An underwater breathing device, such as a snorkel, may include an exhalation valve. The exhalation valve is configured to produce positive end-expiratory pressure in the airway of a user of the underwater breathing device. The exhalation valve includes a plate defining an exhalation port and at least one chamber port, an exhalation conduit connected to the exhalation port, and a flexible membrane that is sealable against a surface of the plate. A lower portion of the exhalation conduit is divided by a septum which divides the exhalation conduit and the exhalation port into a first exhalation port connected to a first exhalation conduit and a second exhalation port connected to a second exhalation conduit. The flexible membrane is sized and positioned to be capable of sealing the first exhalation port and the second exhalation port.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to an underwater breathing device and, in particular, to an exhalation valve for use in an underwater breathing device that is configured to produce positive end-expiratory pressure in the airway of a user.
2. Description of Related Art
An underwater breathing device enables a user to continue breathing even after the user's mouth and/or nose is submerged in water. Some underwater breathing devices, such as scuba and snuba breathing devices, are configured to provide a submerged user with air from a compressed-air source. Other underwater breathing devices, such as a conventional snorkel, are configured to provide a user with air from the atmosphere.
A conventional snorkel generally includes a breathing tube through which air can be inhaled from the atmosphere. The breathing tube is typically configured with two ends. One end of the snorkel is intended to remain above the surface of the water. The other end of the snorkel is intended to be submerged under the surface of the water. The end of the breathing tube that is intended to be submerged generally includes a mouthpiece. In practice the user inserts a portion of the mouthpiece into his mouth and thereby creates a seal between the user's airway and the breathing tube. The user then submerges his mouth and the mouthpiece under water while maintaining the other end of the breathing tube above the surface of the water, thereby enabling the user to inhale atmospheric air while submerged in water. At the same time, the breathing tube enables the user to exhale through the user's mouth without breaking the seal between the user's mouth and the mouthpiece. Generally, the air exhaled by a user exits the snorkel through the same breathing tube through which the user inhales atmospheric air.
One problem that a user can encounter while using a conventional snorkel is increased fatigue due to the compressive forces of the ambient water in which the user is submerged. During normal inhalation and exhalation, a user expends effort inflating and deflating his lungs. When a user is submerged in water, however, the compressive forces of the ambient water around the user's chest force the user to expend more effort than usual in order to inflate his lungs and tend to cause the user to expend less effort than usual to deflate his lungs. This reduced-effort exhalation tends to cause the user to exhale faster than normal and down to smaller residual lung volumes than normal such that there is less time between each inhalation, resulting in more frequent inhalation. More frequent inhalation can cause the user's inhalation muscles to fatigue relative to normal inhalation and exhalation, which can result in a smaller functional lung capacity, the possibility of atelectasis, and increased breathing difficulty.
Another problem that a user can encounter while using a conventional snorkel is difficulty breathing due to water being present in the breathing tube of the snorkel. Water can sometimes enter a conventional snorkel through one or both ends of the breathing tube. This water can cause difficulty breathing when it accumulates to the point where the water interferes with the passage of air in the breathing tube and/or the water is inhaled by the user. In addition, the presence of water in the breathing tube of the snorkel can cause a distracting gurgling or bubbling noise as air passes by the water during inhalation and/or exhalation.

Exhalation valve for use in an underwater breathing device


The present invention is directed to an improved anilox roll for metering inks or like fluids and to the method of making the same. In accordance with the invention, a cylindrical metal roll is provided with a multiplicity of indented receiver cells in its periphery, the cells being of a selected configuration calculated to optimize the distribution of fluid therefrom, and may be of concentrations up to about 550 cells per linear inch in each direction. A ceramic coating is applied over the surface of the roll by plasma flame spray or other thermal coating techniques, known per se, the coating being formed from oxide particles having an average size of about 5 microns or less, the coating being maintained at a thickness in the order of about 0.0015" or less. The configuration of the underlying cells is, as a result of such practice, substantially maintained and the volumetric capacity of the cells defined in the coating is at least about 60% or more of the original cell volume. The thin coating, while relatively dense, does not isolate the underlying roll from the corrosive influences of liquids to be applied, the coating incorporating interstices of capillary dimension. Thereafter, unless the underlying roll is itself of corrosion resistant material, carefully controlled quantities of a low viscosity liquid carrying a resinous material in solution are applied over the ceramic coating at a rate such as to be conducted into the interior of said coating through said capillary size interstices, to seal said coating without materially reducing the volume of the cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of metering rolls, and more particularly pertains to an anilox roll having improved wear characteristics as well as permitting high definition printing.
2. The Prior Art
It is known to provide an anilox or metering roll which comprises a cylindrical metallic core, generally plated, having formed in the periphery thereof a multiplicity of regularly spaced ink capturing cells. The objective of the anilox roll is to apply discrete increments comprising predictable quantities of ink or like fluids to a surface contacted with the roll.
It is likewise known that the results achieved are dependent upon the configuration of the dispensing cells and their concentration, the finer the cell pattern, the finer the printing possible through the use of the roll.
As an example of an advanced form of anilox roll, there may be mentioned United States Patent 3613,578 and the patents cited therein.
Since anilox rolls are exposed to corrosive fluids, it is necessary that the same be afforded a degree of protection, and typically a plating procedure wherein the cells are coated with chromium or like material is employed for such purpose.
Anilox rolls of the type hereinabove discussed are expensive to manufacture and are subject to relatively rapid wear in use, whereby their ink transfer characteristics progressively change.
It has heretofore been contemplated to apply ink with a cylindrical metal core having a ceramic coating. Such rolls, while highly wear resistant, included surface portions having random configurations whereby the ink release patterns and characteristics were unpredictable. Since such rolls failed to include the desired regularly spaced and especially shaped metering cells on their outer periphery, their utility was restricted to rough printing applications, such as corrugated boxes, wherein the reproduction of fine detail was not contemplated. Such rolls typically included relatively thick ceramic coatings, in the area of about 0.02 or 0.03" to protect the core against corrosion. In some instances a sealer was applied over the coating to define a layer which was worn away in the course of use of the roll.
More recently, in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,658, it was proposed to provide a ceramic coated roller having regularly spaced metering cells on the outer surface thereof. In accordance with the teachings of such patent, the surface of the metallic core was first formed with a series of regularly spaced impressions or indentations of a size substantially larger than the size of the cells which were ultimately desired.
Thereafter, a ceramic coating was applied over the patterned surface to a thickness efficient to define a sealing coating, the result of such ceramic application being to provide an external ceramic surface having dispensing cells therein.
The roll of the above mentioned patent provides a practical, effective and long lived applicator roll suitable for printing processes of a far finer nature than those which might be achieved through the use of the flat or random ceramic rollers theretofore known. However, the procedure could not produce an anilox roll capable of achieving the detail and definition comparable to all metal anilox rolls, such as the roll disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,578 referred to above. The reason for such incapacity was that the applied ceramic coating distorted the configuration of the cells in an uncontrollable manner. Also the maximum cell concentration which might be achieved was lower than that required for fine printing applications, being in the order of from about 35 to 90 cells per linear inch whereas fine anilox printing may require cell concentrations of up to 550 cells per linear inch in each direction.

Anilox roll and method of making the same


A method and apparatus for vertical S linearity correction with no external components. A periodic waveform may be cubed to produce a second waveform. This second waveform may be sampled to obtain a peak value of the periodic waveform. The peak value may be multiplied by a constant to produce an offset value. The offset value may be subtracted from the second waveform to produce a third waveform. This third waveform may be added to the periodic ramp voltage. Consequently, the periodic waveform is modified by a cubic waveform.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to integrated circuit design. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for providing S correction to a ramp voltage for controlling vertical deflection in a cathode ray tube that can be implemented on an integrated circuit without the need for external components.
In a cathode ray tube (CRT), such as a computer monitor or television set, an electron beam is swept horizontally and vertically across the screen. A linear ramp voltage is used to drive the vertical deflection yoke to produce the vertical component of the sweep. Because of non-linear behavior in a CRT""s vertical deflection system, a ramp with xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d correction is needed to correct its non-linearity. A typical equation describing a vertical ramp output with S correction is:
y=DC+a*x+b*x{circumflex over ( )}3
where a and b are constants, x is a linear ramp waveform, DC is an offset voltage and y is the S corrected ramp voltage.
In the prior art, analog circuits using multipliers and integrators typically generate the S correction. However, even though complex portions of such circuits may be implemented on integrated circuits, such S correction circuits still require external resistor and capacitor (RC) components.
These external components are required because the resistance and capacitance values and the required tolerances of those values are not commercially feasible to implement in integrated circuits.
Unfortunately, this requirement for external components has many undesirable consequences. Such external components consume many times the printed circuit board area of an integrated circuit, which results in larger circuit implementations, compared with a circuit design which could be implemented entirely in integrated circuits.
Additionally, the external components add significant expense to the implementation of the design (in comparison to a design without external components) in a number of areas:
First, external components contribute their individual component costs; second, external components require additional space, demanding a larger, more expensive printed circuit board; further, building the design requires a longer, more complex, and consequently more expensive printed circuit board assembly and test operation; and finally, external resistors and capacitors also increase manufacturing defect costs and field repair/warranty costs, since greater numbers of interconnects and greater numbers of components decrease reliability.
Clearly, there are numerous financial benefits to reducing or eliminating external components.
A further significant undesirable effect of using an RC network to apply S correction is that such an RC network is fundamentally sensitive to frequency. In many computer monitor designs, it is desirable to change the scan rate, in order to accommodate attachment to different computers, for example, or to change resolution modes.
Changing the scan rate frequency of such a prior art S correction circuit based on RC components will inexorably change the amount of the S correction. Such a change in amount of the S correction will visibly degrade the display image, for example moving picture elements at the beginning and end of a scan line out of alignment with the rest of the line. It is clear that this characteristic of the prior art is highly undesirable.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a method and system providing S correction to a ramp voltage for controlling vertical deflection in a cathode ray tube that can be implemented on an integrated circuit without the need for external components. A further need exists for a circuit design where the amplitude of the S correction does not vary with sweep frequency. A still further need exists for a system and method of controlling the amplitude of the S correction internally to an integrated circuit.
The present invention provides a method and system for providing S correction to a ramp voltage for controlling vertical deflection in a cathode ray tube that can be implemented on an integrated circuit without the need for external components. Embodiments provide a circuit design in which the amplitude of the S correction does not vary with sweep frequency. Further embodiments provide for a system and method of controlling the amplitude of the S correction internally to an integrated circuit.
A method and apparatus for vertical S linearity correction with no external components is disclosed. A periodic waveform may be cubed to produce a second waveform. This second waveform may be sampled to obtain a peak value of the periodic waveform. The peak value may be multiplied by a constant to produce an offset value. The offset value may be subtracted from the second waveform to produce a third waveform. This third waveform may be added to the periodic ramp voltage. Consequently, the periodic waveform is modified by a cubic waveform.

Method and apparatus for vertical S linearity correction with no external components


A gas branching apparatus that branches and supplies a gas to first to N-th supply targets, includes first to N-th pipes wherein the first to N-th pipes are each branched into first to N-th branch pipes on a downstream end side, and wherein the i-th branch pipes of the respective first to N-th pipes are connected in common to the i-th supply target, and the i-th branch pipes of the respective first to N-th pipes are provided with valves, respectively, where i denotes each of integers of 1 to N.

A quartz glass optical fiber is generally manufactured by forming an optical fiber base material called a preform and drawing the preform. In the manufacturing of a preform, a fine glass particle deposited body formed of an aggregate of fine glass particles is dehydrated and sintered by heating. As methods for manufacturing the glass particle deposited body, a vapor-phase axial deposition (VAD) method, an outside vapor deposition (OVD) method, and the like are known, for example.
In the OVD method, two or more burners are arranged around a long core material along a longitudinal direction of the core material, and a raw gas containing SiCl4 and so on is supplied into oxyhydrogen flames generated by the burners. Thus, fine glass particles are generated and deposited on the core material to form a fine glass particle deposited body. Thereafter, the fine glass particle deposited body is dehydrated and sintered in a furnace to obtain a preform.
Regarding the aforementioned method for manufacturing a fine glass particle deposited body, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 3-279234 discloses that gas conditions of burners arranged at equal intervals across the overall length of a glass rod are individually controlled such that the shape of the deposit can be equalized. Such control of the gas conditions of the respective burners uses mass flow controllers (MFCs) provided for the respective burners.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-284904 and Japanese Patent Specification No. 5090646 describe the use of a flow divider and the like to branch a gas flow into a plurality of partial gas flows, in order to ensure that the gas is fed to the burners with high uniformity and reproducibility.
As in the case of the method for manufacturing a fine glass particle deposited body for optical fiber, a plurality of supply targets such as burners arranged along a longitudinal direction of an object such as a core material manufacture a product while being supplied with a gas such as a raw gas, a combustible gas, and a combustion-supporting gas, in some cases. In such a case, in order to ensure uniformity and stability of the manufactured product in the longitudinal direction, it is required to supply the gas with highest possible uniformity to the plurality of supply targets.
However, in the method using the MFCs provided for the respective supply targets as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 3-279234, it is difficult to eliminate influences of aging changes in MFCs and of an individual difference among the MFCs.
Moreover, in the method using the flow divider as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-284904 or Japanese Patent Specification No. 5090646, influences of processing accuracy of the flow divider itself are not negligible. Also, it is difficult to eliminate a resistance difference among pipes caused by an individual difference among the pipes. For this reason, even with the method using the flow divider, it is difficult to perfectly equally branch the gas.

Gas branching apparatus and method for manufacturing fine glass particle deposited body using the same


An object matching method is applied to a camera system with an object matching function. The object matching method includes detecting a moving object within overlapped monitoring areas of two image capturing units to generate a first coordinate point and a second coordinate point respectively upon a first coordinate system and a second coordinate system, calculating at least one transforming parameter of the first coordinate system relative to the second coordinate system, acquiring a reliability level according to a comparison result between the transforming parameter and a threshold, determining a final transform parameter by the reliability level, utilizing the final transform parameter to transform the first coordinate point into a third coordinate point upon the second coordinate system, and determining whether the first coordinate point and the second coordinate point indicate the same object by difference between the third coordinate point and the second coordinate point.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an object matching method and a camera system with an object matching function, and more particularly, to an object matching method and a camera system with an object matching function capable of matching a moving object located inside an overlapped monitoring region between two image capturing units.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The monitoring camera has widespread applications and can be installed on an entrance of building, such as a factory, a dormitory, a store, a building and a residence house, or on a road where few people tread. The monitoring camera can record and store surrounding image for someday investigation or verification. However, a view range of the monitoring camera is limited, and the plurality of monitoring cameras respectively capturing different monitoring regions is combined and applied for the wider monitoring region, to prevent missing any suspicious event inside the monitoring region.
In addition, the view ranges of the plurality of cameras are overlapped to ensure that there has no blind spot on the monitoring image. However, while the object passes through the overlapped region of visual ranges of the cameras, the object is photographed by the cameras and can be individually showed on monitoring images of the cameras. If the camera cannot match that the patterns about the object respectively showed on the monitoring images can be regarded as the same object, the image processing operation cannot accurately count an amount of the object passing through the monitoring region on the monitoring images, or the image processing operation cannot accurately record a route of the object moving inside the monitoring region because the camera cannot recognize that the objects simultaneously showed on the monitoring images are different or the same. Thus, design of a camera system and a related method capable of effectively matching the object staying inside the overlapped region is an important issue in the monitoring industry.

Object matching method and camera system with an object matching function


A petroleum well tracer release flow shunt chamber in an annulus space about a base pipe and method of estimating one or more pressure differences or gradients, wherein the flow shunt chamber extending generally axial-parallel with the base pipe, and provided with a shunt flow passage for holding a shunt chamber fluid, and including: a tracer carrying system designed to release shots of tracer molecules or particles according to some control to the shunt chamber fluid, a first inlet aperture for receiving a first fluid, a second outlet aperture for releasing the shunt chamber fluid to a fluid, a flow restrictor nozzle unit allowing a pressure gradient between the inlet and outlet apertures driving the shunt chamber fluid out via the flow restrictor nozzle unit, topside recording the tracer transient response from the shunt chamber after tracer shots, extracting pressure gradients from recoded tracer transient response and tracer transient model, deriving wellbore inflow profile information from pressure gradients.

Permanent tracers installed in producer wells have by the applicant Resman and others been proven for estimating "what flows where and how much", i.e. which fluids flow in which parts of the well, and at which flow rates. Traditionally, different tracers have been placed in different influx zones to a production completion installed in a well. These tracers are normally initially immobilized, but they will release as a function of downhole properties like flow velocity, by the affinity to different fluids. Topsides sampling and analysis of the concentration curves over time of the different tracers is used to provide information on which fluids are flowing into which well zones, and may in some cases also indicate at which rates the influx occurs in those influx zones.
In the present context, a tracer carrying system (2) is an injector unit which releases tracer molecules or particles (3), such as a cylinder filled with a tracer carrying fluid and a piston that can drive out the molecules or particles (3) according to some control. By this method tracer clouds are mobile immediately after being injected and able to be transported with the fluids they are injected into. Such a tracer injection system for downhole use is described by many and U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,316 B2 is one such document where tracers are described as being injected into many different positions in well systems and where tracer concentrations are recorded somewhere downstream to enable the estimation of information related to inflow profiles. The injections are always done into parts of the main flow path of the well. What is new in this invention is that tracers are not injected directly into the main flow path of the well, but rather into flow shunts wherein the flow is a function of the main well flow and its pressure gradient. These flow shunts will have flow velocities that are different and normally lower compared to those in the main flow path. However, there should always be a deterministic relationship between the shunt flow and the main flow. Due to these facts, such shunt chambers are regularly referred to as Tracer Delay Chambers (TDC). TDCs are voids inside completions or volumes of gravel and formation where a cloud of tracer molecules or particles will have larger Residence Time Distribution (RTD) than in volumes in the main well flow path. The applicant has during 300 well installations accumulated knowledge from the usage of constantly releasing tracer carrying systems that points towards the fact that transient tracer responses from TDCs created during flow transients will represent the Residence Time Distribution (RTD) in the Tracer Delay Chambers (TDC) and therefore also the rate through it. The larger Residence Time Distribution (RTD) in the Tracer Delay Chambers (TDC) will lead to slower flush-outs of the tracers and thus longer tracer clouds travelling to surface. This is a benefit since smaller tracer clouds will more tend to be distorted by dispersion phenomena in the well hydraulics.
In this context, a base pipe is an established term for a central pipe in a production well, usually of steel, but which may be made in other materials. The Central pipe is an inner pipe into which the production fluid enters in the production zone, and which leads downstream all the way up/out to topside, although there may be some rearrangement of the piping at the wellhead.

Petroleum well tracer release flow shunt chamber


A method for forming an interconnect, comprising (a) providing a substrate (203) with a via (205) defined therein; (b) forming a seed layer (211) such that a first portion of the seed layer extends over a surface of the via, and a second portion of the seed layer extends over a portion of the substrate; (c) removing the second portion of the seed layer; and (d) depositing a metal (215) over the first portion of the seed layer by an electroless process.

As semiconductor processing technology approaches the limits of traditional CMOS scaling, process integration has become increasingly difficult, and has resulted in diminished rates of performance improvement. Consequently, there is currently considerable interest in the art for chip and package stacking solutions, including "system in package" (SiP) and "package on package" (PoP) technologies. Further performance and form factor advantages may be realized through the implementation of 3D integration technologies. Through silicon vias (TSV) are an important key to solutions of this type, since they enable three dimensional stacking and integration of semiconductor devices.

Method for forming interconnects for 3-D applications


A process of forming a halftone color proof containing at least one dye transfer image and at least one pigment transfer image, comprising imagewise-exposing, for less than about 10.sup.-4 sec., by means of a laser having a power density of greater than 10.sup.4 W/cm.sup.2, a dye-donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising a dye dispersed in a polymeric binder, the dye layer having an infrared-absorbing material associated therewith, the laser exposure taking place through the side of the support of the dye-donor element which does not have the dye layer thereon, and transferring a portion of the dye in the dye layer to a receiving element having thereon an image-receiving layer; and imagewise-exposing, for less than about 10.sup.-4 sec., by means of the laser, an ablative or propulsive pigment-donor element comprising a support having thereon a transfer layer comprising a pigment dispersed in a binder, the transfer layer having an infrared-absorbing material associated therewith, the laser exposure taking place through the side of the support of the pigment-donor element which does not have the transfer layer thereon, and transferring a pigment image to the receiving element to obtain the halftone color proof.

In order to approximate the appearance of continuous-tone (photographic) images via ink-on-paper printing, the commercial printing industry relies on a process known as halftone printing. In halftone printing, color density gradations are produced by printing patterns of dots or areas of varying sizes, but of the same color density, instead of varying the color density continuously as is done in photographic printing.
There is an important commercial need to obtain a color proof image before a printing press run is made. It is desired that the color proof will accurately represent at least the details and color tone scale of the prints obtained on the printing press. In many cases, it is also desirable that the color proof accurately represent the image quality and halftone pattern of the prints obtained on the printing press. In the sequence of operations necessary to produce an ink-printed, full-color picture, a proof is also required to check the accuracy of the color separation data from which the final three or more printing plates or cylinders are made. Traditionally, such color separation proofs have involved silver halide photographic, high-contrast lithographic systems or non-silver halide light-sensitive systems which require many exposure and processing steps before a final, full-color picture is assembled.
There is also an important commercial need to obtain a halftone color proof directly from digital color separation data.
In order to produce a halftone pattern, the process used must be capable of high resolution, i.e., at least 60 pixels/mm. To achieve that resolution, the process must be, locally, adiabatic, with no or little thermal flow to surrounding areas. Localized temperatures in these processes will range from about 500.degree. C. to over 1500.degree. C. using a laser.
Well known thermal transfer processes which employ an array of resistive heating elements as the imaging source are, locally, isothermal, which involves thermal flow to surrounding areas. Being isothermal, these processes lack the resolution for producing an accurate halftone color proof.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,760, a process is described for producing a direct digital, halftone color proof of an original image on a dye-receiving element. The proof can then be used to represent a printed color image obtained from a printing press. The process described therein comprises:
a) generating a set of electrical signals which is representative of the shape and color scale of an original image; PA1 b) contacting a dye-donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye layer and an infrared-absorbing material with a first dye-receiving element comprising a support having thereon a polymeric, dye image-receiving layer; PA1 c) using the signals to imagewise-heat by means of a diode laser the dye-donor element, thereby transferring a dye image to the first dye-receiving element; and PA1 d) retransferring the dye image to a second dye image-receiving element which has the same substrate as the printed color image.
In the above process, multiple dye-donors are used to obtain a range of colors in the proof. For example, for a full-color proof, four colors: cyan, magenta, yellow and black are normally used.
By using the above process, the image dye is transferred by heating the dye-donor containing the infrared-absorbing material with the diode laser to volatilize the dye, the diode laser beam being modulated by the set of signals which is representative of the shape and color of the original image, so that the dye is heated to cause volatilization only in those areas in which its presence is required on the dye-receiving layer to reconstruct the original image.
In color proofing in the printing industry, it is important to be able to match the proofing ink references provided by the International Prepress Proofing Association. These ink references are density patches made with standard 4-color process inks and are known as SWOP.RTM. (Specifications Web Offset Publications) color aims. For additional information on color measurement of inks for web offset proofing, see "Advances in Printing Science and Technology", Proceedings of the 19th International Conference of Printing Research Institutes, Eisenstadt, Austria, June 1987, J. T. Ling and R. Warner, p.55.
Although a wide gamut of printing ink colors can be matched by just a few dye-donor elements, there are certain types of inks used in the printing industry which cannot be matched by any combination of dyes. Notable among these types of pigments are the metallics, white and opaque spot colorants.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,023, there is disclosed a propellant-containing laser thermal transfer donor element which is used to mass transfer pigments or dyes to a receiver element. However, there is no indication that only a portion of dye from a dye-donor element could be transferred in combination with a mass transfer of a pigment layer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,723, a process is described using thermal mass transfer of a white or metallic donor layer followed by a thermally transferred dye image. However, there is a problem with this process as it employs an array of resistive heating elements as the imaging source which are isothermal, involving thermal flow to surrounding areas. Therefore, this processes lacks the resolution for producing an accurate halftone color proof.
It is an object of this invention to provide a halftone color proof that better represents the color gamut of a color image obtained from a printing press.


A setting circuit provided at a central part of a chip to set a replacement address includes seven redundancy determining units, each of which includes a program set. Each of four banks are divided into half to provide the total of eight regions. Eight control buses are provided transmitting data corresponding to the eight regions respectively. A bus determining unit selects a corresponding control bus in accordance with the contents of the program set and outputs replacement information. Therefore, each of the seven program sets can be used for replacement in any of the eight regions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device capable of replacement of a defective memory cell by a redundant memory array.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, a semiconductor memory device generally includes a redundant memory array, and even if a defect occurs in a part of memory cells in the manufacturing process, a memory array near the defective part of the memory cells is replaced by the redundant memory array to relieve the device.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a semiconductor memory device 500 including a conventional redundant memory array.
Referring to FIG. 11, conventional semiconductor memory device 500 includes memory banks BANK0 to BANK3 that can operate independently.
Memory bank BANK0 includes a memory cell array 504 having column selecting line YS00 in which a plurality of normal memory cells are arranged, and a redundant memory array 506 having spare column selecting line SYS0 in which a plurality of spare memory cells are arranged.
Memory bank BANK1 includes a memory cell array 514 having column selecting line YS10 in which a plurality of normal memory cells are arranged, and a redundant memory array 516 having spare column selecting line SYS1 in which a plurality of spare memory cells are arranged.
Memory bank BANK2 includes a memory cell array 524 having column selecting line YS20 in which a plurality of normal memory cells are arranged, and a redundant memory array 526 having spare column selecting line SYS2 in which a plurality of spare memory cells are arranged.
Memory bank BANK3 includes a memory cell array 534 having column selecting line YS30 in which a plurality of normal memory cells are arranged, and a redundant memory array 536 having spare column selecting line SYS3 in which a plurality of spare memory cells are arranged.
Semiconductor memory device 500 further includes redundancy determining circuits 502, 512, 522 and 532 activating redundant memory arrays 506, 516, 526 and 536, respectively, in accordance with an address signal ADR.
It is noted that a redundant memory array often includes a row-related redundant memory array mainly relieving a word line from defectiveness and a column-related redundant memory array mainly relieving a bit line from defectiveness, and FIG. 11 shows the case with the column-related memory array as a representative.
As shown in FIG. 11, conventional semiconductor memory device 500 including redundant memory arrays was provided with redundancy determining circuits of the number corresponding to that of the redundant memory arrays. Moreover, each redundancy determining circuit was often arranged in the vicinity of a corresponding redundant memory array.
If a defect occurs in a memory cell column selected by a column selecting line YS00, in response to an input of address signal ADR corresponding to the defective memory cell column, the redundancy determining circuit activates a spare column selecting line SYS0 in place of column selecting line YS00. Thus, input data is stored in the redundant memory array. It is noted that a decoder selecting a normal column is inactivated at that moment.
Therefore, it is required for the redundancy determining circuit to store an address of a defective memory cell in a non-volatile manner. As a means therefor, e.g. a fuse element is often used. The fuse element is blown off by a laser beam or the like. In order to ensure disconnection and to avoid harming the adjacent elements, the fuse element must have a certain size, and no other elements should be arranged around the fuse element. Hence, as the number of provided redundant memory arrays becomes larger, the redundancy determining circuit occupies a larger area on a chip.
In a recent dynamic random access memory (DRAM) with a large capacity and increased operation speed, a memory array is divided into a plurality of banks, and control thereof has become complicated. For example, while redundant memory arrays and redundancy determining circuits that are dispersed in the banks can also be collectively arranged at one place so as to be used for a defect occurred in any bank, the redundant memory cell array may desirably be configured to share a word line or bit line with a normal memory cell when the operation speed is given a high priority. This is because a signal delay of the word line or bit line can be disregarded in such a case.
Though the redundancy determining circuits are provided corresponding to the redundant memory arrays respectively, as described earlier, only a part of the redundancy determining circuits is used per chip for relieving the device from defectiveness when a defective portion actually occurs in the conventional configuration.
The redundancy determining circuit has a fuse element or the like having a large area used for setting an address. This has caused a problem in that unused redundancy determining circuits occupy a large area on the chip.
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory device in which increase of a chip area occupied by redundancy determining circuits is alleviated by sharing only the redundancy determining circuit portion to reduce the number of the redundancy determining circuits.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor memory device includes n memory regions, n selecting circuits, n control buses and a setting circuit (n is a natural number equal to or higher than 2).
Each of the n memory regions includes a normal memory region, and a replacement region replacing a partial region of the normal region when an operation failure is found in the partial region.
The n selecting circuits are provided respectively corresponding to the n memory regions, and each select the replacement region instead of the partial region in accordance with selection information.
The n control buses transmit the selection information to the n selecting circuits, respectively. The setting circuit holds, when specific information indicating a partial region is set, the specific information in a non-volatile manner, and compares an input address signal with the specific information, to output the selection information.
The setting circuit includes m program sets setting m pieces of the specific information, respectively, and m bus selecting and outputting circuits selecting any one of the n control buses and outputting the selection information (m is a natural number equal to or higher than 1).
Therefore, a main advantage of the present invention is that, since the bus selecting and outputting circuits are provided respectively corresponding to the memory regions to select a control bus and to output the selection information, the number of program sets can be determined irrespective of the number of memory regions or replacement regions and therefore the number of program sets can be reduced.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Semiconductor memory device with reduced number of redundant program sets


Provided is a method to design an integrated circuit. The method reduces a time delay between introduction of a new lithography process and a start of production. A first semiconductor mask is designed at a first process feature size. The first process feature size can be based on an anticipated process feature size of the new lithography process. A second semiconductor mask is created by enlarging the first semiconductor mask to a second process feature size for which production is available. Thus, the second process feature size is larger than the first process feature size. An integrated circuit (IC) is fabricated with the second semiconductor mask. After the new semiconductor process has been developed and is available for production, another IC is fabricated with the first semiconductor mask.

There is never-wavering demand for integrated circuits (ICs) having a process feature size smaller than that of present-day ICs. When improved lithography equipment is introduced to accommodate this demand, there is an detrimental impact on product launch and fabrication schedules due to a delay between availability of production at the smaller process feature size and a start of production. This unfortunate delay is due in part to a need for time to design new semiconductor masks having features at the smaller process feature size. The time delay impacts a company's profitability by creating an opportunity loss.
At first glance, linearly reducing a semiconductor mask having features at a larger process feature size to the smaller process feature size appears appealing. In fact, some mask features may be linearly reduced from the larger process feature size to the smaller process feature size, that is, without any redesign. However, not all mask features may be linearly reduced. Some critical circuits malfunction when fabricated from masks having features that are reduced linearly. For example, in a circuit having both analog and digital circuits that are fabricated from a linearly-reduced mask, timing circuits fail to properly function because some IC elements become too small at the smaller process feature size. Therefore, simply reducing all mask features linearly is not always a viable method of producing a mask having features at the smaller process feature size.
As a result, mask features of critical IC elements must be redesigned when the circuit is to be fabricated at the smaller process feature size. However, redesign of even a common IC element, such as a pad, takes time that detrimentally impacts fabrication and product launch schedules. Compounding the redesigner's challenge are factors such as reducing circuit area (i.e. substrate real estate) as well as standardizing a circuit mask so multiple foundries may fabricate the same IC.
Thus, what is needed is an method for reducing a time delay between the foundry's initial production capability and actual start of production at the smaller process feature size as well as overcoming other shortcomings described above.

Method of shrinking semiconductor mask features for process improvement


A fastening member assembly includes an axially extending shank (1) with a leading end to be inserted into a receiving material and a trailing end with a load engagement member (2). The leading end has a tip (3). An axially extending section of the shank (1) is laterally enclosed by a sleeve (4) adjacent its leading end, and a stop (5) formed adjacent the trailing end of the sleeve. A bush (6) formed of impact-resistant plastics material encloses an axially extending section of the shank and extends from the stop (5) towards the leading end. When the fastening member is driven, the sleeve penetrates into a hard receiving material and the bush (6) deforms for absorbing excess driving energy, so that a member in the form of a retaining part being connected to the receiving member, is not destroyed.

The present invention is directed to a fastening member assembly, which is driven into a hard receiving material by an explosive powder charge operated setting tool. The fastening member assembly includes a shank with a tip at its leading end and a load engagement member at its trailing end with the load engagement member forming a shoulder projecting radially outwardly from the shank.
Fastening members of the above-described type are driven into hard receiving materials, such as concrete, masonry, rock, steel and the like. The fastening members are driven into the hard receiving material by explosive powder charge operated setting tools. A preferred use for such attachment members is for securing or connecting support members to the receiving material. Such support members can be in the form of holding or retaining parts serving to fix cable, tubes, insulation panels, extension members and the like. The fastening of such retaining parts occurs in such a way that after the driving process has been terminated, a shoulder of a load engagement means abuts or is supported at the retaining part and secures it against the receiving material.
The load engagement means for the fastening members can be shaped as a head which projects transversely from the diameter of the shank. Instead of a head, the load engagement means can be a threaded part also projecting beyond the diameter of the shank. In addition to forming a shoulder, the threaded part also serves for receiving nuts or the like.
Connecting elements, in the form of a retaining part of the type mentioned above, are mostly formed of plastics material, on the one hand for reasons of economy and on the other hand for reasons of insulation. The use of plastics material for the retaining part creates certain problems with the type of fastening member assembly described here when explosive powder charge operated setting tools are used. It must be assured that the retaining parts are held or stressed sufficiently against the receiving material. This assumes a defined setting depth of the fastening member so that on one hand the danger of insufficient stressing is avoided or on the other hand the danger of destruction of the retaining part is excluded.
When securing fastening members with the use of explosive powder charge operated setting tools, it is difficult to determine in advance the setting depth of the fastening members. Such uncertainty arises in part due to the inhomogeneity of the receiving material and in part because of the variation in the energy output of the propelling charge being used. The danger of destruction of the retaining parts is considerable in view of these problems.

Fastening member assembly to be driven into a hard receiving material by an explosive powder charge operated setting tool


An exhaust device for an engine cam include a flow rectifying device for rectifying a flow of an exhaust gas. The flow rectifying device is disposed in an upstream end of an inner pipe, and comprises protrusions projecting inwardly. The exhaust gas engaging the flow rectifying device has passed through a curved portion of the inner pipe. The inner pipe also includes a muffler having a plurality of vent holes disposed in an inner portion thereof, and an outer pipe surrounding the inner pipe, defining an angular chamber therebetween.

1. Field
The present invention relates to an exhaust device for an engine which has a muffler connected to an exhaust pipe having a curved portion or a bent portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Exhaust devices for engines in which the downstream portion of an exhaust pipe connected to a muffler is curved are already known from documents such Patent Document 1, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-227336.
If the curved or bent downstream portion of the exhaust pipe develops a pressure distribution such that the pressure of the exhaust gas in the muffler changes circumferentially, then the pressure of the exhaust gas in the muffler tends to become unbalanced, failing to sufficiently deliver the engine output.
As disclosed in Patent Document 1, in a muffler having an annular chamber defined between inner and outer pipes and filled with an acoustic absorbent such as glass wool or the like, the unbalanced pressure of the exhaust gas in the inner pipe may possibly cause an unbalanced deterioration of the acoustic absorbent, tending to shorten the interval for replacing the acoustic absorbent.


A fannypack is disclosed which includes a back support section to which a carry bag is attached including a semi-rigid plate of polyethylene which extends from below to substantially above a wearer's lumbar region and which includes a lumbar pad including a series of spaced polyfoam members which are molded to a stretchable fabric cover. Attached to the back support section are a pair of waistband members which also include spaced polyfoam members molded to a stretchable fabric cover. Belt members attached to the back support section secure the waistband members around the wearer and are fastened at the front with a quick release buckle. Additional straps attached at the bottom and top of the carry bag and passing through loop members anchored outboard on the belt members may be pulled up to further secure the carry bag against the wearer.

In the field of manufacturing of backpacks and related products, certain specific types of packs have evolved. Possibly the greatest amount of effort has been expended in the design and development of full scale backpacks for loads of 40-50 lbs or more which frequently include an aluminum frame extending from waist to shoulders to which a carry pack is attached, a heavy waistband which may be heavily padded since most of the load is carried on the hips, and other straps extending from the top of the frame across the sternum and/or around the shoulders. Heavy padding of the waistband has not always proved successful since the cover material may tend to bunch up and wrinkle causing unpleasant pressure points.
For shorter excursions, usually not exceeding one day, or for carrying of one's belongings in the absence of pockets or handbags, various types of fannypacks have been devised. Some of such fannypacks have a very limited capacity and are designed to hold only a few small items such as might be carried in a small handbag. Others have been designed to carry quite substantial loads which might weigh in the neighborhood of 10-15 lbs. or more. Such loads are sufficiently heavy that they are frequently carried in shoulder packs having straps around the shoulders and which are not supported at the waist or hips. For hiking substantial distances, however, it has been found that carrying such weights on one's hips is preferable and a selection of fannypacks is available which are primarily supported on the hips with a fairly heavy webbed belt at the waist. Because it is generally believed that the weights carried in such fannypacks are limited and the duration of use is also limited, many such fannypacks are constructed of relatively lightweight materials and include limited or no padding. Such packs are designed to sell at relatively low prices. It is believed, however, that there is a need for a high quality fannypack which is durable and which includes significant padding and lumbar support such that moderately heavy loads can be carried comfortably for several hours at a time.

Fannypack including an improved conformal waistband and lumbar pad


A method and apparatus is presented where for transmitting data between two or more components. Data signals are sent in parallel with a clocking signal (e.g., on a bus) so that the data signal can be latched in relation to the clocking signal. For example, two clocking signals, out of phase from each other by 180 degrees, can be sent on bidirectional clocking signal lines and data signals can be sent on a data signal line, the component receiving the clocking and data signals can latch the data signals on each high-to-low transition of either of the two clocking signals. Using the method and apparatus of the present invention, skew problems seen with other bus systems can be reduced which leads to an increase in data transfer rates.

The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus for source synchronous data transfer. More particularly, the present invention pertains to the transfer of data signals or the like from a first component with a clocking signal to a second component.
A bus is a common way to couple two or more components together to allow communication among them. A bus typically includes one or more signal lines that are coupled to each component. A signal line of the bus typically carries data, address, or control information (e.g., in a binary format).
A synchronous bus is one where components transmit and receive signals to/from the bus in synchronism with a common clock signal (e.g., a square wave with a 50% duty cycle). For example, a transmitting component may place data signals onto the bus at a time near the rising edge of a clock cycle, and a receiving component may receive and latch these data signals from the bus at a time near the rising edge of the next clock cycle. There are several problems present when using a synchronous bus. First, the conductors (e.g., conductive traces) between the common clock and the bus components may not be exactly matched. For example, the conductive traces may not have the same length. This leads to what is known in the art as clock skew, where a first component perceives a rising edge of the common clock at a different moment in time than a second component. Because of clock skew, tolerances must be built into a bus system to allow for the receiving component to receive data from a transmitting component over the bus at an appropriate time. One way to compensate for clock skew is to lower the bus clock frequency so that a large window of time is available for receiving signals from the bus.
In several known systems for transmitting signals between two components, the problem of clock skew is solved by providing a dedicated clock signal line between the components. For example, in one system, a dedicated clock signal line and dedicated data signal lines are provided for sending signals from a first component to a second component. Conversely, a different dedicated clock signal line and different dedicated data signal lines are provided for sending signals from the second component to the first component. The clock signals in this system are free-running clock signals that are continuously generated by the first and second components whether data signals are being transmitted or not. With this system, the first component drives data signals onto the dedicated signal line in relation to the clocking signal that appears on the clock signal line. The second component receives and latches the data signals at a point in time in relation to the same clocking signal. In another known system similar to the one described above, the dedicated data signal lines are combined to form a set of bidirectional data signal lines. Again, when a first component seeks to send data to a second component, it is done relative to the clock signal that is being continuously transmitted over the dedicated clock signal line.
The above described systems acceptably reduce clock skew for the transfer of data signals between two components. Expanding such systems to provide for the transfer of data signals among three or more components creates several problems. First, a dedicated clock signal would need to be provided between every two components which increases the number of connections (e.g., conductive traces) between components and the number of conductive input/output (I/O) pins needed on each component. Second, if the data signal lines are provided as a bus coupled to each component, then there is a problem of clock skew because the clock signal line and data signal lines between any two components may not match. Alternatively, dedicated data signal lines could be provided between every two components, however doing so would increase the number of connections between components and the number of conductive I/O pins needed on each component.
In view of the above, there is a need for a method and apparatus for transmitting data from one component to another that overcomes the above identified problems.

Method and apparatus for source synchronous data transfer


Extraction of a fluent material from a pressurized system containing same such as CFC for reclamation is effected into a container by reducing the temperature of the container to a sufficiently cold temperature to generate a vacuum within the container sufficient to extract the CFC from the system to be extracted. The container is cooled by placing the container into an insulated drum containing a glycol bath within which is provided an evaporator duct shaped with a plurality of separate duct portions lying in horizontal planes and spaced vertically with each portion interconnected to the next by a vertical section of the duct. Into the duct is injected carbon dioxide from a compressed liquid supply which is passed through a metering orifice tuned to the length and shape of the duct so that evaporation takes place by the end of the duct. Any liquid remaining at the end of the duct as the temperature cools is returned by a diverter valve into the gylcol bath for additional cooling effect.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for extraction and collection of pressurized fluent materials from a system containing same such as CFC gases. Such pressurized materials can include gases, liquids and even flowable or fluent powders all of which are of the type received or contained within a pressurized system from which it is necessary to extract the material into a secure location.
The discovery of the damaging effects of CFC, of which Freon is one example, has led to many developments to overcome the problems of escape of the freon into the atmosphere.
Various techniques have been proposed for extraction of freon from freon containing systems to prevent the freon from accessing the atmosphere.
Most systems require a pump which necessitates the provision of electrical power and in many circumstances this is not available.
Another technique very recently exposed is called the "blue bottle" system which provides a container including a sponge like material known as a "zeolite matrix" which is stated to trap the CFC molecules. The effectiveness of this technique is not known.
Another technique which has been proposed is that of providing a container which is sealed. The container is then wrapped with a bag to cool the container so as to reduce the pressure in gas within the container thus generating a partial vacuum to draw the CFCs from the system. This technique has been effectively abandoned and has received very poor response in the field as it is highly inefficient and effectively technically valueless.

Extraction and storage of pressurized fluent materials


An information handling system includes a processor that throttles an instruction fetcher whenever a group of instructions in a branch instruction queue together exhibits a confidence in the accuracy of branch predictions of branch instructions therein that is less than a first predetermined threshold confidence threshold. In one embodiment, the processor includes a fetch throttle controller that inhibits fetch throttling by the instruction fetcher when confidence in the accuracy of a branch prediction for a particular currently issued branch instruction exhibits less than a second predetermined threshold confidence threshold.

Modern information handling systems use processors that often generate a substantial amount of heat. Thermal throttling techniques exist that sense the temperature of the processor. When the processor's temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature, the system throttles or reduces the processor's clock rate to correspondingly reduce the processor's temperature. In this manner, the system prevents undesirable overheating. Alternatively, the system may employ clock gating, i.e. stopping the processor's clock for at least a portion of the processor's logic circuits for a period of time to reduce the processor's temperature.
Power consumption is a significant contributing factor to the maximum operating frequency of modern processors. Power throttling techniques are available that sense the amount of power that a processor consumes. When the consumed power exceeds a predetermined threshold power level, a power throttling system reduces the operating frequency of the processor so that the processor consumes less power.
What is needed is an apparatus and methodology that achieves further reduction in power consumption by processors in information handling systems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for inhibiting fetch throttling when a processor encounters a low confidence branch instruction in an information handling system

International Business Machines Corporation


Optical isolators and methods of manufacturing optical isolators are disclosed. The optical isolators are manufactured by directly bonding the parts of the isolators without the use of adhesive or mechanical devices to hold the individual parts together.

Optical isolators are devices used in optical transmission systems to prevent back reflections in optical fibers. Back reflections can occur in fiber systems when light traveling in the system encounters an irregularity such as a change in refractive index between abutting materials or misalignment of fibers in the system. Back reflections result in reduced performance of the system and sometimes can adversely affect the transmission source, typically a laser.
Polarization dependent isolators utilize polarizers such as polarizing glass sheets to sandwich the Faraday rotator. In use, an isolator is disposed between two optical fibers or lenses such that light travels through a first polarizer, then through the Faraday rotator, and then through the second polarizer. In forward or pass mode operation, the incident light emitted from a light source such as a laser passes through the first polarizer. The remaining 50% of the light is then rotated 45° by the Faraday rotator before passing through a second polarizer offset from the first polarizer by 45°, preventing loss of signal. Polarized light emerges through the second polarizer. In reverse or blocking mode operation, reflected signal transmitted back through the isolator is polarized by the second polarizer before being rotated 45° by the direction independent Faraday rotator to a polarization mode 90° off from the first polarizer. Thus, no signal is transmitted back into the laser.
Another type of polarizer design utilizes a single polarizer, wherein in the pass mode, the emitted signal first passes through garnet and then through polarizer. The returned signal is polarized before passing through garnet, which rotates the return signal so that it is out of phase with emitted signal. This scheme promotes minimal laser interference. This design is less preferred than the isolator design described above which includes two polarizers, however, this single isolator design is less expensive than the dual polarizer isolator design.
Polarization independent isolators are preferred for applications where the incident signal is not already polarized. However, the emitted beam is not polarized. Polarization independent isolators include a Faraday rotator sandwiched between two beam splitters, which can be a birefringent material in wedge or plate form, or a prism with a thin film coating. In forward operation, incident light emitted from a laser is polarized by a first beam splitter into two distinct polarization modes. Each mode passes through a Faraday rotator and an optional half-wave plate, the latter correcting for the 45° rotation imparted by the Faraday rotator. The modes are then recombined by a second beam splitter into a non-polarized emission. In reverse or blocking mode operation, reflected light transmitted back through the isolator is separated into two distinct polarization modes by the second beam splitter. When each mode passes through the Faraday rotator and the optional half-wave plate, the signals are rotated 90° (due to the directional dependence of the half wave plate). When both rotated modes are recombined at the first beam splitter, the combined signal is transmitted 90° from the signal feed, thus preventing transmission (i.e., reflection) back into the laser.
Faraday rotators are typically made by surrounding a piece of garnet crystal with a magnet to apply magnetic field and make the crystal optically active. This type of garnet is referred to as non-latching. Another type of Faraday rotator utilizes a permanently magnetized or latching garnet that does not require an external magnet field.
The various component parts of both polarization dependent (Faraday rotator and polarizers) and polarization independent optical isolators (beam splitters and Faraday rotator) are typically held together by either mechanical assembly or by epoxy or polymeric adhesives. A limitation of mechanical assembly includes the introduction of optical signal loss due to air gaps that tend to exist between the surfaces of the adjacent parts, and the need to align and package individual components after dicing to final dimensions. An alternative method involves adhesive bulk assembly or lamination of large sheets of material followed by dicing, which avoids costs associated with packaging of individual, pre-diced parts. However, the adhesive assembly has the disadvantage of introducing optical loss when the epoxy or adhesive is in the optical path of the isolator. Another disadvantage of adhesive assembly is that when the isolator assembly encounters temperature variations, the epoxy or adhesive can fail due to CTE mismatches and/or temperature dependence of the adhesive's refractive index, causing delamination of the components. An additional disadvantage of adhesive assembly is that the epoxy may be susceptible to laser damage, causing optical loss, or, in some cases, catastrophic failure of the device in high power applications.
It would be desirable to provide an inexpensive and reliable method for bonding together the component parts of optical isolators. Furthermore, it would be desirable to achieve bonding of the isolator components without the use of adhesives or epoxy, while maintaining advantages of bulk assembly prior to dicing to final dimensions.

Optical isolators and methods of manufacture


A tamper-evident form for securely carrying information includes a scrambling pattern (4) which underlies the printed information such that the printed information cannot be read. Separation of the printed information and scrambling pattern, or other disabling of the scrambling pattern, is tamper-evident and renders the information readable. In preferred embodiments the information is printed on a lamina (6) which overlies the scrambling pattern (4). The information can be printed by conventional printers and no post-processing of the form is required to render the information secure.

There is often the need to transmit confidential information through the mail or other channels such as courier, document exchange, hand delivery etc. For example, banks and other financial institutions often mail out Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) associated with customer's credit or debit cards.
Forms are known which carry such information in a secure manner, ie. the information cannot be viewed without first breaching some form of security associated with the form. An example of such a form is a lottery ticket known as a "scratchy" in which a coating must be scratched away to reveal the underlying information.
Necessarily, these forms for securely carrying information are tamper-evident, ie. the act of breaching the security of the information causes some irreversible indication that a breach of security has occurred.
Most tamper-evident forms are constructed such that further processing of the form, such as coating (eg. "scratchy") or folding and sealing, is required to secure the information after the information has been printed on the form. This is a significant inconvenience and often requires special equipment which is prohibitive to many users.
One known tamper-evident form which does not require further processing after the confidential information has been received involves a two-ply arrangement which is sealed together around its perimeter. With this form, an impact printer strikes the upper surface of the upper ply thereby leaving a "carbon" imprint on the upper surface of the lower ply. To access the information on the lower ply, the two plies must be peeled or torn apart.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a tamper-evident form for securely carrying information in which the information can be printed on the form by passing the form through a conventional printer and in which the printed form does not require further processing to render the information secure.

Tamper-evident form for securely carrying information


In a case where an engine ECU determines that the engine is started (restarted), the engine ECU notifies an EPSECU that cranking is to be performed to start the engine before performing the cranking. When such a notification is received, the EPSECU gradually reduces a current command limit value I*_lim and a boost voltage limit value Vbp_lim before the cranking is started.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle control apparatus that controls the operation of a vehicle engine and an electric power steering (EPS) device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An EPS device using a motor as a drive source has been conventionally used as a power steering device for a vehicle, and because such as a device has a large number of advantages, such as a high degree of layout freedom and small energy consumption, the use thereof has recently expanded to a wide range of vehicle types.
A power source (battery) of such an EPS also serves as a power source of a cell motor that is used for cranking when the engine is started. As a result, the application of an assist force with the EPS has conventionally been stopped when the cranking was performed.
Thus, where the EPS is actuated when the power source voltage is lowered in the course of cranking, an excessive current can be taken out from the battery. A state in which such an excessive service current is generated can be assumed to occur, for example, during abrupt steering or during the maximum steering angle is maintained. As a result, the following problem is encountered: the battery is overdischarged and a state is assumed in which the engine cannot be restarted or a drive circuit or the like is damaged by the inflow of such an excessive current. Accordingly, in order to avoid the occurrence of these problems, the application of assist force with the EPS is stopped in advance when cranking is performed.
However, in recent years, in order to reduce the amount of exhaust gas, the number of vehicles provided with the so-called idling stop function, which causes the engine to stop automatically when the vehicle is stopped, has increased, and in such a vehicle, cranking has to be frequently performed to restart the stopped engine. Furthermore, since the number of events in which the cranking is performed simultaneously with a steering operation increases accordingly, the interruption and re-application of an assist force that occur because the EPS is stopped during cranking create an uncomfortable latent feel in steering.
According to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-271640 (JP-A-2005-271640), when the engine is stopped and a steering wheel is operated by a small amount, the power assist control by EPS is continued with a limited motor output. On the other hand, when the engine is stopped and the steering wheel is operated by the large amount, the power assist control is stopped till the engine is restarted. Furthermore, according to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-151335 (JP-A-2006-151335), when an engine stop is detected, the revolution speed of the EPS drive motor is gradually reduced, and when an engine restart is detected, the revolution speed is gradually increased. By limiting the motor output as described above, the power assist control during cranking is performed, while inhibiting the occurrence of the aforementioned excessive service current, and degradation of the steering feel in this process can be suppressed.
However, although the use of the above-described conventional features results in significant improvement, where these reductions of the motor output are implemented rapidly to obtain the effect quickly, the resultant fluctuations of assist force can degrade the steering feel. Therefore, it is preferred that the reduction of motor output be implemented gradually, but in this case, the possibility of the excessive service current occurring in this process rises, and in this respect there still remains some space for improvement.


A fabrication process for a FinFET device is provided. The process begins by providing a semiconductor wafer having a layer of conductive material such as silicon. A whole-field arrangement of fins is then formed from the layer of conductive material. The whole-field arrangement of fins includes a plurality of conductive fins having a uniform pitch and a uniform fin thickness. Next, a cut mask is formed over the whole-field arrangement of fins. The cut mask selectively masks sections of the whole-field arrangement of fins with a layout that defines features for a plurality of FinFET devices. The cut mask is used to remove a portion of the whole-field arrangement of fins, the portion being unprotected by the cut mask. The resulting fin structures are used to complete the fabrication of the FinFET devices.

Transistors, such as metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), are the core building block of the vast majority of semiconductor devices. Some semiconductor devices, such as high performance processor devices, can include millions of transistors. For such devices, decreasing transistors size, and thus increasing transistor density, has traditionally been a high priority in the semiconductor manufacturing industry.
A FinFET is a type of transistor that can be fabricated using very small scale processes. FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of a FinFET 100, which is formed on a semiconductor wafer substrate 102. A FinFET is named for its use of one or more conductive fins (FinFET 100 includes only one fin 104). As shown in FIG. 1, fin 104 extends between a source region 106 and a drain region 108 of FinFET 100. FinFET 100 includes a gate structure 110 that is wrapped around fin 104. The dimensions of fin 104 wrapped by gate structure 110 determine the effective channel of FinFET 100. Fin thickness and length of the effective channel are critical to transistor characteristics. Consequently, the creation of fins having uniform dimensions can be an important aspect of the fabrication process.
FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view of another FinFET 200; this particular version includes three fins 202 extending between a source region 204 and a drain region 206. As with FinFET 100, a gate structure 208 is formed across the three fins 202. When multiple fins are employed in this manner, it can be extremely important to maintain uniform fin thickness and uniform fin pitch (the distance between two adjacent fins, plus fin thickness). Such uniformity and controllability can be particularly difficult to achieve with conventional FinFET fabrication techniques, especially those that use very small process technologies (e.g., 32 nm or smaller).

Method of forming multiple fins for a semiconductor device


A frequency adjusting arrangement is disclosed whereby the frequency of a local oscillator, incorporating an Yttrium-Iron-Garnet filter as the frequency determining element, is controlled to follow a coded waveform having a bandwidth wider than the bandwidth of the circuit in which such filter is used.

This invention pertains generally to semiactive guidance control systems for guided missiles and particularly to a system of such kind in which the operating frequency of a reference oscillator in a guided missile during flight is controlled to maintain coherence between such operating frequency and the frequency of a control radar.
It is known in the art, as shown in the now pending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 579,281, entitled "Adaptive Semiactive Missile Guidance System and Elements Therefore", and assigned to the same assignee as this application, that an electronically tunable arrangement may be used in a guided missile to maintain coherence between the operating frequency of a reference oscillator in such missile during flight and the frequency of a control radar. As described in detail in that application, the electronically tunable arrangement includes anYttrium-Iron-Garnet (or YIG) filter as the frequency determining element for the reference oscillator. Briefly, in such an arrangement, portions of the output signal from a voltage-controlled oscillator (the first local oscillator) are passed through a YIG filter and a passive phase shifter to the input terminals of a phase detector. The signal out of such detector, then, is indicative of the difference between the frequency of the output signal of the voltage controlled oscillator (the first local oscillator signal) and the resonant frequency of the YIG filter. The signal out of the phase detector then, after appropriate shaping, is applied to the voltage controlled oscillator to force the frequency of the output signal from that element into coincidence with the resonant frequency of the YIG filter.
In the system contemplated in the referenced patent, tuning of the voltage controlled oscillator to the proper frequency with respect to the frequency of the radar signal from the control radar is effected after the guided missile is launched by changing the resonant frequency of the YIG filter in a programmed manner until an output signal is produced by the rear receiver. When, as in the system contemplated in the referenced patent, the control radar is either a continuous wave or a pulse radar, the requisite changes in the resonant frequency of the YIG filter may be effected by appropriately controlling the current through a tuning coil in such a filter. That is to say, when the frequency of the radar signal of a control radar is substantially constant, the strength of the magnetic field in a YIG filter may be satisfactorily adjusted by controlling the current through the tuning coil in such a filter.
A different situation may obtain, however, when coding of the radar signal of the control radar is changed. For example, when the control radar is mounted on a ship, it may be desirable to transmit closely spaced frequency modulated pulses, commonly called "chirp" pulses. With such coding it is necessary to change the resonant frequency of the YIG filter by a substantial amount, say in the order of 2 MHz. Obviously, if either the pulse length or the interval between successive pulses is, relatively, very short, the current through the tuning coil must be changed relatively rapidly. Unfortunately, in such a situation the inductance of the tuning coil and unavoidable losses in the core of any known YIG filter militates against the attainment of any relatively rapid change in current with a current source of reasonable size.
It is theoretically possible to redesign any known YIG filter to allow the resonant frequency of such a device to be changed more quickly. Thus, if an ancillary tuning coil with an air core were to be added, the inductance and core losses of such coil would be far less than the inductance and core losses of the primary tuning coil in the filter. Practical considerations, however, rule out the addition of an ancillary tuning coil. In particular, if an ancillary tuning coil were to be added, the resulting filter would be extremely expensive, would be of questionable reliability and would be susceptible to microphonics.


A lightguide for illuminating a dial of a timekeeping device having a flat portion having a bottom surface and an upper surface in facing alignment with the watch dial, a lightpipe integrally formed with and extending below the flat portion, the lightpipe having a foot region at one end thereof, and geometries molded into the bottom surface of the flat portion to selectively eject internally reflected light from the bottom surface of the flat portion through the upper surface, where the lightguide provides illumination to the dial when a concentrated light source disposed below and spaced apart from the foot region conducts light to the lightpipe.

This invention relates generally to illumination arrangements for instrument dials and more particularly to an improved illumination system for a wristwatch dial.
It is known to provide instruments such as wristwatches with a light source for illuminating the dial. The wristwatch dial may be an analog wristwatch dial having indicia or markers used in connection with hands of the watch, or the dial may comprise an electro-optic display of actuated indicia, such as a liquid crystal display. One objective in a dial illumination system has been to achieve a constant and uniform lighting for the dial. Uniform background lighting may be achieved by using a distributed uniform light source, such as an electroluminescent light source. However, in order to reduce the cost of an illumination system for a dial, concentrated light sources, such as a single incandescent bulb or a light emitting diode (LED) have also been considered. One problem with using a concentrated light source is to transfer and diffuse the light from a point source of bright light to a uniformly distributed light source for illuminating the dial. The prior art contains many examples of efforts to effect the transformation.
In addition to illumination, light may be used to achieve an aesthetic graphic presentation. In this case it must be possible to locate areas of greater or lesser brightness or different colors at different locations on the dial. Traditional constructions using edge lighting around the outside periphery of a light guide are ineffective in directing the light to the desired location.
Constructions are known for using a light guide behind a light transmissive dial, and to inject light into the light guide. The following U.S. Patents are representative of prior art constructions for illuminating dials from a concentrated light source using a light guide.
U.S. Pat. No. INVENTOR ISSUE DATE TITLE 3,748,456 Brien July 24, 1973 Illuminated Instrument Dials 2,140,972 Rylsky Dec. 20, 1938 Means far Illuminating Dials of Instruments 2,188,821 Rylsky Jan. 30, 1940 Compass 2,480,393 Bossert et al. Aug. 30, 1949 Dial Light 3,043,038 Marble July 10, 1962 Illuminated Dial Face 3,561,145 Shotwell Feb. 9, 1971 Light Distributing Lens System
The aforementioned Marble U.S. Pat. No. 3,043,038 and Shotwell U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,145 employ light guides bounded is by substantially planar surfaces and attempt to distribute the light rays which are undergoing multiple internal reflections which are introduced from a concentrated source at the peripheral edge of the light guide. Such a construction is deficient for several reasons. For example, in the '038 patent identified above, the light entering the lens must do so at an edge and therefore, the distribution of light along the entire lens surface is less than uniform. Secondly, and as conceded in the '038 patent, there is a tremendously non-uniform illumination in the lens nearest the lamp. Hence, the '038 patent employs an opaque member that causes less than the entire dial surface to illuminate. Although this is considered by the '038 patent to be a "novel effect," it is clear that it is less than desirable in a watch where it is desirable to illuminate the entire dial. Lastly positioning the lamp adjacent the lens is permissible in a device where space is not a priority. In watches, space is a valuable commodity that must be considered at all times.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,289 issued Sep. 16, 1997 to Akahane et al. describes a background lighting apparatus for a liquid crystal display, in which a nonuniform pattern of light dispersing reflective layers are applied to a light guide illuminated from the edges of the light guide. The reflective layers are arranged to increase in size as the distance from the lighted edge become greater.
It is particularly difficult to effectively and uniformly conduct light from a concentrated source to a light guide in a wristwatch disposed beneath the watch dial. Space is at a premium and the previously known constructions have not been satisfactory.
Accordingly, an improved illumination arrangement for a watch dial that overcomes the drawbacks found in the prior art while at the same time provides for a desirable and uniform distribution of illumination, is desired.