Parkinson's disease can be treated with an at least one cholinesterase inhibitor. The cholinesterase inhibitor has been found to alleviate both any symptoms of dementia as well as to reduce rigidity and improve motor function.

Parkinson's disease is a chronic nervous disease characterized by fine, slowly spreading tremors, rigidity, and a characteristic gait. Although the onset of Parkinson's disease may be abrupt, it generally occurs gradually. The initial symptom is often a fine tremor beginning in either a hand or a foot which may spread until it involves all of the members. The duration of Parkinson's disease is indefinite, and recovery rarely if ever occurs. A psychotic confusional state may be seen in the later stages of Parkinson's disease, which is a common and significant source of morbidity.
Levodopa has historically been the medication of choice in treating Parkinson's disease, and there are rarely any failures with levodopa therapy in the early years of treatment. Unfortunately, this response is not sustainable. Most patients develop adverse effects after long-term usage of levodopa; in fact, in some the benefits of treatment wane as the disease progresses.
Several common types of central nervous system dysfunction and peripheral side effects are associated with administration of levodopa. Toxic side effects to the central nervous system include mental changes, such as confusion, agitation, hallucinosis, hallucinations, delusions, depression, mania and excessive sleeping. The symptoms may be related to activation of dopamine receptors in non-striatal regions, particularly the cortical and limbic structures. Elderly patients and patients with cortical Lewy body disease or concomitant Alzheimer's disease are extremely sensitive to small doses of levodopa. However, all patients with Parkinson's disease, regardless of age, can develop psychosis if they take excess amounts of levodopa as a means to overcome "off" periods. This is difficult to remedy, as reducing the dosage of levodopa may lessen its beneficial influence on motor function.
Although dementia may be associated with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are pathologically very distinct. Senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) is associated with degeneration of the nucleus basalis, and consequently with a cholinergic deficit. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, mainly in the cerebral cortex. Parkinson's disease, on the other hand, is characterized by distinctive Lewy bodies, which are eosinophilic, cytoplasmic structures found mainly in small nuclei at the base of the brain, especially the substantia nigra (dopaminergic cells) and nucleus basalis (cholinergic cells). These two diseases are clinically distinguishable to a competent practitioner.
Clinically, Alzheimer's disease presents with personality change, language errors (difficulties with categorical speed and word generation) and loss of short term memory. The patient is usually alert and attentive. The condition may or may not progress to include mild rigidity of the muscles, although rigidity is never the presenting complaint.
Parkinson's disease, in contrast, presents with muscular rigidity, tremor and imbalance. It may or may not progress to include dementia, although dementia is never the presenting complaint. When dementia is present in Parkinson's patients, it is clinically distinguishable from Alzheimer's disease, and is characterized by inattention, visual hallucinations, and a worsening of the confusion produced by administration of levodopa.
Prior to the introduction of levodopa, anticholinergic drugs had been the conventional treatment of mild parkinsonism since the discovery of belladonna alkaloids in the mid-nineteenth century. However, these drugs have a propensity for exacerbating dementia. Nevertheless, since anticholinergic drugs are known to ameliorate rigidity in the early stages of the disease, the conventionally skilled neurologist would instinctively believe that a procholineric drug might worsen rigidity, as central cholinergic activity appears to be important for memory function in Parkinson's disease. Unfortunately, patients receiving anticholinergic drugs for parkinsonism may experience reversible cognitive deficits so severe as to mimic Alzheimer's disease. Identical memory disturbances have been produced by administration of atropine to patients with either Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease with dementia.
Recent trials using cholinesterase inhibitors, such as tacrine, have shown promise for partial reversal of senile dementia of the Alzheimer type in a few patients. Ott et al., in Clinical Neuropharmacology 15(4):322-325, 1992, treated a patient with Alzheimer's disease with tacrine, which has traditionally been used to treat Alzheimer's dementia. The individual originally presented as Alzheimer's disease developed other symptoms, including extrapyramidal features. This patient, along with three other patients with a typical presentation of Alzheimer's disease responded with improvement or stabilization in cognitive ability and activities of daily living score. Another case, again clinically and neuropathologically diagnosed as Alzheimer's disease, responded initially, but this response was not sustained. This paper clearly implies, then, that increasing rigidity would be expected in a Parkinson patient to whom tacrine is administered, since the tacrine caused rigidity in an Alzheimer's patient. This would certainly deter a practicing neurologist from prescribing this type of drug for a patient suffering from Parkinson's disease, as any medication that increases rigidity would be contraindicated for parkinsonian patients.
Treatment of dementia in parkinsonian patients with cholinomimetic drugs presents a dilemma, since the movement disorder would be expected to worsen with treatment with tacrine or similar anticholinesterase medications. It should be noted that Ott et al., ibid., treated an Alzheimer's patient with mild parkinsonism, rather than a patient whose primary presentation was Parkinson's disease, with a combination of levodopa and tacrine. The dramatic increase in tremor, as well as induction of gait dysfunction and subjective feelings of rigidity, were attributed to the cholinergic effects of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors on the striatum. The increased tremor responded to addition of levodopa as well as to decrease in tacrine dosage with restoration of baseline function after either maneuver. After two months of treatment with levodopa, the gait function and bradykinesia appeared to improve, suggesting that the patient had developed some tolerance to the extra-pyramidal effects of tacrine. It had not been determined whether such tolerance actually occurs and whether it would be sustained, or whether levodopa actually improved it.
Perry et al., in Annals New York Academy of Sciences pp. 197-202, report examining cholinergic and monoaminergic (dopaminergic and serotonergic) activities in postmortem brain tissue in senile dementia of Lewy body type, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. The quantitative data they obtained suggested that although extra-pyramidal symptoms relate to striatal levels of dopamine, cognitive impairment was most closely associated with cholinergic but not monoaminergic deficits in temporal and archicortical areas. For example, hallucinations, frequently manifested in Lewy body dementia, appear to be related to an extensive cholinergic deficit in temporal neocortex and the resulting imbalance between decreased cholinergic and relatively preserved serotonergic activities.
As with Lewy body dementia, Parkinson's disease is associated with a cholinergic deficit, which may be more profound than that seen in senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT). Later stages of Parkinson's disease are characterized by a debilitating confusional state with psychotic features. Although this may, to some extent, overlap symptoms of SDAT, there is presumably a high incidence of pure Lewy body dementia in parkinsonian patients with dementia. As anticholinergic drugs have mild antiparkinsonian effects, however, it has been assumed that a procholinergic drug will worsen the characteristic rigidity of Parkinson's disease.

Cholinesterase inhibitors for treatment of Parkinson's disease


The present disclosure relates to a fitting (1) for arrangement to a door and a door frame. The fitting (1) comprises a body (3), a first part (4), and a support plate (6) arranged at a door facing side of the body. The fitting is configured to abut the door when arranged thereto and comprises a distance element (5) in-between the support plate and the body which sets an offset between the support plate and the body. The distance element is moveable between different positions providing different offset between the body and the support plate. This arrangement minimizes the penetration of air or other substance through the door due to an offset between the door and door frame and can be used on different types of doors with different offsets.

In the area of fittings for doors, a common configuration of the fitting comprises a first part fastened to a door frame and a body fastened on a door.
In this type of construction, it is sometimes desirable to minimize the penetration of air, gas, or other substance between the door and door's frame. A common way to minimize the penetration of air or other substance is by the body part abutting the door, pressing towards the door frame when the door is in closed position. Another way to minimize the penetration of air is by using a distance element such as that disclosed in EP0754831 A1.
A particular problem with this type of construction is the need for different fittings for different doors and frames with different offsets.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved fitting which can be used to minimize the penetration of air or other substance despite the offset between the door and frame.


An adjustable vehicle seat arrangement includes a plurality of strikers connected with a vehicle frame, an inboard vehicle seat, and an outboard vehicle seat. At least one outboard seat rear striker includes a latching section divider dividing the outboard seat rear striker into at least two laterally spaced apart latching sections. The outboard vehicle seat includes an outboard seat rear latch that cooperates with the outboard seat rear striker and an outboard seat front latch that cooperates with an outboard seat front striker. The outboard seat is generally laterally aligned with and laterally offset from the inboard seat. The outboard seat is laterally adjustable and the outboard seat rear latch is configured to engage the outboard seat rear striker at each of the at least two laterally spaced apart latching sections. A method for laterally adjusting a vehicle seat and a vehicle seat assembly are also disclosed.

The present disclosure generally relates to vehicle seats found in larger vehicles, such as vans, minivans, and sport utility vehicles. These larger vehicles can include three rows of vehicle seats: a first row of seats where the driver is located, a second row of seats behind the first row, and a third row of seats behind the second row. Ingress to and egress from the third row of seats can be difficult. Where the second row, also referred to as the mid-row seats, includes two outboard seats, these outboard seats pivot or tumble forward to allow a passenger access to and from the third row of seats. The outer most edge of each outboard seat, however, is situated near side frame pillars of the vehicle. Accordingly, little room may still be provided for ingress to and egress from the third row seats.
Decreasing the width of the outboard seats in the second row of seats can provide more space for ingress and egress. This, however, can lead to problems with child restraint systems, which can be commonly referred to as child seats. These known child seats typically rest on a vehicle seat and are latched thereto. A minimum width for supporting child seats on these second row seats is desirable; therefore, decreasing the width of the outboard seat may not be practicable.


A method for the detection of hydrocarbon contamination in a sample is disclosed. The method includes contacting a sample with a molecular probe. The molecular probe has a photoluminescence which is environmentally sensitive. The photoluminescence from the molecular probe is collected. The method includes determining whether the photoluminescence is indicative of a hydrocarbon contaminated sample. A test strip for the detection of hydrocarbon contamination in a sample is also disclosed. The test strip includes a molecular probe embedded in a substrate and/or immobilized to the substrate, the molecular probe having a photoluminescence which is environmentally sensitive to hydrocarbon contaminated sample.

The present disclosure is in regard to the detection of hydrocarbon contamination in a sample such as soil or water.
Contamination of oceans, rivers and lakes with hydrocarbons such as oil and greases (e.g. petrol, fuel, and other hydrocarbon derivatives) is a common problem around the world. Contaminated waters lead to environmental degradation and strong risks in human and aquatic health. Regulatory agencies may have limits for total oil and greases (TOG) or total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) in water, implying strong interests for industries to be able to determine TOG and TPH in water to be sure they meet the limits.
Additionally, non-profit environmental organizations which are constantly mapping different areas to find possible illegal spills, are in the need of improvements in technology to measure these values. The possibility of in-field measurements is highly desired as well, as water streams produced in some industries or samples at locations that are difficult to reach need to be constantly monitored, while normal laboratory analysis would be too time-consuming and costly.
Normally, the TOG content in water is determined by extraction from water into a non-polar solvent, concentration, and posterior analysis using different methods. Among these methods, most commonly used are gravimetric analysis (EPA 1664), gas chromatography-flame ionization detection, (ISO 9377-2), UV-fluorescence, quantum Cascade laser infrared spectrometry (QCL-IR), non-dispersive/fixed filter IR analyzer. Unfortunately, these methods have some drawbacks such as high costs, requiring instrumentation that is difficult to transport, and needing highly trained personal. With some methods, cyclic hydrocarbons escape detection and/or the method is sensitive only to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Some methods use atmospheric ozone depleting chemicals, many now banned by the Montreal Protocol.
It is desirable to have a way to determine rapidly if a water or soil sample is contaminated, qualitatively or quantitatively. It is also desirable for it to be possibly done by untrained personnel. Laboratory methods and more complex field methods usually require a certain degree of expertise in dealing with the device, possible sample preparation steps as well as the interpretation of the results, and are therefore reserved for professionals. It is also desirable that the costs are low.

Detection of hydrocarbon contamination in soil and water

Bundesrepublik Deutschland, vertreten durch die Bundesministerin für Wirtschaft und Energie, diese vertreten durch den Präsidenten der Bundesanstalt für Materialforgchung und- Prüfung (BAM)


The projection display device stores, in a frame memory, a shot image of a test pattern for cases where the obstacle is not represented in the region of the projection; compares, at a comparison unit, a shot image of the test pattern for the case where the obstacle is represented in the region of the projection, with the stored shot image of the test pattern in order to detect an obstacle present in the region of the projection; generates, at an image-mask enlargement-processing unit, an image mask section having a region larger than the region of the detected obstacle; and effects, at a luminance control unit, a control to reduce the luminance in the image mask section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection display device and, in particular, to a projection display device capable of detecting an obstacle (a person) when the obstacle enters the region of a light beam projected from a projection display device, and also capable of producing an image mask that has a larger region than the region of the detected obstacle in order to reduce luminance and thereby ensure safety of the human body (an eye).
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, projection display devices of this type allow the user to recognize the content of video pictures that have been projected onto a screen by getting the picture into his or her sights. Accordingly, the projection system for projecting a light beam onto the screen necessarily involves having a space between the projection display device and the screen that permits passage of the projection-light beam. Consequently, when an obstacle, specifically a person, accidentally enters the space within the region of the projected video picture, the projection light can cause discomfort (to the person) and, in addition, can damage the eye. Such injuries have increased in line with recent technical trend towards higher luminance in projected video pictures.
Thus, in order to solve the above problem, a projection display device has been developed in which a human-body sensor unit that has a pyroelectric sensor and a laser scanner unit that has a primary and secondary scanning beam sensor are provided, whereby the entrance of the obstacle into the path of a projection-light beam is detected; and when the obstacle is detected, the scanner control unit operates to either halt the output of the laser oscillator or to mechanically shutoff the emission of scanning light, thereby ensuring safety of the human body (cf. for example, JP 2000-194302).
Other types of projection display devices have also been developed that are intended to suppress discomfort when a projection light is directly incident on human vision. One example of such a device comprises an electro-optic device that emits light modulated by image signals, an image processing unit that supplies the image signals to the electro-optic device and a luminous flux controller that controls the luminous flux of the projection light provided from the electro-optic device. The luminous flux controller has a detection unit adapted to detect a person entering the path of the projected light beam and a suppression control unit adapted to suppress the supplied luminous flux of the projected light beam when the detection unit detects the person's entrance. In this way, it is able to suppress discomfort when the projection light is directly incident on human vision (cf. for example, JP 2001-305650).
In the technique described in JP 2000-194302 above, safety of the human body is ensured by detecting the entrance of the obstacle into the projection-light path with a pyroelectric sensor provided in the human-body sensor unit, and when the obstacle is detected, either halting the output of the laser oscillator or mechanically shutting off the emission of scanning light by means of the scanner control unit. However, since the human-body sensor is intended for detecting the obstacle before the obstacle makes contact with the region of the projected video picture and preventively halting the output of the laser oscillator or shutting down the projection of the scanning light, when the obstacle is located remote from the projection display device, such as when the person stands up near the central location on the screen side, the position of the obstacle can in some cases be beyond the area where the human-body sensor can detect the obstacle. This gives rise to a problem whereby there are situations in which projection of the light onto the eye cannot be avoided.
In the technique described in JP 2001-305650 above, the projection display device is adapted to obviate the discomfort when the emitted light beam happens to come into direct contact with a human vision, by suppressing the luminous flux of the projection-light beam via the suppression control unit when the detection unit, which is capable of detecting the entrance of a human body into the path of the projected video picture, detects such entrance. The detection unit, however, is incapable of detecting the obstacle (the human body) when it is positioned close to the screen and remote from the projection display device, because the detection unit can only detect the human body when it enters an area within a predetermined range. This gives rise to the problem that there are situations where the projection light on the eye cannot be avoided and safety for a human body cannot be ensured.


The method includes the steps of: detecting a part, of a surface of a target, that is located on an inner circumferential side of a predetermined circle centered on a rotation axis and passing the target, by an object detection sensor, at plural rotation positions when at least one of a rotation position of the target about the rotation axis on a substrate placement portion and a rotation position of a detection area about a robot reference axis is changed; calculating a quantity correlated with an index length representing a distance from the robot reference axis to the target when the target is detected by the object detection sensor, for each rotation position; and calculating the positional relationship between the robot reference axis and the rotation axis on the basis of, among the rotation positions, the one at which the quantity correlated with the index length is maximized or minimized.

Conventionally, in a semiconductor process, a substrate placement portion on which a plurality of semiconductor substrates can be placed in an aligned state is used for performing processing for the plurality of semiconductor substrates collectively. In general, such a substrate placement portion includes a pair of plate members separated from each other and a plurality of support columns extended between the pair of plate members. Each support column has a plurality of support grooves provided at a constant pitch in the axial direction of the support column. A peripheral portion of a substrate is fitted into the support grooves, whereby the substrate is supported by the support columns.
A substrate transfer robot is used for transferring a substrate onto/from the above-described substrate placement portion. In general, the substrate transfer robot includes a robot arm, a substrate transfer hand mounted to an end of the robot arm, and a controller. The substrate transfer hand has a substrate holding portion for holding a substrate, and the substrate can be held by being sucked or grasped, for example. PTL 1 exemplifies a substrate transfer hand which has a plate-shaped blade with an end forked in a Y shape and transfers the substrate placed on the blade.
In the substrate transfer robot described in PTL 1, a light emitting portion is attached to one of both Y-shape-forked ends of the substrate transfer hand, and a light receiving portion is attached to the other end so as to be opposed to the light emitting portion. The light emitting portion and the light receiving portion form a transmission-type photo-sensor, and the transmission-type photo-sensor can detect an object obstructing the optical axis. An external teaching jig attached to a front outer wall of a substrate processing device is detected by the transmission-type photo-sensor, whereby, using the relative positional relationship between the center of the known taught position inside the substrate processing device and the center of an external taught position, the relative positional relationship between the substrate transfer apparatus and the center of the taught position is estimated.

Substrate transfer apparatus and method for calculating positional relationship between substrate transfer robot and substrate placement portion


The disclosure generally pertains to systems and methods for authorizing the use of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) charging apparatus by a short-term renter. In an example method, a processor provides an authorization for use of a BEV charging apparatus by a first individual. The BEV charging apparatus is located on the premises of a building. The processor further enables access to the BEV charging apparatus over a designated period of time for use by the first individual and configures a first lock to prevent unauthorized entry by the first individual into a first portion of the building. In one scenario, the first individual is a short-term renter, the BEV charging apparatus is located in a garage of the building, the first portion of the building is a first room of the building, and the first lock is installed in a door leading into the first room of the building.

Short-term rental arrangements for residences are popular with travelers and visitors. In some cases, a short-term renter may prefer to use a battery electric vehicle (BEV) to travel around while staying at the residence. The BEV may require the use of a battery charging station at the residence. The owner may find it acceptable for the short-term renter to use the battery charging station as long as the use of the battery charging station does not inconvenience the owner. It is therefore desirable to provide a solution that both parties find acceptable.

System and method to authorize the use of a BEV charging apparatus by a short-term renter


The invention concerns a radio frequency identification device (RFID) featuring an antenna (12) screen-printed on a fibrous support and a chip (10) connected to the connection terminals (17 and 19) of the antenna. According to the main characteristic of the invention, a thermoplastic layer (22) and a layer of paper (24) are laminated on the antenna support (20) so that the antenna and the chip are trapped in the thermoplastic and so that the device is resistant to water and humid environments.

This invention concerns radio frequency identification devices designed to be affixed on objects such as security documents and specifically concerns a radio frequency identification device resistant to humid environments and its manufacturing method.
Contactless Radiofrequency Identification Devices (RFIDs) are increasingly used for identification of persons moving about in controlled access zones or transiting from one zone to another. A contactless RFID is a device made up of an antenna and a chip connected to the terminals of the antenna. The chip is usually not powered and receives its energy by an electromagnetic coupling between the antenna of the reader and the antenna of the RFID, information is exchanged between the RFID and the reader and particularly information stored in the chip that relates to the identification of the holder of the object on which the RFID is located and to his/her authorization to enter into a controlled access zone.
In this manner, passports can incorporate RFIDs to identify the passport holder. The chip memory contains information such as the identity of the passport holder, his/her country of origin, his/her nationality, visas of different countries visited, dates of entry, restrictions of movements, biometric elements, etc. The RFID device is generally incorporated into the bottom cover board of the passport. An antenna is then screen-printed using ink loaded with particles of silver on the reinforced bottom cover board of the passport cover. The chip is then connected by gluing to the connection terminals of the antenna. Then, the flyleaf of the quire of passport pages is laminated to the back of the reinforced top cover board. This embodiment has a drawback, as it is not waterproof and particularly cannot resist the passage of the passport through a washing machine. If the paper on which the antenna is screen-printed is not water resistant, the latter absorbs water and swells up, which causes fractures of the antenna and therefore a rupture of the electrical connection between the antenna and the chip.
This problem can be overcome by the use of an RFID device made up of a plastic "inlay". In this case, the inlay includes the antenna and the chip, the whole assembly being embedded in plastic layers. The inlay is then bonded between the flyleaf and the passport cover. One of the drawbacks of such an RFID device is the difference in material between the inlay and the passport. The latter being made of plastic, the bonding between the two is not optimal. Furthermore, a plastic inlay does not have the advantage of paper that can be delaminated over its thickness in case of an attempt to pull out and thereby destroy the RFID circuit.

Radio frequency identification device resistant to humid environments and its manufacturing method


The present invention provides systems and methods for attenuating the effect of ambient light on optical sensors and for measuring and compensating quantitatively for the ambient light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical sensors, and, more specifically, to a system and method for attenuating the effect of ambient light on an optical sensor.
2. Discussion of the Background
An optical sensor is a device that may be used to detect the concentration of an analyte (e.g., oxygen, glucose, or other analyte). U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,464, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes an optical sensor.
There may be situations when it is desirable to use an optical sensor in an environment where there is a significant amount of ambient light (e.g., the outdoors on a bright, sunny day). In some circumstances, a significant amount of ambient light may negatively affect the accuracy of an optical sensor. Accordingly, what is desired are systems and methods to attenuate the negative effect of ambient light on the functioning of an optical sensor and/or to measure and compensate quantitatively for the ambient light.

System and method for attenuating the effect of ambient light on an optical sensor


An LED array switching apparatus comprises, on a single PCB substrate: a plurality of LED arrays D1 to Dn connected in series, each LED array having a forward voltage; an AC voltage supply coupled to the plurality of LED arrays; and a plurality of constant current sources G1 to Gn, coupled to outputs of LED arrays D1 to Dn, respectively, each of the constant current sources being switchable between a current regulating state and an open state such that as the voltage of the AC voltage supply increases, LED arrays are switched on and lit to form a higher forward voltage LED string, and as the voltage of the AC voltage supply decreases, LED arrays are switched off and removed from the LED string starting with the most recently lit LED array.

The present invention generally relates to improved methods and apparatuses for driving light emitting diodes ("LEDs"), such as those used in LED lamps and lighting fixtures, and improved methods and apparatus for driving that facilitate locating driving circuitry and the LEDs together on a single package.
Typically, the use of LEDs as an AC powered light source requires a driver to convert AC line power to a regulated DC power for maintaining constant light output. Such an LED driver is a self-contained power supply that has output matched to the electrical characteristics, such as forward voltage and driving current, of the LED. Usually, the driver is built on an individual PCB and connects to an LED PCB which contains the array of LEDs.
FIG. 1 shows typical circuitry of an AC-DC LED driver using the known flyback converter topology. The circuitry 10 includes an AC power source 12 with live (L) and neutral (N) terminals, and a rectifier circuit 14 that converts the AC, e.g., sinusoidal, input waveform to a DC waveform, e.g., a half wave rectified waveform. The circuit operates such that when the switch Q1 conducts, current is directly drawn from the rectified sinusoid. Energy is stored in the magnetizing inductance of the primary winding of transformer T1. The rectifying Zener diode D1 is reverse biased and the LED current is supplied by the secondary capacitor Cout. When Q1 turns off, diode D1 conducts and the stored energy is delivered to the secondary winding of transformer T1 and to the output. The controller chip U1, which can be, for example an iW3620 Digital PWM Constant Current Controller for AC/DC LED Driver, manufactured by iWatt, Inc., regulates the LED current by comparing the information about the secondary output voltage and LED current, which information is reflected via the auxiliary winding of transformer T1, to a constant reference and, based on the comparison, adjusting the duty cycle of switch Q1.
AC-DC drivers such as the one shown in FIG. 1 are complex and bulky circuits. With the goal of making a simpler circuit, LED manufacturers have developed an AC LED circuit, which is basically LED lighting circuitry that can operate on AC power without the need for the complex AC-DC driver of the type shown in FIG. 1. However, the AC line voltage is sinusoidal and the majority of low frequency AC LED systems operate in the rectified mode, which turns off the AC LED at a rate of double the line frequency.
FIG. 2 is a schematic of a conventional AC LED circuit. In such a circuit, the LEDs can be driven directly by the AC power source 102 without the use of a complex converter. In operation of the illustrated circuit, during the positive half cycle of the, e.g., sinusoidal, AC source V, LED string S2 is reverse biased and LED string S1 is conducting and emitting light. During the negative half cycle of AC source V, LED string S1 is reverse biased and LED string S2 is conducting and emitting light. The forward voltages of LED strings S1 and S2 are equal. The resistor R limits the current through the LED strings S1 and S2.
FIG. 3 shows the light output (i.e., luminous flux vs. time) of an AC LED circuit. It can be seen from the figure that the off-time in such a circuit is about 40%, due to the fact that the LED current of the AC LED circuit is discontinuous at the zero crossing of the AC voltage waveform. Since the rectified AC line voltage cycles from zero to peak level and back to zero, the LED string turns off whenever the line voltage level falls below the forward voltage of the LED string.


A ladder support device is secured to a scaffold by two base arms. At one end of the base arms the device forms a "channel" in which the ladder can move vertically but not horizontally. This secures the ladder so that it cannot fall away from the scaffold or to either side. In addition, it allows the scaffold to be raised or lowered without having to detach the ladder from the scaffold.

The invention relates generally to ladder and scaffolding structures and devices. More particularly, the invention pertains to a ladder support device that will support a ladder against a scaffold and allow the scaffold to be safely moved up and down as required without having to detach the ladder.
There are many ladder support devices known in the prior art. The prior art includes a scaffold ladder structure where the ladder is a built in part of the scaffold. Other prior art shows a scaffold ladder adapter which will secure a standard ladder to a scaffold by grabbing the ladder below one of its rungs on one end and securing itself to the cross bars of the scaffold on the other. Other prior art shows a ladder safety apparatus that consists of a cable with hooks on the end. The cable is to be run through one of the rungs of the ladder and the hooks placed on the object to which the ladder is being secured. Still other prior art shows a safety device for ladders which consists of a body which surrounds one rung of the ladder and straps connected to either end of the body to secure the body to the object in which the ladder is being secured. However, a significant problem that exists in all of the prior art is that the scaffold, or object to which the ladder is being secured, cannot be raised or lowered without detaching the ladder from the scaffold or object. If the scaffold of the prior art was raised, the ladder would be lifted off of the ground. If the scaffold were lowered the ladder would hit the ground and prevent the scaffold from moving. The prior art does not provide a method of supporting a ladder against a scaffold while still having the freedom to raise and lower the scaffold without having to detach and reattach the ladder.
The present invention solves the aforementioned problem and employs a number of novel features that render it highly advantageous over the prior art. By securing the ladder support device to the scaffold only and not the ladder, and allowing the ladder to run freely inside of a "channel" provided by the device, it allows the scaffold to be raised and lowered without effecting the ladder and while still supporting the ladder against the scaffold itself.


In accordance with the present invention, a method, which may be implemented by employing a program storage device, for determining yield loss for a device includes the steps of determining killing probabilities corresponding to values of inspection parameters based on historic inspection information, determining defects on the device and ordering the defects by classifying the defects according to the inspection parameters. The defects adopt the killing probabilities associated with the same values of the inspection parameters. The method further includes the step of calculating a predicted yield loss based on the defects and the adopted killing probabilities. The method further includes the step of applying statistical process control to the predicted yield loss for all in-line inspection (process) steps.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to yield prediction and production control and more particularly, to a method for determining yield for semiconductor fabrication processes.
2. Description of the Related Art
A common standard exists in the semiconductor industry where wafers are inspected at various times by optical and other inspection tools during production. As a result, a process engineer obtains a number of defects per wafer, x and y coordinates of each defect and a set of parameters (different for different tools) specific for each particular defect. Any irregularities, such as structural imperfections, particles, residuals or embedded foreign material are considered as defects. Defect data collected by laser scanning, optical or SEM in-line defect inspections during the production of modern semiconductor devices are comprised of events with absolutely different yield impact. Overall this total count information does not enable the process engineer to assign a yield loss to defects detected at a certain process step.
In-line Statistical Process Control (SPC) is performed after the total defect count is provided by the inspection tool directly, or after yield loss estimations are provided from automated or manual review information (for example, from an optical microscope or SEM). Because high defect counts do not necessarily indicate high yield detraction, the previously described methodology is not an optimized process control. The additional review after yield loss estimations (manual and/or automated) requires additional human resources, extends the process time and postpones information feedback to the process units.
Considering killing probabilities of any of the detected defects (probability p of the defect to kill the entire chip), the total defect count is comprised of events with all values of killing probabilities between 0 and 1. The count information on its own (even including further characterization of each single defect by optical microscopes, scanning electron microscopes (SEM), atomic force microscopes (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) (either manual review or automated defect classification)) is not sufficient to assign an accurate number of yield loss to this process part for complex chip designs (e.g., numerous redundancies on memory products). Therefore, this number of yield loss is not a good value to be used for an effective production control. To obtain useful yield impact information, it is indispensable to correlate the actual defect data to electrical fails. Waiting for the electrical data, however, delays the feedback to the process units by weeks or months. Therefore, the immediate correct interpretation of the in-line inspection data is essential to approach high productivity.
A real time yield prediction methodology without additional optical review uses historic data for a given process step to calculate one average killing probability for all defects. The detected number of defects or number of defective dies (dies including one or more defects) on a certain wafer is multiplied by this number. As a result, the engineer obtains the number of killed chips. This methodology is only applicable and accurate for single wafers if the wafer contains a normal defect pareto for this process step. The methodology is questionable because excursions in the defect count trend typically do not follow the standard pareto for each layer.
Therefore, a need exists for an optimized control process considering all available information for any single detected defect which may include statistical process or production control for real time yield impact information on semiconductor devices. A further need exists for an automated method which does not require manual defect classification.
In accordance with the present invention, a method, which may be implemented by employing a program storage device, for determining yield loss for a device includes the steps of determining killing probabilities corresponding to values of inspection parameters based on historic inspection information, determining defects on the device, classifying the defects according to the inspection parameters, the defects adopting the killing probabilities associated with the same values of the inspection parameters and calculating a predicted yield loss based on the defects and the adopted killing probabilities.
In other methods, which may be implemented by employing a program storage device, the step of determining defects on the device may include the step of inspecting the device using inspection tools. The step of classifying the defects may include the steps of determining defect inspection parameters used to determine each defect, finding corresponding values of the defect inspection parameters with the values of the inspection parameters determined based on historic information, and associating the killing probability of the values of the inspection parameters determined based on historic information with each defect having the corresponding values. The method may further include the step of calculating a predicted yield loss for each of a plurality of inspection processes. The step of calculating a predicted yield loss for each of a plurality of inspection processes may be performed by calculating the predicted yield loss according to the equation       Δ              xe2x80x83                  Y      k        =      1    -                  ∏        ij                          xe2x80x83                          (                  1          -                                    kp              kij                                                  n              kij                                      )
where xcex94Yk is the predicted yield loss for a process k, kpk is the adopted killing probability for a defect nk and i and j are counters. The method may include the step of calculating an overall predicted yield loss based on the predicted yield loss of the plurality of inspection processes. The step of calculating an overall predicted yield loss based on the predicted yield loss of the plurality of inspection processes may be performed by calculating the overall predicted yield loss according to the equation       Δ              xe2x80x83            Y    =      1    -                  ∏        k                          (                  1          -                      Δ                                      xe2x80x83                                                  Y              k                                      )
where xcex94Yk is the predicted yield loss for a process k and xcex94Y is the overall predicted yield loss. The method may include the step of graphically representing the predicted yield loss. The step of classifying the defects may be performed automatically by a machine, such as a computer. This avoids manually inspection and classification. The step of applying statistical process control to the predicted yield loss is preferably included.
Another method, which may be implemented by employing a program storage device, for determining yield loss for semiconductor wafers includes the steps of creating a parametric space defined by values of at least two inspection parameters, assigning killing probabilities corresponding to values of the at least two inspection parameters based on historic inspection information, inspecting the semiconductor device to determine defects on the semiconductor device, and ordering the defects on the semiconductor device by classifying the defects according to the at least two inspection parameters. The classified defects adopt the killing probabilities of the parametric space to which the defects are assigned. The step of calculating a predicted yield loss based on the defects and the adopted killing probabilities is also included.
In other methods, which may be implemented by employing a program storage device, the step of creating a parametric space defined by values of at least two inspection parameters may further include the steps of forming an m-dimensional space by providing m inspection parameters, the m-dimensional space including subspaces, and assigning values of each of the m inspection parameters to each subspace such that each subspace represents one of a given value and a range of values for each of the m inspection parameters. The step of inspecting the semiconductor device to determine defects on the semiconductor device may include the steps of inspecting the semiconductor device using inspection tools, and generating a results file. The results file includes defect size and location information and other inspection parameters for each defect. The step of classifying the defects may be performed automatically by a machine. This avoids manually inspection and classification. The step of applying statistical process control to the predicted yield loss is preferably included. The step of ordering the defects may include the steps of determining defect inspection parameters used to determine each defect, finding corresponding values of the defect inspection parameters with the values of the at least two inspection parameters determined based on historic information, and associating the killing probability of the values of the at least two inspection parameters determined based on historic information with each defect having the corresponding values.
In still other methods, which may be implemented by employing a program storage device, the step of calculating a predicted yield loss for each of a plurality of inspection processes may be included. The step of calculating a predicted yield loss for each of a plurality of inspection processes may be performed by calculating the predicted yield loss according to the equation       Δ              xe2x80x83                  Y      k        =      1    -                  ∏        ij                          xe2x80x83                          (                  1          -                                    kp              kij                                                  n              kij                                      )
where xcex94Yk is the predicted yield loss for a process k, kpk is the adopted killing probability for a defect nk and i and j are counters. The method may include the step of calculating an overall predicted yield loss based on the predicted yield loss of the plurality of inspection processes. The step of calculating an overall predicted yield loss based on the predicted yield loss of the plurality of inspection processes may be performed by calculating the overall predicted yield loss according to the equation       Δ              xe2x80x83            Y    =      1    -                  ∏        k                          (                  1          -                      Δ                                      xe2x80x83                                                  Y              k                                      )
where xcex94Yk is the predicted yield loss for a process k and xcex94Y is the overall predicted yield loss. The method may include the step of graphically representing the predicted yield loss.
Another method, which may be implemented by employing a program storage device for determining yield loss for semiconductor wafers includes the steps of computing killing probabilities based on historic data for subspaces in a parameter space, the parameter space being divided in to subspaces by values of inspection parameters, inspecting the semiconductor wafer to generate defect information in accordance with predetermined inspection parameters, and ordering defects by determining defect inspection parameters used to determine each defect and finding corresponding subspaces to assign the defects. The method also includes the steps of associating the killing probability of each subspace to the defects assigned to the subspace, determining a predicted yield loss for each of a plurality of inspection processes based on a number of defects in each subspace and the killing probability assigned to each subspace, and determining an overall predicted yield loss for the semiconductor wafer based on the predicted yield loss for each of the plurality of inspection processes.
In other methods, which may be implemented by employing a program storage device, the step of determining a predicted yield loss for each of a plurality of inspection processes may be performed by calculating the predicted yield loss according to the equation       Δ              xe2x80x83                  Y      k        =      1    -                  ∏        ij                          xe2x80x83                          (                  1          -                                    kp              kij                                                  n              kij                                      )
where xcex94Yk is the predicted yield loss for a process k, kpk is the killing probability for a defect nk in a subspace ij, where i and j represent counters for a two dimensional parameter space. The step of calculating an overall predicted yield loss may be performed by calculating the overall predicted yield loss according to the equation       Δ              xe2x80x83            Y    =      1    -                  ∏        k                          (                  1          -                      Δ                                      xe2x80x83                                                  Y              k                                      )
where xcex94Yk is the predicted yield loss for a process k and xcex94Y is the overall predicted yield loss. The method may further include the step of graphically representing the predicted yield loss and the overall predicted yield loss. The step of classifying the defects may be performed automatically by a machine, such as a computer. This avoids manually inspection and classification. The step of applying statistical process control to the predicted yield loss per process step (xcex94Yk) is preferably included.

Yield prediction and statistical process control using predicted defect related yield loss


CMOS transistors are formed by a damascene process resulting in field oxide regions exhibiting essentially no bird's beak portions. A trench isolation is also formed in a source/drain region each transistor between adjacent junctions.

The escalating requirements for increased densification and performance in ultra-large scale integration semiconductor wiring require integrated circuits capable of operating at higher speeds while having reduced-size geometries and greater packing densities. The shrinkage of geometries into the submicron range has increased circuit density, reduced contact holes, and narrowed line widths. Consequently, the resistance of the device elements increases along with the resistance capacitance (RC) time constants, thereby limiting the overall device speed. The rapid drive toward increased densification has strained the limits of existing materials and methodology, thereby requiring responsive changes in various aspects of semiconductor manufacturing technology.
Conventional practices employed in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, such as bulk silicon CMOS devices, confront various fundamental performance and reliability limitations, particularly in scaling down the size of a device. These limitations include high junction capacitance, ineffective isolation and latch-up sensitivity. High junction capacitance is primarily attributed to high doping levels required to prevent transistor punch-through and parasitic leakage or field turn on. Scale down LOCOS techniques reduces the effective spacings separating adjacent active regions in a semiconductor substrate and, thereby, increases transistor cross-talk and/or latch-up problems. In order to overcome these problems, conventional practices involve the use of larger than minimum isolation spacings and areas, which is inconsistent with the requirements for high densification. Other conventional approaches comprise the use of inefficient guard ring/bar structures which also increases the die size. An increase in die size requires longer interconnects and, hence, results in products with reduced integrated circuit speeds, i.e., greater RC delays.
A conventional alternative design to avoid the disadvantages of the LOCOS techniques, or modified LOCOS techniques, comprises trench isolation. Advantages of trench isolation include improved latch up and field turn on. However, trench isolation is attendant upon various problems, such as I-V kinks, sidewall leakages, low gate oxide breakdowns, and require significantly more complicated manufacturing steps. In order to overcome trench induced sidewall leakages, higher doping is normally introduced along trench sidewalls. Such high doping increases the junction capacitance. The disadvantageous unreliability and performance attributed to the gate oxide and junction capacitance, respectively, render trench isolation unsatisfactory for high volume production.
Another conventional approach is known as silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structures, wherein, a buried oxide region is provided under the surface semiconductor substrate in the active region. SOI structures advantageously provide lower junction capacitance, improved isolation and improved latch up. However, SOI structures suffer from various problems, such as a high number of defects, I-V kinks due to floating body effects and lattice heating, high source/drain resistance and random threshold voltage behavior.
Other attempts to satisfy the requirements for increased densification include use of refractory metals and refractory metal silicides which exhibit high conductivity and low resistance and form highly reliable interconnect patterns. However, it has become increasingly difficult to achieve the requisite planarized topography to satisfy the demands for multilevel semiconductor devices. Damascene techniques have been developed which basically comprise forming an opening in a dielectric layer and filling the opening with conductive material. See, for example, Mo, U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,484 and Smith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,423.
There exists a need for a semiconductor device having an improved isolation structure, particularly for ultra high density integrated circuitry. There also exists a need for a simplified, efficient, cost-effective method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with improved isolation, which method can be integrated into conventional MOSFET methodology. There further exists a need for a method which simplifies deep-submicron technology and, facilitates the definition of gate electrode dimensions yielding a semiconductor device exhibiting lower junction capacitance, higher performance, improved reliability and particularly improved topography.

Reverse CMOS method for dual isolation semiconductor device


A surfboard leash apparatus is disclosed. The surf leash apparatus includes a cuff for attaching to a limb of a surfer, the cuff having an inner surface, the inner surface of the cuff having a pattern of compressible grips disposed thereon. The surf leash further includes an attachment mechanism for attaching to a surfboard, and a leash cord connected between the cuff and the attachment mechanism. The leash cord includes an elastic fiber rope core having a predetermined amount of stretch, and an extruded thermoplastic urethane cord surrounding the elastic fiber rope core. The extruded thermoplastic urethane cord has an elasticity corresponding to the predetermined amount of stretch of the elastic fiber rope.

The present invention relates to leashes used for surfboards or other similar devices such as bodyboards or paddleboards, and more particularly relates to a reinforced surfboard leash cord. Surfboard leashes are utilized as a means to connect surfers to their surfboards in a reliable manner with minimal drag. The main advantage of using a surfboard leash is that surfers don't easily become separated from the surfboards, thus alleviating the need to swim in order to recover the surfboard after a wipeout. If a surfer should become separated from a surfboard they could have to swim a considerable distance to recover the surfboard and risk fatigue or drowning. An additional advantage of using a surfboard leash is that the surfboard won't easily become dislodged and collide with other surfers causing damage or injury to either the surfboards or the surfers themselves.
Conventional surfboard leashes are comprised of a length of extruded thermoplastic urethane cord and connection parts such as molded joints, swivels, webbing, hook and loop fasteners, a leash string, and an ankle cuff. Typically, surfboard leashes are provided in the same length or slightly longer than the surfboard for which they are intended. Surfboard leashes are attached to surfboards on one end of the cord by connection parts and the other end securely connects the ankle cuff to the ankle of the surfer.
Extruded thermoplastic urethane leash cords have a minor amount of elasticity to reduce the brunt of the force applied to the surfer's leg when the surfer becomes momentarily separated from the surfboard after a wipeout. The cords are provided in varying diameters depending on the intended conditions of use. For example, conventional leash cords are provided in diameters such as 5 millimeters, 6 millimeters, or 8 millimeters. The thickness of the leash cord is directly proportional to the cords breaking strength. Typically, surfers use smaller diameter cords for small waves since small waves generally have less power and less force applied to the cord. Conversely, thicker diameter cords are utilized for big waves since big waves generally have more power and apply significantly more force to the cord. Additionally, the thickness of the leash cord is directly proportional to an increase in the amount of drag experienced while surfing. Increased drag can create a uncomfortable ride for the surfer or slow the desirable speed of the surfboard's acceleration in use.
Regardless of the diameter of the leash cord, extruded thermoplastic urethane cords can and do break during use. The breaking can be caused by many factors. For example, the surfboards fin can become entangled with the leash and slice the cord at high speed, which is known by surfers as "fin cuts". These "fin cuts" weaken the cord and reduce the breaking strength of the cord to the point of breakage under nominally applied force. Further, a bad formulation of the extruded TPU cord can result in weak spots within the cords construction that can cause breakage under the force of even traditionally small waves. Further still, surfing waves, regardless of size, can employ uncontrolled amounts of force to an object such as a surfboard since surfing waves are an unpredictable force of nature. As such, even a small wave might be able to apply enough force to break a thick surfboard leash cord. Thus, a need exists for surfboard leash cords that won't easily break due to the limitations mentioned above.


Antibodies and agents which can bind to the propeptide of the Int1p protein of yeast microorganisms such as Candida albicans are provided which can be useful in methods for treating or preventing infections arising from such microorganisms. Microorganisms expressing the Int1p protein, such as C. albicans and S. cerevisiae, have shown an ability to immunomodulate host cells which allows infections of these microorganisms to thrive and become virulent. The peptide regions involved in the activation of the Int1p protein are isolated and targeted so as to provide a method of disrupting activation and allow for treatment or prevention of infection by microorganisms expressing the int1p protein. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, an antibody or agent which can bind to the propeptide of the Int1p protein from C. albicans is utilized in methods to prevent or treat infections caused by C. albicans or other microorganisms expressing the Int1p protein.

The dimorphic yeast, Candida albicans, is the leading fungal pathogen in normal hosts and in patients with damaged immune systems. In normal hosts, disease caused by C. albicans ranges from mild, easily treated, superficial disease (e.g., thrush in newborn infants; paronychia in workers whose hands are immersed in water) to more severe, chronic or recurrent infections (e.g., candidal vaginitis). It is estimated that 5% of women of child-bearing age will suffer from recurrent candidal vaginitis (Hurley, Proc. R. Soc. Med. 70 (Suppl., 4), 1–8 (1970), and that virtually every woman will experience at least one episode during her reproductive years. Vaginitis is particularly frequent in otherwise normal females with diabetes or a history of prolonged antibiotic or oral contraceptive use. While short-term topical therapy is effective in treating individual episodes of vaginitis, such agents do not prevent recurrences. Thus, even in the normal host, infection with C. albicans can occur at epithelial surfaces, and recurrences are not prevented by presently available therapies.
In immunocompromised hosts such as cancer patients, transplant patients, post-operative surgical patients, premature newborns, or HIV-infected people, C. albicans ranks as the leading fungal pathogen. Invasion leading to systematic infection may also develop in neutropenic patients whose t-cell function is comprised. (Hostetter M K, Clinical Microbiology Reviews, January 1994, pp. 29–42.) In this population, disease ranges from aggressive local infections such as periodontitis, oral ulceration, or esophagitis in HIV-infected patients, to complex and potentially lethal infections of the bloodstream with subsequent dissemination to brain, eye, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, or bone. Such grave prognoses require more toxic therapy, with attendant consequences from both the underlying infection and the treatment. Here again, the infection typically begins at an epithelial site, evades local defenses, and invades the bloodstream in the face of immunosuppression. Strategies to interrupt candidal adhesion therefore have broad applicability to the prevention of mild but recurrent disease in the normal host and to the reduction of substantial morbidity and mortality in the immunocompromised.
It is well recognized that C. albicans adheres to epithelial and endothelial cells in the human host, often times by recognizing proteins of the extracellular matrix called ligands. These ligands include proteins such as fibronectin, vitronectin, fibrinogen, the C3 degradation fragment iC3b, or the shorter C3 degradation fragment C3d. Because recognition of all of these proteins except C3d appears to be dependent upon the amino acid sequence ARGININE-GLYCINE-ASPARTIC ACID (or R-G-D), these candidal adhesions are thought to operate like the vertebrate integrins and are called "integrin-like proteins" or "integrin analogs."
Vertebrate integrins are composed of two subunits: an α-subunit and a β-subunit. There are approximately 14α and 8β subunits described to date in vertebrate cells. Using monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies to vertebrate integrins, several investigators have obtained evidence for integrin-like proteins in C. albicans.
One such protein is the protein Int1p of Candida albicans, and this protein has been observed to function as an adhesin, to participate in morphologic switching of blastospores to hyphae, and has been linked to virulence in mice. Rapid mortality ascribable to INT1/INT1 strains suggested that Int1p may have an immunomodulatory role. Pathogenesis studies using a mouse fungemia model have linked Int1p mediated adhesion and filamentation to Candida albicans virulence (Gale et al., Science 279:1355–1358, 1998), and intravenous inoculation of an int1/int1 double disruption mutant (CAG3) is associated with reduced mortality and renal inflammation compared to the wild type INT1/INT1 strain (CAF2) (see Bendel et al., Mol. Genetics and Metabolism 67:343–351, 1999).
However, mortality rates from infections from organisms such as disseminated candidas remain high despite aggressive antifungal therapy (Todischini, J. Intern Dis. 1:S37–S41, 1997), and a highly effective method of treating or preventing diseases caused by Candida albicans and other similar microorganisms expressing Int1p has yet to be obtained.


The invention provides a method of forming a high-performance thin-film at low cost using a liquid material in safety, an apparatus to form a thin-film, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an electro-optical unit, and an electronic apparatus.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a thin-film, an apparatus to form a thin-film, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, an electro-optical unit, and an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
In the related art, in general, semiconductor devices used for various electronic apparatuses include layers, such as semiconductor layers, insulating layers, and conductive layers. A CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) process or a sputtering process is principally used to form such insulating layers and conductive layers. A thermal CVD process, a plasma-CVD process, a photo-CVD process, or the like using a monosilane gas or a disilane gas is used to form a silicon layer, which is one of such semiconductor layers.
In the related art CVD and sputtering processes, there is a problem in that an apparatus to form a thin-film is expensive and large because a high-precision vacuum unit and a power-supply unit to generate plasma and so on are necessary. In order to address or solve the above problem, other related art methods, which are different from the above related art methods of forming the thin-films, can be used.
For example, the related art includes a method of forming a desired thin-film by applying a liquid material onto a substrate to form a coating and then heat-treating the coating. The thin-film forming method includes: applying the liquid material onto a surface of the substrate, and heat-treating the coated surface. According to this method, thin-films can be formed with an inexpensive compact apparatus at high productivity and low cost, thereby manufacturing thin-film devices at low cost.
In the applying step, a coating process, such as a spin-coating process or a droplet-ejecting process (a so-called inkjet process) is usually used. The related art includes the following exemplary device, apparatus, etc., for the spin-coating process: a spinner having a cover that can be readily detached when a treating solution is changed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 5-154430), a coating apparatus in which coating liquid can be applied onto a treating substrate while a cover of a rotating container is closed (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-83762), and so on. For the inkjet process, the related art includes the following apparatus, etc.: an apparatus to form a uniform coating on a treating substrate in such a manner that the treating substrate and an inkjet head are rotated relative to each other while the angular speed and the moving speed are controlled, the inkjet head moves between a region close to the axis of rotation and a region far from the axis, and liquid is ejected from micro-nozzles of the inkjet head toward the treating substrate (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-10657) and so on.
For the heat-treating, the related art includes the following process, etc.: a process of firing an insulating coating in a firing furnace in which the oxygen content is adjusted to a certain value or less (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-213693) and so on. Furthermore, for the sequential steps including the applying and the heat-treating, for example, the related art includes the following method of forming a coating: coating liquid is dropped on a surface of a treating material; the resulting coating liquid is uniformly spread over the treating material surface; the resulting treating material, in which a part of the coating liquid for forming a coating is disposed at the periphery of the lower surface of the treating material, is transported to a vacuum drying apparatus; the treating material is dried to a certain degree; and the resulting treating material is then heated and dried (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-262720).

Method for forming thin-film, apparatus for forming thin-film, method for manufacturing semiconductor device, electro-optical unit, and electronic apparatus

Abstract: An apparatus to form a thin-film includes a coating unit to apply a liquid material containing a thin-film component onto a substrate and also includes heat-treating units to heat the substrate applied with the liquid material. The coating unit and the heat-treating units each include a control device to control the atmosphere in a treating chamber to treat the substrate.


A pixel driving circuit and method, an array substrate, and a display apparatus, wherein the pixel driving circuit comprises a data line, a first scan line, a signal control line, a light emitting device, a storage capacitor, a driving transistor and four switching transistors. The pixel driving circuit can avoid the influence on a driving current of an OLED caused by threshold voltage drift of a driving transistor, and improve the uniformity of a displayed image.

At present, Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) display is a focus topic in panel display research. Compared to Liquid Crystal Display, Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) has the advantages of low power consumption, low manufacture cost, self illumination, wide view angle and rapid response, etc., and begins to replace conventional LCD display screens in display fields, such as mobile phone, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and digital camera, etc. Pixel driving circuit design is a core technique of AMOLED display, and has important research significance.
Different from that Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) performs luminance control by using a stable voltage, OLED is a current-driven device and requires a stable current to perform luminance control. Due to manufacture process and device aging, etc., in an existing driving circuit comprising two transistors T1 and T2 and a storage capacitor C1 (please refer to FIG. 1), a driving current IOLED is generated by applying a voltage Vdata supplied from a data line on a saturation region of a driving transistor (DTFT). The driving current drives OLED to emit light, and can be calculated as: IOLED=K(VGS−Vth)2, wherein VGS is a voltage across a gate and a source of the driving transistor, and Vth is a threshold voltage of the driving transistor. The threshold voltages Vth of respective driving TFTs of pixels (that is, T2 in FIG. 1) are not uniform due to manufacture process and device aging, etc., thereby the currents flowing through respective OLEDs in pixels changing from one to another, and thus display quality of a whole image is affected.

Pixel driving circuit and method, array substrate, and display apparatus

BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., Ltd.


A bulk bag handling assembly, includes a bulk bag having a bottom and opposed pairs of peripheral side walls. A pair of outer lifting tine receiving channels are provided along the bottom in parallel spaced relation to one of the opposed pairs of peripheral side walls. A pair of inner lifting tine receiving channels positioned between the outer lifting tine receiving channels. The bulk bag handling assembly described can be used with a wide variety of lifting equipment.

Bulk bags are used to transport a wide variety of products. In order to facilitate movement of the bulk bags using lifting equipment, bulk bag handling assemblies are used which include tubular lift tine receiving members are secured to a bottom of the bulk bag. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,213,305 and 6,467,625 are examples of such bulk bag handling assemblies.


A radiator for an RF communication device (100) including a first member (311, 600) including a first conducting surface (601, 603) operable to provide a radiating surface, a second member (301) including a second conducting surface (303) operable to provide a near field reflector or ground plane surface, the first conducting surface and the second conducting surface being galvanically connected (by 401), wherein the first conducting surface is disposed at an angle relative to the second conducting surface and the first conducting surface includes a first conducting region (601) and a second conducting region (601) having between them a gap (621) having a portion (629) which is tapered.

Portable handheld RF communication devices such as cellular telephones, portable radios, data communication devices, and the like employ a radiator or antenna to radiate and receive RF signals. Monopole antennas are widely used as RF radiators in such devices. As such communication devices become more complex, e.g. by the incorporation of additional functional components such as cameras, advanced loudspeakers, and the like, extra functional requirements are imposed on the radiator system. There is also an ongoing search for ways to reduce the overall size and weight of such devices, including the radiator system.
Thus, it is expected in the future that the space available in a portable communication device for the radiator will decrease, since the overall size of the device will continue to decrease and/or the device will have to accommodate other functional components at the expense of the radiator. However, reducing the radiator size may negatively impact radiator gain and bandwidth. This follows from the fact that a radiator is used to transform a bounded wave into a radiating wave. However, when the dimensions of the radiator are much smaller than the wavelength of the RF radiation to be transmitted, the radiator performs this transformation with only a poor efficiency. The loss in radiator gain can to some extent be compensated for by amplification. However, this causes a greater energy consumption, e.g. from a battery of the device.
Another challenging task is that the distance available between the radiator and other components of the communication device, such as a camera unit or an advanced loudspeaker, is likely to be reduced as well. This requires careful selection of where components are placed in the communication device to give suitable operation of the radiator.
Thus there is a need for a new radiator (antenna) which addresses the above problems.


A system and method is provided for detecting fluid low-volume and occlusion in a device using force sensing resistor (FSR) sensor. One or more force sensing resistors are positioned in communication with a fluid channel at one or more of a pump intake and pump outlet to detect pressure in the fluid channel. The pressure is detected through communication with the force sensing resistor and indicates an irregular system condition including but not limited to, fluid low-volume level and occlusion. Also provided are a fluid flow sensor (e.g., FSR or MEMS sensor) disposed relative to an embedded fluid channel in the base of a wearable medicine delivery pump.

Occlusion of a fluid path is a complication where either the delivery to or withdrawal of fluid from a patient is partially or completely restricted. These include devices for subcutaneous (SC), intramuscular (IM), intradermal (ID) and intravenous (IV) delivery, access and sampling. For example, in an ambulatory insulin infusion system, both basal rate and bolus delivery of a medication fluid to a patient is typically provided by delivery of micro-boluses or fluid pulses through a fluid path (e.g., a tube) to generate the composite target total delivery volume and rate, and delivered to the patient via an infusion set. Generally, the boluses during the basal infusion are periodically delivered in short pulses over a regular interval (such as a period of 3 minutes) via a servo motor that actuates a piston. The actuated piston moves and biases the fluid in a fluid reservoir, thereby decreasing volume in the fluid reservoir and causing a controlled amount of medication fluid to flow from the fluid reservoir and into the fluid path. The infusion set receives the fluid flow and communicates the fluid into the patient. After delivering the bolus, the system waits for the period to expire to initiate a next delivery of medication. During delivery of higher volumes (such as for post-prandial meal boluses), the size of the small individual pulses may be increased and/or the time interval decreased to provide a greater total fluid volume and increased delivery rate.
As the fluid flows through the tube toward the infusion set, the induced pressure in the infusion system decays as a result of losses due to mechanical forces (e.g., static and dynamic friction, and so on). Further, other external or internal factors may further impede the flow of fluid. A partial kink in the tubing would reduce cross-sectional area in the fluid path, thereby reducing the rate of fluid able to traverse the fluid path and increasing pressure in the fluid path. The fluid path may be impeded by other factors such as crystal formation in the fluid, the presence of gaseous bubbles, impurities or other particles, backpressure from tissues in the patient, physical movement of the patient, movement of the fluid path, non-compliance of elastomeric components in the fluid path, and so on. When the fluid path is disrupted by any internal or external reason, the fluid path may experience a complete or partial occlusion that affects delivery of the medication fluid to the patient. In a similar adverse manner, a fluid reservoir low-volume level also affects delivery of the medication fluid to the patient.
The flow of the medication fluid in the fluid path is currently detected by measuring the force applied to the piston during piston actuation as described above. However, the force applied to the piston can reflect static and dynamic friction forces associated with the piston mechanism in addition to pressure in the fluid path. Thus, the force applied to the piston represents the combined static friction, dynamic friction, and other mechanical forces in addition to fluid pressure. The fluid pressure may in fact be a relatively small component of the overall force applied to reservoir piston, and accordingly piston force is not necessarily directly correlated to the pressure in the fluid path at the location of medication delivery. As a result, sensitivity is limited in these types of systems since the static and dynamic friction forces within the fluid reservoir dominate below approximately 2 psi. It may take multiple piston movements to determine that there is a fluid low-volume level or an occlusion occurring in the fluid path that is presently affecting medication delivery. Further, in the event that the pressure of the fluid reservoir is low, the static and dynamic friction forces associated with piston movement may be larger than the force required to move the liquid, thereby causing the pressure measurements during piston movement to be inaccurate and prevent detection of fluid low-volume levels or occlusions.
Occlusion events are responsible for premature removal of 5-15% of vascular access devices such as peripheral intra venous catheters (PIVCs) that are used both for patient fluid sampling and medication delivery. Evidence suggests that timed or scheduled removal of PIVC catheters without cause may not benefit patients and may add cost to healthcare treatment. In a PIVC catheter, occlusion may be a result of mechanical phenomena such as kinking or impingement of the catheter tip against the intima, biochemical effects such as precipitation of the infusate, and thrombus formation. In particular, thrombus aggregation in a catheter may cause an occlusion event that leads to other complications such as phlebitis. In a PIVC catheter, blood can enter the catheter during events such as placement of the catheter, as a result of pressure changes from movements of the catheter or associated tubing, during checks performed by medical staff, as a result of improper or incomplete flushing of the catheter, or via blood sampling. Each blood exposure event in the catheter can lead to build up of thrombus within or around a catheter to form a clot that reduces the diameter of the flow path. Consequently, more pressure is needed to deliver the same amount of fluid at a given rate with potentially dangerous consequences for the patient.
In conventional systems, a fluid low-volume level or an occlusion in the fluid path may be detected too slowly or not at all in some circumstances, with potentially dangerous consequences for the patient. For instance, if an undetected fluid low-volume level or occlusion occurs during insulin infusion, the patient may not receive a necessary amount of medication to prevent a potentially dangerous hyperglycemic event. Because the delivery of the medication fluid may be vital in delivery of medical service, there is a need for rapid detection of fluid low-volume levels and occlusions in medication delivery systems.
Accordingly, improved flow sensing is needed for accurate detection of fluid low-volume levels or occlusions. In addition, other flow sensing means are needed for different fluid delivery devices such as a patch pump or other device that does not employ a piston and cannot rely on measuring the force applied to a piston during piston actuation for flow sensing. Further, flow sensors that are in contact with the fluid can require rigorous testing and regulatory approval to ensure the sensors are biocompatible with the fluid. A need therefore also exists for medication delivery devices wherein a flow sensor need not come into direct contact with the fluid in the fluid path.

Force sensing resistor for liquid low-volume detection and occlusion sensing and methods and apparatuses for flow sensing along fluid path in fluid delivery device


A heat dissipation apparatus includes a heat sink configured to contact a heat source, and a fan mounted on the heat sink configured to generate airflow through the heat dissipation apparatus. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades, and a motor configured for rotating the fan. The motor is located a distance from the fan blades.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a heat dissipation apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic devices in computers, such as central processing units (CPUs), generate heat during normal operation, which can deteriorate their operational stability, and damage associated electronic devices if not dissipated. Thus, the heat must be removed quickly to ensure normal operation of the CPU. A typical heat dissipation apparatus includes a typical heat sink mounted on a CPU to remove heat, and a fan fixed on the heat sink to generate airflow through the heat dissipation apparatus. The typical fan includes a plurality of fan blades and a motor in the center of the fan for rotating the fan. However, the motor occupies some air intake area, lowering heat dissipation efficiency of the fan.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co. Ltd.


A ophthalmic aberrometer uses a wavefront sensor aligned with an eye under examination through an optical path and a light source for introducing a light beam into the eye via the optical path, wherein the optical path has a reference through which the light beam passes before passing to an eye retina to form a reference spot on the retina, a focus dynamic range extender, and an astigmatism dynamic range extender positioned in the optical path between the reference and an eye under examination. The wavefront sensor is positioned to receive a wavefront reflected from the eye retina via the optical path.

A human eye is subject to a variety of optical aberrations. Accurate measurement of optical aberrations is essential for precise correction by customized photo-refractive surgery, by use of customized contact lenses, or by use of customized intra-ocular lenses. Wavefront measurement is a commonly used method to determine optical aberrations of an eye, monitoring penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) healing, or providing quantitative error data.
Shack-Hartmann (SH) wavefront systems are known in the art for measuring ocular aberrations. Starting at the retina, an ideal wavefront is generated which passes through the optical path of the eye. As the wavefront exits the eye, it contains a map of the eye's aberrations for analysis by a lenslet array of a SH sensor. A lenslet array dissects the incoming light into a large number of sub-apertures, and then measures the wavefront slope across each sub-aperture. The sensor information is used to analyze the optical properties of the system which created the wavefront of the eye.
SH wavefront sensors suffer from problems with intensity modulation that introduce scintillation effects and non uniformity of retinal reflection. For example, spot shapes on the Hartmannogram are very irregular, which makes the error of estimation of the spots' centers rather large. To overcome this problem, existing systems collect multiple images over time and average the multiple images or collect an image over a long period of time to smooth out the scintillation effects. However, temporal and spatial errors are introduced into the data with these solutions.
Occluded or damaged corneas produce scatter and/or scintillation beyond those found in normal eyes. Scatter and scintillation produce amplitude fluctuation in SH lenslet images rendering a wavefront that is known to be inaccurate. Therefore eyes with larger scatter and/or scintillation are excluded from aberration measurements using existing SH aberrometers. The accuracy and limitations for the SH sensor are discussed by Pedro M. Prieto et al. "Analysis of the performance of the Hartmann-Shack sensor in the human eye" J. Opt. Soc. Am. Vol. 17 No. 8, August 2000, pgs. 1396-1398.
Existing SH wavefront sensors have a narrow dynamic range and suffer from a lack of high sensitivity. Existing SH wavefront systems only work with relatively clear lenses and corneas. Currently, no wavefront system exists that works well to produce objective data for eyes with scintillation and scatter, over a wide dynamic range, or varying amounts of accommodation.

Ophthalmic aberrometer for measuring aberrations in the eye


According to an embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor layer having a light emitting layer. The device also includes a p-side electrode provided on a first region including the light emitting layer; an n-side electrode provided on a second region layer not including the light emitting layer; and a first insulating film having a first opening communicating with the p-side electrode and a second opening communicating with the n-side electrode. A p-side interconnection is provided on the first insulating film and electrically connected to the p-side electrode through the first opening. An n-side interconnection is provided on the first insulating film and electrically connected to the n-side electrode through the second opening. The p-side interconnection has a plurality of protrusive parts protruding toward the n-side interconnection, and the n-side interconnection has a plurality of portions extending between the protrusive parts of the p-side interconnection.

Semiconductor light emitting devices that emit visible light such as white light or light of the other wavelength band will be widely used as small-sized and easily handled light sources. Such a device includes a semiconductor light emitting element and fluorescent substances, and emits light combining the radiations of the semiconductor light emitting element and the fluorescent substances. For example, housing a semiconductor layer separated from a substrate in a resin package realizes a small semiconductor light emitting device having a low height. However, the characteristics of the semiconductor light emitting device may vary depending on the stress applied to the resin sealed semiconductor layer.

Semiconductor light emitting device and method for manufacturing same


A timing control circuit for an electronic device is disclosed. The timing control circuit includes a first power supply voltage input, a second power supply voltage input, a third power supply voltage input, a first output, a second output, a switch circuit and a control circuit. The control circuit is connected with the switch circuit and configured to turn the switch circuit on/off. The switch circuit is connected between the first power supply voltage input and the first output and responds to the control circuit to delay, by means of adjustable (different capacitance values) capacitors, the power connections when the electronic device is turned on but to immediately disconnect the power connections when the electronic device is shut down, thereby controlling the sequence of power applications and avoiding the need for expensive chips or circuits.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to power supply management circuits and, particularly, to a timing control circuit and electronic device using the same.
2. Description of related art
Many electronic devices use dedicated chips to control the sequence of the power supplies of a display when the electronic devices are started, however, using such dedicated chips are expensive.

Timing control circuit and electronic device using the same


An improved approach to direction finding using a super delta monopulse beamformer is disclosed. A super delta channel signal that includes direction finding information from two circular delta channels is formed and output by the super delta monopulse beamformer. This super delta channel signal uses only two channels, but is able to realize the accuracy of conventional three channel systems.

Approaches to direction finding typically use relative phase and amplitude differences between channels to estimate the angle of arrival (AoA) of the incoming wave. Two conventional approaches employed in direction finding systems use either two or three channels, with higher precision in the three channel system. Signal processing is performed to obtain the azimuth and elevation.
Conventional direction finding beamformers typically create a sum channel and either one or two difference (i.e., delta) channels. Three channel systems offer improved accuracy over existing two channel systems at the expense of higher power requirements and more processing due to the requisite increase in the number of channels by 50%. Thus, in conventional systems, designers must choose between higher performance and lower cost (as determined by size, weight, and power).
Angle-of-arrival receivers compare the relative phase and/or gain of two or more input channels in order to estimate the arrival angle from which energy is impinging the aperture. A conventional monopulse aperture has four coplanar quadrants with a beamforming network that creates a single sum channel and one or more difference channels. These four coplanar quadrants may be denoted A, B, C, and D, and these quadrants may represent 90° physical slices the aperture. The four quadrants 100 of a representative circular aperture are illustrated in FIG. 1. Counterclockwise from the lower left, A is the lower left quadrant, B is the lower right quadrant, C is the upper right quadrant, and D is the upper left quadrant. However, which quadrant of an actual aperture is denoted by which reference letter is relative.
A conventional three channel implementation forms Σ=A+B+C+D, Δaz=A−B−C+D, and Δel=A+B−C−D, where Σ is the sum channel, Δaz is the horizontal difference channel (left minus right), and Δel is the vertical difference channel (top minus bottom). Such a system is depicted in three channel system 200 of FIG. 2. A two channel system forms Σ=A+B+C+D and one of two symmetrical delta patterns, Δ1=A+jB−C−jD (clockwise) or Δ2=A−jB−C+jD (counterclockwise), where j is the imaginary number √{square root over (−1)}. An example is illustrated in two channel system 300 of FIG. 3. Note that in FIG. 3, the clockwise circular delta has been selected. Direction finding information is split equally between these two noise-independent circular delta channels. Thus, systems that use a single circular delta channel lose direction finding information. This impacts the radius of uncertainty of the estimated AoA by roughly √{square root over (2)}. Thus, conventional two channel beamformers, while saving system resources (e.g., power and processing), do not perform direction finding as well as three channel systems. Accordingly, an improved direction finding system that maintains the accuracy of a three channel system with the power and processing requirements, and therefore the cost, of a two channel system may be beneficial.


Systems and methods for dynamically updating ranking of items retrieved in response to a search query are provided. Specifically, systems and methods according to the invention preferably decrease a value associated with a selected item and increase a value of non-selected items that, prior to the selection, had a lesser weight than the selected item. Alternatively, if the list was ranked from higher value to lowest value, the selected item would be rewarded by an increase in its score and the non-selected items that previously had a higher value would have their respective values decreased. It should be noted than any and all values and weights described herein may be normalized to ensure appropriate results. Alternative embodiments of the invention are directed to methods and systems for classifying groups of items into meta-products and then updating the rankings of the items based at least in part on the meta-product classification.

This invention relates to updating the items retrieved by a search engine in response to queries based on search terms.
One of the issues facing Internet shopping search engine providers is how to dynamically update the order of a list of items, alternatively referred to herein as rankings or ranking results, retrieved in response to a shopping search query and/or shopping search term. Specifically, the criteria by which the rankings results are continually updated require careful consideration in order to provide accurate results.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method for dynamically updating ranking of items retrieved in response to a search query.
It would also be desirable to provide systems and methods designed to adapt to changing conditions, such as changing user preferences, so that the ranking of items accurately and substantially continually reflects the relevance, and/or other suitable factors, of the retrieved items in response to a search term or search query.

Systems and methods for dynamically updating relevance of a selected item