A field-of-view of a scene is scanned by an augmented reality device. The scene includes one or more objects including a first computing device. A portion of an electronic document is detected based on the scanned field-of-view. The portion of the electronic document is rendered on a display of the first computing device. A content element of the electronic document that is rendered on the display is captured. A second computing device determines an incomplete portion of the content element. A suggestion to complete the incomplete portion is provided by the augmented reality device.

The present disclosure relates to augmented reality, and more specifically, to auto complete suggestions and autocompletion with augmented reality.
Augmented reality may be used to perform image and edge analysis to identify and call-out elements within an augmented view of a real-world scene. Augmented reality may also be used to provide extraneous information about real-world elements of the scene, such as identified places. Augmented reality is, however, detached and disconnected from other computing systems and may be unable to provide meaningful interaction models with other computing devices.


A steering device for decreasing a turning radius of a pallet jack includes a ground engaging member connected to a support member of the pallet jack between a main wheel and an extensible wheel. The load supporting member of the pallet jack is positionable between a raised position and a lowered position. A first turning radius of the pallet jack is defined by the distance between the main wheel and the extensible wheel. While the extensible wheel engages the ground when the support frame is positioned towards the raised position, positioning the support member towards the lowered position engages the ground engageable member with the ground causing the extensible wheel to disengage the ground. The main wheel and the ground engageable member then define a second turning radius which is less than the first turning radius.

The present invention generally relates to pallet jacks. In particular, the present invention relates to a device for decreasing a turning radius of a pallet jack.
In the art of material handling, pallets jacks typically include wheeled devices intended for the manual lifting of a pallet, with a load resting thereon, to transport the pallet and load from one work area to another. U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,669 discloses an exemplary pallet jack, or hydraulic pallet truck. Pallet jacks typically include forked support arms upon which extensible rollers are mounted at terminal ends. The opposing ends of the forked support arms are typically connected to one another and attached in some fashion to a pivotal wheel with a hydraulic lift. The pivotal wheel allows the user to steer the pallet jack when either pushing or pulling the pallet jack. The hydraulic lift is operatively connected the wheel and the extensible rollers to raise and lower the support arms to engage and transport the pallet or to disengage the pallet jack from the pallet.
Due to the relatively heavy loads pallet jacks are intended to transport, and the size of the pallets themselves, the length of the forked arms are designed to provide the greatest support and stability when in contact with the pallets. Therefore, to maximize stability, the roller of each fork is terminally positioned on each fork to maximize the distance each roller is from the main wheel. However, by positioning the rollers at such a distance from the main wheel, the pallet jack is sometimes difficult to steer in tight or crowded work areas due to the fact that the turning radius of the pallet jack is defined by the distance between the main wheel and the rollers. The turning radius of the pallet jack becomes especially problematic when the work area does not provide for adequate space, as is the case with crowded warehouses or storerooms. Also, because the steerable wheel is positioned at one end and the rollers are positioned at the opposite end, the center of curvature of the pallet jack is virtually positioned between the rollers at the terminal ends of the forked arms. Therefore, positioning the forked arms to engage the pallet is made difficult because very little lateral movement occurs at the terminal ends of the forked arms relative to lateral movement made at the opposing end having the main steering wheel.


A cathode ray tube device capable of providing sufficient shielding effect against leaking alternating electric field while exhibiting high reliability during long use. Alternating electric field generated by a deflection yoke is sufficiently reduced by the shielding effect produced by a conductive film formed on a funnel portion. A gap formed between the conductive film and an insulating sheet provided between the conductive film and the deflection yoke, due to dimensional error, is filled with insulating silicone grease, so as to avoid secular degradation of insulation which otherwise may occur due to accumulation of dust and other matters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cathode ray tube device and, more particularly, to a cathode ray tube device in which alternating electric field radiated from the deflection yoke is diminished.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 4, a known CRT device has a funnel portion 1 which includes a neck portion 1a, a cone portion 1b and a funnel main body portion 1c which has a high voltage anode button 1d and is frit sealed onto a face panel portion 2. Numeral 1e denotes a junction between the neck portion 1a and the cone portion 1b, generally referred to as "neck seal line". The neck seal line has a glass wall thickness slightly smaller than those of other portions and, hence, is inferior to other portions in regard to strength. The above mentioned portions in cooperation form a glass bulb 20.
An electron gun 3 is sealed to the neck portion 1a. An explosion proof band 4 is wound on the side faces on the face panel portion 2 so as to provide explosion proof nature. A silicone resin film 5 is formed around the high voltage anode button 1d on the funnel main body portion 1c for the purpose of electrical insulation. A conductive film 6 for imparting electrostatic capacitance to the cathode ray tube is formed on the outer surface of the funnel main body portion 1c. Usually, the conductive film 6 is formed by applying, for example, a paste of graphite and may be discontinuous when viewed microscopically. Numeral 28 designates a straight line which is parallel to the neck 1a and which constitutes the axis of the cathode ray tube.
The cathode ray tube device thus formed has, as shown in FIG. 5, a deflection yoke 7 which is secured to a portion of the glass bulb between the cone portion 1b and the neck portion 1a and which serves to deflect the electron beam. Referring to FIG. 6, the deflection yoke 7 is composed of a horizontal deflection coil 7a, a vertical deflection coil 7b and a deflection yoke main body portion 7c. The fixing of the deflection yoke 7 to the funnel portion 1 is achieved by means of a fixing band 10 which is provided on a portion of the deflection yoke 7 adjacent to the neck portion 1a. A gap generally referred to as "self convergence system" is provided between the deflection yoke 7 and the funnel portion 1 for the purpose of adjustment of the convergence characteristics. The size of this gap is adjustable by oscillation of the deflection yoke 7 around the fixing band 10. This operation will be referred to as "oscillation convergence adjustment", hereinafter.
In operation, an electron beam emitted from the electron gun 3 sealed to the neck portion 1a is deflected both in the horizontal and vertical directions by means of the horizontal deflection coil 7a and the vertical deflection coil 7b of the deflection yoke 7, so as to scan a fluorescent film formed on the inner side of the face panel portion 2, thereby forming a desired image. The amplitude of the deflection of the electron beam is in inverse proportion to the square root of the voltage applied to the anode button 1d mentioned above.
In recent years, undesirable effect of electromagnetic waves on human bodies has been noticed as a problem to be overcome. This problem has been recognized also in display monitors. Namely, there is a fear that the human bodies are adversely affected by alternating electric field generated mainly by deflection yoke, i.e., electric field radiated from the deflection yoke. Based upon such recognition, National Conference of Measurement and Test of Sweden (MPR), as well as Central Labor Conference of Sweden (TCO), has proposed standards concerning electromagnetic waves emitted from display monitors, as shown in Table 1 below.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ ELF band VLF band Measuring condition ______________________________________ 5 Hz to 2 KHz 2.5 V/m or 50 cm apart from CRT MPR less face, 20.degree. C., 21% humidity TCO 10 V/m or 1.0 V/m or 30 cm apart from CRT less less face, 20.degree. C., 21% humidity ______________________________________
Thus, the known cathode ray tube devices have no measure for shielding alternating electric field which is radiated from the deflection yoke. The present inventors have measured the alternating electric field at VLF band on a cathode ray tube of 16 inch size and having an anticharge coating of 2.6.times.109 W on face plate to obtain the results as shown in Table 2 below.
TABLE 2 ______________________________________ Type of CRT Anticharge treated CRT Measuring method MPR11 TCO ______________________________________ AC filed Hor. Freq. 31 KHz 2.3 V/m 5.0 V/m VLF band Hor. Freq. 45 KHz 3.4 V/m 8.3 V/m (V/m) Hor. Freq. 64 KHz 4.8 V/m 12.0 V/m ______________________________________
From Table 2, it is understood that the intensity of alternating electric field at VLF band has a dependency on horizontal frequency. More specifically, when the horizontal frequency is elevated to cope with a demand for higher resolution, the alternating electric field at VLF band is correspondingly increased. Consequently, alternating electric field of an intensity exceeding the standard levels shown in Table 1 penetrates the funnel portion and the face panel of the CRT so as to adversely affect the user's body.
As a countermeasure for obviating this problem, an arrangement is proposed in Japanese patent Laid Open No. 3116902 in which a grounded conductive film is formed on a predetermined area of the surface of the funnel portion and the deflection yoke is mounted via an insulating member which covers the conductive film.
This arrangement, however, poses a problem in that a gap is often formed between the conductive film on the cone portion and the insulating member due to dimensional error of the cone portion and the insulating member incurred during manufacturing of the cathode ray tube device, tending to degrade insulation due to accumulation of dust and other foreign matters in the gap during long use of the cathode ray tube device.

Alternating electric field diminishing structure for cathode ray tube device


An apparatus for reducing shielding gaps associated with the mounting of peripheral cards in a computer system. A computer system chassis includes a frame mounted thereupon, the frame having at least one opening adjacent to a peripheral card slot. The frame includes a plurality of tabs arranged around the opening, wherein the tabs on one side of the opening are staggered with respect to the tabs on the other side of the opening. A shield bracket configured for coupling to a peripheral card mountable in the slot is slidable to cover the opening. When the shield bracket is slid into position to cover the opening, the shield bracket is retained by the plurality of tabs. The frame and the slot bracket are made of a flexible, electrically conductive material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer systems, and more particularly, the prevention of the leakage of electromagnetic energy through a computer system chassis.
2. Description of the Related Art
One important aspect in the design of computers and electronic systems is the shielding of electromagnetic energy. In the design of most electronic systems, it is desirable to shield the system from unwanted electromagnetic interference from external sources, as well as to contain electromagnetic energy generated by the system itself. Furthermore, certain government regulations (e.g., Federal Communications Commission requirements) may necessitate that electronic systems be designed to contain electromagnetic noise within certain specifications.
Computers and other electronic systems are typically contained within an enclosure that includes a chassis. Due to the operation of various components in such an electronic system, electromagnetic energy may be coupled to the chassis. This energy may translate into currents that are conducted on the interior of the chassis surface. While the chassis may be designed with a minimal number of slots and/or other apertures to contain internally generated electromagnetic energy from escaping (or externally generated electromagnetic energy from entering), apertures that may be present in the chassis may allow electromagnetic energy to enter or escape. For example, gaps in a computer system chassis may exist in locations where peripheral cards have been inserted (e.g., a PCI, or peripheral component interface, slot). Such gaps may allow electromagnetic energy to escape the chassis, or externally generated electromagnetic energy to enter the interior of the chassis. Such electromagnetic energy may lead to EMI.

Slot frame with guide tabs for reducing EMI gaps


A data security device for a computer system controls the addition and removal of data using an external data drive. The computer system includes a microprocessor, memory, internal data storage, a power supply, and an external data drive. An access controller is coupled between the power supply and the external data drive. The access controller selectively makes or breaks an electrical connection between the power supply and the external data drive to prevent the addition or removal of data from the computer system using the external data drive. The access controller preferably includes a switch coupled to the power supply which has on and off states. A timer, coupled to the switch, generates a timing signal when the switch is in the off state for a first period. A switching device such as a relay or a transistor makes an electrical connection between the switch and the external data drive before the timing signal is received. The switching device breaks the electrical connection when the timing signal is received. A lock and key controls the operation of the access controller.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to computers and, more particularly, to a device for limiting the addition and removal of data from a computer using an external data drive.
2. Background
Businesses often store sensitive data, such as customer and pricing lists, marketing plans, new product specifications, etc., in the internal storage media of computers. Internal storage media includes hard drives located locally such as within the computer housing or remotely connected by a server. These computers are often readily accessible by one or more employees both during and after business hours. A significant problem exists due to employees who steal or otherwise misuse the sensitive information stored on the computers. Part of the problem is that the sensitive information can be readily transferred from the computers to floppy disks, tapes or other portable storage media using an external drive connected to the computer. Employers are hesitant to remove the external drives especially when information must be added and removed from the computer using portable storage media during the normal course of business.
Employees also tend to bring computer software, such as games, to work and to install the computer software on the work computer using the external data drives. When the employee is not being watched, the employee plays the games during business hours instead of working. As can be appreciated, the effects of reduced productivity can be significant. Once the employee's software is loaded onto the computer, it is difficult to catch the employee playing the games without regularly monitoring the employee. Most computer games can be switched off quickly and/or include a screen which resembles a spreadsheet to fool the employer. Therefore, the employer is faced with either allowing the employee to play the games or paying for another employee to regularly monitor other employees. Both options are costly.
Another problem may occur when employees load computer software onto the computer. The employee's computer program or computer disk is sometimes corrupted by a virus which is inadvertently transferred to the work computer when the employee loads the computer software using the external data drive. Viruses destroy important files stored on the work computer and cause additional productivity losses. Disgruntled employees may purposely load a virus into the work computer after being fired.
Conventional access restriction devices prevent the use of the computer entirely by disabling the keyboard, hard drive, etc. When in a disabled mode, conventional access restriction devices prevent a complete bootup which in turn prevents the use of the computer. Manual data entry and other tasks (which do not require the addition and/or removal of information using the external data drives) cannot be performed.
Software based access control systems for controlling access to external data drives can easily be circumvented through the use of self-booting disks. Password-based access control systems are subject to security lapses such as inadvertent or purposeful disclosure of the passwords.
Therefore, a device which addresses the above-noted problems and which allows an employer or supervisor to control the addition and removal of data using external data drives without affecting the use of the computers in other modes is desirable.

Data security device for controlling access to external data drives


A stage assembly (220) that moves a work piece (200) about a first axis and along a first axis includes a first stage (238), a second stage (240) that retains the work piece (200), a second mover assembly (244), a measurement system, and an initialization system (1081A). The second mover assembly (244) moves the second stage (240) relative to the first stage (238) about the first axis. The measurement system (22) monitors the position of the second stage (240) about the first axis when the second stage (240) is positioned within a working range about the first axis. The initialization system (1081A) facilitates movement of the second stage (240) about the first axis when the second stage (240) is rotated about the first axis outside the working range. The second mover assembly (244) can include a mover (255) and a dampener (410) that reduces the transmission of vibration from the first stage (238) to the second stage (240). In addition, the stage assembly (220) can include a control system (24) that directs power to the mover (255) to position the second stage (240) and to compensate for vibration of the first stage (238).

Exposure apparatuses for semiconductor processing are commonly used to transfer images from a reticle onto a semiconductor wafer during semiconductor processing. A typical exposure apparatus includes an illumination source, a reticle stage assembly that positions a reticle, an optical assembly, a wafer stage assembly that positions a semiconductor wafer, a measurement system, and a control system.
A common type of stage assembly includes a coarse stage, a coarse mover assembly that moves the coarse stage, a fine stage, and a fine mover assembly that moves the fine stage. With this design, the measurement system constantly monitors the position of the fine stage.
With certain stage designs, vibration and disturbances from the ground or the environment are transferred to the coarse stage and subsequently transmitted to the fine stage. This can cause errors in the positioning of the fine stage. The size of the images and features within the images transferred onto the wafer from the reticle are extremely small. As a result thereof, the precise positioning of the wafer and the reticle is critical to the manufacture of high density, semiconductor wafers.

Stage assembly with measurement system initialization, vibration compensation, low transmissibility, and lightweight fine stage


A system, computer program product, and method are provided to selectively index one or more subsets of documents or files. As data is extracted from a document or file, extracted text is organized into data portions and subject to evaluations. Meta characteristic data is leveraged to assess the extracted text. One or more subsets of the organized data portions are selectively identified and subject to enrichment processing, which creates and returns enriched and indexed subsets of the documents or files.

The present embodiment(s) relate to document processing. More specifically, the embodiment(s) relate to an intelligence platform to enhance text identification and extraction by prioritizing aspects of the document(s) and conducting enrichment activity responsive to the prioritization.
With an abundant quantity of data available in large pools of data, such as document repositories, searching and finding relevant data is challenging. Data exploration is recognized as an initial or preliminary step in data analysis directed at a pool of data, and typically involves summarizing data characteristics by uncovering initial patterns, characteristics, and points of interest. A combination of manual methods and automated tools, such as data visualizations, charts, and initial reports, are commonly employed to support data exploration. After data exploration is complete, further data evaluation in the form of data discovery may be conducted.
For a system or search engine that supports word searching, a file is ingested, text is extracted from the ingested file, and the extracted word is subject to enrichment, and followed by indexing. There are concerns or drawbacks associated with text extraction when the corresponding document or file is large. Namely, enrichment and indexing require a large amount of processor or memory usage, and the time required to make the corresponding file searchable is considerably long. For example, when the file to be ingested is several gigabytes, e.g. GBs, text extraction requires several minutes for completion, while text enrichment and indexing requires several hours to be completed. Another drawback of text extraction from a large file is the size of the index. Namely, the index corresponding to the file is proportional to the file size, and the time to search the index increases proportionally with the increasing size of the index. For example, a document may appear in a search result because the document has a large number of words that match the query parameters, but the document may contain meaningless information.
Prior art data exploration tools may place a limit on the file size. For example, it is known in the art to terminate text extraction when the file size is beyond a set quantity of characters, e.g. quantity of characters, or in one embodiment, not conduct data extraction on a file larger than a set size, e.g. quantity of bytes. However, such solutions merely disregard large files for extraction, and do not consider the value of the data that may be present within the large file. Prior art data exploration tools may employ index pruning for reducing the size of the index and increasing search performance by removing what it considers to be low value words. Pruning can be conducted statically, e.g. in advance of the query execution, or dynamically, e.g. during query execution. However, index pruning does not address or resolve CPU and memory resources required for enrichment and indexing extracted text from an ingested file. Accordingly, there is a need to resolve the limitations present in data exploration that supports efficient and effective processing of files regardless of the corresponding file size.

International Business Machines Corporation


An airbag inflator comprises a housing having an interior and gas outlet ports communicating with the interior and open to outside the housing. First and second divider walls separate an inflation gas chamber and an initiator gas chamber from the interior. A pressurized inflation gas is stored in the inflation gas chamber. A pressurized combustible gaseous mixture is stored in the initiator gas chamber. An initiator is disposed within the initiator gas chamber and actuatable to ignite the pressurized combustible gaseous mixture. The second divider wall defining the initiator gas chamber is supported by the pressurized combustible gaseous mixture and resiliently deformable to force the first divider wall to rupture, permitting a flow of the pressurized inflation gas from the housing though the gas outlet port in response to actuation of the initiator.

The present invention relates to an inflator for an inflatable airbag of a vehicle occupant restraint system.
In vehicle occupant restraint systems, an airbag is inflatable by an inflation fluid from an inflation fluid source stored in an airbag inflator upon a collision.
Various types of inflators for vehicle inflatable airbags are well known. Among them, one type of inflators include a housing, a solid gas generant filled in the housing, a heat-producing material enclosed in the gas generant, an ignitor material disposed at one end portion of the housing, and a filter disposed between the housing and the gas generant. A plurality of gas outlet ports are formed in a circumferential wall of the housing. The solid gas generant is a material thermally decomposable to generate an inflation gas for inflating the airbag. For instance, the solid gas generant is sodium azide thermally decomposable to generate a nitrogen gas as indicated by the following formula:
NaN.sub.3 .fwdarw.Na+3/2.multidot.N.sub.2 PA1 a housing having an interior and a gas outlet port communicating with the interior and open to outside the housing; PA1 a first wall separating an inflation gas chamber from the interior; PA1 a pressurized inflation gas stored in the inflation gas chamber; PA1 a second wall separating an initiator gas chamber from the interior; PA1 a pressurized combustible gaseous mixture stored in the initiator gas chamber; and PA1 an initiator disposed within the initiator gas chamber and actuatable to ignite the pressurized combustible gaseous mixture; PA1 the second wall being supported by the pressurized combustible gaseous mixture and resiliently deformable to force the first wall to rupture, permitting a flow of the pressurized inflation gas from the housing though the gas outlet port in response to actuation of the initiator. PA1 a housing having an interior and a gas outlet port open to outside the housing and communicating with the interior; PA1 divider walls separating at least two chambers from the interior; PA1 pressurized combustible gaseous mixtures stored in said at least two chambers; PA1 initiators each adapted to actuate at individual ignition timings and disposed within the at least two chambers, the initiators being actuatable to ignite the pressurized combustible gaseous mixtures to rupture the divider walls; and PA1 an integrally hinged flap portion forcibly separable from each of the divider walls in response to actuation of the initiators; PA1 the integrally hinged flap portion cooperating with the gas outlet port to provide a variety of flow rates of the pressurized combustible gaseous mixture flowing through the gas outlet port out of the housing upon the separation of the integrally hinged flap portion.
The ignitor material is a pyrotechnic, for example, a powdery mixture of zinc perchlorate and potassium perchlorate, which is adapted to ignite in response to an electrical signal generated upon a vehicle collision. The heat-producing material is, for example, a pyrotechnic including boron potassium nitrate powder. The heat-producing material increases heat generated by the ignition of the ignitor material to thermally decompose the solid gas generant. The filter is provided for cooling the inflation gas resulting from the thermal decomposition of the solid gas generant and for trapping solid products which are generated by the thermal decomposition together with the inflation gas, to prevent the by-products from entering the airbag and a vehicle occupant compartment.
In this type of the inflator, it takes a relatively long period of time from ignition of the ignitor material in response to the electrical signal to generation of the inflation gas from the gas generant. The inflator of such type is required to use a sensor for reducing the relatively long period of time, which influences other components of the inflator. In addition, by the reason of using the ignitor material to cause the thermal decomposition of the gas generant, the conventional type of the inflator has a substantial limitation with respect to the arrangement or layout of components accommodated within the housing. This leads to a limited configuration of the housing.
Meanwhile, there is a demand to provide an airbag inflator adapted to control a timing of discharge of gas from the inflator depending upon various factors such as severity of the vehicle collision, position of the occupant, size of the occupant's body, and the like.


A slurry product is packaged into a plastic bag using a modified form-fill-seal apparatus and method of using it. The apparatus has preferably been modified to select the appropriate amount of product slurry by weight. Bags are filled using a dual auger system that includes a bulk auger and a precision auger that fill a bag simultaneously. The augers work together for a first period to rapidly load slurry into a large part of the bag. During a second period, the bulk auger shuts down, allowing the precision auger alone to top-off the bags. The periods are determined either by time or by the volume or weight of the product that has entered the bag.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method that forms a flexible bag, fills it with a slurry composition, and seals the bag for shipping. More specifically, it relates to a form-fill-seal apparatus that quickly and accurately fills the bag to an appropriate weight.
In the construction of buildings, one of the most common elements is gypsum wallboard, often known as drywall, used in the construction of walls and/or ceilings. Walls made from gypsum wallboard are conventionally constructed by affixing the panels to studs or joists, and then filling and coating the joints between panels with a specially prepared composition called a joint compound. This process generally proceeds by placing a taping grade joint compound within the joint formed by the abutted edges of the wallboards and embedding a liquid-permeable tape within the taping compound. When dry (or set), a second coating comprising a topping grade joint compound is applied over the joint. This is sanded lightly, then a third coat applied and conventionally finished. Another grade of joint compound is an all-purpose grade that is used both for embedding the tape and for applying the finish coats. A patterned effect may be given to the finished wall and joint with the all-purpose joint compound to provide a textured finish.
There are two general types of joint compound, setting type and drying type. Joint compound of the setting type sets up and becomes firm when hydration reactions convert calcium sulfate hemihydrate and water into an interlocking matrix of calcium sulfate dihydrate crystals. Excess water evaporates. Drying type compound becomes firm upon the loss of water by evaporation.
Each form of joint compound is sold either as a dry powder mix or in the form of an aqueous slurry. The dry powder includes either calcium carbonate or calcined gypsum and dry forms of appropriate additives. Each form has its advantages depending on what is available at the job site. The dry mix requires the transportation of less material. However, it requires the availability of both water and mixing equipment. Where these materials are not readily available, or where the job is so small that it is inconvenient to obtain them, a ready-mix joint compound may be the most suitable form of joint compound to use.
Preparation of a ready-mix, setting type joint compound requires additional chemical components compared to a drying type joint compound or a dry mix. However, once water is added to the calcined gypsum, the setting process begins unless it is prevented chemically. Set retarders are added in sufficient quantities to prevent hardening. Prior to use, a set accelerator is added to the ready-mix joint compound to overcome the effects of the set retarder. If a drying-type joint compound has water added, hardening of the slurry can be delayed if the water is not permitted to evaporate. Keeping a drying-type joint compound tightly sealed is sufficient to keep it in a slurry form.
Slurry products have been a challenge for packaging specialists. The product is very heavy due to the weight of the water. It is fluid within the packaging, allowing the weight distribution to shift. If the packaging is ruptured or punctured, slurries tend to leak out, making a mess of other product in the vicinity. Conventionally, ready-mix joint compounds have been packaged in either a plastic pail or a plastic-lined carton. The hard exterior of these packages provides rupture and puncture protection to the product, it gives support to the heavy slurry and it provides a package that is easier to stack on a palette without shifting.
However, these forms of packaging are very expensive compared to a plastic bag. In addition to the cost of the packaging materials, additional equipment, including carton formers, bag inserters, carton sealers, lid placers, doily placers and lid sealers are needed to complete the packaging. Additional labor is needed to operate and maintain these extra machines. The collective footprint of the packaging equipment is large, requiring a large facility and the accompanying capital investment.
Some prior art filling machines form the bag and transfer most of the product to the bag at one station, then move the bag to a second station to be topped-off accurately. Time and additional equipment are needed to move a partially filled bag of slurry to the second filling station. Movement of the bag provides opportunities for spillage or damage of the bag as well. While topping and sealing the bag at a second fill station may save a bit more time at that the first station, the total time needed to fill the bag including transfer time is not necessarily reduced, and it introduces opportunities for product damage. There will also be a cost associated with additional personnel to operate and maintain the extra equipment.
The prior art reveals little about packaging of slurry compositions. Plastic bags are frequently used for packaging of powdered or granular materials greater than 100 microns in particle size. Joint compound slurry has been packaged in a tube as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,204. The joint compound is pumped into the tube. Air is removed from the tube and it is tied or crimped shut. A humectant is sprayed in the inside of the package of ready-mix joint compound to maintain uniform moisture content in U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,588. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,154, granular materials are fed by an auger into a gravity fed delivery conduit. A custom product mix is obtainable by programming selected quantities of materials, selected proportions or selected rates. The materials are fed to a transfer line which then moves to a delivery location where the blend is placed in containers. Slurries, such as drilling muds, are optionally made by the addition of a liquid to the granular product.
There is a need in the art for a low-cost packaging alternative to plastic pails and lined cartons for ready-mix gypsum products. There is also a need for a packaging line that accurately measures the product sold by weight. There is yet another need for a packaging system and method that takes up little space and can be operated by a minimum of personnel.

Double auger system and method for filling bags with slurry


Piperidine derivatives represented by formula (I) or nontoxic salts thereof (wherein symbols are defined in the description):

Cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) as intracellular signal transduction molecules (second messengers) are degraded by a group of hydrolases generally called phosphodiesterase (PDE) into inactive 5′-AMP and 5′-GMP, respectively.
PDE isozymes which inactivate them are not uniformly present in vivo but distributed in vivo having an organ-specific localization by showing differences, e.g., in cell distribution and tissue distribution.
Up to date, the presence of 11 families of PDE1 to PDE11 has been confirmed (see Current Opinion in Cell Biology, 12, 174-179 (2000)).
Among these PDEs, PDE4 is present in various cells such as airway smooth muscle cells, epitherial cells, inflammatory cells (macrophages, neutrophils and eosinophils) and T lymphocytes, and controls cellular functions by regulating the intracellular cAMP level of these cells. On the other hand, other PDEs such as PDE5 are present in, e.g., platelets, cardiac muscle cells and vascular smooth muscle cells and participates in the control of circulatory organ system by regulating intracellular cGMP or cAMP level.
Thus, it is known that PDE4 inhibitors have bronchodilatory activity, anti-inflammatory activity, mediator release inhibitory activity, immunosuppressive activity and the like, because they cause accumulation of intracellular cAMP by inhibiting degradation of cAMP by PDE4.
Accordingly, it is considered that agents which specifically inhibit PDE4 do not show the activities of other PDE inhibitors such as PDE5 upon circulatory organs and are useful in preventing and/or treating various diseases such as inflammatory diseases (e.g., asthma, obstructive lung disease, sepsis, sarcoidosis, nephritis, hepatitis, enteritis, etc.), diabetic diseases, allergic diseases (e.g., allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, seasonal conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, etc.), autoimmune diseases (e.g., ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, rheumatism, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, collagen disease, etc.), osteoporosis, bone fracture, obesity, depression, Parkinson's disease, dementia, ischemia-reperfusion injury, leukemia and AIDS (Exp. Opin. Invest. Drugs, 8, 1301-1325 (1999)).
As the PDE4 inhibitors, for example, the specification of JP-T-8-509731 discloses that a compound represented by formula (A):
(wherein R1A represents H or C1-6 alkyl; R2A represents C3-7 alkyl, C3-7 cycloalkyl, etc.; D3A represents COR4A, COCOR4A, etc.; R4A represents H, OR5A, NHOH, etc.; R5A represents H, C1-6 alkyl, etc.; XA represents O, etc.; and YA represents O, etc.) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof has a PDE4 inhibitory activity (necessary parts were extracted from the description of groups).
Also, the specification of WO 93/19747 discloses that a compound represented by formula (B):
(wherein R1B represents —(CR4BR5B)rBR6B; rB is 1 to 6; R4B and R5B each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-2 alkyl group; R6B represents a hydrogen atom, a C3-6 cycloalkyl group, etc.; XB represents YBR2B, etc.; YB represents O, etc.; R2B represents methyl, ethyl, etc.; X2B represents O, etc.; X3B represents a hydrogen atom, etc.; sB is 0 to 4; R3B represents a hydrogen atom, CN, etc.; X5B represents a hydrogen atom, etc.; ZB represents CR8BR8BC(O)OR14B, CR8BR8BC(Y′B)NR10BR14B, etc.; R8B a hydrogen atom, etc.; R10B represents a hydrogen atom, OR8B, etc.; and R14B represents a hydrogen atom, etc.) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof has a PDE4 inhibitory activity (necessary parts were extracted from the description of groups).
Also, the specification of WO 93/19749 discloses that a compound represented by formula (C):
(wherein R1C represents —(CR4CR5C)rCR6C, etc.; rC is 1 to 6; R4C and R5C each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-2 alkyl group; R6C represents a hydrogen atom, a C3-6 cycloalkyl group, etc.; XC represents YCR2C, etc.; YC represents O, etc.; R2C represents methyl, ethyl, etc.; X2C represents O, etc.; X3C represents a hydrogen atom, etc.; X4C represents
etc.; R3C represents a hydrogen atom, CN, etc.; X5C represents a hydrogen atom, etc.; sC is 0 to 4; ZC represents C(O)OR14C, C(Y′C)NR10CR14C, etc.; R10C represents a hydrogen atom OR8C, etc.; R8C represents a hydrogen atom, etc.; and R14C represents a hydrogen atom, etc.) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof has a PDE4 inhibitory activity (necessary parts were extracted from the description of groups).

Piperidine derivatives and agent comprising the derivative as active ingredient

Abstract: Since the compound represented by formula (I) has a PDE4 inhibitory activity, it is useful for preventing and/or treating inflammatory diseases, diabetic diseases, allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, bone fracture, obesity, depression, Parkinson's disease, dementia, ischemia-reperfusion injury, leukemia and the like.


Disclosed is a distortion compensating amplifier having a distortion compensator for compensating for distortion of an amplifier by updating distortion compensation coefficients so as to null a difference between a transmit signal and a feedback signal, and subjecting the transmit signal to distortion compensation processing using the distortion compensation coefficients, an amplifier for amplifying the transmit signal, which has undergone distortion compensation, in order to transmit the signal from an antenna, and a feedback unit for inputting an output signal from the amplifier to a distortion compensation coefficient updater in the distortion compensator as the feedback signal. Whether the level of an unwanted-wave signal that penetrates the amplifier from space via an antenna is greater than a set level is monitored. If the level of the unwanted-wave signal is above the set level, processing for updating distortion compensation coefficients is suspended. If the level of the unwanted-wave signal is below the set level, then processing for updating distortion compensation coefficients is resumed.

This invention relates to a distortion compensating amplifier and, more particularly, to a distortion compensating amplifier for monitoring input of undesired waves from an antenna and exercising control so as to halt updating of a distortion compensation table in accordance with the level of an undesired-wave input, thereby improving the distortion compensation characteristic at the time of an undesired-wave input.
In wireless communications in recent years, there is growing use of high-efficiency transmission using digital techniques. In instances where multilevel phase modulation is applied to wireless communications, a vital technique is one which can suppress non-linear distortion by linearizing the amplification characteristic of the power amplifier on the transmitting side and reduce the leakage of power between adjacent channels. Also essential is a technique which compensates for the occurrence of distortion that arises when an attempt is made to improve power efficiency by using an amplifier that exhibits poor linearity.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a transmitting apparatus in a radio according to the prior art. Here a transmit-signal generator 1 transmits a serial digital data sequence and a serial/parallel (S/P) converter 2 splits the digital data sequence alternately one bit at a time to convert the data to two sequences, namely an in-phase component signal (also referred to as an "I signal") and a quadrature component signal (also referred to as a "Q signal"). A DA converter 3 converts the I and Q signals to respective analog baseband signals and inputs these to a quadrature modulator 4. The latter multiplies the input I and Q signals (the transmit baseband signals) by a reference carrier wave and a signal that has been phase-shifted relative to the reference carrier by 90°, respectively, and adds the results of multiplication to thereby perform quadrature modulation and output the modulated signal. A frequency converter 5 mixes the quadrature-modulated signal and a local oscillation signal to thereby effect a frequency conversion, and a transmission power amplifier 6 power-amplifies the carrier output from the frequency converter 5. The amplified signal is released into space from an antenna 7.
In mobile communications based upon W-CDMA, etc., the transmission power of the transmitting apparatus is a high ten watts to several tens of watts, and the input/output characteristic [distortion function f(p)] of the transmission power amplifier 6 is non-linear, as indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 11A. Non-linear distortion arises as a result of this non-linear characteristic, and the frequency spectrum in the vicinity of a transmission frequency f0 comes to exhibit a characteristic having side lobes, as indicated by the solid line SA in FIG. 11B, instead of the ideal characteristic indicated by the dotted line SI in FIG. 11B, leakage into adjacent channels occurs and this causes interference between adjacent channels. More specifically, owing to non-linear distortion, there is an increase in power that causes transmitted waves to leak into the adjacent frequency channels, as shown in FIG. 11B. ACPR (Adjacent Channel Power Ratio), which indicates the magnitude of leakage power, is the ratio between the power of the channel of interest, which is the area of the spectrum between the one-dot chain lines A and A′ in FIG. 11B, and the adjacent leakage power, which is the area of the spectrum between the two-dot chain lines B and B′, that leaks into the adjacent channel. Such leakage power constitutes noise in other channels and degrades the quality of communication of these channels. Such leakage must be limited to the utmost degree.
The foregoing relates to a case in which the transmitted wave is a single wave. In a situation where a signal is transmitted by a plurality of waves, e.g., four waves, the frequency spectrum in the vicinity of the center frequency f1 of the transmit signal is such that side lobes (distortion components) SL develop, as illustrated in FIG. 12A, signal leakage into adjacent channels occurs and interference occurs between channels.
Ideally, therefore, it must be so arranged that the characteristic becomes as indicated by the dotted line SI in FIG. 11B in case of a single wave and as indicated in FIG. 12B, i.e., a characteristic without side lobes, in case of four waves.
Leakage power is small in the linear region [see FIG. 11A] of a power amplifier and large in the non-linear region. Accordingly, it is necessary to broaden the linear region in order to obtain a transmission power amplifier having a high output. However, this necessitates an amplifier having a performance higher than that actually needed and therefore is inconvenient in terms of cost and apparatus size. Accordingly, a transmission apparatus that has come to be adopted is equipped with a distortion compensating function that compensates for distortion ascribable to non-linearity of the power amplifier.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional distortion compensating amplifier having a digital distortion compensating function (see the specifications of JP2003-8360A, JP2001-203539A, by way of example). A transmit signal x(t) is input to a distortion compensator 11 in the form of, e.g., I, Q orthogonal signals (baseband). The distortion compensator 11 includes a distortion compensation coefficient memory 11a (a distortion coefficient compensation table) for storing distortion compensation coefficients h(pi) (i=0˜1023) conforming to power levels pi of the transmit signal x(t); a predistortion unit 11b for subjecting the transmit signal to distortion compensation processing (predistortion) using a distortion compensation coefficient h(pi) that is in conformity with the power level of the transmit signal; a distortion compensation coefficient updater 11c for comparing the transmit signal x(t) with a demodulated signal (feedback signal) y(t), which has been obtained by demodulation in an orthogonal detector described later, and for calculating and updating the distortion compensation coefficient h(pi) in such a manner that the difference between the compared signals will diminish, e.g., approach zero; a power calculation unit 11d for calculating the power of the transmit signal; a delay circuit 11e set to a delay time Tτ, which extends from the moment the transmit signal x(t) is input to the distortion compensator 11 to the moment the feedback signal y(t) is input to the distortion compensation coefficient calculation unit 11c, for delaying the transmit signal x(t) by this delay time; an FFT (Fast-Fourier Transform) unit 11f for outputting a distortion component, which is outside the transmit-signal frequency band, included in the feedback signal y(t); and a monitoring control circuit 11g for setting and adjusting the delay time Tτ based upon the power of the transmit signal and the power of the distortion component outside the frequency band.
The power calculation unit 11d of the distortion compensator 11 calculates the power of the entering transmit signal x(t), reads a distortion compensation coefficient h(pi) conforming to power pi (i=0 to 1023) out of the distortion compensation coefficient table 11a and inputs the coefficient to the predistortion unit 11b. The latter executes distortion compensation processing (predistortion) by multiplying the transmit signal x(t) by the distortion compensation coefficient h(pi) conforming to the power level of the transmit signal and outputs the resulting signal.
The signal (actually a complex signal) that has been subjected to distortion compensation processing by the distortion compensator 11 is input to a digital modulator (QMOD) 12. The latter applies digital quadrature modulation to the in-phase and quadrature components (I and Q signals) of the signal that has undergone distortion compensation processing, and a DA converter 13 converts the digital quadrature-modulated signal to an analog signal and inputs the analog signal to a frequency converter 14. The latter mixes the quadrature-modulated signal and a local oscillation signal, thereby up-converting the modulated-signal frequency to radio frequency. The radio-frequency signal is input to a high-frequency amplifier 15a of a transmitter 15.
The high-frequency amplifier 15a subjects the input signal to high-frequency amplification. The transmit signal that has undergone high-frequency amplification is input to an antenna 17 from a feeder line 16 via a distributor 15b and isolator 15c, and the signal is released into space from the antenna 17. Part of the transmit signal that is output from the high-frequency amplifier 15a is branched by the distributor 15b, which comprises a directional coupler, and is attenuated by an attenuator 15d and then fed back to a frequency converter 18. The latter down-converts the radio-frequency signal to a baseband signal and inputs this signal to an AD converter 19. The latter converts the baseband signal to digital data and inputs the digital data to a digital quadrature demodulator (QDEM) 20. The latter subjects the input signal to quadrature demodulation processing, reproduces the baseband signals on the transmitting side and inputs the result as the feedback signal y(t) to an error calculation unit (not shown) within the distortion compensation coefficient updater 11c. The latter compares the transmit signal x(t), which has been delayed by the delay circuit 11e, with the demodulated signal (feedback signal) y(t) obtained by demodulation in the digital quadrature demodulator (QDEM) 20, calculates distortion compensation coefficients h(pi) based upon an adaptive control algorithm so as to null the difference between the compared signals, and updates old coefficients in the distortion compensation coefficient table 11a by the calculated distortion compensation coefficients. In parallel with the above operation, the monitoring control circuit 11g calculates the ACPR from the power of the transmit signal and leakage power (the distortion-component power) that is outside the frequency band and adjusts the delay time Tτ based upon the ACPR calculated.
By subsequently repeating the above operation, non-linear distortion of the high-frequency amplifier 15a in transmitter 15 is suppressed to reduce leakage of power between adjacent channels, whereby the frequency spectrum becomes as illustrated in FIG. 12B.
FIG. 14 is a diagram useful in describing processing for updating distortion compensation coefficients by adaptive LMS (Least Mean Square). Components in FIG. 14 identical with those shown in FIG. 13 are designated by like reference characters. The power calculation unit 11d has a power measurement unit 21 for calculating power pn (=|x|2) of the transmit signal x(t), reads a distortion compensation coefficient hn(p) that conforms to the power pn (n=0 to 1023) output of the distortion compensation coefficient table 11a and inputs the coefficient to the predistortion unit 11b. The latter performs distortion compensation processing (predistortion) by multiplying the transmit signal x(t) by the distortion compensation coefficient hn(p) that conforms to the power level of the transmit signal. The high-frequency amplifier 15a (FIG. 13) amplifies the distortion-compensated transmit signal x(t) and transmits it from the antenna. Part of the transmit signal amplified by the high-frequency amplifier is input to the distortion compensation coefficient updater 11c in the form of the feedback signal y(t).
The distortion compensation coefficient updater 11c includes a subtractor 31 that outputs the error e(t) between the transmit signal x(t), which has been delayed by the delay time Tτ, prior to the distortion compensation thereof and the feedback signal y(t); a multiplier 32 that performs multiplication between the error e(t) and a step-size parameter μ; a complex-conjugate signal output unit 33 for outputting a complex-conjugate signal y*(t); a multiplier 34 for multiplying the distortion compensation coefficient hn(p), which has been delayed by Tτ in a delay unit 37, by y*(t), thereby outputting u*(t); a multiplier 35 for multiplying μe(t) by u*(t); and an adder 36 for adding the distortion compensation coefficient hn(p) and μe(t)u*(t), thereby calculating a new distortion compensation coefficient hn+1(p) and inputting it to the distortion compensation coefficient table 11a. The latter updates the distortion compensation coefficient hn(p), which conforms to the transmit-signal power |x|2 delayed by Tτ in a delay element 22 in the power calculation unit 11d, with the distortion compensation coefficient hn+1(p).
If the update control set forth above is described in terms of mathematical expressions, the calculations indicated below are performed.hn+1(p)=hn(p)+μe(t)u*(t)e(t)=x(t)−y(t)y(t)=hn(p)x(t)f(p)u(t)=x(t)f(p)=hn(p)y*(t)p=|x(t)|2where x, y, f, h, u, e represent complex numbers and * signifies a complex conjugate. By executing the processing set forth above, the distortion compensation coefficient h(p) is updated so as to minimize the difference signal e(t) between the transmit signal x(t) and the feedback signal y(t), and the coefficient eventually converges to the optimum distortion compensation coefficient value so that compensation is made for the distortion in the transmission power amplifier.
The conventional distortion compensating amplifier described above gives no consideration whatsoever to a situation in which a signal from another service or a signal of another system enters from the antenna side and mixes in with the feedback signal y(t) (see the dashed arrow A in FIG. 13). A signal from another service or a signal of another system enters from the antenna side is an unwanted wave in distortion compensation control. A frequency spectrum of an unwanted wave W0 and transmit signals W1 to W4 of four waves is as shown in FIG. 15.
If an unwanted wave thus mixes in with the feedback signal, the proper error e(t) cannot be output and the distortion compensation characteristic deteriorates.
Further, the prior art monitors the distortion-component power (leakage power) outside the band indicated in FIG. 11B or FIG. 12B and adjusts the delay time Tτ in a delay circuit or the like so as to reduce the power of the distortion component. With the conventional method, however, an unwanted wave is regarded as distortion-component power, the distortion-component power cannot be detected correctly, an erroneous adjustment of delay time is made, the distortion compensation coefficient table shifts from the optimum values and the distortion compensation characteristic deteriorates.


A semiconductor package and fabricating method are described, in which solder balls can be easily arrayed in a fan-out type arrangement and the package fabricating process is simplified. The semiconductor package includes a unit semiconductor chip and a first stress buffer layer contacting the unit semiconductor chip on two sides of the unit semiconductor chip Bonding pads are separately arrayed on an upper part the unit semiconductor chip, and a second stress buffer layer formed on the first stress buffer layer and on the unit semiconductor chip, but not on an upper surface of each bonding pad. A plurality of conducting lines are formed on the second stress buffer layer, each conducting line contacting the upper surface of a respective bonding pad. A solder mask layer, which having a plurality of holes therein to expose at least one region of each conducting line, is formed over the conducting lines and the second stress buffer layer. A plurality of solder balls are then formed in the holes to contact the conducting lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor package, and more particularly to a semiconductor package and method for fabricating the same having a fan-out type chip size package (CSP) structure.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, packaging technology for Integrated Circuits (ICs) has been developed to meet the needs for miniaturization and the reliability of packaging.
The need for miniaturization accelerates the development of a package close in size to a chip scale, and the need for the reliability of packaging encourages package fabricating technology which can improve efficiency of packaging and the mechanical and electrical reliability after packaging.
For a fan-in structure, solder balls are arrayed on the inner part of chip, which radiates heat. For a fan-out structure, solder balls are arrayed on the outer part of chip, to be projected, as well as the inner part of chip.
The related art semiconductor package will be described with reference to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the related art semiconductor package includes a unit semiconductor chip 1 and two elastomers 2. The elastomers 2 are separated from each other on the upper part of the unit semiconductor chip 1 and extend to the exterior of both sides of the unit semiconductor chip 1.
A solder mask layer 3 is formed to be laid over the upper part of the separated elastomers 2, and a metal layer (not shown) is formed in one line direction along the surface of the elastomer 2 and the unit semiconductor chip 1. The solder mask layer 3 has a plurality of holes in the direction of a plurality of columns to expose the metal layer (not shown) on the upper part of the elastomer 2, and solder balls 4 are arranged in the holes to be in contact with the metal layer. In FIG. 1, three rows are on each side of the elastomers 2, each row consisting of four solder balls. The solder balls 4 in the outmost row are partially exposed to the outside of semiconductor chip 1 to form a fan-out structure.
In the above related art, an extra substrate such as the elastomer 2 is needed if the size of the semiconductor chip is reduced. Also, a capsule or supporter 5 is provided to enclose sides of the semiconductor chip 1, the elastomer 2 and the solder mask layer 3, thereby preventing the elastomer 2 from warping.
However, the related art semiconductor package has several problems. First, if the size of the chip 1 is changed, the extra substrate and the extra equipment for fabricating the same are needed to obtain the fan-out type chip scale package corresponding to the changed chip size. In addition, the thick capsule or supporter 5 is needed to prevent the substrate warpage. This complicates the package fabricating process.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a semiconductor package and fabricating method the same that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages, and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention as embodied and broadly described, a semiconductor package according to the present invention includes a unit semiconductor chip; a first stress buffer layer contacting the unit semiconductor chip on two sides of the unit semiconductor chip; at least one bonding pad arrayed on an upper part of the unit semiconductor chip; a second stress buffer layer formed over the first stress buffer layer and the unit semiconductor chip such that an upper surface of each bonding pad is exposed; at least one conducting line formed over the second stress buffer layer such that each conducting line contacts the upper surface of a respective bonding pad; a solder mask layer formed over the at least one conducting line and the second stress buffer layer, and having a plurality of holes therein to expose at least one region of each conducting line; and a plurality of solder balls formed in the holes to contact each conducting line.
In another aspect, a fabricating method of a semiconductor package includes forming bonding pads to be arrayed on different portions of a wafer defined by scribe lanes; attaching a first adhesive tape on the back of the wafer; dividing the wafer into a plurality of unit semiconductor chips, each chip containing at least one bonding pad, by cutting the scribe lanes; increasing a distance between the unit semiconductor chips by extending the first adhesive tape; forming a first stress buffer layer over the unit semiconductor chips; forming a second stress buffer layer over the first stress buffer layer and the unit semiconductor chips so as to expose an upper surface of each bonding pad; forming conducting lines over the second stress buffer respectively contacting the exposed upper surface of each bonding pad; forming a solder mask layer having a plurality of holes to expose at least one region of each conducting line; adhering solder balls in the holes to contact corresponding conducting lines; and forming unit semiconductor chip size packages by sequentially cutting the solder mask layer, the conducting lines, the second stress buffer layer, and the first stress buffer layer.
An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a semiconductor package and fabricating method for the same, in which solder balls are easily arranged in a fan-out type structure and the package fabricating process is simply performed:
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

Semiconductor package and method for fabricating the same


A method of preplanning for guided medical procedures includes obtaining a first 3D diagnostic dataset for a region of interest of a subject. This first dataset can be a non-stereotactic dataset and provide sufficient contrast to identify target tissue in the region of interest. A treatment preplan is developed to treat the target tissue using the first dataset exclusive of stereotactic data. The treatment preplan includes placement locations for a plurality of initial radiation beams and their respective dose intensities. A second, stereotactic 3D dataset can be obtained for the region of interest. A registered dataset can then be created by registering the first dataset to the second dataset. The treatment preplan can be modified using data associated with the registering step to generate a stereotactic treatment plan including a plurality of radiation treatment beams with respective placement positions based on the registered dataset to treat the target tissue.

Many modern medical procedures, both invasive and non-invasive, are performed with the assistance of medical imaging devices. A series of two-dimensional images generated from devices such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) scanners are used to generate virtual 3-dimensional models of regions of interest from subjects. These models are used in the planning, practice and execution of medical procedures subsequently performed on the patients. Image-guided medical procedures are generally accomplished by coordinating 3-D virtual models of subjects with reference points on the actual subjects undergoing the medical procedures.
Current approaches for image-guided medical procedures such as stereotactic biopsy or radiation therapy can be divided into two stereotactic approaches. Stereotactic is defined herein and is generally defined as a method utilizing 3-dimensional mapping to precisely locate areas in space suitable for guidance in medical procedures. Historically, stereotactic approaches have been used for procedures on areas of the brain and more recently for procedures in extra-cranial regions. The first approach uses a rigid frame secured to the subject, such as a human patient. The second approach is a frameless approach, in which fiducial landmarks, either derived from the patient's own anatomical features or applied to a surface of the patient, are used to coordinate the 3-D virtual patient model to the real world patient.
In the rigid frame approach, a stereotactic frame is rigidly attached to the patient by placing fasteners directly to the skull. A detailed 3-D image map is then created from CT, MR, or other 3-D imaging source. Fiducial markers placed on the stereotactic frame appear in the images and allow objects in the image to be related to the stereotactic frame. Hence, targets of interest, such as a tumor and its surrounding anatomy, can be described using the coordinates of the stereotactic frame as a reference. The patient is then transferred to the operating room for treatment with the stereotactic frame remaining in place, thus again using the stereotactic frame as a reference. Although this approach eliminates the error-generating step of registering the virtual model to the actual subject, this approach is invasive and results in discomfort for the patients.
In the frameless approach, the registration of the patient to the image-based operative model requires the identification of fiducial markers. Some fiducials are external markers applied to the patient prior to scanning and are kept in place until registration has been completed, while other reference markers are actually identifiable anatomic landmarks based on the patient's own anatomy. The identification of these fiducial points can be difficult and can add significant time to the operative procedure. Additionally, movement of the fiducials relative to internal anatomy can degrade the accuracy of the registration process and subsequently detract from the overall accuracy of the image-guided procedure.
Another method of obtaining a data set for stereotactic guidance is to provide a method of automatically mapping an image data set to a volume by defining the scan volume. In the case of large fixed equipment, such as a medical linear accelerator, the volume scanned by the imaging device can be mapped to a fixed point in the room. This is similar to the stereotactic mapping that is performed in carrying out procedures for ultrasonic guidance for the application of therapeutic radiation treatments. Alternatively, a reference can be applied to the scanning equipment and a second reference on the patient allowing the patient and the scanned data to be mapped to one another.
For non-spherically shaped tumors, as most tumors are, physicians generally attempt to fill the target with several radiation spheres of different sizes. This is referred to as a "sphere packing" treatment plan. Such methods require many computations in order to compute a radiosurgical plan dose distribution, and then require evaluation of the quality of the dose distribution.
In most systems a stereotactic ring apparatus or fiducial markers are applied to the patient to generate the images and then the planning process is initiated within minutes. However, planning might take two hours or more for a difficult case requiring about 15 to 20 spheres. During that time, the patient has to wait with the head ring attached to his or her head, or have fiducial markers remain disposed on his or her head. This places great restraints on the time necessary to derive an optimal plan as well as making expert consultation prohibitive.

Preplanning of guided medical procedures

University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


A fluid dispensing device for dispensing a fluid product having a dispensing member mounted for movement along an axis X-X from a first position to a second position which causes a dose of a fluid product to be dispensed, and a finger-operable actuator member movable in an actuating direction generally transverse to the axis to cause at least one cam surface thereof to cam the dispensing member from the first position to the second position. The at least one cam surface has a commitment section, oriented at a first angle to the axis selected such that a minimum actuating force is required to be applied to the actuator member to cause the at least one cam follower surface to ride over the commitment section onto the drive section. The commitment section of the cam surface is arcuate.

It is well known to provide a fluid dispenser in which fluid is dispensed via a nozzle or orifice upon the application of a force by a user to a pump dispenser. Such devices are generally arranged with a reservoir containing several doses of a fluid formulation to be dispensed by sequential metered pump actuations. An example of a pump action spray is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,069.
A hand-held, manually operable intra-nasal fluid medicament dispenser is disclosed in WO-A-03/095007, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The dispenser has a housing which houses a fluid discharge device having a compression pump mounted on a container, which contains the medicament. The housing has at least one finger-operable side lever, which is movable inwardly with respect to the housing to cam the container upwardly in the housing to cause the pump to compress and pump a dose of the medicament out of a pump stem through a nasal nozzle of the housing. In an embodiment shown in FIGS. 19, 19a and 19b, a pair of opposed side levers co-operate with a collar mounted on the neck of the container. The collar provides cam follower surfaces, which ride over cam surfaces of the levers when the levers are moved inwardly. The cam follower surfaces comprise sections, which are inclined at different angles to the direction (axis) of cam movement of the fluid discharge device. The steeper sections provide the dispenser with a commitment feature. In other words, only upon application of at least a minimum finger force to the side levers will the levers be able to overcome the steeper cam follower surface sections. The magnitude of this force, coupled with the change of angle of the cam follower surfaces to the shallower sections, ensures that each lever slides rapidly over the cam follower surfaces once the steeper cam follower surface sections are overcome thereby providing for reliable compression of the compression pump and atomisation of the medicament.
Applicant's co-pending PCT Patent Application no. PCT/GB2005/000944, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, describes another hand-held, manually operable intra-nasal fluid medicament dispenser, in which in a dispensing action, a cam surface of a finger-operable side lever co-operates with a cam follower surface of a collar mounted on the neck of a container to cam the container along an axis to pump fluid medicament therefrom. The cam surface of the lever has a commitment section, oriented at a first angle to the axis, and an adjacent drive section, which is oriented at a second angle to the axis, which is greater than the first angle. In use, the cam follower surface successively rides over the commitment and drive sections of the cam surface. The commitment section thereof is planar.
The Applicant has now found that the interaction of the cam follower surface on the collar with the cam surface of the lever, and hence ease of fluid dispensing, is assisted where the commitment section of the cam surface has an arcuate form. In particular, for smooth actuation of the dispenser it has been found to be beneficial for both the commitment and drive sections to have arcuate forms, wherein those arcuate forms are of opposite arcuate character (e.g. one concave, and the other convex in character).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


To provide a bilayer-type fermented milk product that is able to maintain a sharp interface between a fermented milk layer and a foodstuff layer without adding a gelling agent, such as low-methoxyl pectin and gelatin, to the fermented milk layer. This fermented milk product has a foodstuff layer formed as an upper layer of a fermented milk layer, wherein: the foodstuff layer has added thereto a low-methoxyl pectin having an esterification degree of less than 50; the fermented milk layer is configured to have a viscosity of 3500 cp or more; and a value obtained by subtracting the Brix value of the fermented milk layer from the Brix value of the foodstuff layer is adjusted to 21 or less.

In recent years, with the diversification of a fermented milk product (for example, a yoghurt product), there is an increasing need for a two-layer type fermented milk product in which various foods such as fruit sauces are placed on a fermented milk layer. However, when a food layer having a high specific gravity such as a fruit sauce is filled on the fermented milk, the food layer sinks in the fermented milk layer due to the vibration or the like during transportation of the fermented milk product, and the clear boundary surface between the layers cannot be maintained, resulting in decreased commercial value. Specifically, during the filling step of the food layer and the distribution process of the product, the fermented milk layer and the food layer mix together and become muddy, and the boundary surface between the layers becomes unclear, thereby the appearance of the product is impaired. In addition, there is a problem that moving of the sweetness and/or the flavor between the food layer and the fermented milk layer occurs during storage, and the flavor of the fermented milk product suitably adjusted by the manufacturer is impaired.
In view of the problems of the two-layer type fermented milk product, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a method for manufacturing a fermented milk product (a yoghurt product) having extremely clear separation between the layers and high commercial value in Patent Literature 1. Patent Literature 1 discloses a method for manufacturing a two-layer yoghurt including: pulverizing a curd of a fermented milk prepared by addition of gelatin and/or a low methoxyl pectin (hereinafter also referred to as "an LM pectin") and filling the pulverized curd to a container at a viscosity of 4000 cp or more; and filling a food to which an LM pectin having an esterification degree of 32 to 40 is added in the container.

Bilayer-type fermented milk product and production method therefor


The invention relates generally to embolic agents and embolic delivery systems more specifically it relates to a device and method for filling of aneurysm or body cavity. In various embodiments, segmented and monolithic embolic agents provide the operator with the ability to select and detach the length of embolic agent, either extracorporeally or intracorporeally as desired by the operator, for implantation into the aneurysm or body cavity. Linking elements and detachment elements may be utilized by the operator to connect and detach variable lengths of embolic agents either extracorporeally or intracorporeally utilizing electrolytic, chemical, and mechanical detachment mechanisms. Embolic delivery systems are disclosed providing for constant and steady propulsion of the embolic agent.

The present invention relates generally to embolic materials and more specifically it relates to a device and method for filling of an aneurysm or body cavity. The purpose of this invention is to provide a device and method for filling of a small or large aneurysm or other body cavity with material to prevent flow of blood or bodily fluids and promote blood clot or scarring in the tissues to prevent undesirable conditions such as bleeding or fluid leakage.

Device and method for filling of aneurysm or body cavity


A front end module for a wireless transmission/reception device has two antennas and two signal paths connected thereto. A mismatch in the antenna is identified by monitoring the transmitted power and the reflected power in the active and passive signal paths and using the powers in a controller to generate a control signal for the antenna tuner. In this case, decreasing isolation between the first and second antennas and the first and second signal paths is identified, and is compensated for using different devices, in order to ensure faster and safer antenna matching.

In modern terminals for mobile communication, use is increasingly being made of adaptive matching circuits for tuning the antenna. Such matching circuits are intended to be used to ensure that the terminal always has optimum antenna matching even in changing environments which influence the impedance of the antenna, the antenna matching being used to improve the transmission and reception operation of the terminal by saving transmission power and improving the reception quality. For this purpose, a detector for determining the reflected power is connected to the respective signal path, which is a transmission path or a hybrid transmission/reception path.
The reflected power is a measure of the mismatch and can and is intended to be minimized by the matching circuit. For this purpose, a control signal is produced from the value of the reflected power, as determined by the detector, using a controller and is used to adjust the adaptive matching network. In known front end modules which are used in such terminals for mobile communication, such a detector is typically used on the principal antenna in order to match both the antenna and the transmission/reception device to a changing environment in combination with an adaptive matching network.
The problem with known matching circuits is that the reflected power can be ascertained only in transmission mode. However, a reflected but immeasurable power also leads to a loss of signal intensity and signal quality in reception mode. This means that the antenna tuner or the relevant matching network can, strictly speaking, be matched only to the transmission signal, while in the reception band (Rx band), which is different from the transmission band (Tx band), it is possible to match the reception mode only "blind" and particularly using predetermined stored empirical values.
Furthermore, when measuring the reflected power, it is not possible to obtain any information about the direction in which matching needs to be performed. Therefore, it is difficult to set optimum matching, particularly when the control signal is used to perform "matching" in the wrong direction, so that ultimately the mismatch is not eliminated or is not eliminated immediately. It is also disadvantageous if the detector and the controller connected thereto detect only a secondary minimum for reflected power, which secondary minimum it is unable to overcome using its closed-loop control algorithm, and it thus misses the optimum matching value.

Front end module comprising an antenna tuner


A method for imaging a concealed object is described and which includes a step of providing a heat radiating body, and wherein an object to be detected is concealed on the heat radiating body; imaging the heat radiating body to provide a visibly discernible infrared image of the heat radiating body; and determining if the visibly discernible infrared image of the heat radiating body is masked by the presence of the concealed object.

There are various surveillance techniques, and other devices which have been developed heretofore, and which have been utilized by law enforcement, military and security personnel to potentially identify objects which are carried by individuals and which may be utilized to commit a crime, or to harm large numbers of people. For example, various x-ray devices are employed at airports, and other facilities and which are utilized to see the contents of briefcases, luggage and the like. Operators of these devices attempt to review the images produced by these devices to identify contraband, explosives, firearms and similar objects.
Recently, terrorist elements have begun utilizing suicide bombers who secure large amounts of explosives to their body and then detonate the explosives to, on the one hand, destroy property, or to maim and kill large numbers of people. Often these suicide attacks occur in areas such as public places, on busses, and in public thoroughfares, where the identification and/or detection of the person carrying the explosives has been difficult, if not impossible to achieve. Further, proposed solutions to identify individuals carrying explosives have been less than ideal inasmuch as the distances that which such detection can be successfully accomplished are relatively short, and often within the blasting radius of the explosive.
Therefore, a methodology for imaging a concealed object at a suitable standoff distance is the subject matter of the present invention.


A plurality of tape guides are moved to wind a magnetic tape on a rotatable cylinder when the magnetic tape is to be loaded. An auxiliary guide mounted on a chassis of a magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus in position is made to touch the magnetic tape during a period for which the magnetic tape is being loaded, but it does not touch the magnetic tape when the magnetic tape has been loaded. The auxiliary guide can be protruded toward the magnetic tape from between the tape guides moving to touch the magnetic tape during the period for which the magnetic tape is being loaded so that the magnetic tape can be kept to a predetermined span.

The present invention relates to a tape loading mechanism for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and, more particularly to a tape loading mechanism for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus which can prevent a magnetic tape from being damaged during tape loading process to accomplish highly reliable tape loading.
In usual tape loading mechanisms for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatuses in which a magnetic tape is used to record and/or play back signals as recording medium, the magnetic tape is pulled out of a tape cassette in recording or playing back, is wound on a rotatable cylinder having magnetic heads built therein to form a tape traveling path, and is retracted for the tape traveling path into the tape cassette at the end of recording or play-back. The tape loading mechanisms heretofore used for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatuses are desirable in some fields. However, they have the disadvantage in that they involve mechanism to a great extent in view of small size and light weight construction as the entire structure is determined greatly depending on forming the tape traveling path as the mechanism.
Therefore, many types of tape traveling system have been proposed to make the entire apparatus small size and light weight. The apparatus described, for example, in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-160362 was designed so that magnetic tape in a tape cassette is led toward a tape approaching side for a revolving cylinder in a slanted direction by tape guides while its height is being changed in reference to a chassis, and the magnetic tape is led to a tape leaving side of the revolving cylinder by other tape guides. The apparatus is very desirable in making its entire body thin as it is possible to form a tape traveling path having large difference of a tape approaching height to the cylinder from a tape cassette height with the cylinder being made upright to the chassis.
However, the apparatus have the disadvantages described below. The tape is drawn out of the tape cassette as its height is gradually changed with it being contact with a plurality of tape guides. The tape may be twisted between the tape guides unless postures of the tape guides are precisely controlled in loading or unloading. This results in that the widthwise tension distribution of the tape is not made uniform so that the tape tends to move the widthwise of each tape guide. This causes the tape to strongly touch the flange of the tape guide, damaging it.
If the postures of the tape guides are attempted to be precisely controlled to prevent the tape from being damaged, then the loading mechanism is complicated.
In order to overcome above mentioned disadvantages, an improved tape loading mechanism was disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-124651 in which a movable auxiliary guide member was provided near the tape traveling path to touch only the magnetic tape on the course of loading, and can be retracted from the tape traveling path at the end of loading.

Tape loading mechanism for magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus