A catheter and introducer needle assembly with needle shield is provided wherein the needle includes an enlarged diameter portion and a distally facing shoulder. The needle shield includes a means for engaging the distally facing shoulder to prevent unwanted distal movement of the needle once the needle has been withdrawn into the needle shield. The needle shield also includes a small diameter opening adjacent to its proximal portion to limit proximal movement of the needle out of the needle shield.

The subject invention relates to a catheter and introducer needle assembly that includes a needle shield that will safely shield the sharp distal tip of the introducer needle after the needle has been used to insert the catheter into a patient.
Catheters, particularly intravenous (IV) catheters, are used for infusing fluid, such as normal saline solution, various medicaments and total parenteral nutrition, into a patient or withdrawing blood from a patient. Peripheral IV catheters tend to be relatively short, and are on the order of about one and one-half inches in length. The most common type of IV catheter is an over the needle peripheral IV catheter. As its name implies, an over the needle catheter is mounted over an introducer needle having a sharp distal tip. The catheter and the introducer needle are assembled so that the distal tip of the introducer needle extends beyond the distal tip of the catheter with the bevel of the needle facing up away from the patient's skin.
The catheter and introducer needle assembly is inserted at a shallow angle through the patient's skin into a peripheral blood vessel, i.e a smaller blood vessel that is not connected directly to the heart but is one of the branches of the central blood vessels that is directly connected to the heart. In order to verify proper placement of the assembly in the blood vessel, the clinician confirms that there is flashback of blood in the needle and in a flashback chamber located at the proximal end of the needle which is typically formed as part of the needle hub. Once proper placement is confirmed, the clinician applies pressure to the blood vessel by pressing down on the patient's skin over the distal tip of the introducer needle and the catheter. This finger pressure occludes further blood flow through the introducer needle. The clinician withdraws the introducer needle, leaving the catheter in place, and attaches a fluid handling device to the catheter hub. Once the introducer needle is withdrawn from the catheter, it is a "blood contaminated sharp" and must be properly handled.
In recent years, there has been great concern over the contamination of clinicians with a patient's blood and a recognition that "blood contaminated sharps" must be immediately disposed. This concern has arisen because of the advent of currently incurable and fatal diseases, such as Acquired Immunosuppressive Deficiency Syndrome ("AIDS"), which can be transmitted by the exchange of body fluids from an infected person to another person. Thus, contact with the body fluid of an AIDS infected person must be avoided. As noted above, if an introducer needle has been used to place a catheter in the vein of an AIDS infected person, the introducer needle is a vehicle for the transmission of the disease. Although clinicians are aware of the need to properly handle "blood contaminated sharps", unfortunately in certain medical environments, such as emergency situations or as a result of inattention or neglect, needlesticks with contaminated introducer needles still occur.
As a result of the problem of accidental needlesticks by "blood contaminated sharps", various needle shields have been developed. Generally, such needle shields work for their intended purpose but could be improved. For example, some needle shields are bulky, difficult to use or require special features or techniques to be operative.

Catheter and introducer needle assembly with needle shield


A system and method for generating a taxonomy is provided in which the taxonomy is generated based on clusters of phrases and a topical library. The taxonomy permits a user of a text processing system to rapidly search through a database and find relevant documents since the classifications in the taxonomy are narrow enough to limit the number of documents classified in each of the classifications.

This invention relates generally to a system and method for processing a document and in particular to a system and method for generating a list of classifications (a taxonomy) from a plurality of phrases which are extracted from a set of documents.
Various factors have contributed to the storage of vast amounts of textual data information in computer systems and computer databases. The dramatic increase in the storage capacity of computer storage devices, such as hard disks, tape drives and the like and a decrease in the cost of these higher capacity computer hard drives are factors. Other factors include an increase in the transmission speed of computer communications, an increase in the processing speed of personal computers and an expansion of various computer communication networks, such as a bulletin board or the Internet. People therefore currently have access to the large amounts of textual data stored in these databases. However, although the current technology facilities the storage of and the access to this textual data, there are new problems that have been created by the vast amount of textual data that is now available.
In particular, a person trying to access the textual data in these computer databases needs a system for analyzing and processing the data in order to retrieve the desired information quickly and efficiently without retrieving extraneous information. In addition, the person trying to access the information needs an efficient system for condensing each large document into a plurality of phrases (one or more words) which characterize the document so that the person can browse the phrases and understand the document without actually viewing the entire document. It is also desirable to be able to automatically generate a classification system based on the extracted phrases stored in the computer database so that a person may use the classification system to browse through the database and focus in on the most relevant documents or pieces of textual data in the computer database. The classification system may be known as a taxonomy which consists of one or more subject matter headings with sub-headings reflecting the phrases extracted from the documents in the database.
To generate a typical subject matter classification system, a person must manually generate a classification system into which the one or more pieces of textual data in the database may then be manually or automatically classified. Thus, the typical classification system is manually generated and does not use the extracted phrases from the documents in the database to create the classification system. Therefore, the typical classifications are generally very broad reflecting the inability to more accurately classify the documents since the exact contents of the documents are not known. Thus, the typical classification may permit the user to select only a broad category which probably then contains too many documents to easily review. In addition, for each different database, a new classification system must be manually generated which is slow and time consuming.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a taxonomy generation system and method which solves the above problems and limitations with conventional classification systems and it is to this end that the present invention is directed.

System and method for generating a taxonomy from a plurality of documents


A method has been disclosed that allows the selective deposition of the metal for double damascene silicon wafer processing. This selective deposition allows the metal to be deposited only in the via holes, contact holes, channels or where ever the deposition is targeted to be deposited on the wafer where it is needed. This method allows double damascene wafers to be processed with out the necessity of polishing back the whole surface of the wafer to remove metal from most of the wafer surface, as is currently the practice.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for selectively depositing metal (usually copper) in structures for silicon wafer semiconductor structures.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The double damascene process has allowed copper to be used for the wires on semiconductor wafers instead of aluminum. Copper cannot be efficiently plasma etched as aluminum was. The wafer is etched with grooves in the oxide coating for the wires that will connect devices once the process is complete. Holes are etched in the bottom of the grooves to make contact with the devices in the layer of the wafer below. The wafer is coated with copper so that the copper fills the grooves and holes. The copper coating is polished back to reveal the damascene wires that make contact with the layers below because the copper is filling the holes that go down to that layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,954 B1 by Paul Ho et. al., which teaches a METHOD TO DEPOSIT A COPPER LAYER focuses on depositing a good layer of copper for the double damascene process. The use of polar organic solvents in the aqueous copper solution to deposit a good layer is discussed in this patent. The wasteful coating of the whole wafer with copper is explained so that a majority of the copper that is deposited will have to be polished off to reveal the double damascene structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,743 B2 by Naoki Nagashima which teaches a METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE employs a second barrier layer over the copper to allow the double damascene pattern to be made with no cupping of the top of the copper surface. The method employs a covering layer of the barrier material usually titanium nitride or tantalum nitride to allow the surface of the copper to be polished without cupping. Still much copper is wasted in the process because the whole surface of the wafer is coated with copper and then it is polished back to reveal the double damascene structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,815,336 by Shau-Lin Shue and Syun-Ming Jang which teaches PLANARIZATION OF COPPER DAMASCENE USING REVERSE CURRENT ELECTROPLATING AND CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING uses a photo resist mask that exposes unneeded copper that is removed by reverse current electroplating. Still, much copper is wasted because the whole wafer must be coated with copper before this process can reduce the amount of copper polished off.
At present in double damascene patterning of a wafer the oxide is patterned with photo resist and the via holes or contact holes are etched to the layer below. Then the photo resist is removed and the oxide is patterned with photo resist and the channels that will be where the wires will be for the metal layer are etched. Then the photo resist is removed and the metal is put all over the wafer first the barrier layer and then the copper. Then the wafer is polished back to reveal the metal lines imbedded in the oxide layer using chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) processes. This requires that most of the metal put on the wafer be polished off. Only the metal in the via holes, contact holes, and metal lines is left on the wafer. What a waste. If the metal could be grown only in the places that it is needed, this would save several steps of the process.

Selective deposition of double damascene metal


Provided herein is a process for the preparation of an apoptosis-inducing agent, and chemical intermediates thereof. Also provided herein are novel chemical intermediates related to the process provided herein.

4-(4-{[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethylcyclohex-1-en-1-yl]methyl}piperazin-1-yl)-N-({3-nitro-4-[(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-ylmethyl)amino]phenyl}sulfonyl)-2-(H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-5-yloxy)benzamide (hereafter, "Compound 1") and 4-(4-{[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethylcyclohex-1-en-1-yl]methyl}piperazin-1-yl)-N-({3-nitro-4-[(1R,4R)-([4-hydroxy-4-methylcyclohexyl]methyl)amino]phenyl}sulfonyl)-2-(1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-5-yloxy)benzamide (hereafter, "Compound 2") are each potent and selective Bcl-2 inhibitors having, inter alia, antitumor activity as apoptosis-inducing agents.
Compound 1 has the formula:

Compound 2 has the formula:

Compound 1 is currently the subject of ongoing clinical trials for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0305122 describes Compound 1, Compound 2, and other compounds which exhibit potent binding to a Bcl-2 family protein, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2012/0108590 and 2012/0277210 describe pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and methods for the treatment of neoplastic, immune or autoimmune diseases comprising these compounds. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0129853 describes methods for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus nephritis or Sjogren's Syndrome comprising these compounds. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2012/0157470 describes pharmaceutically acceptable salts and crystalline forms of Compound 1. The disclosures of U.S. 2010/0305122; 2012/0108590; 2012/0129853; 2012/0157470 and 2012/0277210 are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

Processes for the preparation of an apoptosis-inducing agent


The invention relates to an absorption dryer having a new type of contact device, viz. a contact device including at least one fabric structure, whose threads are such that they can absorb and convey a liquid drying agent and whose apertures are adapted to let through humid gas, whereby the contact between the humid gas and the drying agent occurs essentially radially in respect of the threads, the drying agent preferably being in the plane of the fabric structure and the gas perpendicular thereto through the apertures.

The absorption dryer is one of several types of dryer. Two other important types are the adsorption dryer and the condenser dryer. The adsorption dryer operates with a solid drying agent, which is usually regenerated with the aid of electrically heated hot air. The adsorption dryer frequently consists of a fabric structure similar to corrugated fibreboard and impregnated with a drying agent. This structure usually is in the form of a rotor, and the humid air is blown through the flutes and dehumidified. The drying agent can be regenerated by a sector of the rotor being reserved for the regenerating function. The sector is sealed in some suitable manner on both sides of the rotor, and hot air is blown through the rotor material which at that very moment is located in the sector. The advantage of such an adsorption dryer is that it can dehumidify down to low relative moisture contents, since solid drying agents, as a rule, have very low vapour pressures of equilibrium with water vapour in, for instance, air. 10-30% RH thus is quite possible to achieve in exit air, but if supply air is not too humid, suitably not exceeding 50-60% RH.
Although the adsorption dryer must be considered relatively simple in respect of design, it must, however, comprise a driving motor and a comparatively complex rotor. Its great disadvantage is, however, its lack of operation economy. By operation economy is meant the power requirements in kWh per kg of removed water. 1.2-1.5 kWh per kg of water is reasonable for an adsorption dryer. The theoretical power requirements are about 0.75 kWh per kg of water. The reason for the losses in the adsorption dryer is that the rotor, during its continuous rotation between the cold and the warm sector, consumes a considerable amount of power during the exchange of heat. Moreover, the adsorption dryer is not very convenient at high moisture contents and temperatures, or when large amounts of water are to be removed, such as in the case of damage by water or in operating situations in moist and warm climates, including laundry rooms. A further disadvantage of the adsorption dryer is that it is difficult to exchange the heat of warm and humid regeneration air in an inexpensive fashion. In other words, a gas/gas heat exchanger is necessary, and therefore usually just the warm and humid regeneration air is released outdoors. Otherwise, by heat exchange/condensation of moisture it is possible to recover the supplied power as heat, thereby avoiding wall ducts.
The condenser dryer, is built more or less like an ordinary refrigerating or freezing machine. Humid air is dehumidified by contacting the cold surface of the evaporator. The condenser dryer has good operation economy and can process air having a high moisture content and a high temperature. The supplied power remains in the room, and humid hot air need not be wasted outdoors. However, the condenser dryer suffers from the drawback that a compressor having a driving motor is necessary. In continuous operation, the life of the most expensive components of the dryer will be just about a year. A further drawback of the condenser dryer is that it contains FREON fluorocarbon, which, as is well known, is a much discussed substance these days from the environmental point of view. Besides, the condenser dryer is relatively expensive, possibly excluding the smallest orders of size, which can use components manufactured in very large series for the refrigerator industry.
The absorption dryer requires good phase contact between a liquid drying agent and the humid gas. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. A common technique is to establish such phase contact in a column containing fillers. As a rule, the drying agent is sprayed over the column packing at the head of the column, while the humid air is introduced countercurrently at the bottom of the column. A problem in columns is that it is difficult for this construction, owing to its geometry, to dispose of the heat of reaction by thermal radiation. In fact, considerable amounts of heat are generated when water vapour from the humid gas is absorbed in the liquid drying agent, which besides also applies to the adsorption dryer. A higher operating temperature and lower efficiency must thus be accepted, since efficiency decreases as the operating temperature rises. Alternatively, refrigerating coils can be arranged in the column packing, or the liquid drying agent can be removed at several levels, then be cooled and be fed back again. Another technique of avoiding too great a rise in temperature is to use highly intensive pumping-around of the drying agent through the column and through an external cooler. Part of this flow is then concentrated continuously in a boiler.
A further common construction is based on the spray-drying technique. A fine mist of the liquid drying agent encounters the humid air countercurrently in a tubular reactor. In this construction, it will be very difficult to have the dry exit air completely free from droplets of the drying agent, and moreover the thermal problems are the same as in the preceding case.
A third variant of the absorption dryer is a contact means having the structure of corrugated fibreboard, flutes extending in two directions perpendicular to each other, the material being permeable to liquid but impermeable to gas. The liquid drying agent can be sprinkled on a body of the material so as to flow down through the vertical flutes, and air can be injected through the remaining horizontally oriented flutes. Also in this case the thermal problems or restrictions as mentioned above will appear. Otherwise, the principle uses the condition of concentrated liquid drying agent permeating the walls of the air flutes, encountering humid air and absorbing water, which diffuses towards a more concentrated drying agent solution in the adjoining drying agent flutes. This technique, however, has its limitations, viz. a limitation of the diffusion of the wall material in the corrugated structure. The geometric interface per unit of volume will also be relatively small, which results in a low capacity per unit of volume of corrugated contact material.


An antenna is integrated with a solar battery. The antenna has a radiation-element portion arranged above the solar battery. The radiation-element portion is made of metallic wire rods and formed in a net-like fashion.

An antenna integrated with a solar battery is known in the art, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. H10-270925. The prior art antenna, which is composed of an electric-conductor film and an array-antenna element, is formed on a solar battery. The electric-conductor film of the antenna is made of metallic material, which is formed in a thin film. Since resistivity of the electric-conductor film is high, loss of the antenna as a whole is large. Antenna gain is thereby largely decreased.


A routing element for use in a semiconductor device assembly includes a substrate that carries conductive traces that provide either additional electrical paths or shorter electrical paths than those provided by a carrier substrate of the semiconductor device assembly. The conductive traces may be carried upon a single surface of the routing element substrate, be carried internally by the routing element substrate, or include externally and internally carried portions. The routing element may also include a contact pad positioned at each end of each conductive trace thereof to facilitate electrical connection of each conductive trace to a corresponding terminal of the substrate or to a corresponding bond pad of a semiconductor device of the multichip module. Multichip modules are also disclosed, as are methods for designing the routing element and methods in which the routing element is used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to multichip modules (MCMs) that include substrates with a number of semiconductor devices positioned at different locations on the surfaces thereof and, more specifically, to multichip modules that include routing elements overlapping portions of the multichip module substrate or one or more of the semiconductor devices on the substrate. In particular, the present invention relates to a routing element that provides additional circuit traces and that may be used to decrease the lengths of circuit paths across a multichip module.
2. Background of Related Art
Multichip modules have been developed to combine the functionalities of two or more semiconductor devices on a single carrier substrate, such as a circuit board. Conventional multichip modules have included a relatively large carrier substrate with a number of different semiconductor devices occupying different regions on one or both sides thereof. The semiconductor devices may communicate with one another or be connected with terminals of the carrier substrate that, in turn, facilitate communication between the semiconductor devices of the multichip module and external electronic componentry. In either event, electrical signals are typically conveyed by circuit traces that are carried by the carrier substrate.
As the feature densities of semiconductor devices continue to increase, the number of bond pads on semiconductor devices may also increase. In addition, the ever-increasing feature densities of semiconductor devices may be accompanied by decreases in the size of semiconductor devices which, in turn, may result in multichip modules that include increased numbers of semiconductor devices, again increasing the number of bond pads for a particular carrier substrate. Thus, the carrier substrates of state of the art multichip modules must carry ever-increasing numbers of circuit traces to keep up with the ever-increasing numbers of bond pads for which the carrier substrate must provide electrical connections.
To accommodate additional circuit traces, additional conductive and dielectric layers are typically added to carrier substrates. The increase in the manufacturing cost of carrier substrates, however, does not increase a proportionate amount for each additional layer. Rather, while carrier substrates with four layers cost only about 50% more than two-layer carrier substrates, six-layer carrier substrates are about ten times as expensive as two-layer carrier substrates due to decreased yields. Similar cost increases accompany further increases in the complexity of carrier substrates. As additional layers are often added for the purpose of providing relatively few additional circuit traces, the increased cost of a carrier substrate with these additional layers is difficult to justify in this cost-competitive industry.
In addition, due to the ever-increasing numbers of circuit traces that are carried upon and within multichip module carrier substrates, the complexities and pathlengths of the circuit traces are also ever increasing in order to minimize electrical interference between traces.
Accordingly, there appears to be a need for apparatus to accommodate electrical connection of increasing numbers of bond pads without requiring an increase in the number of layers and, thus, the complexity of a multichip module carrier substrate. There also appears to be a need for apparatus that electrically connect mutually remote pads or terminals while providing the shortest possible pathlength therebetween.

Routing element for use in multi-chip modules, multi-chip modules including the routing element and methods


A system and related method for the exchange of information, data and instructions between one or more network administrators and one or more network infrastructure devices via one or more media exchanges. Devices are managed using a social media agent including a session agent that translates media messages into network device content and vice versa while maintaining context. Particular media interfaces may be selected for messaging dependent upon the particular message to be exchanged. Shorthand may be used to facilitate messaging through media of interest.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a system and related method to enable the establishment of one or more functions that permit the exchange of information, data and instructions from and to one or more networks, network devices or devices real or virtual attached to a network via social media exchanges as defined herein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computing systems are useful tools for the exchange of information among individuals. The information may include, but is not limited to, data, voice, graphics, and video. The exchange is established through interconnections linking the computing systems together in a way that permits the transfer of electronic signals that represent the information. The interconnections may be either cable or wireless. Cable connections include, for example, metal and optical fiber elements. Wireless connections include, for example infrared, acoustic, and radio wave transmissions.
Interconnected computing systems having some sort of commonality are represented as a network system. For example, individuals associated with a college campus may each have a computing device. In addition, there may be shared printers and remotely located application servers sprinkled throughout the campus. There is commonality among the individuals in that they all are associated with the college in some way. The same can be said for individuals and their computing arrangements in other environments including, for example, healthcare facilities, manufacturing sites and Internet access users. A network permits communication or signal exchange among the various computing systems of the common group in some selectable way. The interconnection of those computing systems, as well as the devices that regulate and facilitate the exchange among the systems, represent a network. Further, networks may be interconnected together to establish internetworks. For purposes of the description of the present invention, the devices and functions that establish the interconnection represent the network infrastructure. The users, computing devices and the like that use that network infrastructure to communicate are referred to herein as attached functions and will be further defined. The combination of the attached functions and the network infrastructure will be referred to as a network system. It is understood by those skilled in the art that a network system may be a distributed configuration with components, administrators and/or users in different locations securely interconnected through the Internet.
The process by which the various computing systems of a network or internetwork communicate is generally regulated by agreed-upon signal exchange standards and protocols embodied in network interface cards or circuitry and software, firmware and microcoded algorithms. Such standards and protocols were borne out of the need and desire to provide interoperability among the array of computing systems available from a plurality of suppliers. Two organizations that have been responsible for signal exchange standardization are the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) including especially the IEEE 802 standards and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
The standards organizations generally focus on the mechanics of network and internetwork operation, less so on mechanisms for managing discrete networks. Access to applications, files, databases, programs, and other capabilities associated with the entirety of a discrete network is regulated based primarily on the identity of the user and/or the network attached function. For the purpose of the description of the present invention, a "user" is a human being who interfaces via a computing device with the services associated with a network. For further purposes of clarity, a "network attached function" or an "attached function" may be a user connected to the network through a computing device and a network interface device, an attached device connected to the network, a function using the services of or providing services to the network, or an application associated with an attached device. Upon authentication by a management function of the network of the offered attached function identity, the attached function may access network services at a level permitted for that identification and/or the identification of an associated user and the policies and rules of network use established by the network administrators. For purposes of the present description, "network services" include, but are not limited to, network policies, access, Quality of Service (QoS), bandwidth, priority, computer programs, applications, data and databases, files, and network and server control systems that attached functions may use or manipulate for the purpose of conducting the business of the enterprise employing the network as an enterprise asset.
It is well known that events and activities occur that may be harmful to a network system. For purposes of this description, harm to a network system includes, for example, access denial, intentionally tying up network computing resources, intentionally forcing bandwidth availability reduction, and restricting, denying or modifying network-related information. Harm to a network may occur through intentional and unintentional acts. Administrators responsible for minimizing network harm must be constantly vigilant through the network management function. That function may be automatic, manual or a combination of the two. The network management function performs network monitoring, access control and network protection and repair efforts to and through devices of the network infrastructure. Administrators tasked with control of the network management function establish policies and associated rules used to implement those policies and carry out that task by effecting modifications to the operation of one or more devices of the network infrastructure. Those modifications are ordinarily carried out by one or more individuals accessing network management devices such as one or more servers. Access for operational modifications occur at the devices themselves or through remote interaction with the devices.
Typically, the management of one or more networks and/or network services includes specialized network management applications and programs capable of coordinating and tracking the status of many devices, virtual machines, applications, ports and the network links providing the communications capabilities. These management capabilities and applications are relevant to the ongoing operations of the network infrastructure and network system, often requiring secure locations and redundant capabilities. However, the need to protect these resources is directly opposed to the need to provide the data and information contained therein to the individuals with the expertise to use the information to manage and properly operate the network system. Remote notification of events, outages, status changes, and the ability to respond easily and in a timely fashion by one or more experts 24 hours a day is of significant value. In addition, there is in the expanding use of mobile devices and user connectivity included a dramatic increase in "social networking" and the creation of social networking applications and interfaces.
What is needed is an effective arrangement to enable a network administrator to more easily manage a network through remote interactions, particularly via social media applications and interfaces.

System and related method for management of devices of a network system via social media interfaces


There is disclosed a method of manufacturing a flat display in which a switching element (TFT) having caused a display pixel defect can securely be repaired. The flat display of the present invention is formed by forming a semiconductor layer and an auxiliary capacity electrode in the same layer on a glass substrate, forming a gate insulating film on a top surface, forming a gate electrode and an auxiliary capacity feeder in the same layer on the top surface, forming an interlayer insulating film on a top surface, and forming a source electrode and drain electrode on a top surface. Since a wiring portion between the auxiliary capacity electrode and the pixel electrode is irradiated with laser to increase the resistance of a wiring portion, the pixel electrode fails to be influenced by a voltage of the auxiliary capacity feeder, occurrence of the display pixel defect can be reduced, and manufacture yield can be enhanced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat display in which an auxiliary capacity is connected to a pixel displaying switching element and a method of manufacturing the display, and it relates, for example, to an active matrix liquid crystal display.
2. Related Background Art
A liquid crystal display, provided with great advantages such as a high image quality, thinness/lightweight, and low power consumption, is broadly utilized in a notebook-size personal computer, a portable electronic apparatus, and the like. Particularly, in recent years, the liquid crystal display has been intensively developed/researched in which a thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as TFT) by a polycrystalline silicon with a high mobility is used in a pixel switching element.
FIG. 1 is a top view showing a structure of the liquid crystal display using this type of TFT, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line A—A of FIG. 1.
A method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display of FIG. 1 will briefly be described hereinafter. After forming a semiconductor layer 2 of polycrystalline silicon on the top surface of a glass substrate 1, and forming a gate insulating film 4 to cover the semiconductor layer 2, a gate electrode 5 as a first wiring layer is formed on the top surface.
A pixel electrode 19 and an auxiliary capacity electrode 3 are connected to TFT for displaying a pixel. The auxiliary capacity is structured such that the gate insulating film 4 is held between the auxiliary capacity electrode 3 formed by the semiconductor layer 2 and an auxiliary capacity feeder 6 formed on the same layer as that of the gate electrode 5.
For the TFT shown in FIG. 1, since polycrystalline silicon is used as a material of the semiconductor layer 2, field-effect mobility is high, and even with individual miniaturized TFTs, a sufficient drive ability can be obtained. Therefore, when this type of TFT is used to constitute the active matrix liquid crystal display, aperture ratio and luminance can be enhanced, and power consumption can be reduced.
Moreover, since this type of TFT has a high field-effect mobility, it is also possible to form a drive circuit such as a shift register for controlling TFT operation on the same glass substrate as that of an image display area. Therefore, it is unnecessary to separately dispose a TFT driving substrate, an external circuit can be simplified, and manufacture process and cost can be reduced.
However, in the liquid crystal display of FIG. 1, because of surface property of the auxiliary capacity electrode 3, mixture of foreign particles in the course of manufacture, and the like, insulating property of the capacity insulating film (gate insulating film) 4 of the auxiliary capacity becomes insufficient, a defect of short-circuiting the pixel electrode 19 and auxiliary capacity feeder 6 occurs, and manufacture yield is deteriorated.
When such defect occurs, the corresponding pixel is fixed to a certain potential, and a constantly lit pixel defect occurs. Moreover, since a direct-current voltage continues to be applied between opposite electrodes, a liquid crystal composition contained in a liquid crystal layer corresponding to a pixel area is deteriorated, and reliability is also deteriorated.
As one technique of repairing this pixel defect, there is proposed a technique of irradiating, with a laser beam, an auxiliary capacity electrode portion in which a short-circuit defect occurs to cut this portion, thereby electrically cutting the above portion from the pixel electrode. In this case, the repaired pixel is influenced by a parasitic capacity between a signal line and the pixel electrode, but is improved to obtain a semi-lit state.
However, in a wiring BM structure as a pixel structure for realizing a high aperture ratio, since a wiring portion is vertically superposed on the pixel electrode, by cutting a part of the wiring portion with a laser beam, a new short-circuit defect possibly occurs by the laser beam.
In order to avoid such possibility, it is necessary to connect the auxiliary capacity electrode to the switching element beforehand via the wiring to be cut, and to detect and cut off a short-circuit place before forming the pixel electrode.
However, a finding ratio of the short-circuit place is not 100% in a state of array substrate, and after completing the array substrate, the short-circuit place newly found after the substrate is placed onto an opposite substrate cannot be repaired.

Apparatus and manufacture method for flat display


A semiconductor structure and a fabricating process for the same are provided. The semiconductor fabricating process includes providing a first dielectric layer, a transitional layer formed on the first dielectric layer, and a conductive fill penetrated through the transitional layer and into the first dielectric layer; removing the transitional layer; and forming a second dielectric layer over the conductive fill and the first dielectric layer.

In manufacture of an integrated circuit (IC), such as large scale integrated circuits (LSI) and ultra-large scale integration (ULSI) integrated circuits, a damascene process that eliminates the demands of a metal dry etch for forming conductive wiring and a dielectric gap fill has been commonly utilized to form interconnections, responsible for intercommunications among multiple stacked metallization layers in the semiconductor device in a back-end-of-line (BEOL) fabricating stage.
A typical damascene process involves steps of etching trenches or vias in a multi-layered planar dielectric layer, and then filling the trenches or vias with metal, such as aluminum or copper. After filling, the excess metal outside the trenches is planarized and polished by chemical mechanical polishing, so that metal is only left within the trenches to form conductive interconnections transmitting electronic signals. Often, the damascene process is generally classified into three categories including a via first trench last (VFTL) scheme, a trench first via last (TFVL) scheme and a self-aligned via first (SAVF) scheme.
In such damascene process, due to the fact that various composite isolation layers, such as hard mask layers and etch stop layers, usually having a relatively lower etch rate than those of dielectric layers nearby are vertically interlaid among dielectric layers, there yields a non-uniform etch selectivity distributed along a vertical profile for the multi-layered formed damascene structure. Accordingly after etching, there unavoidably forms an uneven non-vertical sidewall in the trenches which causes an irregular trench profile, in particular an upwardly narrowing tapered trench profile having a quite narrowing pattern around the top opening for the trench. Upon filling, a filling metal may be excessively deposited on the narrowing part around the top opening for the trench easily which causes the trench to be early sealed during filling process, resulting in an issue commonly known as a necking effect, or also known as a metal gap fill limitation.
As a trend that electronic devices continue to be smaller, less expensive, and more powerful, a critical concerned issue with respect to a resistive-capacitance (R×C) delay time characteristic dominating the circuit performance in IC for the electronic devices is correspondingly raised. Accordingly, the inter-metal dielectric layer or inter-layer dielectric layer is generally made of material has a dielectric constant to be as low as possible, such as an extremely low-k (ELK) material, so as to improve the R×C delay time characteristic and to well insulate the respective metallization parts for preventing crosstalk from each other that degrades device performance by slowing circuit speed.
Nevertheless, although an ELK material is involved in, another concerned issue is that dry etch plasma can always deteriorate the deposited ELK layer by forming a thin damaged layer with a relatively higher dielectric constant along the contacting edge of the etch plasma and dielectric inside the ELK layer, which increases the entire dielectric constant and correspondingly impacts and increases the entire capacitance for the deposited ELK layer. Hence, there arises another issue that an overall R×C delay performance for the finalized semiconductor device containing the damaged ELK layer may be correspondingly affected and worsened.
With the miniaturized development for semiconductor fabricating technology for sub-micron, or even for 28 mn, 20 nm or nodes beyond semiconductor technology, it is anticipatable that there will encounter more and more difficulties in the aspect pertaining metal gap filling limitation and high Rs concern.
There is a need to solve the above deficiencies/issues.

Semiconductor structure and semiconductor fabricating process for the same

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


The invention relates to a liquid crystal display device comprising a retardation layer wherein an in-plane slow axis of the retardation layer is within the direction of 90±40 degrees relative to an absorption axis of the polarizing layer disposed at a closer position to the retardation layer; Re(550) meets following relation, 25 nm≦Re(550)≦230 nm; R[40°] of the retardation layer which is measured for incident light in a direction tilted by 40 degrees toward the tilt direction of the retardation layer relative to the normal line of the retardation layer meets following relation, 0 nm≦R[40°]≦300 nm; and R[+40°] of the retardation layer and retardation R[−40°] of the retardation layer meet following relation, 1<R[+40°]/R[−40°].

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an improvement of a viewing angle characteristic of a liquid crystal display device.
2. Background Art
In liquid crystal display devices, optical films displaying various optical characteristics have hitherto been used for optical compensation corresponding to a mode thereof. For example, an optically compensatory film having an optically anisotropic layer composed of a liquid crystal composition on a transparent support composed of a polymer film is proposed as an optically compensatory film of a TN mode liquid crystal display device (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2587398).
Also, it is proposed to use a polymer film whose optical axis is inclined in the thickness direction for the optical compensation of a TN mode liquid crystal display device in place of the optically compensatory film having an optically anisotropic layer composed of a liquid crystal composition.
For example, JP-A-7-333437 and JP-A-6-222213 each describe a method of leading a film to pass through two rolls running at a different peripheral speed whereby a shearing stress is applied to the film to produce a film having a tilted optical axis, indicating the application of the film to TN-mode liquid crystal displays. However, the methods described in the documents have some problems in that the optical properties of the films produced greatly fluctuate and that the surfaces of the films are readily scratched.
JP-A2003-25414 and JP-A2007-38646 each propose a method of producing an optical film whose optical axis is inclined in the thickness direction by having a melt of thermoplastic polymer composition through the nip between two rolls running at a certain condition. According to the methods described in the documents, the above mentioned problem may be solved.
On the other hand, a liquid crystal display device is used as not only a display for personal computer, which is basically used by a single person but a display for television, which is observed by a plurality of persons from various directions.


The invention provides apoptosis signaling kinase related kinase (ASKRK) nucleic acid and polypeptide sequences and methods of using such sequences to identify modulators of ASKRK. Such modulators can be used for the treatment of diabetes or for delaying the onset of diabetes. The invention also provides methods of diagnosing diabetes or pre-diabetes and methods of making a prognosis based on the detection of ASKRK nucleic acids and proteins.

In Type II diabetes, there is a progressive decline in insulin secretory function in beta cells in the face of ongoing insulin resistance. Currently available therapies are unable to prevent this decline (Diabetes 44:1249–1258, 1995; DeFronzo, Diabetes 37:667–687, 1988). Insulin resistance alone is not sufficient to cause Type II diabetes, and in fact, many individuals maintain insulin resistance for extended periods without becoming diabetic due to effective compensation by increased insulin secretion (Polonsky, Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 24 Suppl 2:S29–31, 200). Insulin-resistant rats and mice display a compensatory increase in beta cell mass (Hribal, et al., Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 282:E977–981, 2002); the same phenomenon appears to occur in insulin resistant, but non-diabetic, (usually obese) humans (Kloppel, et al., Surv Synth Pathol Res 4:110–125, 1985; Butler, et al., Diabetes 52:102–110, 2003). In rodents, beta cell mass appears to be regulated by a changing balance between the positive effects of beta cell replication and neogenesis and the negative effects of beta cell apoptosis (Bonner-Weir, J Mol Endocrinol 24:297–302, 2000; Bonner-Weir, Trends Endocrinol Metab 11:375–378, 2000; Pick, et al., Diabetes 47:358–364, 1998; Finegood, et al., Diabetes 50:1021–1029, 2001). In humans, the onset of Type II diabetes due to insufficient increases (or actual declines) in beta cell mass is apparently due to increased beta cell apoptosis relative to non-diabetic insulin resistant individuals (Butler, et al., Diabetes 52:102–110, 2003). Agents which could specifically prevent this increase in beta cell apoptosis may therefore prevent insulin resistant individuals from developing Type II diabetes.
Beta cell death and apoptosis are also central to the onset of Type I diabetes, although the mechanisms that lead to loss of beta cell mass are primarily T-cell mediated in Type I and this is not the case in the majority of Type II cases (Mathis, et al., Nature 414:792–798, 2001). In Type I diabetes, recruitment and activation of T-cells and macrophages leads to an intra-islet environment rich in cytokines (interleukin (IL) 1-β interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α), reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide (NO), each of which can promote beta cell apoptosis in vitro (Eizirik and Darville, Diabetes 50 Suppl 1:S64–69, 2001). Physiological beta cell apoptosis may actually trigger the immune response that results in wholesale islet destruction (Mathis, et al., Nature 414:792–798, 2001).
The mechanisms that lead to increased beta cell apoptosis are multiple and interlacing and they are as yet incompletely understood. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, which interacts with receptors TNF-RI and TNF-RII in both its membrane bound and soluble forms, can contribute to beta cell death in vitro (Kaneto, et al., Diabetes 44:733–738, 1995; Mandrup-Poulsen, et al., J Immunol 139:4077–4082, 1987). In the NOD mouse model of Type I diabetes, TNF-RI deficiency can prevent the onset of diabetes, presumably through reduction in beta cell death or apoptosis (Kagi, et al., J Immunol 162:4598–4605, 1999). Various modes of stress can also contribute to beta cell apoptosis (Zhou, et al., J Clin Invest 101:1623–1632, 1998).
Although there are likely to be apoptotic modalities that are relatively unique to the beta cell, there are some general mechanisms of programmed cell death that occur in many cell and tissues that form fundamental pathways for cytotoxic responses to UV irradiation, X-rays, thermal and osmotic shock, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as well as the response to proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha. Some of these pathways are composed of cascades of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAP kinases) (Kyriakis and Avruch, Physiol Rev 81:807–869, 2001). Cytotoxic stresses activate MAP kinase kinase kinases (MAPKKKs), which phosphorylate and activate MAP kinase kinases (MAPKKs), which in turn phoshorylate and activate MAP kinases such as ERK, JNK1-3 and p38 (Johnson and Lapadat, Science 298:1911–1912, 2002; Tibbles and Woodgett, Cell Mol Life Sci 55:1230–1254, 1999). JNKs, which phosphorylate and activate the transcription factor c-Jun among other substrates, are critical mediators of apoptosis (Tournier, et al., Science 288:870–874, 2000).
Apoptosis signaling kinase (ASK)-1/MAPKKK5 is a ubiquitously expressed component of the kinase cascade that activates JNK and p38 (Takeda, et al., Cell Struct Funct 28:23–29, 2003). ASK1 directly phosphorylates MKK4(SEK1)/MKK7 and MKK3/MKK6, which in turn phosphorylate the JNKs and p38 (Ichijo, et al., Science 275:90–94, 1997). A constitutively active form of ASK1 is obtained by truncating an N-terminal regulatory domain; expression of this active kinase leads to apoptosis via mitochondria-dependent caspase activation (Hatai, et al., J Biol Chem 275:26576–26581, 2000). Cells from mice that lack ASK1 are resistant to the apoptotic effects of oxidative stress and TNF-α (Tobiume, et al., EMBO Rep 2:222–228, 2001).
The role of ASK1 in oxidative stress-initiated apoptosis may be mediated in part by a direct physical interaction with the redox-regulatory protein thioredoxin (TRX) (Saitoh, et al., Embo J 17:2596–2606, 1998). Trx inhibits ASK1 kinase activity upon binding to the N-terminal domain that is lacking in the constitutively active form of ASK1. The interaction between ASK1 and Trx is dependent on Trx being in the reduced form; this provides a mechanism by which the redox state of the cell can regulate ASK1 kinase activity (Liu and Min, Circ Res 90:1259–1266, 2002). Accordingly, reactive oxygen species such as H2O2 cause dissociation of Trx-ASK1 complexes and lead to ASK1 activation (Gotoh and Cooper, J Biol Chem 273:17477–17482, 1998; Tobiume, et al., J Cell Physiol 191:95–104, 2002).
There is also evidence that ASK1 promotes apoptosis in cells undergoing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The ER protein IRE1 forms a complex with ASK1 and a TNF receptor interacting protein TRAF2 in cells undergoing ER stress, and this leads to activation of the ASK1-JNK pathway. The apoptosis initiated by this pathway is reduced in cells that lack ASK1 (Nishitoh, et al., Genes Dev 16:1345–1355, 2002).

Compositions and methods of using apoptosis signaling kinase related kinase (ASKRK)


Aspects of this disclosure describe measuring intervals within a cardiac cycle to, for example, determine whether a patient is a candidate for cardiac therapy initiation or modification. The intervals may be measured in response to a trigger identifying a physiological event. The intervals and an identification of the physiological event may be stored. A physician or clinician may determine whether the patient is a candidate for cardiac therapy modification based on the measured intervals.

A variety of implantable medical devices for delivering a therapy and/or monitoring a physiological condition have been clinically implanted or proposed for clinical implantation in patients. Implantable medical devices may deliver electrical stimulation or fluid therapy to, and/or monitor conditions associated with, the heart, muscle, nerve, brain, stomach or other organs or tissue.
Some implantable medical devices, such as cardiac pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, provide therapeutic electrical stimulation to the heart. The electrical stimulation may include signals such as pulses or shocks for pacing, cardioversion or defibrillation. In some cases, an implantable medical device may sense intrinsic depolarizations of the heart, and control delivery of stimulation signals to the heart based on the sensed depolarizations. Upon detection of an abnormal rhythm, such as bradycardia, tachycardia or fibrillation, an appropriate electrical stimulation signal or signals may be delivered to restore or maintain a more normal rhythm. For example, in some cases, an implantable medical device may deliver pacing pulses to the heart of the patient upon detecting tachycardia or bradycardia, and deliver cardioversion or defibrillation shocks to the heart upon detecting tachycardia or fibrillation.
Patients with heart failure are often treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). CRT is a form of cardiac pacing. In some examples, CRT involves delivery of pacing pulses to both ventricles to synchronize their contraction. In other examples, CRT involves delivery of pacing pulses to one ventricle, such as the left ventricle, to synchronize its contraction with that of the right.
Some implantable medical devices, such as implantable pacemakers, or pacemaker-cardioverter-defibrillators, have been used for long term monitoring of heart failure patients. In some cases, such implantable medical devices monitor for an early indication of a heart failure decompensation event based on one or more physiological parameters of the patient. Example physiological parameters for monitoring heart failure include thoracic fluid accumulation, edema, various cardiac or vascular blood pressures, various hemodynamic parameters, nighttime heart rate, and respiration.

Monitoring an interval within the cardiac cycle


An example method for managing a memory device includes a non-volatile memory. The example method further includes providing a first time-stamp to the memory device, wherein the first time-stamp is a power-down time-stamp of the memory device, storing the first time-stamp, associating the first time-stamp with at least one region of the non-volatile memory, providing a second time-stamp to the memory device, wherein the second time-stamp is a subsequent power-up time-stamp of the memory device, associating the second time-stamp with the at least one region of the non-volatile memory, determining a difference time between the first time-stamp and the second time-stamp, and, based on the difference time, performing a refresh operation of the at least one region of the non-volatile memory. Further, a related memory device is disclosed, as well as a method for measuring the off-time of a memory device.

It is known that non-volatile memory devices undergo data retention degradation, i.e. corruption or even loss of data in the non-volatile memory. Such data retention degradation is due to several causes, such as a charge loss and stress-induced leakage, as well as the usage of the device itself. Data retention degradation is also a function of the temperature of the non-volatile memory.
The data in the non-volatile memory can thus be properly retained only for a finite amount of time, this amount of time being referred to as retention time limit. Beyond this time limit, data can be corrupted or lost.
When the memory device is in the on-state, the temperature, the time and other operating parameters can be monitored, and therefore a refresh operation can be performed when needed, while in the off-state these parameters can neither be monitored nor calculated. Therefore, the refresh policy is applied without accounting for the ratio between the on-time and the off-time of the memory device.
The aim of the present disclosure is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, providing a memory device and a method for managing the same able to precisely evaluate when a region of the non-volatile memory has to be refreshed to avoid corruption or loss of data.

Providing time-stamps for a memory device and method for managing the same


Systems and methods for applying user specific acoustic adjustment parameters are provided. The intelligibility of speech for a particular user is determined and a set of acoustic adjustment parameters is determined. The set or template of acoustic adjustment parameters for the user is placed in central store, for example provided as or in association with a server. The template can be obtained from the server for application in connection with a communication involving the user by providing an identification of the template.

The hearing loss experienced by people who are hard of hearing is rarely uniform across the entire audio spectrum. For example, a person's hearing may be down by only 5 dB at 500 Hz, and down by 20 dB at 2,000 Hz. For users with this type of hearing loss, it can be helpful to provide a compensating amount of amplification at frequencies where the user is known to have a specific amount of hearing loss. Using the above example, this compensation could be a 5 dB boost at 500 Hz and a 20 dB boost at 2,000 Hz. An underlying assumption of this approach is that intelligibility, i.e., the ability for a listener to discriminate between two essentially similar sounds, is highly correlated with the ability to perceive all frequencies in the acoustic spectrum at the correct amplitude.
Although there are electronic audio devices that allow users to adjust the spectral characteristics for themselves, typically via what are commonly referred to as "tone controls" or "graphic equalizers," a problem with this approach when applied to telecommunication systems is that users tend to adjust the characteristics to maximize the aesthetic quality of the voice rather than the intelligibility. (The inability of hard of hearing users to self-adjust audio systems optimally is a reason why audiologists, and not the individual users, make the spectral adjustments on users' hearing aids.) But perhaps the most important reason why self-adjustment of the spectral characteristics may not yield optimal speech intelligibility for hard of hearing users is that certain types of audio degradation that are common in telecommunication systems can affect these users differently from users with normal hearing, and are best mitigated through techniques that do not rely exclusively on simple spectral compensation. Examples include the distortions introduced by audio compression (e.g., GSM or G.729), packet loss, ambient noise, transducer quality, and poor signal to noise ratio. In this context, it is important to note that the optimal mitigation strategy will differ among individuals depending on the nature of the individual's hearing loss.
A user can have an assessment performed by an audiologist to obtain an acoustic compensation "prescription" that can be applied to increase the intelligibility of communications using telephones or other electronic audio devices. In practice however, it remains difficult for the user to access and apply their particular set of audiologist determined acoustic adjustments to electronic communications. This problem is even more apparent where the user desires the ability to apply their acoustic adjustments to a wide range of electronic audio devices or communication devices and/or to communication devices on an ad hoc basis.

Telecommunications methods and systems providing user specific audio optimization


The present invention relates to a radiation curable resin composition which comprises epoxy (meth)acrylate, a monofunctional (meth)acrylate, a bifunctional (meth)acrylate having a specific structure, and a bifunctional (meth)acrylate obtained from an aliphatic dihydric alcohol having an oxyalkylene structure and (meth)acrylic acid and further contains a thermoplastic resin, thereby causing satisfactory adhesion to plastic substrates, sufficient shape retention, and excellent shape recovery properties, and satisfaction in moldability including casting efficiency and shape reproducibility, as well as a high refractive index and appropriateness for use as a lens sheet.

An example conventionally known as a transmission type screen such as is used in projection TV sets has a structure using a combination of a Fresnel lens sheet for converting diffuse light from a light source such as a CRT into parallel beams to be sent to the viewers, and a lenticular lens sheet which performs the function of distributing light only within the range which the viewers watch, for effective use of a fixed amount of light.
A method proposed for forming and processing these lens sheets is the effective formation of a lens sheet in a short time by the irradiation of an energy ray to form a lens layer which has microstructure and is made of a radiation curable resin composition, on a plastic substrate. Since the radiation curable resin composition used for these lens sheets has the characteristics of a high elastic modulus and a high refractive index, the example of using an epoxy (meth)acrylate resin composite has been reported.
The requirements for a lens layer of microstructure made of such a radiation curable resin composition are excellent shape retention withstanding external forces locally applied during the manufacturing process and the like or a change in environment temperature, a high mechanical strength such that disadvantages such as fracture and chipping are not produced upon application of an impact or the process of cutting the sheet, a satisfactory degree of adhesion to the plastic substrate, a high refractive index, and the like.
An example known a radiation curable resin composition for meeting such requirements is a ultraviolet-curable resin composition for a transmission type screen which includes, in specific proportions as essential ingredients, a bisphenol-A type epoxy (meth)acrylate, a bifunctional reactive monomer, a monofunctional reactive monomer and a photoinitiator. This composition has the advantages of providing a cured material with a satisfactory degree of adhesion to a plastic substrate and a high refractive index (see Patent Document 1, for example).
Another known example is an ionization-radiation curable resin composition for a Fresnel lens including a bisphenol-A type epoxy (meth)acrylate, a monofunctional (meth)acrylate such as phenoxy ethyl acrylate, a bifunctional (meth)acrylate such as bisphenol-A tetrapropoxydiacrylate, and a polymer such as an acrylic resin or a polyurethane resin. This composition has the advantages of providing a cured material with a high refractive index, outstanding abrasion resistance and outstanding adhesion to a substrate (see Patent Document 2, for example).
Patent Document 1: JP-A-H5-287040 (pp. 3-6)
Patent Document 2: JP-A-H 11-240926 (pp. 3-4) (U.S. Pat. No. 6,335,079B1)
However, a cured material made of an ultraviolet-curable resin composition for a transmission type screen, which is described in Patent Document 1, has the disadvantages of a propensity for occurrence of indentation creep even after the crosslinking reaction and insufficient shape retention, because a high proportion of a monofunctional reactive monomer from 40 mass % to 70 mass % causes a loosely crosslinked structure resulting from the reaction between a bisphenol-A type epoxy (meth)acrylate and a bifunctional reactive monomer, resulting in a low crosslink density.
Further, a cured material made of ionization-radiation curable resin composition for a Fresnel lens, which is described in Patent Document 2, can exhibit shape recovery properties and shape retention to a certain degree by means of control of a proportion of the content of a polymer component, e.g. a low glass transition temperature polymer such as a polyester polyurethane resin (glass transition temperature Tg: −20° C.), but shape recovery properties and shape retention are insufficient. For this reason, it is difficult to provide the shape recovery properties and the shape retention while concurrently maintaining the moldability such as the casting efficiency of infusing a radiation curable resin composition between the mother mold and the plastic substrate and the shape reproducibility provided by the spread of the resin into the intricate details of the mother mold.
To solve the problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a radiation curable resin composition for lens sheets use which is outstanding in adhesion to a plastic substrate, shape recovery properties, mechanical strength and moldability, and further shows a high refractive index, and to provide a lens sheet using the resin composition.

Radiation curable resin composition for lens sheet and lens sheet


The disclosure provides a control valve which includes a valve body having an inner space and a valve gate. The valve gate is movably located inside the inner space of the valve body and the valve gate has at least one main channel having two valve ports opposite to each other, and each of the valve ports of the main channel has a plurality of circular holes and a curved hole, where the circular holes are arranged in a line and the curved hole is connected to one of the circular holes that is located at an end of the line. The control valve has a lower flow rate limit which is greater than zero.

In a cooling system, a control valve or bypass valve is commonly used to change the direction of fluid. Taken the control valve as an example, there are a rotary spool-type valve and a slide spool-type valve. The rotary spool-type valve is a valve that can pivot about its axis, and the slide spool-type valve is a valve that can slide along its axis. These valves can be operated either manually or electrically.
Generally, in order to ensure low leakage, a valve gate of the control valve is usually made spherical. However, the spherical valve gate is larger than a through hole of a valve body of the control valve, thus the spherical valve gate cannot be directly installed into the valve body via the through hole. The valve body must be able to be disassembled into many pieces for installing the spherical valve gate into the valve body. This makes the configuration of the control valve complicated and is inconvenient for assembly and manufacturing.


A system for heating the sound-reflective mirror surface of a phased array monostatic sodar apparatus. The system has a heat source located at a position that is spaced from the mirror, a control system that controls the operation of the heat source, a working fluid that is heated by the heat source and used to transfer heat from the source to the mirror, and a delivery system that constrains the heated working fluid and delivers it from the heat source to the mirror.

Sodar systems employ directed sound waves to detect atmospheric phenomena such as wind speed. By directing sound beams into the atmosphere in a number of directions, and measuring the Doppler shift of echoes returned from turbulence and discontinuities in the atmosphere, wind speed and other atmospheric phenomena can be accurately estimated. The predominant type of sodar in current use is the monostatic phased array sodar. Monostatic sodar systems emanate sound beams and listen for their reflections from a single location. Phased array monostatic sodars direct the beams in different directions, and are sensitive to echoes returned from these directions, by use of an array of sound transducers which transmit and receive in groups of differing phase so as to direct the transmitted sound beams and regions of sensitivity as desired.
Phased array monostatic sodars are often arranged with the phased array mounted vertically in a housing which transmits the beams in a generally horizontal direction. The beams impinge upon a flat sound reflective surface, or mirror, which is mounted at a generally 45 degree angle to horizontal. By means of this mirror, the beams are reflected upwards into the generally vertical direction. This arrangement, which is known prior art, allows the beams to be projected in the necessary directions, while substantially protecting the transducers comprising the array and the associated electronics from rain, snow and other forms of precipitation which might interfere with operation or even permanently damage the array system.
A shortcoming of this technique is that snow, sleet, and unevenly accumulating ice which may collect on the mirror can prevent the system from operating properly during, and following inclement winter weather. Prior art attempts at mirror de-icing systems have shortcomings which render them marginal at best.
One prior attempt at a mirror de-icing system used a propane radiant catalytic heater mounted beneath the mirror surface, in which the heater exhaust was vented directly into the sodar enclosure below the mirror. This system was inadequate due to the uneven distribution of the heat generated by the system. Snow melt was accomplished over the relatively small area directly warmed by the heater. Despite the relatively good thermal transfer properties of the aluminum mirror used, additional heat from the radiant heater was consumed boiling water in the area directly warmed, and heating the air above this area, while unacceptable quantities of ice and snow remained in other portions of the mirror. An additional shortcoming of this system was that the moisture generated when the radiant heater combusted propane was released into the lower housing of the instrument, where it condensed as water and ice on the rear surface of the mirror and side walls of the enclosure, saturating internal soundproofing material and providing a source of moisture which could be harmful to electronic equipment in the enclosure.
There is also a de-icing system with an electrical resistance heater mounted on the upper surface of the mirror. The quantity of energy required for an effective de-icing system is such that an electrical deicer cannot be expected to operate effectively using battery, or solar panel-and-battery power supply. This constraint thus forces the system to be installed with an internal-combustion engine based generator system, or with supply of utility power from an external source.


A classification tree generating system generates a classification tree in response to a training database including a plurality of properly-classified records. A parallel base tree generating means including a plurality of processing nodes generates nodes of a base classification tree in parallel in a series of iterations, in each iteration generating nodes comprising a particular tree level in parallel. After the processing nodes generate the base classification tree in parallel, a serial tree processing means including a single processor generates a plurality of pruned classification trees in response to the base classification tree and at least one selected evaluation metric for each of the pruned trees in response to an evaluation training database including a second plurality of properly-classified records.

Digital computers have been employed for a number of years in the maintenance and processing of large databases and datasets. In recent years, computers have been used to facilitate accurate assignment of records in a database to a set of predetermined classes, generally based on a training database of properly classified records. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,131, issued Oct. 5, 1993, in the names of Brij M. Masand and Stephen J. Smith, and entitled Classification of Data Records By Comparison Of Records To A Training Database Using Probability Weights, assigned to the assignee of the present application (incorporated herein by reference), describes a system for classifying natural language data in the form of records, after "training" using a training database comprising properly-classified records. In the arrangement described in that patent, probability weights are used to express the likelihood that a record containing particular terms in particular fields are properly assigned to particular ones of a selected set of classes.
A number of other methodologies have also been developed for classification. One methodology, generally referred to as CART ("classification and regression trees") makes use of trees to perform classification as well as regression. In the CART methodology, a tree is developed including a plurality of nodes extending from a root to a plurality of leaves. Each node, above the leaf level, represents a query, and each leaf node is associated with one of a plurality of classes. The tree facilitates the classification of individual records in, for example, a database, to selected classes based on data contained in the respective records. For each record, the query represented by the root node is applied, and the response to that inquiry provides a basis for selecting one of the child nodes so that the query represented by that node can be applied. This process is repeated through a series of queries until a response to a particular query directs the record to a leaf node, which identifies the class to which the record is to be assigned.
In developing a classification or regression tree, training database is used including a number of properly-classified records. In processing the database to identify the appropriate query to be used for each node, a substantial amount of processing is generally required.

Parallel system and method for generating classification/regression tree


A remote control unit is electrically connected to a toy only by a two conductor cord. An electronic control unit located within the toy includes a signal generator and a controller for receiving the output signals and controlling at least two actions of the toy by detecting predetermined period variations in the received output signals, a first action enabled by a first predetermined period variation and a second action enabled by a second predetermined period variation. The remote control unit is electrically connected to the signal generator only by the cord and includes a switch array having at least a first switch in parallel with a second switch so that when the first switch is closed to cause the first predetermined period variation and when the second switch is closed to cause the second predetermined period variation.

The present invention relates to a remotely controlled apparatus and, more particularly to a toy doll having a tethered remote control connected by only a single pair of conductors.
It is known to provide devices, including dolls, with tethered remote controls having a plurality (an arbitrary number n) of switches contained therein. It is further known to connect such a tethered remote control to an electronic control unit which is capable of determining which of the plurality of switches has been activated. Conventional tethered remote controls typically employ a connection cord having n plus one separate conductors. A need exists for reducing the number of conductors required to transmit data from the tethered remote control to the electronic control unit to communicate the status of the switches contained in the remote control. A further need exists for a doll providing novel play activities.

Doll with two conductor tethered remote control


A timing network for a wireless communication network includes first and second Timing Unit Board (TUB) and processor boards for processing speech channels of the radio network, each processor board having a local timer that is slave to “PSTN time” from a Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN). The first and second TUB each alternately transmits a timing cell containing time information to each processor board over a transport network. Each processor board realigns its local timer with the time information contained in a received timing cell whenever its local timer drifts from the time information contained in the received timing cell by a predetermined time offset. When one of the TUBs fails to transmit timing cells to the processor boards or transmits timing cells containing erroneous time information, the processor boards rely on the remaining TUB for timing cells to realign their local timers.

A wireless radio network may provide a communication link between callers on the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) and callers on mobile stations (MSs), i.e., cellular phones. One exemplary wireless radio network is a Code Device Multiple Access (CDMA) cellular communication system. The PSTN supports Pulse Code Modulated (PCM) speech signals, which are digital speech signals sampled at a frequency of 8 KHz. The CDMA network comprises a Base Station Controller (BSC) for compressing groups of 160 PCM speech samples from the PSTN into 20 ms voice coded (vocoded) frames, and a Radio Base Station (RBS) for modulating the vocoded frames into spread-spectrum signals and broadcasting the spread-spectrum signals to the MSs.
The BSC further comprises processor boards for processing each speech channel of the BSC. The processing includes compressing PCM speech samples from the PSTN into 20 ms vocoded frames, and performing echo cancellation and radio management functions for each speech channel of the BSC.
In first and second generation BSCs, timing information is distributed to the processor boards from a timing server. The timing information is used to time the operations of the processor boards. Typically, the timing server is connected to a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to provide the processor boards with timing information based on "GPS time". This is done because the operations of the RBS and the MSs are both typically disciplined to "GPS time" to provide highly accurate timing between the RBS and the MSs.
FIG. 5 shows a timing distribution network for a BSC used in first and second generation CDMA networks. The timing network comprises a primary timing server 510, a secondary timing server 512, a first GPS receiver 515a connected to the primary timing server 510, and a second GPS receiver 515b connected to the secondary timing server 512. Each timing server 510 and 512 typically outputs a 50 Hz clock signal based on "GPS time" provided from its GPS receiver 515a and 515b. The timing network further comprises a network switch 522 connected to the output of each timing server 510 and 512 via cables 517, typically twisted pair RS-422 cables. The network switch 522 is also connected to processor boards 530a–530c in the BSC via a cable 527. The network switch 522 passes the clock signal from one of the two timing servers 510 and 512 to the processor boards 530a–530c. The timing network further comprises a network manager 525 for switching the network switch 522 between the clock signal from the primary timing server 510 and the clock signal from the secondary timing server 512.
During normal operation, the network switch 522 passes the clock signal from the primary timing server 510 to the processor boards 530a–530c. The processor boards 530a–530c use the received clock signal to time their operations. The network manager 525 monitors the primary timing server 510 to make sure that it is operating properly. The network manager 525 may do this by monitoring the toggling of a clock signal in the primary timing server 510, the stability of a Phase Lock Loop (PLL) in the primary timing server 510, and the availability of the GPS receiver 515a connected to the primary timing server 510. When the network manager 525 detects that the primary timing server 510 is not operating properly, the network manager 525 switches the network switch 522 over to the secondary timing server 512 so that the clock signal from the secondary timing server 512 is passed to the processor boards 530a–530c. Thus, the timing network responds to a failure of the primary timing server 510 by switching over to the secondary timing server 512, which acts as a backup timing server for the timing network.
A problem with this timing network is that it relies on proper operation of the network manager 525 for switching over from the primary timing server 510 to the secondary timing server 512 when the primary timing server 510 fails. However, the network manager 525 is not itself fault tolerant, thereby reducing the reliability of the timing network. In addition, the network manager 525 needs to monitor the operations of the primary timing server 510, adding both to the cost and complexity of the timing network. Furthermore, this timing network does not address potential transport errors of the clock signals in traveling from the timing servers 510 and 512 to the processor boards 530a–530c which may be due to a fault network switch 522.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Timing distribution redundacy in a wireless network


A method is described for controlling a compression-ignition internal combustion engine, including predefining a setpoint combustion point for a compression-ignition internal combustion engine, predefining a calculation model for calculating a probable deviation of a future cycle of the engine from the predefined setpoint combustion point while taking an ascertained actual combustion point of a completed cycle engine into consideration, predefining a mean deviation for the engine, operating the engine for a first cycle and ascertaining an actual combustion point of the first cycle, calculating a probable deviation of a second cycle, which occurs after the first cycle, of the engine from the predefined setpoint combustion point, comparing the calculated probable deviation of the second cycle to the predefined mean deviation, and ascertaining at least one operating variable for operating the engine at least during the second cycle as a function of the comparison. Also described is a related method.

In an Otto-engine combustion method, which is frequently referred to in the literature as a gasoline HCCI method (homogeneous charge compression ignition) or as a CAI method (controlled auto ignition), a fuel injected into an internal combustion engine is combusted without external ignition. The fuel is instead automatically ignited by mixture of the injected fuel with a hot exhaust gas and subsequent compression of the fuel-gas mixture.
CAI engines are typically equipped with a variable valve drive and a gasoline direct injection. One differentiates between a fully-variable valve drive, implemented by an electrohydraulic valve controller, for example, and a partially-variable valve drive, e.g., a valve drive controlled using the camshaft having two-point stroke and phase adjuster. The latter represents the more cost-effective alternative.
Because the hot residual gas in the internal combustion engine is responsible for initiating the combustion during the compression phase in a CAI operation, it is desirable to have a relatively large quantity of residual gas before the combustion in the cylinder. For example, an internal exhaust gas quantity may be kept in the cylinder because of negative valve overlaps. Additionally or alternatively thereto, an external exhaust gas quantity may be returned or sucked back in by briefly opening the outlet valve during the intake phase.
In addition to the exhaust gas quantity, the exhaust gas temperature is also significant for the ignition of the fuel injected into the internal combustion engine. Because the exhaust gas temperature is a function of the point in time of the preceding combustion, there is a relationship between a combustion point of a first cycle and the combustion point of the following second cycle. For example, an excessively late ignition of the fuel in the first cycle may trigger a premature ignition during the second cycle. A premature ignition during the first cycle correspondingly frequently causes a delay or a miss in the ignition of the fuel during the second cycle.
It is therefore desirable to have a possibility for preventing irregularities in the ignition of a fuel injected into a compression-ignition internal combustion engine.

Method for controlling a compression-ignition internal combustion engine and control device for controlling a compression-ignition internal combustion engine


A method for cleaning molding compound tablets while the molding compound tablets are transferred from a tablet container to a molding equipment for encapsulating a microelectronic device. The method includes the steps of loading the molding compound tablets from the tablet container to a tablet parts feeder; transferring the molding compound tablets from the tablet parts feeder to the molding equipment along the transfer line; blowing hot air downwardly on the molded compound tablets as they move along the transfer line; commencing melting of the molded compound tablet, and any contaminants on the molded compound, with the hot air, such that the contaminants are incorporated into a resulting soft tablet dough; and injecting the soft tablet dough into the molding equipment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for cleaning molding compound tablets that are used for encapsulating semiconductor device packages, and an apparatus therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for removing dust and/or other contaminants from molding compound tablets that are used for encapsulating semiconductor device packages and an apparatus therefor.
2. Description of the Related Arts
The integrated circuit manufacturing process basically comprises wafer preparation, wafer fabrication, electric test (die sort) and assembly processes. In the wafer preparation process, a crystal of silicon is first ground to the required diameter, then a designated flat side is ground on, and then individual wafers are sawed from the crystal. Each raw wafer is polished to optical flatness and to the required thickness.
In the wafer fabrication process, the semiconductor device or integrated circuit (IC) is created in and on the wafer surface, which requires that a number of sophisticated processes be performed in a sequential manner. Although the actual number of steps the wafer goes through will vary depending on the type and complexity of the circuit being built during the wafer fabrication process, three basic operations are generally performed on the wafer: layering, where thin layers of different materials are grown on or added to the wafer surface; patterning, where portions of the thin layers are selectively removed from the wafer; and doping, where the resistivity and conductivity type of selected regions in the wafer are changed or altered by the addition of dopants.
After the electrically active regions are created through the doping sequences in the wafer surface, a metallization process is performed whereby the regions or components on and in the wafer surface are wired together. After this metallization process, the circuit or device is operationally complete. However, since the circuit is vulnerable to contamination and the thin fragile metallization layer is susceptible to scratching, the wafer is covered with a layer that acts as a contamination barrier and protects the metal layer.
After the wafer fabrication process, the wafer is separated into individual chips and mounted and connected to a chip package for the electrical die sort test. The good die which pass the tests are attached to a pad of a lead frame, and the chip is electrically connected to leads through wires.
Finally, the chip is encapsulated with a molding compound to give shape to the package body and to provide protection for the electrical interconnections and chip from exterior environmental stresses.
The molding operation is generally carried out using a molding press. Tablets of a molding compound are melted by increasing the temperature of the press, and the hot melted molding compound is injected and then cooled to room temperature to provide a package body. The molding compound is the most widely used plastic packaging material for encapsulating various types of microelectronic devices for commercial applications. Transfer molding is the process used almost exclusively with molding compounds.
A molding compound is a granulated powder that is normally used in the form of a tablet (preform). In a conventional transfer molding process, one molding time cycle takes between 60 seconds and a few minutes. It consumes one to several tablets, which are preheated to a temperature of about 66.degree. C. with a radio frequency (RF) pre-heater until it achieves the consistency of a soft dough. These soft tablets are then used to encapsulate up to several hundred microelectronic devices using the conventional transfer molding press at a temperature of about 150 to 190.degree. C. (300 to 375.degree. F.) and a pressure of about 4.1 to 8.3 Mpa (0.600 to 1.20 ksi).
The tablets are stored until they are required for the molding process. However, the tablets may be stored for a considerable period of time, and during such storage, dusts or motes may contaminate them. These contaminants may in turn cause the formation of voids in the molded package body. As such, when they are introduced into the molding die, they may cause a change in the speed of molding compound that is flowing into the molding die, resulting in a non-homogeneous molded body. Further, the contaminants may accelerate the aging of the molding press and cause erroneous operation of the sophisticated sensors of the automated molding equipment.
The tablet contamination problems described above account for more than 50% of the total tablet-related problems. Accordingly, cleaning of the molding compound tablets is very important for successful encapsulation.
To minimize possible contaminating particles on the tablets, various techniques such as air blowing, brushing, vacuum cleaning or vibrations are employed. All of these methods, however, only detach or drop the dust or other contaminants from the tablets. Therefore, the dusts may still fly or float in the air, and must later be removed by a vacuum cleaner after being collected. The flying dusts may contaminate the just cleaned wafer, especially when the vacuum system does not remove all the flying dusts.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of conventional cleaning system for removing dusts or other contaminants from the molding compound tablets.
With reference to FIG. 2, the conventional cleaning system comprises a tablet container 14, e.g., a tablet hopper carrying molding compound tablets 18, and parts feeder 10, to which the tablets 18 are loaded from the container 14. Vacuum sweeper 16 is provided above the container 14 and the parts feeder 10. When a tablet 18 in the container 14 is loaded to the parts feeder 10, the vacuum sweeper 16 starts operating to suction the dusts or contaminants from the tablet 18.
The cleaned tablet 18 is transferred to transfer line 12, which moves the tablet 18 to molding equipment 20. The transfer line 12 may be provided with a vibrator 13 to vibrate the tablet 18 so as to detach contaminants from the tablet 18.
However, the dislodged dusts or contaminants are not necessarily removed from the tablet and they may still fly or float in the air around the tablet, and thus contaminate the tablet.

Method for cleaning molding compound tablets