A shift drive including an actuating mechanism, a rack, and a gear housing. The actuating mechanism is driven by a driving mechanism. The rack is linked with the actuating mechanism. The rack includes a connection portion connected to the actuating mechanism through a connecting member 301 The gear housing is provided with an induction gear that meshes with the rack. The gear housing includes a track slot includes a take-up release section and a straight rail section, and an end portion of the rack is capable of a recoverable deformation that can slide in or out of the take-up release section and the length of projection of the take-up release section on an extension line in the direction of the length of the straight rail section is less than the length of the track thereof.

The description in this portion provides only background information related to the disclosure of the present invention and does not constitute prior art.
In the prior art, an electronic gearbox adapted to an electronic shift driver (SBW, Shift By Wire) is capable of receiving a shift signal transmitted from the SBW, thereby performing a shift operation.
For example, the publication No. CN205136570U, Electronic Shift Driver for Automobiles, provides the applicant with a known embodiment consistent with the above description. In the known embodiment, after receiving a shift signal from a central control unit (TCU, Transmission Control Unit), a motor drives a driving wheel to rotate, and the driving wheel drives a screw to rotate via a belt and a driven wheel, so that a slider set on the screw moves axially. A bulge disposed on the slider can push against a rack to move it in a track, and then turn a magnetic gear to rotate. Rotation of the magnetic gear will produce a magnetic field change, so that a Hall sensor senses the magnetic field change to realize the gear identification information. The TCU adjusts the motor speed according to the gear identification information, and moves a push rod connected to the slider to a designated position, thereby completing the shift.
Since a P gear used for parking requires a mechanical means to lock a rotating part of an automobile, such electronic gearbox only needs to be driven by an external driving force supplied by the SBW when it is handed over to the P gear, and handover to R, N, and D gears can be performed by receiving shift signals supplied by the SBW.
That is, the electronic shift driver including the above-described known embodiment provided by the present applicant can provide the electronic gearbox with the driving external force for performing the handover to the P gear, but cannot provide the external force for performing handover to R, N, and D gears. Thus, this type of electronic shift driver is applicable only to electronic gearboxes capable of receiving R-gear, N-gear, and D-gear signals, and cannot be expanded to automatic gearboxes of which other technologies are already mature. This limits the popularity of the electronic shift driver and makes it being not applicable to automatic gearboxes that are intended to maintain the existing configuration without technical reconstruction, but are intended to achieve the same shifting function as electronic shifters.
It should be noted that, the above introduction to the background is merely for the convenience of clear and complete description of the technical solution of the present invention, and for the convenience of understanding of persons skilled in the art. It cannot be regarded that the above technical solution is commonly known to persons skilled in the art just because that the solution has been set forth in the background of the present invention.


The invention comprises a churning system for a vehicle that substantially freeze an edible mixture. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a churning system (20) may comprise a rotating assembly (26) and a bracket (24). The rotating assembly (26) may include an outer container (88) and an inner container (90) with a cooling cavity (92) disposed between the inner container (90) and the outer container (88). The outer container (88) may include an outer receptacle (94) having an opening (98) and an outer receptacle lid (96) sized to fit the opening (98). The inner container (90) may include an inner receptacle (100) having an opening (104) and an inner receptacle lid (102) sized to fit the opening (104). The cooling cavity (92) operates to contain a cooling media (110) for cooling an edible mixture (108) contained inside of the inner container (90).

Chilled and frozen foods are often prepared using a churning system that mixes the food while the food is being chilled or frozen. One such food often produced by a churning system is ice cream. Ice cream is typically produced by freezing an ice cream mixture in an ice cream maker.
Churning systems used to make ice cream are typically vertically oriented systems. For example, a common ice cream maker typically utilizes a vertically mounted cylindrical container that contains an ice cream mixture. The container rotates about a longitudinal axis of the container in an open bucket filled with salt and ice. The salt and ice cools the ice cream mixture as the container rotates in the bucket until the ice cream is frozen.
Conventional churning systems suffer from numerous disadvantages. For example, conventional churning systems may not be safe for children to operate. The container is rotating, often rotated by an electric motor, within the bucket. The clearances between the container and bucket may allow a child's hand to get caught and injured. Another disadvantage of conventional churning systems is that they are often large and bulky, and difficult to operate.


A focused ion beam apparatus and a focused ion beam irradiation method are disclosed. Even in the case where a magnetic field exists on the optical axis of an ion beam and the particular magnetic field undergoes a change, the ion beam is focused without separating the isotopes on the sample at the same ion beam spot position as if the magnetic field is not existent. A canceling magnetic field is generated on the optical axis of the ion beam from a canceling magnetic field generator thereby to offset the deflection of the ion beam due to the external magnetic field.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a technique for offsetting the deflection of an ion beam due to a geomagnetic field or a magnetic field intruding into an ion optics from another device and thus forming the ion beam spot on a sample at substantially the same position as if there is no magnetic field and a technique for avoiding the split of a beam spot which otherwise might occur in the case where the ion beam contains a plurality of types of isotopes.
2. Description of the Related Art
A FIB (focused ion beam) apparatus is used in practical applications to microprocess a sample or to observe an image of the sample by radiating a finely focused ion beam on the sample. The ion beam is deflected by the Lorentz force in the presence of a magnetic field on the optical axis. The accelerating voltage of the FIB apparatus is normally about several tens of kV, and therefore the beam spot may be displace several tens of μm or more by the geomagnetic field. Further, the normally used ion specie Ga Ga contains two types of isotopes Ga69 and Ga71 deflected to different degrees by a magnetic field, thereby posing the problem that the beam is split into two. The ion beam is split also in the case where ions form a cluster. For the beam spot displacement of about several tens of μm, the distance between the two types of ion beams split may reach about 1 μm depending on the difference of the mass-to-charge ratio. It is essential to avoid or suppress this phenomenon for the FIB apparatus which is used for the purpose of microprocessing on the order of nanometer. The simplest method of excluding the magnetic field on the optical axis is to magnetically shield the housing by covering it with a magnetic material as in the prior art. JP-A-11-329318 discloses a technique for magnetically shielding also the forward end portion of the FIB apparatus.
It is difficult, however, to magnetically shield a sample including the neighborhood thereof completely. The sample and the neighborhood thereof could be magnetically shielded almost completely if the whole apparatus is covered with a magnetic shield. It is often desired to form a hole in the magnetic shield, and in such a case, the magnetic field intrudes by way of the hole.
The FIB apparatus normally comprises an electric deflector for radiating the ion beam at the desired position on a sample. Although the displacement of the ion beam spot on the sample due to a magnetic field can be canceled using the electric deflector, it is impossible to prevent the separation of isotopes at the same time. The Wien filter is another means known to deflect the ion beam positively. However, this filter is used rather the purpose of strongly separating isotopes and removing the unnecessary isotope components by bombarding a wall (JP-A-7-296756). Therefore, the exit of the ion beam is very narrow, and in the presence of an external magnetic field, it is difficult for the ion beam to pass through the exit. In view of this, demand has arisen for a technique by which neither the ion beam spot is displaced nor isotopes separated even in the presence of a magnetic field on the optical axis of the ion beam.
This problem is more serious for the FIB-SEM comprising a FIB column and a SEM column combined with each other. The FIB-SEM has recently began to find practical applications as a combination of the observation SEM (scanning electron microscope) and the FIB apparatus to observe a sample processed by the FIB apparatus with a higher resolution. The SEM, which normally has an electromagnet as an objective lens, is required to use the type of a lens called the semi-in or snorkel lens leaking a magnetic field toward the sample to achieve a higher resolution. This magnetic field intrudes into an area on the optical axis of the FIB apparatus and strongly deflects the ion beam. In the case where the ion beam is configured of a plurality of types of beams having different mass-to-charge ratios, therefore, these beams are split from each other. In view of the fact that the ion beam is required to be radiated on a sample in the vicinity of the objective lens of the SEM, on the other hand, the optical axis of the ion beam cannot be magnetically shielded sufficiently. Another problem is that the arrangement of a magnetic shield in the vicinity of the SEM objective lens disturbs the magnetic field of the SEM objective lens and adversely affects the resolution of the SEM.
No technique has been disclosed to solve this problem. Under the circumstances, a FIB-SEM application using the SEM leaking the magnetic field to the neighborhood of a sample uses a method in which the magnetic field of the objective lens of the SEM is suspended during the microprocessing of the sample by the FIB apparatus while the FIB apparatus is stopped during the observation of the sample under the SEM. Even after the exciting current of the objective lens of the SEM is stopped, however, the magnetic field remains. This residual magnetic field changes with time, thereby posing the problem that the ion beam spot also moves with time. To avoid this problem, JP-A-11-329320 discloses a technique in which a demagnetization coil to remove the residual magnetic field is arranged in the neighborhood of the objective lens of the SEM. This method is bothersome to execute, however, in view of the need of demagnetization of the SEM objective lens each time the operation is switched from the SEM to the FIB apparatus.
In microprocessing a sample by the FIB apparatus while at the same time observing the sample under the SEM, an out lens not leaking the magnetic field is conventionally used as an objective lens of the SEM. With the increase in demand for a higher resolution of the SEM, however, the use of an objective lens of semi-in type has become unavoidable. Thus, a technique is in demand to realize the FIB apparatus and the FIB-SEM in which neither isotopes of the ion beams are not separated nor the position of the ion beam spot is not changed on the sample against the existence or a change of a magnetic field on the optical axis of the ion beam.

Focused ion beam apparatus and focused ion beam irradiation method


The present disclosure provides a method for cell reselection in a wireless communication system in which various radio access technologies (RATs) coexist with each other. In a wireless communication system in which heterogeneous networks coexist with each other, the method of cell reselection between heterogeneous networks for a user equipment may include: receiving a system information block (SIB) containing cell reselection parameters from a corresponding base station; checking whether cell reselection parameters based on a cell selection quality value (Squal) are configured in the received SIB; and performing, when cell reselection parameter based on Squal are not configured, cell reselection based on a cell selection receive level value (Srxlev). The present disclosure may prevent the user equipment from performing unnecessary cell reselection.

Recent advances in wireless communication technologies have caused repeated evolution of communication systems technologies. As such, network operators have to manage networks in which GSM (second generation mobile communication), UMTS and CDMA2000 (third generation mobile communication), and LTE (fourth generation mobile communication) coexist with each other. This has necessitated mobility support between heterogeneous wireless communication technologies, wireless communication systems, or Radio Access Technologies (RATs).
FIG. 1 illustrates the architecture of the LTE system, to which the present disclosure is applied.
Referring to FIG. 1, the radio access network of the LTE system is composed of Evolved Node Bs (ENB, Node B or base station) 105, 110, 115 and 120, Mobility Management Entity (MME) 125, and Serving Gateway (S-GW) 130. A user equipment (UE or terminal) 135 may connect to an external network through the ENBs 105 to 120 and the S-GW 130.
In FIG. 1, the ENBs 105 to 120 correspond to Node Bs of the existing UMTS system. The ENB is connected to the UE 135 through a radio channel, and may perform more complex functions in comparison to the existing Node B. In the LTE system, as all user traffic including real-time services like Voice over IP (VoIP) services is served by shared channels, an entity is needed to perform scheduling on the basis of status information collected from UEs such as information on buffer states, available transmit power and channels. Each of the ENBs 105 to 120 performs this scheduling function. In most cases, a single ENB controls multiple cells. To achieve a data rate of 100 Mbps, the LTE system utilizes Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) in, for example, a 20 MHz bandwidth as radio access technology. Adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) is employed to determine the modulation scheme and channel coding rate according to UE channel states. The S-GW 130 provides data bearers, and creates and releases a data bearer under control of the MME 125. The MME 125 performs various control functions including UE mobility management and is connected to multiple ENBs.
FIG. 2 illustrates a hierarchy of wireless protocols in the LTE system, to which the present disclosure is applied.
Referring to FIG. 2, for a UE and ENB in the LTE system, the wireless protocol stack is composed of Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) 205 or 240, Radio Link Control (RLC) 210 or 235, Medium Access Control (MAC) 215 or 230, and a physical layer (PHY) 220 or 225. The PDCP 205 or 240 performs compression and decompression of IP headers. The RLC 210 or 235 reconfigures PDCP PDUs (Protocol Data Unit) to a suitable size. The MAC 215 or 230 is connected to multiple RLC layer entities in the same UE, and multiplexes RLC PDUs into MAC PDUs or demultiplexes MAC PDUs into RLC PDUs. The physical layer 220 or 225 converts higher layer data into OFDM symbols by means of channel coding and modulation and transmits the OFDM symbols through a wireless channel, or converts OFDM symbols received through a wireless channel into higher layer data by means of demodulation and channel decoding and forwards the data to higher layers. For additional error correction, hybrid ARQ (HARQ) is used in the physical layer, and the receiving end sends 1-bit HARQ ACK/NACK information indicating whether a packet transmitted by the transmitting end is received. Downlink HARQ ACK/NACK information as to uplink transmission may be sent through Physical Hybrid-ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH), and uplink HARQ ACK/NACK information as to downlink transmission may be sent through Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) or Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH).
Meanwhile, an LTE UE in the idle mode may perform cell reselection owing to movement or the like. For movement between cells of different (heterogeneous) RATs (e.g. GSM and UNITS), the LTE UE may use a cell selection receive level value (referred to as Srxlev) in a form of received signal strength indication and a cell selection quality value (referred to as Squal) in a form of received signal quality indication according to versions.
Srxlev and Squal are computed by Equation 1 given below.Srxlev=Qrxlevmeas−(Qrxlevmin+Qrxlevminoffset)−PcompensationSqual=Qqualmeas−(Qqualmin+Qqualminoffset)  [Equation 1]
Here, Qrxlevmeas indicates measured received signal strength and Qqualmeas indicates measured received signal quality. Qrxlevmin indicates minimum power required for operation and Qqualmin indicates minimum quality required for operation. Qrxlevminoffset indicates power offset for base stations with a higher priority and Qqualminoffset indicates quality offset for base stations with a higher priority. Pcompensation indicates a correction parameter set for uplink transmission power of the UE.
The Srxlev value is computed based on Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) in LTE and is computed based on Received Signal Code Power (RSCP) in UMTS. The Squal value is computed based on Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) in LTE and is computed based on the value of Ec/No in UMTS (the received energy per chip (Ec) of the pilot channel divided by the total noise power density (No)).
When multiple RATs (e.g. GSM, UMTS and LTE) coexist with each other as described above, a UE may have to perform inter-RAT cell reselection. Here, as different RATs employ different communication schemes, the UE may have to use different cell reselection criteria. For example, for cell reselection, only Srxlev is used in GSM, CDMA2000, UMTS and the early LTE system (Release 8 or Rel-8). However, Srxlev and Squal may be used in the recent LTE system (from Release 9 or Rel-9).
This is described in more detail below in connection with the LTE system.
At inter-RAT cell reselection based on Srxlev in LTE Rel-8, when SnonServingCell,x of a cell on evaluated frequency is greater than Threshx,high during a time interval TreselectionRAT, cell reselection to the cell is performed. Here, SnonservingCell,x is the Srxlev value of a cell being measured, and the values Threshx,high and TreselectionRAT are transmitted by the LTE base station through preset SIBs or the like. For example, Threshx,high and TreselectionRAT values for UMTS are transmitted through SIB6; Threshx,high and TreselectionRAT values for GSM are transmitted through SIB7; and Threshx,high and TreselectionRAT values for CDMA2000 are transmitted through SIB8.
However, in LTE Rel-9 and later, cell reselection may be performed on the basis of Srxlev and Squal according to circumstances. That is, in LTE Rel-9 and later, when the threshServingLowQ value is provided through SIB3, cell reselection is performed based on Squal. Otherwise, cell reselection is performed based on Srxlev. Specifically, in the event that the threshServingLowQ value is provided through SIB3, cell reselection to a UMTS cell is performed when Squal is greater than Threshx,HighQ during a time interval TreselectionRAT; and cell reselection to a GSM or CDMA2000 cell is performed when Srxlev is greater than Threshx,HighP during a time interval TreselectionRAT. In the event that the threshServingLowQ value is not provided through SIB3, cell reselection to a UNITS, GSM or CDMA2000 cell is performed when Srxlev is greater than Threshx,Highp during a time interval TreselectionRAT. TreselectionRAT, Threshx,HighQ and Threshx,HighP values are transmitted through preset SIBs. More specifically, TreselectionRAT, Threshx,HighQ and Threshx,HighP values for UMTS are transmitted through SIB6; TreselectionRAT and Threshx,HighP values for GSM are transmitted through SIB7; and TreselectionRAT and Threshx,HighP values for CDMA2000 are transmitted through SIB8.
Accordingly, up to LTE Rel-8, inter-RAT cell reselection may be performed solely on the basis of Srxlev. However, when a latest LTE system (LTE Rel-9 or later) coexists with existing 2G and 3G systems, the following problem may arise. That is, a UE may perform inter-RAT cell reselection based on Srxlev while remaining in a GSM, CDMA2000 or UMTS cell, and perform inter-RAT cell reselection based on Squal while remaining in an LTE cell. In this case, the UE in the LTE cell may perform Squal-based cell reselection to a UMTS cell owing to a low Squal value. Immediately thereafter, the UE in the UMTS cell may perform Srxlev-based cell reselection to an LTE cell owing to a low Srxlev value. Such a ping-pong effect should be resolved.
FIG. 3 illustrates a problem that may arise at cell reselection when multiple RATs coexist with each other.
In FIG. 3, the UE 301 capable of supporting LTE, UMTS and GSM communication remains in an LTE base station 303 at time T1. At operation 311, the UE supporting LTE Rel-9 performs Squal-based cell reselection to a UMTS cell. At operation 313, the UE remaining in the UMTS cell performs cell reselection to a GSM cell using a permitted measurement scheme. As the UE supports GSM Rel-6, the UE cannot perform Squal-based cell reselection in the GSM cell. At operation 315, the UE in the GSM cell performs Srxlev-based cell reselection back to the LTE cell. After returning to the LTE base station, at operation 317, the UE performs Squal-based cell reselection to the UMTS cell. At operation 319, the UE in the UMTS cell performs cell reselection to the GSM cell using a permitted measurement scheme. In this way, inter-RAT cell reselection using different schemes in different systems may cause a ping-pong effect.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for reselecting a cell in heterogeneous networks in a wireless communication system


A ferroelectric memory device includes an array of memory cells each having a cell transistor and a ferroelectric capacitor, an insulator film overlying the ferroelectric capacitor and including SiNx or SiOxNy, and a protective layer interposed between the insulator film and the ferroelectric capacitor. The ferroelectric capacitor is protected by a protective layer against degradation of storage and programming characteristics which may be caused by the insulator film. The protective layer includes Ir, IrO2, Ru, RuO2 or Al2O3. The ferroelectric capacitor is also protected against water by the insulator film overlying the first protective layer.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ferroelectric memory device having a protective layer and, more particularly, to a ferroelectric memory device having a ferroelectric capacitor and a memory cell transistor in combination in each memory cell.
(b) Description of a Related Art
A ferroelectric memory device including a ferroelectric capacitor having a ferroelectric film as a capacitor film is extensively developed for use in a variety of electronic applications. The ferroelectric capacitor stores data by using the state of polarization of the ferroelectric film sandwiched between electrodes of the ferroelectric capacitor, wherein the ferroelectric film has a remnant polarization capable of being switched in the direction thereof by an applied voltage.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a memory cell having a ferroelectric capacitor in a conventional ferroelectric memory device, and FIG. 2 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the memory cell of FIG. 1. The memory cell 30 includes a cell transistor 24 implemented by a FET and a cell capacitor 25 implemented as a ferroelectric capacitor. The FET 24 has a pair of source/drain regions 18 including one connected to a bit line BL extending in a row direction and the other connected to a first electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor 25, and a gate connected to a word line WL extending in a column direction. The ferroelectric capacitor 25 has a second electrode connected to a plate line PL extending in the column direction. A plurality of memory cells are arranged in a matrix to form a memory cell array of a large-scale ferroelectric memory device.
FIG. 3 shows a hysteresis polarization characteristic of the ferroelectric film, with the applied voltage (volts) and the polarization (xcexccoulomb per centimeter) of the ferroelectric film being plotted on the abscissa and the ordinate, respectively. The applied voltage is plotted in a positive direction if the plate line PL is applied with a positive voltage with respect to the bit line BL. When the word line WL and the bit line BL are applied with 5 volts, for example, and the plate line PL is applied with zero volt, the ferroelectric film stays at point xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d of the polarization curve in FIG. 3, and then shits to point xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d if the bit line BL is subsequently applied with zero volt with the remaining lines being maintained at the previous voltages.
On the other hand, when the word line WL and the plate line PL are applied with 5 volts, with the bit line being applied with zero volt, the ferroelectric film stays at point xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d, and then shits to point xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d if the plate line PL is applied subsequently with zero volt. By defining xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d for the state of the ferroelectric film at point xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d for the state at point xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d, the ferroelectric capacitor stores data after applying the described voltages.
It is desirable that the ferroelectric film have a large difference between the remnant polarizations at points xe2x80x9cDxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d for improving the storage characteristic and programming. characteristic. The term xe2x80x9cstorage characteristicxe2x80x9d means reliability of the ferroelectric capacitor storing the data without an error whereas the term xe2x80x9cprogramming characteristicsxe2x80x9d means resistance or tolerance of the ferroelectric capacitor against defects due to a large number of times for overwriting of the stored data.
FIGS. 4 and 5 depict cross-sections of the memory cell of FIG. 1 taken along lines IVxe2x80x94IV and Vxe2x80x94V, respectively, in FIG. 1. The cell transistor includes source/drain regions 18 implemented by n+-diffused regions in the surface region of the semiconductor substrate 11, and a gate 17 formed on the semiconductor substrate 11 with an intervention of a gate oxide film not shown in the figure. The bit line including Al as a main component thereof is connected to one of the source/drain regions 18 of the cell transistor.
The ferroelectric capacitor 25 is disposed above the cell transistor, and includes a bottom electrode 13, a ferroelectric film 14 and a top electrode 15. The ferroelectric capacitor 25 is protected by a cover film 19 made of SiO2, for example.
An alumina (Al2O3) film may be interposed between the ferroelectric capacitor 25 and the cover film 19 for prevention of thermal evaporation of elements constituting the ferroelectric material during the fabrication process, as described in xe2x80x9cProceedings of International Symposium on Integrated Ferroelectricsxe2x80x9d, for example. The top electrode 15 is connected to the other of the source/drain regions 18 through an interconnect layer 16.
In the Configuration of the conventional ferroelectric memory device, the word line WL implements the gate electrodes 17 of the cell transistors, whereas the plate line PL implements the bottom electrodes 13 of the ferroelectric capacitors 25. The ferroelectric film 14 is made from PZT [(Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O3] or SBT [SrBi2(Nb,Ta)2O9]
The ferroelectric film 14 is generally formed in an oxidation ambient, often followed by a thermal annealing treatment in an oxygen ambient for stabilization of the ferroelectric film 14. In view of the thermal annealing, noble metals such as Pt or Ir, or conductive oxides such as IrO2 and RuO2 having an acid resistance are generally used for the material of the top and bottom electrodes. On the other hand, a layered structure including WSi2 film, TiN film and Al film is generally used for the material of the interconnect layer 16 in view of the feasibility of fine patterning, excellent adherence with respect to Si or SiO2 and a low resistivity.
In a thermal treatment during fabrication of the ferroelectric memory device, it is known that Si diffuses into the Al film if the Al film is disposed in direct contact with Si in the diffused region. This may cause destruction of the p-n junction formed between the diffused region 18 and the semiconductor substrate 11. A TiN film is often used as a barrier film for prevention of the mutual diffusion between Al and Si, whereby the layered structure for the interconnect layer 16 includes, as mentioned above, WSi2, TiN and Al as viewed from the bottom. In this configuration, it is considered that TiN has a poor adherence with respect to Si and SiO2 and a high contact resistance with respect to Si, and that WSi2 has a function for suppressing degradation of the polarization characteristic of the ferroelectric material after formation of the interconnect layers, as described in Patent Publication JP-A-10-095846.
An interlayer dielectric film 20 such as silicon oxide film is deposited on the interconnect layer 16, followed by formation of a protective layer (insulator film) 21 such as SiNx film or SiOxNy film for prevention of water, as described in Patent Publication JP-A-4-15957. The SiNx film or SiOxNy film as used herein protects the interconnect layer having Al as a main component thereof against corrosion due to water entering from atmosphere.
FIGS. 6A to 6C show sectional views, taken along line Vxe2x80x94V in FIG. 1, of the memory cell in consecutive steps of fabrication thereof. In FIG. 6A, the ferroelectric capacitor 25 including the bottom electrode 13, the ferroelectric film 14 and the top electrode 15 is formed on an interlayer dielectric film 26, followed by formation of the cover film 19 thereon. Subsequently, via holes 27 are formed for exposing the diffused regions 18 of the substrate 11 and the top electrode 15 of the ferroelectric capacitor 25, as shown in FIG. 6B. Thereafter, the interconnect layer 16 for connecting one of the diffused regions 18 and the top electrode 15 as well as the bit line are formed. Further, the interlayer dielectric film 20 and the protective film 22 such as SiNx film or SiOxNy film are consecutively formed on the interconnect layer 16 and the bit line, as shown in FIG. 6C. The protective film 22 is formed by using a plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) process at a substrate temperature of about 300xc2x0 C.
The PECVD process as used for depositing the protective film 22 has a problem in that the process causes reduction of the remnant polarization of the ferroelectric film. It is considered that the reduction results from the tensile stress acting on the ferroelectric film 14 and generated by lowering the temperature of the SiNx film or SiOxNy film (referred to sometimes as simply SiNx film hereinafter) 22 after the formation thereof.
The fact that the ferroelectric film has a remnant polarization without a continued applied voltage results from the tolerance of the ferroelectric film, which is generated by the crystal strain for resisting the Coulomb force canceling the remnant polarization. Thus, the polarization characteristic of the ferroelectric film is generally affected by the stress acting on the ferroelectric film.
It can be understood that the PECVD process for the SiNx film generates a thermal stress acting as a tensile stress on the ferroelectric film, from the following description.
When the substrate temperature is raised up to 300xc2x0 C. for the PECVD process, both the interconnect layer and the ferroelectric film thermally expand. Since the interconnect layer made of a metal or alloy has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion compared to the ferroelectric film, the ferroelectric film is applied with a tensile stress by the interconnect layer at this stage. While the substrate temperature is lowered after the deposition of the SiNx film, the interconnect layer contracts. The contraction of the interconnect layer is prevented by the ferroelectric film having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion.
Therefore, after the substrate temperature is lowered to a room temperature, the thermal stress acting as the tensile stress remains on the ferroelectric film as the residual stress. The reduction of the remnant polarization is considered due to the residual tensile stress on the ferroelectric film. The reduction of the remnant. polarization degrades the storage characteristic and the programming characteristic of the ferroelectric capacitor.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a ferroelectric memory device having a ferroelectric capacitor in each memory cell, which has an excellent storage characteristic and an excellent programming characteristic.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating the ferroelectric memory device as described above.
The present invention provides a ferroelectric memory device including: an array of memory cells each having a cell transistor and a ferroelectric capacitor formed on a semiconductor substrate: a peripheral circuit: an interconnection structure for connecting the cell transistor, the ferroelectric capacitor and the peripheral circuit to store data in each of the memory cells, the ferroelectric capacitor including a bottom electrode, a ferroelectric film and a top electrode, the interconnection structure including a first interconnect layer in contact with the top electrode: an interlayer dielectric film formed on the first interconnect layer: an insulator film overlying the interlayer dielectric film and including at least one of SiNx and SiOxNy: and a protective layer disposed between the interlayer dielectric film and the insulator film and having a higher modulus of elasticity than said interconnect layer.
The protective layer preferably includes at least one of Ir, IrO2, Ru, RuO2 and Al2O3 as a main component thereof.
The present invention also provides a method for fabricating a ferroelectric memory device including the steps of: forming a cell transistor on a semiconductor substrate in each cell area: forming a ferroelectric capacitor overlying the cell transistor in the each cell area, the ferroelectric capacitor including a bottom electrode, ferroelectric film and a top electrode: forming an interconnect layer in contact with the top electrode: forming an interlayer dielectric film on the interconnect layer: forming a protective layer overlying the interlayer dielectric film, the protective layer having a higher modulus of elasticity than the interconnect layer: and forming an insulator film overlying the protective layer, the insulator film including at least one of SiNx or SiOxNy.
In accordance with the ferroelectric memory device of the present invention or manufactured by the method of the present invention, the protective layer suppresses reduction of the remnant polarization of the ferroelectric film during formation of the insulator film including SiNx or SiNOxNy to improve the storage characteristic and the programming characteristic of the ferroelectric capacitor, due to the higher modulus of elasticity of the protective layer, which prevents transferring of the stress during formation of the insulator layer.

Ferroelectric memory device having a protective layer


A vinyl ester/ethylene copolymer is prepared by emulsion copolymerization of a monomer mixture comprising at least one vinyl ester, ethylene, a stabilizing system comprising polyvinyl alcohol and a free radical redox polymerization initiator system comprising i-butyl hydroperoxide as an oxidizing agent and at least one of a sulfuric acid-based compound and erythorbic acid or a salt thereof as a reducing agent. The monomer mixture comprises from 70 wt % to 95 wt % of said at least one vinyl ester and from 5 wt % to 30 wt % of ethylene based on the total weight of monomers in said mixture and the copolymer has a formaldehyde content of less than 5.0 ppmw as determined by ISO-15173.

Aqueous emulsions containing copolymers of vinyl esters and ethylene, and especially vinyl acetate and ethylene (VAE copolymers) are well known as binders for paints and for adhesives for use in the wood, paper and packaging industries. It is also known to use vinyl ester/ethylene emulsion copolymers in powder form in self-leveling flooring screeds and ceramic tile adhesives. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,941 discussed in more detail below.
For an increasing number of applications, industry standards and/or government regulations require that emulsion copolymers be very low in residual monomer content and content of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). One VOC component which is frequently singled out for specific control is formaldehyde, since formaldehyde is suspected to be a human carcinogen and can be produced by decomposition of some components which are conventionally used in emulsion polymerization processes and products.
One potential source of formaldehyde in emulsion polymerization is the redox initiator system, since a common reducing agent used in such systems is sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, which can dissociate to form free formaldehyde. There is therefore significant interest in developing new redox initiator systems for emulsion polymerization which minimize or avoid the generation of formaldehyde, without impairing the properties of the resultant polymer. For example, in the case of use in self-leveling flooring screeds, it is important that the vinyl ester/ethylene copolymer exhibits good adhesive and flow properties and shows early strength on curing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,635,725 discloses a method for producing an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer aqueous emulsion comprising co-polymerizing monomers comprising ethylene and vinyl acetate by using a formaldehyde-free redox catalyst comprising a transition metal salt and an erythorbic acid, as the reducing agent thereof, and 1.8 to 10 mol of hydrogen peroxide, as an oxidizing agent thereof, per one mol of the erythorbic acid. The use of such a controlled amount of hydrogen peroxide is said to be necessary to avoid discoloration of the ccopolymer which is used as a binder for a paper coating composition.
According to the present invention it has now been found that a redox-system comprising a reducing agent based on erythorbic acid and/or sulfinic acid in combination with t-butyl hydroperoxide, as an oxidizing agent, is an effective formaldehyde-free initiator for the emulsion polymerization of a vinyl ester/ethylene monomer mixture. Moreover, when dehydrated into powder form, the resultant copolymer has excellent properties for use in self-leveling flooring screeds and ceramic tile adhesives.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,941 discloses a process for forming an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer dispersion in the presence of a surfactant-free stabilizing system consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, and in the presence of from 0 to 10 percent by weight of a seed polymer based on the weight of the dispersion, wherein said copolymer dispersion has a solids level of greater than 65 percent by weight, and a viscosity of less than 5000 mPa·s when measured at 55 percent solids at 25° C. Suitable polymerization initiators are said to include hydrogen peroxide, sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, ammonium persulfate, and t-butyl hydroperoxide, which can be used alone or together with reducing agents such as sodium formaldehyde-sulfoxylate, iron-II-salts, sodium dithionite, sodium hydrogen sulfite, sodium sulfite, sodium thiosulfate, ascorbic acid, and erythorbic acid. In the Examples a redox couple comprising sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate and t-butyl hydroperoxide is used. Spray drying of the resultant copolymer dispersion is said to produce a free flowing redispersible powder useful in floor screeds and ceramic tile adhesives.

Low formaldehyde vinyl ester/ethylene emulsion copolymers


There is provided a wiring substrate. The wiring substrate includes: a first wiring layer; a first insulating layer on the first wiring layer; a first coupling agent layer on the first insulating layer; a first copper/tin alloy layer on the first coupling agent layer; a first via hole formed through the first copper/tin alloy layer, the first coupling agent layer, and the first insulating layer to reach the first wiring layer; a metal catalyst provided on only a sidewall of the first via hole; a seed layer provided on the metal catalyst and formed only on the sidewall of the first via hole; and a metal plating layer formed on the first copper/tin alloy layer and the seed layer and filled in the first via hole to contact the first wiring layer.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a wiring substrate on which an electronic component such as a semiconductor chip is mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, there is a wiring substrate on which an electronic component such as a semiconductor chip is mounted. In an example of the wiring substrate, a built-up wiring layer is formed on one surface or both surfaces of a core substrate according to a semi-additive method.
In recent years, a narrower pitch of a wiring layer of the wiring substrate has been developed according to high performance of an electronic component such as a semiconductor chip (see e.g., JP-A-61-113296, JP-A-2002-252459 and JP-A-2009-188429).
As described in the following section of preliminary matters, in a case of forming a multilayer wiring structure using the semi-additive method, a surface of an insulating resin layer is roughened by etching when a desmear process is performed on the inside of a via hole. Thus, a wiring layer can be formed on the insulating resin layer with good adhesion due to an anchor effect.
In recent years, there has been a demand for making a wiring layer finer in a wiring substrate according to miniaturization and high performance of a semiconductor chip.
If a surface of an insulating resin layer is uneven, particularly, if a pitch of a wiring layer is narrowed, a residue tends to occur when a seed layer is etched, and thus wiring layers are easily electrically short-circuited to each other. In addition, there is a problem in that a transmission loss of a high frequency signal tends to occur in a wiring layer formed on the uneven insulating resin layer.
As such, in the method of roughening the surface of the insulating resin layer so as to secure adhesion of the wiring layer with respect to the insulating resin layer, it is difficult to form a wiring layer having the line width of 10 μm or less with high reliability, and a technique is required in which a fine wiring layer is formed on a smooth resin layer with good adhesion.


A nitride semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a Group III nitride semiconductor; and an insulating film containing oxygen formed on the surface of the Group III nitride semiconductor, wherein the nitrogen concentration in a region provided with the insulating film is higher than the nitrogen concentration in a region not provided with the insulating film on the surface of the group III nitride semiconductor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nitride semiconductor device using a Group III nitride semiconductor and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a power device using a silicon semiconductor is used for a power amplifier circuit, a power supply circuit, a motor drive circuit, or the like. However, from theoretical limitations of the silicon semiconductor, high withstand voltage, low resistance, and high speed of the silicon device have nearly reached their limits, which leads to difficulties in satisfying market needs.
Therefore, consideration has been given to the development of a nitride semiconductor device having characteristics such as high withstand voltage, high-temperature operation, a large current density, high-speed switching, low on-resistance, and the like.
FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view for illustrating the structure of a conventional field-effect transistor (nitride semiconductor device) using a group III nitride semiconductor.
This field-effect transistor includes a sapphire substrate 81 and an n-p-n laminated structure 93 formed by an undoped GaN layer 82, an n-type GaN layer 83, a p-type GaN layer 84 and an n-type GaN layer 85 successively laminated from the side closer to the sapphire substrate 81. A mesa-like laminated portion 92 is formed in the laminated structure 93 by performing dry etching from the surface of the n-type GaN layer 85 up to an intermediate portion of the n-type GaN layer 83. The mesa-like laminated portion 92 has slopes 91 inclined at a prescribed angle with respect to the lamination interfaces of the laminated structure 93 on both sides thereof. A gate insulating film 86 made of SiO2 (silicon oxide) is formed on the surface (including the slopes 91) of the laminated structure 93. The gate insulating film 86 is provided with contact holes partially exposing the n-type GaN layer 85 and the n-type GaN layer 83 respectively. A source electrode 88 is formed on the n-type GaN layer 85 exposed from the corresponding contact hole. The source electrode 88 is electrically connected to the n-type GaN layer 85. On the other hand, drain electrodes 89 are formed on the n-type GaN layer 83 exposed from the corresponding contact holes. The drain electrodes 89 are electrically connected to the n-type GaN layer 83. Gate electrodes 87 are formed on the gate insulating film 86 in portions opposed to the slopes 91. Interlayer dielectric films 90 made of polyimide are interposed between the adjacent ones of the source electrode 88, the drain electrodes 89 and the gate electrodes 87, to isolate the same from one another.
In the field-effect transistor having the aforementioned structure, the gate insulating film 86 is formed by depositing SiO2 on the surface of the laminated structure 93 by a method utilizing plasma such as CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) or ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) sputtering, for example.
SiO2 employed for the gate insulating film 86 can reduce gate leakage current resulting from a tunnel effect. Therefore, SiO2 is preferably used as the material for a gate insulating film.
Around the surface of the laminated structure 93 made of GaN, however, nitrogen vacancies are formed due to the lack of nitrogen atoms (N atoms) of the GaN crystal lattice in the steps of forming the slopes 91 by the dry etching and forming the gate insulating film 86 with the plasma. Therefore, the surface level (interfacial level) density of the interface is increased on the interface between the surface of the laminated structure 93 and the gate insulating film 86 made of SiO2 containing oxygen as the main element, and a large number of surface charges (interfacial charges) are generated. When the surface level density of the interface between the surface of the laminated structure 93 and the gate insulating film 86 is increased, surface leakage current (off-leakage current) flowing on the surface of the laminated structure 93 is disadvantageously increased.

Nitride semiconductor device including a group III nitride semiconductor structure


The thermosetting resin composition which is valuable for an undercoat of a printed wiring board, and does not leave an air bubble in a cured film, and makes the surface polishing easy and can form a smooth printed wiring board comprises (I) an adduct of epoxy resin with unsaturated aliphatic acid, (II) a (meth) acrylate, (III) a radical polymerization initiator, (IV) a crystallizable epoxy resin, and (V) a latent curing agent.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a thermosetting resin composition, suitable for use in a process for preparing a smooth board. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thermosetting resin composition suitable for an undercoat of a printed wiring board without unevenness on its surface.
2. Discussion of Background
A printed wiring board is a board on which a conductor circuit is formed on one or both sides of an insulating substrate. It may be further coated with a protective layer of solder-resist as a topcoat.
However, a conventional printed wiring board coated with a topcoat has a defect in that hollows (6) form in the surface of the topcoat (2) as shown in FIG. 7. As a result, there have been problems in that reliable connections cannot be obtained when electronic parts are mounted and a fine particles of solder enter the hollows (6), to causing short-circuits.
The present inventors have studied the above-described problems and have concluded that the hollows (6) on the surface of the topcoat (2) are brought about by the recesses (7) on the surface of the insulating substrate (4) formed by the presence of the conductor circuit (3) as shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, in order to obtain a smooth topcoat without unevenness, a thermosetting resin is filled into the recesses (7) between the conductor circuits and cured to form an undercoat (1) and then the undercoat (1) is polished to form a smooth surface to which the topcoat (2) is laminated as shown in FIG. 1.
Various kinds of thermosetting resin compositions have been proposed as a surface coating agent for a printed wiring board. For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 63-81187 and Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 63-154780 describe a thermosetting resin composition comprising an epoxymethacrylate resin, a copolymerizable crosslinking agent such as acrylic ester and the like, a radical polymerization initiator, a liquid epoxy resin and a curing agent.
However, when the resin composition described in the above-described publications is applied to a printed wiring board as the above-described undercoat, air bubbles often remain in the resin coated. As a result, air bubbles remain in the hardened film (undercoat) and so the properties of the printed wiring board, such as heat resistance, humidity resistance and the like suffer. Therefore, the resin composition described in the above-described publications is not suitable as an undercoat.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 8-162573 describes a thermosetting resin composition comprising a novolak-type epoxy resin, a curing agent, a crystallizable epoxy resin, and a curing accelerator such as imidazole and the like.
However, when the resin composition described in the above-described publication is applied to a printed wiring board as an undercoat and is cured, an extremely hard undercoat is formed. Therefore, the polishing of the surface is very hard to carry out, and fine polishing can not be carried out. As a result, a highly smooth surface can be hardly obtained. Therefore, the resin composition described in the above-described publication is also unsuitable as an undercoat.

Smooth board and process for preparing a smooth board


The change in electrical resistance of an electroactive polymer such as polypyrrole, polyaniline or polythiophene when it reacts with an analyte is used to measure the analyte. The open circuit electrical potential of an electroactive polymer film is measured and an electrical potential is applied to the polymer film relative to a reference electrode to oxidize or reduce the polymer film to provide an initial reduced or oxidized state. Then the electrical resistance of the polymer film is measured in the absence of an analyte and the electrical resistance is again measured while the polymer film reacts with the analyte. The analyte concentration is determined from the rte and total amount of electrical resistance change. The electrical resistance is preferably measured by applying a to the polymer film a discontinuous non-perturbating voltage pulse, removing the voltage for a period, making a measurement of open circuit potential and applying a subsequent discontinuous nonperturbating voltage pulse relative to the open-circuit potential. In measuring glucose as the analyte, reaction of glucose with glucose oxidase contained by the polymer film produces hydrogen peroxide which oxidizes the polymer film and makes it more conductive.

For many years, enzyme assays and immunoassays have been successfully used in a wide variety of clinical, veterinary, and bio-analytical laboratory applications. Increasingly, as the availability of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies has expanded, the range of applications to which these antibodies has extended include environmental monitoring applications (Vanderlaan et. al., 1988). Enzyme and antibody assay technology ahs been used to measure drug abuse, hormones, to monitor therapeutic drugs and to screen for environmental pollutants. These tests are generally simple to use, sensitive, and inexpensive. they are typically, however, colorimetric assays and are at best semi-quantative.
Biosensors offer an alternative format for the performance of established enzyme assays and immunoassays and create new opportunities for the application of established assays to continuous monitoring situations. Biosensors also offer distinct advantages (Taylor, 1987) in being very rapid (sub-second response rates), with condiderably improved limits of detection (typically ppb), are quantitative, and provide electronic outputs that may be integrated into simple data loggers or complex feedback control systems.
Parallel significant advances in microelectronics fabrication technology and biotechnology have created a unique interface of materials science and biology. Biosensors are measurement devices that detect and discriminate among molecules or substances of interest (analytes) through the recognition reactions of biologically active molecules (Lowe, 1985). The biosensor is a microelectronic device or chip, while biorecognition molecules are bioactive proteins. The biosensor measures the concentration of an analyte and produces a proportionate, electrical signal. In biosensors, biologically active molecules provide the needed molecular specificity and confer the ability to detect and discriminate among various substances to be analyzed. Microfabricated solid state devices provide the means for electrical transduction. Together and through their association, these two elements combine to produce an electrically based measurement signal that is the result of the physical chemical changes associated with biorecognition and serve as the raw output data of the biosensor test (Thompson and Krull, 1991).
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the layout for a typical biosensor instrument. Typically, the biosensor instrument consists of three functionally distinct parts; the biotransducer or biosensor device, the device interrogator and signal processor, and the output device.
Biosensor devices are typically configured as shown in the schematic of FIG. 2. Biosensor devices typically contain two basic parts. The first part is an organic biorecognition layer that contains the biorecognition molecules. The second part is a microdevice which provides the electrical signal and is an electrical or electronically based component. Together, these components form the active element or biotransducer of the biosensor instrument. The biologically active component may be a thin organic film of enzyme, immunochemically active protein, stabilized receptor, a tissue slice, or a cell fragment. This part provides the molecular specificity o recognition of the analyte present in the test sample or process stream. The biologically active part of the transducer converts the analyte into another substance or produces some physical chemical change which can be detected by the electrically or electronically active part of the biotransducer. The electronically or electrically active part of the biotransducer accordingly produces a current or voltage change in response to the appearance of the product of the biological transmutation or conversion reaction. The current or voltage change is an analog signal which may be amplified locally before going on to the second part of the biosensor instrument--the signal processor.
Biosensor devices are integral components of biosensor instruments. The signal processor captures the signal from the biotransducer, may amplify, smooth or perform some mathematical operations on the data, then present it to the next part of the instrument--the output. The output section is responsible for presenting the acquired data in a form suitable for the senses and compatible with other information sources to produce sound and timely decision making by the end user.
This general description of biosensor technology encompasses a wide range of bioanalytical devices, some of which are pH or ion selective electrodes, while others are complicated optical devices.
Electroactive polymer biosensor devices must transmute the chemical potential energy associated with the concentration of an analyte into a proportionate, measurable, electrical signal. The specificity of these electroactive polymer biosensor devices is derived for the biorecognition reactions of immobilized enzymes, enzyme-linked antibody conjugates, and stabilized receptors. Several approaches to the use of electroactive polymers are possible. These are potentiometric, amperometric, chemoresistive, and methods based upon field effect phenomena. In all these methods the electroactive polymer serves as an active, functional, and integral part of the bio-transducer.
Potentiometric biosensor devices derive their responses from the changes in the steady state potential which accompanies the change in redox composition of the electroactive polymer film. This is a direct detection method not requiring the input of externally generated energy. Films may be free standing or supported by ohmic contact to a inert electrode. Changes in extent of oxidation are reflected in changes in the population of polaron o bipoloran states and accompanying counterion ingress. Thus electroactive polymer films therefore serve as ionophore containing membranes of ion-selective electrodes (ISEs). The membrane potential of the electroactive polymer is directly related to some potentiometrically measurable ionic product of the biorecognition reaction (Thompson et al., 1986). In general, all electroactive polymers display som measurable change in steady state or open circuit potential as a function of doping level. This is true over some specified range of redox composition.
Band-gap, p-type semiconducting polymers such as polyacetylene and polypyrrole can change their open-circuit electrode potentials through a maximum of the difference between the mid-gap energy (intrinsic semiconductor) and the conduction band edge, and typically, this change is between the mid-gap energy and the Fermi energy, E.sub.F -E.sub.CB (Morrison, 1980). For polyacetylene, the open circuit potential is an invariant 0.45V vs SCE for CH.sub.x compositions above the insulator to semiconductor/metal transition (ca. 4 mol % of dopant per --C.dbd.C--unit) (Guiseppi-Elie and Wnek, 1990). Thus the maximum voltage change (over all dopant compositions) associated with these materials is 1/2 the band gap, E.sub.g, or ca. 0.70 V. Direct potentiometric detection of nucleotides co-deposited in electropolymerized polypyrrole has been reported by Shimidzu (1987) and potentiometric measurements of the concentrations of various anions by electropolymerized polypyrrole films have been reported by Dong et. al. (1988). Both these works suggest interesting and unusual behavior of electroactive polypyrrole in potentiometric measurement mode. Since n-type semiconducting band-gap polymers are violently reactive in aqueous environments, their applicability to biosensors is necessarily without consideration.
Redox polymers such as poly(vinylferrocene) and poly(viologen) establish an open circuit potential which reflects the equilibria between oxidized and reduced forms of the redox-active moiety (Lewis et. al., 1984). These devices work by indirectly linking the biorecognition reaction to a change in redox composition of the film. Any signature redox active species which can alter the equilibrium at the polymer modified electrode surface provides a means for biotransduction. These systems all show behavior that can be predicted by the Nernst equation and electrochemical kinetics. Because potentiometric devices based on electroactive polymers are steady state devices they are subject to limitations arising from errors such as interfering ions, non-specific protein binding (Collins and Janata, 1982), surface charge adsorption, and the sensitivity limitations imposed by Band theory and the 59 mV/decade sensitivity of the Nernst equation (Thompson and Krull, 1991).
Amperometric biosensors formed from electroactive polymers ar by far the most common generic approach to biosensors (Janata and Bezegh, 1988). With such devices, two principles dominate: i) redox mediation and ii) electrocatalysis. Redox mediation implies the oxidoreduction of an electroactive species other than the on of interest. Umana and Waller (1986) used the amperometric reduction of iodine (I.sub.2 +2e.fwdarw.2I) mediated through the Mo.sup.IV -catalyzed reaction of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 with iodide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2 +2H.sup.+ 2I+2I.fwdarw.I.sub.2 +2H.sub.2 O) under aerobic conditions.l Iwakura et. al. (1988) achieved direct redox mediation with ferrocenecarboxylic acid under anaerobic conditions. Similar devices have since also been demonstrated by Caglar and Wnek (1991). In such devices the electroactive polymer functions simply as a retaining matrix for the mediator and is itself not actively involved in transduction. The related works of Heller (1990) and Hale et. al. (1991) use oligomers and polymers of ferrocene-based redox mediators as active participants to transduction (Gorton et. al., 1990). These are true transducer-active polymer films as they both mediate and directly transmute the redox activity of the enzyme to amperometrically discharged current at metallic or carbon paste electrode.
The simplest amperometric biosensors of this type are those based on the discharge of a redox active bi-products of the biochemical transmutation reaction. The early glucose biosensors which amperometrically discharged H.sub.2 O.sub.2 are of this type (Clark, 1987). There is evidence that electroactive polyaniline modified inert electrodes can electrocatalyze the reduction of ascorbic acid (Hepel, 1990) and hydrogen peroxide (Guiseppi-Elie and Wilson, 1990), both of which are associated with biochemical reactions. Polyaniline modified platinum electrodes have also been reported to electrocatalyze the oxidation of formic acid (Gholamian et. al., 1987). The potential for using electroactive polymer modified electrodes for electrocatalysis in Clark-typ amperometric biosensors is evident but little explored.
Chemoresistive biosensor devices based on electroactive polymer membrane films take advantage of the very large and rapid change in electrical conductivity which accompanies "doping" of the electroactive polymer (Baughman and Shacklette, 1990). The principle of operation in this approach is based on the measurement of biochemically modulated changes in the electronic resistance of the membrane film. The membrane films, fabricated on solid state devices, change their electrical impedance characteristics in response to the biological reactions with which they are associated. Chemoresistive biosensor devices are composed of a fully contiguous membrane film of electroactive polymer fabricated over the interdigit area of Interdigitated Microsensor Electrodes (IMEs) or array microelectrodes. IMEs generally have digit dimensions and separation distances which range from 1 to 20 microns. These dimensions are readily achievable with commonly available microlithography technology. The number of digits and the digit length together define the meander length for the device and this is selected to match the resistance range of the particular electroactive polymer being employed. The short separation distance and long meander length found on IMEs allow the generation of high electric fields with modest voltages while allowing effective work with highly resistive membrane materials. The device sensitivity is provided by the large (up to 12 orders of magnitude) (Frommer and Chance, 1986), dynamic ( ms - .mu.s response) (Thackeray et. al., 1985) chemoresistance range of chemically sensitive, electroactive polymer membrane films.
Chemoresistive sensor devices based on electroactive polymer films were introduced by Paul et. al. (1985). These redox dependant chemoresistance devices emphasized voltage modulation of the chemoresistive response. Thackeray et. al. (1985) describe a device based on poly(3-methylthiophene) which illustrates a key strength of this method--The low detection limit (<10.sup.-15 moles of oxidant) to elicit a response above noise level and the significant amplification possible with proper design of IME and fabrication of the chemically sensitive film (Lofton et. al., 1986). While the foregoing illustrates the general principles of chemoresistance detection the electroactive polymer films used were not conferred with biospecificity and are accordingly not biosensors. Taylor et al. (1988) report receptor-based biosensors using the chemoresistance principle but the polymers used were not electroactive (Taylor, 1989). Malmros et. al. (1987/88) describe a chemoresistance biosensor based on free-standing polyacetylene. This report suggests that the measured chemoresistance response was due primarily to changes in ionic resistance attendant to increases in the extent of wetting of Shirakawa polyacetylene upo doping with aqueous H.sub.2 O.sub.2 or I.sub.2. Chemoresistance biosensors have also been reported by Watson et. al. (1987/88) and Cullen et. al. (1990).
These films are well known to bridge substantial device scale distances (Focke et. al. 1989). Using established methods designed to confer general chemical and biospecificity to these films (Guiseppi-Elie, 1988) and using these devices in a kinetic mode (Karube, 1987) opens up additional possibilities for FETs (Garnier et. al., 1991).
While there have been a large number of prior art biosensors, it would be desirable to have a system and method which can be utilized for the interrogation capture and analysis of chemoresistive sensor responses.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a novel analytical method which can be utilized for the interrgogation, capture and analysis of chemoresistive sensor responses.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide novel components which together comprise an electroactive polymer sensor interrogation system.
It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide chemical and biosensor devices formed from chemically modified and derivatized electroactive polymer films
It is still an additional object of the present invention to provide an analytical method for monitoring the time rate of change (kinetic) or extent of change (equilibrium) of the resistance of the electroactive polymer film as it spontaneously reacts with a redox active analyte to which it has been rendered specific
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following summary and detailed description which follow.

Method of measuring an analyte by measuring electrical resistance of a polymer film reacting with the analyte


A technique relates to computer artifacts in a computer system. The technique includes creating a list of insights from artifacts, determining a similarity level between the insights of the artifacts and a predefined area of capability, comparing similarity level of insights for each of the artifacts to a threshold metric, removing artifacts having the similarity level below threshold metric such that artifacts remaining meet the threshold metric, and performing a pair-wise similarity comparison on the artifacts remaining which compares insights of the artifacts to each other to determine which ones are least common. The technique includes creating feature vectors for artifacts that are least common, determining a feature vector having a most variation in feature vectors, an artifact associated with the feature vector being determined to comprise a unique insight, and generating a unique message using the artifact associated with the feature vector being the unique insight.

The present invention generally relates to computing systems, and more specifically, to computer systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer program products for computer structures for computer artifacts.
An artifact is one of many kinds of tangible by-products produced during the development and/or use of software. Some artifacts (e.g., use cases, class diagrams, and other Unified Modeling Language (UML) models, requirements and design documents) help describe the function, architecture, and design of software. In computer science, a data structure is a data organization, management and storage format in memory which enables efficient access and modification. Particularly, a data structure is a collection of data values, the relationships among them, and the functions or operations that can be applied to the data.

Computer structures for computer artifacts

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A resin composition contains a thermoplastic elastomer, natural organic, and silicone. As the thermoplastic elastomer, an olefin thermoplastic elastomer, such as a ethylene-propylene copolymer or the like, can be used. As the thermoplastic elastomer, a styrene thermoplastic elastomer, such as a styrene-butadiene copolymer or the like, can be used. As the natural organic, silk, cellulose, collagen or the like can be used. It is advisable that the content of the natural organic is 5-30 wt %, and the content of silicone is 0.3-10 wt %. Where the natural organic is a fine powder state, it is preferable that the particle size is less than 300 xcexcm. Moldings are sheets or the like, formed by using the aforementioned resin composition.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a resin composition, containing an elastomer and moldings of a sheet or the like.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Conventionally, a component molded to contain, for example, polyvinyl chloride as materials is used for door trims of vehicles, console-boxes, steering wheel grips of vehicles and so on. Rubber undergoing a cross-linking treatment with vulcanization is used for golf clubs and grips of ski poles. Since most of them consist of a single component material, the feel, when touched by a hand wet with perspiration or the like, sometimes differs from that of a dry hand. Depending upon the changed feel as described above, the feel characteristic of the resin is felt on the dry hand.
Further, environmental issues, caused by chlorine in polyvinyl chloride, which is produced in the waste treatment of spend resin moldings, have been presented and measures against the environmental issues are demanded. As an alternative to polyvinyl chloride, the use of a resin thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is suggested, and predominately, the use of an olefin thermoplastic elastomer (TPO).
The feel of a product consisting of a TPO element includes a feeling of stickiness or a feeling of slipperiness. As a remedy against it, an attempt has been made to improve the feel by including an inorganic filler such as talc powder. The feelings of stickiness and slipperiness, however, are not resolved sufficiently, if anything, it tends to decrease the durability against friction due to the inorganic filler.
Moldings blending resin materials with a silicone have also been proposed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho 58-142925 and the like). According to the aforementioned moldings, however, durability against friction is protected but the feelings of stickiness and slipperiness are not extensively improved.
A resin composition according to the present invention is characterized by including: a thermoplastic elastomer; a natural organic material; and a silicone.
As the thermoplastic elastomer, an olefin thermoplastic elastomer can be used.
An ethylene-propylene copolymer, an ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer and so on can be named as specific examples of the olefin thermoplastic elastomer.
Further, as the thermoplastic elastomer, a styrene thermoplastic elastomer can be also used.
A styrene-butadiene copolymer, a styrene-ethylene-butadiene copolymer and so on can be named as specific examples of the styrene thermoplastic elastomer.
As the natural organic material, silk, cellulose, collagen, wool, keratin, hemp, cotton, chitin, chitosan, betaine, egg shell membrane or the like can be used. Further, the aforementioned examples of the natural organic material can be used by being combined with plural examples thereof.
It is advisable that the content of the natural organic material is 5 wt % to 30 wt %. If the natural organic material is less than 5 wt %, an excellent feel, durability against friction, and moisture inhalation-exhalation cannot be obtained. If the natural organic content is more than 30 wt %, the soft property of the resin is damaged.
Where the natural organic material is in a fine powder state, it is advisable that the particle size of the natural organic material is less than 300 xcexcm. An excellent feel is hard to obtain from a particle size of more than 300 xcexcm.
It is advisable that the content of the silicone is 0.3 wt % to 10 wt %, more preferably, 0.5 wt % to 8 wt %. A silicone content of less than 0.3 wt. % is insufficient in improving the durability against friction. A silicone content of more than 10 wt % allows the mold-processability to decrease markedly.
Incidentally, required additives, such. as a, dispersing agent, a stabilizing agent, a lubricant or the like, may be added into the resin composition.
Moldings according to the present invention are formed by using the aforementioned resin composition.
Types of the moldings are selected, for example, to be sheet-shaped moldings, bottle shaped moldings, and so on.
The sheet-shaped moldings can be obtained by a calendar molding method, an extrusion molding method, or the like by using the aforementioned resin composition. Complicatedly shaped moldings (including moldings of a multi layered structure) can be obtained by an injection molding method.
The bottle-shaped moldings can be obtained by a blow molding method by using the aforementioned resin composition.
Since the moldings according to the present invention are molded by using the aforementioned resin composition, the moldings have an excellent moisture inhalation-exhalation, friction and touch-feeling, and furthermore, have a suitable hardness.


A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate; a test circuit array region; a pad region on the semiconductor substrate and at at least a first side of the test circuit array region and outside of the test circuit array region, transistors arranged in the test circuit array region in a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, source lines spaced apart from each other in the second direction, each of the source lines extending in the first direction and electrically connected to corresponding source electrodes of the transistors, and drain lines spaced apart from each other in the second direction, each of the drain lines extending in the first direction and electrically connected to drain electrodes of the transistors.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to semiconductor devices including test circuit arrays.
A plurality of integrated circuits may be formed on a wafer to manufacture a semiconductor device, such as a semiconductor chip. After the formation of the integrated circuits, electrical characteristics of the integrated circuits should be measured to confirm whether the semiconductor chip works properly or not. In general, it is important to precisely extract the electrical characteristics of the integrated circuits on the wafer as semiconductor devices have been highly integrated.
Accordingly, a semiconductor device, such as a device under test (DUT) may be manufactured on a wafer to assist evaluation and/or control of semiconductor manufacturing processes. Electrical characteristics of the wafer having the DUT may be tested by test equipment.

Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do


An automatic baking machine includes a loading unit having a plurality of carriers on a first conveyor configured for receipt of individual goods to be baked. A downstream oven unit has a transportation device to transport the goods received from the loading unit through the oven unit. A delivery unit is arranged downstream from the oven unit and includes a second conveyor with a plurality of carriers for receipt of baked goods from the transportation device. A vertically stationary linear conveyor is arranged between the first conveyor and the transportation device, wherein the goods to be baked are transferred from the first conveyor to the linear conveyor, conveyed by the linear conveyor in a vertically fixed plane, and transferred from the linear conveyor to the transportation device.

Such an automatic baking machine for installation above all in supermarkets is known from EP 1 688 042 A2, for example. On the loading side of this automatic baking machine, baked goods are placed on carriers of a paternoster elevator (also known merely as "paternoster") and held there. Reacting on a demand from the control unit, a correspondingly measured number of baking goods is linearly transported from the filled carriers in a continuous baking oven and stored in carriers of a paternoster elevator on the delivery side after baking. From there, one or more baking goods are deposited in a collection container and guided to a dispensing compartment when requested by customers. In an alternative embodiment, the requested baked goods are directly transported from a carrier to a dispensing compartment.
A task of this invention is to improve the known automatic baking machine even more, especially with regard to its ease of maintenance and operation.

R. Weiss Verpackungstechnik GmbH and Co. KG


Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for phone fraud prevention. One of the methods includes adding a first identifier of a first phone event of a first user into a blockchain managed by one or more devices on a decentralized network. The first identifier of the first phone event is classified into a list of phone fraud identifiers. A second identifier of a second phone event involving a second user is received. The second identifier is compared with the list of phone fraud identifiers that includes the first identifier. In a case where the second identifier matches a phone fraud identifier in the list of phone fraud identifiers, the first user is notified that the second phone event involves a risk of phone fraud.

Distributed ledger systems (DLSs), also referred to as consensus networks and/or blockchain networks, enable participating entities to store data securely and immutably. Examples of types of blockchain networks can include public blockchain networks, private blockchain networks, and consortium blockchain networks. A consortium blockchain network is provided for a selected group of entities that control the consensus process, and includes an access control layer.
Phone fraud, or more generally communications fraud, uses telecommunication devices or services for illegal purposes or in illegal manners. Types of phone frauds include autodialers, telemarketing fraud, caller ID spoofing, telephone scams, mobile phone spam, and other types of frauds against a customer, a telecommunication company or a third party. Phone fraud is conducted as scammers, pranksters, or even harassers. The recipients of such phone fraud may be selected based on their perceived vulnerability to be tricked by the phone fraud, or to not react properly. Sources of such phone frauds may include machine-triggered calls ("robocallers") or callers unknown to the recipients. However, not all robocallers or unknown callers are fraudulent or illegal.
Solutions have been proposed to identify and block phone fraud. For example, a list of fraud phone numbers may be stored at a local terminal device or a remote server, which is used to determine whether an incoming call to a user is fraudulent or not.

Decentralized automatic phone fraud risk management

ALIPAY (HANGZHOU) INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A ventilation device including: a first enclosure including a first passage configured to be connected to a canister outlet and the atmosphere, and a normally closed shutter device configured to open to release the first passage; a second enclosure including a second passage configured to be connected to the canister inlet and a fuel tank, and a normally open shutter device configured to close to shut the second passage, the second passage being separate from and not in communication with the first passage; and a combined pressure/vacuum relief valve or OPR and UPR valve pair situated in or fastened to a bypass of the first passage configured to establish a connection between ends of the first passage when the shutter device is closed and when there is over- or under-pressure in the ends. A fuel system can include the device and a hybrid vehicle can include the fuel system.

A vehicle is generally said to be "hybrid" when it associates the use of a fuel-burning engine with the use of an electric motor.
In general terms, hybrid vehicles can be operated either by using only the electric motor, or only the engine, or both of them together, depending on the vehicle model.
One particular principle of operation is as follows:                during stationary stages (when the vehicle is not moving), the engine and the motor are both stationary;        on starting, it is the electric motor that causes the car to move, up to higher speeds (25 kilometers per hour (km/h) or 30 km/h);        when higher speeds are reached, the engine takes over;        in the event of hard acceleration, both the engine and the motor are observed to operate simultaneously, thus making it possible to achieve acceleration equivalent to that of an engine having the same power, or even greater acceleration;        during a stage of deceleration and braking, kinetic energy is used for recharging the batteries (it should be observed that this function is not available on all of the hybrid vehicles presently available on the market).
It results from the above considerations that the engine does not run continuously and that under such circumstances, stages of purging the canister (an activated carbon filter to avoid dumping fuel vapor to the atmosphere) cannot be performed normally since during such stages possibly preheated air is caused to flow through the canister in order to regenerate it (i.e. to desorb the fuel vapor that has been absorbed therein), with this air then being admitted into the engine where it is burnt.
Under such circumstances, in order to avoid pointlessly loading the canister, communication between the tank and the canister is generally blocked by default; as a result the fuel tanks of such vehicles are generally put under pressure (typically pressure of about 300 mbar to about 400 mbar), with this generally being achieved by means of a functional element situated after the ventilation valves, often referred to as the fuel tank isolation valve (FTIV), that prevents the tank being ventilated (degassed) other than during filling situations. Such an element generally comprises two safety valves (rated at the lowest and highest pressures at which the tank can be used) with control that is generally electrical in order to enable the tank to be put to atmospheric pressure before it is filled.
The positioning of the FTIV in the system leads to problems in practice:                if it is positioned upstream from the canister, it avoids vapors being sucked in from the tank while the canister is being purged, but in contrast it splits the fuel system into two zones, which makes it more difficult to comply with the tests required by the on-board diagnosis (OBD) regulations; and        when positioned downstream from the canister, the situation is reversed: it facilitates OBD testing but it does not prevent vapor being sucked in from the tank, with this applying even though from the point of view of canister loading, there is no difference between the two positions (since even in the downstream position, given that there is no flow, there is no loading on the canister even if it is connected to the tank).
One solution to that problem consists in using two separate valves, one valve that is normally closed but that is opened to provide ventilation during filling, and another valve that serves to disconnect the tank from the canister during purging. By way of example, such a solution is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,920 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,367, however it is expensive and generally requires recourse to electronics. Using mechanical control would increase the reliability and the robustness of the solution, would simplify it, and would reduce its costs, given the absence of electronics.

Ventilation device for the fuel system of a hybrid vehicle


Provided is an ultrasonic endoscopic probe capable of obtaining an ultrasonic observation image having high spatial resolution. A part of a substantially tubular catheter is sealed with seal plates to provide a cavity housing: a motor including a motor casing, a rotor magnet, a bearing, and a rotating shaft; an ultrasonic transducer mounted to the rotating shaft; and a signal transmission means. The bearing includes an inner peripheral surface provided with a plurality of dynamic pressure generating grooves. An acoustic coupling fluid is sealed in the cavity and is allowed to penetrate a gap between the bearing and the rotating shaft at all times. When the ultrasonic transducer and the motor are rotated in the acoustic coupling fluid, the acoustic coupling fluid is suctioned in a preferable manner into the bearing gap having the dynamic pressure generating grooves for lubrication. Thus, a lack of an oil film on the bearing can be prevented, allowing for high accuracy rotation. Operational failure due to the development of foam in the acoustic coupling fluid can be prevented, enabling the acquisition of a high resolution ultrasonic observation image.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to ultrasonic endoscopic probes in medical equipment and the like for acquiring, for observation, ultrasonic waves reflected by a tested specimen irradiated with ultrasonic waves radiated from an ultrasonic transducer rotated by a motor built inside the tip of the probe.
2. Related Art
Diagnostic imaging technology is widely utilized in the fields of analysis, medicine and the like. For example, in the medical or precision device manufacturing field, various diagnostic imaging techniques are being researched and utilized, in addition to the conventional observations using cameras. Examples of such diagnostic imaging technologies include X-ray CT and nuclear magnetic resonance systems that enable tomographic imaging, ultrasonic diagnostic devices that capture ultrasonic reflections, and optical coherence tomography systems utilizing the coherence of light. One of the tomographic imaging systems that have been most extensively utilized in recent years is the ultrasonic diagnostic device characterized by its relatively deep scan depth.
An ultrasonic transducer used in the ultrasonic diagnostic device has an oscillation frequency of the order of 10 to 20 MHz in conventional devices, with the wavelength of several tens of μm. Thus, compared with the optical coherence tomography system in which the light source uses near-infrared light with the wavelength of 1.3 micron, the ultrasonic diagnostic device is disadvantageous in that the spatial resolution required of a diagnostic device is not easily achievable due to the longer wavelength. However, it has become possible in recent years to increase the oscillation frequency of the ultrasonic transducer up to 300 MHz or above, with the wavelength having been improved to the level comparable to that of near-infrared light used in optical coherence tomography. Ultrasonic diagnosis is non-invasive to living bodies and is now capable of identifying objects with the spatial resolution of approximately 10 μm (microns). Thus, there are expectations that, particularly in the medical field, the ultrasonic diagnostic device can be built inside the thin tip portion of an endoscope and utilized for the discovery, diagnosis, or treatment of an affected area in the stomach, the small intestine, the arterial vessels and the like of the human body. Representative structures of the ultrasonic endoscope in which the ultrasonic diagnostic imaging technology is applied are discussed in JP-A-2010-131387 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,211,025 B2, for example.
In the ultrasonic endoscope described in JP-A-2010-131387, as shown in FIG. 2 of the literature, an output drive shaft 51 of a micromotor 41 is provided with a barrier membrane film seal 60 for isolating an acoustic coupling fluid 29, which entirely covers a transducer 53, from the micromotor 41, thus preventing the entry of the acoustic coupling fluid 29 into the micromotor 41. From the transducer, ultrasonic waves are radiated onto the tested specimen, and a reflected ultrasonic waveform is captured by the transducer, enabling the observation of the state of the tested specimen.
However, as the micromotor 41 starts rotation, the internal air expands as the temperature increases, and the air may enter via a gap of the barrier membrane film seal 60 into the acoustic coupling fluid 29, producing air bubbles therein. In the ultrasonic endoscope, the air bubbles in the acoustic coupling fluid 29 would reflect the ultrasonic waves radiated from the transducer, preventing the ultrasonic waves from reaching the tested portion located further ahead and interfering with observation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 8,211,025 B2, as shown in FIG. 3 of the literature, a gear box and a motor 320 are disposed in a fluid-filled portion of a catheter body 360 filled with acoustic coupling fluid. A shaft 340 of the motor 320 causes an ultrasonic transducer 310 to rotate in an oscillatory manner at certain angles. From the transducer 310, ultrasonic waves are radiated toward the tested specimen, and a reflected ultrasonic waveform is captured by the transducer 310 to observe the state of the tested specimen.
In this structure, lubrication oil or grease previously injected into the motor bearings may dissolve into the acoustic coupling fluid, degrading the transmission characteristics of the acoustic coupling fluid. Further, the antifoaming performance of the acoustic coupling fluid may be hampered by chemical reaction, producing air bubbles and interfering with observation of the tested portion. In addition, lubrication of the motor bearings may be adversely affected, causing frictions in the bearings and producing uneven rotation speed or an increase in the amount of oscillation. As a result, the transducer 310 may become unable to sufficiently transmit or receive ultrasonic waves, resulting in deterioration in the observed image or preventing the acquisition of the spatial resolution required by the ultrasonic endoscope.

Namiki Seimitsu Houseki Kabushiki Kaisha


A compact, portable tablet dispenser is particularly adapted for carrying aspirin tablets for ingestion as therapy upon the onset of a suspected heart attack. The tablets are in a blister within the dispenser, which includes actuators aligned with the tablets to eject the tablets through an aperture in the dispenser. Upon operation, the actuators provide a permanent indication that a tablet has been ejected. The dispenser may include electronic circuitry to provide reinforcement and/or guidance, for its use and may include means for alerting a third party, such as by a 911 call, of its activation.

Scientific evidence is mounting that, for an individual not otherwise allergic to aspirin, the chewing of an aspirin tablet upon the suspected onset of heart attack symptoms may reduce the risk of death. See, generally www.americanheart.org. With the onset of such symptoms, it is important that, if aspirin therapy is appropriate, the aspirin tablet be taken promptly. It is thus of significant value to provide an aspirin holder or dispenser which can be easily carried by an individual and which can be activated simply and quickly, particularly when the user may be in an agitated state. It is also advantageous that the individual be knowledgeable of the steps to be taken, including the taking of the tablet, if a heart attack is suspected, and that the individual have guidance and/or reinforcement of the steps to be taken, particularly since the onset of the symptoms of a heart attack often itself creates a stressful situation. If there is a risk that the individual may panic or otherwise be incapable of taking the needed steps, or if the individual simply feels that further assistance is required, a third-party notification or alarm associated with the dispenser is also of value.
The prior art discloses a variety of tablet and pill dispensers which are of a general configuration which permit them to be carried by an individual. Representative of such teachings are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,958,690; 4,078,660; 4,384,649; and 4,420,076, among others. In general, however, the prior art fails to provide a portable dispenser, and particularly a dispenser adapted for the prompt dispensation of aspirin tablets having particular features which are beneficial for use in connection with aspirin therapy upon the suspected onset of a heart attack.
It is accordingly a purpose of the present invention to provide a portable tablet dispenser particularly adapted to facilitate the dispensation of an aspirin tablet by an individual for taking in the case of a suspected heart attack.
Yet a further purpose of the present invention is to provide such a dispenser with the ability to provide reinforcement to the individual in connection with approved aspirin therapy at the time of dispensation.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a dispenser having the ability to broadcast an alarm or position information to facilitate the locating of the individual and the dispatch of aid thereto.
Still a further purpose of the present invention is to provide such a dispenser that is efficient and economical in manufacture and use.