A device that straps against the front of one's pelvis and features chest and leg engagements extending from a central main-body to create a personal upper body support system. As wearer bends forward from the waist, the leg engagements leverage oppositely threaded shafts to screw together into an internally threaded main-body either against a powerful spring means used to effect a compressive stop or a spring-back counter force to the wearer's overhanging upper body weight. A knob-ended threaded rod screws through one of the shafts to adjust the point of engagement and/or spring tension. This device creates a prop effect between the wearer's chest and upper legs. The oppositely threaded shafts provide a unique mechanism that divides the transferred load equally to each leg regardless of leg stance, as well as for allowing unrestricted upright walking.

My invention relates to orthopedic and therapeutic devices worn to assist the musculoskeletal functions of the human body. More specifically, this device addresses several very common conditions of the lower back that can range anywhere between bothersome to life altering. The most common condition is simply low back muscle strain resulting from overuse. Continued abuse of these muscles often progress into much more serious injuries such as shifted vertebras and herniated discs that impinge on nerves. Nerve impingement is not only painful, but it can result in permanent damage that even surgery cannot fix.
Lower back injuries and degenerative conditions affect millions of people annually. Sadly, many of these statistics could have been prevented. But it is human nature to think it won't happen to us. So we keep abusing our backs until we can no longer tolerate the pain. By then, all too often it is too late for natural recovery; the damage is sometimes permanent. Surgery, having to change or quit our jobs (or both) is the end result for thousands. Back injuries in the workforce cost our nation billions of dollars per year. It is my hope that my device will offer a reduction in these unacceptable statistics.
Discovered Patents of Similarity
  406,663J. D. MekinneyJul. 09, 1889Gardener's & Cotton Picker's Brace  421,635J. TeufelFeb. 18, 1890Bandage  443,113R. RayDec. 23, 1890Spring Body Brace  654,173E. C. MendenhallJul. 24, 1900Shoulder Brace  703,477M. W. RussellJul. 01, 1902Body Brace  846,562B. M. GraysonMar. 12, 1907Supporting Garment  888,490G. W. HaasMay 26, 1908Flexible Corrective Brace And Corset  903,403D. B. QuickNov. 10, 1908Shoulder Brace1,008,500H. C. ThorntonNov. 14, 1911Back Brace1,191,769E. A. Curts etal.Jul. 18, 1916Body Support1,202,851R. E. KellyOct. 31, 1916Back Brace1,371,690R. E. KellyMar. 15, 1921Back Brace1,409,326E. S. WilliamsonMar. 14, 1922Spring Lift for Stoopers1,618,273J. F. DavidsonFeb. 22, 1927Body Exerciser1,634,621I. MartinezFeb. 23, 1926Device for Picking Cotton1,641,027A. J. FeasterOct. 09, 1926Brace1,678,584E. BransonJul. 24, 1928Body Brace1,812,529R. W. HaulbrookMar. 24, 1930Brace3,029,810V. L. MartinApr. 17, 1962Back Brace3,570,011C. B. NaigOct. 03, 1968Back Support4,010,744S. E. BoyenMar. 08, 1977Foot-Neck Harness Device4,608,716BrumfieldSep. 02, 1986Sfty Jmp Suit Unifrm & Lftng Mchnsm4,829,989Deamer et al.May 16, 1989Stoop Labr's Bdy Sprt Hvg Hng w/adj . . .5,127,897RollerJul. 07, 1992Therapeutic Back Support Device5,176,622Anderson et al.Jan. 05, 1993Stoop Labor Assist Device5,199,940Moris et al.Apr. 06, 1993Posture Training & Correcting Device5,259,833BarnettNov. 09, 1993Back Bndng Motion Limiting Apparatus5,709,648J. W. WebbJan. 20, 1998Resilient Back Support Device5,716,307VadherFeb. 10, 1998Body Exerciser Device5,860,944Hoffman, Jr.Jan. 19, 1999Back Support Apparatus5,951,591RobertsOct. 14, 1999Back-Mounted Mobil Back Sprt Device6,129,691RuppertOct. 10, 2000Pliant Bck Sprt Aprts w/Foot Engmnts6,450,131BromanSep. 17, 2002Forwrd Bendng Motion Cntrl Harness
A separate list of other researched patents was enclosed with my submission entitle "My "D" list of Patents I concluded to be the least similar to my device". It was printed in landscape format in order to include a very brief description across from each. None of the patents contained in this list function like or resemble my invention. In fact, many of these have nothing in common at all with my device. I only submitted these due to their being either referenced in other patents that were similar to my device or because their listed descriptions suggested that they might be similar.

Personal upper body support device for lower back muscles assist


A method and a device for downlink data transmission are provided. The method includes: in the case that a network side has downlink data needing to be sent to a terminal in an inactive connection state, sending, to the terminal, by one or more access devices, an indication message carrying an inactive connection state terminal identification of the terminal; and receiving, by the one or more access devices, an uplink feedback initiated by the terminal based on the indication message. The terminal in the Inactive state may perform a fast downlink data transmission.

In the terminal state in the related art, in addition to the RRC connection state allocated with the terminal air interface transmission unique identification C-RNTI can be directly used for data transmission and reception, when there is downlink data to be transmitted in other states, the terminal needs to initiate a connection establishment and turn to the RRC connection state to establish the RRC connection, to acquire the terminal air interface transmission unique identification for data transmission, i.e., the C-RNTI, for the subsequent data transmission. This process is not conducive to fast transmission in the case that the downlink data arrives.

Method and device for downlink data transmission

CHINA ACADEMY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY


A process for producing a resin particle liquid dispersion for an electrostatic image developing toner, the process comprising: polycondensing a polycondensable monomer by utilizing an acid having a surface activating effect as a polycondensation catalyst, so as to obtain a polycondensed resin; and dispersing the polycondensed resin in an aqueous medium to which a base is added, so as to obtain a resin particle liquid dispersion in which a median diameter of resin particles is from 0.05 to 2.0 μm, or the process comprising: polycondensing a polycondensable monomer by utilizing an acid having a surface activating effect as a polycondensation catalyst in a co-presence of a polycondensed resin, so as to obtain a polycondensed resin-containing material; and dispersing the polycondensed resin-containing material in an aqueous medium, so as to obtain a resin particle liquid dispersion in which a median diameter of resin particles is from 0.05 to 2.0 μm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrostatic image developing toner for use in developing an electrostatic latent image formed by an electrophotographic method or an electrostatic recording method, with a developer; a production process thereof; and a production process of a resin particle liquid dispersion used as a raw material of the toner.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, a method of visualizing image information through an electrostatic image by an electrophotographic process is being utilized in various fields. In the electrophotographic process, an electrostatic image is formed on a photoreceptor through electrostatic charging and exposure steps, and the electrostatic latent image is developed with a developer containing a toner and then visualized through transfer and fixing steps. The developer used here includes a two-component developer comprising a toner and a carrier, and a one-component developer using a magnetic toner or a non-magnetic toner solely. The toner is generally produced by a kneading and pulverizing production process where a thermoplastic resin is melt-kneaded with a pigment, an electrostatic charge controlling agent and a releasing agent such as wax and after cooling, the kneaded material is finely pulverized and then classified. In such a toner, an inorganic or organic particle is sometimes added to the toner particle surface, if desired, so as to improve flowability or cleaning property.
In recent years, a duplicator, a printer and a complex machine thereof with a facsimile, each employing a color electrophotographic process, are greatly spread. In the case of realizing appropriate gloss in the reproduction of a color image or transparency for obtaining an excellent OHP image, it is generally difficult to use a releasing agent such as wax. Accordingly, a large amount of an oil is applied to a fixing roll so as to assist separation but this causes tacky touch of a duplicated image including an OHP image, makes it difficult to write on the image with a pen or often gives feeling of heterogeneous gloss. In the case of an ordinary black-and-white copy, it is more difficult to use a wax generally employed, such as polyethylene, polypropylene and paraffin, because the OHP transparency is impaired.
Even if, for example, transparency is sacrificed, the wax can be hardly prevented from being exposed to the surface in the conventional production process for toner by a kneading and pulverizing method. As a result, when the toner is used as a developer, there arises a problem such as considerable deterioration in flowability or filming on the developing machine or photoreceptor.
As an ultimate method for overcoming these problems, a production process by a polymerization method is proposed, where an oil phase comprising monomers, which work out to the raw material of a resin, and a colorant is dispersed in an aqueous phase and then directly polymerized to form a toner, thereby enclosing the wax inside the toner and preventing the wax from being exposed to the surface.
Other than this, as a technique of intentionally controlling the shape and surface structure of the toner, a process of producing a toner by an emulsion polymerization and aggregation method is proposed in JP-A-63-282752 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") and JP-A-6-250439. This is a production process where a resin particle liquid dispersion is produced generally by emulsion polymerization or the like, a colorant liquid dispersion is separately produced by dispersing a colorant in a solvent, these liquid dispersions are mixed to form an aggregate having a diameter corresponding to the particle diameter of a toner, and the aggregate particles are fused and coalesced under heating to form a toner.
In such a production process, not only internal inclusion of wax is realized but also reduction in the toner diameter is facilitated and reproduction of a clear image with high resolution is enabled.
In the above-described production process, in order to provide a high-quality image and stably maintain the performance of the toner under various mechanical stresses, it is very important to select the pigment and releasing agent, optimize the amounts thereof, prevent the releasing agent from being exposed to the surface, optimize the resin properties to improve the gloss and releasability without a fixing oil, and suppress the hot offset.
On the other hand, a technique enabling fixing at a lower temperature is demanded to reduce the consumed energy amount and in recent years, it is demanded to stop energizing the fixing machine except for operation so as to attain thorough energy saving. Therefore, the temperature of the fixing machine must be instantaneously elevated to the working temperature upon energization. For this purpose, the heat capacity of the fixing machine is preferably made as small as possible but if the case is so, the fluctuation width of the temperature of the fixing machine tends to be larger than ever. That is, the overshoot of the temperature after start of energization is increased, and the temperature drop due to passing of paper is also increased. Furthermore, when paper in a width smaller than the width of the fixing machine is continuously passed, the temperature difference between the paper passing part and the paper non-passing part becomes large. Particularly, in the case where the fixing machine is used in a high-speed duplicator or printer, such a phenomenon is more liable to occur because the capacity of the power source tends to run short. Therefore, an electrophotographic toner capable of being fixed at a low temperature and broadened in the so-called fixing latitude, that is, free from generation of offset until a high temperature region, is strongly demanded.
As for the technique of decreasing the fixing temperature of the toner, a method where a polycondensation-type crystalline resin showing a sharp melting behavior with respect to the temperature is used as the binder resin constituting the toner is known but in many cases, the crystalline resin cannot be generally used because this resin is difficult to pulverize by a melt-kneading pulverization method.
Also, for the polymerization of a polycondensation-type resin, the reaction must be performed for a long time of 10 hours or more at a high temperature exceeding 200° C. under highly reduced pressure while stirring by a large force, and a large amount of energy is consumed. Therefore, a huge equipment investment is often required for obtaining durability of the reaction equipment.
In the case of producing a toner by an emulsion polymerization and aggregation method as described above, the polycondensation-type crystalline resin polymerized may be emulsified in an aqueous medium to form a latex, aggregated in this state with a pigment, a wax and the like, and then fused and coalesced.
However, the emulsification of the polycondensed resin requires an extremely inefficient and highly energy-consuming step, for example, a step of emulsifying the resin under high shearing at a high temperature exceeding 150° C. or a step of dissolving the resin in a solvent to attain a low viscosity, dispersing the solution in an aqueous medium and then removing the solvent.
Also, the emulsification in an aqueous medium can hardly evade a problem such as hydrolysis, and the design of materials inevitably encounters generation of uncertain factors.
These problems are prominent in a crystalline resin but not limited to a crystalline resin and the same also occurs in the case of a non-crystalline resin.
For example, JP-A-2002-351140 proposes a method for producing a toner for electrostatic image development, wherein a toner raw material containing at least a polyester resin is heated and melted to produce a melt of the toner raw material, the melt is emulsified in an aqueous medium to form resin particles, and the resin particles are aggregated and further coalesced to produce an aggregate of the resin particles.
This method uses a process where using a conventional polycondensation catalyst such as tetrabutyl titanate and using monomers, for example, trimellitic anhydride (TMA) as the polyvalent carboxylic acid, terephthalic acid (TPA) and isophthalic acid (IPA) as the divalent carboxylic acid, polyoxypropylene(2,4)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (BPA-PO) and polyoxyethylene(2,4)-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (BPA-EO) as the aromatic diol, and ethylene glycol (EG) as the aliphatic diol, a reaction is performed at 220° C. for 15 hours in a nitrogen stream under atmospheric pressure, the pressure is gradually decreased, a reaction is performed at 10 mmHg to produce a polyester having a weight average molecular weight of about 5,000 to 90,000, the polyester is melt-kneaded with a colorant, a wax and the like, the melt-kneaded product MB 1 is heated to 190° C. and charged into CAVITRON CD1010 (manufactured by Eurotec, Ltd.), 0.5 wt % of dilute ammonia water is added, MB1 is fed to CAVITRON at a rate of 1 L/min under heating at 160° C. by a heat exchanger, and the liquid dispersion slurry obtained after dispersion is cooled to 60° C. and taken out.
For forming a toner, this liquid dispersion is further subjected to aggregation, coalescence, washing and drying. However, such a process apparently requires huge energy at the production and emulsification of the resin and is considered to be unusable in practice.
Furthermore, the emulsification dispersion under such a high energy condition readily incurs decomposition of the resin and causes a problem such as occurrence of uneven distribution of the composition or difficulty in realizing a uniform particle size distribution of resin particles in the liquid dispersion. The toner using such a material readily brings about a problem in the stability of image quality at continuous printing as well as the initial image quality.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for producing resin particle liquid dispersion for electrostatic image developing toner, electrostatic image developing toner and production process thereof


Methods and apparatuses of a mobile subscriber transmitting information to a base station are disclosed. One method includes identifying an uplink transmission condition. If the uplink transmission condition is identified, the mobile subscriber transmits a message over multiple uplink frames using multiple uplink frame types. The mobile subscriber may inform the base station that it is transmitting the message over the multiple uplink frames.

Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice and data. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., bandwidth and transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communication system can simultaneously support communication for multiple wireless terminals. Each terminal communicates with one or more base stations via transmissions on the forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from the base stations to the terminals, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from the terminals to the base stations. This communication link may be established via a single-in-single-out, multiple-in-signal-out or a multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO) system.
It is desirable to improve the quality of uplink transmission of a wireless multiple-access communication system.

Mobile subscriber information transmission over multiple uplink frames


There is described an instrument for double folding an elastically deformable intraocular lens (IOL) into a general C-shape for insertion through a small incision into the anterior chamber of a patient""s eye for controlled unfolding. The instrument comprises an elongate, slender IOL insertion tube having an IOL receiving station located in the tube adjacent a cutaway opening. A support element is provided for holding a central optic region of an IOL received in the IOL receiving station against an inner surface of the tube during the double folding of the IOL. An IOL double folding member installed on the tube has a converging recess facing the IOL receiving station, the recess being along the longitudinal tube axis and having an IOL discharge opening facing the insertion tube distal end. In one version, the IOL double folding member is moved along the insertion tube to cause double folding of the IOL held in the IOL receiving station; in another version, the IOL is moved through the insertion tube into the double folding member that is fixed to the tube. A disposal IOL insertion tip is attached at the distal end of the insertion tube and is sized for passing through an ocular incision no greater than about 3.2 mm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of ophthalmic, more particularly to intraocular lenses (IOLs), and still more particularly to instruments for implanting IOLs in patient""s eyes.
2. Background Discussion
Consideration of the term xe2x80x9cphakic,xe2x80x9d which refers an eye in which the natural ocular lens is still present, may be helpful to the understanding of the present invention. The term xe2x80x9cphakicxe2x80x9d is in contrast to the term xe2x80x9caphakicxe2x80x9d which refers to an eye from which the natural ocular lens has been removed.
A phakic eye is considered a dynamic or active eye because the existing natural lens is a living part of an eye, and is therefore subject to change over time due to such biological effects as disease or aging. An aphakic eye, on the other hand, is considered a static eye because the natural lens has been removed and thus is no longer subject to biological effects that would otherwise affect the natural lens.
Vision in a phakic eye is caused by light from a viewed object being refracted by the cornea and the natural lens located rearward of the cornea to form an image on the retina at the back of the eye. Such image formation may, for example, be assisted by corrective spectacles, contact lens or corneal reshaping.
A common ocular problem in a phakic eye is impaired vision due to the natural lens becoming cloudy or opaquexe2x80x94a degenerative condition known as xe2x80x9ccataract.xe2x80x9d Cataracts typically form with aging, with most individuals over about 60 years old suffering from cataracts to at least some extent. Cataracts can, however, also occur as a result of trauma, systemic diseases (such as diabetes), ocular diseases, long term steroid therapy, excessive exposure to ultra violet light, and heredity.
So far as is presently known, cataracts cannot be cured, reduced, or even significantly arrested. Corrective treatment for cataracts therefore requires the surgical extraction of the natural lens when the lens becomes so cloudy that vision in the afflicted eye becomes so impaired as to affect the patient""s life style. In this manner a phakic eye becomes an aphakic eye.
After a diseased or defective natural lens has been surgically removed, the typical current vision-restoring treatment is to implant in the aphakic eye a prosthetic lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL), that substitute for the removed natural lens and mimics some of its optical characteristics.
Typical IOLs are constructed having an transparent optic with attached fixation members for maintaining the optical axis of the optic aligned with the optical axis of the eye.
Prior to IOL development (in about the mid-1940""s) thick, high diopter spectacles had to be worn to restore vision in aphakic eyes. However, most patients dislike such spectacles (which may still be needed in some special circumstances in which the implanting of IOLs is not feasible) because of their weight and unattractive appearance.
For a long time, IOLs were typically constructed from a rigid, biocompatible polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) plastic material. Rigid PMMA IOLs require implanting through relatively large surgical incision in the eye, usually, the same incision required for removing the natural lens in one piece from the eye.
However, with the development in the 1970""s of a phacoemulsification process for ultrasonically breaking up natural lenses to enable their removal through much smaller ocular incisions than had previously been required to remove intact natural lenses. This phacoemulsification process gave immediate rise to the development of small incision, elastically deformable IOLs made of silicone or acrylic. It will be appreciated that small, sutureless ocular incisions, currently as small as about 3.2 to 3.5 mm, surgically made for natural lens extraction and IOL implanting are highly desirable for minimizing trauma to the eye, reducing the possibility of such complications as infection, and speeding patient recovery.
Recently and importantly, in addition to the implanting of IOLs in aphakic eyes to restore vision after removal of the natural lens, there has been considerable interest in developing techniques for implanting IOLs in phakic eyes to correct myopia, hypermetropia, presbyopia and astigmatism associated with non-cataract phakic eyes. Such implanting of corrective IOLs in phakic eyes can obviate the wearing of spectacles or contact lenses, which are troublesome and, in fact, may limit certain activities and professions, or having permanent surgical cornea reshaping, which may not be desired by or feasible for many individuals.
In an aphakic eyes, unless unusual conditions are encountered, IOLs are implanted in the posterior chamber of the eye (i.e., the xe2x80x9cbagxe2x80x9d) from which the natural lens has been removed in order to mimic the natural lens as much as possible. In contrast, corrective IOLs for phakic eyes are desirably implanted in the anterior chamber of the eyes (between the cornea and the iris) because the posterior chamber is still occupied by the natural lens.
Elastically deformable anterior chamber IOLs, to which this present invention indirectly relates, are similar in many respects to current elastically deformable posterior chamber IOLs. However, anterior chamber IOLs are usually much more difficult to implant.
A significant anterior chamber IOL implanting problem relates to the unfolding of elastically deformed IOLs from known IOL inserters into the anterior chamber of the eye, in which the typical axial separation between the cornea and natural crystalline lens is only about 2 mm.
Typical known IOL inserters single fold elastically deformable IOLs in half across the optic, creating what is commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9ctacoxe2x80x9d fold. A xe2x80x9ctacoxe2x80x9d folded IOL requires a space (along the optical axis) equal to one-half the diameter of the optic for the IOL to unfold into. For example, a xe2x80x9ctacoxe2x80x9d folded IOL having a typical optic diameter of 6 mm requires a 3 mm axial space for unfolding. It is thus inevitable that the unfolding of a single folded elastically deformable IOL in the anterior chamber will cause unintentional contact with, and likely injury to, the sensitive posterior endothelial surface of the cornea and/or the anterior surface of the crystalline lens.
A principal objective of the present invention is, thus to provide an IOL insertion instrument that double folds an elastically deformable anterior chamber IOL so that the IOL requires substantially less axial unfolding space in the anterior chamber than does a single folded IOL. Because the double folded IOL having a 6 mm diameter optic requires only about 1.5 mm of anterior chamber axial unfolding space, the possibility of the unfolding optic unintentionally contacting and injuring the endothelial cell surface of the cornea and/or the anterior surface of the crystalline lens is minimized.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an instrument for double folding an elastically deformable intraocular lens (IOL) and for inserting said double folded IOL into the anterior chamber of a patient""s eye for controlled unfolding. The instrument comprises an elongate, slender IOL insertion tube having a distal end and a longitudinal axis, an IOL receiving station located in the tube adjacent a cutaway opening in the tube, and a support element configured for holding a central optic region of an IOL received in the IOL receiving station against an inner surface of the tube during double folding of the IOL. Included is an IOL double folding member installed on the tube, the folding member having a converging recess facing the IOL receiving station, the recess being along the tube longitudinal axis and having an IOL discharge opening facing the IOL insertion tube distal end.
Means are included for causing relative axial movement between an IOL received in the IOL receiving station and the IOL double folding member to cause the double folding of the IOL into a general C-shape. A piston is axially slidably disposed in the tube for axially pushing the double folded IOL through the distal end of the tube.
A disposal IOL insertion tip, sized for insertion through an ocular incision no greater than about 3.2 mm, is preferably detachably attached to a distal end of the IOL insertion tube, the insertion tip being flexible and constructed of a silicone or an acrylic material. The insertion tip has an oval cross section having an external width between about two times and three times greater than an external height of the tip. The distal end of the IOL insertion tip is beveled at an angle between about 30 degrees and about 45 degrees to permit gradual and controlled unfolding of the IOL after insertion into an eye.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the IOL folding member is axially movable on said tube and the means for causing relative axial movement between the IOL and the IOL folding member is connected for causing the IOL folding member to move axially along the IOL insertion tube so that the converging recess moves onto the IOL received in the IOL receiving station member, thereby causing the double folding of the IOL received in received IOL receiving station. Further, the means for causing relative movement includes a drive member threadably connected to the tube and in driving engagement with the IOL folding member for causing axial movement thereof.
The support element includes an IOL support member movable between a first position in which the support element permits the insertion of an IOL into the IOL receiving station through the tube cutaway opening and a second position in which the support element holds a central optic region of the IOL against the tube inner surface parallel to said tube longitudinal axis.
Means cooperating with the IOL folding member may be provided for exerting a side pressure on the IOL after being double folded in a general C-shape to thereby compress the double folded IOL into a tighter C-shape.
In a variation instrument, the IOL double folding member is fixed to the IOL insertion tube and the means for causing relative axial movement between an IOL received in the IOL receiving station and the double folding member causes the IOL received in the IOL receiving station to be moved axially through the IOL insertion tube into the converging recess of the IOL double folding member. The means for causing relative axial movement comprises a piston axially slidably disposed in the tube, a distal end of the piston being configured for engaging an edge of an optic portion of an IOL received in the receiving station. In this variation instrument, the support element comprises a slender, axial projection at the piston distal end.
More specifically, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, there is provided the instrument for double folding an elastically deformable intraocular lens (IOL) and for inserting the double folded IOL into the anterior chamber of a patient""s eye for controlled unfolding, comprises an elongate, slender IOL insertion tube having a distal end and a longitudinal axis and an IOL receiving and folding station located inside the tube adjacent a side opening in the tube. The IOL receiving and folding station is configured for receiving an IOL which has an optic and haptics attached to opposing edges of the optic, with the haptics generally aligned with the IOL insertion tube longitudinal axis. Included is an IOL double folding member axially movably mounted on the IOL insertion tube, the IOL double folding member having a converging recess facing the IOL receiving and folding station and an IOL discharge opening facing the distal end of the tube, the recess being along the longitudinal axis of the tube. A driver is threadably installed on an externally threaded element fixed to the IOL insertion tube and is coupled to the IOL double folding member for causing movement of IOL double folding member axially along the IOL insertion tube between a first axial position in which the member is out of engagement with an IOL received in the IOL receiving and folding station and a second axial position in which the member causes the double folding of an IOL received in the station into a general C-shape.
The means for axially moving said IOL folding member between said folding member first and second positions includes an externally threaded member fixed to said IOL insertion tube, said driver being threadably installed on said externally threaded element.
Means are included for axially pushing a double folded IOL positioned in the IOL receiving and folding station through the IOL double folding member discharge opening and the distal end of the tube. An IOL support member having an IOL support element is movable between a first position in which the support element permits the insertion of an IOL into the IOL receiving and folding station through the tube cutaway opening and a second position in which the support element holds a central optic region of the IOL against an inner surface of the tube parallel to the tube longitudinal axis as the IOL is double folded. Preferably, means cooperating with the IOL folding member are included for exerting a side pressure on the IOL after being double folded into a general C-shape to thereby compress the double folded IOL into a tighter C-shape.
Further included are a disposable IOL insertion tip and means for detachably attaching the insertion tip to the IOL insertion tube distal end. The insertion tip has an oval transverse cross sectional shape with an external width that is about 2 to about 3 times greater than an external height, a wide region of the insertion tip being thereby formed; the insertion tip being sized for insertion through an ocular incision no greater than about 3.2 mm. The wide region of the IOL insertion tube distal end is preferably beveled at an angle between about 30 and about 45 degrees
A variation instrument for double folding an elastically deformable intraocular lens (IOL) and for inserting said double folded IOL into the anterior chamber of a patient""s eye for controlled unfolding comprises an elongate, slender IOL insertion tube having a distal end and a longitudinal axis, and IOL receiving station located inside the tube adjacent a side opening in the tube. The IOL receiving station is configured for receiving an IOL, which has an optic and haptics attached to opposing edges of the optic, with the haptics generally aligned with the IOL insertion tube longitudinal axis.
Additionally included is an IOL double folding member fixed to the IOL insertion tube and having a converging IOL engaging recess with a wide opening facing the IOL receiving station and a discharge opening facing the distal end of the IOL insertion tube, the recess being along the tube longitudinal axis. Provided is a support member configured for holding a central optic region of an IOL received in the IOL receiving station against an inner surface of said IOL insertion tube along a line parallel to the insertion tube longitudinal axis. A piston is installed in the IOL insertion tube for axially pushing the IOL received in the IOL receiving station along the tube and into the IOL double folding member converging recess for causing the double folding of the IOL into a general C-shape, and for thereafter pushing the double folded IOL through the distal end of the tube. The support member is formed as an axial projection at the distal end of the piston.
Preferably there are included a disposable IOL insertion tip and means for detachably attaching the insertion tip to the IOL insertion tube distal, the insertion tip having an oval transverse cross sectional shape with an external width that is about 2 to about 3 times greater than an external height, a wide region of the insertion tip being thereby formed, and being sized for insertion through an ocular incision no greater than about 3.2 mm. The wide region of the IOL insertion tube distal end is beveled at an angle between about 30 and about 45 degrees.

Instrument for folding and inserting anterior chamber intraocular lenses


In a refrigeration system, a multiple compressor system for maintaining the heat output constant while the outside ambient temperature continues to decrease. The present invention comprises of a primary compressor and at least one secondary compressor. The entire refrigeration system is sized for the primary compressor operating while in the cooling mode. In the heating mode, the primary compressor operates by itself until the outside ambient temperature falls to a temperature within a particular range. Once the predetermined temperature set point is met, a secondary compressor begins operating in conjunction with the primary compressor such that the mass flow of refrigerant through the system in the heating mode of operation is no greater than that of the primary compressor operating alone in the cooling mode. While the outside temperature continues to decrease, additional secondary compressors may be included to maintain a constant heat output. In the cooling mode, only a single compressor is required to operate the system. Each of the compressors may alternate with any other so that the lives of the compressors are preserved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of multiple compressors to provide extra capacity in the heating mode at low ambient temperatures in reversible refrigeration systems (heat pumps). This invention more particularly pertains to utilizing a single or primary compressor above particular temperature set points determined as a function of a percentage of maxium allowable system design mass flow and then multiple compressors simultaneously in parallel to the primary compressor when below the particular temperature set points determined for each additional compressor while on the heating mode of operation such that the heat output remains constant at lower ambient temperatures. In the cooling mode and down to the first temperature set point on heating a primary compressor alternates with any one of a number of the secondary compressors in singular compressor operation to extend the life of the compressors.
2. Description of the Background Art
Presently, most commercially available multiple compressor systems use dual compressors only in the cooling mode where the second compressor is used primarily for extra cooling capacity at high ambient temperatures. These known dual compressor systems are used in the cooling mode only. Such a system requires an oversized condenser and evaporator compared to the primary compressor when in the first stage cooling mode. This is because when both compressors are running in the second stage cooling mode an increased mass flow of refrigerant is created through the entire system. In other words, the entire refrigeration system would have to be sized to accommodate the increased flow of refrigerant due to the existence of multiple compressors running simultaneously in parallel in the cooling mode at high ambient temperatures.
With regard to these known multiple compressor refrigeration systems, these systems are simply oversized, configured at a considerably higher cost and perform with high efficiency only when the primary or first stage compressor is running in the cooling mode. Moreover, the simultaneous use of multiple compressors in the cooling mode will likely reduce the life expectancy of the first stage compressor prior to the typical life expectancy of single compressor systems.
In response to the realized inadequacies of these earlier, multiple, compressor systems, it became clear that there is a need for a multiple compressor system capable of being utilized in both the heating and cooling modes of operation but which is sized for only a single compressor in the cooling mode. This device must provide for an increased mass flow of refrigerant at low outside ambient temperatures by providing multiple compressors such that the heat output remains equal to that of the primary compressor operating solely at higher outside ambient temperatures. However, while in the heating mode at higher ambient temperatures, a single, primary compressor dictates the component sizing of the overall refrigeration system. Moreover, the primary compressor is itself sufficient in the cooling mode. Thus, the device of the present invention may allow alternate use of compressors in the cooling mode to extend the life expectancy of the overall system. In as much as the art consists of various types of multiple compressor refrigeration systems, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to multiple compressor systems, and in this respect, the present invention addresses these needs and interests.
Therefore, the principal object of this invention is to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of refrigeration systems.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved multiple compressor system for use in a refrigeration system that has all the advantages and none of the disadvantages of the earlier multiple compressor systems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a multiple compressor system for maintaining a heat output at lower ambient temperatures.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a multiple compressor system compatible with a refrigeration system sized for the mass flow of a single compressor operating in the cooling mode at higher outside ambient temperatures.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a multiple compressor system having a primary compressor operating above particular outside ambient temperature so points in the heating mode that are determined as a function of a percentage of maxium allowable system design mass flow and then having secondary compressors operate parallel to the primary compressor when the outside ambient temperatures fall below each of the particular temperature set points determined for each additional compressor.
Still a further objective of the present invention is to provide a multiple compressor system wherein the refrigeration system is sized for the mass flow of the primary compressor when operating in the cooling mode but the secondary compressors alternate with the primary compressor for singular operation in the cooling mode.
Yet a further objective is to provide in a refrigeration system of the type having a condenser, evaporator, refrigerant and the capabilities of at least heating and cooling modes of operation, a multiple compressor system in parallel operation comprising, in combination, a primary compressor and at least one secondary compressor, the condenser and evaporator sized for the maximum mass flow determined. for the primary compressor operating in the cooling mode, the primary compressor operating by itself when in the heating mode above the first temperature set point; the secondary compressor commencing operation in the heating mode of operation below that first temperature set point and concurrently operating with the primary compressor such that mass flow of the refrigerant through the refrigeration system in the heating mode of operation is no greater than the maximum mass flow determined for the primary compressor operating solely in the cooling mode of operation.
An additional objective is to provide in the method of operation of a refrigeration system of the type having a condenser, evaporator, refrigerant and the capabilities of at least heating and cooling modes of operation, the method comprising the steps of passing the refrigerant from the evaporator of the refrigeration system to a primary compressor in the heating mode of operation for compressing the refrigerant and supplying same to the condenser of the refrigeration system, the primary compressor operating exclusively in the heating mode of operation above a first temperature set points; controlling the exclusive operation of the primary compressor by selecting the temperature set point above which the primary compressor is the sole means for compressing refrigerant; and passing the refrigerant from the evaporator of the refrigeration system to the primary compressor and a secondary compressor while in the heating mode of operation and below the first temperature set point such that the mass flow of the refrigerant through the refrigeration system in the heating mode of operation is no greater than that maximum mass flow determined for the primary compressor operating solely in the cooling mode of operation.
Another objective is to provide in the method of operation of a refrigeration system, the method further comprising of the step of alternating exclusive operation in the cooling mode of operation of at least one of the secondary compressors with the primary compressor.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be obtained by referring to the summary of the invention, and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Multiple compressor heat pump or air conditioner


Techniques for a personalized Bluetooth headset and a voice interaction control method thereof are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, the Bluetooth headset is caused to maintain a voice contact list. Each item in the voice contact list corresponds to a phone number associated with a set of audio data (e.g., a voice or a predefined audio). When a paired mobile device receives a call, the voice contact list is searched per the caller number. A corresponding audio is played back when an item is located in the voice contact list. As such a user of the Bluetooth headset knows who is calling and determines whether the call shall be answered or not.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of electronics, and in particular, to a personalized Bluetooth headset and a voice interaction control method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
At present, the Bluetooth headset has been used widely. Users often use the Bluetooth headset to monitor whether there is an incoming call to a mobile device, such as a mobile phone or a tablet computer, paired with the Bluetooth headset. When there is an incoming call to the mobile device, the Bluetooth headset may perform voice reminding on the incoming call with methods as follows. The first method is synthesized tone reminding, such as ringtone or beep of a common phone, which may only perform incoming call reminding, without acquiring more information. The second method is to retrieve a phone number of an incoming call, by which a user may hear the number of an incoming call. The caller number is transmitted to the Bluetooth handset from the mobile device via a command specified through a Bluetooth handsfree profile (HFP). However, the user may hardly remember many phone numbers, and in most cases, the number may not bring useful information to the user. The third method is a voice reminding of a name of the caller number recorded in a phone book of the mobile device, by which the user may directly hear the name of the caller in the phone book (if available), and obtain the information of a caller audibly. In this method, a contact name of the phone number obtained by the Bluetooth handset via HFP is inquired and obtained from the phone book of the mobile device by a Bluetooth phone book access profile (PBAP), and then the contact user name is reported through a voice synthesis technology (Text to Voice, TTS).
The third method, however, has disadvantages that both the huge PBAP and the complicated TTS algorithm take a lot of system resource and are not suitable for small embedded type consumer electronics as Bluetooth headset. Meanwhile, the TTS algorithm is very difficult in supporting different languages, dialects and the like at the same time. Whereas for the mobile device not supporting the PBAP, the Bluetooth headset cannot acquire the name of the caller, resulting in that the Bluetooth headset must be in paired use with the mobile device supporting the PBAP. In addition, practices prove that the instability PBAP is present, that is even though both the mobile device and the Bluetooth headset support the PBAP, the instability of the PBAP may lead to unsuccessful phone book access while the mobile device and the Bluetooth headset make use of the PBAP to fulfill the phone book access function.
The Bluetooth headset is relatively small in size and worn on an ear when in normal use. If a display screen or a touch screen was adopted in the Bluetooth headset for man-machine interaction, many problems would be demonstrated, such as high cost, and inconvenience in operation, because the Bluetooth headset off has to be taken off to perform man-machine interaction via the display screen or a touch screen.
For the Bluetooth headset without the display screen or the touch screen, the call making function thereof is very simple, typically, callback or preset fixed-key number dialing may be realized only. It is apparent that the users are far from satisfactory. The users are eager to control the Bluetooth headset to realize call making via voice, thereby thoroughly liberating their hands. Some mobile phone can fulfill a voice control call function, however, this function needs powerful computing resources, tends to consume huge power, and is not suitable for the Bluetooth headset.
Therefore, an improved technical solution is necessarily to be provided to overcome the above problem.

Bluetooth headset and voice interaction control thereof


Disguised Face Identification (DFI) system and method for identifying multiple individuals with disguised faces in uncontrolled environments/scenarios is provided. The Disguised Face Identification (DFI) system and method includes detecting facial landmarks/facial key-points and performing face identification using the ScatterNet Hybrid Deep Learning (SHDL) Network. The system also can be evolved, after deployment, by the user as it provides one with an ability to add new faces to a known face database which are identified by the system thereafter. Further includes two facial disguise (FG) datasets, the datasets are simple facial disguise (FG) datasets and complex facial disguise (FG) datasets for training the deep convolutional networks.

Generally, the facial identification technologies are being used for various security purposes such as for preventing crimes, tracking down the criminals, identifying suspected individuals, detecting suspicious activities and determining many other unlawful and suspicious activities. Further, these technologies are also being used in several other applications including tracking school attendance, facilitate secure financial transactions, recognize VIPs at sporting events, identify people on social media platforms, etc.
Hence, it is necessary that these facial identification technologies can recognize faces at different orientations and distances. Further, These systems can also identify individuals who disguise their identity by including a wide variety of altered physical attributes on the face or wearing numerous disguises such as wearing a wig, changing hairstyle or hair color, wearing eyeglasses, removing or growing beards, wearing scarves, wearing caps, wearing mask etc.
There are several such face identification and analysis systems and methods are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/406,927 discloses face detection system that is based on a structure of a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a method for automatically training a convolutional neural network (CNN) for face detection.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,913,798B2 discloses a system and a method for recognizing a disguised face using Gabor features. The system for recognizing a disguised face includes a graph generation means to generate a single standard face graph from a plurality of facial image samples, a support vector machine (SVM) learning means to determine an optimal classification plane for discriminating a disguised face from the plurality of facial image samples and disguised facial image samples. It is important to note that this technique just determines if a face is disguised but is unable to reveal the identity of the individual. The identity of individuals in disguises is necessary to find the individuals attempting to conceal their identity.
Chinese Patent Application No. CN108830262A discloses a Multi-angle facial expression recognition method based on MVFE-Light Net network in a natural state.
Chinese Patent Application No. CN107491726A discloses a real-time expression recognition method based on a multichannel parallel convolutional neural network (MPCNN) for different poses. The method comprises synthesizing a front face image corresponding to a human face image of any pose, and detecting key feature points based on the synthesized front face image, and extracting key regions by taking the feature points as centres, performing quick unsupervised feature learning based on the key regions and performing convolution sum pooling by taking each key region as a unit to obtain unsupervised high-level features for identifying the human face expression at any pose.
Kohli et al. proposed a Deep Disguise Recognizer (DDR) framework based transfer learning approach for face identification with disguise variations. Their system used the Residual Inception network and Inception-ResNet network followed by inductive transfer learning to mitigate the impact of facial disguises.
Peri et al. proposed VGG-face architecture paired with Contrastive loss based on cosine distance metric to verify the identity of a person among disguised and impostors images.
Zhang et al. proposed a two-stage training approach to perform disguised face identification. In the first stage, they trained a Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs) for generic face recognition. In the second stage, they used Principal Components Analysis (PCA) based on the Disguised Faces in the Wild (DFW) training set to find the best transformation matrix that preserves the identity of disguised faces.
Bansal et al. presented a Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs) based approach for recognizing people with disguises and picking out impostors. They trained two different networks on a large dataset consisting of still images and video frames with L2-softmax loss. Next, they fused features obtained from the two networks and showed that the resulting features are effective for discriminating between disguised faces and impostors in the uncontrolled scenarios.
The prior art on identifying a disguised face with altered physical attributes primarily depends on extracting features from the complete face or from facial landmarks which are then used to construct a complex feature finally utilized to identify the disguised face by matching to a known face database. Most of the individual's face or the facial landmarks may be hidden due to disguises like wearing a wig, changing hairstyle or hair color, wearing eyeglasses, removing or growing beards, wearing scarves or caps. Therefore, extracting features from the complete face may not be the best solution as features from the disguises are also included in the extracted features. Similarly, feature corruption will be present if the features are extracted from around the landmarks as several landmarks may be hidden by the disguises. These factors may degrade the performance of the system. To identify the individual with the disguised face, there is an ardent need to analyze the shape of the face using facial key points as they can be used to construct a unique face-specific descriptor which is not affected by the disguises. In addition, one might intend to add the face image of an individual to the database of faces who committed an unlawful activity and are required to be recognised immediately thereafter. This becomes critical if one intends to find the individual in the crowd using the facial recognition system. It would be ideal to have a system that can learn to recognize newly added faces to the current face database as needed. This can have major implications for security applications where an individual who has committed a crime needs to be identified and tracked through a mall or other crowded places as soon as it commits the crime.
The current disguise identification systems work only in indoor environments with well-controlled face orientation, distance from the camera, and lighting conditions. However, most face recognition applications such as criminal identification, tracking school attendance, facilitate secure financial transactions, recognize VIPs at sporting events, and require the face recognition technology to work in uncontrolled environments.
In addition, the current deep learning-based solutions learn the statistics of the faces from a dataset during training. Once the model is deployed, it can recognize the individuals in the query image by matching it to the learned face statistics. The deployed model can't be changed or adapted to learn additional new faces after deployment. This is a major drawback as the addition of new faces requires the complete retraining of the model on the complete dataset which requires extensive effort.
Therefore, the present invention discloses a facial key-point detection framework for disguised face identification for uncontrolled environments/uncontrolled scenarios. This system can also be evolved by the user after it has been deployed by allowing the user to add faces to the database when needed, by simply clicking on the face on the monitor screen (interactive), and which can be identified immediately thereafter by the system.

Continuously evolving and interactive Disguised Face Identification (DFI) with facial key points using ScatterNet Hybrid Deep Learning (SHDL) network


A parity generation circuit includes a plurality of bit-generation circuits. Each bit-generation circuit receives respective data bits and a respective hard latch signal, and operates to generate a parity signal indicating the parity of the corresponding data bits when the hard latch signal is inactive. Each bit-generation circuit drives the parity signal to a set value when the hard latch signal is active. An output circuit is coupled to the bit-generation circuits to receive the parity signals and operates to generate an output parity signal in response to the parity signals from the bit-generation circuits.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a typical memory system 10 including memory 8 for storing data, where the term data includes any type of stored information including program instructions and data generated by or associated with such instructions. When the memory system 10 stores a data word 2, the data word is first presented to error correcting code (ECC) logic 4 before being written into the memory 8. The ECC logic 4 generates error checking and correction bits using the data word 2, and these additional error bits are then stored in memory 8 along with the data word 2. In the following description, the error detection and correction bits may be referred to as check bits, and the original data word 2 in combination with the check bits may collectively be referred to as a code word. The data word 2 and check bits are stored in specific locations in the memory 8 as programmed by redundancy logic 6 which redirects data to redundant storage locations in the memory to thereby replace defective storage locations, as will be described in more detail below. In this way, the redundancy logic 6 replaces defective storage locations to which data was initially directed with redundant storage locations, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. When data is subsequently read from the memory 8, the data is again presented to the ECC logic 4 to ensure the data as read is the same as the data word 2 initially stored in the memory.
The memory 8 is designed to maximize the number of bits available (storage capacity) without sacrificing too much memory speed (the time it takes to store or access the data). Thus, memory cells that store individual bits are packed as closely together as possible through a variety of different techniques, such as by reducing the number of transistors per memory cell and by making the transistors smaller. Typically, the smaller a memory cell the longer it takes to access the cell due to the small voltages and currents that must be properly sensed. Thus, there is a trade off in using more and larger transistors to increase the speed of the memory 8 but at the same time reducing the storage capacity of the memory. As a result, the memory system 10 typically includes a combination of relatively slow but high-capacity memory cells such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells, and also includes lower-capacity but faster memory cells such as static random access memory (SRAM) cells.
An array of memory cells (not shown) includes a plurality of rows and columns of memory cells, with an address being associated with each memory cell in the array. In high-capacity arrays such as those formed from DRAM cells, the address is typically divided into a column address and a row address. The row address is typically sent first, and in response to the row address the data stored in an entire row of memory cells in the array is sensed and stored in circuitry in the memory 8. The column address is provided to the memory 8 after the row address, and selected ones of the memory cells in the addressed row are selected in response to the column address. If data is being fetched from a series of consecutive column addresses within the same addressed row of memory cells, the data stored in these consecutive columns of memory cells can be accessed from the circuitry that previously sensed and stored the data of the addressed row.
The memory 8 is typically manufactured with spare or redundant bits, and the redundancy logic 6 is programmed to substitute any defective memory cells with redundant memory cells. The redundancy logic 6 is typically programmed during initial testing of the memory 8. Referring to FIG. 2, the memory 8 of FIG. 1 is includes a memory array 12 of rows and columns of memory cells (not shown). The main approaches to the substitution of defective memory cells in the array 12 with redundant cells utilize laser blown fuses, electrical fuses, or one-time-programmable MOSFETs. Laser fuse based repair is still a common approach, although this type of repair increases test costs substantially since a 3-step test process of test, laser repair, and retest is required. Electrical fuse based repair can be performed as a single process using a tester which tests, electrically repairs, and retests while the memory 8 is coupled to the tester.
The repair process for substituting redundant memory cells for defective memory cells typically consists of identifying the proper laser programmable fuses, electrically programmable fuses, or one-time-programmable MOSFETs needed to deactivate a defective column 14 of memory cells, deactivating the defective column or group of columns containing a defective cell or cells), activating a redundant column 16 or group of redundant columns of memory cells, and configuring the redundancy logic 6 to assign the array address corresponding to the defective column 14 to the address of a redundant column 16. After the defective column 14 is disabled and the redundancy logic 6 programmed, whenever the defective column 14 is addressed the redundant column 16 will be accessed instead, allowing data to be read from and written to the memory cells in the redundant column 16. In this way, every time a subsequent read or write operation addresses the defective column 14, the redundant column 18 is accessed instead of the defective column. The circuitry, operation, and processes for redundancy programming to replace defective memory cells with redundant cells is well understood by those skilled in the art, and thus will not be described in more detail.
Modern computer systems typically contain hundreds of megabytes (MB) of memory for storing programming instructions and associated data. With so much memory now being contained in computer systems, the likelihood of defective memory cells has increased. For example, 128 MB of DRAM is a typical amount contained in present personal computer systems. Each byte of memory typically includes 8 bits and thus is stored in 8 individual memory cells. Accordingly, there are over 1×109 DRAM memory cells required to store the desired 128 MB of data. Moreover, these DRAM memory cells are typically accessed hundreds of millions of times per second. Given such a large number of memory cells and the frequency with which the cells are accessed, the probability that an error will occur in data being read from or written to the memory cells is fairly high.
As previously mentioned, the ECC logic 4 adds error bits to the stored data word 2, with the error bits being redundant information that allows errors in the data stored in the memory 8 to be detected and in some cases corrected. Referring again to FIG. 1, the ECC logic 4 performs error-correcting operations on data words 2 used by application programs (not shown) accessing the memory 8. In general, referring to FIG. 3 a typical embodiment of the ECC logic 4 is shown in more detail to describe the conventional way errors are detected and corrected. A data input signal DI, which corresponds to the data word 2 in FIG. 1, is a word M bits long and there are an additional K bits added to the word that are used to detect and correct data bit errors. An encode function 72 applies the algorithm used to generate or properly set the additional K bits based upon the original M bits. After encoding of the data word DI by the encode function 72, a code word formed by the M and K bits is stored in the memory 8. At some subsequent time, the code word or the M and K bits are read from the memory 8, such as by an application program, and the read M bits are presented to a buffer 80 in a corrector unit 78 and are also presented to an encode function 74, which is identical to encode function 72 and generates K bits based on the bit values of the read M bits. The compare unit 76 compares the K bits generated by the encode function 74 to the K bits read from memory 8. If the two sets of K bits have identical values the compare unit 76 signals the corrector unit 78 to provide the M-bits from buffer 80 without change as a data out signal DO. If, however, the compare unit 76 signals the corrector unit 78 that the two sets of K bits have different values, the corrector unit corrects the M bits in the buffer 80 based on a correction algorithm and thereafter provides the corrected M bits from the buffer 80 as the data out signal DO. The compare unit 76 also generates an error signal ES in this case, which is utilized by other circuitry (not shown) in the memory system 10 (FIG. 1).
The ECC logic 4 may execute a variety of different error detection and correction algorithms to correct errors detected in the stored code word. One common algorithm is an algorithm that utilizes a code known as a Hamming code, which is an error detection and correction code used in many different types of digital systems. An example of a Hamming code and the application of this code by the ECC logic 4 will now be described in more detail. Referring to FIG. 1, typical data words 2 are 8 to 64 bits wide and the ECC logic 4 typically applies a single-error-correction-double-error-detection (SECDED) algorithm to the data words, with this algorithm being implemented through a Hamming code. A Hamming code has what is known as a Hamming distance between sets of code words that collectively make up the Hamming code, where a code word is a data value combined with the error check bits generated by the algorithm. For example, in FIG. 3 each code word corresponds to M data bits and K error check bits stored in the memory 8 as a code word. The Hamming distance between code words is the number of bits by which the code words differ and determines the number erroneous bits that can be detected and corrected in a code word, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Take for example the Hamming code made up by the two code words 0001 and 1000. These code words differ in two bits and thus have a Hamming distance of two. With a Hamming distance of two, any single bit error in a code word can be detected. If a single bit in either of these two code words 0001, 1000 changes, the resulting code word is different than either of these two words. This allows a single bit error to be detected since changing any single bit in one of the code words produces a code that is not one of the original two codes words. If two bits are changed in either of these code words, however, these errors may go undetected because if the right two bits change state then the one code word becomes the other. For example, if in the code word 0001 the first and last bits change logic state, meaning that the rightmost 1 bit becomes a 0 and the leftmost bit becomes a 1, then the code word 0001 becomes 1000, which is the other code word. Thus, two erroneous cannot be detected in all situations using this Hamming code having a distance of two.
If the Hamming distance for a code formed by a set of code words is at least 3, we can correct any single bit error in any of the code words. With such a Hamming code, a single bit error is just one bit away from a valid code word, and since every other code word is 2 bits away from the erroneous code word, we correct the error and get back to the only valid code word that is just one bit away. Of course, if multiple bits change state in a code word then this process may erroneously result in a single bit being changed to obtain the nearest valid code word even though this code word is not the original coder word. Thus, only single bit errors can be corrected. For a Hamming code with a distance of 3, however, we can detect whether two bits have changed state even though we cannot correct such errors. This kind of Hamming code having a distance of 3 and is called a Single Error Correction, Double Error Detection (SECDED) code.
As an example of a SECDED code, suppose our data in signal DI in FIG. 3 consists of 4 data bits=[1011] and M thus equals 4. This example requires 3 error check or parity bits in positions 20=1=P1, 21=2=P2, and 22=4=P4. The M data bits will be placed into positions 3, 5, 6, and 7 and designated D3, D5, D6, and D7 in a code word of this SECDED code so that each code word has the form [P1 P2 D3 P4 D5 D6 D7]. Each of the parity bits P1, P2, and P4 is set to a 1 or a 0 to ensure that each code word has a distance of at least 3 (i.e., at least 3 bits are different) from the nearest valid code word by ensuring each subset of M data bits used to calculate the parity bit has an even or odd parity. Odd parity means there are an odd number of 1s in the subset of M data bits and the respective parity bit P and even parity means there is an even number of 1s. Even parity is assumed in the present example.
In the example where data bits D equal 1011, inserting the data bits D3, D5, D6, and D7 into a code word produces [P1 P2 1 P4 0 1 1]. Calculation of the parity bits is as follows: P1=(D3, D5, D7)=(1 0 1). The parity in these three bits is even since there are two "1" bits so the parity bit P1 needs to be set to 0 to make the parity across (P1 D3 D5 D7) be even. Thus P1=0. The code word then becomes [0 P2 1 P4 0 1 1]. The next parity bit P2 is determined from the data bits P2=(D3, D6, D7)=(1 1 1), and since the parity in these bits is currently odd the parity bit P2 must be set to "1" so that the parity across (P2 D3 D6 D7) is even. The code word then becomes [0 1 1 P4 0 1 1]. Finally, the parity bit P4=(D5 D6 D7)=(0 1 1) so the parity bit needs to be set to 0 to give even parity across the bits (P4 D5 D6 D7). Thus, P4=0 and the final code word with the parity bits in place is [0 1 1 0 0 1 1]. A variety of different types of circuitry may be used in the ECC logic 4 to generate the parity bits P1, P2, P4, such as cascaded XOR gates as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The code word [0 1 1 0 0 1 1] is the word that is actually stored in the memory 8 in FIGS. 1 and 3, and the code word that is subsequently retrieved from the memory and processed by the encode function 74, compare unit 76, and corrector unit 78 of FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the K error check bits correspond to the parity bits P1, P2, and P4.
Now suppose that upon retrieval of the code word from the memory 8, the code word has a value [0 1 1 0 0 0 1]. In other words, the bit in position D6 is in error. In this situation, the encode function 74 and compare unit 76 generate a check word (C4 C2 C1) from the retrieved code word where the bits in the check word are set to 1 if the parity check indicates a parity error for the corresponding parity bit. In the present example, parity bit P1=0 and a check of the retrieved bits (D3 D5 D7)=(1 0 1) has even parity so that bit P1 agrees with the retrieved parity so C1=0. A similar process is used to determine the values of bits C2 and C4. In this example these values are P2=1 and the parity check of the retrieved data bits (D3 D6 D7)=(1 0 1) has even parity. The bit P2 thus indicates that the stored data bits (D3 D6 D7) have odd parity which is not true, so an error has been detected and the bit C2 is set to 1. Since the parity check on the bits in the retrieved code word is in disagreement with the parity bit P2, the bit C2 is set to 1 to indicate the detected error. Exactly which bit in the code word is in error has yet to be determined.
Finally, the bit P4=0 and the parity check of the retrieved bits (D5 D6 D7)=(0 0 1) has odd parity indicating that the bit P4 should equal 1. The bit P4=0, however, so once again an error has been detected and the check bit C4 is set to 1 to indicate the disagreement in values. The check word [C4 C2 C1] therefore has a value of [1 1 0] indicating that an error has been detected in position D6 since the check word represents the bit pattern for the decimal number 6. As a result, the bit D6 will be inverted and in this case changed from a 0 to a 1. The key with this type of code is that the binary value of the check bits indicates the erroneous bit in the code word, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The corrector unit 78 then removes the parity bits P1, P2, P4 from the corrected code word and the bits D3, D5, D6, D7 having the values 1011, which is the original data word portion of the original code word stored in memory, is output from the buffer 80. In the following discussion, the process of generating the parity bits P1, P2, P4 may be referred to as encoding data words and the process of generating the check bits C and detecting and correcting erroneous bits may be referred to as decoding data words.
Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the ECC logic 4 typically processes code words having the number of bits or width used by a particular application, which is typically much less than the number of data bits read from the memory array 12 of FIG. 2 when a given row of memory cells (not shown) is accessed. The problem with using Hamming codes on relatively short code words is that a larger percentage of the overall storage capacity of the memory array 12 is required to store the parity bits generated for each code word. For example, an 8-bit data word (M=8) requires 5 parity bits to implement an SECDED code, and thus each 13 bit code word includes 5 parity bits meaning that approximately 38% (5/13×100%) of the storage capacity of the memory array 12 is required merely for storing the parity bits required to implement the code and thus that may not be used for storing data bits. In contrast, a 256-bit data word (M=256) requires only 10 parity bits to implement an SECDED code, meaning that only approximately 4% (10/256×100%) of the capacity of the memory array 12 is utilized for storing parity bits required to implement the code.
Because the percentage of overall storage capacity of the memory array 12 that is required for storing the parity bits decreases as the number of data bits in each code word increases, it is desirable for the ECC logic 4 to operate on data words having a large number of data bits, which will be referred to hereinafter as "wide" data words. When the ECC logic 4 processes wide data words the logic can be embedded "deeper" into the memory system 10, where the term deeper means closer to the memory 12 of FIG. 2. In a given memory array 12, the widest data word corresponds to the data word containing all the bits in an entire row of the array, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. A problem with having the ECC logic 4 process wide data words from the array 12, such as the word corresponding to an entire row of memory cells in the array, is that the ECC logic must process all data from the activated row, which may include data from valid columns of memory cells, data from defective columns, and data from redundant columns. There is no way of knowing prior to testing which columns of memory cells in the array 12 are defective and which redundant columns will be mapped to replace these defective columns. Conventional ECC logic 4 must therefore include circuitry to process only valid data from the array 12, which complicates the circuitry required to implement the ECC logic 4 and prevents such conventional logic from efficiently operating on wide data words.
There is a need for performing error correction and detection on wide data words in memory systems and other types of systems containing memory.

Method and system to encode and decode wide data words


A thin film forming method for plasmatizing a mixture gas, the mixture gas being made up of a monomer gas and an oxidizing reactive gas, and for forming a thin film on a surface of a substrate, the thin film being made of an oxide. The method includes forming a first thin film by plasmatizing the mixture gas while varying a supply flow amount ratio of the monomer gas with respect to the reactive gas and forming a final thin film by increasing the supply flow amount ratio of the monomer gas with respect to the reactive gas after the forming of the first film.

Plastic containers are used for packaging and containing purposes in various fields such as beverages, foods, toiletry goods, and medicines because they not only have a superior hardness, light weight, and superior moldability, but are also cost efficient, difficult to break, and easy to re-seal.
Although plastic containers have these advantages, plastic containers also have disadvantages in that a low molecular gas such as oxygen and carbon dioxide can be transmitted therethrough. Such a disadvantage is called low gas impermeability because gas impermeability is low. Occasionally, some of the contents in the container are affected undesirably by such gases. Here, various attempts for improving the gas impermeability of plastics have been made when producing containers industrially. Among such attempts, one method is realized, in which a material having a high gas impermeability and made of an inexpensive common material is formed in a multi-layer structure.
However, it is difficult to recycle a material having a multi-layered structure which consists of at least two kinds of material. Thus, there was a problem from an ecological point of view because a material having a multi-layer structure must be discarded after usage. Therefore, other attempts have been made for reducing a material having a high gas impermeability as much as possible until the material having a high gas impermeability has no effect on recycling. However, quite often, it was not possible to realize a desirable gas impermeability in a material having a multi-layer structure.
Currently, in order to realize a recycling ability and gas impermeability to oxygen, carbon monoxide, and steam, a method has been proposed in which a thin film having gas impermeability is formed on the inner surface of a container made by commonly-used plastics. One thin film forming method is a plasma-assisted CVD method, in which a thin film is formed on the inner surface of a container by plasmatizing a process gas and reacting the process gas chemically. Specifically, the plasma-assisted CVD method, in which a container is disposed between a hollow high frequency electrode having a shape which is approximately the same as the outer shape of the container, and an inner electrode having a shape which is approximately the same as the inner shape of the container, is known in the art (see, for example, patent document 1). As another form of the plasma-assisted CVD method, both the high frequency electrode and the inner electrode are disposed away from a surface of the container by approximately the same distance (see a patent document 2).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H8-53117
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H8-175528
However, even if a thin film is formed by these methods, it is still difficult to control strictly flow ratio of a reactive gas and a monomer gas in the plasmatized process gas. As a result, there has been a problem in that it was not possible to stably form a thin film having a sufficient gas impermeability, and in that, the gas impermeability varied even among the produced containers. Furthermore, there has been another problem in that the gas impermeability of the thin film decreases because the produced thin film does not have sufficient flexibility, and finally, cracking occurs on the thin film when using the container.
Also, a thin film has been formed on the inner surface of not only plastic container, but also, for example, glass container in order to prevent lead, cadmium, etc., from melting in the contents of the containers. For that case, it is necessary to form the thin film stably without variation.
Also, a thin film having gas impermeability has been formed on the inner surface of plastic containers in order to add gas impermeability. For that purpose, a plasma-assisted CVD method (hereinafter, a plasma CVD method), in which a thin film is formed on the inner surface of the plastic container by plasmatizing a process gas and reacting the plasmatized process gas chemically, is known in the art.
It was not possible to know whether or not the thin film has a desirable surface quality during forming the thin film by the plasma CVD method. Therefore, conventionally, a thin film has been produced while monitoring parameters (for example, degree of vacuum, applied power, and introduced gas flow amount), and after that, whether or not the produced thin film had a desirable surface quality has been evaluated. However, the monitoring of the parameters, such as the degree of vacuum, applied power, and introduced gas flow amount, has not yet achieved the desirable surface quality of the produced thin film. Therefore, a more improved process monitoring method is needed.
For that purpose, a method in which a plasma emission is monitored has been proposed. This method is called a plasma diagnosis, in which it is possible to obtain information concerning the actual inner structure of a plasma by monitoring emission of the plasma. By employing this method, it is possible to forecast the surface quality of the thin film accurately.
For example, a method is proposed in which whether or not a process is conducted properly is determined by monitoring a ratio between the intensity of hydrogen alpha rays and the intensity of hydrogen beta rays, which are radiated from a plasma, or by monitoring a ratio between the hydrogen alpha rays or beta rays, and the intensity of helium radiation, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H1-87777 (patent document 3).
However, the method which is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H1-87777, has the following problems.
Firstly, although the hydrogen alpha rays have a relatively large intensity, the hydrogen beta rays have a small intensity, and the hydrogen beta ray vary greatly. Therefore, when the ratio between the intensity of the hydrogen beta rays and the intensity of the radiation of other atomic specimen (molecular specimen) is calculated, the calculated ratio varies greatly; thus, it is difficult to know the inner structure of the plasma accurately.
Also, even if the ratio of the intensities is calculated between relatively intense rays such as the hydrogen alpha rays and the helium radiation, both the intensity of the hydrogen alpha rays and the intensity of the helium radiation fluctuate similarly if the thin film forming pressure fluctuates. Therefore, even if the thin film forming pressure fluctuates and the surface quality of the produced thin film fluctuates accordingly, the ratio between the intensity of the hydrogen alpha rays and the intensity of the helium radiation does not vary greatly. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is not possible to monitor the plasma accurately.
Also, the spectrum of the plasma is measured in a wide range from a visible wavelength to a near-visible wavelength (see FIG. 3 in patent document 3). There is a problem because a specific complicated spectrometer is necessary for such a measurement, and such a spectrometer is expensive.
Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H1-87777.

Method for forming thin film, apparatus for forming thin film, and method for monitoring thin film forming process


A system that runs in web browsers of mobile devices that allows mobile users to take photos of building exteriors and interiors or other real world objects, upload photos, share photos with others, and use the photo images to model the 3D models with the system's image-based modeling interface.

1. Field of the Invention
This field is generally related to the use of photographic information in conjunction with a simulated three-dimensional (3D) environment.
2. Related Art
Three-dimensional modeling tools and other computer-aided design (CAD) tools enable users to define three-dimensional models, such as a three-dimensional model of a building. Photographic images of the building may be available from, for example, satellite, aerial, vehicle-mounted street-view and user cameras. By texture mapping photographs of the buildings onto the three-dimensional models with photogrammetry algorithms, it becomes possible to use multiple photographs to create a visually appealing three-dimensional model.
Mobile devices with integrated cameras represent a valuable source of image data. The potential value of the image data is increased considerably because the image data may be associated with camera model information including location and orientation data from a location sensor, such as a GPS sensor.

Photo-image-based 3D modeling system on a mobile device


A drill chuck has an externally toothed body, a plurality of jaws, and a tightening ring rotatable on the body in tightening and loosening directions. Screwthreads between the tightening ring and the jaws move the jaws radially. A pawl engageable with the teeth is angularly fixed on the tightening ring and can shift between a retaining position engaging the teeth and a freeing position disengaged from the teeth. An adjustment sleeve is limitedly angularly displaceable on the body relative to the tightening ring between a locked end position and an unlocked end position. A cam on the adjustment sleeve can displace the pawl into the retaining position when the adjustment sleeve is in the locked end position and into the freeing position when the adjustment sleeve is in the unlocked end position. A locking part can engage the pawl in the retaining position thereof to lock the chuck.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,839 describes a chuck having a chuck body rotatable about a chuck axis and provided centered on the axis with an annular array of teeth each having a steep flank and a shallow flank. A plurality of jaws angularly spaced on the body about the axis are radially displaceable relative to the body between inner and outer positions. A tightening ring is axially fixed but rotatable about the axis on the body in a tightening direction and in an opposite loosening direction. A pair of screwthread formations between the tightening ring and the jaws can move the jaws radially together on rotation of the tightening ring in the tightening direction and radially apart on rotation of the tightening ring in the loosening direction. A pawl engageable with the teeth and angularly fixed on the tightening ring can be radially displaced between a retaining position engaging the teeth and preventing rotation of the body relative to the tightening ring in the loosening direction and a freeing position permitting free rotation of the body relative to the tightening ring in both directions. A setting ring axially fixed but angularly displaceable on the tightening ring is formed with a pair of angularly spaced and radially open seats. A pair of angularly spaced abutments between the setting ring and the tightening ring limit angular movement of the sleeve on the ring to movement between a pair of end positions of the sleeve on the ring. A cam on the setting ring is engageable with the pawl for displacing the pawl into the retaining position when the setting ring is in one of its end positions and for displacing the pawl into the freeing position when the setting ring is in the other of its end positions. A latch member angularly fixed on the tightening ring is engageable in the seats of the setting ring for releasably retaining the setting ring in its end positions. A common spring extending angularly along and fixed angularly in the tightening ring urges the latch member into the seats and the pawl into the freeing position.
Thus with such a chuck, it is possible to hammer drill without the tightening ring reverse rotating to release the bit. In fact the chuck can be set up so that drilling creates a self-tightening action.
The main problem with this arrangement is that when the drill is subjected to considerable vibration or shocks directed radially of the chuck, the pawl can jump out of the teeth and allow the chuck to loosen. Today's chucks can operate at 6000 to 40,000 hammers per minute, so that they are subjected to enormous shock and stress. In addition, such a chuck is normally used under very difficult work conditions so such unintended loosening is a real problem.


There is provided a novel construction of a metal melting furnace that can preheat and melt the entire material more efficiently and that can facilitate operations for removing oxides deposited on the surface around the melting burner and the inside thereof and thus reduce the time for cleaning the inside of the furnace. The metal melting furnace 10 includes a melting chamber 20 that has a material charging port 21 and a flue 22 at the top and a hearth section 25 along which melted material flows down to a molten material holding section 60 at the bottom, wherein a combustion chamber 30 equipped with a melting burner 35 is formed below the hearth section 25, a heating plate 40 comprised of a heat-resistant plate having high heat conductivity is disposed in the hearth section 25 above the combustion chamber 30, and an exhaust gas outflow passage 50 from the combustion chamber 30 is formed in a side wall of the melting chamber 20.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a metal melting furnace such as that for aluminum and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present inventor previously proposed a metal melting furnace 100 shown in FIGS. 10–12. This is a melting furnace 100 in which material to be melted is inserted into a preheating flue 122 having a material charging port 121 formed at the top thereof and an inclined hearth section 125 at the bottom thereof and, then, the material is heated and melted by a melting burner 135 disposed toward the lower portion of the preheating flue 122 and introduced into a molten material holding section 160 via the hearth section 125 and, in the molten material holding section 160, the molten material M is kept at a predetermined temperature by a holding burner 165, wherein a melted material holding member 115 having an open bottom is disposed in the preheating flue 122 so that there is a clearance C between the melting burner 135 and a furnace wall surface 111W at the opposite side in the flue 122. (for an example, see Japanese Patent No. 32250000)
In the figures, there are shown a furnace wall 111 defining the preheating flue 122, an inspection hole 112 formed on the furnace wall 111, a door 113 of the inspection hole 112, a flange section 116 provided at the top of the melted material holding member 115, a partition 126 between the preheating flue 122 and the molten material holding section 160, and a communicating opening 127 formed through the partition 126. Further, in connection with the molten material holding section 160, there are shown a furnace wall 161 defining the molten material holding section, an inspection hole 162 formed on the furnace wall 161, a door 163 of the inspection hole 162, a molten material discharge section 170, and a communicating opening 171 formed at the bottom of the partition between the molten material holding section 160 and the molten material discharge section 170.
In the conventional metal melting furnace 100 of this type, the melting burner 135 is typically disposed toward the bottom of the preheating flue 122 so that burner flame of the melting burner 135 hits the material to be heated and melted directly. The material naturally starts melting from the portion hit by the burner flame directly, but in a position where the burner flame of the melting burner 135 does not hit directly or adequately or, more specifically, for example, in a position adjacent to the hearth section 125 and a position at the opposite side of the melting burner 135, it may be hard to melt the material and, in some cases, the material may remain unmelted to the end.
Further, in the conventional metal melting furnace 100 in which the melting burner 135 is disposed on the furnace wall 111, when the burner flame hits the material to be melted directly, sherbet-like half-melted material may be scattered to deposit as oxides on the surface around the melting burner 135 and the inside thereof and, therefore, the oxides may have to be removed regularly.
In these respects, in the metal melting furnace of this type, it has been strongly desired to preheat and melt the entire material more efficiently and to facilitate operations for removing the oxides deposited on the surface around the melting burner and the inside thereof.
Japanese Patent No. 3225000


A method of forming a metal line pattern for a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes forming a preliminary structure on a semiconductor substrate, having a lower barrier metal layer, a metal layer, and an upper barrier and/or passivation layer having a first thickness; removing a top surface of the passivation layer so that the passivation layer has a second thickness; forming a sub-passivation layer on the passivation layer; forming an adhesion promoter and a photoresist pattern on the sub-passivation layer; and forming a metal line pattern by etching the preliminary structure using the photoresist pattern as an etching mask.

The present disclosure relates to a metal line pattern of a semiconductor device and a method of forming the metal line pattern.
Generally, a semiconductor device manufactured using a silicon substrate includes an element for storing and processing data and a line pattern for inputting or outputting signals to and from the element. Aluminum and aluminum alloys are most widely used in process for manufacturing line patterns in semiconductor devices since they have excellent electric conductivity, excellent adhesive force to an oxide layer, and relatively easy processing.
In a typical metal line pattern forming method, a metal layer is formed on a substrate, and a passivation layer is formed on the metal layer to prevent the metal layer from being oxidized. A photoresist pattern is formed on the passivation layer, and the passivation layer and the metal layer are etched using the photoresist pattern as an etching mask to form the metal line pattern.
However, as design rules for the metal line pattern have been recently significantly attenuated, an alignment error of the photoresist pattern for forming the metal line pattern has frequently occurred. It is essential to accurately align the photoresist pattern on/over the metal layer.
When the photoresist pattern is misaligned, the photoresist pattern can be removed using an oxygen plasma or etchant, and a new photoresist pattern is formed on the metal layer. However, when the photoresist pattern is newly formed on the metal layer, an oxide layer may also be formed on the passivation layer. Particularly, when the passivation layer is formed of Ti or TiN, an undesirable oxide layer is formed on the passivation layer.
Hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) may be formed on the oxide layer of the passivation layer. At this point, due to non-uniformity in the oxide layer, the HMDS is not uniformly formed on/over the passivation layer. As a result, when the photoresist pattern is re-formed on the passivation layer having the oxide layer thereon, the new photoresist pattern may collapse (or fall down sideward) before etching the metal layer. This causes the metal line pattern not to be accurately formed.

Metal line pattern of semiconductor device and method of forming the same