A semiconductor device including a first gate electrode having a first plane provided opposite to a first semiconductor region where a channel is to be formed with a first gate insulation film interposed therebetween; a second gate insulation film including a ferroelectric and formed on a second plane of the first gate electrode which is provided opposite to the first plane; and a second gate electrode provided opposite to the first gate electrode through the second gate insulation film, wherein the second gate electrode has a second semiconductor region provided in contact with the second gate insulation film, a depletion layer is generated in the second semiconductor region when a first voltage is applied, and a width of the depletion layer is smaller than in the case where the first voltage is applied to the depletion layer disappears when a second voltage is applied, and the second voltage causes more current to flow through the channel than the first voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a gate electrode of an insulated gate transistor and an electrode of a capacitor.
2. Description of the Background Art
In an insulated gate transistor according to the prior art, so-called scaling has been performed in which an operating supply voltage is set low from the viewpoint of hot-carrier resistance and reliability of a gate insulation film along with a finer structure of an element.
In a short channel transistor having a small channel length, a saturation current IDsat is generally proportional to a difference (VGxe2x88x92Vth) between a gate voltage VG and a threshold voltage Vth. For this reason, if the gate voltage VG is equal to a supply voltage VDD, the saturation current IDsat is proportional to a difference (VDDxe2x88x92Vth) between the supply voltage and the threshold voltage.
In order to suppress a short circuit current of a circuit and surely turn off a transistor, a current flowing between a gate and a source when the gate voltage VG is equal to or smaller than the threshold voltage, that is, a subthreshold current should be suppressed.
A current flowing when the gate voltage is 0V, that is, an OFF-state current IOFF is calculated by Equation 1, wherein a gate voltage VG necessary for increasing the subthreshold current by one digit, that is, a subthreshold coefficient is represented by S and a threshold voltage Vth is set to VG applied when a drain current ID for 1.0 xcexcm of a gate width W is equal to 0.1 xcexcA:
The subthreshold coefficient S is physically calculated by Equation 2:
IOFF=0.1 xcexcAxc3x9710xe2x88x92(Vth/S)xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1)
                    S        =                              kT            q                    xc3x97                      log            e                              10          xc3x97                      (                          1              +                                                CB                  +                  Cit                                COX                                      )                                              (        2        )
wherein k represents a Boltzmann""s constant, q represents an elementary charge, e represents a base of a natural logarithm, T represents an absolute temperature, CB represents a depletion layer capacitance between a channel and a substrate, Cit represents a capacitance based on an interface state of a gate oxide film, and COX represents a capacitance of the gate oxide film.
If CB and Cit are equal to 0, S=60 mV/decade is obtained at a room temperature of 300 K. If CB and Cit are not equal to 0, S=70 to 100 mV/decade is obtained. For example, when an OFF-state current IOFF for a gate width of 1.0 xcexcm in a general transistor is set to 0.1 pA and a subthreshold coefficient S is set to 85 mV/decade, Vth is set to 0.51V by Equation 3 when a drain voltage VD is a supply voltage VDD. This value is not varied when a standard of the OFF-state current IOFF and a value of the subthreshold coefficient S are not changed even if the supply voltage VDD is reduced.                     Vth        =                  S          xc3x97                      log            e                                          xe2x80x83                                                        0.1                            μ                                            xe2x80x83                                          A                                      0.1                            p                                            xe2x80x83                                          A                                                          (        3        )
Accordingly, even if the supply voltage VDD is set low when making a finer structure, the threshold voltage Vth is not subjected to the scaling because the OFF-state current IOFF is restricted. On the other hand, the saturation current IDsat is proportional to (VDDxe2x88x92Vth). Therefore, current driving force is reduced and an operating speed of an element is decreased in some cases when making a finer structure.
In a transistor having a low threshold voltage Vth, an impurity concentration of a channel is low after making a finer structure. For this reason, punch-through is caused so that a current which cannot be controlled by the gate voltage VG flows. Consequently, a circuit performs wrong operation.
In the case where a transistor is used for an output stage of the circuit or the like, a supply voltage VDD1 applied to the transistor is sometimes set higher than a supply voltage VDD of other circuit portions. In the same transistor, for example, a voltage of 0 V to VDD is applied as a gate voltage VG and a voltage of 0 V to VDD1 is applied as a drain voltage VD. In this case, a maximum voltage applied to a gate insulation film is VDD1 if the gate voltage VG is 0 V and the drain voltage VD is VDD1. In such a transistor, therefore, a thickness of the gate insulation film should be resistant to an electric field having an intensity obtained by VDD1/tOX.
The foregoing will further be described with reference to FIGS. 72 to 74. In FIG. 72, a P-channel MOS transistor M1 and an N-channel MOS transistor M2 form an inverter. An input voltage VIN applied to an input terminal of the inverter has a value of 0 V or 2.5 V. A voltage of 5 V is applied to a source of the transistor M1, and a ground voltage VSS (0 V) is applied to a source of the transistor M2. With such a structure, an output voltage VOUT is 5 V when the input voltage VIN is 0 V, and a maximum voltage (5 V) is applied between a drain and a gate of the transistor M2. At this time, the maximum voltage (5 V) is also applied between a drain and a gate of the transistor M1.
In FIG. 73, P-channel MOS transistors M3 and M5 and N-channel MOS transistors M4 and M6 form an OR circuit. The transistors M4 and M6 are connected in parallel. Parallel connected elements comprising the transistors M4 and M6, and the transistors M3 and M5 are connected in series. A supply voltage VDD is given to a source of the transistor M5. A connecting point of drains of the parallel connected elements and the transistor M3 acts as an output terminal. An input voltage VIN1 given to gates of the transistors M3 and M4 and an input voltage VIN2 given to gates of the transistors M5 and M6 are changed together within a range of 0 V to 2.5 V. For this reason, a maximum voltage (5 V) is applied between gates and drains of the transistors M4 and M6 if the input voltages VIN1 and VIN2 are 0 V, and the maximum voltage (5 V) is applied between the gate and source of the transistor M5 if the input voltage VIN2 is 0 V, for example.
In FIG. 74, P-channel MOS transistors M7 and M9 and N-channel MOS transistors M8 and M10 form a NAND circuit. The transistors M7 and M9 are connected in parallel. Parallel connected elements comprising the transistors M7 and M9, and the transistors M8 and M10 are connected in series. A supply voltage VDD is given to sources of the transistors M7 and M9. Drains of the transistors M7 and M9 are connected to an output terminal. A drain of the transistor M8 is also connected to the same output terminal. A ground voltage VSS (0 V) is given to a source of the transistor M10. An input voltage VIN1 given to gates of the transistors M7 and M8 and an input voltage VIN2 given to gates of the transistors M9 and M10 are changed together within a range of 0 V to 2.5 V. For this reason, a maximum voltage (5 V) is applied between the gate and drain of the transistor M8 and the maximum voltage is also applied between the gates and drains of the transistors M7 and M9 if either of the input voltages VIN1 and VIN2 is 0 V, for example.
FIG. 75 typically shows a section of a main part of the insulated gate transistor according to the prior art. In the case where the transistor shown in FIG. 75 is an N-channel MOS transistor, the reference numeral 1 denotes a P type silicon substrate having a resistivity of several xcexa9xc2x7cms to several tens xcexa9xc2x7cms and a crystallographic axis  less than 100 greater than , the reference numeral 2 denotes a P well formed in the vicinity of a surface of the silicon substrate 1, the reference numeral 3 denotes a channel dope region which is formed in the P well 2 and serves to control a threshold and to prevent punch-through, the reference numeral 4 denotes a gate insulation film formed on one of principal planes of the silicon substrate 1 by using a silicon oxide film as a material, the reference numeral 5 denotes a gate electrode formed on the gate insulation film 4 by using, as a material, a polycrystalline silicon film doped with phosphorus having a high concentration, the reference numeral 6 denotes a drain region which is formed on one of principal planes of the P well 2 and includes a drain region 61 having a high impurity concentration and a drain region 62 having a low impurity concentration, the reference numeral 7 denotes a source region which is formed on one of the principal planes of the P well 2 and includes a source region 71 having a high impurity concentration and a source region 72 having a low impurity concentration, the reference numeral 8 denotes a P type substrate electrode having a high impurity concentration for giving an electric potential of the silicon substrate 1 or the P well 2 from one of the principal planes of the silicon substrate 1, the reference numeral 9 denotes an isolation film for isolating the insulated gate transistor shown in the drawing from other components such as the substrate electrode 8 and the like, the reference numeral 10 denotes a region provided in the vicinity of the gate electrode 5, whose conductivity type is inverted to form a channel when a positive voltage is applied to the gate electrode 5, and the reference numeral 11 denotes a sidewall which is provided on a side of the gate electrode 5 and is usually formed of a silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film.
FIGS. 76 and 77 are typical enlarged views showing a section of a main part of a structure of the silicon substrate 1 provided in the vicinity of the gate insulation film 4 in FIG. 75 according to examples which are different from each other. The channel dope region 3 is formed by only a P type semiconductor region 3p as shown in FIG. 76 or is formed by an N type semiconductor region 3n and the P type semiconductor region 3p as shown in FIG. 77.
When a transistor shown in FIG. 77 is turned on, a channel is formed under the semiconductor region 3n.
FIG. 78 typically shows a section of a main part of an N-channel MOS transistor which operates with a high voltage and is one of vertical type power MOS transistors according to the prior art. In FIG. 78, the reference numeral 1A denotes a silicon substrate, the reference numeral 3A denotes a channel dope region which is formed on one of principal planes of the silicon substrate 1A and serves to control a threshold and to prevent punch-through, the reference numeral 4A denotes a gate insulation film formed on sides of a plurality of trenches extending perpendicularly to the drawing by using a silicon oxide film as a material, the reference numeral 5A denotes a gate electrode provided so as to fill up the trenches on which the gate insulation film 4A is formed, the reference numeral 61A denotes a drain region formed by doping the other principal plane of the silicon substrate 1A with an N type impurity having a high concentration, the reference numeral 62A denotes a drain region doped with the N type impurity having a comparatively lower concentration than that of the drain region 61A having a high impurity concentration in contact therewith, the reference numeral 71A denotes a source region formed in contact with the gate insulation film 4A by doping one of the principal planes of the silicon substrate 1A with the N type impurity having a high concentration, the reference numeral 8A denotes a P type substrate electrode having a high impurity concentration which is provided to give an electric potential of the silicon substrate 1A or a P well 2A from one of the principal planes of the silicon substrate 1A, the reference numeral 10A denotes a region provided in the vicinity of the gate electrode 5A, whose conductivity type is inverted to form a channel when a positive voltage is applied to the gate electrode 5A, and the reference numeral 11A denotes a sidewall which is provided on both sides of the gate electrode 5A on the silicon substrate 1A and is usually formed of a silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film.
FIG. 79 is a graph showing a relationship between a gate voltage and a source-drain current which is obtained when a source has a voltage of 0 V, an optional positive voltage is given to a drain and a substrate has a voltage of 0 V or an optional negative voltage in the MOS transistor shown in FIG. 75 or 78. In FIG. 79, a one-dotted chain line indicates a case where the gate insulation films 4 and 4A are thin, for example, have a thickness of 8 nm, and a broken line indicates a case where structures of portions other than the gate insulation films 4 and 4A are identical and only the gate insulation films 4 and 4A are thick, for example, have a thickness of 20 nm. It is apparent from FIG. 79 that a gate-source voltage for turning on/off the insulated gate transistor, that is, a threshold voltage is raised if the thickness of the gate insulation film is increased, and is lowered if the same thickness is reduced.
When the transistor is brought into an ON state and is in an OFF state, the thickness of the gate insulation film is constant. Therefore, a subthreshold coefficient S which is an inverse number of each of maximum gradients S1 and S2 of a curve in FIG. 79 physically satisfies Equation 4, and the maximum gradients S1 and S2 are not changed. In the Equation 4, k represents a Boltzmann""s constant, T represents an absolute temperature, and q represents an elementary charge.                     S         greater than                               kT            q                    xc3x97                      log            e                              10                                    (        4        )
FIG. 80 shows a relationship between a gate voltage and a gate-drain capacitance CGD and a gate-source capacitance CGS, and a relationship between the gate voltage and a gate-substrate capacitance CGB in the MOS transistor in FIG. 75 or 78.
The gate capacitance will be described below. The gate capacitance includes the gate-drain capacitance CGD, the gate-source capacitance CGS and the gate-substrate capacitance CGB. In general, the gate-drain capacitance CGD is a sum of a fringing capacitance generated on a gate electrode side and an overlap capacitance of a portion in which the gate overlaps with the drain if the gate voltage VG is smaller than the threshold voltage Vth, and is equal to an oxide film capacitance COX if the gate voltage VG is greater than the threshold voltage Vth.
The gate-source capacitance CGS is a sum of the fringing capacitance and the overlap capacitance within a total gate voltage range.
The gate-substrate capacitance CGB is equal to a value obtained by subtracting an overlap capacitance COV from the oxide film capacitance COX within a range in which the channel is accumulated, that is, the gate voltage VG is smaller than a flat band voltage VFB, and is almost obtained by (COXxe2x88x92COV)xc3x97CB/(COX+CB) if VFB less than VG less than Vth and is set to 0 if VG greater than Vth.
It is apparent from FIG. 80 that the gate capacitance is coincident with the oxide film capacitance COX when the transistor is in a stable state apart from a transition region in which an on-off state thereof is switched.
In the insulated gate transistor according to the prior art described above, a polycrystalline silicon having a low resistivity and a high concentration is used for the gate electrode 5. In the insulated gate transistor according to the prior art, furthermore, a silicon oxide film having a small interface statexc2x7trap density is mainly used as the gate insulation film. Thus, the insulated gate transistor has had high reliability.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazettes 3-293767, 57-54372 and 54-87192 have described examples in which a conductivity type of a gate electrode is different from that of a source-drain region and the gate electrode has a high concentration.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazettes 7-273212 and 7-321220 have described examples in which the structures disclosed in the above-mentioned publications are applied to a transistor having a buried channel.
In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette 6-61437 has described an example in which a ferroelectric film is used for a gate insulation film having the structures disclosed in the above-mentioned publications.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazettes 5-235335 and 7-202178 have described examples in which a material having a small bandgap is used for a gate electrode.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette 60-32354 has described an example in which a part of a gate electrode has a low resistance.
The insulated gate transistor according to the prior art has the above-mentioned structures. The subthreshold coefficient S is greater than 60 mV/decade at a room temperature during on/off. Therefore, even if the supply voltage is reduced by the scaling, the threshold voltage is not subjected to the scaling when the OFF-state current is kept constant. Consequently, the current driving force is reduced.
Conversely, if the threshold voltage is subjected to the scaling, the OFF-state current is increased. Consequently, a logical amplitude is reduced, dissipation power is increased, and a current consumed on standby, that is, a standby current is increased and a storage capability is lowered when the transistor is used for a DRAM or the like.
In a power element shown in FIG. 78, for example, a capacitance obtained in a state in which a gate is off, that is, an overlap capacitance and a gate-substrate capacitance are increased. In addition, a supply voltage is higher than a gate voltage in the power element. Therefore, an amplification factor is great, and a gate capacitance acting as a Miller capacitance is very increased. Thus, in the case where the gate capacitance is great, a switching speed is decreased so that a switching loss is increased.
Furthermore, in the case where a plurality of circuits having various supply voltages are provided on one chip, the supply voltage is sometimes set higher than the supply voltages of other circuit portions. Depending on the transistor, a voltage which is higher than voltages of the other circuit portions is applied to the gate insulation film. As a result, the gate insulation film of the transistor in an output stage should be resistant to a voltage which is higher than voltages of the transistors in the other circuit portions, for example. Therefore, a thickness of the gate insulation film should be increased. An operating speed is decreased due to a reduction in the current driving force, and an efficiency of applying a gate electric field to a channel is reduced so that punch-through is caused.
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a semiconductor device comprising a gate electrode provided opposite to a first semiconductor region where a channel is to be formed with a gate insulation film interposed therebetween, the gate electrode including a second semiconductor region which is provided in contact with the gate insulation film, wherein a depletion layer is generated in the second semiconductor region if the channel is insulating, and a width of the depletion layer is smaller than in the case where the channel is insulating or the depletion layer disappears if the channel is conducting.
A second aspect of the present invention is directed to the semiconductor device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the second semiconductor region has a conductivity type which is reverse to a conductivity type of a source region or a drain region provided in contact with the first semiconductor region.
A third aspect of the present invention is directed to the semiconductor device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the gate electrode has a resistance layer having a resistance value which is lower than a resistance value of the second semiconductor region, which the resistance layer is apart from an area of the gate insulation film, under which the area the channel is to be conducting.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is directed to the semiconductor device according to the third aspect of the present invention, wherein an impurity concentration of the second semiconductor region is locally enriched at an end of the second semiconductor region which is close to the drain region.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is directed to a semiconductor device comprising a gate electrode provided opposite to a first semiconductor region where a channel is to be formed with a gate insulation film interposed therebetween, the gate electrode including a second semiconductor region which is provided in contact with the gate insulation film, wherein a depletion layer is generated in the second semiconductor region if the channel is conducting, and a width of the depletion layer is smaller than in the case where the channel is conducting or the depletion layer disappears if the channel is insulating, and the depletion layer is formed on a condition that a maximum voltage to be supplied to the semiconductor device is applied between the gate electrode and a source/drain electrode of the semiconductor device.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is directed to the semiconductor device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the first semiconductor region is formed in a semiconductor layer provided on an insulator.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is directed to a semiconductor device, comprising a first gate electrode having a first plane provided opposite to a first semiconductor region where a channel is to be formed with a first gate insulation film interposed therebetween, a second gate insulation film formed on a second plane of the first gate electrode which is provided opposite to the first plane, and a second gate electrode which is provided opposite to the first gate electrode through the second gate insulation film, wherein the second gate electrode has a second semiconductor region provided in contact with the second gate insulation film, a depletion layer is generated in the second semiconductor region if a first voltage is applied, and a width of the depletion layer is smaller than in the case where the first voltage is applied or the depletion layer disappears if a second voltage is applied, and the second voltage causes a more current to flow through the channel than the first voltage.
An eighth aspect of the present invention is directed to the semiconductor device according to any of the first to seventh aspects of the present invention, wherein the gate electrode includes a ferroelectric.
A ninth aspect of the present invention is directed to a semiconductor device comprising a dielectric film having first and second principal planes, a first electrode provided on the first principal plane and formed of a semiconductor having a first conductivity type, and a second electrode provided on the second principal plane and formed of a semiconductor having a second conductivity type which is reverse to the first conductivity type, wherein the first and second electrodes have greater widths of depletion layers when a voltage making a P type semiconductor a positive potential and making an N type semiconductor a negative potential is not applied than when the voltage is applied.
A tenth aspect of the present invention is directed to the semiconductor device according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, wherein the dielectric film includes a ferroelectric.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a virtual thickness of the gate insulation film can be varied with a change of the depletion layer formed on the gate electrode, and breakdown voltages of the channel and the gate insulation film of an insulated gate transistor can be controlled. Consequently, a characteristic of the transistor can be enhanced.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, a more current is caused to flow through the channel when the second voltage is applied to the first semiconductor region than when the first voltage is applied to the first semiconductor region. In other words, the width of the depletion layer is smaller in an ON state of the transistor than in an OFF state thereof, or is zero. Therefore, high current driving force can be obtained and a switching loss can be reduced.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the resistance value of the gate electrode whose resistance is comparatively increased with a reduction in the impurity concentration caused by formation of the depletion layer. Thus, an operating speed can be prevented from being decreased.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the portion of the gate electrode which is close to the drain region is depleted with difficulty due to existence of the resistance layer. The current driving force can be prevented from being lowered due to the depletion layer generated in the drain region when the transistor is turned on.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, an effective thickness of the gate insulation film is increased with a maximum voltage by the generated depletion layer so that a breakdown voltage of the gate insulation film of the transistor can be enhanced.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the channel is formed on an epitaxial layer formed on the insulator. Therefore, effects of depletion of the gate electrode can be increased more than in the case where a whole substrate is formed of a semiconductor.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, a virtual thickness of the second gate insulation film can be varied with a change of the depletion layer formed on the second gate electrode, and breakdown voltages of the channel and the second gate insulation film of the insulated gate transistor can be controlled. Consequently, a characteristic of the transistor can be enhanced.
According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the gate insulation film itself spontaneously polarizes by charges generated on the gate insulation film by a dielectric. Consequently, a threshold voltage can be increased when the insulated gate transistor is brought from an ON state into an OFF state, and a lower leak current can be obtained. By the spontaneous polarization of the gate insulation film, the threshold voltage can be reduced when the insulated gate transistor is brought from the OFF state into the ON state.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, a capacitance can be varied by the depletion layer and an effective thickness of the dielectric film can be changed. For example, in the case where the semiconductor device is used for a memory cell, a refresh interval can be increased and a capacitance of a cell which is not accessed is reduced so that a writing speed and reliability can be enhanced. The capacitance is reduced during reading. Consequently, a reading speed can be increased.
According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, a voltage applied when the depletion layer is generated and disappears in the ON and OFF states can be controlled by the charges generated on the gate insulation film by the dielectric. Consequently, more effects can be obtained by the depletion layer.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to add a function of changing a gate capacitance to a gate electrode so as to prevent a current driving capability from being lowered due to a drop in a supply voltage with scaling and to decrease a switching loss.
It is another object of the present invention to enhance chip performance by forming a depletion layer on the gate electrode to relieve an electric field of a gate insulation film when two or more kinds of supply voltages are used for one integrated circuit formed on the same chip.
It is a further object of the present invention to enhance performance of a capacitor which can change a capacitance and an effective thickness of a dielectric film to optimize characteristics of the capacitor depending on uses.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Semiconductor device having gate electrode in which depletion layer can be generated


A method of making nonwoven fibrous materials suitable for use in a pollution control device or as a firestop, where the method comprises: providing a first slurry comprising water, first inorganic fibers, a first organic binder, and a first neutral pH flocculent; removing first waste water from the first slurry; optionally forming a first nonwoven fibrous material from the first slurry; providing a second slurry comprising a quantity of the first waste water, an optional quantity of relatively clean water, second inorganic fibers, a second organic binder, and a second flocculent that is the same and/or a different flocculent than that used in the first slurry; and forming a second nonwoven fibrous material from the second slurry. The addition of the first waste water in the second slurry does not adversely affect the flocculation of the second organic binder in the second slurry.

Aqueous slurries containing inorganic fibers have been used in the past to make a variety of nonwoven fibrous materials for use in a wide range of applications. Processes for making nonwoven fibrous materials using such aqueous slurries have included, for example, wet laid paper making techniques, like that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,835, and vacuum molding processes, like that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,875.
In a typical wet laid paper making process, such an aqueous slurry is poured onto one side of a screen or porous web and waste water is removed (e.g., by the force of gravity, the application of a vacuum, or both) on the other side of the screen, thereby leaving a wet nonwoven fibrous material on the one side of the screen or porous web. The resulting wet nonwoven fibrous material is subsequently dried (e.g., by air drying, baking or both) to form a continuous web or sheet-like nonwoven fibrous material, which may be further processed or converted (e.g., by die or laser cutting) into a desired shape (e.g., a mat, a strip, 2-dimensional end cone shape, etc.).
In a typical vacuum molding process, a mold die formed with a screen or otherwise perforated surface is submerged into such an aqueous slurry and waste water is sucked out of the mold die through the perforations, thereby leaving a wet nonwoven fibrous material on the perforated surface of the mold die. The resulting wet molded fibrous material is then removed from the mold and dried (e.g., by air drying, baking or both) to form a nonwoven fibrous material having a shape corresponding to the mold die (e.g., a truncated cone shape for an end cone insulator).
In the prior art processes that use such an aqueous slurry to make a nonwoven fibrous material, the waste water is discarded. Because of environmental concerns, such waste water is necessarily subjected to a water treatment process, before it is discarded. The degree of treatment for such waste water can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, especially from country to country. In the U.S., the pH level of such treated waste water is typically required to be in the range of from about 5 up to and including 9 or even 11, before the waste water is allowed to be transferred into public water systems (e.g., a city sewer system).
Such nonwoven fibrous materials have been made into exemplary articles such as mounting mats and thermal insulation for use in pollution control devices (e.g., catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters, and diesel traps), and as blankets, wraps, and tapes for use in fire stop applications
There is a continuing need for improvements to such processes. The present invention is directed to providing such an improvement.

Using recycled waste water to make nonwoven fibrous materials suitable for use in a pollution control device or in a firestop


The present invention provides a tuner apparatus operating as a common tuner capable of receiving both satellite digital TV and terrestrial TV broadcasting. A tuner configured, according to the invention operates as follows. As the tuner apparatus receives satellite TV broadcasting, intermediate-frequency signals SIF1 are supplied to its quadrature detector circuit where the SIF1 signals are demodulated into baseband signals SI and SQ by using oscillation signals supplied thereto from its oscillator. As the tuner apparatus receives terrestrial TV or CATV broadcasting, terrestrial TV or CATV broadcast wave signals are supplied to its mixer circuit where these signals are frequency-converted into intermediate-frequency signals SIF1 that fall within the bandwidth of the satellite TV broadcasting SIF1 signals. The first intermediate-frequency signals SIF1 are supplied to the quadrature detector circuit where the SIF1 signals are frequency-converted into second SIF2 signals by using oscillation signals supplied thereto from the oscillator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a tuner apparatus for receiving TV broadcasting.
2. Description of Related Invention
A typical currently used tuner unit is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. 1. Terrestrial TV broadcasting waves are received by an antenna 11 and the received broadcast wave signals SRX pass through an input bandpass filter 12, a radio frequency amplifier 13, and a bandpass filter 14, which form a signal line, and are supplied to a mixer circuit 15.
To the mixer circuit 15, oscillation signals in a predetermined frequency band are supplied from an oscillator circuit 16. In the mixer, by using the oscillation signals, the target channel broadcast wave signals out of the broadcast wave signals SRX are frequency-converted into intermediate-frequency signals SIF. These SIF signals, after passing through an intermediate-frequency amplifier 17, are outputted at a terminal 18 and subjected to further processing.
The same tuner configuration and operation are also true for CATV broadcasting, except that broadcast waves are inputted by means of a coaxial cable instead of the antenna
On the other hand, a tuner unit for satellite digital TV broadcasting is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. 2. This tuner is a double-superheterodyne type. Broadcast waves from a satellite are received by a parabolic antenna unit 21 and frequency-converted into first intermediate-frequency signals SIF1 in a predetermined intermediate frequency band. The SIF1 signals pass through a first intermediate-frequency filter 22, a first intermediate-frequency amplifier 23, and a first intermediate-frequency filter 24, which form a signal line, and are supplied to a mixer circuit 25.
To the mixer circuit 25, oscillation signals in a predetermined frequency band are supplied from an oscillator circuit 26. In the mixer, by using the oscillation signals, the first intermediate-frequency signals as target channel broadcast wave signals out of the SIF1 signals are frequency-converted into second intermediate-frequency signals SIF2. The SIF2 signals, after passing through a second intermediate-frequency filter 27 and a second intermediate-frequency amplifier 28, are supplied to a quadrature detector circuit 31.
To the detector circuit 31, oscillation signals for quadrature detection in a frequency band identical to the second intermediate-frequency band, but with the phase being shifted 90 degrees from the phase of the second intermediate-frequency signals, are supplied from an oscillator circuit 32. In the detector circuit 31, by using the oscillation signals, the second intermediate-frequency signals are demodulated into baseband signals SI and SQ that correspond to their in-phase component and quadrature component (real axis component and imaginary axis component). These SI and SQ signals are outputted at terminals 331 and 33Q and subjected to further processing.
Another type of tuner unit for satellite digital TV broadcasting is, for example, as shown in FIG. 3. Broadcast waves from a satellite are received by a parabolic antenna unit 21 and frequency-converted into first intermediate-frequency signals SIF1 in a predetermined intermediate-frequency band. The first SIF1 signals pass through a first intermediate-frequency filter 22, a first intermediate-frequency amplifier 23, and a first intermediate-frequency filter 24, which form a signal line, and are supplied to a quadrature detector circuit 31.
To the detector circuit 31, oscillation signals for quadrature detection in a frequency band identical to the frequency band of the first intermediate-frequency signals as target channel signals out of the SIF1 signals, but with the phase being shifted 90 degrees from the phase of the first intermediate-frequency signals are supplied from an oscillator circuit 32. In the detector circuit, by using the oscillation signals, the SIF1 signals are demodulated into baseband signals SI and SQ which correspond to their in-phase component and quadrature component (real axis component and imaginary axis component). These SI and SQ signals are outputted at terminals 331 and 33Q and subjected to further processing.
The broadcast wave-receiving tuner shown in FIG. 3 is called a direct conversion type or alternatively a zero IF circuit type because the second intermediate frequency is 0. The circuit configuration of this tune unit is simpler than that of the double-superheterodyne tuner shown in FIG. 2.
Meanwhile, recently, an increasing number of people wish to have a single receiver capable of receiving terrestrial TV broadcasting, CATV broadcasting, and satellite digital TV broadcasting.
If a single receiver is configured so as to be capable of receiving these three types of TV broadcasting, the tuner unit shown in FIG. 1 and the tuner unit shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 must be integrated into the single receiver. This, however, poses some problem such as increase of the cost of producing the receiver and enlargement of the receiver.


An example ullage-recirculating catalytic inerting system includes: (i) a plurality of fuel tanks having (a) respective inert gas ports for discharging the inert gas within a respective fuel tank, and (b) respective ullage gas ports for drawing ullage gas from the respective fuel tank; and (ii) an inert gas generating system including (a) an ullage gas inlet port fluidly coupled to the respective ullage gas ports, (b) an inert gas outlet port fluidly coupled to the respective inert gas ports, (c) a catalytic reactor for chemically converting ullage gas received through the ullage gas inlet port to inert gas for discharge through the inert gas outlet port, and (d) a prime mover for moving gas through the inert gas generating system.

A fuel tank is used in a vehicle to store fuel used for a propulsion system of the vehicle. Some of the fuel in the fuel tank may be converted from a liquid state to a gaseous state, and fuel vapor may thus form above the fuel in the fuel tank. The gas mixture above the liquid fuel in the fuel tank may be referred to as ullage gas, and may include a mixture of fuel vapor and air. The air may include oxygen, and therefore the ullage gas may be flammable under particular conditions. Therefore, it may be desirable to convert the ullage gas to an inert gas that is not flammable so as to preclude any fire hazard to the vehicle.

Catalytic inerting system for an aircraft with multiple fuel tanks


The present invention provides a method for data linkage driven by an event, used for data interaction between a first platform and a second platform. The second platform stores shared information and the method comprises: determining which platform the received event is from; forwarding a data packet from the second platform to the first platform for logical operation processing when the received event is from the second platform; when the received event is information from the first platform that at least includes a shared information operation instruction resulting from logic operation processing of data packets in the first platform, returning a shared information operation instruction completion message to the first platform, meanwhile forwarding the shared information operation instruction to the second platform so as to complete the shared information operation on the second platform. Therefore, the first platform acquires data synchronously without waiting for feedback of the second platform.

FPGAs, namely Field-programmable gate arrays, emerge as a kind of semi-custom circuits in application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and are widely applied in various fields such as communication, data processing, network, instruments, industrial control, military and aviation due to their favorable performance and programmable ability as well as low power consumption and cost. However, FPGAs are typically not able to realize complex arithmetic logic in case of controlling costs.
In data processing, X86 architecture platforms have an advantage of strong extendibility, i.e., software running on X86 architecture platforms can support relatively complex arithmetic logics, but the arithmetic capability of X86 architecture platforms typically is not high, which limits their development to a high-end market.
In view of respective features of the above two heterogeneous platforms, an architecture system combining these two heterogeneous platforms, i.e., FPGA+X86 architecture system, has been proposed in prior art.
FIG. 1 shows a view illustrating data interaction between two heterogeneous platforms in a FPGA+X86 architecture system in prior art.
As shown in FIG. 1, in this architecture system, logical processing of X86 platform may proceed only after obtaining shared information, therefore data between the two heterogeneous platforms needs to be synchronized. The shared information is used by FPGA under most forwarding cases, and the fewer cross-platform information inquiries occur, the less influence on the overall performance. For this reason, data sets are usually stored on FPGA. In this case, FPGA does not know when X86 platform needs data, and thus most data acquisitions are initiated by X86 platform.
The synchronized data interaction process between existing X86 platform and FPGA is as follows: the X86 platform initiates an operation instruction via interrupt, FPGA responds to this operation instruction and executes it, and finally FPGA returns result of execution to X86 platform. Thereafter, X86 platform may proceed with processing of subsequent complex logics.
However, since the above process takes a long time, the performance of overall system is greatly consumed. Therefore, in a FPGA+X86 architecture system, it is a key technology and also a technology bottle neck for this system how to deal with synchronization of associated data between the two heterogeneous platforms with high efficiency to ensure consistency of shared data set in the two systems.

Method and apparatus for data linkage between heterogeneous platforms


An optical information recording and reproducing apparatus relating to the invention employs a two-beam interference method. In the optical information recording and reproducing apparatus, a moving device moves an information recording medium between a recording and reproducing position and a retracting position, and a mirror moves together with the information recording medium. When the information recording medium moves to the recording and reproducing position, the mirror moves to a position which is displaced from the at least one of the reference beam and the information beam. When the information recording medium moves to the retracting position, the mirror moves to a position where the mirror can reflect the at least one of the reference beam and the information beam toward a detector for detecting a deviation of the at least one of the reference beam and the information beam.

In recent years, there has been proposed a high-density optical information recording and reproducing apparatus based on the principle of holography as disclosed in JP-A No. 2008-123627. In such the optical information recording and reproducing apparatus, in the information recording mode, a light emitted from one light source is split into an information beam containing information to be modulated by a spatial light modulator (SLM), and a reference beam. The two beams having been split are incident on a recording medium from different directions, and the information can be recorded in the form of an interference fringe. On the other hand, in the information reproduction mode, the same reference beam as that in the information recording mode is radiated onto the recording medium having information recorded thereon, and the interference fringe is read, whereby the information having been recorded is reproduced.
The optical information recording and reproducing apparatus based on the principle of holography described above records information using an interference fringe made up of an information beam and a reference beam. Thus, the relationship between the information beam and reference beam at the time of recording and reproduction is crucial. To put it more specifically, for example, if the reference beam has a state different from that used at the time of recording information and it is incident on the recording medium for reproducing information, the information may not be recorded correctly. The different state of the reference beam in the sense in which it is used here includes a difference in a wavelength of a light source, a difference in an angle of a beam incident on a recording medium, and variations of amplitude or phase distribution in the reference beam.
Incidentally, it can be said that the wavelength of a light source and the amplitude and phase distribution in the reference beam depend on the characteristics of each individual semiconductor laser and are stable to a certain extent. By contrast, the angle of the beam incident on a recording medium tends to be changed from a default setting value by being affected by a vibration and environmental temperature variation at the time of transporting or using an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus, and chronological changes, for example. In the meantime, when the output intensity of the semiconductor laser is to be employed maximally for the intensity of information beam, a step is taken in some cases to ensure the light-flux diameter of the information beam will be approximately the same as that size of the SLM, or will be slightly greater than that size of the SLM for the purpose of a margin of safety. In this case, however, if the optical axis of the optical path of the information beam has made a parallel displacement in excess of the margin of safety with respect to the position at the time of manufacturing for some reasons, a part of the information beam will not enter the SLM, with the result that the beam is not effectively used.

Optical information recording and reproducing apparatus, and cartridge


A method and apparatus for associating methods or attributes on a per-instance basis is provided. One technique for providing “per-instance attributes” involves properties and property bundles. A second technique for providing “per-instance attributes” involves categories wherein the instance can be thought of as being “placed” into one or more categories. A technique for providing “per-instance methods” involves policies. In any of these techniques, providing per-instance properties may be used in any of the following ways: (1) different instances of the same class are associated with different properties where the properties are not in the class; and (2) two instances of two different classes are associated with the same property where the property is not in either of the two classes.

In Object Oriented programming, a subclass inherits the data structure (also known as the attributes) and behaviors (also known as the methods) from the subclass' superclass(es) (also known as parent classes). Frequently the term "properties" is used to collectively refer to attributes and methods. In the case of methods, the subclasses may either: (1) use the methods of the superclass as these methods are implemented in the superclass; or (2) the subclasses may override the methods of the superclass. In the case of attributes, the subclasses inherit the attributes of the subclasses' superclasses but there is no overriding of attributes. FIG. 1a is a block diagram that depicts a situation where (1) a method (e.g. "publish") is inherited and overridden; and (2) an attribute (e.g., string x) is inherited.
In discussing the case of methods with respect to FIG. 1a, assume that superclass 100 has a publish method. The implementation of the publish method in superclass 100 may involve emailing to a news group (hereinafter referred to as "publish by email to news group"). Subclasses 110 and 113 both override the publish method in superclass 100. For example, subclass 110 may implement the publish method by broadcasting (hereinafter referred to as "publish by broadcast") and subclass 113 may implement the publish method by opening it for review (hereinafter referred to as "publish by open for review"). Subclass 116 does not override the implementation of the publish method of superclass 100.
In overriding a method, the method in the subclass continues to have the same name as the method of the superclass. Only the implementation of the method in the subclass is different from the implementation in the superclass.
A class can be compared to a "cookie cutter". An instance (also known as an object) of a class can be thought of as dough that has been "stamped out" by this "cookie cutter" or class. Therefore, each instance of a class has all of the properties defined by the class that was used to "stamp out" that particular instance/object.
Each object has a "line of inheritance". In other words, object 111's line of inheritance starts with subclass 110 and is followed by superclass 100. If a particular method such as "publish" is requested of object 111, subclass 110 is first checked to see if the "publish" method is implemented in subclass 110. If the "publish" method type is implemented in subclass 110, that "publish" method implementation is used. Otherwise, the superclass 100 is checked to see if the "publish" method is implemented in superclass 100. Searching for the requested method "publish" continues up the "line of inheritance" until the requested method is found.
Furthermore, in Object Oriented programming, all instances of a particular class share common implementations of the methods of that class. In other words, objects 111 and 112 will have the same publish method implementation ("publish by broadcast"), which was obtained from subclass 110. Objects 114 and 115 will have the same publish method implementation ("publish by open for review"), which was obtained from subclass 113. Objects 117 and 118 will have the same publish method implementation, which was obtained from superclass 100 ("publish by email to news group").
In Object Oriented programming it is not possible for object 111 to have a different implementation of the publish method than object 112 because both object 111 and object 112 are instances of the same class, subclass 110. In other words, it is not possible with classic Object Oriented programming for object 111 to have a "publish by broadcast" implementation while object 112 has a "publish by open for review" implementation. Therefore, classic inheritance cannot be used to provide different implementations for a particular method for objects in the same class.
Subclasses cannot override attributes of their superclasses, but the subclasses may introduce additional attributes that do not belong to their superclasses. In discussing the case of attributes with respect to FIG. 1a, assume that superclass 100 has a string x, subclass 110 has a string y, subclass 113 has a string z, and subclass 116 does not introduce another string. In this situation, superclass 100 would only have string x. Subclass 110 would inherit string x from superclass 100 and in addition would introduce string y. Therefore, objects 111 and 112 would have string x and string y as attributes. Subclass 113 would inherit string x from superclass 100 and in addition would introduce string z. Therefore, objects 114 and 115 would have string x and string z. Subclass 116 would only inherit string x from superclass 100. Therefore objects 117 and 118 would only have string x.
In Object Oriented programming it is not possible for object 111 to have a different set of attributes than object 112 because both object 111 and object 112 are instances of the same class, subclass 110. In other words, it is not possible with classic Object Oriented programming for object 111 to have a string y but not string z, while object 112 has a string z but not a string y. Therefore, classic inheritance cannot be used to provide different attributes for instances of the same class.


An aluminum titanate ceramic article having a predominant crystal phase of aluminum titanate and a material composition including aluminum, titanium, silica, an alkaline earth metal (e.g., at least one selected from the group of strontium, calcium, barium, or combinations), and a rare earth metal (e.g., at least one selected from the group consisting of yttrium, lanthanum, and combinations) and methods of making such aluminum titanate bodies are described. An oxide of yttrium metal or lanthanide metals is preferably used as a sintering aid in combination with the other compositional components to enable firing of the resulting green body at a lower heating temperature of less than 1500° C., and more preferably between 1400°-1450° C., with a preferable hold time of less than 8 hours, more preferably of 6 to 8 hours.

The invention relates to aluminum titanate ceramic bodies having low thermal expansion, high porosity, and high strength and methods for manufacturing the same. Particularly, the present invention relates to aluminum titanate ceramic bodies and methods of manufacturing same wherein the body and method uses a sintering additive which aids in reducing the firing temperature and allowing for a wide range of firing temperature.
Recently, aluminum titanate (AT) based ceramic materials have been proposed, in patent applications U.S. application Ser. Nos. 10/626,317 (U.S. Publication No. 2004/0092381 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,861) and 60/517,348 (now U.S. application Ser. No. 10/955,364 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,713) and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,751 as an alternative for cordierite and silicon carbide (SiC) for high temperature applications, such as automotive emissions control applications.
Diesel particulate filters (DPFs) require a combination of low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) (for thermal shock resistance), high porosity and good pore interconnectivity (for low pressure drop and engine efficiency), and high strength (to survive handling, canning, and vibration in use).
To obtain aluminum titanate-based DPFs exhibiting the aforementioned properties it is required to fire the structures at high temperatures, generally above 1500° C., in order to achieve sufficient grain growth to produce the microcracking required for low thermal expansion. The high firing temperatures disadvantageously add cost to the processing of the product.
It would be desirable to manufacture aluminum titanate-based bodies for use in high temperature applications which can be fired at reduced temperatures without significantly impacting the desired properties in the final product structure. Accordingly, ceramic compositions achieving the aforementioned properties which enable lower firing temperatures are desired.

Aluminum titanate ceramic articles and methods of making same


In an input device in that an input part for inputting information is accommodated in a housing thereof, an antenna is arranged at an upper surface inside the housing and emits a radio wave based on input information generated by the input part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an input device, and more particularly to the input device for transmitting input information by a radio communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the current computer system industry, in order to simplify connections to peripheral devices and to improve operability thereof, a wireless communication has been applied to the peripheral devices such as a mouse and a like.
As a wireless communication method, a radio wave method and an infrared ray method have developed. The radio wave method is applied to a coordinate input device such as the mouse because of a wider flexible range of an input position thereof.
In the coordinate input device applying the wireless method, if there is a conductive object around the coordinate input device, an electrostatic capacity (load capacity), which is occurred between the object and the mouse, is applied to an antenna of the mouse. Then, a transmission rate becomes lower. If a radio field intensity of the mouse is set to be stronger and exceeds a predetermined level so that the transmission rate will not be lower, it is required to get a permission in accordance with the radio wave law. Accordingly, in general, the radio field intensity is set to be at a maximum while not requiring the permission in accordance with the Wireless Telegraph Law.
In a conventional input device applying a radio communication, the antenna is formed on a circuit board arranged on a bottom surface of a housing of the mouse. Therefore, for example, when the mouse is operated on a desk made from steel material, an antenna effect is degraded. And an area, in which the radio field intensity output from the input device is degraded, locally occurs.


Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for determining approximate locations of network devices. Information is received concerning last known locations of portable network devices that attach to a network, and used to compute an approximate location of an obscured network device attached to the network. In some embodiments, the last known locations of the portable network devices may be determined using information from GPS satellites. The approximate location of the obscured network device may be used as the approximate location of other stationary network devices connected to the same network.

The invention concerns the field of network management, and more particularly concerns determining the locations of network devices that are unable to access satellite positioning systems such as GPS because of shielding by buildings.
Internetworks and intranetworks have become exceedingly complex, and therefore hard to manage. Thus, in order to enable a network operator to manage such networks effectively, advanced network management systems provide the operator with a simplified graphical visualization of the network. Traditionally, this is done using layout algorithms that place the network devices in circles, in trees, and the like.
Technology has existed for some time to lay out network devices in such a visual display using the latitudes and longitudes of the devices. However, in practice this has not been useful, because there has been no effective way to gather the needed coordinates.
Although in principle a network device could be equipped with Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) capability to determine its location, GPS has a low RF link margin, and therefore cannot be used reliably to determine locations of network devices that are used indoors. Unfortunately, many network devices of practical interest are indeed used indoors routinely. These include, for example, network devices inside offices and laboratories, local area network (LAN) closets, data centers, and so forth.
Of course, the needed coordinates could be manually determined and manually entered into a network management database. Such a process, however, is not only impractical in large scale networks, it is also time consuming, error prone, and subject to constant revision as the locations of network devices change.
Thus, there is a need for a way to automatically determine and track the locations of network devices that are used in environments which are inaccessible to GPS signals, for the benefit of network management systems.

Determining approximate locations of network devices that are inaccessible to GPS signals

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention encompasses a system by which a leading T-shirt bag may be removed from a rack while initiating the opening of the bag mouth of the next ensuing T-shirt bag, but without also simultaneously pulling out and opening in succession subsequent T-shirt bags of the pack. The invention accomplishes this by modifying the form of the conventional T-shirt bag by placing a second lower slightly offset horizontal tear slot below the horizontal slot on the center mounting tab by which the tab is held on the hook of the dispensing rack. The offset slot creates a narrow bridge on one end and a wider bridge on the other end of the slot. A glue spot is provided offset from the center toward the side with the narrower bridge, between the back of the forward bag and the front of the subsequent bag. When the leading T-shirt bag is filled and subsequently pulled away, the wider bridge first ruptures and the narrower bridge, coupled with the offset glue spot, works to pull open only the next bag. The narrower bridge and the glue spot connection are broken when the opened bag is later and removed.

Plastic shopping bags have become of universal use in grocery, department and other stores over the past several decades. Among the most popular type of plastic bags are those which are provided with orificed handles by which packs of such bags may be mounted on racks, comprising a base and a back structure with a pair of rods spaced from each other projecting forwardly. Such bags are commonly referred to as T-shirt bags since they resemble T-shirts of the tank type.
Numerous patents have been granted not only covering the combination of such bags with a rack, but also many variants of these bags. Among such variants are the types of bags which have central detachable portions extending upwardly from the bag mouths. Such portions may be transversely slotted to enable a pack of such bags to be mounted on an upwardly projecting hooking element also extending forwardly for a short distance from the center of the back support of the rack between the forwardly projecting rack rods. As each of such bags is pulled forwardly from the pack, at a certain point, the detachable central portion is torn from the bag wall defining the bag mouth, to remain on the central hooking element.
Initially each bag of the pack was separately pulled forward on the rack, filled by the store clerk and pulled off the forward ends of the rods, thereupon tearing the back wall from the central detachable portion projecting upwardly from the bag mouth and mounted on the central hooking element.
At some point in the development of various improved types of plastic bags, it was determined that if the back side of the back wall of the first bag were adhered by a glue spot to the front wall of the next ensuing bag of the bag pack, when the first bag was pulled forward on the rack, filled with articles and then removed from the rack, the front wall of the next ensuing bag would be drawn forward on the rack and readied for filling of the bag. This technique is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,935 which teaches placing the glue spot in the neck of the central upwardly projecting bag wall portion just below the detachment slots of the upwardly projecting portion on the bag wall defining the bag mouth. Other patents have shown glue spots centrally disposed below such bag neck.
The problem with these prior art glue spot bags is that either the glue spot may be so small that the back wall of the first bag becomes separated from the front wall of the ensuing bag before such back wall has pulled such front wall of the ensuing bag forward enough for filing; or alternatively, if the glue spot is too large, as the leading bag is pulled off the rack and the next ensuing bag is pulled forward for opening the bag mouth, a plurality of bags are also simultaneously pulled forward in a series so that each bag has to be separated by hand from the bag immediately following it. This result has frequently caused bag users to be dissatisfied with bag packs having glue spots.
What has been needed, therefore, is some system by which a leading bag may be removed from a rack while initiating the opening of the bag mouth of the next ensuing bag, but without also simultaneously pulling out and opening in succession subsequent bags of the pack.


A wireless detector and alarm system, such as for example a smoke detector and/or carbon monoxide (CO) detector, operable to be linked and unlinked with one or more like detectors thereby forming a network of detectors. A detector sensing the presence of an environmental condition, which requires the sounding of an alert is operable to transmit a signal to other remotely linked detectors, thereby triggering the remotely linked detectors to sound an appropriate alarm. The detector at the location of the environmental condition causing the alarm and the remotely linked detector are capable to operate in teach and learn modes such that the address or “house codes” of the detectors can be synchronized.

This invention relates generally to home alarm and detection units and, more particularly, to wireless linking of detection units.
There are various types of smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) detecting devices that have been developed, such devices typically being battery powered, hardwired or wall-plug powered units designed to sound an alarm at the site of the detected smoke conditions. Smoke detection systems can include a plurality of detector units strategically positioned throughout the monitored area. Each of the plurality of detector units can include a detector for sensing one of a characteristic and condition within a section of the monitored area and generating a signal indicative of the monitored condition.
A signal processor or controller can be connected within each detector unit for analyzing the signal generated by the detector and upon determining if the signal is above a predetermined level generating an emergency signal. A transmitter can be provided for transmitting the emergency signal to a plurality of receiver units strategically positioned about the monitoring area. Each receiver unit includes an alarm for generating an alarm signal and thereby alert persons to the emergency situation at a position within the monitored area. The detector can be at least one of a photoelectric smoke detector, an ionization type detector, a combination carbon monoxide and smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector, a near infrared detector and a hazard detector. There are other types of environmental condition detectors such as for example a detector for high radioactivity conditions.
However, in the past, these detection devices were not interconnected. Such devices however provide no warning to those out of the hearing range of the alarm sensing an alert condition. This obviously creates a substantial hazard to those in the same house, building or other structure who are not informed of the dangerous condition. Fire and the resulting smoke may unknowingly exist for significant periods of time in areas of buildings before the occupants are warned through conventional smoke detector systems where the detectors are not interconnected. Even with a plurality of conventional smoke detectors, occupants in remote locations of a burning building may not be able to audibly detect the local alarm horn.
A need, therefore, existed for smoke detection systems that can effectively provide early warning to building occupants in remote locations or levels away from the source of the smoke/fire or other hazardous environmental condition and can provide a means for lighted paths of egress while doing so in a cost effective and simple manner. Such a system needed to be easy to install and operate for the average user.
Smoke detectors designed for remote sensing are commonly electrically hardwired to a central enunciator/controller panel to indicate the location of the smoke within a building, which affords a plurality of remote environmental condition detectors all exchanging information through a centralized control panel. In order to connect a plurality of the prior art devices together to provide a central indication of the location of the condition sensed so as to enable the provision of specific warning to all areas or to enable steps to be taken to abate the sensed condition; it was previously necessary to physically interconnect an enunciator panel with each of the remote devices. This results in a costly system and required the use of excessive wiring along floors, walls or ceilings. Moreover, because each detection device typically generated sound at the detected location, the prior art devices were consumers of electrical power and were often unreliable and expensive. Installing and retrofitting of remote sensing smoke detection systems within buildings and residences without centralized enunciator panels is greatly facilitated with the wireless smoke detector system.
Many home fire and security alarm systems, which are often referred to as a wireless security system requires a hardwired keypad, a base station, a hardwired siren, and AC power connections. Such wireless systems actually require, therefore, considerable wiring, which makes them expensive to install and requires skilled installers. In an effort to reduce manufacturing and installation costs, many designs combined the siren into the keypad and the base station. However, these systems are not usually installed by the average consumer.
In some alarm systems, the smoke detectors are battery operated and include a small transmitter that transmits a fire alarm message to a control panel. To sound the alarm throughout the house, the control panel triggers a siren. When the alarm system is armed and an actual alarm condition is detected, prior systems sound the alarm throughout the house with one or more sirens. Each siren requires a separate installation and is usually wired in, even in so-called wireless systems. Because of the control panel installation and wiring required, prior wireless alarm systems are unduly complicated, especially for a typical homeowner to install or service, and do not have the benefits of typical hardwired systems. Accordingly, the potential of wireless home fire alarm systems has not been realized.
Battery powered smoke detectors can be designed to be completely wireless and to provide an early warning of the presence of an environmental condition of fire or smoke to persons in remote areas of a building with respect to the location of the environmental condition. The smoke detector sensing the environmental condition can emit an audible alarm of continuous tone, while emitting a frequency modulated radio signal directly to other like smoke detectors to activate their alarms in a manner indicative of the location of the smoke detector sensing the environmental alarm condition. Rechargeable light modules separate from the smoke detector are included that receive the frequency modulated radio signal from the smoke detector sensing the environmental alarm condition and illuminate paths of egress for the duration of the alarm condition.
Traditionally to allow wireless alarms to communicate to one another and discriminate against neighboring alarms a dip switch (a switch that has multiple positions, usually 8, which can generate a binary number) is used to create a unique alarm ID (address or house code). This method works fine in principle but has the drawbacks of layout issues, manually setting a random number at the factory or by the customer: cost of the switch, reliability of the switch in corrosion or manufacturing, number of unique ID's dependant on the number of switch positions and additional circuitry needed to decode the switch to cut down on number of I/O pins needed to read the switch by the microcontroller. Also dip switches usually require bottom mounting which would require the units to be removed from the ceiling during the installation period. Top mounting of a dip switch would require a removable cover or door big enough to be able to access the dip switch or change the dip switch settings with a screw driver.
Attempts around the traditional dip switch method have been to use a separate learn mode switch to put the alarm in a learn mode, rolling code encoder decoder circuitry or prepacking a set of alarms already configured to talk to one another. These attempts although eliminating the dip switch still require additional circuitry or the inflexibility of adding or removing alarms from the network.
There is a need for a wireless smoke detection and alarm system that is easy to install and resolves many of the above problems.

Wireless linking of smoke/CO detection units


A method for coloring tool bits includes cutting a beam having a hexagonal cross section into a number of segments. The segments are electroplated for forming an outer layer on the segments. The segments each have one or two of the ends machined to form a tool bit end for engaging with fasteners. The segments are then dyed for allowing color material to be attached onto the tool bit end and for coloring the tool bit end. The electroplated outer layer may prevent the color material from attaching onto the outer peripheral portion of the segments.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, and more particularly to a method for coloring tool bit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical tool bits comprise a shaft body having one end machined to form an engaging member for engaging with the fasteners. Normally, the tool bits include a single color and may not be easily attached or applied with two or more different colors.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional tool bits.

No. 6, Avenue 9, Lane 296, Prng Yii Road


Method, computer program product, and apparatus for signal tracking and decoding in GNSS are disclosed. In one exemplary implementation, a satellite receiver may be configured to receive a first sub-frame of a satellite signal. It defers a determination of validity of the first sub-frame until a preamble of a second sub-frame is received. The satellite receiver receives the preamble of the second sub-frame, and then determines whether there is a data decoding error of the first sub-frame using the first sub-frame and the preamble of the second sub-frame.

In some conventional navigation satellite signals, pilot signals may not be transmitted. To demodulate such signals, the receiver usually employs differential demodulation to overcome the difficulty of not having reference (pilot) signals. To assist the receiver to demodulate the signals, a satellite vehicle (SV) may need to encode the data differentially before the transmission. However, in some conventional satellite systems, the signals may not be encoded differentially, which may cause the receiver to be prone to data decoding errors (also referred to as cycle slips). In addition, in some conventional satellite systems, flaws in the code design may cause the receiver more susceptible to data decoding errors, as there may be no overlap between codewords in the sub-frame (also referred to as subframe). One example of such coding is BCH (15, 11, 1). This code has the property that if a string of 15 bits is a valid codeword, then the inverse of that string, formed by replacing 0 by 1 and 1 by 0, may also be a valid codeword. This property can cause the code to be useless in presence of data decoding errors. For example, the transmitter transmits a sequence of fifteen zeros. However, due to a cycle slip occurred before the codeword, the receiver may demodulate the string as a sequence of fifteen ones. Because of the property of the BCH code, the fifteen ones may also be a valid code word. If the cycle slip happens at the boundaries between two codewords, the receiver would not be able to detect that the word is in error by just relying on the BCH code, and the receiver may accept the fifteen ones as a valid code word. This problem can lead to large outliers since the ephemeris/almanac may be corrupted.
Therefore, there is a need for method, device, computer program product, and apparatus that can address the above issues of the conventional satellite systems.


The present specification discloses a disposable tubing joint connector system which connects a tubing set and an endoscope. The connector embodiments disclosed herein include dual o-ring seals, in two separate channels, that enable an efficient and leak proof connection between two ports of an endoscope and corresponding flexible tubing.

An endoscope is a medical instrument used for examining and treating internal body parts such as the alimentary canals, airways, the gastrointestinal system, and other organ systems. Conventional endoscopes have at least a flexible tube carrying a fiber optic light guide for directing light from an external light source situated at a proximal end of the tube to a distal tip. Also, most endoscopes are provided with one or more channels, through which medical devices, such as forceps, probes, and other tools, may be passed. Further, during an endoscopic procedure, fluids, such as water, saline, drugs, contrast material, dyes, or emulsifiers are often introduced or evacuated via the flexible tube. A plurality of channels, one each for introduction and suctioning of liquids, may be provided within the flexible tube.
Usually, endoscopes also include a connector section for connecting the flexible tube to one or more of an electrical system, a light system, a water or other fluid system, and/or a suction system, which may be collectively termed as the control section of the endoscope. U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,222 discloses a flexible tube applied to an endoscope. U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,222 discloses a construction of a flexible tube, which is applied to an insertion section of an endoscope, adapted to be inserted into the body cavity. The flexible tube comprises a spiral tube formed by transforming a belt-shaped metal member into a spiral, a braid formed of fibers intertwined like a net, and fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the spiral tube, and a sheath covering the outer peripheral surface of the braid, and having a multilayer structure composed of inner and outer layers, at least for part of its length. The inner layer is a tube member which is formed of a high-polymer material, and is fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the braid. The outer layer is formed by applying a molten high-polymer material to the outer peripheral surface of the tube member, for cross-linking.
The flexible tube may be attached to the control section of an endoscope directly via a surface to surface tubing port interface. However, such direct connection may not provide an effective sealing between the air and water carrying channels when an acceptable maximum insertion force is applied during operation of the endoscope.
Alternately, conventional connector designs employ single 'o-ring' connectors in tube to endoscope connections for sealing off the water/fluid carrying channels. U.S. Pat. No. 7,841,880 discloses a connector for an endoscope which includes O-ring. U.S. Pat. No. 6,582,361 discloses a watertight cap which is detachably attached to a connector of an endoscope, the watertight cap comprising an external cylinder having an engaging part being detachably engaged with an outer periphery of a shell member provided around a connector pin of the connector and an internal cylinder arranged inside the external cylinder, an end of the internal cylinder being closed, the internal cylinder having a seal member being pressed against an inner periphery of the shell member, wherein a discharge hole opening to outside is formed between the external cylinder and the internal cylinder when the watertight cap is attached on the connector.
An O-ring seal maybe used in endoscope connectors as the seal allows a high local stress, and is capable of containing high pressure. However, it has been observed that it is difficult to maintain the seal integrity during multiple insertions of the endoscope tube into a body cavity. Since pressure in varying degrees is applied to the endoscope during operation, the use of a conventional o-ring design may result in failure of the seal or may require such a tight fit that causes difficulty in inserting the connector onto the air and water ports.
Hence, there is need for a connector that enables efficient and leak proof connection between an endoscope and one or more flexible tubing sets. There is also a need for a connector that can withstand normal endoscope working pressures without the seal integrity being compromised. Further, there is need for a connector that may be used to connect endoscope ports to one or more tubing sets with a minimal application of force.


A fiber optic sensing apparatus that may be used to sense one or more conditions of an electromotive machine is provided. A housing (20) encloses an optical fiber sensor (18). An optical fiber (19) extends into the housing through an opening formed in the housing. A fiber-affixing device (15) may be affixed to the optical fiber proximate the opening. The fiber-affixing device includes opposed bearing surfaces (30, 32) extending away from the optical fiber and disposed against opposed inner and outer surfaces (34, 36) of the housing surrounding the opening. The fiber-affixing device is effective to affix the optical fiber within the opening, thereby substantially improving the robustness and survivability of the optical fiber sensor.

Electromotive machines, such as large electrical generators used in the field of power generation, include stator windings that, for example, can carry several thousand amperes of current. The stator windings comprise a large number of conductors or stator bars that are pressed into slots in a stator core and end windings that can extend beyond the stator core. Such a machine represents a very expensive and long-term investment. For example, a malfunction of the generator not only endangers the power equipment itself but may also result in substantially costly and burdensome service reduction due to the down time associated with a repair. To avoid such a condition, increasing use is being made of fiber optic technology for sensing conditions of the machine.
Due to the delicate nature of optical fibers, it is desirable to provide appropriate protection for such optical fibers and the resulting assemblage of an fiber optic sensing apparatus. It is known, for example, to affix a connecting end of a protective jacket in an optical fiber sensor to a housing by way of bonding adhesives. However, this implementation is prone to de-bonding of the connecting end with respect to the housing, which can eventually lead to breakage of the optical fiber sensor. Therefore, a cost-effective and reliable connection for such fiber optic sensing apparatus is desirable. Disclosed embodiments are believed to successfully address at least such needs.

Fiber optic sensing apparatus with an improved fiber-affixing device


The invention generally relates to an illuminated sports system. In certain embodiments, the system includes a device configured to be worn by a user that includes a first portion having a first illumination source and a second portion having first control circuitry configured to at least transmit or receive data associated with the device. The system also includes a movable piece of sports equipment including a second illumination source and second control circuitry configured to at least transmit or receive data associated with the movable piece of sports equipment. At least one of the first and second control circuitries is configured to sense when the user possesses the movable piece of sports equipment and modify an emission of at least one of the first and second illumination sources based on the user possessing the movable piece of sports equipment.

Exercise and other athletic activities are no longer only carried out during the daylight hours. It is now common for many people to exercise or engage in athletics either early in the morning or later in the evening for a variety of reasons. For example, many people are unable to engage in such activities during the daytime due, in large part, to their work and/or school schedule. Additionally, some may prefer to exercise or participate in athletics during the early morning or later evening hours, when the temperature is cooler and more comfortable.
A drawback to engaging in such activities during non-daylight hours is the low light conditions associated with early morning and evening hours, which ultimately results in low visibility. This can be particularly problematic in certain activities, such as team sports, which require high visibility during gameplay. For example, in team based sports, players are divided up into two or more teams. As such, jerseys are assigned to separate teams to distinguish one team from another. However, in low visibility conditions, such as in the evening, it may be particularly difficult for players to discern between a team member and an opponent. Accordingly, certain activities in the evening generally require an artificially lighted playing surface. However, it may be difficult for some to find access to lighted fields, resulting in the inability for some to participate in athletic activities during the evening hours.


A method for creating a pixel image in a two-dimensional display coordinate system from sampled data derived from a collector of a scanned beam imager adapted to transmit a beam of radiation which traces a trajectory in a two-dimensional acquisition coordinate system. The trajectory contains datum locations in the acquisition coordinate system associated with the sampled data. The method includes receiving the sampled data. The method also includes adjusting a mathematical model of the trajectory based on a function of at least one of rotation, translation, and desired scaling of the model of the trajectory. The method also includes constructing the pixel image in the display coordinate system from the adjusted model of the trajectory.

Conventional scanned light beam systems, such as those adapted to function as bar code scanners, are available from Microvision, Inc. of Redmond, Wash.
An example of an endoscope application of a medical scanned laser beam imager is given in US Patent Application Publication 2005/0020926. The scanned laser beam imager includes a two-dimensional MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) scanner. The MEMS scanner is a dual-resonant-mirror scanner. The mirror scanner scans, about substantially orthogonal first and second axes, one or more light beams (such as light beams from red, green and blue lasers) through an optical dome at high speed in a pattern that traces a trajectory in a two-dimensional acquisition coordinate system. The scanned laser beam imager uses at least one light detector in creating a pixel image from the reflected light for display on a monitor.
Direct view and camera type endoscopes and laparoscopes are known which are "angled scopes" having a direction of view which is not parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the insertion tube of the instrument.
Software programs sold with digital cameras are known which can rotate a pixel image displayed on a computer monitor wherein the pixel image was uploaded to the computer from the digital camera.
What is needed is an improved method for creating a pixel image from sampled data of a scanned beam imager.

Method for creating a pixel image from sampled data of a scanned beam imager