system has to run database queries over very large number of records, and each report generation consumes a substantial amount of time and computing resources.

System and method to increase efficiency and speed of analytics report generation in audience measurement systems


An apparatus for fabricating silicon thin films for use in laser ablation includes a silicon substrate rotatably mounted in a process chamber maintaining a ultra high vacuum, pulsed light source means mounted outside the process chamber for emitting a pulsed light beam, target rotating means mounted in the process chamber for rotating a plurality of targets mounted therein, the targets being made of a different material, light beam splitting means for splitting the pulsed light beam into double light beams of the same intensity, light beam intensity regulating means for regulating the intensity of the double light beams, wherein the targets are mounted to face the silicon substrate so as to uniformly overlap the vaporization products of the targets generated by irradiating the double light bears on the silicon substrate.

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating nano-size dots and, more particularly, to a method for fabricating erbium-doped silicon nano-size dots using the pulsed laser deposition in combination with the ultra high vacuum chemical etching reaction. Erbium-doped silicon nano-size dots thus produced have high purity, density and luminous efficiency.
In general, although silicon (Si) is unusable as an optical material because it has an indirect band gap, using the nano-sizing quantum effect in combination with luminescent material doping technology permits the realization of a silicon-based electrooptic method. Namely, it is necessary to have a doping method that enables efficient luminescence and a method for producing nanometer-scale particles.
Recently, many attempts have been made to produce erbium-doped silicon nano-size dots by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), sputtering, pulse laser deposition (PLD) techniques, and the like. Such erbium-doped silicon nano-size dots are used as a novel material for light sources having a wavelength of 1540 nm, at which the silica optical fiber has a very low absorbance. However, there is a need of using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in combination with the ultra high vacuum chemical etching reaction in order to maximize the erbium doping concentration and to have nanometer-scale size, both of which are essential to achieve a high luminescent efficiency.
The pulsed laser deposition (PLD) allows an increase in the erbium concentration by 10 to 100 times relative to the known chemical vapor desposition (CVD) or sputtering, and the ultra high vacuum chemical etching reaction enables production of a nano-scale structure under restricted conditions that prevent potential introduction of impurities, thus enhancing the electrooptic efficiency.
In a first example of the prior art for fabricating silicon thin films, multiple targets are mounted in a process chamber to produce multi-element thin films by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) (See, Douglas N. Mashburn et al., xe2x80x9cMultiple target laser ablation systemxe2x80x9d, Jan. 5, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,037). This method deposits thin films using the pulsed laser deposition, in which multiple targets are mounted in a high vacuum process chamber and excimer laser beams are alternately irradiated on the individual targets to vaporize the components of each target to be deposited on a film, which is placed at a position to face the targets. That is, the intensity of the laser beam irradiated on the individual target can be regulated so as to control the amount of the element to be deposited on the film, thereby facilitating deposition of multi-element films such as YBCO.
In a second example of the prior art for pulsed laser deposition (PLD), a laser beam is split by a beam splitting means and the split beams are simultaneously irradiated on the same point of a target from different directions via a mirror so as to uniformly assign the irradiation time of the laser beam on the surface of the target (See, Douglas N. Mashburn et al., xe2x80x9cDual beam optical system for pulsed laser ablation film depositionxe2x80x9d, Sep. 24, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,788). This method maintains the efficiency of the laser ablation on the surface of the target for a long time in uniformly depositing the thin films to prevent texturing on the surface of the target and places the plume to face the target in order to uniformly deposit the thin films on the target.
In a third example of the prior art for fabricating erbium-doped silicon thin films by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), a KrF laser beam having a wavelength of 248 nm is irradiated on a target which is prepared by mixing Er2O3 powder with silicon powder for laser ablation (See, Shuji Komuro et al., xe2x80x9cRoom temperature luminescence from erbium-doped silicon thin films prepared by laser ablationxe2x80x9d, Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 69, No. 25, p3896-3898, Dec. 26, 1996).
In a fourth example of the prior art, a method for fabricating silicon nano-size crystals by pulsed laser ablation under the inert gas atmosphere is disclosed, which adopts a process for fabricating well-dispersed silicon nano-size crystals under controlled laser conditions and examines the effect of the pressure of the inert gas on the transition of amorphous silicon thin films to nano-size crystals (See, Nobuyasu Szuki et al., xe2x80x9cStructure and optical properties of silicon nanocrystallities prepared by pulsed laser ablation in inert background gasxe2x80x9d. Applied Physics Letters, vol. 76, No. 11, p1389-1391, Mar. 13, 2000).
However, as disclosed in the third example of the prior art, the use of a target prepared by firing a mixture of Er2O3 powder and silicon powder at a high temperature in the fabrication of erbium-doped silicon thin films by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) contains a possibility of contamination with impurities and requires a plurality of targets that are different in the doping concentration.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems with the prior art and to provide an apparatus and method for fabricating silicon thin films, in which a highly pure solid target is vaporized in a ultra high vacuum process chamber so as to prevent any potential introduction of impurities and the intensity of the laser beam is regulated to vary the doping concentration.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating erbium-doped silicon nano-size dots with high electroluminescence efficiency and high purity using a surface chemical reaction on the erbium-doped silicon thin films.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for fabricating silicon thin films, which uses laser ablation, the apparatus including: a silicon substrate rotatably mounted in a process chamber maintaining a ultra high vacuum; pulsed light source means mounted outside the process chamber for emitting a pulsed light beam; target rotating means mounted in the process chamber for rotating a plurality of targets mounted therein, the targets being made of a different material; light beam splitting means for splitting the pulsed light beam into double light beams of appropriate intensities; light beam intensity regulating means for regulating the intensity of the double light beams. The targets are mounted to face the silicon substrate so as to uniformly overlap the vaporization products of the targets generated by irradiating the double light beams on the silicon and erbium targets.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for fabricating silicon nano-size dots, the method including the steps of: forming erbium-doped silicon thin films on a silicon substrate by pulsed laser ablation under ultra high vacuum; nitrifying the surface of the silicon thin films to form a plurality of silicon nitride islands; selectively etching the silicon thin films which is not capped by silicon nitride by way of oxygen-induced etching to form erbium-doped silicon nano-size dots.

Fabrication method of erbium-doped silicon nano-size dots

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A computer device may include a memory storing instructions and processor configured to execute the instructions to generate a Radio Access Network (RAN) slice in a Fifth Generation (5G) New Radio (NR) base station designated for a particular type of service; determine requirements associated with the generated RAN slice; and reserve resources of the 5G NR base station for the generated RAN slice, wherein reserving the resources includes specifying one or more antenna beams generated by the 5G NR base station. The processor may be further configured to obtain criteria for categorizing user equipment (UE) device sessions as belonging to the generated RAN slice; identify UE device sessions as belonging to the RAN slice based on the obtained criteria; and apply the determined requirements to the identified UE device session using the reserved resources.

In order to satisfy the needs and demands of users of mobile communication devices, providers of wireless communication services continue to improve and expand available services as well as networks used to deliver such services. One aspect of such improvements includes the development of wireless access networks as well as options to utilize such wireless access networks. A wireless access network may manage a large number of devices using different types of services. The services used by the devices may have various types of requirements. Managing all the different service requirements poses various challenges.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Systems and methods for ran slicing in a wireless access network


An age precipitation-containing rare earth metal-nickel alloy of AB.sub.5 type having a composition represented by a formula (1) EQU R(Ni.sub.1-x M.sub.x).sub.5+y (1). wherein R stands for a rare earth element including Y or mixtures thereof, M stands for Co, Al, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zr, Ti, Mo, W, B, or mixtures thereof, x satisfies the relation of 0.05.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.5, and y satisfies the relation of -0.45.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.45, the alloy containing a precipitated phase having an average size of 0.1 to 20 .mu.m as measured along the longitudinal axis. A method of producing the alloy as defined above including the steps of subjecting a raw alloy material having a composition represented by the formula (1) to a solid solution treatment at a temperature of not less than 1000.degree. C., and ageing the alloy material subjected to said solution heat treatment at a temperature T (.degree. C.) of not less than 700.degree. C. and less than 1000.degree. C. for a time period t (hour) which satisfies the relation represented by the formula (2) EQU (830-T)/200.ltoreq.log t.ltoreq.(1200-T)/200 (2),. thereby precipitating a precipitated phase having an average size of 0.1 to 20 .mu.m as measured along the longitudinal axis.

An anode of nickel-hydrogen rechargeable batteries which are currently produced in a large amount is mainly produced with an Mm (misch metal) --Ni--Co--Mn--Al alloy of AB.sub.5 type. This alloy has the properties of larger hydrogen storage capacity than other alloys, and a usable hydrogen absorption-desorption pressure of 1 to 5 atmosphere at ordinary temperature.
However, conventional AB.sub.5 type rare earth metal-nickel alloy has drawbacks of expanding and contracting due to the absorption and desorption of hydrogen, thereby generating cracks and being pulverized to deteriorate the electrical properties thereof.
Alternatively, electrodes having still larger electrical capacity are demanded. In order to increase the electrical capacity of electrodes, an alloy has been developed having a composition wgherein the atomic ratio of transition metals containing nickel as a main ingredient to rare earth metals is 4.5 to 5:1, thereby increasing the content of rare earth metals.
However, the electrical capacity of this alloy is increased at a sacrifice of the long life. This alloy also has a drawback in that in mass-producing the alloy of such composition through a conventional melting method and a mold casting method, segregations rich in rare earth metals tend to be formed, which can be a starting point of cracks and corrosion.
For the purpose of preventing the formation of such segregations rich in rare earth metals, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2-220356, for example discloses a method for producing a homogeneous alloy by injecting an alloy melt onto a copper roller rotating at a high speed to rapidly quench and solidify the alloy melt. Further, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 6-73466 discloses 2 to 5 hour-annealing of an alloy which has been rapidly quenched and solidified at 550 to 950.degree. C. in vacuum or an inert gas atmosphere for releasing cooling strain occurred by the rapid quenching and solidification. According to these two methods, improvements in the homogeneity of the alloy, as well as corrosion resistance and cell life are recognized.
However, sufficient improvement in electrical capacity is not recognized by the above method. Therefore, an alloy which achieves both high electrical capacity and long life is not practically known yet.
By the way, it is an accepted theory that a rare earth metal-nickel alloy having the above-mentioned AB.sub.5 type structure does not have a solid solution range (T. B. Massalski et al.: Binary Alloy Phase Diagrams, Vol. 2. 1468 ASM (1986)). Also, an AB.sub.6 type rare earth metal-nickel alloy containing fine precipitated phases in the crystal grains thereof is not known. Still less, it is not known that such fine precipitated phases can be a factor of improving both electrical capacity and cell life when the above-mentioned alloy is used in the anode of a nickel-hydrogen rechargeable battery.

Age precipitation-containing rare earth metal-nickel alloy


An embodiment of the invention may include a method, computer program product and computer system for visual trigger notification. The method, computer system, and computer program product may include a computing device which may receive a user selection of a display portion of an application on a first display unit and user input defining a visual trigger policy for the selected display portion of the application. The visual trigger policy may define a visual trigger and a user notification in response to detecting the visual trigger. The computing device may capture image data of the selected display portion of the application on the first display unit and analyze the captured image data to detect the visual trigger, The computing device may, in response to detecting the visual trigger, generate the user notification defined by the visual trigger policy.

The present invention relates generally to a method, system, and computer program for user event notification. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, system, and computer program for user notification based on a visual trigger event.
In the past few decades, the proliferation of computer technology has resulted in people being more connected to each other than ever before. This has resulted in many people having multiple devices running multiple applications and programs, all of which demand user attention. For example, a user may have a computer, a cellphone, and a smartwatch all within arm's reach and all running various applications or programs with which the user in presently interacting with. Thus, there is a constant demand for attention requiring user input from multiple sources.

User notification based on visual trigger event

International Business Machines Corporation


A spectrum measuring apparatus that includes an extinction member for decreasing a light intensity from an EUV light source, a spectrum member for extracting light with a desired wavelength band from the decreased intensity light and a detector for detecting a light intensity of the light with a desired wavelength band is disclosed. Then, a spectrum intensity distribution (spectrum) is obtained by (a) a plural opening is located in the extinction member, and the light from the EUV light source passes through the plural opening at the same time, or (b) the detector detects the light volume of the light with a desired wavelength band as thermal energy.

The present invention relates to a spectrum measuring apparatus that measures spectrum intensity of wide wavelength of a vacuum ultraviolet region to an infrared region that irradiated from an EUV light source.
Conventionally, in photolithography process to manufacture fine semiconductor devices such as semiconductor memory and logic circuit, a reduction projection exposure that uses ultraviolet light is done. The minimum critical dimension transferred by the projection exposure is proportional to the wavelength of light used for transfer and inversely proportional to the numerical aperture ("NA") of the projection optical system. Therefore, to transfer the fine circuit pattern, shorter ultraviolet light wavelengths have been proposed—from an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp (i-line with a wavelength of approximately 365 nm) to KrF excimer laser (with a wavelength of approximately 248 nm) and ArF excimer laser (with a wavelength of approximately 193 nm).
However, lithography using ultraviolet light has limitations when it comes to satisfying the rapidly promoted fine processing of a semiconductor device. Therefore, a reduction projection optical system using extreme ultraviolet ("EUV") light with a wavelength of 10 to 15 nm shorter than that of the ultraviolet has been developed to efficiently transfer very fine circuit patterns of 100 nm or less. FIG. 11 is a conceptual rendering of the exposure apparatus that uses the EUV light.
The EUV light source uses, for example, a light source of laser plasma (LPP) method or a light source of discharge plasma (DPP) method.
The EUV light source of LPP method irradiates a highly intensified pulse laser beam to a target material put in vacuum, thus generating high-temperature plasma for use as EUV light with a wavelength of about 13 nm emitted from this. The target material may use a metallic thin film, inert gas, and droplets, etc., and is supplied by a means such as a gas jet in the vacuum. The pulse laser preferably has high repetitive frequency, e.g., usually several kHz, for increased average intensity of the emitted EUV light from the target.
On the other hand, the EUV light source of DPP method flows a gas such as Xenon between electrodes, generates the plasma with the electrical discharge, and generates the EUV light.
When the EUV light used for the exposure, the EUV light is absorbed by using a usual metallic mirror and a lens made of quartz etc. A multilayer mirror that laminates 20 layers with a molybdenum (Mo) layer and a silicon (Si) layer is used for the EUV light. In general, the multilayer mirror is adjusted by changing the thickness of the each layer of the multilayer so that reflectivity to the EUV light with a wavelength of 13.5 nm is high, and the EUV light with other wavelengths are absorbed by the mirror.
An optical system for the EUV exposure apparatus is composed with several multilayer mirrors. Especially, the EUV light source of LPP method arranges a condenser mirror surrounding the emission point to efficiently use the EUV light emitted from the target, and to condense the generated EUV light to a predetermined light wavelength.
The light emitted from the target includes not only the EUV light with the specific wavelength used for the exposure from the EUV light source of laser plasma method but also the light with a wavelength band such as the EUV light, X-ray, ultraviolet light, visible light and infrared light. Thereby, the EUV light with a wavelength different than the specific wavelength and X-ray light that can not be reflected by the multilayer mirror are absorbed by the multilayer mirror, and causes the rise in heat of the mirror. Moreover, the ultraviolet light activates a residual gas in the vacuum, and accelerates a deposition of a contamination on the condenser mirror. The light of the ultraviolet region to the infrared region is reflected by the multilayer mirror that composes the optical system of the exposure apparatus, and reaches a wafer. The light of the ultraviolet region to the infrared region is absorbed by resist, and heat expands the wafer. As the result, there is a possibility of decreasing overlay accuracy during exposure.
Therefore, it is necessary to measure the wide band spectrum of the light emitted from the EUV light source, and to measure the light intensity of the light discharged in each wavelength region precisely, to design the exposure apparatus that uses the EUV light and exposure.
An apparatus that is described to FIG. 12 is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-175980 (correspond with U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/085286) about the measurement of the EUV light emitted from the EUV light source. In FIG. 12, the EUV light emitted from a condenser point 101 decreases the intensity of the light by an aperture stop 105, and reflects with a multilayer mirror 102. Moreover, the EUV light reaches a CCD array 104 through an EUV filter 103 that transmits only an EUV light of a target for the measurement and is measured.
Details of spectrum of the EUV light of a predetermined wavelength region can be measured by a grazing incidence spectrum system shown in FIG. 13. This method uses the multilayer mirror as the filter, e.g., two multilayer mirrors 201 and 202. The system can measure the wavelength region of about 5 to 50 nm, and can measure detail spectrum shape because it adjusts a wavelength resolution (λ/Δλ) to 500 or more.
However, the above-mentioned measuring apparatuses comparatively measure only a part of the light emitted from the EUV light source for the wavelength region in the narrow range. Thereby, it is difficult to measure the entire wide band spectrum of the light emitted from the EUV light source, and to know the absolute intensity. As the result, the wavelength intensity distribution of entire beams including the infrared ray region emitted from the EUV light source necessary to design the exposure apparatus that uses the EUV light and exposure stability can not be obtained.