A planographic printing plate precursor includes a substrate and an image recording layer provided thereon, the image recording layer being capable of recording through exposure to an infrared ray and containing at least (A) an infrared absorbing agent, (B) a polymerization initiator comprising an onium salt formed by an onium cation and a carboxylic acid anion, where the carboxylic acid anion has an acid group, a hetero atom and an aromatic group, (C) a polymerizable compound and (D) a binder polymer. The planographic printing plate precursor is exposed imagewise with an infrared laser. Then, printing is carried out using the exposed planographic printing plate precursor, which is set in a printer without being subjected to any developing process, by feeding an oil based ink and an aqueous component onto the planographic printing plate precursor. Unexposed areas of the planographic printing plate precursor are removed during the printing process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a planographic printing method and a planographic printing plate precursor used therein. Specifically, the invention relates to a planographic printing method of printing a planographic printing plate precursor by direct development in a printing machine without any development treatment step and to a planographic printing plate precursor capable of direct plate-making by scanning an infrared laser on the basis of a digital signal from a computer, etc., which is used preferably in the planographic printing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a planographic printing plate includes a lipophilic image region receiving ink in a printing step and a hydrophilic non-image region receiving dampening water. Planographic printing is a method wherein the property of repellency between water and oil-based ink is utilized to cause a difference in adhesion of the ink to the surface of the planographic printing plate in which the lipophilic image region serves as an ink receiving part and the hydrophilic non-image region serves as a dampening water receiving part (part not receiving the ink), and the ink is allowed to adhere to only the image region and then transferred to a material to be printed such as paper.
For making such a planographic printing plate, a planographic printing plate precursor (PS plate) having a lipophilic photosensitive resin layer (image recording layer) arranged on a hydrophilic substrate has been widely used. Usually, the planographic printing plate is obtained by a method wherein the planographic printing plate precursor is exposed to light via an original image on a lithographic film or the like, and the image recording layer in the image region is allowed to remain, while the image recording layer in the non-image region is removed by dissolution with an alkali developing solution or an organic solvent, thereby exposing the surface of the hydrophilic substrate to make a printing plate.
In a plate-making process using a conventional planographic printing plate precursor, a step of removing the non-image region by dissolution with a developing solution corresponding to the image recording layer is necessary after exposure to light, and elimination or simplification of such additional wet treatment is mentioned as a task to be achieved. In recent years, disposal of waste liquid discharged in the wet treatment is a matter of high concern for the whole industry in consideration of the global environment, so there is an increasing demand for achieving this task.
In response to this demand, a method called in-machine development wherein an image recording layer from which a non-image region on a planographic printing plate precursor can be removed in an ordinary printing step is used and the non-image region is removed in a printing machine after exposure to light to provide a planographic printing plate has been proposed as an easy plate-making method.
Specifically, the method of in-machine development includes, for example, a method of using a planographic printing plate precursor having an image recording layer capable of being dissolved or dispersed in dampening water, an ink solvent or an emulsion of ink and dampening water, a method which involves physical removal of an image recording layer by contact with a roller or a blanket cylinder in a printing machine, and a method which involves physical removal of an image recording layer by contact with a roller or a blanket cylinder after weakening either the cohesive force of the image recording layer or the adhesion between the image recording layer and a substrate by permeation with dampening water, an ink solvent, or the like.
Unless otherwise noted, "development treatment step" in the invention refers to a step wherein the region of a planographic printing plate precursor which has not been exposed to light from an infrared laser is removed by contact with a liquid (usually an alkaline developing solution) in an apparatus (usually an automatic developing machine) other than a printing machine, to expose the surface of a hydrophilic substrate, and "in-machine development" refers to a method and process wherein the region of a planographic printing plate precursor which has not been exposed to light from an infrared laser is removed by contact with a liquid (usually printing ink and/or dampening water) in a printing machine.
However, when an image recording layer in a conventional image recording system using ultraviolet rays or visible light is used, the image recording layer is not fixed even after light exposure, thus making it necessary to use a troublesome method wherein the exposed planographic printing plate precursor is stored in a completely shaded state or under thermostatic conditions until it is fitted into a printing machine.
In recent years, digitalization techniques which involve electronic processing, accumulation and output of image information with a computer are spreading, and a wide variety of new image output systems compatible with the digitalization techniques have come to be practically used. As a result, attention has been paid to computer-to-plate (CTP) techniques of producing a planographic printing plate directly by scanning a planographic printing plate precursor with highly directional light such as laser light carrying digitized image information without using a lithographic film. Accordingly, it is an important technical problem to provide a planographic printing plate precursor adapted to these techniques.
As described above, simplification of a plate-making operation as well as providing a dry, treatment-free plate-making operation has been desired more strongly than in the past because of concern about both the global environment and adaptation to digitalization.
Because high-power lasers such as semiconductor lasers, YAG lasers, and the like have come to be inexpensively available in recent years, a method of using such a high-power laser as an image recording means is regarded as a promising method of producing a planographic printing plate by scanning light which can be easily adapted to digitalization techniques.
The conventional plate-making method involves imagewise exposure to light at low to medium intensity, to record an image by an imagewise change in physical properties due to a photochemical reaction in the image recording layer. On the other hand, the method of using a high-power laser involves emitting a large amount of light energy in a very short time onto a region to be exposed to light, to convert the light energy efficiently into heat energy by which the image recording layer is caused to undergo thermal change such as a chemical change, a phase change, or a change in form or structure, and then utilizing the change in image recording. Accordingly, although the image information is outputted by light energy such as laser light, image recording is conducted not only by light energy but also by heat energy. Usually, the recording system using generation of heat by exposure to high-power density light is called heat mode recording, and conversion of light energy into heat energy is called light/heat conversion.
A great advantage of the plate-making method using heat mode recording is that the image recording layer is not sensitive to light at an ordinary intensity level such as interior illumination, and also that fixation of an image recorded by exposure to high-intensity light is not essential. That is, the planographic printing plate precursor used in heat mode recording is not sensitive to indoor light before light exposure is carried out, and fixation of the resulting image after light exposure is carried out is not essential. Accordingly, the plate-making process wherein an image recording layer to be made insoluble or soluble by exposure to light from a high-power laser is exposed to imagewise light to form a planographic printing plate can be carried out using in-machine development, thereby realizing a printing system wherein the image is not influenced even by exposure to indoor ambient light. Accordingly, it is expected that a planographic printing plate precursor used preferably in in-machine development can be obtained by utilizing heat mode recording.
The development of lasers in recent years has been remarkable, and in particular, high-power, small-size solid lasers and semiconductor lasers emitting infrared rays of wavelengths of 760 to 1200 nm can be easily obtained. These infrared lasers are very useful as recording light sources for direct plate-making by digital data from computers, etc. However, many photosensitive recording materials that are practically useful as the image recording layer have photosensitive wavelengths in the visible light range of 760 nm or less and therefore cannot be used in recording an image with an infrared laser. Accordingly, there is a need for materials capable of image recording with an infrared laser.
As such an image recording material, a planographic printing plate precursor having a hydrophilic substrate on which an image recording layer comprising hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles dispersed in a hydrophilic binder is arranged has been proposed in Japanese Patent No. 2938397. This planographic printing plate precursor can be exposed to light from an infrared laser to thermally fuse the hydrophobic thermoplastic polymer particles to form an image, fitted onto a cylinder in a printing machine, and subjected to in-machine development with dampening water and/or ink, and exhibits good in-machine development properties. However, in the method of forming an image in this manner by mere thermal fusion of fine particles, there is a problem in that the image intensity, and particularly the adhesiveness of the substrate to the ink receiving layer, is very low, and printing durability is insufficient.
As other examples of such planographic printing plate precursors that can be subjected to in-machine development, a planographic printing plate precursor containing microcapsules incorporating a polymerizable compound on a hydrophilic substrate (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 2001-277740 and 2001-277742) and a planographic printing plate precursor provided with a photosensitive layer containing an infrared absorber, a radical polymerization initiator and a polymerizable compound on a substrate (see, for example, JP-A No. 2002-287334) have been proposed.
An image region produced by the method of forming an image in this manner by polymerization reaction has a higher density of chemical bonds in the image region than in an image region formed by thermal fusion of fine polymer particles and is thus inherently relatively excellent in image density. However, from a practical standpoint, the method of using a polymerization reaction is still insufficient in in-machine development properties, printing durability and polymerization efficiency (sensitivity) and is not practically usable.

Planographic printing method and planographic printing plate precursor used therein


A replacement cartridge (1) for a shaver with an application device has an application preparation reservoir (2) and means for feeding the application preparation such as a small manually operated pump (3), and a connecting piece (10). The replacement cartridge is fixed to the shaver by a coupling between the connecting piece (10) and a counterpart (4). In the new state of the replacement cartridge, the interior of the small pump (31) is filled with application preparation. The integration of the small pump into the replacement cartridge (1) and its initial filling with preparation permits a simple design of the pump. The pump has a pump chamber (31) whose walls have elastically deformable points and two one-way valves (32, 33). A preparation reservoir has a hollow body whose interior is subdivided into a preparation chamber (22) and an air chamber (23) by a movable plunger (21).

Swiss patent application 1131/90-5 describes an application device, which can be integrated into a shaver and with which a main preparation is spread over the skin directly upstream of the razor blade in the shaving direction. The application device comprises an applicator and a feed mechanism. The applicator has an application roll and a system of supply channels and is used for spreading the preparation over the skin. The feed mechanism has a reservoir for the preparation and means with which the preparation is fed into the applicator, e.g., a small manually operable pump.
The same application and also U.S. Ser. No. 07/718,557 (Now patented, U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,628) disclose complete shavers into which corresponding application devices are integrated. The supply mechanism can form the handle of the shaver, while the applicator is installed in the shaver head or is mounted on a blade holder on the applicator. In all the embodiments shown in both applications, the individual parts of the application device are firmly interconnected, so that the shaver becomes unusable as soon as one of the parts no longer functions.
If the shaver has a fixed blade or blades, the reservoir is advantageously dimensioned in such a way that it is empty when the blade is no longer sharp. Such a shaver is a disposable unit and must be manufacturable in an extremely economical manner. Such a shaver, like all disposable articles, has the advantage of absolute maintenance freedom.
However, if the shaver has a replaceable blade or blades, it is advantageous to construct the reservoir in such a way that it can be refilled, so that the shaver life is neither dependent on the blade, nor on the size of the reservoir. The user is willing to spend more on such a shaver, so that it can be given better quality, esthetics and ergonomics. However, the shaver suffers from the disadvantage that its reservoir must be refilled. Nevertheless, this disadvantage can be eliminated by a replacement cartridge, which constitutes a replaceable reservoir with the preparation. Another disadvantage is that if the reservoir becomes empty the pump can fill with air, which means that the pump must be designed in such a way that it can not only pump but also suck the preparation and this disadvantage cannot be obviated by using a replacement cartridge with a reservoir.
It has been found that those parts of the shaver which come into contact with the preparation must be cleaned every so often. This more particularly applies in the case of a preparation which tends to solidify and undergoes chemical changes as a result of contaminants introduced. Such cleaning presupposes that the pump is relatively robust and is in particular accessible for cleaning purposes. A pump satisfying these requirements cannot simultaneously be designed in such a way that it is operable with minimum forces. It has been found that small pumps which can be operated with a slight finger pressure are very sensitive to contamination and in particular to introduced, solid contaminants, such as hair fragments. It is also not easy to clean such small pumps because they are very small and when one is mounted on the shaver it cannot be flushed with rapidly flowing liquid. However, if the pump is not cleaned or is not cleanable, it will be the pump which limits the shaver life.

Replacement cartridge for a shaver with an applicator


A method for analyzing a circuit design is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) determining a plurality of paths from a first clock at a first location to a plurality of second clocks at a plurality of second locations in the circuit design, (B) calculating a plurality of delays along the paths and (C) calculating a plurality of latencies with respect to the first clock for the second clocks using the delays.

As application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designs continue to advance in both performance and complexity, the designs become more susceptible to timing problems. In turn, more effort and time is spent on static timing analysis to understand the timing relationships of the various clocks generated within the designs. No simple mechanism exists in conventional static timing analysis tools to accurately define the clock relationships in the designs. Clock timing relationship analysis commonly becomes a manual process introducing inaccuracies and translation mistakes that result in timing errors in the design. The manual analysis problems are amplified further if predefined clocks are used in both pre-layout and post-layout analyses, where multiple clocks are defined through the process of consistent and accurate extraction of clock information from an estimated pre-layout standard delay format (SDF) file or a post-layout SDF file.
For complex ASIC designs, only experienced ASIC engineers can perform static timing analysis using the existing approaches. The ASIC engineers will prepare clock definitions and constraints (i.e., multi-cycle paths and false paths) for the static timing analysis. Even still, the timing results are easily affected by peculiarities of the tools. The wrong results will be generated if the tool does not understand the clock definitions correctly. Several tools are currently available that are used to perform static timing analysis on entire ASIC designs. Examples of conventional static timing analysis tools are TimeMill®, PrimeTime® and MOTIVE® (all registered trademarks of Synopsys, Inc. Mountain View, Calif.).

Static timing analysis approach for multi-clock domain designs


A method is provided which sharpens three-dimensional images by using an unsharp masking technique subsequent to interleaving and before printing.

Producing three-dimensional hardcopies using a computer is well known in the art. To do this, a three-dimensional image is printed on a planer sheet in two dimensions, but a viewer, under certain circumstances, perceives the image as three-dimensional. For example, an article by Daniel J. Sandin et al., "Computer Generated Barrier Strip Autostereography" presented at the Symposium on Electronic Imaging (SEI) in 1989 discusses the computer graphics transformations necessary to produce three-dimensional images for lenticular systems and computational processes to combine different views onto a three-dimensional image. A lenticular system typically includes a sheet of cylindrical lenses, called lenticules (described below), positioned on a flat picture at the focal plane of the lenses. The Sandin reference teaches that by connecting a computer to a high-resolution output scanner, computer-based images, i.e. images designed using a computer, and digitized camera images, i.e. images created with the use of a camera and digitized by a computer, can be automatically combined and printed on transparency film.
In addition to generating images for three-dimensional transformation by the computer, such images can be input into the computer using video cameras or image scanners. In either method, a spatial sequence of frames is automatically digitized and stored by the computer as seen in step 100 of FIG. 10. A particular point common to all the frames, for example point 108 in step 101, the center of depth, is determined. The distance between the origin of a coordinate system and the same image point on two simultaneous frames determines the degree of motion. Referring to step 101, point 108 on ball 109 appears on the left of frame 106 and on the right in frame 107. Hence, ball 109 is interpreted by the computer as "moving" from the left to the right.
Subsequent off-axis perspective projections of the image are done to the right and left from this center of depth as indicated in step 102. The degree of off-axis projection determines the depth an observer sees when viewing the hardcopy. The computer requires at least two images from different perspectives to provide a hardcopy which creates the illusion of three-dimensional vision. The more image data provided to the computer, the better the resulting "three-dimensional" hardcopy.
Once a graphical model is developed, the computer's software allows the viewer to determine the desired viewing angle by rotating the image on a CRT monitor until an angle is found that is aesthetically pleasing. Depth information is also determined by the viewer at this time. To give the illusion of depth, an off-axis perspective projection of the image is created both to the left and to the right about its center of depth. The degree of off-axis projection determines the depth an observer sees when viewing the resulting hardcopy. The resulting images are then stored for subsequent processing as indicated in step 103. The computer converts these images into alternating, thin vertical strips in a process called "interleaving". A composite is formed of these thin interleaved strips. For example, as shown in step 104, if three images from different perspectives were provided, a composite of these images would begin with a strip from the first image A, then the second image B, and finally the third image C. This sequence would be repeated until all three images were totally interleaved. A typical composite may have ten images interleaved.
The composite information is fed to a hardcopy output device, such as a laser printer, which is indicated in step 105. The composite information is printed as an interleaved image on standard paper and then laminated with a lenticular screen. A typical lenticular surface, shown in FIG. 8, consists of narrow (generally less than 0.3 mm), cylindrical plastic lenses 80, called lenticules, which run parallel to the vertical sides 81 of the interleaved image surface 82.
Lenticule 80 ensures that light from source 83 scattered from any point, for example point 85, on the interleaved image surface 82 is parallel. The direction that light emerges, see light rays 84, from the lenticule 80 depends on the location of the point of reflection, i.e. point 85, on the interleaved image plane 82. In this manner, multiple images may be seen depending on the viewing angle. The number of images seen in the hardcopy corresponds to the number of images interleaved to form the composite.
However, because of inherent distortions or inaccuracies in lenticular lenses, images previously produced using stereoscopic methods have yielded blurred images.

Digital filtering for lenticular printing


A polypeptide or multimeric polypeptide construct having the ability to bind to cMet or a complex comprising cMet and HGF, and methods for use are disclosed.

Hepatocyte growth factor (also known as scatter factor) is a multi-functional growth factor involved in various physiological processes such as embryogenesis, wound healing and angiogenesis. It has become apparent that HGF, through interactions with its high affinity receptor (cMet), is involved in tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. In fact, dysregulated cMet expression (for example, the overexpression of cMet in neoplastic epithelium of colorectal adenomas and in other carcinomas as compared to normal mucosa) and/or activity, as well as hyperactivity of the cMet receptor through an autocrine stimulatory loop with HGF, has been demonstrated in a variety of tumor tissues and induces oncogenic transformation of specific cell lines.
In general, HGF is produced by the stromal cells, which form part of many epithelial tumors; however, it is believed that the production of HGF by tumor cells themselves comprises the main pathway leading to the hyperproliferation of specific tumors. HGF/cMet autocrine stimulatory loops have been detected in gliomas, osteosarcomas, and mammary, prostate, breast, lung and other carcinomas.
Interrupting the HGF interaction with the cMet receptor slows tumor progression in animal models. In addition to stimulating proliferation of certain cancer cells through activation of cMet, HGF also protects against DNA-damaging agent-induced cytotoxicity in a variety of cell lines susceptible to hyperproliferative phenotypes (e.g., breast cancer). Therefore, preventing HGF from binding to cMet could predispose certain cancer cells to the cytotoxicity of certain drugs.
In addition to hyperproliferative disorders, cMet also has been linked to angiogenesis. For example, stimulation of cMet leads to the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which, in turn, stimulates angiogenesis. Additionally, stimulation of cMet also has been implicated in promoting wound healing.
In addition to identifying the cMet receptor as a therapeutic target for hyperproliferative disorders, angiogenesis and wound healing, the large discrepancy between expression levels of neoplastic and corresponding normal tissues indicates that cMet is an attractive target for imaging applications directed to hyperproliferative disorders.

Peptides that specifically bind HGF receptor (CMET) and uses thereof


An apparatus for producing semiconductor cells, the apparatus comprises a printing device for printing on a semiconductor cell, a monitoring device configured to monitor characteristics of the printed semiconductor cell, and a cleaning device configured for cleaning at least one part of the printing device based on the monitored characteristics of the semiconductor cells.

Semiconductor cells are used in many fields of modern industry, for example in the electronic industry or the solar cell industry. The processes applied in the production of semiconductor cells have chemical and physical components. In addition to chemical coating processes, etching and cleaning processes, physical methods are also used, such as physical coating and cleaning processes, ion implantation, crystallization or temperature processes, like diffusion, heating and melting for example. Other processes use both chemical and physical processes such as photolithography or chemical-mechanical planarization. In addition, a wide variety of measurement methods are used for characterization and process control. For the production of (micro-) electronic circuits, semiconductor technology processes are applied in a certain sequence on a substrate. The substrate is usually a slice of a semiconductor crystal (usually silicon), for example, a wafer which is less than one millimeter thin. Especially in the production of integrated circuits, the function of electronic components and assemblies is realized in a near-surface area, for example below 100 nm in depth. In that technical field, the material properties, especially the electrical properties of the wafer are specifically modified and textured.
Screen printing has long been used in the electronic industry for printing electrical component designs, such as electrical contacts or interconnects, on the surface of a substrate. State of the art semiconductor cells, in particular solar cells for fabrication processes also use screen printing processes. Due to technical progress, the structures formed on the substrates, or on the semiconductor cells get smaller and finer enhancing the performance capabilities of the cells. For example, the industry aims to increase the efficiency of a solar cell. Due to a high demand for powerful semiconductor cells, the production of semiconductor cells becomes more complex, wherein at the same time the cost pressure increases. For precise printing, a printer has to be maintained regularly, which mainly includes a cleaning of components of the printer. Regular cleaning of a printer leads to downtime, in particular to production stops of manufacturing systems for producing semiconductor cells. The downtime results in a lower utilization of production capacities and higher costs for semiconductor cells.
In view thereof, the present disclosure aims at providing an apparatus and a method for producing semiconductor cells with a printing device that overcome at least some of the problems mentioned above. The present disclosure particularly aims at providing an apparatus for producing semiconductors that have an improved cleaning process. Furthermore, the present disclosure particularly aims to provide an improved method for cleaning the printing device in a semiconductor cell apparatus.

Device and method for cleaning a printing device


A football blocking and tackling dummy adapted with an electrically actuated rotatable torso that provides resistance during blocking drills thereby improving the effectiveness of the drills is disclosed. The football blocking dummy includes a base, and a blocking dummy pivotally connected to the base. The blocking dummy has an upper torso portion rotatably connected to a lower body portion connected to the base. The upper torso portion includes left and right pressure pad sensors that function, upon application of a force, to actuate rotation of the upper torso in a direction opposing the applied force. As a result, the football blocking dummy provides resistance to a force applied thereto, thus simulating the forces and reactions experienced when one football player applies force to an opposing player.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to blocking and tackling dummies used during football practice to teach football skills to athletes. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic practice dummy adapted with an electrically actuated rotatable torso for providing resistance primarily during blocking drills.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of blocking and tackling dummies to teach athletes proper football techniques and skills during practice sessions is well known. Conventional blocking and tackling dummies comprise relatively simple structures adapted with padded areas. Practice dummies are typically placed in front of an oncoming athlete to provide a target structure for practicing blocking and tackling techniques. Conventional blocking and tackling dummies are typically static structures, and may sometimes be manipulated during use by the coaching staff. As a result, football blocking and tackling dummies known in the art are limited.
Since certain football skills, particularly blocking skills, are best taught by applying active resistance during drills, there exists a need for improvements in the art. More particularly, there exists a need for an improved football blocking and tackling dummy capable of automatically generating resistance and movement in directions opposite of forces applied by an athlete while practicing certain blocking techniques.


Local drive presence is provided for local and remote drives by maintaining a plurality of uninterrupted protocol connections between a plurality of I/O controllers and a plurality of device interfaces through which peripheral bus commands are transmitted. Preferably, the I/O controllers are each housed in a separate server blade and provide each blade with access to the local and remote drives. At each of the device interfaces, rather than attaching an actual storage device, peripheral bus commands received at the device interfaces are serialized and conditionally passed or suppressed to and from the shared drive which is shared amongst the plurality of uninterrupted protocol connections. Preferably, the plurality of uninterrupted protocol connections is maintained such that the shared drives can be simultaneously shared. In one embodiment, the local drives are provided in a media tray which is shared amongst a plurality blades.

This invention pertains to computer systems and other information handling systems and, more particularly, to a Blade Center comprising a plurality of server Blades in which local drives, typically removable media drives, can be shared while maintaining a full-time device connection between the individual server blades and a respective I/O device interface which serves as a conduit to the drives.
When computer system servers are provided in close proximity in order to increase the density of servers in a given volume of space, it is common to share lesser-used resources such as CD-ROM, floppy, keyboard, video, and mouse. Attempts have been made to share such resources by electrically switching a resource to the server needing the resource. This has been accomplished by using a switch or a multiplexer.
While such switching tends to not produce problems in relatively stateless interfaces such as analog video, Applicants have discovered that interfaces having states which depend on prior states can be disrupted by the untimely switching, whether in or out, of the interface connection. USB is one such interface which has been discovered to be problematic when attempting to share a removable media drive such as a CD-ROM.
USB is an I/O bus having an asymmetric design. A single host-side controller is able to act as a master and connects to multiple devices directly or to hubs to extend the total number of devices connected to a single host. When hubs are used to extend the bus, the hubs are connected in a tree-like structure. Hosts include at least one hub and up to 127 devices may be connected to a single host, but the count must include the hub devices as well, so the total useful number of connected devices is somewhat diminished.
The untimely switching of a USB device on a USB interface can cause state machine errors in the USB host controller, USB hub, or USB device interface. Even where the switching is electronically controlled such that these errors are shunned, operating system drivers containing higher level state machines can be equally confounded by the switch. For example, it is known that copying the contents of a folder from an untimely switched USB drive can result in a copy operation wherein only a portion of the files in the folder are actually copied over. Although a warning message is displayed, the user is left with a logistically difficult situation: the drive is no longer accessible and the names of the missing files are unknown.
Another problem inherent to the switched design is that a switched drive cannot be shared amongst the different servers. Accordingly, should a network administrator desire to install a new version of Linux on all of the servers that have access to the shared drive, the administrator must wait for the complete installation to complete in order to begin installation on the different server. This increases the cost of maintenance which is known to be a significant factor in the purchase of a product.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Shared simultaneously-connected removable drives and servers each housing an I/O controller which maintains an uninterrupted protocol connection

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention provides a multifocal ophthalmic lens that both corrects for the wearer's refractive prescription and takes into account pupil size of a specific individual or of a population of individuals. The invention provides a lens having an optic zone having a substantially circular central zone containing over-refracted near vision power and a diameter of about 2.5 mm or less.

As an individual ages, the eye is less able to accommodate, or bend the natural lens, to focus on objects that are relatively near to the observer. This condition is known as presbyopia. Similarly, for persons who have had their natural lens removed and an intraocular lens inserted as a replacement, the ability to accommodate is absent.
Among the methods used to correct for the eye's failure to accommodate are lenses that have more than one optical power. In particular, contact and intraocular lenses have been developed in which zones of distance, near, and intermediate power are provided.
Additionally, it is known that an individual's pupil size varies with age, luminance, and refractive prescription. For example, as luminance increases, pupil size decreases while, as a person ages, the pupil's response to changes in illumination diminishes. For individuals with presbyopia that is corrected with low add power, for example 1.50 diopters of add power or less, the pupil size will be larger than those requiring greater add power. The reason is that, in general, those requiring less add power are younger in age and have larger pupil sizes at a given luminance than does an older individual.
Conventional lenses typically do not account for pupil size and, thus, are less efficient in distributing light to the lens wearer in all viewing conditions. This results in suboptimal vision. Therefore, a need exists for a lens the design of which takes into account pupil size.

Pupil regulated multifocal contact lenses


The optical density of an oil sample at a plurality of wavelengths over a plurality of different (typically decreasing) pressures is monitored and used to find the size of agglomerated asphaltene particles which are precipitating from the oil sample. The optical density information used in finding the particle size is preferably optical density information relating to the scattering of light due to the asphaltene particles only. Thus, baseline optical density information of the oil sample at a high pressure is subtracted from optical density information obtained at test pressures at each wavelength of interest. Asphaltene particles of a radius of one micron and smaller were found to be powdery, while asphaltene particles of a radius of three microns and larger were found to include paving resins. The precipitation of asphaltenes is reversible by increasing the pressure under certain circumstances.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for determining, both uphole and downhole, the properties of oil. The invention more particularly relates to methods and apparatus for determining the precipitation onset pressure of certain asphaltenes. The invention has particular application to both oilfield exploration and production, although it is not limited thereto.
2. State of the Art
One of the problems encountered in crude oil production is asphaltene plugging of an oil well. Asphaltenes are components of crude oil that are often found in colloidal suspension in the formation fluid. If for any reason the colloidal suspension becomes unstable, the colloidal particles will precipitate, stick together and, especially in circumstances where the asphaltenes include resins, plug the well. Asphaltene precipitation during production causes severe problems. Plugging of tubing and surface facilities disrupts production and adds cost. Plugging of the formation itself is very difficult and expensive to reverse, especially for a deep water well.
Asphaltenes can precipitate from crude oils during production of the crude oil due to a drop in pressure. Crude oils which are somewhat compressible are particularly susceptible to this effect because the reduction in dielectric constant per unit volume which accompanies fluid expansion causes the asphaltene suspension to become unstable.
Asphaltenes are colloidally suspended in crude oils in micelles which are approximately 5 nm in diameter (See Asphaltenes, Fundamentals and Applications,xe2x80x9d E. Y. Sheu, O. C. Mullins, Eds., Plenum Pub. Co. New York, N.Y. 1995). With pressure reduction or addition of light hydrocarbons, the suspension can become unstable such that colloidal asphaltene particles stick together and flocculate or precipitate out of the solution.
The onset of asphaltene precipitation is difficult to predict, and when asphaltene plugging happens, it usually happens unexpectedly. Advance warning of asphaltene precipitation based on laboratory testing of formation fluid according to present techniques, while useful, is not optimally reliable.
Previously incorporated co-owned U.S. Ser. No. 09/395,141 to Mullins et al. discloses the use of the fluorescence-quenching properties of colloidally dispersed asphaltenes in determining the onset pressure of asphaltene precipitation. In particular, it was found that as asphaltenes precipitated out of the oil, the fluorescence of the oil increased. Thus, by changing the pressure on the oil sample, measuring the intensity of fluorescence at one or more wavelengths, and detecting a change either in intensity or in spectral shift of intensities across the spectrum of the fluorescence, the onset pressure of asphaltene precipitation could be found. It was also found that a downhole optical transmission measurement technique could be used to find the onset pressure, by finding a change in the total optical transmission of light through an optical cell.
While the methods of U.S. Ser. No. 09/395,141 are extremely useful, it has been determined by the inventors that the fluorescence-quenching technique is not as robust as might be desired, because only a small percentage of the asphaltenes present in the oil precipitate out of the oil at the onset pressure. Likewise, the optical transmission measurement technique is not as robust as might be desired because the change in total light transmission due to asphaltene precipitation is not specific. In addition, while the methods of U.S. Ser. No. 09/395,141 are useful in finding the asphaltene precipitation onset pressure, it appears that asphaltene precipitation does not in all cases lead to asphaltene plugging.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide methods and apparatus for determining the precipitation onset pressure of sticky asphaltenes.
It is another object of the invention to provide robust methods for finding the precipitation onset pressure for asphaltenes of different particle sizes.
It is a further object of the invention to provide both uphole (laboratory) and downhole (borehole/wellbore) methods for finding the onset pressure of resin-containing asphaltenes which utilize optical measurements.
In accord with the objects of the invention which will be discussed in more detail below, the preferred embodiment of the method invention generally includes monitoring the optical density of an oil sample at a plurality of wavelengths over a plurality of different (typically decreasing) pressures, and using the optical density information to find the size of agglomerated asphaltene particles which are precipitating from the oil sample. Preferably, the optical density information used in finding the particle size is optical density information relating to the scattering of light due to the asphaltene particles only. Thus, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, baseline optical density information of the oil sample at a high pressure is subtracted from optical density information obtained at test pressures at each wavelength of interest.
In accord with the invention, asphaltene precipitates having a diameter of approximately one micron or smaller are thought to be deficient in resins and are therefore unlikely to cause well-plugging problems. Thus, for purposes of determining precipitation onset pressures, the asphaltene particle size of interest is approximately one micron and larger. It is noted that since asphaltenes are insoluble in crude oil, it is resins which permit the asphaltenes to be suspended in the oil. Asphaltenes which have less resin attached to them are less stable, and are more likely to precipitate with smaller agglomeration sizes. Asphaltenes with more resins attached to them will tend to agglomerate to larger sizes during precipitation.
According to another aspect of the invention, additional optical density measurements are made as the pressure is increased on the sample which has already undergone precipitation, as it has been found that asphaltenes which do not have resins removed from them will reversibly re-suspend in the crude oil under certain circumstances. By making measurements in both decreasing and increasing pressure situations, and comparing the two, other optical scattering effects can be removed from the measurements, as only optical scattering from asphaltenes will follow the pressure cycling.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a determination of the size of the asphaltene precipitates is found by using the Stokes equation which relates the particle size to the particle velocity, the viscosity of the oil, and the densities of the particles and oil. It has been found that the optical density of a precipitating sample at a given pressure will decrease over time, as the asphaltenes precipitate out. The velocity of the particles may therefore be measured by tracking a decline in the optical density of a precipitating sample over a period of time; e.g., by knowing the sample cell height, and by finding the amount of time it takes for the optical density to decline to some percentage (e.g., 1/e) of the difference between a maximum optical density and a baseline measurement.
All methods of the invention may be carried out both uphole and downhole, and if downhole, using a borehole tool or using permanently located optical cells. The Stokes equation measurement for finding the particle size, however, is most suited to uphole measurement.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures.

Methods and apparatus for determining precipitation onset pressure of asphaltenes


A switch circuit of a converter includes three switch units. A first switch unit includes a first switch device, a second switch device, a third switch device, and a fourth switch device that are connected in series. A second switch unit includes a fifth switch device and a sixth switch device that are connected in series. A third switch unit includes a seventh switch device and an eighth switch device that are connected in series. When the first switch device and the fifth switch device are switched on, the seventh switch is controlled to be switched on. When the fourth switch device and the sixth switch device are switched on, the eighth switch device is controlled to be switched on, thereby effectively reducing a conduction loss of the converter.

A converter is a device used for conversion between a direct current voltage and an alternating current voltage. Referring to FIG. 1, a converter 2 mainly includes a switch circuit 21 and a filter 22. The switch circuit 21 is constituted by semiconductor switch devices, and is configured to convert a direct current voltage provided by a direct current system 1 into a pulse signal. The filter 22 is configured to convert the pulse signal into a sinusoidal alternating current signal whose frequency is a power frequency, and output the sinusoidal alternating current signal to an alternating current system 3. The power frequency is a frequency of an alternating current power supply used in industry, and is usually 50 hertz (Hz) or 60 Hz.
In a related technology, a commonly used converter is usually shown in FIG. 2. A direct current voltage source 11 in the direct current system connected to the converter 2 usually includes two voltage sources that are connected in series. The two voltage sources are respectively configured to provide a positive level of +Vin/2 and a negative level of −Vin/2. A connection point M between the two voltage sources may provide a zero level. The switch circuit 21 of the converter 2 includes four insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) T1, T2, T3, and T4 that are connected in series, and two diodes D5 and D6 that are connected in series. Each of the four IGBTs is anti-parallel to a diode (in FIG. 2, four diodes respectively anti-parallel to the four IGBTs one by one are D1 to D4). Two ends of the four IGBTs that are connected in series are respectively connected to a positive output end P and a negative output end N of the direct current voltage source, a connection point O between the IGBT T2 and the IGBT T3 is connected to an input end of the filter 22, a connection point between the IGBTs T1 and T2 is connected to a cathode of the diode D5, a connection point between the IGBT T3 and the IGBT T4 is connected to an anode of the diode D6, and a connection point between the diodes D5 and D6 is connected to the connection point M. A frequency (namely a switching frequency) at which each IGBT is switched on and switched off in a working process is usually hundreds to thousands of times the power frequency, that is, usually a high frequency. When T1 and T2 are switched on, the connection point O is connected to the positive output end P of the direct current voltage source, and the switch circuit outputs a positive level of ±Vin/2 to the filter 022. When T3 and T4 are switched on, the connection point O is connected to the negative output end N of the direct current voltage source, and the switch circuit outputs a negative level of −Vin/2 to the filter 22. When D5 and T2 are switched on or T3 and D6 are switched on, the connection point O is connected to the connection point M, and the switch circuit outputs a zero level to the filter 22.
In the converter in the related technology, when T1 and T2 are switched on or T3 and T4 are switched on, a switch-on voltage drop between the output end of the direct current voltage source and the connection point O is a sum of voltage drops of two IGBTs, and the switch-on voltage drop is relatively large. Consequently, a conduction loss of the converter is relatively large.

Converter and method for driving converter


A process for the disproportionation and transalkylation of toluene and the heavy aromatics comprises: subjecting a first stream of toluene, and a stream enriched in aromatics of nine carbon atoms to toluene disproportionation and transalkylation reactions in the presence of hydrogen in a first reaction zone to produce a first product mixture comprising benzene, aromatics of eight carbon atoms and heavy aromatics of ten and more carbon atoms; subjecting a second stream of toluene, and a stream enriched in heavy aromatics of ten and more carbon atoms to transalkylation reaction in the presence of hydrogen in a second reaction zone to produce a second product mixture comprising benzene, aromatics of eight carbon atoms and aromatics of nine carbon atoms; and isolating and recovering benzene and aromatics of eight carbon atoms from the first and second product mixtures.

Processes for the disproportionation and transalkylation of toluene and heavy aromatics are important ways to produce aromatics of eight carbon atoms (referred to as C8A hereinafter). Up to date, as the typical and well-established process for this purpose, Tatoray process was developed in the late 1960s, MTDP process in the late 1980s, TransPlus and S-TDT processes recently.
In Tatoray process, toluene and aromatics of nine carbon atoms (referred to as C9A hereinafter) are used as the feed materials, with the level of heavy aromatics of ten and more carbon atoms (referred to as C10+ hereinafter) strictly controlled in the feedstock. In order to improve economic benefit and lower energy and material consumption, continued effort has been made to improve the Tatoray process, with focus on the catalyst. As a result, the overall performances of the catalyst, including space velocity, operation cycle, etc are improved. Meanwhile, the latitude in selecting the aromatics feedstock is also improved; for example, the aromatics feedstock with increased average molecular weight can be employed. The feedstock containing increased level of heavy aromatics facilitates the formation of C8A; however, it necessitates an increased reaction temperature to achieve a certain conversion thereof. In that case, the yield of hydrocarbons of five and less carbon atoms (referred to as C5− hereinafter) increases and the yield of the product of interest decreases correspondingly. In addition, owing to high activity of the employed catalyst, hydrodealkylation side reaction of aromatics is also accelerated, and the benzene (referred to as Ben hereinafter) yield increases. Accordingly, the C8A yield and C8A/Ben ratio of the product decrease, adversely affecting the overall economic benefit of the combined aromatics plant. In a combined aromatics plant, a unit of the disproportionation and transalkylation is indispensable for it produces C8A. In view of this, an increased Ben or a decreased C8A yield obviously has a negative impact on the overall economic benefit of the combined aromatics plant. Besides, the increased level of heavy aromatics in the feedstock exacerbates coking on the catalyst, and shortens the operation cycle of this unit. In practice, the unit of the disproportionation and transalkylation cannot consume all the heavy aromatics produced in the combined aromatics plant. It follows that a large amount of heavy aromatics is not utilized in and inevitably discharged from the plant.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,914 disclosed a process of the disproportionation and transalkylation as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 stands for xylene column I; 2 for heavy aromatics column; 3 for reaction zone; 4 for benzene column; 5 for toluene column; 6 for xylene column 11; 7 for C9A stream; 8 for C8+A feed stream; 9 and 10 for toluene; 11 for benzene; 12 and 13 for C8A; 17 and 19 for streams enriched in C10+; and 18 for stream enriched in C9A. In this process, a portion of the resulting aromatics of ten carbon atoms (referred to as C10A hereinafter) is recycled to reaction zone along with the recycled C9A (stream 18), so as to inhibit production of C10+. The C10+ originally present in the C8+A feed material, however, cannot be utilized; meanwhile, a portion of C9A originally present in the C8+A feed material is discharged along with C10+ out of the plant from the bottom of heavy aromatics column (stream 19). On account of the nature of the employed catalyst, the latitude in selecting the feed materials is limited: it is required that the indan level in C9A stream (stream 7) be lower than 1 wt %.
Chinese Patent No. 98110859.8 disclosed a process of the disproportionation and transalkylation as shown in FIG. 2. In this figure, the reference numeral 1 stands for xylene column I; 2 for heavy aromatics column; 3 for reaction zone; 4 for benzene column; 5 for toluene column; 6 for xylene column II; 7 for o-xylene column; 8 for C8+A raw material; 12 and 13 for C8A; 9 for toluene; 14 for stream enriched in C9A; 15 for the heavy hydrocarbons of eleven and more carbon atoms (referred to as C11+ hydrocarbons hereinafter); 16 for recycled toluene; 17 for benzene; 19 for o-xylene; and 20 for C9+A with or without o-xylene. This process is free from many of the disadvantages of the prior art in that it allows use of raw materials containing increased level of indane and C10A, and achieves increased conversion of C10+ heavy aromatics. The process, however, suffers such disadvantages as shortened catalyst service life, leading to a mismatch with the operation life of the plant, which is becoming longer and longer. In addition, the process achieves little in improving C8A yield.
To date, the prior art has been seeking to improve the existing processes for the disproportionation and transalkylation of toluene and heavy aromatics by modifying the catalyst in terms of one or more aspects or by altering the technical measures to isolate the reaction products. For example, attempt has been made to enhance the transalkylation capability of the catalyst with respect to heavy aromatics. It fails, however, to achieve a balanced results of ample latitude in selecting feed material of high level of heavy aromatics, high yield of C8A and low yield of light hydrocarbons.
The prior art exerts rigid control over the amount of C10+ hydrocarbons in the raw materials to increase the operation life of the catalyst. At present, however, it is possible for the raw material to include some C10+ hydrocarbons as a result of progress in catalyst technology. The raw material containing an amount of C10+ hydrocarbons increases yield of the product of interest under the conditions of increased conversion and higher space velocity. All the same, most of C10+ hydrocarbons still cannot be fully utilized.
Moreover, the patents mentioned above all focus on processing aromatic raw materials without regard for the role of the unit of the disproportionation and transalkylation, which produces C8A in a combined aromatics plant. In other words, the above patents fail to pay sufficient attention to the economic benefit of the reaction products, represented by the ratio of C8A/Ben of the products. Increased C8A yield will immediately raise the pX yield of the combined aromatics plant and better economic benefits will be achieved.
Thus, in the field of the disproportionation and transalkylation of toluene and heavy aromatics, there exists a need for a new process which is free from the disadvantages of the prior art, i.e. low utilization of heavy aromatics in a combined aromatic plant, a limited C8A yield and a rigid control over the selection of the raw materials. By employing such a process, ample latitude in selecting materials, a decreased formation of light hydrocarbons, full utilization of heavy aromatics and increased C8A yield are achieved.

Process for the disproportionation and transalkylation of toluene and heavy aromatics

Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology Sinopec


A user authentication system and method using a password. A method for performing an operation mode associated with a password in the system having a password setup function, includes the steps of setting up a general password for normal user authentication and an emergency password needed for an emergency operation mode, and storing them in a memory; and upon receiving a password from a user, performing the normal user authentication when the user-entry password matches the general password, and performing the emergency operation mode when the user-entry password matches the emergency password.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a user authentication system and method, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for establishing user authentication using a password.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional user authentication scheme can be established by using a password, by allowing a user to enter his or her prescribed numeric or character information. In this case, the user authentication scheme normally operates on the condition that the input password of the user is equal to or matches the predetermined password. However, the user authentication scheme using passwords has a disadvantage in that it may allow a fraudulent user who recognizes a password of a target system, instead of a correct user, to fraudulently receive a user authentication message.
The aforementioned user authentication system has been widely used for a variety of applications, for example, credit cards, cash cards, mobile phones, computers, etc. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a user authentication system for credit cards. Referring to FIG. 1, a card reader 10 reads a credit card of a user, and transmits the read card information and the user-entry card password information to a card certification authority 20. The card certification authority 20 determines if the card having the read information is effective or ineffective, and determines if the card password matches to a predetermined card password. If it is determined that the card password matches to the predetermined card password, the card certification authority 20 transmits the result to the card reader 10 in such a way that the user authentication is established.
Another user authentication operation when the card reader 10 is in a cash dispenser will hereinafter be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a conventional user authentication process upon receiving a password from a user. Referring to FIG. 2, if a user inserts his or her cash card into the card reader 10 to withdraw his or her savings from the bank, the card reader 10 recognizes the inserted cash card, and commands the user to enter his or her password in order to determine if a current user is a correct user. The user enters his or her password according to the password input request at step 200. The card reader commands the card certification authority 20 to determine if the input password matches a predetermined user password at step 204. Upon receiving the user authentication result from the card certification authority 20 that the input password matches the predetermined user password, the card reader 10 performs a user-desired operation according to the user authentication result at step 206. Otherwise, if the user-entry password does not match the predetermined user password, the card reader commands the user to re-enter his or her password a predetermined number of times at step 208 and 210. If the number of password re-entry times is higher than the predetermined number of times, the card reader 10 terminates its operation. In more detail, although another user instead of a correct user fraudulently recognizes a card password of the correct user, the conventional user authentication system unavoidably enables the fraudulent user to receive a desired user authentication message so that the fraudulent user can receive his or her desired service from a service provider such as a bank. However, the conventional user authentication system has not taken into consideration the risk of fraudulent misuse of the card. For example, if a thief robs the user of a credit or cash card and the user unavoidably tells the thief his or her card password, the thief may rob the user of his or her private property.
In conclusion, the conventional user authentication system has been designed to unconditionally establish user authentication when receiving a predetermined password from a user or a third-party user who recognizes the user's card password, such that it allows even the third-party user to receive a desired service from a service provider, resulting in the risk of fraudulent misuse of the card due to authentication of the wrong user.

User authentication system and method for controlling the same


A method and apparatus for automatic line width adjustment for engraving characters on a piece of sign material utilizes two cutters sliding by each other in face-to-face opposing relationship. Line width is controlled by controlling the spacing between a pair of cutter tips. The two cutters are moved over a portion of a sign blank while being rotated with the selected spacing between the cutter tips to effect a selected cutting width. The cutters are held in holders and are replaceable when worn out. An internal ratchet-and-pawl mechanism provides fifteen different cutter line widths. The cutter head is moved into engagement with an external pawl mechanism to operate the internal ratchet-and-pawl mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is machines for cutting metal or plastic, and more particularly sign engraving machines for engraving lines of limited depth on a sign blank to form text characters and other sign graphics.
2. Description of the Background Art
It is typical in machines for cutting metal and plastic to have some type of replaceable cutters. Cutting bits are replaced when they wear out. Cutting bits are also replaced to adjust the size or type of cut.
Cutting bits have been secured in chuck heads, which are opened to release the bits, and which are closed to secure the bits. Cutting bits have also been held in place with fasteners. The use of fasteners requires the use of tools for replacing or changing cutters with a new set.
The present invention was made in response to a need to provide quick, easy and powered adjustments in engraveable line width in a sign engraving machine. The present invention was also directed to providing a number of different sizes of text on a sign.

Method and apparatus for adjusting line width in a sign engraving machine


A method includes forming on a first main surface of a semiconductor wafer of a first conduction type, a gate electrode of a semiconductor element, an edge termination region for forming a breakdown voltage of the semiconductor element, and a first semiconductor region of a second conduction type which surrounds the semiconductor element and the edge termination region. A groove may be formed to reach the first semiconductor region from a second main surface of the semiconductor wafer. The groove is formed so that a portion of the semiconductor wafer, that forms an outer circumferential end of the semiconductor wafer, remains and the groove is further towards a center of the semiconductor wafer than the outer circumferential end. A third semiconductor region of the second conduction type is on a side wall of the groove and electrically connects the first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region.

An insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) which is one of power semiconductor elements is a one-chip power element having the high-speed switching characteristics and voltage driving characteristics of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) and the low on-voltage characteristics of a bipolar transistor. The IGBT can be applied to an industrial field including general-purpose inverters, AC servo mechanisms, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), or switching power supplies and a consumer equipment field including microwave ovens, rice cookers, or strobes.
In addition, a study has been made on a technique in which a bidirectional switching element is used as a matrix converter, such as a direct link conversion circuit, in order to perform AC (alternating current)/AC conversion to reduce the size, weight, and costs of a circuit and to increase the efficiency and response of the circuit. An IGBT with a reverse breakdown voltage (hereinafter, referred to as a reverse blocking IGBT) is needed in order to form the bidirectional switching element using the reverse parallel connection of the IGBTs with a reverse breakdown voltage. The structure of the reverse blocking IGBT will be described.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main portion of the structure of the reverse blocking IGBT. FIG. 11 illustrates the cross-sectional structure of a reverse blocking IGBT 100 in the vicinity of an edge termination region 110. The reverse blocking IGBT 100 includes an active region (not illustrated), an edge termination region 110 for holding a breakdown voltage, and a separation structure portion 120 for holding a reverse breakdown voltage. The edge termination region 110 surrounds the active region and the separation structure portion 120 surrounds the edge termination region 110. In the active region, an emitter electrode (not illustrated) or a MOS gate structure of the IGBT is formed on a first main surface (front surface) of a semiconductor substrate 101 which will be an n-type drift region.
In the edge termination region 110, a p-type field limiting ring 111 and a p-type channel stopper 112 are formed in a surface layer of the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate 101. The p-type channel stopper 112 is formed on the element end side of the edge termination region 110. Conductive films 113 are connected respectively to the p-type field limiting ring 111 and the p-type channel stopper 112. The conductive films 113 are insulated from each other by an interlayer insulating film 114.
A p-type collector layer 102 is formed in a surface layer of the second main surface (rear surface) of the semiconductor substrate 101 so as to extend from the active region to the edge termination region 110. Then, the p-type collector layer 102 which is provided in the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate 101 and the p-type channel stopper 112 which is provided in the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate 101 need to be connected to each other in order to hold the reverse breakdown voltage of the reverse blocking IGBT 100. Therefore, a p-type separation region 121 which comes into contact with the p-type collector layer 102 and the p-type channel stopper 112 is formed in the separation structure portion 120 which is provided at the end of the element of the semiconductor substrate 101.
The p-type separation region 121 can be formed as a diffusion layer with a depth equal to the thickness of the semiconductor substrate 101 by, for example, deep diffusion from the first main surface to the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate 101. When the diffusion layer, which is the p-type separation region 121, is formed in this way, it is necessary to form the diffusion layer at a depth corresponding to the thickness of an n-type drift region for each breakdown voltage. Specifically, the depth of the diffusion layer, which is the p-type separation region 121, needs to be equal to or more than 120 μm in a reverse blocking IGBT with a breakdown voltage of 600 V and needs to be equal to or more than 200 μm in a reverse blocking IGBT with a breakdown voltage of 1200 V. Therefore, it is necessary to perform a heat treatment at a temperature of 1300° C. for 100 hours or more in order to form the diffusion layer at a depth of 120 μm or more, which is impractical.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the reverse blocking IGBT 100 has been known in which the p-type collector layer 102 and the p-type channel stopper 112 are connected to each other by the p-type separation region 121 which is formed with a thickness less than that of the semiconductor substrate 101 at a depth which reaches a groove 130 that is formed from the first main surface to the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate 101 and a p-type layer 131 which is formed in the side wall of the groove 130. As such, when the p-type layer 131 is formed in the side wall of the groove 130, the reverse blocking IGBT 100 can have the same reverse breakdown voltage as a reverse blocking IGBT including a deep diffusion layer which extends from the first main surface to the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate 101.
Specifically, for example, the reverse blocking IGBT 100 is manufactured (produced) as follows. First, the p-type separation region 121 is formed at a predetermined depth from the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate 101 so as not to reach the second main surface. Then, a front surface element structure including, for example, a MOS gate structure or an emitter electrode and a front surface element structure of the edge termination region 110 are formed on the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate 101. The p-type channel stopper 112 which is formed as the front surface element structure of the edge termination region 110 is formed so as to come into contact with the p-type separation region 121.
Then, the groove 130 is formed so as to reach the p-type separation region 121 from the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate 101. The groove 130 is formed so as to surround the edge termination region 110. Then, the p-type collector layer 102 is formed in the surface layer of the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate 101 and the p-type layer 131 is formed in the surface layer of the side wall of the groove 130 so as to come into contact with the p-type collector layer 102 and the p-type separation region 121. Then, a collector electrode (not illustrated) is formed so as to come into contact with the p-type collector layer 102 and the p-type layer 131.
The reverse blocking IGBT 100 is formed in each element formation region of a wafer. The groove 130 is formed on a dicing line which surrounds the element formation region of the wafer. Then, the wafer is diced along the groove 130 by a dicing blade with a width less than that of the bottom of the groove 130 in the lateral direction. A plurality of reverse blocking IGBTs 100 formed on the wafer are cut into chips. In this way, the reverse blocking IGBT 100 is completed.
As a method for manufacturing the reverse blocking IGBT, the following method has been proposed. A positive bevel structure is formed outside a planar edge termination region of the IGBT. A forward breakdown voltage is output by the planar edge termination region and a reverse breakdown voltage is output by the positive bevel structure. A p region is formed in a bevel surface (the end surface of a semiconductor substrate). In this way, a semiconductor device with a reverse breakdown voltage is obtained (for example, see the following Patent Literature 1).
Next, the arrangement of the grooves 130 in the wafer having the reverse blocking IGBT 100 formed thereon will be described. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the state of a wafer while a semiconductor device according to the related art is being manufactured. The upper side of FIG. 12 shows the planar layout of the grooves 130 formed in a second main surface of a wafer 200 and the planar layout is represented by a dotted line. The central and lower sides of FIG. 12 show the cross-sectional structure of the wafer 200 taken along the line AA-AA′ and the line BB-BB′, respectively. The cross section taken along the line AA-AA′ is a cross-sectional structure in which the grooves 130 are cut in the lateral direction such that a plurality of element formation regions 201 are traversed. The cross section taken along the line BB-BB′ is a cross-sectional structure in which the groove 130 is cut in the longitudinal direction.
As illustrated in FIG. 12, the reverse blocking IGBT (not illustrated) is formed in each element formation region 201 of the wafer 200 and the grooves 130 are formed in a lattice in the second main surface of the wafer 200. The groove 130 is formed so as to reach the outer circumferential end (side surface) 202 of the wafer 200. Specifically, in the cross section of the wafer 200 taken along the line AA-AA′, the grooves 130 are formed in the second main surface of the wafer 200 at regular intervals and are not formed at the outer circumferential ends 202-1a and 202-2a of the second main surface of the wafer 200.
On the other hand, in the cross section of the wafer 200 taken along the line BB-BB′, the groove 130 is formed so as to extend from the outer circumferential end 202-1b to the other outer circumferential end 202-2b of the second main surface of the wafer 200 and penetrates the wafer 200 in the lateral direction (a direction perpendicular to the depth direction of the element). Therefore, in the cross section of the wafer 200 taken along the line BB-BB′, the wafer 200 is uniformly thin.
As a method for manufacturing an element structure on a wafer, a method has been proposed which includes a step of applying a photoresist onto a semiconductor substrate on which an insulating film serving as an etching mask is deposited in a lithography process for defining an element region and a step of exposing an effective chip, exposing a circumferential portion of the wafer other than the effective chip as a dummy using the same reticle as that used for the effective chip, developing the exposed portions, performing a minimum number of exposure operations at which an etched area is equal to or more than 60% of the entire wafer to obtain an etched region (for example, see the following Patent Literature 2).
As another method, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device has been proposed which processes a semiconductor wafer including a product chip region which is disposed in an effective processing region of a semiconductor wafer and in which a product chip forming the semiconductor integrated circuit device is formed and a pseudo-chip region which is disposed in an outer circumferential portion of the semiconductor wafer and in which an incomplete chip that does not become the product chip is formed. The manufacturing method includes a first step of forming a concave portion in which a conductive element forming member forming a semiconductor integrated circuit element is formed in an insulating film of the product chip region and forming a pseudo-concave portion with dimensions that are equal to or more than two times the pattern dimensions of the concave portion and are equal to or less than 1 mm in an insulating film of the peripheral chip region and a second step of depositing a conductive film on the surface of the insulating film including the inner surfaces of the concave portion and the pseudo-concave portion in the entire surface of the semiconductor wafer and polishing the surface of the conductive film using a CMP method to remove the conductive film on the surface of the insulating film, thereby forming a conductive element forming member on the inner surface of the concave portion and the inner surface of the pseudo-concave portion (for example, see the following Patent Literature 3).
As a method for forming the grooves in the wafer, a method has been proposed which partially forms a resist pattern in an ineffective pattern region of a circumferential portion of the water when a wiring pattern is formed using the resist pattern as a mask (for example, see the following Patent Literature 4).

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device


The compactor includes a frame which carries a soil-compacting plate and a drive mechanism, such as a gasoline engine, is mounted on the frame and has a rotatable drive shaft. A pair of eccentrically weighted shafts are mounted for rotation on the frame and the weights are in the same phase relation on the shafts. A belt drive connects the drive shaft to at least one of the eccentric shafts, and a timing belt is connected between the eccentric shafts, so that both eccentric shafts rotate in the same direction to vibrate the compactor plate and affect travel of the compactor over the terrain.

A conventional walk-behind soil compactor includes a frame that carries a generally horizontal compaction plate which is adapted to engage and compact soil or other material. To provide vibratory compacting action, one or more eccentric shafts are journaled for rotation on the frame, and a power source, such as a gasoline engine, is mounted on the frame and the drive shaft of the engine is operably connected to the eccentric shafts to rotate the shafts and provide the vibratory motion.
A walk-behind soil compactor can either be unidirectional, in which the compactor will move only in a single direction over the terrain, or it can be bidirectional or reversible. A typical unidirectional compactor includes a single eccentric shaft, which is normally mounted at the front of the compactor plate, while the engine is mounted adjacent the rear of the plate. With this construction, the rear of the plate, which carries the engine, tends to drag on the ground or terrain, which slows down the travel of the compactor. Moreover, due to the fact that the eccentric shaft is located adjacent the front of the plate, a greater vibrational output occurs at the front of the plate than at the rear, so that the vibratory output is not uniform across the surface area of the compactor plate.
In an attempt to remedy these problems, it has been proposed to mount the eccentric shaft of the unidirectional compactor centrally between the forward and rear ends of the compactor plate. While this construction provides a more uniform vibrational output over the surface area of the compactor plate, it results in a higher profile for the compactor and reduces the speed of travel over the ground.
With a conventional reversible soil compactor, a pair of parallel eccentric shafts are mounted for rotation on the frame, and the drive shaft of the engine is connected to the eccentric shafts through a gear train which is arranged so that the eccentric shafts rotate simultaneously and in opposite directions. To provide forward and rear movement for the compactor, the phase relationship of the weights on the eccentric shafts is changed by a shifting mechanism. The shifting mechanism is very complex, and as it is directly associated with the eccentric shafts, the shifting mechanism is subjected to intense vibration, and therefore has a relatively short service life.
As a further problem, the eccentric shafts are continuously rotating in opposite directions, so that torque generated by one shaft will oppose the torque generated by the second eccentric shaft. Because of this and the weight resulting from the complex shifting mechanism, the speed of travel of the compactor is substantially reduced over a similarly powered unidirectional compactor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,225, is directed to an improved reversible walk-behind vibratory soil compactor in which a reversible clutch is associated with the drive shaft of the engine and selectively connects each eccentric shaft via a drive belt to the drive shaft. The drive belts are arranged so that the eccentric shafts are rotated in opposite directions, but not simultaneously.
Through use of a manual shifting mechanism, the reversible clutch can be shifted between a neutral position, a first engaged position where one of the belts connects the drive shaft to a first of eccentric shafts to rotate that shaft and cause movement of the compactor in a first direction, and a second engaged position, where the other drive belt is connected to the second eccentric shaft to rotate that shaft and cause movement of the compactor in the opposite or reverse direction.
With the construction as described in the aforementioned patent application, only one drive belt is engaged in any instant, so that the torque generated by one eccentric shaft does not oppose or fight the torque generated by the second eccentric shaft, thus enabling the speed of travel to be substantially increased with the same power input.

Drive mechanism for a vibratory compactor


Self-adaptive hydraulic variable valve timing system for an internal combustion diesel engine, comprising an electronic control unit, an oil pump, a pressure regulating reversing valve, an oil return tube, an oil line, an oil supply main tube, an oil supply branch tube, and a self-adaptive pushrod length changing assembly. When the engine's oil exceeds 70° C., and engine's rotational speed is greater than or equal to 1300 r/m, and engine's load is greater than or equal to 50%, the control unit is configured to send instructions to the pressure regulating reversing valve to switch oil flow direction towards the oil line which leads to the self-adaptive pushrod length changing assembly and thereby put the engine in an operating mode.

Traditional four-stroke piston engines generally adopt a valve actuating mechanism of actuating the intake valve and the exhaust valve by a mechanical camshaft. The valve movement controls timing by mechanical drive between a crankshaft and a camshaft, and the camshaft and each valve. Such a mechanism has proved to be simple, effective and reliable for quite a long time, and the cost thereof is relatively low. However, parameters, such as the opening duration and phase, of such a valve mechanism are constant and cannot be regulated during operation of the engine, timing cannot be changed in different operational states, and thus the potential of the engine performance cannot be brought into full play. The timing of valve opening and closing as well as the lift need regulation in the combustion process of the advanced modern internal combustion engines, and the VVT (variable valve timing) system based on mechanical and electrohydraulic control widely used for gasoline engines is the most typical prototype. However, for diesel engines, in particular, heavy-duty diesel engines, valve regulation mechanisms applicable in practice are rarely reported due to the complexity in structure and the intensity of force exerted on the regulation devices. Since the 1980s, energy and environmental issues have become increasingly prominent, and the society's demands on issues of fuel economy and noxious emissions are becoming increasingly intense, and more attention has been drawn to the issues as how to improve engine performance and thermal efficiency, and how to reduce noxious emissions. Development of a variable valve timing mechanism has become the key technology in the development of modern diesel engines.
The timing phase and duration has a direct impact on the engine's intake and exhaust performance, and they are of crucial importance for the quality of the combustion process. Issues such as fuel economy, low speed stationarity and exhaust emission under high speed power, low speed torque, idling speed fuel consumption and partial loading of the engine should be taken into consideration to select timing phase and duration. In order to achieve a sound engine performance, the timing phase should vary with rotational speed and load. The engine requires a relatively big valve overlapping angle and a later intake valve closing angle at high speed and under a heavy load so as to achieve a relatively high power output. Conversely, it requires an earlier intake valve closing angle and a relatively small valve overlapping angle at idling speed and low speed under a light load so as to achieve a good idling speed stationarity and exhaust emission performance.
Thanks to engineers' effort to reduce noxious emissions of the engine and improve the engine's operation efficiency, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and post-processing techniques have been developed. However, the decrease in the engine's noxious emissions has resulted in a drop of engine efficiency, while the adoption of a high boost pressure may result in an engine maximum explosion pressure that is too high. Variable valve timing can realize Miller cycle by changing the timing of valve opening and closing, and under certain operation conditions of the engine, some of the air that has already entered the cylinder may reenter the intake manifold by delaying the closing time of the intake valve and a certain air pressure is maintained under the effect of turbocharging, by which the engine's air intake efficiency can be greatly enhanced and the suction loss of the pump will be reduced. This leads to a decrease in actual compression ratio and an expansion ratio greater than the compression ratio, which improves efficiency and reduces the maximum explosion pressure of engine operation.
Compared to fixed valve timing, variable valve timing is able to provide variable valve opening and closing timing or lift at different rotational speed and load within different engine operation ranges so as to improve the engine's air intake and exhaust performance, and better meet the demands of engine's dynamic properties, economy and exhaust emissions at high and low speed and under great and small load, which can improve the engine's overall performance. In order to further improve the engine's dynamic properties and reduce noxious emissions, the combustion process thereof should usually be rearranged, and in the process of the rearranged combustion process, the quantities of air intake and exhaust and the phase of valve opening and closing should be regulated timely to achieve optimal combustion process and realize higher efficiency and cleaner combustion. The development of high technology nowadays has taken energy conservation, efficiency enhancement and low emissions of automobile engine as an integrated task of "energy conservation-high efficiency-environmental protection" for comprehensive research and technical development. The limitations of fixed valve timing cannot meet the ever-changing requirements of the present time, thereby making variable valve timing one of the focuses for the automobile engine research.
Due to the advantages of variable valve timing, it has drawn more and more attention. Overseas research institutes have conducted a great deal of research on it, and various variable valve actuating mechanisms have been invented. While some of the systems have realized the function of variable valve parameters, only a few mechanisms can be practiced with simple structures and low cost. The majority of variable valve actuating mechanisms are still at experimental stage due to cost and reliability issues. The main operation mode of the variable valve actuating mechanisms in the existing products is changing the phase of the camshaft, where significant changes have to be made to the original engines, and it is often seen in low power gasoline engines. There are two types of air intake and exhaust camshafts for high power diesel engines, i.e. "overhead camshaft" and "side/bottom-mounted camshaft". Since "side/bottom-mounted camshaft" makes the engine's structure simple and manufacturing cost low, it is currently widely used. However, its intake and exhaust valves are usually actuated by the same camshaft, which makes it difficult to adjust the intake and exhaust valves separately. As a result, a variable valve technology for high power diesel engines is yet to be developed.

Self-adaptive hydraulic variable valve timing system for diesel engine and control method


The objects of the present invention are to achieve high quality recording having no stripes between main-scannings at a low cost, a low running cost, miniaturization of the apparatus and low power consumption and shorten printing time. In order to achieve the object described above, the thermal recording apparatus is equipped with a recording head in which p pieces of recording elements for recording dots on the recorded medium are disposed at an interval of k dots in a sub-scanning direction, a first drive means for driving the recording head described above in a main-scanning direction, a second drive means for driving the recording head by a distance of p dots every sub-scanning in a sub-scanning direction, a third drive means for driving a recording medium disposed so that it contacts the recorded medium described above, and a control means for controlling the first, second and third drive means and outputting image data to be recorded on the preceding recorded medium to the recording head described above.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal recording apparatus in which an ink of a melt type or a sublimation type provided on a recording medium is recorded on a recorded medium by heat, and specifically to a thermal recording apparatus using a serial head capable of being applied to a printer, a facsimile and a copying machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various recording apparatuses for obtaining images such as characters and natural pictures are available. A thermal recording apparatus in which an ink provided on an ink sheet ("recording medium") is recorded on a recording paper ("recorded medium") by heat by means of a recording head such as a thermal head is widely applied to various recording apparatuses. Such a thermal recording device has a simple mechanism, exhibits reliability, and is easy to maintain. For example, when a melt type or sublimation type ink sheet is used, recording is carried out by a pigment or dye ink by virtue of energy given to plural recording elements (thermal resistors) constituting a thermal head. A heating amount (heating energy) given to the heating elements described above is controlled by a number of electric pulses, a duration of such pulses and an applied voltage.
The constitution of such thermal recording apparatus is shown in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-117774. FIG. 17 is a schematic drawing for explaining this thermal recording apparatus, wherein 1 represents a recording head; 20 represents a platen roller; 3 represents a carriage for moving the recording head 1; 4 represents a guide shaft; 5 represents a recording medium comprising an ink sheet, wound on a feed roll 5a and a winding roll 5b; 6 represents a recording paper which is a recorded medium; and 7a and 7b represent guide rollers for the recording medium 5 described above.
The operation of the thermal recording apparatus constituted as described above shall be explained below. The recording head 1 carries out intended recording on the recorded medium 6 through the recording medium 5 by heating unillustrated recording elements (not shown) according to an image pattern. The recording head 1 is arranged opposite to the platen roller 20 extending in a main-scanning direction x. Further, the recording head 1 described above is mounted on the carriage 3 capable of running in the main-scanning direction x and moved along the guide shaft 4 disposed parallel to the shaft direction of the platen roller 20 described above while pressed on the platen roller 20 to carry out recording on the recorded medium 6.
To be specific, the recording medium 5 and the recorded medium 6 are present between the recording head 1 and the platen roller 20, and the recording medium 5 described above is stored in the carriage 3 described above and guided by the guide rollers 7a, 7b disposed on the both sides of the recording head 1 so that it contacts the recorded medium 6, whereby recording (1 band) according to the first main-scanning is carried out while being wound on the winding roll 5b from the feed roll 5a according to the main-scanning of the carriage 3. Then, the carriage 3 is returned to a start position (record starting position at the left side), and the recorded medium 6 is moved by the width of the recording head 1 by means of the platen roller 20 in a sub-scanning direction y to carry out the next main-scanning recording. Images are formed by repeating recording in the same manner.
Conventional thermal recording apparatuses are constituted as described above, and therefore there is the problem that stripes (white stripes in a main-scanning direction), or so-called banding, are formed between main-scannings to deteriorate image quality. This is caused by a structural factor originating in a drive accuracy of a recording head or a recorded medium and an uneven temperature distribution in which temperatures at the both ends of the recording head are lower than those of the central part thereof. A degradation in image quality can be solved by driving a recording head or a recorded medium at high accuracy and recording at high accuracy by correcting a temperature distribution in the recording head. In this case, however, the printing apparatus becomes expensive, large and complicated.
In the case of a thermal recording apparatus using a serial head, there is the problem that the running cost in terms of production is increased and the printing time is extended as compared with those of a recording apparatus using a line head. Further, in the case of a portable type thermal recording apparatus using a serial head, there is the problem of large power consumption.