A method for leak testing of a hermetic package closure comprises the steps of: creating a pocket in a lid; plating the lid; placing solder in the pocket; melting the solder in the pocket; drilling a hole through the solder and the plated lid creating an unplated area on the plated lid; testing the hermetic package closure for leaks through the hole; heating the solder reflow, wherein surface tension of the solder over the hole and the unplated area enable the solder to form a hermetic closure.

Optical communication systems are desirable because of the wide bandwidths available for the information signal channels. In general, there is a direct trade off between increased bandwidth capabilities and vulnerability to large scale channel disruption by transmission medium failure. The robustness of an optical fiber is increasingly important with increasing bandwidth capability.
Signals fade with distance while traveling through any type of cable. The greater the distance the fainter the signal becomes. When a digital signal fades the bit error rate rises rapidly. When an analog signal fades it becomes distorted or noisy. Communication system utilize amplifiers or repeaters coupled to the cables to overcome this problem.
Lightwave repeaters, regenerators and optical amplifiers extend transmission distances of light signals. Inserted into a fiber system at a point where the original light signal becomes weak, they generate a stronger signal, effectively extending the operating distances. Repeaters and regenerators convert the light signal into an electrical signal before amplifying the signal. Optical amplifiers directly amplify the light signal. It is desirable to hermetically seal the repeaters, regenerators, optical amplifiers and other devices within a housing to prevent deterioration due to atmospheric conditions. This is particularly necessary for buried terrestrial or submarine optical fiber systems. The fact that the optical fiber cores have a very small diameter (typically 8 to 9 .mu.m) makes them susceptible to damage and difficult to handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,363, entitled "Package For Optical Devices Including Optical Fiber-To-Metal Hermetic Seal", issued on Oct. 10, 1978 to Irfan Camlibel et al, discloses an optical fiber that is hermetically sealed to a metal housing, where solder filling a thin walled metal tube forms a hermetic seal. The end of the optical fiber that is inserted into the tube is stripped to the bare optical fiber.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,456, entitled "Hermetic Fiber Seal", issued on Oct. 13, 1987 to Donald R. Mackenzie, discloses an assembly for hermetically sealing and aligning optical fibers. An end of the optical fiber is stripped to the bare optical fiber before inserting into the device. Pressure from a flange onto a gold ring forms the hermetic seal.
He absorption by Teflon RF connectors and optical fiber jacketing poses a difficulty in leak testing a hermetic seal to a LiNbO.sub.3 package. The present commercial practice that is used to address this problem involves drilling a hole through the lid prior to plating. Reflux solder is melted on the lid surface, after sealing, to create a closure. This may be used to allow outgassing of the package and not be used to test for hermeticity. Additionally, there has been used a crimp tube attached to the package which is then pinched off to create a closure.
Therefore, there is a need for an inexpensive and reliable way to leak test and create a hermetic seal to a LiNbO.sub.3 package.


An optical element, especially a normal-incidence collector mirror, for radiation in the EUV and/or soft X-ray region of wavelengths is described. The element has a substrate, a multilayer coating with an optically active region, and a capacitor, having a first and a second capacitor electrode. At least one layer of the multilayer coating serves as the first capacitor electrode. At least one dielectric layer is provided between the two capacitor electrodes. Also described is an optical system with at least one optical element, having a first electrode arranged in the vicinity of the optical element.

One of the main problems of lithography with EUV radiation or soft X-rays (wavelengths between, e.g., 1 and 20 nm) is the contamination of the optical elements on a molecular level, especially that of the multilayer mirrors used in lithography devices, such as are known, for example, from DE 100 16 008. This surface degradation leads to reflectivity losses and imaging errors. There are basically two prevailing processes. One process consists of oxidation of the surface, during which the surface becomes irreversibly destroyed. The other process consists in the build-up of carbon. This second process is reversible.
The degradation of the surface can be caused, among other things, by ions or electrons striking the surface of the optical element. The ions are produced by photoionization of the residual gas atmosphere or the gases introduced for cleaning purposes by the EUV radiation and the soft X-rays. The electrons usually involve secondary electrons escaping under exposure to the radiation.
The problem of surface degradation by charged particles is further intensified when electrical fields are applied in the region of the optical elements by means of electrodes or grids for monitoring and/or cleaning purposes. A more intense degradation occurs under the resulting bombardment with ions or electrons (depending on the orientation of the electric field).
The problem of surface degradation is furthermore intensified when the optical element is used with pulsed EUV radiation or soft X-rays. During each pulse of radiation, the mirror surface takes on positive charge, since secondary electrons are induced. In particular, when electric fields are applied in the region of the optical elements, the optical elements will be adversely influenced. Furthermore, the steepness of the edges of the EUV pulses, which lies on the order of magnitude of 10 to 100 ns, can lead to electromagnetic effects, which can have a detrimental impact on the overall layout in which the optical element is being used.
It is suspected that the charge carriers in nongrounded optical elements on account of the electrical potential created by their escaping from the surface will fall back onto the surface of the optical element.
From JP 2003124111 A, an optical element with a multilayer coating is known. The secondary electrons arising during the radiation exposure, with an energy of 100 eV, can strike against neighboring optical elements and affect them. In order to intercept these secondary electrons, this known optical element can be grounded, or a potential difference can be imposed between the optical element and the wall of the housing, the wall being connected to the positive pole of a voltage source, and one layer of the multilayer is connected to the negative pole.
However, it has been found that, in addition to the photoelectrons in the range of 100 eV, lower-energy secondary electrons also occur in the region of 10 eV, making up the larger portion of the secondary electrons, and they cannot be caught quickly enough with such an electrode arrangement.
Another problem lies in that, when the multilayer coating is grounded in the traditional way, the escaping secondary electrons cannot be replaced fast enough, which may result in an increasing positive charging of the optical element.

Optical element for radiation in the EUV and/or soft X-ray region and an optical system with at least one optical element


A lifeguard alarm system for a swimming pool has a sensing device, at least one electromagnetic wave receiver and a host, the sensing device capable of attaching onto a user; wherein when the sensing device detects the more than two conditions, an microprocessor in the sensing device sends a signal to the at least one electromagnetic wave receiver disposed around the swimming pool and wirelessly connected to the host, and the host sends out an alarm. Furthermore, includes a fail-safe mechanism; therefore, when the first detecting mechanism of the sensing device detects that the user is not in the corresponding predetermined dangerous state, to prevent malfunctioning of the first detecting mechanism from creating problems.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lifeguard alarm system for swimming pools, and more particularly to a lifeguard alarm system having a sensing device that can obtain the state of the user, and a host that can be notified immediately and send out an alarm when the user is in any dangerous condition for safety purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, swimming is a very popular sport, which can strengthen muscles, reduce fat and tone up the body shape. Furthermore, swimming can improve the cardio function of the heart and lungs to prevent many related diseases.
Typical swimming pools have lifeguards standing by to prevent any incident arising from the swimmers; however, sometimes the swimming pool may be too crowded, and the lifeguard thus may be unable to watch over every swimmer. In addition, some swimmers may have unknown health conditions, and accidents almost always occur in a very short period of time. When a dangerous condition arises, the swimmer may not even be able to call for help to draw the lifeguard's attention, which may lead to a deadly result.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a lifeguard alarm system for a swimming pool to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Lifeguard alarm system for a swimming pool


Systems methods and computer products for reclaiming resident buffers on demand. Exemplary embodiments include systems and methods for reclaiming resident buffers, including allocating a buffer, determining that the buffer allocation pushes the buffer pool below a reclaim threshold, marking an oldest in-use buffer to be reclaimed, determining that all messages referencing the buffer have been queued, allocating a new buffer and performing a swap of the oldest in-use buffer and the new buffer, performing a free message block operation and updating a message block by updating a set of read and write pointers to point to the new buffer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to resident computer memory, and particularly to system methods and computer products for reclaiming resident buffers on demand.
2. Description of Background
Resident computer memory is often used to pass data between a Network Interface Card (NIC) and a computer. Typically, an inbound or outbound packet is immediately copied from resident memory to more plentiful nonresident buffers, so the limited resident memory can be reused for subsequent packets. Copying data is extremely expensive, and can cost as much as 50% of the total network CPU consumption. An alternative is to pin and unpin memory, converting it from resident to nonresident memory, but this is also very expensive and may require an additional step to remap memory so it is accessible by the NIC DMA engine. A third alternative is to eliminate the buffer copy by allowing the TCP/IP stack to process the data directly in the resident buffers without copying or unpinning the memory. This approach sounds good; however, the TCP/IP stack protocol consumes considerable buffer resources and often queues buffers for indeterminate periods of time to accommodate inbound and outbound flow control (e.g., TCP window). A mechanism is required to reclaim in-use resident buffer resources from the TCP/IP stack.
A multi-layered network protocol such as TCP/IP inserts and removes protocol headers as packets are passed up and down the network protocol layers. Each protocol layer has a different view of the data; for example, the socket layer processes a raw buffer (multiple packets) containing no protocol headers, TCP inserts/removes TCP headers, IP inserts/removes IP headers and the LAN network driver inserts/removes link headers. A simplistic approach is to just copy and reformat the data at each protocol layer; however, this is obviously very expensive, so buffer management mechanisms have been defined that use reference counts and message structures to allow a single buffer to be shared, adjusting pointers to remove and add headers. For example Linux uses sk_buffs and other systems such as System i5, AIX, HP and Sun use STREAMS. Since, STREAMS is the most widely used buffer management protocol it is chosen as the preferred embodiment for this invention.
In a buffer expiration method, all resident buffers are marked with a "critical" bit and each protocol layer is responsible to start a timer every time a critical buffer is queued. When a timer expires, the critical buffer is reclaimed (i.e., data copied and critical buffer is freed). Since, the TCP protocol uses a retransmit timer for its queued send buffers, it is reasonable to also use this same timer as a buffer expiration timer. However, the TCP/IP protocol doesn't maintain any timers for its queued receive buffers. Receive buffers may be queued in multiple places: IP reassembly queue, out-of-order segment queue and socket receive queue. Unfortunately, no timer is implemented for receive buffers; therefore, addition timers are required to support the buffer expiration method. The main problems with the buffer expiration method include: timers being expensive; reclaim is triggered by a timer and not by a real buffer shortage, causing: buffers to be reclaimed too soon (i.e., timer expires, but there is no buffer shortage) and buffers to be reclaimed too late (i.e., buffer shortage occurs and timers don't expire).
In a search and reclaim method, all resident buffer are marked with a "critical" bit and a buffer shortage is detected by the buffer pool manager and the TCP/IP stack is notified. In general, the TCP/IP stack performs a linear search through all of it connection endpoints and reclaims critical buffers. The search and reclaim method is triggered by a buffer shortage instead of a timer to ensure that buffers are only reclaimed when needed. This is an on demand approach: however, the processing required to find and reclaim buffers is extremely CPU intensive. Therefore, the search and reclaim must be initiated infrequently and large numbers of buffers must be reclaimed during each cycle to reduce the number of search and reclaim cycles. This method causes large CPU spikes and reclaims more buffers than are really necessary. An ideal method must spread the reclaim processing more evenly to prevent CPU spikes.
In a hot swap method, a severe buffer shortage is detected by the buffer pool manager and the current resident buffers are unpinned and unmapped. In general, new buffers are allocated, pinned and mapped to replenish the buffer pool. The hot swap method is a novel approach; however, like the search and reclaim method, it causes large CPU spikes and is extremely CPU intensive. The hot swap should only be used when the other reclaim methods are not effective and the buffer shortage becomes so severe that immediate action is required to replenish the buffer pool.

Reclaiming resident buffers when a reclaim threshold has been exceeded by swapping the oldest in use buffer and a new buffer, and referencing the new buffer via an updated set of read and write pointers

International Business Machines Corporation


A molded case circuit breaker motor operator includes a keying arrangement to prevent energizing the circuit breaker unless the motor associated with the motor operator is in the proper operating mode. The keying arrangement is in the form of a rejection plate that interfaces between the circuit breaker operating handle and the motor operator driver plate.

Molded case industrial-rated circuit breakers such as described within U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,173 employ a pair of separable contacts and an operating mechanism wherein the contacts are restrained from being driven to their open position against the bias of a pair of powerful operating mechanism springs under quiescent circuit current conditions. The circuit breaker operating mechanism rapidly drives the contacts to their open positions upon the occurrence of an overcurrent condition. An external operating handle is employed to turn the contacts between open and closed conditions usually to energize associated electrical equipment.
When such a circuit breaker is located at a location remote from the associated equipment, a motor operator device engages the operating handle and moves the handle under driving force provided by a remotely-switched electric motor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,171,920 describes one such motor operator used to control a remote circuit breaker. However, to prevent faulty operation of the motor operator during the installation process, a skilled operator is usually employed to insure that the circuit breaker contacts are open and the circuit breaker operating handle is in the OFF position when the motor operator is in the OFF position and the circuit breaker operating handle is in the ON position when the motor operator is in the ON position to prevent inadvertent damage to the circuit breaker operating handle.
It would be economically feasible to align the motor operator ON and OFF positions with the circuit breaker ON and OFF positions automatically and without requiring any such skilled operator.
Accordingly, the invention proposes an improved motor operator device which can automatically align the motor operator and associated circuit breaker mechanical logic states without human intervention.

Molded case circuit breaker motor operator


A gauge assembly includes a gauge surface including at least one graphic, which may be a plurality of graphics defining a scale in a generally circular pattern on the gauge surface. A light guide has a main body portion disposed adjacent to the gauge surface and corresponding to the shape of the gauge surface. The light guide has a plurality of raised tick marks extending from the main body portion. The light guide is configured to provide illumination to the illuminable graphic(s) and the plurality of tick marks. A light housing disposed a light housing disposed adjacent to the light guide, the light housing having at least one light housing opening disposed adjacent to at least one of the plurality of raised tick marks.

Vehicles include instrument panels to communicate information indicative of operation to an operator. Motor vehicles include instrument panels with several gauges and dials that communicate vehicle conditions such as speed, engine rpm, temperature, and oil pressure along with many other operational parameters. A gauge surface can be illuminated to provide a desired aesthetic appearance. Planar light guides and/or LEDs are typically utilized for propagating light to desired locations, however, light is not always evenly distributed.
One set of LEDs, including perhaps 2-4 LEDs may be used to illuminate graphics contained on an appliqué. Another set of LEDs, such as 4-6 LEDs may be distributed in a circular pattern about the appliqué in order to illuminate a set of tick marks disposed in a circular pattern the applique.
Chaplets or raised tick marks are illuminated as a gauge indicator or decorative component directly through a backlit LED or lighting system utilizing LEDs. The luminance level of the chaplets through prior designs has been direct resultant of the LED performance and the efficiency of the light rejecting components. The reflecting surface is continuous and uninterrupted to reduce luminance loss.
With conventional designs, there is limited opportunity within a continuous reflecting surface to adjust lighting performance or luminance significantly of a chaplet or raised tick mark. Surrounding illuminated graphics of an applique may be utilizing a different lighting system or have an inherent lower level of performance due to ink layers required. Having significantly different levels of luminance on gage indication within the same subject (applique graphic vs. tick mark) could be considered distracting, unpleasant, or undesirable to the driver.


A liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method therefor are provided where the number of processes for manufacturing TFT substrates can be decreased and a high production yield can be attained. To attain these objects, an image signal bus-line includes at least a transparent conductive film and a semiconductor layer. A pattern of the transparent conductive film extends up to a thin film transistor to form its drain electrode, and a pattern of a semiconductor layer extends up to the transistor to form its source electrode. By virtue of these arrangements, the thin film transistor substrate can be manufactured using as little as three or four photolithography processes.

The present invention relates to a liquid-crystal display device of active matrix driving type utilizing thin film transistors (hereinafter referred to as "TFT") and a manufacturing method therefor.
The liquid crystal display device of active matrix type is a display device in which a switching element is provided in each of plural pixel electrodes arrayed on a display panel in matrix-shape. The liquid crystal display device of active matrix type is capable of displaying images with better contrast than a liquid-crystal display device of simple matrix type employing a time sharing driving method, and the active matrix driving method is an indispensable technique for color display.
A conventional liquid crystal display device of active matrix type comprises a first insulator substrate (TFT substrate) having on one side of the surfaces a plurality of scanning signal bus-lines spaced at a given distance extending in a first direction, a plurality of image signal bus-lines spaced at a given distance extending in a second direction intersecting with the scanning signal bus-lines, TFT's placed near the intersecting points of the scanning signal bus-lines and the image signal bus-lines, their gate electrodes being connected to the scanning bus-lines, their drain (or source) electrodes being connected to the image signal bus-lines, pixel electrodes each connected to the source (or drain) electrode of a TFT placed in each of the areas determined by the adjacent two scanning signal bus-lines and the adjacent two image signal bus-lines, a second insulator substrate (counter substrate) having counter electrodes formed on one side of the surface placed so as to face the counter electrodes to the pixel electrodes, and a liquid-crystal layer interposed between the first insulator substrate and the second insulator substrate.
A large problem to be solved in order to realize a liquid-crystal display device of active matrix type is to decrease its manufacturing cost, and more particularly to decrease the manufacturing cost of the TFT substrate. A method concerning this problem is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-32651 (1987) where the number of photo-lithography processes is decreased by forming the semiconductor layer and the gate insulating film using the same pattern at a time
However, in the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-32651 (1987), the semiconductor layer and the gate insulating film are patterned in island-shape in the same shape on the portion of the thin film transistor. Therefore, when the drain electrode or the source electrode is not formed in a normal pattern, it increases the probability of the occurrence of wiring faults where both electrodes and the gate electrode short-circuit along the side surface of island-shaped pattern.
Further, since in the intersecting point portion of the scanning signal bus-line and the image signal bus-line both signal bus-lines are separated by an island-shaped pattern of the semiconductor layer and the gate insulating film formed in the same shape, the image signal bus-line (drain bus-line) needs to be wired in a manner such that the wire climbs over a large step at the portion of the island-shaped pattern. This leads to a disadvantage in that a break in the wire is apt to occur at the step near the pattern.
On the other hand, in a liquid-crystal display device of active matrix type, in order to prevent degradation in image quality due to a parasitic capacitor between the gate and the source in a TFT, it is commonly performed to provide capacitor elements (storage capacitor Cstg) between the pixel electrode and the counter electrode, and an electric potential line other than the scanning signal bus-line, or to provide capacitor elements (storage capacitor Cadd) between the pixel electrode and the scanning signal bus-line in the precedent stage. The liquid-crystal display device of active matrix type having the storage capacitor Cstg is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-149520 (1991), and the liquid-crystal display device of active matrix type having the storage capacitor Cadd is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-204337 (1993).
The liquid-crystal display device of active matrix type having the storage capacitor Cstg is capable of high speed scanning at driving the scanning signal bus-lines and is suitable for large screen size and high resolution, since the storage capacitor Cstg is not connected to the scanning signal bus-line. However, the storage capacitor Cstg requires a counter electrode and a bus-line for applying electric potential other than the scanning signal bus-line. This decreases the production yield which depends on the aperture ratio of the pixel and the cross over area of the bus-lines.
On the other hand, the liquid-crystal display device of active matrix type having the storage capacitor Cadd has an advantage in that no newly added bus-line for applying electric potential to the storage capacitor Cadd is necessary, and, therefore, the device has merit in the aperture and in the production yield.
However, since the storage capacitor Cadd is connected to the scanning signal bus-line, it is difficult to perform high speed scanning. Therefore, there is a disadvantage in that it is difficult to realize a high resolution and large screen display.
In order to decrease the burden on the TFTs or to decrease cost for forming the driving circuit of image signal bus-lines, alternating driving of the counter electrode is generally employed to lower the image signal voltage. In this driving method, it is necessary to lower the resistivity of the scanning signal bus-line and the counter electrode in a case of employing the storage capacitor Cadd since the image quality is affected by the product of the capacitance and the electrode resistivity connected to the scanning signal bus-line, the resistivity and the capacitance of the counter electrode and so on.

Active matrix LCD device with image signal lines having a multilayered structure


Disclosed is a power supply device which acquires data of the amount of environmental load material emitted from a power supply, and controls operations on the basis of the data.

In recent years, power supply systems that control supply of power to be consumed in households, stores, and so on have come into widespread use. In particular, a power supply system of a type that performs various kinds of control in order to achieve a predetermined purpose such as cost reduction or the like is becoming pervasive.
For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a power supply system that sets an operational schedule of power consuming equipment and controls the amount of power to be charged in a storage battery so that redundancy of power produced by solar photovoltaics is eliminated, thereby achieving energy saving and cost reduction.
Furthermore, for example, Patent Document 2 proposes a power supply system that sequentially simulates purchasing and selling costs of power produced by solar photovoltaics, costs involved in charging and discharging a storage battery, and so on and based thereon, controls the amount of power to be charged in/discharged from the storage battery so that a total cost is reduced.

Power supply device, power storage device, and power control device

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


The disclosure relates to a process for the treatment of a surface with a hygiene agent which can include the steps of: a) providing at the surface a non-photochemical catalyst (such as a transition metal compound) which catalyses the formation of the hygiene agent from one or more precursors, whereby the catalyst becomes deposited at the surface, and, b) subsequently treating the surface with a treatment agent (such as a solution of hydrogen peroxide) having the or each hygiene agent precursor, such that the hygiene agent is generated at the surface. The disclosure also provides a process which includes the step of treating the surface which has a non-photochemical catalyst bound thereto with a treatment agent having at least one hygiene agent precursor which forms said hygiene agent in the presence of the catalyst and, a process for the manufacture of an article which includes the step of incorporating therein, at the time of manufacture, a non-photochemical catalyst capable of transforming at least one hygiene agent precursor into a hygiene agent.

Contamination of surfaces with microoorganisms can cause problems in a number of areas. For example, microorganisms which are injurious to health may be present on a surface on which food is prepared. If these organisms are transferred to the food, illness can result for a person who consumes the food. Further problems are caused by microbial contamination of the inner walls of air-conditioning ducts or water supply pipes within buildings, or by contamination of devices for use in or on the human body, for example, contact lenses, surgical instruments etc. These problems not only include the risks to health but also, especially in the case of pipes and the like, increased fluid frictional resistance, increased heat transfer resistance and biocorrosion. Many other examples are apparent from the literature and could be cited.
Many compositions are known and used for the cleaning and disinfection of surfaces. Almost all these compositions share the common feature that they contain a hygiene agent which is toxic to or inhibits the growth of microorganisms. Typical hygiene agents include, strong acids, alkali's, phenolics, oxidising agents such as peracids and hypohalides and charged species such as cationic surfactants. These are generally highly reactive species which exhibit this reactivity in terms of one or more of, short shelf life, toxic, corrosive and irritant properties and, in general, these components are required at relatively high levels in formulations to obtain a satisfactory result.
In many circumstances microorganisms will grow on a surface to form a confluent or part-confluent biofilm. Bacterial biofilms are regarded as problematic in household and industrial hygiene as well as in medicine where they can act as reservoirs for spoilage organisms or pathogens or can lead to so-called biofouling. Biofilms are regarded as problematic in infections associated with indwelling medical devices and other articles in contact with wet body tissues, such as contact lenses.
Conventional approaches to the control of biofilms, such as the application of the hygiene agents described above have demonstrated that these films are recalcitrant. A number of factors are thought to contribute to this recalcitrance, and it is believed that a major factor is the ability of the glycocalyx, an extracellular polymer of polysaccharides and glycoproteins to react with highly reactive species, such as the above mentioned oxidising agents or halogens and to bind the above mentioned charged species. It is believed that these interactions prevent effective access of the hygiene agent beyond the exposed surface of the biofilm.
It is known that the activity of certain hygiene agents can be improved by addition of other components. For example, the reaction of hypochlorite solutions with strong acids will produce chlorine a potent, if somewhat dangerous, hygiene agent. It is also known to generate hygiene agents by catalytic action. EP 0436466 discloses a method of disinfecting a hydrogen peroxide stable material by contacting said material with a hydrogen peroxide containing solution and a hydrogen peroxide decomposition means such as a catalyst on a separate support.
WO 93/00815 discloses how it is possible to bind a photosensitiser to a surface which is capable of catalysing the formation of singlet oxygen from triplet oxygen under the influence of visible light, thereby providing photobacterial properties and an autosterile character to the surface upon exposure to visible light. Compositions for use in such a method comprise 0.1-1.0% by weight of the photosensitiser, which may be a porphyrin or phthalocyanine, preferably in the unmetalled form. Salts of the meso-tetra(N-octyl-4-pyridinium)porphyrin tetracation are known to have both cytotoxic and phocytotoxic properties. Similar techniques are known for the preparation of ceramic tiles and other such sanitary ware. In such systems, as disclosed in the trade literature of Toto Ltd of Minato-Ku, Tokyo, photoactivation of a compound based on titanium dioxide is believed to produce an excited species which is effective as a hygiene agent.
A disadvantage of the photochemical systems is that they are less effective or ineffective under low light conditions or in the dark. Given that many of situations in which microbial contamination can occur are not well lit (such as the inside of air-conditioning ducts or water supply pipes) there is a need to provide hygiene systems which are effective against biofilms, both in lit and dark conditions without requiring the use of high levels of reactive hygiene agents.

Articles, compositions and process for cleaning surfaces by use of a catalyst at the surface


The present invention relates to teletext, in which the character multiplex signals of the international title standard can be processed together with those of the North America teletext standard by a compatible digital processing unit for the teletext and a method thereof. A timing clock signal and a byte clock signal are generated if character multiplex signals of the international title standard are provided, in order to store the character multiplex signals in a programmable RAM in synchronization with the generated clock signals and to generate the interrupt request signals at the same time. The character multiplex signals transmitted in the international title standard are compatibly converted into the North America teletext standard in response to the interrupt request signals.

The present invention relates to teletext for transmitting and receiving character multiplex signals, and more particularly to a teletext digital processing unit and control method which can compatibly process a character signal either in the North America teletext standard or in the international title standard.
In the teletext, the character multiplex signals which are superposed to be transmitted during vertical returning periods, video signals, and the transmitted video signals and character multiple signals thereof are simultaneously displayed to offer necessary information for users.
In a processing system for data format according to the North America teletext standard as shown in FIG. 1, if a complex video signal is applied, the teletext data are extracted from the complex video signal by a teletext data extractor 1 and also a teletext synchronous signal is extracted from the complex video signal by a teletext synchronous generator 2.
At this time, a synchronous signal SYC provided from the teletext synchronous generator 2, a character data DATA and a system synchronous data CRI provided from the teletext data extractor 1 are applied to a digital processing unit 3 to generate parallel character data, address signals A0.about.A15, interrupt request signals IRO, and synchronous signals CLK. These signals provided from the digital processing unit 3 are applied to a microprocessor 4 through buses and the teletext is driven according to output signals of the microprocessor 4.
That is, according to the output signal from the microprocessor 4, data stored in a programmable random access memory 5, a programmable read only memory 6, and a video random access memory 7 are provided through a high speed buffer 10 and the output data are also applied to a monitor through a video display generator 8. At this time, the digital processing unit 3 is controlled by a Microcomputer 9. However, this type of system can process the data format only in the North America teletext standard. Therefore, in the North America teletext standard, 36-byte data composed of color burst signals, 16-bit system synchronous signals, 8-bit frame codes for representing 8-bit data transmission formats, 5-byte address data, and 28-byte character data including parity bits, are transmitted during one horizontal synchronous period and their maximum frequency becomes 2.86 MHZ.
In the international title standard, however, color burst signals, 7-cycle system synchronous signals of 0.5 MHZ, 8-bit frame codes for representing 8-bit data transmission formats, and 2-byte character data including parity bits are transmitted during one horizontal synchronous period and their frequency is 0.5 MHZ. Therefore, a problem exists that processing data transmitted in the different forms as above, require different systems.

Compatible digital processing unit for teletext and control method thereof


A method and apparatus is provided for treating water with already-slaked lime to arrive at a lime slurry that is in a solution or suspension, and delivering the thus treated water to a separating device which separates grit particles therefrom, to recover a high quality lime/water solution or suspension. An automated system controls the addition of lime and water to a lime mixing vessel.

Lime has been used in the treatment of sewage sludge to remove pathogens, lime stabilization of waste water, pasteurization of sludge and purification of drinking water by adjusting the pH of the water. Examples of such processes involving the use of lime can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,013,458; 5,229,011; 5,346,616; 5,401,402; 5,405,536; 5,433,844; 5,554,279; 5,618,442; and 7,416,673, which contents are incorporated herein by reference.
Calcium oxide (CaO), is mixed with water (H20) to form calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2). The chemical reaction which occurs during such mixing gives off heat in the form of an exothermic reaction. When this reaction is done in the presence of excess water it is commonly referred to as lime slaking. This process is accomplished in a device known as a lime slaker. The resulting mixture of Ca(OH)2 and water is known as a lime slurry and is referred to as a hydrated lime or quicklime or Ca(OH)2 and has water trapped in it. There is no further exothermic reaction after the lime slaking occurs.
Lime slurries are known to have some unique properties, one of which is an inherent ability to form scale on surfaces which come into contact with the lime slurry. The formation of scale, or "scaling" can render the various delivery systems, such as pipes, troughs, conduits, etc. unusable over time due to the build-up of scale. Such scale build-up requires frequent cleaning and descaling of the equipment that is used to handle lime slurries. Cleaning and descaling operations can be considerably labor and cost intensive.
Lime slurries also contain a certain amount of inert material that is commonly referred to as grit. Grit results because the lime contains a certain amount of material other than calcium oxide (CaO). Typically, quicklime is more than 90% pure and contains approximately up to 8% inert material or grit.
The presence of grit in a lime slurry can cause numerous problems, including grit build-up in downstream process chambers or vessels, grit acting to plug or clog nozzles or any orifices through which the slurry passes, and abrasions caused to treatment equipment and slurry delivery equipment such as pumps, pipes, valves, etc. because of the abrasive nature of grit particles.

Process and apparatus for treating water with hydrated lime slurry and for dissolving scale

Abstract: An acid wash system is provided which comprises an automated method and apparatus for removing scale buildup, for delivering an acid wash solution to the lime mixing vessel, the lime slurry holding tank and/or the delivery system, or any of them, thereby dissolving the scale buildup.


An aluminum-carbon composition including aluminum and carbon, wherein the aluminum and the carbon form a single phase material, characterized in that the carbon does not phase separate from the aluminum when the single phase material is heated to a melting temperature.

Aluminum is a soft, durable, lightweight, ductile and malleable metal with appearance ranging from silvery to dull gray, depending on the surface roughness. Aluminium is nonmagnetic and nonsparking Aluminum powder is highly explosive when introduced to water and is used as rocket fuel. It is also insoluble in alcohol, though it can be soluble in water in certain forms. Aluminium has about one-third the density and stiffness of steel. It is easily machined, cast, drawn and extruded. Corrosion resistance can be excellent due to a thin surface layer of aluminum oxide that forms when the metal is exposed to air, effectively preventing further oxidation. Aluminum-carbon composites are long known to suffer from corrosion due to galvanic reaction between the dissimilar materials.


A technique to reduce workload on an operator during mating of a lever connector is provided. A plug and a receptacle are pulled together by rotation of a lever in a locking direction. The lever has a pinion first driven surface facing in an unlocking direction. A receptacle housing has a rack first driving surface facing in a separating direction. In a state where the plug confronts the receptacle so as to mate the plug with the receptacle, a clearance between the pinion first driven surface and the rack first driving surface is smaller than a clearance between a contact piece and a pin portion. When the plug is moved toward the receptacle, the pinion first driven surface first comes into contact with the rack first driving surface and the lever rotates in the locking direction, and then the contact piece comes into contact with the pin portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever connector.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in FIG. 25 of this application, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-4419 discloses a lever connector 100 which includes a rack-and-pinion mechanism. In the lever connector 100, shallowly mating a housing 102 with a mating housing 101 enables rack teeth 106 of a rack portion 105 to mesh with pinion teeth 104 of a pinion portion 103.
When a lever 107 is rotated with a finger placed on an operation portion 108 of the lever 107, the rack-and-pinion mechanism works. As a result, the mating housing 101 is pulled toward the housing 102 with a small operating force.
When the lever 107 is rotated to a predetermined position, a cover 109 also moves to a closed position in accordance with the rotation of the lever 107, so that a lock portion 112 is mated with a lock hole 111 of a lock piece 110. Accordingly, the cover 109 is held at the closed position and the lever 107 is also held at the mating position.
How much it is necessary to operate the lever 107 is determined by various design parameters, such as a movement necessary for the housing 102 with respect to the mating housing 101 when the housing 102 is pulled toward the mating housing 101, and the magnitude of the boosting effect of the rack-and-pinion mechanism required when the housing 102 is pulled toward the mating housing 101.
However, emphasis has not been placed on reducing a workload on an operator by reducing how much the lever 107 is operated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique that reduces a workload on an operator during mating of a lever connector.

JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LTD.


An auxiliary current amount that is used in an auxiliary that is mounted in a vehicle is calculated. A stop time ratio of the vehicle is calculated based on a running history of the vehicle, and an estimated stop time of the vehicle that is estimated based on the stop time ratio is calculated. An SOC threshold is set based on an estimated consumption current amount that is obtained from the estimated stop time and the auxiliary current amount. A generator that is mounted in the vehicle is operated such that a value of a storage state of the battery recovers to become larger than the SOC threshold when the value of the storage state of the battery is smaller than the SOC threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle control apparatus, a vehicle, and a vehicle control method.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, with a view to enhancing the performance of fuel economy of a vehicle, a technology called idling stop for stopping an engine at the time of temporary stop has been prevailing. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-163281 (JP 2011-163281 A), there is proposed a technology for rapidly charging a battery immediately before stop, recovering the value of a storage state (an SOC) of the battery to a value equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold (hereinafter referred to also as "an SOC threshold"), increasing the number of opportunities to execute idling stop, and enhancing the performance of fuel economy of the vehicle in the case where the value of the SOC of the battery is smaller than the SOC threshold when the vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined value.
However, according to the technology of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-163281 (JP 2011-163281 A), the SOC threshold is constant, so there are the following possibilities. For example, when the time for idling stop is long, the storage amount of the battery is insufficient, and idling stop may be forcibly canceled in mid-course. Besides, when the time for idling stop is short, the battery may be charged with a storage amount (referred to also as "an amount of electricity") that is more than necessary to execute idling stop. Then, the presence of these possibilities may result in the insufficient enhancement of the performance of fuel economy. Therefore, technologies allowing the battery to be appropriately charged in accordance with the length of the time of the occurrence of idling stop have been desired.

Vehicle control apparatus, vehicle, and vehicle control method


A composite wire for producing a wear resistant and corrosion resistant coating on a substrate by thermal spraying, spray and fuse, or welding techniques are disclosed. The physical properties of the coating are particularly suited for high-temperature erosion-corrosion environments. The resultant coating exhibits good hardness, toughness, and bonding characteristics. The composite wire comprises a metallic outer sheath and an inner core containing boron carbide and chrome carbide.

Thermal spraying, i.e. the generic name for a class of processes that allow the depositing molten or semi-molten materials onto a substrate to form a wear or corrosion resistant coating, has been known in various forms for many years. Thermal spraying processes include plasma, flame, arc-plasma, arc and combustion spraying. Arc spraying is a form of thermal spraying which involves feeding two electrically conductive wires towards one another so that an arc is struck between the tips of the wires to melt the wire tips. The molten material is then atomized and sprayed onto a substrate by compressed gas.
This form of thermal spraying is widely used to provide corrosion-resistant coatings on various metallic articles. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,156,443 (Dallaire, et al.) discloses coatings that are formed by arc spraying cored wires onto metallic articles exposed to erodent particles. The cored wires are composed of a sheath of ductile metal, such as iron, low carbon steel, or ductile stainless steel, and a core comprising coarse ferroboron particles. The resulting coatings are designed to include iron boride phases having mean sizes equal to or larger than the sizes of the erodent particles.
Another thermal spraying process is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,326 (Dallaire, et al.), which discloses a process for producing composite coatings comprising fine titanium diboride particles or crystals distributed throughout a stainless steel matrix by arc spraying cored wires onto a metallic substrate. The cored wires typically comprise a stainless steel outer sheath and an inner core of compacted powders including titanium diboride and a metal or metal alloy. The particles or crystals in these coatings impart hardness to the soft stainless steel matrix and enhances the resistance of the coatings to hard abrasive media.
The metal components of the cored wires used to form the coatings disclosed in both U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,156,443 (Dallaire, et al.) and 5,837,326 (Dallaire, et al.) are not highly alloyed, and consequently the coatings tend to be susceptible to corrosion attack in certain high temperature corrosive conditions, such as in boiler applications.
Generally, the binder metal (i.e., the metal of the outer sheath) in a wear-resistant coating is critical to the performance of the coating in corrosive conditions such as those encountered in boilers. For example, coatings with iron-based binder alloys, such as Armacor M™, exhibit extensive binder-material corrosion in boiler conditions, resulting in accelerated wear of the coatings. The consequent weakening of the bonds can also lead to premature coating failure due to complete spalling of the protective layer. Furthermore, the magnetic characteristics of these coatings prevent thickness measurements using standard equipment, such as Elcometers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,974 (Longo, et al.) discloses a composite wire for forming wear resistant coatings wherein the wire is formed of an alloy sheath having iron, nickel, or cobalt as a major component. The core of the composite wire is formed of powder that includes boron or boron carbide. Due to its extreme hardness, boron carbide is employed in coatings where wear or abrasion is of primary concern. However, as with other conventional composite wires, in high-temperature corrosive environments, the wear resistant coatings may experience accelerated wear.

Composite wires for coating substrates and methods of use


A method of fabricating a thin film transistor by setting the temperature of a heat treatment for crystallizing an active layer which is formed on a substrate at a level not deforming the substrate and activating an impurity layer in a heat treatment method different from that employed for the heat treatment, and a semiconductor device prepared by forming a heat absorption film, a semiconductor film, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode on a substrate, the heat absorption film being provided within a region substantially corresponding to the semiconductor film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device such as a thin film transistor (TFT), a method of fabricating the same, a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
A thin film transistor (hereinafter referred to as a polycrystalline silicon TFT) employing a polycrystalline silicon film which is formed on a transparent insulating substrate as an active layer is recently being developed as each pixel driving element (pixel driving transistor) for an active matrix LCD.
The polycrystalline silicon TFT advantageously has larger mobility and higher drivability as compared with a thin film transistor employing an amorphous silicon film as an active layer. When such polycrystalline silicon TFTs are employed, therefore, an LCD of high performance LCD can be implemented while not only a pixel part (display part) but a peripheral driving circuit (driver part) can be integrally formed on the same substrate.
In such a polycrystalline silicon TFT, the polycrystalline silicon film for serving as an active layer can be formed by a method of directly depositing the polycrystalline silicon film on the substrate, a method of forming an amorphous silicon film on the substrate and thereafter polycrystallizing the same, or the like.
The method of directly depositing the polycrystalline silicon film on the substrate has a relatively simple step of depositing the film by CVD, for example, under a high temperature, for example.
On the other hand, the amorphous silicon film which is deposited on the substrate is thereafter polycrystallized by solid-phase crystallization in general. This solid-phase crystallization is adapted to polycrystallize the amorphous silicon film in a solid state by performing a heat treatment, for obtaining the polycrystalline silicon film.
An example of such solid-phase crystallization is now described with reference to FIGS. 31 and 32.
Step A (see FIG. 31): An amorphous silicon film is formed on an insulating substrate 51 of quartz glass, for example, by general low pressure CVD, and a heat treatment is performed in a nitrogen (N2) atmosphere at a temperature of about 900xc2x0 C., thereby solid-phase growing the amorphous silicon film and forming a polycrystalline silicon film 52.
The polycrystalline silicon film 52 is worked into a prescribed shape by photolithography and dry etching by RIE, to be employed as an active layer of a thin film transistor.
A silicon oxide film for serving as a gate insulating film 53 is deposited on the polycrystalline silicon film 52 by low pressure CVD.
Step B (see FIG. 32): A polycrystalline silicon film 55 is deposited on the gate insulating film 53 by low pressure CVD, an impurity is implanted into this polycrystalline silicon film, and a heat treatment is performed for activating the impurity.
Then, a silicon oxide film 54 is deposited on the polycrystalline silicon film by normal pressure CVD, and thereafter the polycrystalline silicon film and the silicon oxide film 54 are worked into prescribed shapes by photolithography and dry etching by RIE. The polycrystalline silicon film is employed as a gate electrode 55.
Then, an impurity is implanted into the polycrystalline silicon film 52 by self alignment through the gate electrode 55 and the silicon oxide film 54 serving as masks, for forming source/drain regions 56.
This method is called a high temperature process since high temperatures of about 900xc2x0 C. are employed for the solid-phase crystallization and the impurity activation, and has such an advantage that the treatment time can be shortened when a substrate such as a quartz substrate, for example, having a high insulation property is employed.
However, such a substrate having a high insulation property is high-priced, while a relatively low-priced glass substrate unpreferably causes heat distortion. In recent years, therefore, development is generally made in a low temperature process which allows the employment of the glass substrate.
In particular, improvement of performance is indispensable in a TFT which is a driving device. Therefore, various attempts have been made in order to improve the quality of the material forming the TFT and the like through the low temperature process.
For example, a technique of forming a polycrystalline silicon thin film, for example, by excimer laser annealing with a starting material of an amorphous silicon film has been developed as a technique of improving the quality of an active layer material influencing the device characteristics.
However, the laser annealing disadvantageously requires a long time for the crystallization process, since a beam operation must be repeatedly performed. In case of employing only a laser beam as a heat source, the laser annealing requiring a long time must also be performed for activating an impurity region, for example, in addition to the polycrystallization process, and hence the total process time is increased to reduce the throughput of such a TFT device or an LCD device employing the TFT.
An object of the present invention is to enable a low temperature process with employment of a low-priced substrate, for reducing the cost for fabricating a thin film transistor or a liquid crystal display.
Another object of the present invention is to improve the throughput in fabrication of a thin film transistor or a liquid crystal display by fabricating a high-quality polycrystalline silicon film in a short time.
Still another object of the present invention is to fabricate a semiconductor device having excellent quality with a homogeneously activated impurity region.
A further object of the present invention is to fabricate a semiconductor device having a high-quality semiconductor film in a short time.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a display device such as an LCD device having excellent display performance.
A further object of the present invention is to prevent deformation of a substrate in a heat treatment.
A further object of the present invention is to prevent warp and breakage of a substrate in case of employing RTA (rapid thermal annealing) as a heat treatment.
A method of fabricating a thin film transistor according to a first aspect of the present invention is adapted to set the temperature for a heat treatment for crystallizing an active layer which is formed on a substrate is set at a level not deforming the substrate, for example 600-700xc2x0 C., for activating an impurity by a heat treatment method which is different from that employed for this heat treatment.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, polycrystallization of an amorphous silicon film and activation of an impurity region can be performed by properly combining the heat treatment method employing a temperature not deforming the substrate, laser annealing and RTA with each other, whereby the fabrication time is shorted as compared with a method of performing both of polycrystallization and activation by laser annealing.
According to a preferred embodiment of the first aspect, the method comprises the steps of forming an amorphous silicon film on an insulating substrate, heat treating the amorphous silicon film by laser annealing or RTA (rapid thermal annealing) employing a temperature not deforming the substrate thereby forming a polycrystalline silicon film, forming a gate electrode on the polycrystalline silicon film with an intervening gate insulating film, forming an impurity region in the polycrystalline silicon film, and activating the impurity region by rapid heating employing RTA or laser annealing.
According to this method, a number of substrates can be simultaneously treated in solid-phase crystallization.
In the first aspect of the present invention, the amorphous silicon film may contain microcrystals. When such an amorphous silicon film containing microcrystals is polycrystallized by solid-phase crystallization, the crystal growth can be completed in a short time.
In the first aspect, the gate electrode may have at. least the amorphous silicon film, and may be crystallized by the heat treatment for activating the impurity. In this method, crystallization of the amorphous silicon film and activation of the impurity are performed at once, whereby the treatment time is shortened as compared with a method of performing these operations independently of each other.
In the first aspect, the gate electrode may have a two-layer structure of at least a silicon film and a metal or metal silicide film, and may be reduced in resistance by the heat treatment for activating the impurity. According to this method, reduction of resistance of the two-layer structure of the silicon film and the metal or metal silicide film and activation of the impurity are performed at once, whereby the treatment time is shorted as compared with the case of separately performing these operations.
The gate electrode comprising the two-layer structure of a silicon film and a metal or metal silicide film may be provided so that reduction in resistance of the gate electrode and activation of the impurity region are simultaneously performed by RTA or laser annealing.
In the first aspect, light irradiation heat from a lamp may be employed as a heat source for the RTA. This lamp may be formed by an xenon arc lamp. A heat treatment which is more suitable for activation of the impurity can be performed by employing such a lamp.
A thin film transistor fabricated by the method of fabricating a thin film transistor according the first aspect of the present invention can be employed as each pixel driving element of a liquid crystal display. Alternatively, the thin film transistor can be employed as each peripheral driving circuit element of the liquid crystal display. Thus, an excellent liquid crystal display can be fabricated in a short time.
A semiconductor device according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a heat absorption film which is formed on a substrate, a semiconductor film which is formed on the heat absorption film, a gate electrode which is formed on the semiconductor film through a gate insulating film, and an impurity region which is formed in the semiconductor film, and the heat absorption film is provided within a region substantially corresponding to the semiconductor film.
According to the second aspect, a semiconductor device having an impurity region of a homogeneously activated state can be obtained due to the presence of the heat absorption film.
In the second aspect, an insulating film may be provided between the heat absorption film and the semiconductor film.
In the second aspect, the heat absorption film may be provided in a size and within a region substantially corresponding to a channel region in the semiconductor film. Thus, the function of the heat absorption film properly acts on a necessary portion, so that no bad influence is exerted on the remaining portion such as the substrate, for example.
In the second aspect, the heat absorption film may be made of a conductive material such as a metal or metal silicide, or a semiconductor material such as silicon. Thus, the device can be electrostatically shielded against ions which are present in the substrate since the heat absorption film is made of a conductive or semiconductor material.
In the second aspect, the heat absorption film may have a shading property. When the semiconductor device is employed for a display device such as an LCD, the quantity of light directly entering the semiconductor device can be reduced due to the shading property of the heat absorption film.
In the second aspect, the substrate may be a transparent substrate.
The semiconductor device according to the second aspect of the present invention can be employed as at least one of each pixel driving element or each peripheral driving circuit element of a liquid crystal display. Thus, an excellent display device can be obtained.
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to a third aspect of the present invention is adapted to provide a semiconductor film for serving as an active layer of a transistor on a substrate through a heat absorption film, and to activate an impurity region provided in the semiconductor film by a heat treatment.
According to the fabrication method of the third aspect, a semiconductor device having an impurity region which is in an excellently and homogeneously activated state can be obtained.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of forming a heat absorption film on a transparent substrate, forming a semiconductor film on the heat absorption film, forming a gate electrode on the semiconductor film through a gate insulating film, forming an impurity region in the semiconductor film, and activating the impurity region by a heat treatment, and the heat absorption film being provided within a region substantially corresponding to the semiconductor film.
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of forming a heat absorption film on a transparent substrate, working the heat absorption film into a prescribed shape, covering the heat absorption film with an insulating film, forming a semiconductor film for serving as an active layer of a transistor on the insulating film, forming a gate electrode on the semiconductor film through a gate insulating film, forming an impurity region in the semiconductor film, and activating the impurity region by a heat treatment, and the heat absorption film being provided within a region substantially corresponding to the semiconductor film.
In the third aspect, the semiconductor film may be prepared by polycrystallizing an amorphous silicon film by a heat treatment.
In the third aspect, the heat treatment may be performed by laser annealing.
In the third aspect, the heat absorption film may be made of a conductive material such as a metal or metal silicide, or a semiconductor material such as silicon. The device can be electrostatically shielded against ions which are present in the substrate by preparing the heat absorption film from a conductive or semiconductor material.
The heat absorption film may have a shading property. Thus, the quantity of light directly entering the semiconductor device can be reduced when the semiconductor device is applied to a display device such as an LCD.
RTA may be employed as the heat treatment. In this case, the impurity can be activated in a short time without influencing the substrate.
The heat source for RTA can be formed by a xenon arc lamp. In this case, heat absorption can be efficiently performed.
A semiconductor device fabricated by the method according to the third aspect of the present invention can be employed as at least one of each pixel driving element and each peripheral driving circuit element of a liquid crystal display. Thus, an excellent display device can be fabricated in a short time.
A semiconductor device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of semiconductor elements which are integrated on a substrate. Heat absorption films are provided between the substrate and the semiconductor elements, and an area or film thickness of each heat absorption film is relatively reduced in a portion where a relatively large number of the semiconductor elements are provided, while an area or film thickness of each heat absorption film is relatively increased in a portion where a relatively small number of the semiconductor elements are provided, in accordance with the distributed state of the semiconductor elements on the substrate.
According to a preferred embodiment of the fourth aspect, a plurality of semiconductor switching elements are integrated on a substrate, and each semiconductor switching element comprises a heat absorption film which is formed on the substrate, a semiconductor film which is formed on the heat absorption film, a gate electrode which is formed on the semiconductor film through a gate insulating film, and an impurity region which is formed in the semiconductor film. An area or film thickness of each heat absorption film is relatively reduced in a portion where a relatively large number of the semiconductor switching elements are provided, while an area or film thickness of each heat absorption film is relatively increased in a portion where a relatively small number of the semiconductor switching elements are provided, in accordance with the distributed state of the semiconductor switching elements on the substrate.
In the fourth aspect, the heat absorption effects of the heat absorption films can be adjusted by changing the areas and/or the thicknesses of the heat absorption films.
In the fourth aspect, the heat absorption effects of the heat absorption films can be adjusted by providing semiconductor switching elements having no heat absorption films and changing the ratio of presence of such semiconductor switching elements.
Each of the heat absorption films in the fourth aspect can be prepared from a film which is similar to those according to the second and third aspects.
A display device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is a driver-integrated display device comprising a pixel part and a peripheral driving circuit part which are formed on the same substrate. This display device comprises pixel driving elements which are provided in the pixel part and peripheral driving circuit elements which are provided in the peripheral driving circuit part, and the pixel driving elements and the peripheral driving circuit elements are formed by semiconductor switching elements. Each semiconductor switching element comprises a heat absorption film which is formed on the substrate, a semiconductor film which is formed on the heat absorption film, a gate electrode which is formed on the semiconductor film through a gate insulating film, and an impurity region which is formed on the semiconductor film. A ratio of area or film thickness of the heat absorption film relative to the semiconductor film in the pixel part is adjusted to be larger than that of the heat absorption film in the peripheral driving circuit part.
The pixel part and the peripheral driving circuit part can be provided on one of a pair of substrates which are opposed to each other through a liquid crystal layer. Each of the heat absorption films can be formed by a film which is similar to those of the second and third aspects.
The heat absorption effects of the heat absorption films can be adjusted by changing the areas or thicknesses of the heat absorption films.
Alternatively, the heat absorption effects of the heat absorption films can be adjusted by providing semiconductor switching elements having no heat absorption films and changing the ratio of presence of these semiconductor switching elements.
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention employs RTA for a heat treatment in a process of forming a semiconductor element on a substrate, and heating by RTA is performed in a plurality of times, while the heating temperature is increased stepwise from the initial time toward the final time.
According to a preferred embodiment of the fifth aspect, the fabrication method comprises the steps of forming a semiconductor film on a substrate, forming a gate electrode on the semiconductor film through a gate insulating film, forming an impurity region in the semiconductor film, and activating the impurity region by a heat treatment through RTA, while heating by RTA is performed a plurality of times and the heating temperature is increased stepwise from the initial time toward the final time.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Semiconductor device, display device and method of fabricating the same


In a process for the preparation and the isolation of p-hydroxybenzonitrile (HBN), in which a p-halogenated phenol is reacted with cuprous cyanide in a suitable solvent, the reaction mixture obtained after the reaction of the p-halogenated phenol with cuprous cyanide has been substantially completed is contacted with an aqueous solution of a bromide salt and, optionally, an organic diluent, the aqueous and organic phases are separated, HBN is distilled out from the organic phase, an alkali metal cyanide is added to the aqueous phase and CuCN is filtered off from the resulting aqueous phase.

The reaction employing CuCN is well known in the art and is sometimes called the Rosenmund-von Braun Reaction. The reaction can schematically be represented by: EQU ArX+CuCn.fwdarw.ArCN+CuX
wherein X represents a halogen atom and the reaction is carried out at a temperature of about 150.degree. -250.degree. C. The reaction is carried out in a variety of solvents, the most commonly employed solvents being polar aprotic solvents such as dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide and N-methyl-pyrrolidone. Commonly, an excess of CuCN is employed.
An example of such a process is the preparation of p-hydroxybenzonitrile (HBN) from p-halogenated phenol, which can conveniently be carried out in dimethylacetamide (DMA) as the solvent.
When the reaction is complete the solvent is normally distilled off and the nitrile product is obtained as a complex bound to the cuprous halide which is formed in the reaction. In order to isolate the nitrile product, the complex must be decomposed. Several methods are known in the art to effect this decomposition. In one such method (U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,646) concentrated hydrochloric acid and ferric chloride are added and the product is isolated by extraction into an organic solvent. According to another method [L. Freidman and H. Shechter, J.A.C.S., Vol. 26, pp. 2522-24 (1961)], ethylene diamine is added and the product is again isolated by solvent extraction. According to a further known method, the cuprous halide is dissolved in a aqueous solution containing 4 molar equivalents of NaCN and the product is extracted with an organic solvent.
The aforementioned and other known isolation methods present several serious drawbacks. The copper halide formed in the reaction is transformed into difficultly recoverable forms, which cannot be recycled as such. Furthermore, in the first mentioned method the formation of highly toxic hydrogen cyanide and cyanogen takes place. In the last two methods a considerable drawback is the alkaline nature of the solutions obtained, which prevents extraction of acidic nitriles into organic solvents.
In copending Israeli Patent Application No. 82694 of the same applicant, there is described a process for the preparation and the isolation of aromatic nitriles in which an aromatic halogenated compound is reacted with cuprous cyanide in a suitable solvent, comprising the steps of:
a) adding water to the reaction mixture obtained after the reaction of the aromatic halogenated compound with cuprous cyanide has been substantially completed; PA1 b) adding an alkali metal cyanide to the resulting mixture; PA1 c) separating the resulting CuCN suspension; and PA1 d) separating the organic phase to recover the aromatic nitrile; the amount of alkali metal cyanide added being substantially stoichiometric with the aromatic reagent employed in the reaction. PA1 a) contacting the reaction mixture obtained after the reaction of a p-halogenated phenol with cuprous cyanide in a suitable solvent has been substantially completed, with a mixture of an aqueous solution of a bromide salt and, optionally, with an organic diluent; PA1 b) separating the aqueous and organic phases; PA1 c) distilling HBN out from the organic phase; PA1 d) adding an alkali metal cyanide to the aqueous phase; and PA1 e) filtering CuCN off from the resulting aqueous phase;
The above-described process, while representing a considerable improvement over processes known in the art before, still suffers from the drawback that the recovery of the aromatic nitrile requires difficult filtration operations. Such filtration operations are both cumbersome, time-consuming and expensive.
Another drawback of the process of IL 82694 is that the recovered CuCN is contaminated with organic materials, and is therefore obtained with relatively low purity.


A method and apparatus are provided for analyzing an analyte at low concentration in a liquid sample by photoionization and mass spectrometry. An inlet system is provided for direct injection of the liquid sample using a capillary tube. The method and apparatus allow for 20 to 2000-fold improvement of the lower detection limit of an analyte in a liquid sample compared to a conventional liquid chromatography/mass spectrometer apparatus.

Analytes in gases may be analyzed by vacuum laser photoinization and mass spectrometry. This technique is termed resonance enhanced multi-photonionization (REMPI) spectroscopy. Typically, a tunable dye laser (the pump laser) is scanned over the vibrational levels of the selected state while a second fixed wavelength laser (the probe laser) is used to induce ionization. When the pump laser is resonant, there is a great increase in ionization cross-section for a given photon flux, giving increased ion yield. The difference in ion yield between non-resonant and resonant absorption is used as a basis to record the REMPI spectrum. Once the sample is ionized, the ions are extracted to a mass spectrometer detector. By proper tuning the probe laser photoionizes the molecules of analytical interest. Analysis is performed by time-of-flight mass spectrometry with high efficiency and selectivity.
In particular, by using biological samples such as blood plasma, saliva and skin, it is feasible to detect biological analytes in such complex matrices at very low concentrations. However, detection limits using a typical REMPI system on biological analytes in such samples appear to about 0.2 to 1.0 μg/ml. Being that such biological samples are liquids, accuracy below this limit is compromised by absorption at the inlet system. Furthermore, absorption requires frequent cleaning of the system leading to slow turn around time. It would thus be desirable to avoid this problem and also to improve the inlet system such that liquid analytes may be analyzed to much lower limits of detection, such as those required for analyzing biological samples.

Direct liquid injection inlet to a laser photoionization apparatus


A sensor module and semiconductor chip. One embodiment provides a carrier. A semiconductor chip includes a first recess and a second recess and a main surface of the semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip is mounted to the carrier such that the first recess forms a first cavity with the carrier and the second recess forms a second cavity with the carrier. The first cavity is in fluid connection with the second cavity.

The invention relates to a sensor module, a semiconductor chip, a method for fabricating a semiconductor module, and a method for fabricating a semiconductor chip.
Sensor modules may contain a sensor like, for example, a micro-electro-mechanical microphone. Typically such a micro-electro-mechanical microphone is fabricated in form of a semiconductor chip which is attached to a carrier. This assembly is mounted in a casing which is built of several components wherein one component of the casing is typically made of a printed circuit board. Micro-electro-mechanical microphones packaged like this are used for transform sound into electrical signals in applications where a miniaturization is of special interest.


An odor control composition includes (a) at least one fragrance and (b) a halo active aromatic sulfonamide compound of Formula (I):

The present disclosure relates to odor control compositions having little or no chlorine associated smell. Also disclosed are absorbent members comprising the compositions, personal care products comprising the compositions, and processes for making and using the same.
Odor control compositions neutralize and/or destroy targeted odor-causing molecules. The odor-causing molecules may be present in bodily fluids such as blood, pus, sweat, semen, secretions, menstrual discharge, urine, and fecal matter. While the undesirable smell of the odor-causing molecules can be reduced or eliminated, the odor control composition itself may have a strong, pungent chlorine-like smell which is irritating, unacceptable, or unwanted in certain applications.
It would be desirable to develop an odor control composition that exhibits a reduced chlorine smell, or no chlorine smell at all.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Abstract: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 are independently selected from hydrogen, COOR′, CON(R″)2, alkoxy, CN, NO2, SO3R″, halogen, substituted or unsubstituted phenyl, sulfonamide, halosulfonamide, and substituted or unsubstituted C1-C12 alkyl;        R′ is hydrogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, substituted C1-C12 alkyl, or unsubstituted C1-C12 alkyl; and        R″ is hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted C1-C12 alkyl, where the two R″ groups in CON(R″)2 may be independently selected;        X is halogen;        M is an alkali or alkaline earth metal; and        n is the number of water molecules per molecule of the sulfonamide compound.


Operating a browser that interprets a markup page and thereby displays a virtual keyboard (350) to a user. The operation comprises: displaying (405) a first keyboard area (350); presenting (410) first and second input fields of first and second types, respectively, to the user; selecting (420) an input field by relating an input device to either the first input field or the second input field; displaying (430) a second keyboard area corresponding to the type of the selected input field; reading (430) input from the user from the first keyboard area and from the second keyboard area to the selected field; and changing (450) the first keyboard area according to user commands to a keyboard selector.

Desktop or laptop computers have complete keyboards with keys for letters (e.g., arranged as QWERTY or QWERTZ), numbers (e.g., 0 . . . 9), special characters for email communication and currencies (e.g., @, $, ) and other symbols. Smaller computers, such as personal digital assistants (PDA) or mobile phones have a limited number of keys or emulate the keyboard on screen. Often there is not enough space for displaying all symbols. Users have to operate the computer for toggling between different keyboard modes. This is however inconvenient. Further, users stay in a confusing conflict situation: Sometimes, the users have to toggle the keyboard and other times, the users have to keep the keyboard unchanged.
The problem remains when the computer interacts with the users through a browser.
There is an ongoing need to provide improvements to computer methods, programs and system that alleviate these and other disadvantages of the prior art.

Operating a browser to display first and second virtual keyboard areas that the user changes directly or indirectly


A robot arm mounted apparatus for high speed streaming of high viscosity, two-part adhesive onto a workpiece. The apparatus employs a shortened, temperatured-conditioned mixing tube and a compact, end effector package of dispense metering equipment associated directly with the mixing tube on the end of the robot arm, rather than mounted remotely as in prior art systems. In a preferred form a pressurized cylinder, displacement rods and chambers, dispense metering valves and shortened, temperature-conditioned mixing tube are connected to one another directly in serial fashion on the end of the robot arm. The mixing tube is preferably modified with a removable, damage-resistant nozzle designed especially for streaming.

It is now common in the automotive and other industries to fasten large parts to one another with structural adhesives which act as both weld and sealant, for example to join body panels. This is often done on an assembly line via automated, robot-mounted dispenser nozzles moving at fairly high speed over the workpiece.
Adhesives applied in this manner are typically of high viscosity and are often semi-rigid at room temperature, and must be applied at both high temperature and high pressure to flow properly from the nozzle onto the workpiece.
There are two primary methods for applying high viscosity adhesives, sealants, epoxies and the like (hereinafter "adhesives") from a moving dispenser nozzle: "extrusion" and "streaming". "Extrusion" is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and occurs where tool speed exceeds the velocity of adhesive flow from the nozzle at a relatively low order of magnitude, for example 2:1. The nozzle must be kept close to the work surface, for example on the order of 3 mm (roughly 1/8") where it forms an initial bead size which settles or flattens out in the wake of the dispenser nozzle to a desired bead size, for example 2 mm. The nozzle diameter typically approximates the desired bead size.
"Streaming" is a higher speed application with the nozzle spaced much farther from the workpiece, for example on the order of 50 mm (2 inches) rather than 3 mm (1/8 inches). In order to stream the high viscosity adhesive, it is necessary to increase its temperature, increase pressure, and reduce nozzle diameter to as low as 1/16 or 1/20 the diameter of the desired bead size so that it flows or "streams" freely like a liquid.
A factor to be considered in the automated application of such adhesives is whether the adhesive is a one-part or two-part material. One-part adhesives are simpler to apply, and lend themselves to high speed streaming applications. Two-part adhesives are known to form a stronger bond, but require mixing of the component parts just prior to being applied to the work surface. Mixing is typically accomplished through a relatively long mixing tube which receives the pressurized, temperature-conditioned components of the adhesive separately at its upper end and, via a helical arrangement of internal mixing plates, mixes the components by the time they reach the nozzle or outlet end of the tube. Mixing requires a relatively long tube which takes up valuable space at the end of the tool or robot arm; requires more complicated pressure regulating equipment, valving, and preheating equipment, which is too bulky to fit on the end of the robot arm with the mixing tube and must be located remotely; and tends to cause the two-part mixture to set inside the tube before it is dispensed. Since most automated assembly line dispensing applications require high speed and close control over adhesive pressure, temperature and volume, the poor quality of tube mixing has resulted in two part adhesives being largely ignored for streaming-type applications and confined to lower velocity "extrusion" applications.
State of the art mixing tubes are long, slender (usually plastic) tubes which are relatively inexpensive to replace when clogged, and which are useful for precise application of adhesive in confined areas. However, these same advantages make them relatively weak and prone to bending or damage, which at a minimum throws off the precision of the applied adhesive pattern.
A related problem with automated adhesive dispensing, especially at high speed, is the need to maintain constant bead uniformity and volume over the workpiece. For example, a perimeter bead of adhesive applied to an automobile door panel needs to be applied in just a few seconds on a high speed assembly line. As the adhesive bead is applied around the perimeter of the door panel, it undergoes several direction and velocity changes, decelerating into turns and accelerating out of turns. Again, the critical nature of volume control under these conditions has limited use to streaming-friendly one part adhesives.

Two-part stream dispensing for high viscosity materials


Disclosed is a display device. The display device includes a display panel having a base layer, a circuit element layer disposed on the base layer, a display panel including a plurality of first pixels disposed in a first display area, and a plurality of second pixels disposed in a second display area adjacent to the first display area. The display device further includes a gate driver disposed in the second display area of the display panel and configured to drive the first and second pixels and a diffraction pattern layer including a plurality of second diffraction patterns disposed on the second pixels.

The present disclosure generally relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device having an enlarged display area.
Various electronic devices used in multimedia devices such as televisions, mobile phones, tablet computers, navigation systems, or game consoles have been developed.
Recently, according to market demands, research is being conducted to reduce the area in which an image is not displayed in an electronic device. At the same time, research is being conducted to enlarge a display area in which an image is displayed to a user in an electronic device. Furthermore, aesthetically, it is much better to have a small bezel area than to have a large bezel area, thus, there is need to develop a novel display device in which a display area is enlarged and a bezel area is diminished.

Display device having an enlarged display area


A method for retrofitting an already existing gas turbine power plant is provided. The method features at least the following steps: fluidically connecting a gas turbine to a flue gas duct which is suitable for conducting flue gas which is produced by the gas turbine; connecting the flue gas duct to a steam generating unit which is fluidically connected to a water-steam cycle, and via which water-steam cycle a power generating facility can be operated; fluidically connecting a CO2 separation apparatus to the flue gas duct for separating the CO2 from the flue gas in the flue gas duct; and electrically connecting the power generating facility to the CO2 separation apparatus, preferably for the essentially energy-autonomous operation of the CO2 separation apparatus.

The separation of CO2 gas from an exhaust gas low of a combustion system allows a reduced emission of CO2 into the atmosphere. This, especially against the background of state and interstate regulated reductions of emitted CO2, is an economical cost factor which is increasingly taken into consideration in the commercial future plans of many undertakings.
At the same time, such a CO2 separation method also enables the directed collection of CO2 gas which in turn can be fed as a source material to special process engineering operations. Consequently, CO2 can also be seen as a valuable base material. The "enhanced oil recovery" (EOR) process, for example, constitutes such a process for the technical use of CO2, in which CO2 is injected into underground rock layers of oil deposits so that it is released in the crude oil which is present in these oil deposits and at the same time brings about a viscosity reduction of the crude oil. On account of the viscosity reduction, the flowability of the oil is significantly increased and can therefore be extracted more easily from the rock structures with lower flow resistance. At the same time, the CO2 which is injected into the underground oil deposits serves for increasing the ambient pressure in the oil deposits, as a result of which a directional flow behavior of the crude oil, which has been changed with regard to its viscosity, can be achieved.
The CO2 gas which is introduced into the oil deposits currently originates predominantly from refining processes of the natural gas producing industry. Over recent years, it has been proved, however, that the costly transporting of CO2 produced in this way from the refinery sites to the oil deposits requires a sometimes large and expensive piping network. The provision of such a network, however, in turn greatly increases the costs for the CO2 and therefore the costs for the crude oil which is extracted with the aid of the CO2.
In this respect, a changeover has already been made in part to locating the natural gas processing in local proximity to the oil deposits. Since the crude oil extraction typically also delivers natural gas as a by-product, the natural gas which is produced there can be processed comparatively cost effectively and consequently CO2 can be produced comparatively more cost effectively.
Further efforts are directed towards separating CO2 from the combustion systems, which are operated for the oil extraction, in the regions of the oil extraction for power generation. The combustion systems, on account of the strong presence of natural gas in the regions of crude oil extraction, are mostly constructed as gas turbines. To this end, the combustion system is equipped with a suitable CO2 separation apparatus for the operation, wherein the CO2 which is produced by means of the CO2 separation apparatus can be further processed. Also, the CO2 which is produced in this way can be pumped under pressure directly into the oil deposits for improved oil yield. The equipping of the combustion system with a CO2 separation apparatus is typically carried out in this case by both components being designed and interconnected in an overall system, wherein both components are adapted to the respectively other component with regard to their operation.
Even if the combustion system, on account of the oxidative combustion taking place in it, can produce CO2 in comparatively large quantities, its separation in a downstream CO2 separation apparatus is possible only by means of an energy-intensive CO2 separation process. This additional consumption of energy on the one hand reduces the cost effectiveness of the CO2 which is produced in this way and, in addition, also appreciably reduces the overall efficiency of the system consisting of combustion system and CO2 separation apparatus.
Consequently, it is desirable to propose a suitable method for retrofitting an already existing gas turbine power plant with a CO2 separation apparatus, wherein the retrofitting method shall not limit the power output, especially the electric power output of the gas turbine. It is also desirable to retrofit an already existing gas turbine power plant in such a way that an efficient separation of CO2 from the flue gas of the gas turbine power plant is made possible. Retrofitting of a gas turbine power plant which allows an essentially energy-autonomous operation of a CO2 separation apparatus which is fluidically connected thereto is to be especially preferably made possible.

Method for retrofitting a gas turbine power plant