An image reading apparatus including; a supply device for supplying sheets to a reading position, a platen glass plate in the reading position, a platen roller opposed to the platen glass plate, a reading device for exposing a sheet on the platen glass plate to read an image on the sheet, and a white guide member upstream of the platen roller in the transporting direction, wherein a portion of the guide member closest to the platen roller is on the platen roller side with respect to a plane which includes the point in the outer periphery of the platen roller closest to the platen glass plate and which is parallel to the platen glass plate, and wherein the longitudinal length of the guide member is the same as or larger than the width of the range of the reading device.

Up to now, some image reading apparatuses provided in digital copying machines, printers, facsimile apparatuses and the like are equipped with an openable and closable original treatment apparatus which is an example of a sheet transport apparatus for automatically feeding an original in the form of a sheet or the like to the image reading apparatus. The image reading apparatus performs image reading with an exposure means on the original automatically fed by the original treatment apparatus.
As a conventional example of the exposure means, an image reading method (hereinafter referred to as flow reading) is known according to which an exposing device is fixed at a predetermined reading position on a platen glass plate provided in an image reading apparatus, the image being read by moving the original past the reading position at a predetermined speed. This flow reading is advantageous in that one original can be quickly replaced by another, and is applied to a variety of products.
However, in an original treatment apparatus utilizing the flow reading technique, in which the original is read while being transported, the original may be raised or flutter vertically during reading under the influence of the guide load or guide curvature. Thus, the original may be rather unstable.
As an example of the means for coping with this, a construction is available in which a platen roller is provided opposite to the platen glass plate in order to press the original against the platen glass plate.
FIG. 15 shows an example of a conventional image reading apparatus. The image reading apparatus shown in FIG. 15 is equipped with an original glass stand 300 for a reading system (hereinafter referred to as the book reading system) in which a stationary original placed thereon is read, a flow reading glass 301 for the flow reading system, and a reading sensor 302 consisting of a contact image sensor or the like which is an image reading means used for both reading systems.
In the flow reading system, a platen roller 304 arranged above the flow reading glass 301 at a predetermined distance therefrom is rotated at a predetermined speed, whereby at the time of flow reading, the original is transported in a stable manner while restricting the amount by which the original is raised from the upper surface of the flow reading glass 301.
The flow reading system using the platen roller 304 has a problem in that when there is a variation in the reading position, i.e., the stop position of the reading sensor 302, with respect to the platen roller, a variation in the brightness level of the read image is involved. FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a conventional image reading apparatus for explaining the cause of this phenomenon.
In FIG. 16, the route of light from an illuminating means 305 in the case of the book reading system is designated by the reference sign 16A, and the route of light from the illuminating means 305 in the case of the flow reading system is designated by the reference sign 16B. In FIG. 16, the route of light applied from the illuminating means on one side and transmitted through the original is schematically indicated by double-dotted lines. In the example shown, the reading position for the flow reading system is deviated from the position directly below the center of the platen roller 304 to the upstream side with respect to the original transporting direction.
In the case of the book reading system designated by the reference sign 16A in FIG. 16, the light transmitted through the original 306 is reflected in the direction of the reading sensor 302 by a white pressure plate 307 pressing the original 306 against the original glass stand 300, and illuminates the back surface of the original. In contrast, in the case of the flow reading system designated by the reference sign 16B in FIG. 16, a part of the light transmitted through the original 306 and reflected by the white platen roller 304 is reflected away from the reading sensor 302 due to the curvature of the platen roller 304.
As a result, the quantity of light illuminating the back surface of the original 306 is reduced, resulting in a reduction in brightness when the reflected light from the original is read by an image sensor 309 through a lens 308. As the reading position is shifted away from the position directly below the center of the platen roller 304, the quantity of light reflected in the direction of the reading sensor 302 decreases, resulting in a further reduction in the brightness of the image even when the same original is read. The higher the light transmittance of the original 306, the greater the influence of this phenomenon. Thus, the thinner the original 306, the more conspicuous is the reduction in brightness.
To perform image reading without being influenced by this reduction in brightness, it is necessary to accurately place the reading sensor 302 at the position directly below the rotation center of the platen roller 304, in which it is possible to obtain substantially the same brightness as in the case of the book reading system.
However, due to the accuracy in the stop position of the reading sensor 302, play or slop, etc. in the hinge portion of the ADF 303 mounted so as to allow opening and closing, it is difficult to perform accurate positioning on the reading sensor 302 with respect to the platen roller 304.
Further, the portion of the surface of the flow reading glass 301 directly below the center of the platen roller 304 and the portion thereof on the downstream side in the original transporting direction are subject to adhesion of dirt. When dirt exists at the reading position, the image will be streaked. In view of this, it is desirable for the reading position to be set somewhat upstream with respect to the position directly below the center of the platen roller 304.
To prevent generation of a streaked image due to dirt on the flow reading glass 301, there has been proposed a method according to which image reading is performed at the reading position for flow reading while rotating the platen roller 304, with the original not being transported, to thereby distinguish between dirt on the flow reading glass 301 and dirt on the surface of the platen roller 304. When dirt is detected on the flow reading glass 301, the reading position is shifted. In the case in which this operation for preventing generation of a streaked image is performed, the reading position for flow reading is inevitably moved.
As described above, due to the influence of the component accuracy and the operation for preventing generation of a streaked image, it is difficult for the reading position for flow reading to remain the same always with respect to the platen roller 304. Thus, a variation in brightness as mentioned above is involved.
FIG. 17 shows another example of the construction of the portion of an original treatment apparatus using a platen roller which is in the vicinity of the reading position. In the vicinity of the reading position of this conventional apparatus using a platen roller, there are provided transport roller pairs 402 and 403 situated on the upstream and downstream sides of the reading position 401 and adapted to transport the original at a predetermined speed, and a platen roller 405 situated substantially above the reading position and rotatable by a driving means (not shown).
An exposure device 409 is provided below a platen glass plate 404 to perform image reading operation on an original transported at a uniform velocity between the platen roller 405 and the platen glass plate 404. To stabilize the quantity of light on the exposure device 409 during reading to thereby prevent show-through, and to realize contrast enhancement on the characters and background when reading an original likely to be see-through as in the case of a thin sheet or an intermediate paper, the color of the platen roller 405 is white. Thus, the range in which reading by the exposure device 409 is possible must be a range in which the whiteness of the platen roller 405 is suited for reading. In view of this, the exposure device is usually provided directly below the platen roller.
Further, the platen roller 405 is supported by an oscillation arm 406 so as to be capable of oscillating about a fulcrum shaft 407 (which, in this example, also serves as the shaft of one roller of the transport roller pair 402), and is pressurized downwards by an urging member 408. Due to this arrangement, when the original treatment apparatus is closed, the oscillation arm 406 abuts against the platen glass plate 404 and follows the reading position 401 through equalization.
If at this time the platen roller 405 were brought into contact with the platen glass plate 404, it would be constantly rubbed against the platen glass plate 404, thereby damaging the glass. In view of this, the outer diameter of the oscillation arm 406 is larger than the outer diameter of the platen roller 405, forming a gap X between the platen glass plate 404 and the platen roller 405.
By minimizing this gap X, rising of the original during transport is prevented so as to effect image reading at an appropriate level of brightness. At this time, the platen roller 405 is being driven, so that it is possible to transport the original without imparting any load thereto. In particular, in the case in which a contact image sensor is used for the exposure device 409, the reading depth is small, so that in many cases the platen roller 405 used is one capable of easily minimizing the gap X.
The conventional original treatment apparatus performing flow reading using a platen roller has the following problem: In order to stabilize the light quantity on the exposure device during reading to prevent show-through, and to effect contrast enhancement on the characters and background when exposure is effected for the original likely to be see-through as in the case of a thin sheet or an intermediate paper, a white member facing the back surface of the original is provided in the portion of the image reading apparatus on the side opposed to the reading position. In this regard, the original treatment apparatus using a platen roller is no exception, and is normally equipped with a white platen roller opposed to the reading position.
In the construction using a platen roller, due to the curvature of the platen roller, if the reading position is deviated from the position directly below the platen roller, the distance between it and the roller increases, resulting in an insufficient light quantity. This can also cause the shadow of the gap between the platen roller and a guide in the vicinity thereof to be reflected, with the result that the whiteness of the background deteriorates, with the background being read rather dark.
An attempt to perform reading in a place free from such problems would lead to a restriction in the range in which reading is possible in the case of an original treatment apparatus using a platen roller. Similarly, when a contact image sensor (CIS), whose reading depth is less than that of a CCD, is used, the influence of the curvature of the platen roller will be still greater, which means the range in which reading is possible is restricted to the portion in the vicinity of the position directly below the roller.
In view of this, the reading position has conventionally been adjusted to a position in which appropriate reading is possible through positional adjustment of the platen roller and the exposure device by using a jig, detection means, and the like.
It might be possible to widen the reading area by making the curvature gentler by making the diameter of the white roller as large as possible. However, given the component variation of the original treatment apparatus and of the exposure device, it would be necessary to use a white platen roller with a considerably large diameter, resulting in an increase in apparatus size and an increase in cost.

Sheet transport apparatus, image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus


Method and system aspects for calibrating an MR offset in an MR head are presented. A method aspect includes identifying an occurrence of a calibration condition to initiate an MR offset check, and performing the MR offset check to ensure an MR offset value has not changed beyond an acceptable tolerance in order to maintain proper servoing of the MR head. A system aspect includes a hard disk for storing data, a read/write MR head for reading and writing data to/from the hard disk, and a control unit. The control unit performs an MR offset calibration of an MR offset value for the read/write MR head in response to a calibration condition occurring in order to ensure maintenance of the MR offset value within an acceptable tolerance for proper servoing of the read/write MR head.

The present invention relates generally to magnetoresistive (MR) heads in disk drives and more particularly to offset calibration of MR heads.
Digital data storage conventionally utilizes disk drives with rotating rigid disks. Technology improvements have tried to increase the storage capacity and accuracy of disk drives while reducing the weight and power consumption through improvements to each element of the disk drive. In modern disk drives, innovations of anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) and giant magnetoresistive (GMR) heads have improved writing and reading of data through the use of separate elements in the recording head as the head flies over a spinning disk. Thus, a writing element writes bits onto the disk, while a reading element reads the bits from the disk by detecting the presence of faint but Emidentifying magnetic fields. The head consists of a thin film inductive write element and an MR read element, i.e., an AMR or GMR sensor between first and second magnetic shields. The read element is typically narrower than the write element to improve the offtrack performance.
In practice, there is an offset between the center of the read and write elements due to longitudinal separation of the elements. When used with a rotary actuator, the head is skewed with respect to the tracks as the actuator moves across the disk. The result is a lateral offset between the read and write head centerlines. Optimum performance is achieved by centering the read head over the data track for read operations and centering the write head over the data track for write operations, which can cause the read head to be partially off-track during a write operation. The geometric offset of the write and read head elements is generally referred to as the MR offset of the MR head. Manifestation of the MR offset is usually seen magnetically and is termed the write-to-read (W/R) offset of the MR head. The terms MR offset and W/R offset are often used interchangeably, and for the purposes of this disclosure, the generally accepted reference of MR offset is used throughout. A large offset is usually not desirable because it requires more time to allow the actuator to center the read element over the data track. This impacts the overall performance of the system.
MR heads may have many forms of instability. One example of instbility is Magnetic Center Shift (MCS), and another example is amplitude instability. The MCS instability usually occurs through one or more stress conditions such as thermal, electrical, magnetic and results in a shift in the W/R offset from the pre-stressed state. The same stress conditions can also engender amplitude instability in which the MR head output signal loses strength.
Voltage and/or current pulses are often used to RESET amplitude instability in MR heads. For example, certain GMR heads with low blocking temperature anti-ferro magnetic materials are resettable through the use of a voltage/current pulse. While the term xe2x80x9cRESET pulsexe2x80x9d refers particularly to this pulse for those GMR heads, it is here generalized to mean any voltage or current that deviates from the intended value. For example, if the intended long term MR bias current is 5 milliamps, then the application of 6 milliamps bias current can be considered to be a xe2x80x98RESET current pulsexe2x80x99. However, resetting can adversely affect the MR offset. For example, in a straight line model for the MR offset, the resetting can result in an MR offset that has an opposite offset and/or slope than before the resetting action. Such a change can cause the servo to move in the wrong direction and lead to data erasures resulting in unrecoverable hard data checks.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for calibrating an MR offset, particularly following an MR reset. The present invention addresses such a need.
The present invention provides method and system aspects for calibrating an MR offset in an MR head. A method aspect includes identifying an occurrence of a calibration condition to initiate an MR offset check, and performing the MR offset check to ensure an MR offset value has not changed beyond an acceptable tolerance in order to maintain proper servoing of the MR head. A system aspect includes a hard disk for storing data, a read/write MR head for reading and writing data to/from the hard disk, and a control unit. The control unit performs an MR offset calibration of an MR offset value for the read/write MR head in response to a calibration condition occurring in order to ensure maintenance of the MR offset value within an acceptable tolerance for proper servoing of the read/write MR head.
Through the present invention, MR offset calibrations are accomplished in a straightforward and efficient manner. These and other advantages of the aspects of the present invention will be more fully understood in conjunction with the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

Method and system for MR offset calibration

International Business Machines Corporation


An illumination optical system having a more simplified structure forms various quadrupole-shaped secondary light sources with two-time rotational symmetry with respect to an optical axis. The apparatus can provide illumination conditions that differ in two perpendicular directions on a radiation-receiving plane. In order to form a secondary light source with a quadrupole-shaped light intensity distribution on an illumination pupil plane, a diffractive optical device is provided in which an entrance light beam is converted into four light beams, and a light beam having a shape of four points centered about the optical axis is formed in a far field. The diffractive optical device is provided with a first diffractive optical member that is rotatable about a first axis parallel to the optical axis, and a second diffractive optical member that is rotatable about a second axis parallel to the optical axis, and that is arranged adjacent to the first diffractive optical member. A refractive optical device having first and second refractive optical members accomplishes similar results.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to diffractive optical devices, refractive optical devices, illumination optical system, exposure apparatus, and exposure methods. In particular, this invention relates to illumination optical system suitable for manufacturing micro-devices, such as semiconductor elements, imaging elements, liquid crystal display elements, and thin film magnetic heads, using lithography processes.
2. Description of Related Art
In typical exposure apparatus of this kind, a secondary light source is formed substantially as a planar light source composed from many light sources, via a fly's eye lens that functions as an optical integrator. A light beam from the secondary light source (the light beam from the secondary light source actually is composed of multiple light beams from the many light sources that form the secondary light source) enters a condenser lens after being limited through an aperture diaphragm positioned near a back focal plane of the fly's eye lens.
The light beams collected by the condenser lens superimposingly illuminate a mask on which a predetermined pattern has been formed. The light that has passed the pattern on the mask forms an image on a wafer through a projection optical system. As a result, a mask pattern is projected and exposed (transferred) onto the wafer. The pattern formed on the mask is highly integrated. Thus, it is desirable to obtain a uniform illumination distribution on the wafer in order to accurately transfer the minute pattern onto the wafer.
Accordingly, a technology that forms a circular secondary light source on the back focal plane of the fly's eye lens and varies coherency σ (σ=diameter of aperture diaphragm/diameter of pupil of the projection optical system, or σ=numerical aperture on the exit side of the illumination optical system/numerical aperture of the entrance side of the projection optical system) of illumination by changing the size thereof, has been used. In addition, a technology that forms an annular or quadrupole secondary light source on the back focal plane of the fly's eye lens to improve depth of focus (DOF) and resolution of the projection optical system, has been used.
However, in the above-described conventional technologies, the cross-sectional shape of the light beam entering a point on the mask that is the illuminated surface is in the same positional relationship with respect to the two orthogonal directions on the mask in the case of the conventional circular illumination based on the circular secondary light source, as well as in the case of the conventional modified illumination based on the annular or quadrupole secondary light source (annular illumination or quadrupole illumination). In other words, in the conventional technologies, the illumination conditions are the same for the two orthogonal directions on the illuminated surface. As a result, it is not possible to realize the most optimum illumination conditions at the two orthogonal directions on the mask when the mask pattern has directionality (i.e., has characteristics/features that are different in the two orthogonal directions).
In particular, in the case of the quadrupole illumination where a quadrupole secondary light source composed from four planar light sources centered about the optical axis is formed, changing the size of all of the planar light sources and their distance from the optical axis (measured from the center of each planar light source) is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-85293 (and its corresponding European Laid-Open Application No. 1014196), for example. However, in the conventional technologies, although the size of all of the planar light sources composing the quadrupole secondary light source in the quadrupole illumination and their distance from the optical axis can be changed, various quadrupole secondary light sources have a form of two-time rotational symmetry (rotational symmetry with respect to two orthogonal axes) with respect to the optical axis by independently or continuously changing the angular position of the planar light sources.
It is proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-231619, for example, to form various quadrupole secondary light sources having two-time rotational symmetry with respect to the optical axis by independently or continuously changing the angular position of the planar light sources using an axicon system. However, the axicon is difficult to manufacture from fluorite, due to the limited ability to process fluorite, and thus, the manufacturing cost becomes extremely high. Accordingly, there is a demand for a technology that forms various quadrupole secondary light sources having two-time rotational symmetry with respect to the optical axis by independently or continuously changing the angular position of each planar light source using a simple structure without using an axicon system.

Diffractive optical device, refractive optical device, illumination optical system, exposure apparatus and exposure method


A capture station for creating identification documents comprises a housing including a camera and lighting device, a base, and at least one leg extending from the base. The housing is mounted to the leg to enable height adjustment of the camera. One configuration of the capture station has two substantially rigid and parallel legs with the housing mounted between the legs. Configurations of the capture station can include a processor, such a CPU or embedded controller, enabling ID document data capture functions to be executed within the capture station, and to be controlled via a remote computer via a network connection. In one embodiment, the processor is housed in the base and communicates with the camera via wiring routed through the leg. Peripherals used in capture functions, such as a fingerprint reader, signature pad, display, etc., may be mounted to the leg via clamps, or a plug in receptacle with power and communication wiring provided in the leg.

Identification Documents
Identification documents (hereafter "ID documents") play a critical role in today's society. One example of an ID document is an identification card ("ID card"). ID documents are used on a daily basis—to prove identity, to verify age, to access a secure area, to evidence driving privileges, to cash a check, and so on. (For the purposes of this disclosure, ID documents are broadly defined herein, and include, e.g., credit cards, bank cards, phone cards, passports, driver's licenses, network access cards, employee badges, debit cards, security cards, visas, immigration documentation, national ID cards, citizenship cards, social security cards, security badges, certificates, identification cards or documents, voter registration cards, police ID cards, border crossing cards, legal instruments, security clearance badges and cards, gun permits, gift certificates or cards, membership cards or badges, etc., etc. Also, the terms "document," "card," "badge" and "documentation" are used interchangeably throughout this patent application.).
Many types of identification cards and documents, such as driving licenses, national or government identification cards, bank cards, credit cards, controlled access cards and smart cards, carry thereon certain items of information which relate to the identity of the bearer. Examples of such information include name, address, birth date, signature and photographic image; the cards or documents may in addition carry other variant data (i.e., data specific to a particular card or document, for example an employee number) and invariant data (i.e., data common to a large number of cards, for example the name of an employer). All of the cards described above will hereinafter be generically referred to as "ID documents".
Identification documents, such as ID cards, having printed background security patterns, designs or logos and identification data personal to the card bearer have been known and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,970, issued Sep. 18, 1973 to M. Annenberg; in Great Britain Pat. No. 1,472,581, issued to G. A. O. Gesellschaft Fur Automation Und Organisation mbH, published Mar. 10, 1976; in International Patent Application PCT/GB82/00150, published Nov. 25, 1982 as Publication No. WO 82/04149; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,775, issued Mar. 31, 1987 to T. Raphael, et al.; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,949, issued Apr. 19, 1988 to G. S. Sethi, et al.; and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,987, issued Nov. 16, 1993 to J. W. Luening, et al. All of the aforementioned documents are hereby incorporated by reference.
As those skilled in the art know, ID documents such as drivers licenses can contain information such as a photographic image of the bearer, variable personal information, such as an address, signature, and/or birthdate, and biometric information associated with the person whose image appears in the photographic image (e.g., a fingerprint), a magnetic stripe (which, for example, can be on the a side of the ID document that is opposite the side with the photographic image). This information needs to be acquired from the individual, such as by taking the individual's picture, asking the individual to provide a signature, scanning the individual's fingerprint, and the like.
Systems for production of identification documents often include separate functional subsystems or components for completing the transaction. Examples of these functions and associated components can include:
(a) capturing personalized information (e.g., cameras for photographic images, scanners, readers, and/or cameras for biometric data, electronic signature pads for signatures, etc):
(b) entering information (e.g., keyboards and/or pointing devices for entering name and address, etc.):
(c) processing the transaction (e.g., point of sale (POS) devices, credit card readers, receipt printers, etc);
(d) and producing a permanent or temporary identification document (e.g., printers to produce temporary paper identification documents, so-called "over the counter" or on the spot identification document printers and/or laminators, and so-called "central issue" and other large scale identification printing systems;
(e) storing the captured information for future retrieval and/or providing to external sources (e.g., memory systems, image storage systems, etc.); and
(f) performing all processing, device control, communications, and other operations (both automated and manual) necessary to perform functions (a) through (e=d), e.g. via a computer, such as a standalone computer system.
Systems performing the above functions can be configured in many different ways, but commonly the various components are separate entities, (not provided as part of the same integrated package or housing), arranged separately in an applicant processing area and manually coupled together via connection and/or communication cables. This type of capture configuration is more difficult to transport and configure in an office setting and is more costly because it involves multiple physically separate machines or devices. In addition, the separate devices often take up a significant amount of physical space in what often is a space constrained environment. This arrangement also presents challenges in sharing the capture station among more than one station operator, adding cost and inconvenience.
In one approach to enable sharing of the camera assembly, the workstation that controls the camera assembly may be connected to other workstations in a computer network. This network configuration enables the other workstations to issue image capture and transfer commands to the workstation directly connected to the capture stand. However, this configuration presents more costs and challenges because all capture control commands and associated data flow from a source workstation to a destination workstation connected to the camera assembly, and the destination workstation may not always be available. A typical problem is where the destination workstation is not logged on due to the absence of office personnel responsible for that station. In this case, the workstation is not able to process requests for image capture and transfer from other workstations.
In addition, this configuration requires at least three machines to operate in a networked environment: two workstations and a separate camera assembly.
Another limitation of known systems for capturing images is that such systems can be awkward to adjust to accommodate photographing subjects of varying heights. Some known systems couple the camera directly to a computer monitor, limiting the range of motion and adjustment of the camera. Some known systems use conventional camera stands such as tripods, which permit more adjustment of where the camera is to be pointed. Conventional tripods generally include a head to which a camera is mountable and a series of three telescoping legs that support the head and can fold together when not in use.
Use of conventional tripods can be inconvenient and awkward in some types of environments, however, such as locations for taking images used in identification documents. One problem is that such locations are often space limited and tripods can be bulky and space-consuming. Another problem is that it can be difficult and time-consuming for an operator to adjust all three legs of the conventional tripod quickly and easily to the proper length needed to mount the camera at a desired elevation, which elevation may change with each person being photographed. Stability and balance of the tripod can also be an issue, especially since the legs each must be at approximately the same length. Another issue is theft prevention: because it is not simple or even desirable to rigidly mount a tripod and camera in a fixed location, the tripod and camera may have to be disassembled and reassembled with each days use, including connections to computers, printers, etc., which is time-consuming, prone to error, and prone to accidental damage of the equipment.
One type of known device that addresses some of these issues is a so-called "camera tower" capture station. FIG. 1 illustrates such a camera tower type of capture station 10, which is available from the assignee of the present invention. (note that at least some elements of the capture station of FIG. 1 as described herein may have application in the new embodiments of the new multifunction capture station that are described further herein). The capture station 10 of FIG. 1 includes an image capture device 12, such as a video camera and lens, a light sensor 14, and a light source 16.
During operation, the capture station 10 is controlled by a computer. In a commonly assigned patent application entitled "All in One Capture Station for Creating Identification Documents," Ser. No. 10/676,362, filed Sep. 30, 2003 (hereinafter "All In One Application"), which is hereby incorporated by reference, a capture station is described that includes a computer that can be built in to the capture station 10 or provided separately and operably coupled to the capture station 10, to provide light directed toward a subject (e.g., an applicant for an identification document) and to capture a digital image of the subject. Together, the light sensor 14, and a light source 16 operate as a lighting device. An exit aperture plane can be defined to include the surface of the light source 16 through which the light is directed. The image capture device 12 has an observation axis 18 that is orthogonal to the exit aperture plane of the light source 16. In one embodiment, the light sensor 14 is provided by a strobe sensor, and the light source 16 is an electronic strobe. The light sensor 14 provides a real time adjustment to the light source 16 illumination of the subject by sampling light reflected off the subject and directed back to the light sensor 14. The strobe can optionally include a diffuser cover.
The capture station 10 includes a top portion 11 slidably engaged with a bottom portion 13, enabling the top portion 11 to be slid into and out of the bottom portion 13, enabling the height of the observation axis 18 to be changed (e.g., to accommodate subjects of varying heights). A locking mechanism (not shown), is provided to ensure that the desired orientation of the top and bottom portions 11, 13, respectively, can be maintained. Such a locking mechanism is presumed to be known to those of skill in the art and is not described further here.
As explained in the All In One Application, the capture station 10 of FIG. 1 can be provided with a lighting device 200, as shown in the capture station 10′ FIG. 2. As described in a commonly assigned patent application entitled "Enhanced Shadow Reduction System and Related Techniques for Digital Image Capture," Ser. No. 10/663,439, filed Sep. 15, 2003 (hereinafter "Shadow Reduction Application"), which is hereby incorporated by reference, the lighting device 200 can be used to help reduce shadows in subjects whose images are being captured using the capture station 10′. The lighting device 200 includes a housing 210 which includes diffusely reflective inner surfaces 214a and 214b coupled to diffusely reflective end portions 218a and 218b, respectively. The lighting device 200 further includes a diffuser 220 disposed on the housing 210. A reflector 222 is not visible in FIG. 1, but the reflector 222 and additional details about the lighting device 200 are described more fully in the Shadow Reduction Application.
As described in the Shadow Reduction Application, at least some embodiments of the lighting device 200 are adapted to mount directly onto the capture station 10 without requiring any changes to the workstation control software and hardware and without modification to the image capture device 12, the light sensor 14, and the light source 16. The image capture device 12 has an observation axis 18 which is generally aligned with light reflected from the inner surfaces 214a and 214b directed onto the subject. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that image capture device 12 may include, but is not limited to, a video camera and associated frame or field capture device, a digital camera, or a CCD or CMOS image sensor. The image capture device 12 is coupled to a built in computer (described below) by means of a video signal interface or a digital interface.
During use, the computer to which capture station 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is connected can also be operably coupled to other devices (e.g., peripherals), to acquire additional information as part of the process of creation and issuance of the identification document. Such devices, although not illustrated in FIG. 1, are known in the art and include devices such as fingerprint readers, signature capture devices, scanners, etc.
The lighting device 200 and capture stand 10 housing of FIG. 1 can be formed using virtually any material and/or combination of materials, so long as the resultant device is capable of functioning in the manner described. Additional considerations such as weight, electrical shielding, environmental conditions, etc., also can impact selection of an appropriate material. We have made a capture stand housing 10 using, for example, substantially rigid plastic materials, such as PC and ABS. Housing 210 of the illustrated lighting device 200 of FIG. 1 was formed using a plastic material, and the diffusively reflective surfaces (214a, 214b, 218a, 218b) within it were created by coating the surfaces with a light colored paint.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate, however, that the capture station 10, housing 210 and/or the diffuser 220 can be formed using virtually any type of material capable of being formed into the desired shape and (in the case of the diffuser) providing the desired optical properties, including but not limited to metal, cardboard, glass, fabric, paper, wood, paperboard, ceramic, rubber, along with many man-made materials, such as microporous materials, single phase materials, two phase materials, coated paper, synthetic paper (e.g., TYVEC, manufactured by Dupont Corp of Wilmington, Del.), ABS, polycarbonate, polyolefin, polyester, polyethylenetelphthalate (PET), PET-G, PET-F, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and combinations thereof. In one experiment, we found that a satisfactory housing 210 could even be formed using a section of six (6) inch diameter white plastic plumbing pipe. Many different methods of forming the capture station 10, diffuser 220, and housing 210 are usable, including milling, injection molding, stamping, welding, coupling several individual elements together using adhesive, screws, staples, etc.
Although the capture station 10 of FIG. 1 meets at least some of the needs of users, it would be desirable to further reduce the footprint of the capture station 10 and, if possible, combine the capture station with a computer and include with (or couple to) the capture station one or more other devices for acquiring information about a subject. It also would be desirable to provide a capture station that is simple to set up and use, and which is readily configurable based on the end user's needs. It would be advantageous if a capture station could be provided that can help to minimize the problems associated with hanging wires and connections. It also would be desirable to have a capture station with a streamlined, contemporary, and aesthetically pleasing appearance, which can be simpler to install, upgrade, and maintain than some current installations.
In one embodiment, the invention provides a configurable all in one capture station and related methods, system and software for creating identification documents. One aspect of the invention is the configurable all in one capture station, which combines the functions of a camera assembly, lighting system, and workstation into a single configurable device. This device can be operated in a shared mode where it is controlled via one or more other workstations, or a stand alone mode, where it performs all of the functions needed to prepare information for printing to an identification document. The configurable all in one capture station, in one embodiment, includes a housing that combines a camera stand, a camera mounted within the camera stand, lighting system mounted within the camera stand, enclosures for cables and wires, and a computer integrated into the camera stand. The computer includes a processor, network interface device, and memory. The memory stores a camera control program and a network interface program for transferring camera control commands and image data between the capture station and a remote workstation so that the capture station can operate under the control of the remote workstation to capture data for incorporation into an identification document.
In another embodiment, the invention provides an all in one capture station that includes a camera stand, camera mounted within the camera stand, an integrated lighting system, and an optional computer integrated into the camera stand. The camera stand has one or more elongated support members to which additional optional capture elements (e.g., a signature pad) can be fixedly coupled. In at least one embodiment, the elongated support members are constructed and arranged so that connections (e.g., cables) between the camera, computer, and/or the additional capture element(s) can be routed through the elongated members. This embodiment of the all in one capture station can provide a number of functional, operational, aesthetic, and/or economic advantages, including:
(a) simplification of setup and connection of the capture station elements;
(b) reduced capture station footprint;
(c) ability to quickly and easily customize features of the capture station; and
(d) simplified repair, replacement, and upgrading of capture station elements;
Another aspect of the invention is a capture station for creating identification documents comprising a housing including a camera and lighting device, a base, and at least one leg extending from the base, the housing being adjustably mounted to the at least one leg to enable height adjustment of the camera. One configuration of the capture station has two substantially rigid and parallel legs with the housing mounted between the legs. The housing is mounted to be adjustable to a desired height above the base. Configurations of the capture station can include a processor, such as a networked processor enabling capture functions to be executed within the capture station, and to be controlled via a remote computer via a network connection. In one embodiment, the processor is housed in the base and communicates with the camera via wiring routed through a leg. Peripherals used in capture functions, such as a fingerprint reader, signature pad, display, etc., may be mounted to the leg via clamps, or a plug in receptacle with power and communication wiring provided in the leg.
The foregoing and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of this invention will become even more apparent from the following description and drawings, and from the claims.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be even more readily apparent from the following Detailed Description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Of course, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, with emphasis rather being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate like elements or steps. Further, throughout this application, certain indicia, information, identification documents, data, etc., may be shown as having a particular cross sectional shape (e.g., rectangular) but that is provided by way of example and illustration only and is not limiting, nor is the shape intended to represent the actual resultant cross sectional shape that occurs during manufacturing of identification documents.

Multifunction all in one capture station for creating identification documents


An image processor for an automotive vehicle includes: an imaging element for capturing an image of a road; a traffic lane line detection element for detecting a position of a traffic lane line by determining an edge of the traffic lane line; a distance distribution calculation element for calculating a distance distribution of an edge intensity corresponding to a distance to the traffic lane line from the imaging element; and a detection reliability calculation element for calculating a degree of reliability of detection of the traffic lane line on the basis of the distance distribution of the edge intensity of the traffic lane line.

An image processor for an automotive vehicle is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3444192. The processor detects a white line (i.e., a lane line) on a traffic road on the basis of an image of the road in front of an automotive vehicle. The image of the road is taken by an imaging element. On the basis of sharpness of an edge of the white line, distance distribution of unsharpness of each part of the white line is calculated. The distance distribution of unsharpness is compared with a reference distance distribution of unsharpness, which is preliminarily determined to be a reference under a predetermined reference visibility. Thus, a ratio between the detected distance distribution and the reference distance distribution is obtained as a distance distribution of a ratio of unsharpness. The distance distribution of the ratio of unsharpness is approximated with a straight line. The image processor estimates environment around the imaging element on the basis of the slope of the approximate straight line, dispersion of the distance distribution of the ratio of unsharpness with respect to the approximate straight line, time change of the approximate straight line, and average of the ratio of unsharpness.
Thus, conventionally, the imaging environment is determined on the basis of the approximate straight line, which is obtained by approximating the distance distribution of ratio of unsharpness. Therefore, visibility reduction caused by bad weather such as rain and fog is detectable by using the image processor. However, the image processor cannot determine reduction of reliability for imaging the white line. The reduction of reliability for imaging the white line is caused by a factor other than weather. Specifically, for example, there is an area, in which the white line is not visible (i.e., detectable) by the imaging element, because the area is displaced apart from the imaging element and it is in the nighttime. A part of the white line is interrupted by other vehicles and/or other bodies, so that the part of the white line is not detected by the imaging element. Thus, when the distance distribution is approximated by the straight line, the image processing device may handle as if a part of the white line, which is not actually detected by the imaging element, is captured.


A vacuum cleaner is provided with a dispensing system for applying a treating agent stored on the vacuum cleaner to the surface to be cleaned. The dispensing system can include at least one container for storing a supply of treating agent and a dispenser for dispensing the treating agent to the surface to be cleaned. The dispensing system uses filtered working exhaust air to blow treating agent off the treating agent dispenser.

Surface cleaning apparatuses, such as vacuum cleaners, are provided with a vacuum collection system for creating a partial vacuum to suck up "dry" debris (which may include dirt, dust, soil, hair, and other debris) from a surface to be cleaned and collecting the removed debris in a space provided on the vacuum cleaner for later disposal. Vacuum cleaners are usable on a wide variety of common household surfaces such as soft flooring including carpets and rugs, and hard or bare flooring, including tile, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, and linoleum. Vacuum cleaners are conventionally only configured for "dry" pick-up, and do not distribute or collect liquid.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Vacuum cleaner with fluid distribution system


A locking block is fixed with respect to a seat cushion. A locking pin which can advance and retract relative to the locking block is provided on a main frame side. A V groove shape receptacle is formed on the locking block. When the locking pin is advanced into the receptacle portion, the locking pin is guided by a receiving inclined surface of the receptacle portion forming the V-shape groove, and advances to a bottom of the receptacle portion. With this process, the locking block moves in a rotational direction B, and when the locking pin engages the bottom, the seat cushion is fixed.

Vehicle seats are known which allow movements of a seat cushion and a seat back with respect to a frame of the vehicle seat. For example, JP 2015-209131 A discloses a vehicle seat device (1) which allows movements of a seat cushion (7) and a seat back (8) with respect to a seat frame (3). The seat cushion (7) is rotatable about a rotational axis (A) which passes through a waist part of a seated passenger and which is inclined such that a front part is lower. In addition, the seat back (8) is rotatable about a rotational axis (B) which passes through a chest part of the passenger and which extends in a front-and-rear direction.
The seat cushion (7) of JP 2015-209131 A comprises a gear (18a) which has a plurality of teeth, and fixation teeth (19) which can be engaged with the gear (18a) are provided at the side of the seat frame (3). The seat cushion (7) is fixed at a position where the fixation teeth (19) are engaged with the gear (18a).
In the above description, reference numerals in parentheses are reference numerals used in JP 2015-209131 A, and are not related to the reference numerals used in the description of an embodiment of the present disclosure.
In a vehicle seat, when a movable seat cushion is to be fixed, the passenger may desire to return the seat cushion at a predetermined position and fix the seat cushion, for example, at a neutral position.
An advantage of the present disclosure lies in fixation of a movable seat cushion at a predetermined position.

Vehicle seat having locking element and receiving element


A sensor suite determines location and velocity information relating to a missile threat, which is converted to missile or rocket state estimates. The state estimates are transformed into time-invariant dynamic parameters, unique for each missile type. Estimated rocket dynamic parameters are computed for each target type being considered, and compared with a reference set of rocket parameters representing different target types. The estimated rocket parameters are compared with the reference parameters in a maximum-likelihood sense, and combined using fuzzy logic to identify the rocket type and the likelihood. The identified rocket type and likelihood is used to aid in determining the future location of the missile so countermeasure can be applied.

Defense against missile attack has been important for centuries. In the distant past, fortified structures were used to protect against missiles such as projectiles from ballistas, arbalests, and trebuchets. With the advent of projectile-firing cannon, fortified structures became less useful, and the inadequacy of fortifications was exacerbated by the introduction of bomb-carrying aircraft.
More recently, rocket-propelled missiles have become very important, because of their ability to quickly transport extremely destructive payloads to distant locations. The payloads that are now of importance include nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, known generally as weapons of mass destruction (WMD). These payloads when carried by rocket-propelled missiles are potentially so destructive that a great deal of attention has been directed toward attempts to neutralize the threat. These steps included socio-political solutions such as mutually-assured destruction (MAD). However, the dissolution of a major player, namely the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) has reduced the potential efficacy of MAD and allowed the potential or actual proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to small or unstable states and other entities which are not necessarily friendly to the United States.
As a response to the perceived threat to the Unites States of ballistic missiles launched from distant locations and carrying WMD, programs have been instituted to investigate and produce ballistic missile defense systems. Ballistic missiles have an extremely limited time between launch and impact, so defense systems must very quickly identify and destroy the threat.
The ballistic missile goes through several distinct phases during its operation. The first phase is launch, in which a rocket engine lifts the missile and propels it upward. The missile is very vulnerable at this stage, but there are substantial difficulties in identifying it at this stage, as the launch is liable to be in a hostile territory. While the launch may produce a heat (infrared) and light signature that would be identifiable if viewable, there may not be a line-of-sight between sensors and the missile launch that might identify the situation. Spacecraft may be able to view the region, but the communications between the spacecraft and defense systems have not in the past given long warning times of missile launch.
Following launch, the rocket-propelled missile passes through a boost stage, in which the rocket engine propels the missile through a principal portion of the atmosphere. This phase also produces a heat signature. Since the missile is at a significant altitude in this phase, it may be observable by ground-based infrared sensors. The missile may also be observable on ground-based radar systems. Thus, a missile may be identifiable when in the boost phase. At some time, the rocket engine stops operating, so boost thrust goes to zero. Following the termination of thrust, the missile enters a mid-course phase, in which the missile proceeds along a ballistic trajectory, carried by its own inertia.
The missile in its ballistic mode proceeds toward its target. In the mid-course phase, the heat signature is much reduced, but the missile may be clearly viewed by radar. At some point, as the missile approaches its target, it begins to re-enter dense portions of the atmosphere, at which time a further heat signature may be radiated. This re-entry may be at a location essentially above the target. Destruction of the missile during the re-entry phase may still result in damage to the target, since the payload weapon may still be effective and active. Despite the missile being damaged and kept from properly functioning, the constituent parts may still be very harmful to the target region. It is very desirable to identify and destroy missiles very early in flight. There are several reasons for this, 1) to allow time for repeated tries at destruction, and 2) so that the destroyed missile falls short of its target, preferably in the hostile territory.
The destruction of a missile in flight requires the ability to predict the future location of the missile, so that a kill vehicle or laser beam countermeasure can be guided toward the actual location of the target at the time of the arrival of the countermeasure. In the past, kinematic boost phase target identification relied on trajectory template matching techniques. Development of the trajectory templates required the development of large databases of target specific templates relating to the target's temporal kinematic properties such as altitude, velocity, and flight path angle. The efficacy of the trajectory template matching technique depended on having an accurate estimate of time after lift-off (TALO) so that a good estimate of the time index into the templates could be established. The efficacy also depended upon the target having a specific energy trajectory, such as "minimum energy," "lofted," or "depressed." A minimum energy trajectory puts the missile on the target with expenditure of minimum propellant energy. Selection of elevated or depressed launch angles can result in lofted or depressed trajectories. The missile's trajectory should be readily identifiable, so that the temporal templates relevant to one target do not conflict or "smear" with the templates of other targets. When the target deviates from the expected trajectory and/or is lofted or depressed, or when the target time after lift-off (TALO) is not accurately known, the trajectory template methods tend to break down, and do not always produce reliable results.
Improved or alternative target future location estimation methods and/or apparatus are desired.


Methods may be provided for operating a magnetic random access memory (MRAM device including a magnetic tunnel junction structure and a heat generating layer. More particularly, a write current may be provided through the magnetic tunnel junction structure and through the heat generating layer, and the write current may have a magnitude sufficient to change a program state of the magnetic tunnel junction structure. Related devices are also discussed.

A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is a non-volatile memory device using a magnetoresistance effect to store information. When using the magnetoresistance effect, the resistance of an electrically conductive material is changed using a circumferential magnetic field. An MRAM device may include a plurality of MRAM cells, with each cell having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) and a single transistor.
An MTJ includes multiple thin layers such that electrons may tunnel through a very thin insulating layer sandwiched between two ferromagnetic electrodes when an external electrical signal is applied thereto. A top electrode of the two electrodes is called a free layer, and a bottom electrode is called a pinned layer.
When magnetization directions within the free layer and the pinned layer are arranged parallel with respect to each other, a tunneling current flowing through the MTJ may have a relatively high value. That is, the tunneling resistance may be relatively low. In contrast, when the magnetization directions within the free layer and the pinned layer are arranged anti-parallel with respect to each other, a tunneling current flowing through the MTJ may have a relatively low value. That is, the tunneling resistance may be relatively high.
An MRAM uses magnetization to store information while a conventional memory may use electrical charge. That is, digital data represented as '0' and '1' may be stored differently based on the low resistance state where the magnetization directions of the two electrodes are parallel with respect to each other and the high resistance state where the magnetization directions are anti-parallel with respect to each other.
An anti-ferromagnetic layer (which is referred to as a pinning layer) may be provided adjacent to the pinned layer. The pinning layer may fix the magnetization direction of the pinned layer. That is, the pinned layer adjacent to the pinning layer may have a relatively large switching field, and the magnetization direction of the pinned layer may be fixed in a constant direction when an applied magnetic field is less than the switching field. Thus, data of the MRAM cell may be determined as a function of the magnetization direction within the free layer. The magnetization direction of the free layer may be changed by applying a magnetic field to its circumference or perimeter. To change the magnetization direction of the free layer to a desired direction, conductive layers such as a bit line and a digit line may be formed orthogonal with respect to each other above and below the MTJ. Current may flow through each conductive layer so that a magnetic field generated therefrom may be used to change the magnetization direction of the free layer.
Most MTJs have a rectangular or elliptical shape when seen from a plan view so that magnetic spins within the free layer are in a stable state when they are parallel to the longitudinal direction of the free layer.
An integrated circuit MRAM device may include a plurality of MTJs. The MTJs may have non-uniform switching characteristics depending on a fabrication process used. In this case, external magnetic fields used to store desired data within different MTJs may be different. Accordingly, non-uniform switching characteristics of different MTJs may reduce a write margin for an MRAM device. In particular, when sizes of MTJs are reduced to increase integration density, a write margin may be significantly reduced. In other words, during a write operation to selectively store desired data in one of the MTJs, undesired data may be written in non-selected MTJs that share a bit line and/or a digit line shared with the selected MTJ. That is, according to conventional writing methods, a write disturbance may occur such that undesired data may be stored in non-selected MTJs during an operation to store data in the selected MTJ.
Furthermore, a conventional MRAM cell may have a digit line formed adjacent an MTJ as described above. In general, the digit line may be formed below the MTJ, and the MTJ may have a bottom electrode overlapping the digit line. In this case, the bottom electrode may be electrically connected to a drain region of an access transistor below the digit line. Thus, the bottom electrode may extend in a horizontal direction (parallel with respect to a surface of the substrate) to be in contact with a contact plug on the drain region. Accordingly, reducing an area of the MRAM cell may be difficult due to the presence of the digit line.
MRAM devices have been proposed which are suitable for application of a spin injection mechanism to reduce write disturbance and to increase integration density. For example, MRAM devices using the spin injection mechanism are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,814 entitled "Current-Induced Magnetic Switching Device And Memory Including The Same" to Sun. Other MRAM devices using the spin injection mechanism are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,603,677 entitled "Three-Layered Stacked Magnetic Spin Polarization Device With Memory" to Redon et al. The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,130,814 and 6,603,677 are hereby incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
To switch a selected MRAM cell using the spin injection mechanism, the write current density may be greater than a critical current density. In this case, the access transistor should have the current drivability sufficient to generate a write current greater than the critical current density. That is, when the selected MRAM cell is programmed using the spin injection mechanism, it may be difficult to scale down the access transistors.
An MRAM device capable of extending a write margin by heating the MTJ is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,603,678 B2 entitled "Thermally-Assisted Switching of Magnetic Memory Elements" to Nickel et al. the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference The MRAM device according to Nickel et al. has a plurality of parallel word lines, a plurality of parallel bit lines crossing above the word lines, a plurality of MTJ cells interposed between the word lines and the bit lines, and heating interconnections diagonally formed above the bit lines. The heating interconnections are formed of metal layers which are electrically insulated from the bit lines.

Methods of operating magnetic random access memory devices including heat-generating structures


In an electronic camera, an image file can be erased, and when the image file is erased, a state of notification to the user is changed in accordance with the data attached to an image. In the electronic camera, the data attached to the image indicates whether or not the image file previously has been transferred from a storing area where the image is stored at present to another storing area.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image pickup apparatus such as an electronic camera and to a recording control apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to an image pickup apparatus such as an electronic camera having means for erasing an image file which was recorded after photographing, and to a recording control apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, when an image file is erased in an electronic camera, in order to prevent an erroneous erasure, there is used a measure such that the camera is made operative only when a plurality of switches are simultaneously depressed, an erasing switch is arranged at a position where it is difficult to be depressed, an advance notice for start of the erasure is displayed when the erasing switch is depressed, the erasure is inhibited when the image file is not transferred anywhere, or the like.
In the above conventional methods, however, the erroneous erasure cannot be perfectly eliminated and there is a case where the image file is carelessly and erroneously erased. There is also a drawback in that even when erasing an image file which can be erased, it cannot be easily erased.

Image pickup apparatus and recording control apparatus


A retainer (10a, 10b, 10c) for a wire rope road safety barrier, includes a plurality of posts (14), for supporting one or more wire ropes (12) above the ground. The retainer includes an arm (16a, 16b) for embracing at least half of a circumference of the post whereby the retainer can be held on the post at a position along its length. The retainer also includes a frangible or yieldable tab (18) extending from the arm for retaining the wire rope against the post.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a road safety barrier having retainers for holding a wire rope or cable against a post or posts of the road safety barrier, and in particular but not exclusively to a retainer having a yieldable or frangible tab.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Conventional wire rope road safety barriers comprise a series of spaced apart posts that are provided with hooks or notches for supporting the wire rope which may weave sinuously around the posts or in parallel thereto. These road safety barriers typically consist of two or more ropes (normally two to five) along the side of the barrier and perhaps one or two ropes lying within slots positioned at the top of the posts. Wire rope safety barriers serve to deflect impacting vehicles back into the carriageway or to decelerate the impacting vehicle as it slides along the barrier. Posts within the impact zone tend to collapse on impact and as a consequence, the wire rope becomes detached from the posts. Conventional road safety barriers have the problem that the ropes on vehicle impact become detached from the barrier for a significant distance up and downstream of the impact area. The detachment arises as shock wave, sometimes referred to as 'whip', from the vehicle impact travels along the wire ropes of the barrier. Consequently, there is a significant degree of rope deflection or separation from this whip which leads to an unpredictable impact characteristic of the road safety barrier on vehicle impact. Over-deflection or separation of the ropes outside of the impact zone due to the whip reduces the effectiveness of the barrier's ability to restrain impacting vehicles. Moreover, the force of the whip itself can lead to unpredictable behaviour of the wire ropes on collapse which can compromise the ability of the barrier to restrain the vehicle.


According to example embodiments, a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) includes a channel layer; a channel supply layer on the channel layer; a source electrode and a drain electrode spaced apart from each other on one of the channel layer and the channel supply layer; a gate electrode on a part of the channel supply layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode; a first depletion-forming layer between the gate electrode and the channel supply layer; and a at least one second depletion-forming layer on the channel supply layer between the gate electrode and the drain electrode. The at least one second depletion-forming layer is electrically connected to the source electrode.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to a high electron mobility transistor and/or a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a high electron mobility transistor capable of passing a current in a forward direction and a reverse direction and/or a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
In a power transformation system, the system efficiency may depend on the efficiency of a semiconductor switching device. In most cases, a power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) has been used as a switching device, but increasing the efficiency of the switching device may be limited due to the materials used in such transistors, such as silicon.
Research for developing a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) has been conducted. A HEMT may include semiconductor layers having different electric polarization characteristics. A semiconductor layer having a relatively high polarizability in the HEMT may induce a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) to move to another semiconductor layer heterojunctioned thereto. The 2DEG may be used as a channel between a drain electrode and a source electrode, and a current flowing through this channel may be controlled by applying a bias voltage to a gate electrode.
In a field effect semiconductor switching device, such as a HEMT, a potential of a drain electrode may become lower than a potential of a source electrode. In such a case, a reverse voltage may be applied to the field effect semiconductor switching device. To reduce (and/or prevent) this, a free wheeling diode may be connected in parallel to the field effect semiconductor switching device. However, in this situation, an additional process for manufacturing a separate free wheeling diode is necessary, and accordingly, the size of the field effect semiconductor switching device increases. Additionally, the manufacturing costs also increase.

High electron mobility transistor and method of manufacturing the same


A method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion element containing at least one pin junction, wherein a diffusion preventing layer is provided between an n-type layer and an i-type layer and/or between an i-type layer and a p-type layer, and the diffusion preventing layer is deposited such that deposition temperature differs in its thickness direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion element. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion element with high energy conversion efficiency but with less degradation with time. Especially, the present invention is suitably applicable to a photoelectric conversion element called a photovoltaic element or a photosensor.
2. Related Background Art
The following technology is known as a conventional method for manufacturing a photovoltaic element, which is one of the above-mentioned photoelectric conversion elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,409 discloses a continuous plasma CVD system employing the roll-to-roll method. It is understood that this apparatus can continuously manufacture a photovoltaic element having a pin junction by providing a plurality of glow discharge regions and continuously conveying a flexible substrate, having desired width and sufficient length, in the longitudinal direction thereof while depositing a necessary electroconductive semiconductor layer on the substrate in each of the glow discharge regions. In the same apparatus, gas gates are used in order to prevent dopant gas used for manufacturing each semiconductor layer from diffusing and mixing into other glow discharge regions. Specifically, the glow discharge regions are separated from one another by a slit-shaped separation passage and the system further employs means for keeping the separation passages under a flow of scavenging gas, for example, such as Ar or H.sub.2.
There are, however, the following problems in the method for forming the films by the above roll-to-roll method and apparatus.
(1) Even if mixing of gasous-state dopants were able to be substantially prevented by separating the formation spaces of the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer from the forming space of the i-type semiconductor layer, phosphorus (P) dopant in the n-type semiconductor layer would thermally diffuse into the i-type semiconductor layer, for example, during or after formation of the i-type semiconductor layer on the n-type semiconductor layer, which would weaken the n-i semiconductor junction, thus degrading the open-circuit voltage and fill factor of the photovoltaic element, and consequently, lowering the initial photoelectric conversion efficiency.
(2) Even if the photoelectric conversion efficiency immediately after manufacture was high, the dopant in the p-type semiconductor layer or in the n-type semiconductor layer would gradually thermally diffuse into the i-type semiconductor layer during practical use under various weather and location conditions, thus lowering reliability and promoting degradation of the photovoltaic element.

Method for manufacturing photoelectric conversion element


A metal detector apparatus having a balanced coil system, a receiver unit, a drive coil with at least one capacitor forming a series resonant circuit connected to a transmitter unit having a converter, and a drive controller. The metal detector apparatus configuration generates a first square wave signal set to a fixed/selectable operating frequency which is applied to a first drive switch connected on one side to a first voltage potential and on another side to a centre tap of a half-bridge circuit. A second square wave signal set is generated to the fixed/selectable operating frequency and is applied to a second drive switch connected on one side to a second voltage potential and on another side to the centre tap, via which a drive current is supplied to the drive coil.

An industrial metal detection system as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 8,587,301 B2, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, is used for detecting metal contamination in a product. When properly installed and operated, it will help reducing metal contamination and improving food safety. Most modern metal detectors utilise a search head comprising a "balanced coil system". Detectors of this design are capable of detecting all metal contaminant types including ferrous, nonferrous and stainless steels in a large variety of products such as fresh and frozen products.
A metal detector that operates according to the "balanced coil"-principle can include three coils, a drive coil and two identical detection coils that are wound onto a non-metallic frame, for example, each in parallel with the other. Since the detection coils which can enclose the drive coil centred in between are identical, an identical voltage is induced in each of them. In order to receive an output signal that is zero when the system is in balance, the first detection coil is connected in series with the second detection coil having an inversed sense of winding. Hence, the voltages induced in the detection coils, that are of identical amplitude and inverse polarity cancel out one another in the event that the system is in balance and no contaminant is present in an observed product.
However, as soon as a particle of metal passes through the coil arrangement, the electromagnetic field is disturbed first near one detection coil and then near the other detection coil. While the particle of metal is conveyed through the detection coils, the voltage induced in each detection coil is changed (e.g., by nano-volts). This change in balance results in a signal at the output of the detection coils that in a receiver unit is processed, amplified and subsequently used to detect the presence of the metal contaminant in the observed product.
In the receiver unit the input signal is normally split into an in-phase component and a quadrature component. The vector composed of these components has a magnitude and a phase angle, which is typical for the products and the contaminants that are conveyed through the coil system. In order to identify a metal contaminant, "product effects" need to be removed or reduced. If the phase of the product is known then the corresponding signal vector can be reduced so that a higher sensitivity results for the detection of signals originating from metal contaminants.
Methods applied for eliminating unwanted signals from the signal spectrum exploit the fact that metal contaminants, products and other disturbances have different influences on the magnetic field so that the detected signals differ in phase. Materials with a high conductivity cause signals with a higher negative reactive signal component and a smaller resistive signal component. Materials with a high magnetic permeability cause signals with a smaller resistive signal component and a higher positive reactive signal component. Signals caused by ferrite are primarily reactive, while signals caused by stainless steel are primarily resistive. Products, which are conductive, can cause signals with a strong negative reactive component. The phase angle of the signal vectors between the resistive signal component and reactive signal component remains normally constant, when a product or contaminant is conveyed through the metal detector.
US 2015/0234075 A1, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a metal detector having a driver circuit for establishing an alternating magnetic field in a coil system so as to generate an output signal at a given frequency. The driver circuit has a central processing unit, an electronically programmable logic device (EPLD) and a driver connected to four field effect transistors forming a full wave bridge circuit across a chosen potential difference, with the drive coil connected across the output of the bridge circuit. The potential difference, e.g. 24 volts, establishes a drive current across the drive coil. US 2015/0234075 A1, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a half wave bridge with only two FETs. With the drive coil connected across both ends, the switching is arranged such that the drive current flows through one FET via the drive coil in one half cycle and through the other FET in the other half cycle.
Metal detectors can include coil system which operate on a broad band of frequencies. Alternatively coil systems can be used that are tuned to a specific operating frequency. The amplitude of the alternating current in the coil system is controlled by selecting the capacitance and the operating frequency accordingly. The inductance can only be altered in large steps due to that mechanical constraint of adding or subtracting single turns of the drive coil. Capacitors are relatively expensive, difficult to fit and are only available in sizes defined by the manufacturer. The transmitter frequency can also be adjusted with respect to the resonant frequency but requires a significant movement to produce the required change in current. Procedures to optimize a tuned coil system with its components to reach an operating frequency and a coil current that are in desired ranges is therefore cumbersome.

Method for operating a metal detector and metal detector


Isolated semiconductor devices are formed by forming field oxide regions in a face of a semiconductor substrate to define active regions therebetween. The field oxide regions extend to above the substrate face and include an oblique surface which extends from above the substrate face to the substrate face. A step reducing region is formed on a respective one of the oblique surfaces of the field oxide regions, extending onto the active regions at the substrate face. The step reducing region can reduce the steepness of the step between the substrate face and the field oxide regions, thereby facilitating further processing and reliability of the semiconductor devices.

Integrated circuit devices generally include many active devices such as transistors, diodes or the like in a semiconductor substrate. Field isolation regions are generally used to isolate the active devices from one another.
It is generally known to form field oxide regions in a face of a semiconductor substrate using local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) methods. Unfortunately, conventional LOCOS methods may form a bird's beak at the boundary between the field oxide region and the active region of the substrate. The bird's beak may reduce the area of the active region, may be difficult to control, and may cause crystal defects in the substrate due to differences in the thermal expansion coefficients.
In order to reduce or eliminate some of these problems, it has been proposed to perform local oxidation of silicon after first forming a patterned pad insulation layer using a thin film of silicon dioxide or silicon oxynitride. The use of a pad insulation layer may reduce or eliminate the formation of a bird's beak.
Unfortunately, the pad insulation layer may produce a sharp slope at the edge of the field oxide layer relative to the substrate surface of the active region. This sharp slope may generate a steep step which may adversely impact subsequent microelectronic fabrication processes and which may degrade the reliability of the semiconductor device. For example, the steep step may adversely affect a subsequent gate insulation layer and subsequent gate forming processes of field effect transistors.
A conventional isolation method for a semiconductor device and the problems caused thereby will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1A-1D. Referring now to FIG. 1A, a pad insulation layer 15 and an oxidation preventing layer 20 are sequentially formed on the face of a substrate 10. The pad insulation layer 15 is preferably a thin film which prevents bird beak formation during subsequent oxidation, and which may be formed of silicon oxynitride.
Referring now to FIG. 1B, an opening 25 is formed to thereby produce patterned oxidation preventing layer 20a and patterned pad insulation layer 15a. Thus, the patterned oxidation preventing layer 20a and the patterned pad insulation layer 15a remain in the active region of the substrate 10 but are removed from the isolation region thereof.
As shown in FIG. 1C, the substrate 10 is oxidized to form a field oxide region 30 in the face of the semiconductor substrate 10. The field oxide region 30 extends above the substrate face and includes an oblique surface which extends from above the substrate face to the substrate face. As shown, the patterned pad insulation layer 15a reduces or prevents generation of a bird's beak.
Then, as shown in FIG. 1D, the patterned oxidation preventing layer 20a and the patterned pad insulation layer 15a are removed to expose the active region of the substrate 10.
Unfortunately, as illustrated in FIG. 1D, the angle .theta..sub.1 of the field oxide layer 30 with respect to the substrate surface is increased, thereby resulting in a steep step. The steep step may prevent uniform coverage of subsequent layers and may otherwise degrade subsequent processes and structures.

Methods of fabricating field isolated semiconductor devices including step reducing regions


An apparatus for manufacturing vehicle frame components using composite fiber pultrusion techniques includes one or more sources of a fibrous material. A bath or similar structure is provided for applying a resin material to the fibrous materials from the sources. Following the application of the resin, the fibrous materials are then pulled through a die. The die is formed having an opening therethrough which corresponds in shape to the desired cross sectional shape of the vehicle frame component to be manufactured. As the fibrous materials are pulled through the die, they conform to the shape of the opening formed therethrough. Because of the resin applied thereto, the fibrous materials adhere to one another to form a pultrusion which retains the shape of the opening formed through the die. The formed pultrusion is then pulled through a curing oven which heats the resin to a predetermined curing temperature, causing it to harden a rigid condition. As a result, the pultrusion as a whole acquires a desired rigidity. Movement of the fibrous materials and of the pultrusion is effected by means of a pulling device. Following passage through the pulling device, the pultrusion is cut to desired lengths by a conventional cutting machine. Additionally, openings of desired sizes and shapes may be formed in the pultrusion by a convention perforation machine. Pultrusions of different shapes and sizes may be used to form side rails which are permanently joined together by transversely extending cross members by adhesive to form the vehicle frame component.

This invention relates in general to the manufacture and assembly of vehicle frame components and in particular to a method and apparatus for manufacturing vehicle frame components using composite fiber pultrusion techniques.
Virtually all land vehicles in common use, such as automobiles and trucks, include a frame which serves as a platform upon which the remainder of the vehicle is built. Many vehicle frame structures are known in the art. Most of these known vehicle frame structures are formed from a number of individual metallic components which are permanently joined together. For example, a typical vehicle frame is composed of a pair of longitudinally extending side rails which are joined together by a plurality of transversely extending cross members. In shorter length vehicles, the side rails can be formed from a single piece of metal. In longer vehicles, however, each of the side rails is usually formed from two or more side rail sections which are permanently joined together. In either event, the side rails and cross members, once joined together, form a frame for supporting the remaining portions of the vehicle thereon. To facilitate the attachment of the other portions of the vehicle to the vehicle frame, a variety of brackets, hangers, cradles, and the like are often joined to the side rails and cross members at desired locations. It is common practice to also form these supporting hardware components from metallic materials, and further to permanently join them to the side rails and cross members at desired locations. Conventional welding techniques have been commonly used to permanently join the various components of the vehicle frame together.
Although the use of metallic materials to form vehicle frame components and the process of welding such metallic vehicle frame components together have been performed with satisfactory results in the past, some drawbacks thereto have been noted. First, traditional metallic materials which have been used in the past, such as steel, are relatively heavy and, therefore, contribute undesirably to the overall weight of the vehicle. Second, conventional welding techniques involve the application of heat to localized areas of the two metallic frame members, which can cause undesirable weaknesses to be introduced into the metallic components. Although the use of non-traditional, lighter weight metallic materials, such as aluminum, has been proposed, such use presents other challenges, including increased cost and difficulty in permanent joinder. Inasmuch as the production of vehicle frames is usually an high volume, low margin process, it would be desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for manufacturing vehicle frame components which avoids these problems.

Method for manufacturing vehicle frame components using composite fiber pultrusion techniques


A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes forming a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer sequentially on a substrate. The method also includes patterning the second and first semiconductor layers to form an initial fin. The method also includes selectively etching the first semiconductor layer of the initial fin to form a lateral recess in the first semiconductor layer. The method also includes filling the lateral recess with a dielectric material to form a body spacer. The method also includes forming an isolation layer on the substrate, wherein the isolation layer partially exposes the body spacer and thus defines a fin above the isolation layer. The method also includes forming a gate stack intersecting the fins on the isolation layer.

Description of the Related Technology
The disclosed technology relates to semiconductor technology, and particularly to a FinFET with a gate stack intersecting two fins on an isolation layer, and methods for manufacturing the same.
Description of the Related Technology
Short channel effects are getting more significant as planar semiconductor devices are increasingly scaled down. To this end, three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor devices, such as fin field effect transistors (FinFETs), have been proposed. Generally, a FinFET includes a fin formed vertically on a substrate and a gate stack intersecting the fin. As such, a channel is formed in the fin, and has a width defined basically by a height of the fin. Unfortunately, it is difficult to control fins formed on a wafer to have the same height during manufacture of an integrated circuit (IC), resulting in inconsistency in performance of devices across the wafer.
On the other hand, a parasitic capacitance is formed at the bottom of the fin due to dielectric between the gate and the fin. If the parasitic capacitance is too large, the response time of the device will become too long.

Semiconductor device with body spacer at the bottom of the fin and method for manufacturing the same

Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences


The invention provides a method and system for selectively canceling a specified frequency band in the payload of an optical communication system. This selected frequency band is to be used for launching pilot tones for power measurement and identification. The method controls the intensity of the optical payload signal through an intensity modulator that is included in the optical communication system. The frequency band in payload to be cancelled is removed where as the other frequency components of the payload are passed without attenuation. An embodiment that uses a feed-forward unit, a feedback unit and a control unit for generating a cancellation signal for the intensity modulator is described. An advantage of the method is that it removes a continuum of payload tones in the specified frequency band to be cancelled.

Pilot tones are often encoded on to the payload signal (payload tone) of an optical communications system (OCS) for optical power measurements and identification. A selected frequency band within the payload spectrum in which pilot tones are to be launched require to be removed from the payload signal before encoding the pilot tones, so that the payload signal does not interfere with the pilot tones.
FIG. 1(a) shows the electrical spectrum of a payload, with respect to encoded pilot tones used for optical power measurements and identification. The correlated component of the payload tones in the specified narrow band (Δf) (see FIG. 1(b)) that may mimic pilot tones are spurious and need to be removed because they interfere with the function of pilot tone measurement and identification. A very small power penalty for canceling this small portion of the payload is incurred for encoding the clean pilot tones (used for power measurements and detection) within the deleted portion.
An apparatus for adding a dither signal to an optical carrier that is modulated with payload information is considered by Fatehi et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,606) wherein dither or pilot or sub-carrier modulated tones are pure discrete deterministic tones. In contrast payload tones within the continuous frequency band are functions of the payload transmission rate, bit modulation format, payload frame format, as well as payload frame content including continuous uncorrelated and correlated portions of the payload tones (pseudorandom characteristics). Due to these structural differences between payload tones and pilot tones, there is a need to target the removal of a continuum of correlated spurious payload tones, spanning the frequency band of the target pilot tones.

Method and system for selective optical payload cancellation


A system for an engine of a vehicle, comprising of a cylinder located in the engine, a delivery system configured to deliver fuel and a fluid to at least an engine cylinder while the vehicle is traveling, said fluid comprising alcohol and/or water, and a control system for varying an amount of said fuel and fluid delivered to the cylinder in different ratios as a condition varies, said controller further varying a spark timing of a spark in said cylinder as an amount of alcohol and/or water in said fluid varies.

Engines may use various forms of fuel delivery to provide a desired amount of fuel for combustion in each cylinder. One type of fuel delivery uses a port injector for each cylinder to deliver fuel to respective cylinders. Still another type of fuel delivery uses a direct injector for each cylinder.
Further, engines have been proposed using more than one type of fuel injection. For example, the papers titled "Calculations of Knock Suppression in Highly Turbocharged Gasoline/Ethanol Engines Using Direct Ethanol Injection" and "Direct Injection Ethanol Boosted Gasoline Engine: Biofuel Leveraging for Cost Effective Reduction of Oil Dependence and CO2 Emissions" by Heywood et al. are one example. Specifically, the Heywood et al. papers describe directly injecting ethanol to improve charge cooling effects, while relying on port injected gasoline for providing the majority of combusted fuel over a drive cycle. The ethanol provides increased octane and increased charge cooling due to its higher heat of vaporization compared with gasoline, thereby reducing knock limits on boosting and/or compression ratio. Further, water may be mixed with ethanol and/or used as an alternative to ethanol. The above approaches purport to improve engine fuel economy and increase utilization of renewable fuels.
One issue with the above approach is that requiring a user to always provide separate fuels (e.g., gasoline and ethanol) can be burdensome and impede wide-spread acceptance of such fuel economy improving technology. Therefore, in one approach, on-board vehicle separation may be used to take advantage of already available alcohol mixtures, such as E10 (10% ethanol and 90% gasoline) or E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline), while taking advantage of delivering components of the mixture to the engine in varying ratios (and/or through different injectors), for example. However, since the user may provide varying concentrations (e.g., sometimes E85, sometimes E10, and/or sometimes gasoline), the separator may be adjusted based on operating conditions, such as based on the constituents in the fuel tank or engine usage rates. Further, it may be adjusted based on operating conditions of the engine and ambient conditions. In this way, it is possible to improve overall performance by adjusting separator operation to the particular operating conditions of the engine, environment, and supplied fuel mixture by the user.

Control for knock suppression fluid separator in a motor vehicle