According to one aspect of the invention, a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus and a method for processing semiconductor substrates are provided. The method may include providing a semiconductor substrate having a surface and a plurality of features on the surface, each feature being positioned on the surface at a first respective point in a first coordinate system, plotting the position of each feature at a second respective point in a second coordinate system; and generating a translation between the first and the second coordinate systems. The generating of the translation may include calculating an offset between the first and the second coordinate systems. The calculating of the offset may include calculating an offset distance between a reference point of the first coordinate system and a reference point of the second coordinate system and calculating an offset angle between an axis of the first coordinate system and an axis of the second coordinate system.

1). Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, particularly to a metrology tool for use in processing semiconductor substrates.
2). Discussion of Related Art
Integrated circuits are formed on semiconductor substrates such as wafers. The formation of the integrated circuits may include numerous processing steps such as deposition of various layers, etching some of the layers, and multiple bakes. The integrated circuits are then separated into individual microelectronic dice, which are packaged and attached to circuit boards.
During the various processing steps involved in the creation of the integrated circuits, various layers of different materials, such as conductors, dielectrics, and semiconductor, are formed on the surface of the wafer where the integrated circuits are being formed. The manufacturers of the integrated circuits often test the composition of the various layers to ensure that the proper materials are being deposited on the substrates.
The machines used to test the composition of the layers are often referred to as "metrology tools." The metrology tools emit electromagnetic radiation, such as x-rays from an x-ray source, which are deflected off a particular region of a substrate that is being tested. The metrology tools make use of analysis protocols, such as X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF), and ellipsometry, to measure particular characteristics of the substrate. If, for example, XPS is used, photoelectrons, or electrons, are emitted from the substrate and captured by an electron spectrometer or hemispherical analyzer. The analyzer determines the composition of the region of the substrate by analyzing the kinetic energy, or speed, of the photoelectrons.
The metrology tools typically use a robot to remove the substrate from a load-lock chamber and a separate "stage" to position the substrate into an analytical position under the x-ray source.
The need for the separate stage adds to the complexity of the metrology tool and increases the costs of the manufacturing the integrated circuits. Additionally, the stage moves in an unpredictable manner and the substrate is often not perfectly centered on the stage, which adds to the difficulty of locating the exact position of the particular features on the substrate that are to be tested. If the electromagnetic radiation is misdirected, the integrated circuits could be damaged.

Semiconductor substrate processing method and apparatus


An optical disc system comprises a gain offset unit for giving a gain and an offset to an inputted reproduction signal, an A/D converter, a peak detector, a bottom detector, an amplitude detector for calculating a signal, an offset detector for calculating a signal offset, a dropout detector for detecting a dropout in the input signal, and a controller for performing gain control and offset control of the gain offset unit, the controller being able to hold the control operation or switch the control speed by a hold signal that is supplied from the outside, wherein a defect in a recording medium is detected to hold the gain control and offset control or change the control response speed, whereby the signal amplitude and offset at the input of the A/D converter are always kept constant.

In recent years, digitization of analog circuits has progressed as semiconductor processes have been shrunk, and efforts for reduction in circuit scale, improvement in circuit stability, reduction in power consumption and the like have been made. Further, support for process shrinkage is facilitated by digitization, leading to an advantage of improvement in development efficiency.
Also in the field of signal processing for optical discs, it is possible to change a signal processing circuit from an analog signal processing circuit to a digital signal processing circuit by using a technique such as PRML (Partial Response Maximum Likelihood), whereby reproduction performance is improved.
Accordingly, the conventional signal processing apparatus is required to efficiently perform analog-to-digital conversion (hereinafter referred to as A/D conversion) at a part that performs A/D conversion, that is, it is required to convert an analog signal into a digital signal at a maximum amplitude within a dynamic range of an A/D converter.
FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional signal processing apparatus of this type.
The conventional signal processing apparatus comprises a high-pass filter 101 which cuts off low-frequency bands of an input reproduction signal to remove a DC offset; a variable gain amplifier 1 which gives a gain based on an inputted gain control signal to the inputted reproduction signal from which the DC offset is removed by the high-pass filter 101; an A/D converter 3 which receives the output signal from the variable gain amplifier 1, and subjects the signal to A/D conversion; a peak detector 4 which performs peak detection from sampling data obtained by the A/D converter 3; a bottom detector 5 which performs bottom detection from the sampling data; an amplitude detector 6 which calculates a signal amplitude at the input of the A/D converter on the basis of the detected peak value and bottom value; and a gain controller 8 which controls the variable gain amplifier 1 so as to make the A/D input amplitude constant, on the basis of the amplitude information obtained by the amplitude detector 6.
In the above-mentioned construction, the signal amplitude at the input of the A/D converter 3 is detected, and feedback control is carried out to make the signal amplitude constant, whereby the input signal to the A/D converter 3 can be effectively nestled in the dynamic range of the A/D converter 3.
By the way, there is a DC free method as a recording modulation method for an information recording medium such as an optical disc. In this method, recording is carried out so that the ratio of "H" period to "L" period of a signal becomes 50:50.
However, when the recording modulation method for the information recording medium is not DC free or when recording marks are formed in lengths longer or shorter than original lengths due to variations in the manufacturing stage of the information recording medium although the DC free method is employed, the ratio of "H" period to "L" period of the signal deviates from 50:50, resulting in a phenomenon that the average DC level of the reproduction signal deviates from the center position between the upper and lower peaks of the reproduction signal. This phenomenon frequently occurs when the recording condition is not optimized, and it is generally called "asymmetry". When a reproduction signal having asymmetry passes through the high-pass filter 101, the DC component is cut off, and a DC offset is generated in the input signal of the A/D converter 3 as shown in FIG. 21. As the DC offset increases, the reproduction signal waveform undesirably exceeds the input dynamic range of the A/D converter 3, and a portion of the waveform is lost, whereby correct A/D conversion cannot be carried out.
However, this problem can be solved by a second prior art that is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 to be described later. FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating a signal processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, which is appropriately rewritten so as to facilitate correlation with the block construction shown in FIG. 21.
The signal processing apparatus according to the second prior art comprises a variable gain-amplifier 1 which gives a gain based on an inputted gain control signal to an inputted reproduction signal; an offset unit 2 which gives a DC offset based on an inputted offset control signal to the output of the variable gain amplifier 1; an A/D converter 3 which performs A/D conversion for the output of the offset unit 2; a peak detector 4 which performs peak detection from sampling data obtained by the A/D converter 3; a bottom detector 5 which performs bottom detection from the sampling data; an amplitude detector 6 which calculates a signal amplitude at the input of the A/D converter 3 on the basis of the detected peak value and bottom value; an offset detector 7 which calculates a center value of the input to the A/D converter on the basis of the average of the detected peak value and the detected bottom value; a gain controller 8 which controls the variable gain amplifier 1 so as to make the A/D input amplitude constant, on the basis of the amplitude information obtained by the amplitude detector 6; and an offset controller 9 which performs control so that the center of the A/D input signal matches the center of the input dynamic range of the A/D converter 3, on the basis of the offset information obtained by the offset detector 7.
In this prior art, there are provided two control loops, i.e., a control loop for detecting the signal amplitude at the input of the A/D converter 3 to make the signal amplitude constant, and a control loop for detecting the center value of the input signal to perform offset control, whereby the signal amplitude and offset of the input signal to the A/D converter 3 are controlled so that the input signal can be efficiently nestled in the input dynamic range of the A/D converter.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3067298 (Pages 7–11, FIGS. 2 and 4)
However, in the case where the input signal drops as shown in FIG. 23(a) due to an adherent such as dust or a flaw on the information recording medium, because both of the gain and the offset are controlled in the second prior art described above, the gain of the variable gain amplifier 1 increases at the signal dropout portion, and the offset unit 2 is operated to return the signal back to the center, resulting in a signal having a waveform as shown in FIG. 23(b) at the input of the A/D converter 3. As seen from FIG. 23, after the reproduction signal has passed through the signal dropout portion, there occurs a wasted time from when the reproduction signal exceeds the input dynamic range of the A/D converter 3 to when the reproduction signal is pulled into the normal state where it is nestled in the input dynamic range, and data reproduction cannot be normally carried out during this time period. For example, when there is a dropout of 2 mm, a waveform abnormality continues actually for a time period equivalent to 3 mm due to the wasted time, leading to a reduction in reproduction performance.
Furthermore, since the bottom of the reproduction signal gradually approaches the center of the input dynamic range of the A/D converter 3 by offset control during the dropout period, when a result of comparison between the output of the peak detector 4 and a predetermined threshold is adopted as a dropout detection signal, the dropout detection signal is interrupted at some midpoint in the signal dropout period as shown in FIG. 23(c), whereby holding of a subsequent PLL (Phase Locked Loop) circuit or a peripheral circuit for such as focus control or tracking control cannot be correctly carried out.
Furthermore, in the above-described prior art, both of the gain and the offset must be controlled, resulting in an increase in circuit scale as well as an increase in power consumption.
The present invention is made to solve the above-described problems and has for its object to provide a signal processing apparatus and a signal processing method that can suppress a phenomenon in which a reproduction signal exceeds an input dynamic range of an A/D converter after passing through a signal dropout period, and that can improve precision of dropout detection.

Signal processing apparatus and signal processing method

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A flight simulator yoke is provided having a single handle having a handgrip and yoke shaft operable from a left side of a user, wherein a neutral position for the handle is at a 45 degree angle. The yoke may further include two trim axes parallel to each other; and two moveable spring devices. The spring devices are operatively coupled to the trim axes, each spring device having a positive center detent, wherein the positive center detent requires a predetermined amount of force in order to move the yoke along each trim axis. The flight simulator yoke may simulate a yoke of a Cirrus aircraft.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a flight simulator yoke and more particularly to a flight simulator yoke for a Cirrus SR20 aircraft.
2. State of the Art
There are several types of simulator yokes currently available that provide the ability to simulate the feel of a yoke a particular aircraft. This allows for interactive training of a pilot and allows them to learn particular aspects of flying without the need of actually flying an aircraft.
All light aircraft in the past have had either a joystick in the center, or a "broken steering wheel" type yoke. A new company named "Cirrus Design" has built an entirely new aircraft with an entirely new control system. This control is different from any other light aircraft. This control, without limitation, is visually different, moves differently, is spring loaded differently, is positioned differently in the cockpit, and its electric trim function actually moves the yoke.
Specifically, the Cirrus yoke is different in the following ways. [Describe each difference.]
The use of conventional simulator yokes are becoming more popular, particular in instances where those training to be a pilot may utilize a particular number of hours spent in a simulator as actual flight time. These conventional flight simulator yokes however have their limitations.
Among other limitations and for exemplary purposes only, conventional flight simulators are limited in their ability to accurately simulate all types of aircraft yoke. Particularly, there is no conventional simulator yoke for simulating a Cirrus SR20 aircraft. Further, conventional simulator yokes are limited in their ability to simulate an electric trim that actuates a mechanical response of an aircraft within a portable unit. Further still, conventional simulator yokes do not provide for a positive spring detent in two axes.
Accordingly, there is a need in the field of flight simulator yokes for an improved flight simulator yoke to overcome the limitations of conventional simulator yokes.


A surface acoustic wave device comprises a pair of multiple-electrode surface acoustic wave elements that are mirror-symmetrically arranged and disposed on a piezoelectric substrate. Each of the multiple-electrode surface acoustic wave elements comprises a plurality of input/output inter-digital transducers and connected inter-digital transducers. The number of the input/output inter-digital transducers is equal to or smaller by one, than the number of the connected inter-digital transducers, so that insertion loss of the surface acoustic wave device can be reduced without increasing the size of the device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface acoustic wave device, more particularly, to a surface acoustic wave device used as a band-pass filter, etc., of mobile radio equipment, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, surface acoustic wave devices (which may be abbreviated hereinafter as SAW devices) have been developed and provided for RF circuit integrations of communication equipment such as mobile telephone transceivers, cable TV repeaters and converters, and the like.
The SAW device comprises a piezoelectric substrate and inter-digital transducers (which may be abbreviated hereinafter as IDTs) disposed thereon for converting a voltage into a surface acoustic wave, or a surface acoustic wave into a voltage. Note, the SAW device including IDTs converts a high-frequency voltage into a surface acoustic wave having a wavelength of about 10.sup.-5 times. The wave is propagated on the surface of the piezoelectric substrate and again converted into a voltage by the IDTs.
The SAW device provides a filter function for selecting frequencies by the above described double conversion and depending on the shapes of the IDTs. Note, the SAW device can cause the surface acoustic waves to resonate by using a plurality of the IDTs, or reflectors for reflecting surface acoustic waves beside the IDTs. Namely, the SAW device may provide a resonator function. Since the SAW device can delay propagation speed to about 10.sup.-5 times the speed of an electromagnetic wave, it may serve as a delay device.
These functions of the SAW devices are applicable for realizing filters, resonators, delay lines, etc., which are compact, inexpensive, and adjustment free. For example, they are used for intermediate frequency (IF) filters, resonators of oscillators, voltage control oscillators (VCOs), etc. These days, the SAW devices are operated at higher frequencies, and because they are compact and inexpensive, they are also used for band-pass filters for mobile radio equipment such as automobile and portable telephone equipment. Therefore, the SAW devices are required to have a small insertion loss and predetermined pass-band characteristics over a broad bandwidth.

Surface acoustic wave device for band-pass filter having small insertion loss and predetermined pass-band characteristics for broad band


A signal generation system, comprising a piezoelectric device which, upon actuation, generates voltage, and a wireless transmitter which generates a wireless signal when the piezoelectric device generates the voltage. A signal generation system, comprising signal generating devices, each wireless transmitter generating a respective signal comprising transmission which identifies the wireless transmitter. A signal generation system, comprising signal generating devices, each of the signal generating devices being mounted in or on respective structures which are free to move any distance relative to each other. A method of generating a signal, comprising actuating a piezoelectric device to generate an electrical signal, conveying the signal to a wireless transmitter, and transmitting a wireless transmission. A method of monitoring, comprising actuating piezoelectric devices in signal generating devices to generate respective electric signals, conveying the signals to corresponding wireless transmitters and transmitting corresponding wireless transmissions, each wireless transmission identifying the corresponding piezoelectric device.

A wide variety of signal systems exist which signal the occurrences of various events. For example, signal systems exist which signal the occurrence of a vehicle moving to or from a particular location; a door, window, a latch or other selectively closable structure being opened or closed; a lock, a clasp (such as a seatbelt) or other selectively engageable structure being engaged or disengaged, etc.
Many of such signal systems have one or more limitation or constraint, e.g., they cannot efficiently convey information regarding a large number of structures, the structures cannot be freely moved long distances or relative to each other because the signal systems require electrical connections to power supplies, the signal systems a powered by batteries which require occasional replacement, etc.
For instance, various types of known devices are used for detecting the opening and/or closing of doors, including switch-type, optical-type and infrared type sensors. The use of these monitoring devices has several significant limitations-for example, false alarm rates (e.g., events triggered by exterior motion/vibration or movements caused by wind or thermal warming), as well as these devices being observable by third parties. Another significant limitation shared by these devices, and a downfall of many security and monitoring systems, is their requirement for a continuous power source, typically supplied by connecting to the structure's alternating current power supply or incorporating a battery power source, to transmit or relay information. This limitation restricts the choice and placement of sensors used in a security or monitoring system, as well as requiring routine maintenance, such as battery replacement, and long wiring runs.
It would be a benefit in a wide variety of situations to be able to provide a signal system which overcomes such limitations and constraints, e.g., to be able to mount a signal system on each of a plurality of storage containers (which are, for example, being carried on a ship), each signal system being free from wires connecting to a power source, and each signal system not relying for power on batteries, but being capable of generating a signal upon the occurrence of a specific event, e.g., the container on which the signal system is mounted being opened, or to be able to mount a signal system on each of a plurality of windows and/or doors, each signal system being free from wires connecting to a power source, and each signal system not relying for power on batteries, but being capable of generating a signal upon the occurrence of a specific event, e.g., the window or door on which the signal system is mounted being opened, or to be able to mount a signal system in a plurality of locations in a roadway, each signal system being free from wires connecting to a power source, and each signal system not relying for power on batteries, but being capable of generating a signal upon the occurrence of a specific event, e.g., a vehicle passing over any one of the locations in the roadway where a signal system is located. In addition, it would be a benefit to provide such a system which makes it possible for each signal to identify the particular signal system from which it was generated-for example, where a plurality of signal systems are mounted in respective storage containers, a signal generated by any of the signal systems is unique, such that the signal identifies which one of the storage containers has been opened.

Signal generation system and method for generating signals


A method, system and computer program product for enhancing privacy of event data. Event sensor data (e.g., body temperature, heart rate data) is received and analyzed by a subscriber to form a probability of assigning a user identity to the received event sensor data. The user of the event sensor data is then assigned with a temporary membership to a cohort (related group of users that share common characteristic(s) or experience(s)) to hide the identity of the user in response to the probability of assigning the user identity to the received event sensor data exceeding a threshold. Actions may then be performed based on the temporary membership to the cohort in order to ensure that the probability of assigning a user identity to the received event sensor data does not exceed the threshold. In this manner, privacy of the user's sensitive data is enhanced.

Due to the rapid growth of sensor data from devices (e.g., wearable devices) used for the Internet of Things (IoT), there has been an increase in the potential for commercializing the personalized data streamed by these devices. The Internet of Things is a network of physical objects or "things" embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity, which enables these objects to collect and exchange data. The Internet of Things allows objects to be sensed and controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration between the physical world and computer-based systems, and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit.
Unfortunately, users have concerns about the privacy of the sensor data, which may include sensitive data (e.g., health details, location), thereby impeding the potential for commercialization. As a result, attempts have been made to safeguard the user's sensitive data, such as by storing the data in encrypted form. However, encryption requires computing and technical complexity overhead that is not economical in certain business cases.
Alternatively, a user's sensitive data may be safeguarded by utilizing anonymous identifiers. For example, in some businesses, such as businesses in sales and marketing, it may not be necessary to store personally identifiable information, such as the user's name, address, social security number, etc., alongside the sensitive data. As a result, such businesses may employ anonymizing techniques, such as utilizing pseudonyms or anonymous identifiers, as opposed to the user's personal identifiable information, in connection with the sensitive data.
However, with the proliferation of large volumes of sensor data (e.g., location, elevation, velocity, biological state (e.g., body temperature, heart rate)), a user can be "de-anonymized" by deducing the identity of the user from the patterns in the sensor data.
As a result, there is not currently a means for ensuring the privacy of sensor data, such as data from wearable devices, by preventing the de-anonymizing of the user.

Enhancing privacy of sensor data from devices using ephemeral cohorts

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed are a polarizer, a method for fabricating the same, and a liquid crystal display having the same. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel and a polarizer attached to the liquid crystal panel. The polarizer includes a polarizing film, a first support film, and a second support film. The first support film has optical anisotropy and is attached to the polarizing film. The first support film has a first thickness. The second support film is attached to the polarizing film while facing the first support film and has a second thickness, which is greater than the first thickness. The polarizer is fabricated by evaporating a solvent from a solution including polymer resin to form an optical film and then elongating the optical film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polarizer, a method of fabricating the same, and a liquid crystal display having the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a polarizer capable of displaying high-quality images, a method of fabricating the same, and a liquid crystal display having the same.
2. Discussion of the Background
Generally, a liquid crystal display (LCD) uses liquid crystals to display an image by converting electric signals into visual information. The LCD includes a liquid crystal panel containing liquid crystal therein and polarizers attached to outer portions of the liquid crystal panel. A first polarizer may be provided on an upper portion of the liquid crystal panel, and a second polarizer may be provided on a lower portion of the liquid crystal panel. The two polarizers have transmission axes, which are perpendicular to each other, and that linearly polarize light passing through the polarizers in parallel to each transmission axis thereof. The LCD transmits or absorbs light passing through the liquid crystal panel by using the polarizer, thereby displaying images.
However, various factors may cause image quality degradation in the LCD. Because there are various factors that may degrade image quality, preventing degradation by analyzing the factors is difficult. For example, a "corner Mura" occurs when a corner portion of the image is brighter than other portions of the image. It is assumed that the polarizer generates the corner Mura.

Polarizer, method of fabricating the same and liquid crystal display having the same


The image forming apparatus has a heat member for heating an unfixed image and is configured so that a longitudinal center of the heat member becomes a conveyance center of the recording material, the image forming apparatus including a central portion temperature detection part adjacent to the conveyance center, an end portion temperature detection part for detecting an end portion temperature of the heat member, and a width detection part for detecting a lateral width of the recording material, wherein the width detection part is disposed at a side opposite to a side at which the end portion temperature detection part is disposed with respect to the conveyance center position of the recording material. The image forming apparatus achieves the control for error setting of the recording material based on the width detection part and the end portion temperature detection part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which has a heat member for heating a recording material bearing an unfixed image thereon and is configured so that a longitudinal center of the heat member becomes a conveyance center (the center with respect to the direction intersecting with a conveyance direction) of the recording material, that is, relates to an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system or the like, for transporting (paper feeding) a recording material by setting a center of the recording material to be transported as reference.
In addition, in this specification, even a plurality kinds of recording materials whose paper widths in a direction intersecting with the conveyance direction differ with each other, in the case of being set correctly, such a configuration that the width center of each recording material is transported at a certain position (generally, a longitudinal center position of the heat member) with respect to the direction intersecting with the conveyance direction is referred to as "a center of the paper feeding reference", and its line is referred to as "a center line of the paper feeding reference".
2. Related Background Art
It has been generally acknowledged that a conventional image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system is a system which fixes a toner image on a recording material surface by being transported in sandwiched relation while being subject to a heat and a pressure simultaneously by using a heating device which is typified by a heat roller system using a halogen lamp, a film heating system using a ceramic heater, or the like as fixing means of the toner image on the recording material (recording paper).
In such a heating device, when a recording material having a narrow paper width such as a postcard and an envelope is continuously fed, there generates a non-paper feeding part temperature rise that gradually raises temperature at an area where the recording material is not passed. Therefore, as shown in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 03-18883 and 2001-282036, control that changes a control temperature of heating means and a conveyance time interval of the recording material is generally performed so that a temperature at an end portion, which is a non-paper feeding part of heating means, becomes not more than a predetermined temperature by equipping temperature detection part at an end portion in a longitudinal direction of the heating means in the heating device.
However, in the image forming apparatus using a center of the paper feeding reference which serves as reference for paper feeding of the recording material, there is a possible situation in which a small size recording material is not often set correctly in the center of the paper feeding reference due to miss handling in setting the recording material with respect to a paper feeding part. By this, there is a possibility that the small size recording material is fed and transported to inside the image forming apparatus like one side paper feeding reference conveyance in lateral deviation from a a center of the paper feeding reference line. Therefore, end portion temperature detection part of heating means is covered within the paper feeding area, so that there is a possible situation that the non-paper feeding part temperature rise cannot be detected at all. Consequently, heating means part, which corresponds to a non-paper feeding area width appeared on the end portion side opposite to the side that the end portion temperature detection part is provided, is uncontrollably increased in temperature at the non-paper feeding part; thus, an excessively heated state may occur as the small size recording material is continuously fed and transported.
Further, since only one end portion temperature detection part is provided, more specifically, in an apparatus capable of feeding a recording material of not less than A3 size, it is difficult to accurately detect the highest temperature portion when the recording materials having various kinds of sizes including non-standard sizes are fed, and therefore, it cannot help degrading specification in consideration of safety.
In addition, inventions disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Nos. 2002-296965 and 2003-15498 were made in order to solve such a problem, but further improvement is required.


A technology providing an improvement in the durability in the condition of changing the temperature, while ensuring characteristics such as the applicability to applications utilizing larger electric current, lower resistance and the like can be achieved. A semiconductor device 100 includes a ceramic multiple-layered interconnect substrate 120, a silicon chip 110 that is flip-bonded to a chip-carrying region of the ceramic multiple-layered interconnect substrate 120, and an external connecting bumps 161 and an external connecting bumps 163, which are provided in the side that the silicon chip 110 of the ceramic multiple-layered interconnect substrate 120 is carried. The silicon chip 110 includes a front surface electrode and a back surface electrode. The ceramic multiple-layered interconnect substrate 120 includes an interconnect layer composed of a conductive material, and the interconnect layer composes a multiple-layered interconnect layer provided on a front surface and in an interior of the ceramic multiple-layered interconnect substrate 120. The front surface electrode of the silicon chip is electrically connected to the external connecting bump 161 and the external connecting bump 163 through the multiple-layered interconnects in the multiple-layered interconnect layer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a semiconductor chip bonded to a printed circuit board.
2. Related Art
Compatibility to applications utilizing larger electric current, lower resistance and an improved heat release characteristics are required for semiconductor elements employed in electrical power applications. Since vertical metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors or diodes among such semiconductor elements, for example, have configurations including electrodes on a front surface and a back surface of the semiconductor chip, it is necessary to respectively connect a front surface electrode and a back surface electrode to conductive materials of the mounting substrate, when it is to be mounted. Such type of technologies includes a technology described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,634 to Joshi.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,634 describes a semiconductor device including a silicon die carried inside a cavity of a carrier made of a metal such as copper (Cu). Since the back surface of the silicon die is opposed to the carrier in this device, the silicon die is to be flip chip-bonded to a printed circuit board in a face-down orientation.
However, further investigation on the technology described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,634 conducted by the present inventors clarified that there is a room for improving the durability thereof in the situation of changing the temperature. More specifically, a multiple-layered structure of thin films is provided on an element formation surface of the semiconductor chip that is flip chip-bonded to the printed circuit board, and the two-dimensional structure thereof is also miniaturized. However, relatively larger temperature variation is repeatedly occurred in the device including a power element, when the power element is switched or when the environmental temperature is changed after mounting the semiconductor chip. Therefore, there is a concern that a deterioration due to a temperature variation may be occurred in a region having a fine structure in the element formation surface and more specifically in the front surface electrode or the vicinity thereof.


The present invention relates to a microporous film including a flexible polyolefin, more particularly, a propylene-based polymer with atactic polypropylene units. The present invention is also directed to a method of making the microporous film.

The present invention is directed to microporous thermoplastic films. Such materials have a wide variety of uses, especially in the areas of limited use and disposable items.
Films have been traditionally used to provide barrier properties in limited use or disposable items. By limited use or disposable, it is meant that the product and/or component is used only a small number of times or possibly only once before being discarded. Examples of such products include, but are not limited to, surgical and health care related products such as surgical drapes and gowns, disposable work wear such as coveralls and lab coats and personal care absorbent products such as diapers, training pants, incontinence garments, sanitary napkins, bandages, wipes and the like. In personal care absorbent products such as infant diapers and adult incontinence products, films are used as the outer covers with the purpose of preventing body wastes from contaminating the clothing, bedding and other aspects of the surrounding environment of use. In the area of protective apparel including hospital gowns, films are used to prevent cross exchange of microorganisms between the wearer and the reduced noise patient.
While these films can be effective barriers, they are not aesthetically pleasing because their surfaces are smooth and either feel slick or tacky. They are also visually flat and "plasticy" and make a great deal of noise as a result of user's movement thereby making them less desirable in apparel applications and other uses where they are in contact with human skin. It would be more preferable if these items were more cloth-like from both a tactile and visual standpoint. For example, infant diapers that have the feel and appearance of traditional cloth undergarments are perceived as premium products and may, in some cases, overcome the tendency to believe that they need to be covered by outer garments for aesthetic reasons. Garment-like adult incontinence products could improve the self-image of the incontinent individual. In addition, more garment-like isolation gowns would help the hospital environment feel less foreign and threatening to the patient and increase the comfort of the wearer. It is also preferable to have films that can make an outercover material with more elastic give and recovery to provide better fit and comfort.
Lamination of films have been used to create materials which are both impervious to liquids and somewhat cloth-like in appearance and texture. The outer covers on disposable diapers are but one example. In this regard, reference may be had to coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,600 dated Apr. 4, 1989 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,473 dated Feb. 16, 1988. Surgical gowns and drapes are other examples. See, in this regard, coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,102 dated Apr. 5, 1983.
A primary purpose of the film in such laminations is to provide barrier properties. There is also a need for such laminates to be breathable so that they have the ability to transmit moisture vapor. Apparel made from laminations of these breathable or microporous films are more comfortable to wear by reducing the moisture vapor concentration and the consequent skin hydration underneath the apparel item.
The conventional process for obtaining a breathable microporous film has been to stretch a thermoplastic film containing filler. Microvoids are created by the filler particles during the stretching process. The film is usually heated prior to these drawing processes to make the film more plastic or malleable. Generally, the amount of stretch on a film is expressed in "draw ratio," the ratio of the film wind-up or take-up speed to the speed of the film issuing from the extrusion die or from roll and winding.
A film can be stretched in the machine-direction, the cross-machine direction or both. Stretching the film in the cross direction is particularly challenging because forces must be applied to the edges of the film to cause it to elongate. Tenter frames are commonly used. In contrast, stretching the film in the machine direction is relatively easy. It is only necessary to increase the draw, or speed ratio, between two rollers while the film is in the heated or plastic state. There is a durability problem, however, with uni-directionally-stretched films, be it machine direction or cross-direction. Uni-directional stretching causes molecular orientation only in the stretched direction. This results in films that are easily torn or split along that dimension. For example, a machine-directionally oriented film has a propensity to split or tear along the machine direction. Also, the tensile characteristics of the film are dramatically increased in the machine direction, but the tensile strength in the cross-direction is significantly inferior to that of the machine direction.
Moreover, a greater desired breathability generally requires greater filler content in the film and greater draw ratio. However, a high filler content and large draw ratio reduces the strength properties of the stretched film, such as transverse or cross-machine direction strain and elongation values. As a result an increased thickness is generally required to compensate. This increased film thickness increases the cost of the film.
There is therefore a need for a low-gauge, microporous film and nonwoven laminate using materials and processes that provides a product with both the cloth-like aesthetics and the in-use durability that are desired.

Oriented polymeric microporous films with flexible polyolefins


A method for dry finishing of a floor surface consisting of concrete, stone, marble, terrazzo, densite or other hard materials is disclosed. The method comprises finishing of the floor surface using a cutting, grinding and/or polishing tool. In the method, a vapor or aerosol is applied to the floor surface and/or the tool in connection with said dry finishing. An apparatus and a set of parts for carrying out the method are also disclosed.

It is known that hard floor surfaces such as stone, concrete, terrazzo, marble, granite etc. can be surfaced by dry grinding and/or polishing. Examples of machines that are suitable for such dry grinding are disclosed in WO03/076131 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,277B1. By dry grinding is meant grinding without supplying water or some other liquid to the floor surface and/or the tool finishing the floor surface. In rough grinding, it is not unusual that 40–120 kg of dust (dry weight) an hour are generated.
A drawback in dry grinding is that the working temperature, especially in connection with very hard floor surfaces, become so high that only a limited variety of tools can be used. For instance, when temperatures above 300° C. are measured on the surface of a tool, it can be assumed that the diamond tip of the tool is still hotter and thus risks being destroyed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,493 discloses apparatus and methods for wet grinding of stone floors, such as marble and granite, where a lubricant is applied to the floor surface in grinding, to be sucked up by a wet vacuum cleaner after grinding. As stated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,493, efficient wet grinding requires an apparatus that can apply a lubricant, grind, and collect the lubricant.
It is known that wet grinding consumes 100–300 l of water/h, i.e. 2–6 l of water/m2.
A drawback in wet grinding is that a large and heavy amount of slurry, consisting of lubricant and grinding dust, must be handled and deposited. A further drawback in wet grinding is that extensive cleaning is required after each completed grinding operation.
There is thus a need for a method and an apparatus that eliminate the drawbacks of dry and wet grinding.

Method and apparatus for grinding of concrete floors


A device for use with a source of radiation to provide a THz emission image representing a sample. The device comprises a substrate, a metallic probe having a tip adjacent to the substrate surface and a source of AC bias coupled between the probe tip and substrate. Radiation generated by the source of radiation is incident on the substrate surface in the vicinity of the probe tip and generates THz emission based at least on the AC bias coupled between the probe tip and substrate. A method for providing a THz emission image representing a sample is also provided.

THz radiation occupies a large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between the infrared and microwave bands, namely the frequency interval from 0.1 to 10 THz, and is a developing frontier in imaging science and technology. In contrast to the relatively well-developed techniques for imaging at microwave and optical frequencies, however, there has been only limited basic research, new initiatives and advanced technology developments in the THz band.
THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz TDS) allows exploration of the rich spectroscopic information on molecular vibrations, rotations, and other low-energy transitions in biological and organic compounds, and semiconductor structures. Biological and organic compounds have distinct signatures within the THz region of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as molecular vibrational and rotational levels, and their chemical compositions can be examined with THz wave microscopic systems.
Unlike X-rays, THz radiation has low-photon energy (4 meV @ 1 THz), low average power (nW to μW) and does not subject biological tissue to harmful radiation. THz radiation can be focused to give sharper images. In addition, THz radiation provides spectroscopic information about the chemical composition, as well as the shape and location of the samples it is imaging.
Unlike common optical spectroscopes, which only measure the intensity of light at specific frequencies, THz time-domain spectroscopic techniques directly measure the THz wave's temporal electric field. Fourier transformation of this time-domain data gives the amplitude and phase of the THz wave pulse, therefore providing the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant without the use of Kramers-Kronig relations. This allows precise measurements of the refractive index and absorption coefficient of samples that interact with the THz waves.

Field induced THz wave emission microscope


An information recording medium which is superior in record/read-out characteristics, high in sensitivity and good in stability can be provided at a low cost by using, as an information-recording medium in which recording is carried out due to change in atomic arrangement upon irradiation with a laser beam, an information-recording medium comprising substrates 1, 1' , recording layers 2, 2' changing in atomic arrangement upon irradiation with a recording energy beam, and reflective layers which are provided contiguous to the recording layers and the recording layer has an average composition represented by A.sub.w D.sub.x Sb.sub.y Se.sub.z (wherein w, x, y and z are in the ranges of 0.ltoreq.w.ltoreq.30, 3.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.57, 3.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.57 and 40.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.90 in atomic percent, D represents at least one element of Sn, In, Ge, Pb, Si, Bi, Ga, Au, Ag and Cu and A represents an element other than Sb, Se, the elements represented by D and rare gases).

The present invention relates to an information-recording medium which can make real-time recording of digital information such as an analogue signal, for example, an image or a sound which has been subjected to frequency modulation, data of electronic computers, a facsimile signal, a digital audio signal or the like by using recording energy beams such as laser beams and electron rays.
There are various principles of carrying out recording in thin films by laser beams and the like. Among them, the recording by changing of atomic arrangement such as phase-transition (also called phase change) of materials of the recording layer, diffusion of atoms between layers of a thin film or photo-darkening has the advantage that double-sided disks made by direct lamination of two disks can be realized because this recording involves substantially no deformation of the thin film. Many applications have been filed on the inventions relating to the recording of this kind. That is, with reference to the phase-transition of materials in the recording layer, Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-Open) No.57-24039 discloses thin films of Sb.sub.25 Te.sub.12.5 Se.sub.62.5, Cd.sub.14 Te.sub.14 Se.sub.72, Bi.sub.2 Se.sub.3, Sb.sub.2 Se.sub.3, In.sub.20 Te.sub.20 Se.sub.60, Bi.sub.25 Te.sub.12.5 Se.sub.62.5, CuSe and Te.sub.33 Se.sub.67. Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-Open) No.61-171389 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,672 make mention of Sn-Sb-Se thin films.
The above-mentioned information-recording media of prior art are not optimized in the composition of the recording layer and in the structure of the film. Therefore, when used as information-recording media of WORM type (namely, the type of write once, read many times) or rewritable type, they all suffer from the problems that they must be initialized before recording, they absorb less semiconductor laser beams and are inferior in recording sensitivity, they are not sufficient in intensity of read-out signal, they are great in distortion of read-out wave form and they are inferior in stability of amorphous state.


A source of symbols with two primary distinguishable characteristics is provided in a wagering environment. A player has wagering opportunities on a sequence of events, wagering on either of the primary distinguishable characteristics for each event in the sequence of events. Playing cards may be used as the source of symbols, such as a 52-card standard deck with one or two jokers or other non-standard cards. Wagers can be placed on each of the number of events in the sequence and special events that occur in the sequence (all symbols of the same characteristic, a particular card or other predetermined events). Side bets may also be placed on the events. Bets may be placed on the color of a limited number of cards dealt to a community flop, with the joker(s) providing a basis for house retention or profits on wagers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of wagering, casino or slot machine wagering, wagering using symbol-bearing objects with multiple colors, and particularly games wagering on colors of playing cards.
2. Background of the Art
Card games have always been popular as wagering games. The history of card games reaches back into biblical times. There are basically two main formats for play of card games, games in which combinations of cards are ranked (e.g., poker-type games) and games in which values of cards are counted (e.g., blackjack and baccarat-type games). There are also some games that have combined these two types of play, as by using hands or combinations of hands from a blackjack game to form poker hands.
Casino-type wagering games are also played in formats of players-versus-players, players-versus-dealers and players' hands versus a paytable. Some casino games also combine one or more of these game formats, as by players wagering in player-versus-dealer poker games, with an additional wagering event on achieving particularly high ranks in player hands, as is done in Three-Card Poker® games.
Examples of some of the variant casino wagering game formats disclosed in the literature include U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,843 (Roberts) that discloses a process and apparatus for making side wagers or proposition (prop) bets in a table or video game. The game is a method of playing a single card game based upon cards dealt to a player from a deck of playing cards comprising: providing a deck of playing cards; providing a game table with a table top area, a dealer's position, at least one player's position, a first wager area on the table top area adjacent to the player's position and plural second wager areas on the table top area adjacent to the player's position; the player placing a first wager based upon the outcome of the game involving the cards and based upon the winning of the card game, wherein the first wager is placed upon the first area adjacent to the player's position on the table top area; the player placing at least two second prop wagers independent from playing the card game itself and whether said player wins the card game, the second prop wager is based upon the player playing for an occurrence of one or more suit, color, face card or odd and even numbered combinations of all cards that are dealt from the deck to the player during the card game, the second wager is placed upon the second area adjacent to the player's position; the dealer dealing a hand of cards to the player; the dealer selectively dealing or not dealing a card or cards to the player based upon the decision of the player; the dealer paying the player a benefit when the player wins the first wager based upon the winning of the card game; the dealer paying the player a benefit when the player wins any second wager based upon the occurrence of one or more suit, color, face card or odd and even numbered combinations of cards as of the end of the game, independent of whether the player wins the first wager.
In addition to these wagering options, some alternative wagering options are described in the specification of the Roberts patent. These options include:                5. The first two cards received by a player will be cards in the same suit from the group comprising aces, twos, threes and fours paying 40 to 1.        6. The first two cards received by a player and the dealer up card will each be cards of the same suit from the group comprising aces, twos, threes, and fours paying 80 to 1.There are thus two wagers based upon cards being the same suit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,485 (Woodland et al.) describes a side bet wager on only the player's cards. The patent describes the game as: "A method of playing a card game comprising the steps of: providing a deck of cards comprising a plurality of different numerical values; providing at least one player with the opportunity to place a single wager on whether the first two cards displayed to said player will be one of a predetermined plurality of two-card winning combinations, and wherein said plurality of two-card winning combinations comprises a first winning combination of cards having a cumulative value of twelve and a second winning combination of cards having a cumulative value of thirteen to sixteen initially displaying two cards to each player; and resolving each wager by providing a winning payout to a player who placed correct wager." The wager is on ranges of point counts in a player's 2-card hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,789,800 (Webb) teaches a method of playing a side game in combination with a game of chance where a dealer hand of playing cards is dealt to a dealer and a player hand of playing cards is dealt to a player. The method includes receiving a side game wager from the player, wherein after dealing the dealer hand and the player hand, all playing cards from the dealer hand and player hand are combined into a combined hand. The side game wager is resolved according to the playing cards in the combined hand. Typically, the side game wager is resolved according to non-poker combinations, such as characteristics of the playing cards including card color, picture cards or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,969 (Yoseloff) describes a side game with potential wagering along with an underlying game. The side game may include the use of symbols or cards or card figures, and may be played live, on video gaming apparatus, or with a combination of live play and various display means, including, but not limited to, cathode ray tubes (monitors), light-emitting diodes (LED's), Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD's), plasma displays and other video gaming displays. A method of playing both an underlying game and a side bet game comprises the steps of: a) playing an underlying game in which at least two cards are received and at least two cards are kept by a player at the end of an underlying game and at least one wager is placed by the player on the underlying game, b) a player placing a wager on a side bet game, c) providing to the view of the player at least two randomly generated cards which become a part of the side bet game, d) comparing the at least two cards kept at the end of the underlying game to the at least two randomly generated cards which become part of the side bet game, and e) determining a level of correspondence between the at least two cards kept at the end of the underlying game and the at least two randomly generated cards which become part of the side bet game. Wagers may be placed at any time before, during or after play of the underlying game.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,003 (Potter et al.) describes a method wherein a side bet game is integrated with a base casino game. The side bet is based on the outcome of a random event or multiple random events that takes place before the base casino game begins. A wide variety of random events could be utilized, such as: the value, color or suit of a random card, the roll of dice, the spin of a wheel or slot reel, the flip of a coin, electronically displaying a random number on display means, etc. If the player wins the side bet, both the amount wagered and the amount won become a mandatory wager, and must be wagered on the immediately following hand of the base casino game. One type of embodiment of the present invention will require that if the player loses the side bet game, the side bet is collected, and the player must place a wager in order to participate in the immediately following hand of the base casino game. Another type of embodiment of the present invention will require that if the player loses the side bet only a portion of the side bet will be collected the remainder must be wagered on the base casino game.
In spite of the various games available, it is still desirable to design new casino wagering games that are easily understood by players, and offer a reasonable frequency of player wins and reasonable return for the casino.

Casino-type wagering game based on card color


Balls for team and individual sports include a motion graphic that provides enhanced perception of ball rotation. The motion graphic is typically defined with a visual characteristic that contrast with a ball casing. The motion graphic includes first and second termination portions that are coupled by a connection region. The first and second termination portions are symmetrically situated with respect to a longitudinal axis and are asymmetric with respect to axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The motion graphic and the ball casing can be provided with substantially opposite colors selected to exhibit similar or substantially the same reflectivities.

Improved athletic performance has been made possible by significant advances in athletic training, training aids, nutrition, equipment and apparel. Even amateur athletes have easy access to world class training programs and trainers, and sophisticated training methods and equipment are widely available to all. Athletes can also find equipment, uniforms, shoes, and apparel that are both stylish and functional. Advances in injury prevention and treatment reduce periods of inactivity. As a result, today's athletes, both professional and amateur, can have long athletic careers in which performance is consistently high.
Athletic apparel and safety equipment are two areas in which significant improvements have been made. For example, head gear for team and individual athletics has incorporated strong, lightweight materials, and designs have been realized that tend to safely dissipate energy received when the headgear is struck. Advanced athletic apparel provides temperature control, comfort, and freedom of motion under even the most demanding conditions.
While many advances have been made, the visual appearance of most athletic gear frequently provides only stylish appearance, and is typically colored, patterned, or decorated only to provide team identification and manufacturer or event logos. While such conventional gear is popular with participants and spectators, it does little to promote athletic performance. Thus improved athletic gear is needed in which visual appearance can contribute to athletic performance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A computer-implemented method includes identifying one or more application program interfaces from a group of application program interfaces for passing information between a scheduler, which is in communication with a virtual machine executed on a device, and a service provider of the device. The method also includes using the identified one or more application program interfaces to asynchronously pass information between the scheduler and the service provider of the device.

The present disclosure relates to selecting from a collection of application program interfaces to exchange information and services between a virtual machine and various types of electronic devices.
Electronic devices such as cellular telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) may be used for presenting users with various types of content such as multimedia content that may include text, still images and video. Electronic devices may also provide user services such as providing access to electronic mail systems, browsing Internet sites and storing useful information (e.g., phone numbers, contact information, etc.). With the popularity and marketability of such devices, manufacturers are producing devices that offer a variety of different features and capabilities. For example, display screens with different sizes and resolution, audio decoders that comply with various decoding schemes and different types of storage formats may be incorporated or implemented into marketed devices. To access such device services and features (e.g., for multimedia presentations), interfaces are developed for the different types of devices.

Managing device application program interfaces


An axle disconnect system is provided whereby axles of a tandem or multi-axle vehicle may be easily and quickly engaged and disengaged as required and whereby the ring gear and differential gears remain stationary when the axle is disengaged. In multi-axle vehicles, a dual disconnect mechanism is contained in the front and auxiliary rear axles. When only the primary rear axle is necessary to propel the vehicle (e.g., during highway use) the transfer case interrupts torque to the front axle. Similarly, a clutch also interrupts torque transmission to the auxiliary rear axle. In this mode, the dual disconnect mechanism prevents the axle output shafts from back-driving the differential, thereby reducing parasitic losses and wear.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to differential disconnect drive assemblies or mechanisms, and in particular to dual disconnect drive assemblies, for tandem and multi-axle vehicles which can be quickly and easily engaged and disengaged as required.
2. Description of Related Art
Four-wheel drive vehicles, which are operable in either a two-wheel drive mode or a four-wheel drive mode, have gained widespread popularity. Axle disconnect mechanisms, or differential disconnect mechanisms or assemblies for such vehicles are known.
Commonly used disconnect mechanisms for four-wheel drive vehicles disconnect only one of the two output shafts on an axle assembly which is driven part time. This causes the pinion gears and the side gears of the differential to rotate due to back driving, although the differential case remains stationary. This is not compatible with speed-sensitive limited slip differentials. Also, single axle disconnect mechanisms may cause noise and wear and poor fuel economy due to rotation of the differential components while the vehicle is in two-wheel drive mode.
Various dual disconnect differential assemblies or mechanisms have been proposed. These mechanisms in general have an unnecessary number of moving parts, are fairly complex, and would be suitable only for installation on relatively wide vehicles because of the space required. Earlier designs have interposed a clutch member between the side gear and the axle shaft. None has achieved desirable commercial acceptance.
For tandem or multi-axle vehicles, current systems typically uncouple the input (prop) shaft when an axle is not needed to propel the vehicle (e.g., on highway use). This technique forces the ring gear and differential to rotate even when torque is not being transmitted through the drive axle assembly. This unnecessary rotation causes unwanted wear and frictional losses.
The need exists for a system that allows the ring gear and differential gears to remain stationary when the axle is disengaged.

Double disconnect assembly for multi-axle vehicles


A leadframe having individual bond fingers incorporating two or more alternate bonding areas. In one embodiment, conventional bond fingers having bonding areas in an outer row are augmented to include an additional conductive trace or intermediate portion terminating in a bonding area that is in general alignment with an inner row of bonding areas. Likewise, bond fingers having bonding areas in an inner row are enlarged to include an alternate bonding area that is in general alignment with the outer row of bonding areas. In another embodiment, bond fingers are arranged to provide multiple rows of closely-spaced staggered bonding areas to reduce bonding pitches. By providing alternate bonding areas in individual bond fingers, the manufacturing rules addressing staggered bond wire placement can be followed more readily, while simultaneously permitting the most convenient bond fingers to be utilized. The invention thereby adds significant flexibility to current staggered bonding techniques, and allows for a reduction in the size of many semiconductor dies.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to packages for integrated circuits, and more particularly to a leadframe or packaging substrate having individual bond fingers with alternate bonding areas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuits (ICs) have become essential components of many consumer and commercial electronic products produced today, often replacing large numbers of discrete components and providing enhanced functionality. The semiconductor processing technologies that produce these integrated circuits have advanced to the point where complete systems can often be reduced to a single integrated circuit. Continually shrinking device geometries and corresponding advances in circuit density have resulted in reduced core sizes for such integrated circuits. However, various packaging limitations have prevented a corresponding reduction in the size of I/O pad circuitry.
FIG. 1 shows various components of a semiconductor device package according to the prior art. A typical packaged integrated circuit contains many components. Individual, unpackaged integrated circuits are often referred to as a semiconductor "die" 100. A "leadframe" L is a sheet metal or similar framework upon which the semiconductor die 100 is attached, wire-bonded, and transfer molded with resin 101 or similar material to form the packaged semiconductor device. The leads of the leadframe L include sections referred to as "external leads" (not shown) that connect the finished device package to external circuitry such as a printed circuit board.
"Internal leads" or bond fingers 102 are sections of the leads in a leadframe that are inside the package body outline. More precisely, the term "bond finger" relates to an end portion of an internal lead that includes a "bonding area" 108. Very small diameter bonding wires 104 (usually formed of aluminum or gold) are attached between "bond pads" 106 on a semiconductor die 100 and the leadframe L. In a typical leadframe L, the external leads are individually electrically coupled with the bond fingers 102 and are formed from an unbroken section of conductive material to remove the need for lead clamping and to provide structural support during the packaging process.
The bonding area (also referred to as a "lead flat surface") 108 is generally wider than the nominal width of the elongated bond finger 102 and delineates the desired area of the bond finger 102 for wire bonding. The bonding area 108 may be specified as a percentage of the nominal bond finger 102 width for a specified length for both stamped and etched leadframes L. To provide a flat surface for bonding, the bonding area 108 of the bond finger 102 is often coined or flattened with a punch if the leadframe L is stamped, and may be plated with nickel or gold. As shown in FIG. 1, the bond fingers 102 approach the semiconductor die 100 within the semiconductor device package in a generally radial ("fan-in") pattern, or in parallel ranks approaching one or more edges 100a of the semiconductor die 100.
The term bond pad (or "bonding pad") 106 refers herein to a relatively large metallic area positioned on a planar surface of the semiconductor die 100. Bond pads 106 function to provide electrical contact between the semiconductor die 100 and the leadframe L via the bond wires 104 or "solder bump" (micro-bump) connections. Bond pads 106 are commonly incorporated in layout structures known as "pad cells" (not separately illustrated). The pad cells are typically disposed in rows about the periphery of the semiconductor die 100 in a ring-shaped area on the surface of the die between the edges 100a of the semiconductor die 100 and a core logic region 110. In addition to the bond pad 106, pad cells customarily include electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuitry and I/O circuitry such as pad drivers, slew rate control circuitry, and current spike suppression logic.
Often, the leadframe L is held together by sacrificial "bridges" between the external leads, which are removed after the leadframe L is bonded to the semiconductor die 100 and a package body is formed. The external leads then effectively provide separate electrical signal lines to the bond pads 106 of the semiconductor die 100. Following packaging of the assembly of FIG. 1 via a plastic molding process or other means, the external leads are singulated and individual pins are formed to provide electrical coupling to external circuitry.
Packaging substrates other than the traditional leadframe have also been developed, such as those used in ball-grid arrays (BGAs). Essentially, a BGA is an integrated circuit surface mount package with an array of solder balls that are attached to the bottom side of a thin, patterned substrate with conductive routing layers that include areas similar to the disclosed bond fingers 102. The solder balls are typically formed via a reflow process, while the semiconductor die 100 may be attached to the substrate using wire bonding or "flip-chip" interconnection.
Bond pads 106 and the associated pad cell circuitry are often variable in terms of pitch and size. The pitch is typically defined as a repeated distance between adjacent bond pads 106. Minimum bond pad pitch is limited by a number of factors, including minimum bond wire 104 width and the space temporarily occupied by the tool used to deposit the bond wires 104.
One reason for placing bond pads 106 around the periphery of the semiconductor die 100 is that such placement permits a large number of I/O connections to the semiconductor die 100 without unnecessarily long or crossing bond wires 104. However, bond pad pitch is often a limiting factor in the reduction of semiconductor die 100 size, particularly in integrated circuit designs that are I/O intensive. Such designs are often "pad-limited" (i.e., the size of the semiconductor die 100 is significantly greater than the size of the core logic region 110 due to the periphery space required to accommodate the rows of bond pads 106). Thus, appreciable gains in the utilization of the expensive silicon area in such designs can often be realized by reducing the pitch of the bond pads 106.
Bond pad pitch and associated packaging concerns are sometimes addressed by using special bonding techniques, such as "wedge-wedge" bonding (utilizing wedge shaped bonding pads) and "double-tier" bonding. These special bonding techniques are generally only available in expensive packages like pin grid arrays (PGAs) and are not suitable for use in mainstream plastic packages that are based on leadframes with a single tier of bonding fingers.
Also, a number of packaging technologies exist that permit reduced bond pad pitches, such as "flip-chip" (wherein connections are made to bump contacts covered with a conductive bonding agent on the face of a hybrid circuit) and tape automated bonding (TAB). Again, however, such techniques increase the cost and complexity of the packaging process.
In order to reduce bond pad pitch, semiconductor manufacturers have also created "staggered" bond pads 106, such as those illustrated in FIG. 1. In a staggered bonding approach, two staggered and substantially parallel rows of bond pads 106 are provided rather than a more conventional single row, in-line arrangement. The bond pads 106 of the outer row (closer to an edge 100a) are offset from the bond pads 106 of the inner row. As shown in FIG. 1, by similarly staggering the bonding areas of the bond fingers 102 effective bond pad pitch can be reduced while accounting for the aforementioned packaging and bonding limitations. Thus, a larger number of bond pads 106 may be accommodated in a given semiconductor die 100 area than could be accommodated by using single row, linear configuration of bond pads, and the occurrence of pad-limited designs is reduced.
Under certain circumstances, however, the staggered bonding areas of these leadframes or packaging substrates may actually necessitate an increase in the size of the semiconductor die 100. This is due in large part to the rigid nature of present staggered bonding approaches and associated manufacturing rules, in which the inner row (closer to core logic region 110) of bond pads 106 is required to be bonded to "outer" bonding areas 108 and bond pads 106 in the outer row are required to be bonded to inner bonding areas 108, as shown in FIG. 1. By allowing only a fixed number of bonding areas 108 in the inner and the outer rows of bonding areas of a leadframe L, it is often difficult to address variations in the configuration of bond pads 106 or pin ordering requirements without growing the size of the semiconductor die 100 to match the staggered pattern of the bonding areas 108.

Integrated circuit package having bond fingers with alternate bonding areas


This invention relates to providing a system for improved portable thermal lining systems. More particularly, this invention relates to providing systems for improved fire training facilities utilizing thermal protective elements of the above-noted portable thermal lining system.

This invention relates to providing a system for improved portable thermal lining systems. More particularly, this invention relates to providing systems for improved fire training procedures utilizing thermal protective elements of the above-noted portable thermal lining systems.
Most active-duty firefighters spend hundreds of hours in training. Such training typically includes live-fire training wherein firefighters manage an actual fire, typically staged within specialized live-fire facilities. An appropriately designed facility is important to successful training, however, such specialized facilities (live-fire towers, burn rooms, etc.) are expensive to build and maintain. The cost of such facilities is often beyond the limited resources of smaller fire departments/emergency organizations, volunteer fire departments, etc.
In an attempt to stage necessary live fire training, smaller firefighting entities often seek out abandon buildings that are scheduled for demolition and can be sacrificed for live-fire training exercises. Obviously, there are limited numbers of sacrificial buildings available at any one time (within any given jurisdiction). Further, such buildings are often inferior for training purposes due to inherent safety risks (related to live fire practice within a structure of unknown condition) of burning within a building.
When a building is unavailable for live-fire training, smaller firefighting entities must borrow or contract time within live-fire training facilities usually operated by larger firefighting organizations (with a larger tax base and better funded). Contracting such facilities causes a strain on smaller firefighting entities as it takes away valuable resources in cost, travel time, manpower, etc. A need exists for an inexpensive, safe, and efficient means for implementing live-fire training, particularly within smaller budgeted fire departments.


The present invention relates to a process for depolymerizing and dehalogenating rubber materials by heating the rubber materials with neutral liquid water at temperatures from about 200.degree. C. up to the critical temperature of water at autogenous pressure. The process has utility in degrading rubber materials, and further does not release hydrogen halogen into a gas phase.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for degrading by depolymerization butyl rubbers and halobutyl rubbers and mixtures thereof by heating with liquid water at high temperatures.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Butyl rubbers and halobutyl rubbers find widespread use in industrial applications, particularly as a component in rubber tires. Processes that facilitate the degradation of rubber-containing materials can provide more environmentally safe means for eliminating these products from waste streams. Further, unlike thermal degradation processes, applicants' process, when applied to halogenated butyl rubbers, decreases the halogen content of the rubber material by releasing halogens as a hydrogen halide into an aqueous layer.

Process for depolymerization of butyl rubbers and halobutyl rubbers using hot liquid water


Methods, systems, and devices are described for managing power of a user equipment (UE). A UE modem may determine the state of charge of the battery to determine that the battery is in one of two or more charge state levels, and may invoke one or more modem power saving modes based on the charge state level. Power saving modes may include, for example, reducing a number of available receive chains in a UE, initiating a time delay between one or more frequency scan requests performed by the UE, reducing a rate of neighbor search requests performed by the UE, providing a buffer status report (BSR) parameter that indicates a reduced amount of buffer data relative to an actual amount of buffer data for the UE, and/or adjusting a maximum transmit power level for an uplink channel.

Field
Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatuses for reducing battery power of user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for adjusting one or more modem control parameters of a modem of the UE based on a state of charge of the UE battery.
Background
Wireless communications networks are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and the like. These networks may be multiple-access networks capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available network resources. In wireless communications networks, various pieces of UEs are often portable and rely on one or more batteries to provide power to the device. These UEs commonly have one or more transmitters/receivers capable of communicating using one or more radio access technologies. Included in the transmitter/receiver hardware is a modem that controls radio transmissions transmitted from and received at a UE.
UEs commonly are operated using an internal power source, such as one or more batteries, to allow for convenient portability of the device. As is well known, the power source in such cases may require replacement or recharging when the power source has a low or no remaining stored charge. In the event that the charge of the power source is completely depleted, the UE may not be operated to perform any communications functions until the power source is replaced, the power source is recharged, or the UE is plugged in to line power. Such inoperability of the UE may have detrimental effects to a user, who may rely on the UE to perform one or more potentially important tasks, such as transmission/reception of a data message, and/or transmission/reception of a voice call. Thus, it may be beneficial to adjust UE operation based on actual power source charge state to enhance power source lifetime of a UE.

Methods and apparatus for reducing modem power based on a present state of charge of battery


The present disclosure relates to an integrated package having an active area, an electrical routing circuit, an optical routing circuit, and a vacuum vessel. Methods of making such a package are also described herein.

Surface ion trap detectors generally rely on controlling various types of input and output signals, including electrical and optical signals. Difficulties can arise when trying to maximize coupling of such signals to the detector, while attempting to minimize overall size.
The background description provided herein is for the purposes of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

Miniaturized vacuum package and methods of making same

National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC


The invention relates to a method of classifying one or several watercraft using the sound waves emitted or transmitted by these vehicles. The sound waves are thereby received using an array of underwater sound sensors of a sonar receiving system and processed into received signals. At least one amplitude spectrum is generated from these received signals consisting of one or more sets of frequency lines and any individual lines, from which the characteristic vehicle parameters are automatically determined in a frequency line pattern detection module or determined manually. Subsequently, the vehicle characteristic parameters are compared with the database parameters, where this comparison is evaluated with a matching factor. Considering the matching factor, one or several watercraft are determined as the result of the classification. In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding device for carrying out the process.

It is known that watercraft, such as surface vessels, submarines, and such like, can be detected and classified by means of the operating noises they emit. For this purpose, these operating noises which are mainly caused by the prime movers, are received using a sonar system and related received signals are generated. Subsequently, the received signals are transformed into a frequency spectrum which is analyzed according to an absolute-value generation with respect to frequency lines and corresponding frequencies. Due to the driving propellers, turbines, generators and/or pumps, significant frequency lines are present in the amplitude spectrum generated from the frequency spectrum of the received signal.
DE 42 204 29 A1 shows a method for the detection and classification of a propeller-driven vessel on the basis of fuzzy logic. In this method, association functions are defined when it appears plausible that a spectral line exists in the frequency spectrum, and this spectral line does not belong to the background noise, but is a part of a band of harmonics or its fundamental frequency itself. The disadvantage here, however, is the complex fine-tuning required for the control of the system. The association function of the fuzzy set must thus be rectified in complex fine-tuning work. The disadvantage in this case is that only frequency lines or their harmonics are considered as fundamental frequency in this classification method.

Method and device for classifying watercraft


Disclosed are an apparatus and method of caching connection information used to establish a communication connection setup between at least two endpoint devices across a data network. One example method of operation may include exchanging at least one interface address and at least one globally unique identifier between the at least two endpoint devices. The method may also provide retrieving a last successful connection setup information based on the at least one globally unique identifier and the at least one interface address, assigning at least one port number to the at least one interface address via at least one of the two endpoint devices, exchanging at least one rendezvous message between the at least two endpoint devices to share connection setup information, and storing at least one of the at least one interface address, that at least one globally unique identifier, the last successful connection setup information, and the at least one port number in a cache file.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies have traditionally been employed primarily to share electronic content (i.e., digital files) between multiple users. In particular, P2P technologies enable a single user to query a community of users for specific data file(s). Once located, the requesting user's computer system (endpoint-1) would then connect to the target user's computer system (i.e., endpoint-2, where the desired content is located), and retrieve a copy of the data file(s).
P2P technologies often experience various different connection setup procedures. For example, the endpoint devices attempting to establish a communication link may require address information to be exchanged prior to setting up a P2P connection. Also, third party servers may manage the connection setup procedures, which may require additional operations necessary to establish a P2P connection. For example, local and remote IP addresses, globally unique identifiers, network information, etc., may be required prior to establishing a connection between P2P endpoints.

Method and apparatus of establishing a connection between devices using cached connection information


A system and method for guided navigation of a mining vehicle are presented. A position sensor is mounted to a haul truck. The position sensor is configured to identify a position of the haul truck. A navigation aid is configured to identify a target destination for the haul truck, calculate a path including the target destination, and use the position sensor to monitor a progress of the haul truck along the path. A user interface is configured to display at least a portion of the path to an operator of the haul truck.

Mining environments, particularly open pit surface mining environments, present unique challenges to maintaining safe operation of vehicles. The workhorse of a modern surface mine is a mine haul truck, which is a dump truck capable of hauling up to four hundred, and in some cases over four hundred, tons of material. Haul trucks are some of the largest land vehicles ever built. As such, they are characterized by limited maneuverability, relatively slow acceleration and deceleration, and poor sight lines on every side of the vehicle. In particular, the rear and side opposite to the operator's cabin of a mine-haul truck present enormous blind spots for the haul truck operator.
Within a mining environment there may be many other vehicles such as shovels, dozers, bucket wheel excavators, or other equipment that are each similarly difficult to control. Because the vehicles are so large, they can have large blind spots, large turning radii, and slow braking capabilities, making navigating the vehicles to a given destination extremely difficult. In many cases, though, by accurately positioning these vehicles in proximity to other vehicles or geographical features of the mine, the mine's efficiency can be greatly improved. Additionally, through accurate navigation, dangers of injury or property damage resulting from a collision can be mitigated.
In one example of conventional pit mining operations, material is blasted from a face, picked up by a shovel, and loaded into the bed of a haul truck. The haul truck then moves the material to a crusher for processing. Shovels can be several times larger than a haul truck. A typical electric shovel can measure 100 feet in length from the rear of the crawler portion to the end of the bucket. The overall height of the shovel can measure 70 feet with a typical bucket height of 45 feet. A typical distance from the center of rotation of a shovel to the distal end of the bucket is 80 feet.
Haul truck loading tends to be a rate limiting operation in the material extraction process of a mine. Conventionally, a haul truck will back up along a path that is perpendicular to a face to a position on one side of the shovel. Once the truck is in position beside the shovel, the shovel operator will retrieve material from the face and load the truck. Once loaded, the truck proceeds to a crusher. Given the size and responsiveness of a conventional mine truck, the process of navigating a truck into a desired position can take some time. Additionally, a collision between a mine haul truck and a shovel or other mining equipment can be catastrophic resulting in not only injury or death, but in millions of dollars in equipment damage and downtime. Accordingly, mine-haul truck drivers tend to be tentative when moving their vehicles into position for loading, further reducing the vehicle's efficiency.
Ideally, as a first truck is being loaded on a first side of a shovel, a second truck will move into position on the other side. This maximizes the use of the shovel, allowing it to be continuously engaged in the loading operation, rather than waiting for the next truck to move into position.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional solution for assisting a mine-haul truck to navigate into a loading area besides a shovel. In the arrangement of FIG. 1, power shovel 105 is working at a mine face 102. Power shovel 105 includes lower assembly 110. Lower assembly 110 includes first and second crawler tread 115a, and 115b. Power shovel 105 includes an upper assembly 120, which is rotationally coupled to lower assembly 110 via a rotational bearing 125. Upper assembly 120 includes boom 127. Attached to boom 127 at a hinge is a handle 130. At a distal end of handle 130 is a bucket 135. Upper assembly 120 also includes a cab 140 in which an operator of power shovel 105 resides. In the example operation shown in FIG. 1, power shovel 105 is electrically powered via dragline tether 145 which provides electrical energy to shovel 105. Other shovels, such as hydraulic shovels, may not be powered via a dragline tether or power cable and instead can operate independently. In either case, the upper assembly of a shovel often presents a large structure extending rearwards away from the shovel's cab. As the shovel rotates, both the boom and rear portion of the upper assembly can pose a hazard to nearby objects as it rotates about the shovel's rotational bearing. Because the shovel and upper assembly must enclose additional power generation machinery, the upper assembly of a hydraulic digger that does not rely on a dragline for power generally extends further in a rearward direction from the shovel's cab.
The conventional arrangement of FIG. 1 shows a first mine haul truck 150 in position to receive material from shovel 105. During the loading of first haul truck 150, however, shovel 105 is rotating back and forth between the first loading position and the face 102. As such, second haul truck 165, which would otherwise be positioned on the opposite side of power shovel 105 from first haul truck 150, must keep clear of the arc of the tale and corners of the upper assembly 120 while loading is occurring at the first loading position. The dangers inherent in backing a haul truck up to an operating shovel often cause truck operators to delay moving into position until the bucket of the shovel is already positioned over the second loading position. This results in wasteful downtime.
The conventional solution to this problem is to attach a boom 155 ending in a highly visible marker 160 to the tail of the shovel 105. Occasionally, power line markers or traffic cones are used for the highly visible marker 160. Conventionally, the operator of the second truck 165 will use the highly visible marker 160 to align the second truck 165 while the first truck is being loaded. After loading of the first truck 150 is complete, and the shovel rotates the bucket back to the face 102 to pick up more material, the second truck 165 backs into position.
Systems have been developed that track the location of mine haul trucks with respect to potential hazards. For example, co-owned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0062971 discloses a GPS based system for defining routes and potential hazards in a mining environment. Co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,100 discloses a permission system for controlling interaction between autonomous vehicles in a mining environment, U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,500 B2 to Lemelson et al., describes a system that uses GPS systems on vehicles, augmented by more accurate position sensors, to alert a vehicle operator of hazards in the operator's vicinity, including other vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,114 B1 to Rogers et al., describes a hazard warning system for marine vessels. The Rogers system takes GPS position and data information from marine vessels and forwards that information to those vessels hazard alerts based on the positions of other vessels as well as fixed and semi-fixed hazards derived from nautical charts.


A fuel injector comprises a barrel, a plunger, and a port. The plunger is disposed in a bore in the barrel such that it intersects the port disposed in the barrel. The plunger has an injection rate shaping device and a cavitation control device disposed therein. The pressure control device is in such a position on the plunger such that subsequent to the rate shaping device passing fluidly communicating with the port, the cavitation control device aligns with the port to control the pressure wave propagated through the port by the termination of rate shaping.

Fuel injection systems are used on various engines to ensure not only reliable fuel delivery, but also to provide the flexibility of rate shaping to reduce emissions and noise levels. U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,098 issued to Hafner et al. on Feb. 20, 1996 shows a Hydraulically-Actuated Electronically-Controlled (HEUI) fuel system with a fuel injection rate shaping device that interrupts the flow of fuel injected during an injection cycle by spilling fuel from a high pressure fuel chamber in communication with an injector nozzle. The spilling is in response to aligning an opening in a slidable plunger with a port in a housing within which the plunger reciprocates.
While this design provides rate shaping, in some instances the injector's structural components are adversely affected by pressure waves induced by alternate high pressure fuel spillage and fuel flow obstruction. The initial spill of high pressure fuel from a chamber through an opening in the plunger into the port sends the fluid at a high velocity into the stationary port. As the plunger continues its motion, the opening moves out of alignment with the port and the spill is rapidly shut off. These operating dynamics may result in cavitation which causes structural wear of the components, primarily at the sharp intersection corners of the port and a bore and on the plunger itself as it moves past the port opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,072 issued to Rix et al. on Mar. 8, 1994, addresses the issue of high pressure fluids inducing wear at the intersection of two bores at a sharp edge, having a very small radius. Here, a method for machining such intersections to have a greater radius at the intersection point is discussed. However, such an approach in the rate shaping device of a fuel injector may undesirably reduce the rapidity with which fuel spill can be initiated and terminated to preserve sharp injection rate shaping that is essential to achieving lower emissions levels.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.

Unit injector having a cavitation pressure control mechanism