A circuit-incorporating light receiving device comprises a first semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a diffusion region of the second conductivity type, provided in a first portion of the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a circuit element provided in the first portion of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and a second portion of the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type. The second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and the diffusion region of the second conductivity type form a light detection photodiode portion, and the diffusion region of the second conductivity type has a diffusion depth less than or equal to a penetration depth of short-wavelength signal light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit-incorporating light receiving device including a light detection photodiode portion and a circuit element on the same substrate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a structure of the circuit-incorporating light receiving device for improving a performance of the light detection photodiode portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, optical disk apparatuses are becoming smaller and smaller while the performance thereof is becoming higher and higher. With such advances, there is an increasing need for a compact and lightweight optical pickup. To achieve such an optical pickup, a technology has been proposed in which: a function for generating a tracking beam, a function for branching light, and a function for generating an error signal are integrated onto a single hologram device; a laser diode, a split photodiode, and the like are accommodated in a single package; or the hologram device is provided on an upper surfaces of the package. Such a technology is called an optical module.
Among components included in an optical pickup apparatus is a circuit-incorporating light receiving device. In the circuit-incorporating light receiving device, circuit elements, such as a light detection photodiode portion for converting signal light to an electric signal (optoelectric transduced signal), a transistor for processing the optoelectric transduced signal, a resistor, and a capacitor, are integrated.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a structure of a conventional circuit-incorporating light receiving device 4000.
The circuit-incorporating light receiving device 4000 includes a photodiode region 51 in which a light detection photodiode portion which converts signal light to an electric signal is provided, and a peripheral circuit region 52 which is used to process the optoelectric transduced signal. Specifically, in the peripheral circuit region 52, an NPN transistor and a vertical PNP transistor are provided.
To reduce cost in fabrication of the circuit-incorporating light receiving device 4000, the commonality of fabrication processes is increased. For both the photodiode region 51 and the peripheral circuit region 52, a P-type substrate 53 (P), a P-type epitaxial layer 54 (Pxe2x88x92), and an N-type epitaxial layer 55 (N) are successively provided in this order. In the photodiode region 51, the P-type epitaxial layer 54 and the N-type epitaxial layer 55, which have PN junction, form a light detection photodiode portion. In the peripheral circuit region 52, the above-described two transistors are provided in the P-type epitaxial layer 54 and the N-type epitaxial layer 55 due to impurity diffusion.
The photosensitivity and response speed of a photodiode are generally key measures of the performance of the photodiode. The photosensitivity is determined by the sum of the number of carriers generated in a depletion layer and the number of carriers which are generated outside the depletion layer and which reach the depletion layer due to carrier diffusion when reverse bias is applied to the PN junction in light detection. The response speed is influenced to a large extent by the value of a PN junction capacitance of the light detection photodiode portion. Therefore, to enlarge the depletion layer sufficiently is effective to increase the sensitivity of the photodiode and reduce the junction capacitance to increase the response speed.
Therefore, as a first conductivity type region, the P-type substrate 53, on a surface of which the P-type epitaxial layer 54 having a low concentration (high specific resistance) is provided, is used as described above. Alternatively, a P-type low-concentration substrate (not shown) may be used instead.
Such a structure causes a depletion layer to be easily expanded in the first conductivity type region in which light is absorbed, thereby making it possible to efficiently utilize penetrating signal light. Further, the PN junction capacitance can be reduced.
As the recording density of an optical recording medium, such as an optical disk, becomes higher and higher year after year, the wavelength of light applied to the medium is decreased. Specifically, whereas infra-red light having a wavelength of 780 nm is used for CDs, red light having a reduced wavelength of 650 nm is used for DVDs. The use of blue light having a further reduced wavelength of about 410 nm is being developed.
However, as the wavelength of signal light is reduced, the depth of silicon to which the signal light can reach (hereinafter referred to as a penetration depth) is rapidly decreased. For example, although the penetration depth of 780-nm light is as long as about 8 xcexcm, the penetration depth of 410-nm light is less than or equal to about 0.3 xcexcm.
There are the following problems with the structure of the photodiode region in the conventional circuit-incorporating light receiving device 4000 of FIG. 5.
(1) The N-type epitaxial layer 55 typically needs to have a thickness of at least about 1 xcexcm or more in order to provide a transistor in the peripheral circuit region 52. Further, an N-type diffusion region 56 (N+) having a high concentration is provided in order to reduce a cathode resistance, sot hat penetrating light is mostly absorbed by the N-type epitaxial layer 55 which has substantially no depletion. Therefore, the recombination rate of carriers is high and the recombined carriers cannot contribute to an optoelectric current, so that the sensitivity cannot be enhanced. Further, the PN junction capacitance of the light detection photodiode portion is too large to achieve a high response speed.
(2) The N-type epitaxial layer 55 could be caused to be thin, not taking into account the conformity with the peripheral circuit region 52. In this case, when the N-type epitaxial layer 55 is grown, P-type auto dope occurs due to a peripheral isolation diffusion region 57 (P+) or a film production apparatus. The occurrence of auto dope leads to formation of a potential peak in the vicinity of an interface between the first conductive region (the P-type substrate 53 having the low-concentration P-type epitaxial layer 54 grown thereon, or the P-type low-concentration substrate) and the N-type epitaxial layer 55 grown thereon, which deteriorates a response characteristic.
(3) To reduce the fabrication steps and improve the sensitivity to short-wavelength light, a light detection photodiode portion in which a P-type diffusion region is provided in the N-type epitaxial layer 55 may be provided. However, in this case, boron used in the P-type diffusion region is segregated on a surface thereof, so that Ns (surface concentration) is lowered. As a result, the surface recombination is increased, so that the sensitivity is lowered. Further, the photosensitivity of the light detection photodiode cannot be increased for long-wavelength light having a large penetration depth due to the structure thereof. Since the depletion layer is not so enlarged, the junction capacitance is increased and therefore the response speed is lowered.
(4) In the conventional structure of FIG. 5 in which the light detection photodiode portion is separated by the isolation diffusion region 57 in which diffusion is carried out upward and downward, it is assumed that light is incident to the isolation diffusion region 57. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the impurity concentration distribution of the isolation diffusion region 57 has a profile taken along a line Axe2x80x94Axe2x80x2 of FIG. 5 and a profile taken along a line Bxe2x80x94Bxe2x80x2 of FIG. 5, respectively. Generated carriers are accumulated in a valley in FIG. 6A. Referring to FIG. 6B, since the middle portion has substantially no tilt, the accumulated carriers laterally move at a low speed. Therefore, the response speed cannot be improved.
According to the above-described reasons, a plurality of circuit-incorporating light receiving devices corresponding to respective wavelength regions are required in a recording and reproduction apparatus in order to be compatible with optical recording media using signal light having different wavelengths, such as a short wavelength and a long wavelength. This leads to a complex system.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a circuit-incorporating light receiving device comprises a first semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a diffusion region of the second conductive type, provided in a first portion of the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a circuit element provided in the first portion of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and a second portion of the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type. The second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and the diffusion region of the second conductivity type form a light detection photodiode portion, and the diffusion region of the second conductivity type has a diffusion depth less than or equal to a penetration depth of short-wavelength signal light.
In one embodiment of this invention, the diffusion depth of the diffusion region of the second conductivity type is less than or equal to 0.3 xcexcm.
In one embodiment of this invention, the short-wavelength signal light is blue light.
Therefore, the thickness of the first and second semiconductor layers in which the circuit element is provided can be sufficient, and PN junction can be provided at a shallow position in a surface of a photodiode region in the second semiconductor layer. Even short-wavelength signal light can be sufficiently absorbed. This leads to an achievement of a circuit-incorporating light receiving device having a high-sensitivity light detection photodiode portion.
In addition, when the concentrations of both first and second semiconductor layers are set to low values, the depletion layer in the light detection photodiode portion sufficiently expands toward a substrate side as does in a conventional case. This leads to an achievement of a circuit-incorporating light receiving device having a high-sensitivity light detection photodiode portion. These performances are not lowered in the case of long-wavelength signal light.
This is particularly effective when silicon is used as a semiconductor material included in the photodiode region.
In one embodiment of this invention, a surface impurity concentration of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type is greater than or equal to 1xc3x971014 cmxe2x88x923.
Therefore, an anti-auto dope ability can be enhanced. Undesired auto dope concentration is about 1xc3x971014 cmxe2x88x923 at most. In the case of the above-described surface concentration, the auto dope does not substantially influence on a variation in a characteristic of the light detection photodiode.
In one embodiment of this invention, the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type have impurity concentrations such that when reverse bias is applied to the light detection photodiode portion upon detection of the signal light, a depletion layer expanding from an interface between the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and the diffusion region of the second conductivity type toward the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type side, reaches a position deeper than an interface between the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type.
This makes it possible to remove an influence of a potential peak at the interface between the first and second semiconductor layers due to the auto dope in the fabrication steps.
In one embodiment of this invention, a high-concentration buried layer of the first conductivity type is provided between the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type and the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, wherein an impurity concentration of the high-concentration buried layer is greater than an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type.
Therefore, an anode resistance in a traverse direction up to an electrode is reduced. Further, a potential barrier is produced against carriers generated deeper than the buried layer when long-wavelength signal light enters the device. In this case, the carriers are prevented from contributing to a photoelectric current, thereby making it possible to prevent a reduction in a response speed due to a diffusion current.
In one embodiment of this invention, the high-concentration buried layer of the first conductivity type is provided by a buried diffusion method or an epitaxial growth method.
In the case of the buried diffusion method, the circuit-incorporating light receiving device can be easily obtained. In the case of the epitaxial growth method, a concentration profile thereof can be controlled with great precision.
In one embodiment of this invention, the first portion of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and the second portion of the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type have an N-type well region and a P-type well region, and the circuit element is provided using the N-type well region and the P-type well region.
Conditions, such as the conductivity type and concentration of an epitaxial growth layer on which a circuit element, such as a transistor, is provided, can be freely designed for a photodiode.
In one embodiment of this invention, an isolation diffusion region of the first conductivity type is provided between the light detection photodiode portion and the circuit element, wherein an impurity concentration of the isolation diffusion region is greater than an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, and the isolation diffusion region of the first conductivity type reaches a position deeper than the light detection photodiode portion and the circuit element.
An anode resistance in a depth direction up to an electrode contact can be reduced, thereby reducing a CR time constant and achieving a high-speed response characteristic.
In one embodiment of this invention, an impurity concentration of each of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type is greater than or equal to 1xc3x971014 cmxe2x88x923.
A circuit-incorporating light receiving device can be achieved which has a light detection photodiode portion which can absorb any light from long-wavelength to short-wavelength, and a high sensitivity and a high-speed response over a range from long-wavelength to short-wavelength.
In one embodiment of this invention, the diffusion region of the second conductivity type is divided into a plurality of regions by the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type.
Since an isolation structure obtained by an upward and downward high-concentration diffusion method is not used, substantially no high-concentration isolation diffusion region does not exist. Therefore, substantially no depletion layer occurs in the plurality of regions, and carriers generated immediately under the plurality of regions reach the depletion layer without going around the isolation diffusion region. Thereby, a circuit-incorporating light receiving device having a divided light detection photodiode portion having an improved response speed can be achieved.
In one embodiment of this invention, the diffusion region of the second conductivity type is divided into a plurality of regions by a groove.
A parasitic capacitance of a side can be reduced to more extent than when the light detection photodiode is divided by an upward and downward high-concentration diffusion method using an isolation diffusion region. Thereby, a circuit-incorporating light receiving device having a divided light detection photodiode portion having an improved CR time constant can be achieved.
In one embodiment of this invention, the groove is provided by a LOCOS method.
Since a semiconductor layer is removed by the LOCOS method, a highly-reliable photodiode can be obtained. Although a trench method may be used to fabricate the structure of the present invention, an increase in a junction leak due to dry etching leads to deterioration of a photodiode characteristic. A circuit-incorporating light receiving device having a more reliable light detection photodiode portion can be achieved when the groove is produced by the LOCOS method.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a circuit-incorporating light receiving device comprises a first semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a first groove reaching the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type being provided in the second semiconductor layer, a diffusion region of a second conductivity type provided in a first portion of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, the first portion being exposed at a bottom side of the first groove, and a circuit element provided in a second portion of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and a first portion of the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type. The first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and the diffusion region of the second conductivity type form a light detection photodiode portion. The diffusion region of the second conductivity type has a diffusion depth less than or equal to a penetration depth of short-wavelength signal light.
Therefore, conditions, such as the conductivity type, concentration, thickness, and the like of the second semiconductor layer, and be freely determined independently of the light detection photodiode portion. Conditions required for the circuit element can be designed. PN junction can be provided at a shallow position in the surface of the photodiode region in the first semiconductor layer, and even short-wavelength signal light can be sufficiently absorbed in the depletion layer. Thereby, a circuit-incorporating light receiving device which has a circuit element having an optimized characteristic and a high-sensitivity light detection photodiode can be achieved.
Since the depth of the groove reaches a region deeper than the interface between the first semiconductor layer and second semiconductor layer, an auto dope layer generated in the vicinity of the interface can be removed. Further, when the concentration of the first semiconductor layer is set to be a low value, the depletion layer in the light detection photodiode portion sufficiently expands toward a substrate side as does in a conventional case. This leads to an achievement of a high-speed light detection photodiode portion. These performances are not lowered in the case of long-wavelength signal light.
In one embodiment of this invention, the diffusion depth of the diffusion region of the second conductivity type is less than or equal to 0.3 xcexcm.
In one embodiment of this invention, the short-wavelength signal light is blue light.
In one embodiment of this invention, a high-concentration buried layer of the first conductivity type is provided between the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type and the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, wherein an impurity concentration of the high-concentration buried layer is greater than an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type.
In one embodiment of this invention, the high-concentration buried layer of the first conductivity type is provided by a buried diffusion method or an epitaxial growth method.
In one embodiment of this invention, the second portion of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type an the first portion of the second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type have an N-type well region and a P-type well region, and the circuit element is provided using the N-type well region and the P-type well region.
In one embodiment of this invention, an isolation diffusion region of the first conductivity type is provided between the light detection photodiode portion and the circuit element, wherein an impurity concentration of the isolation diffusion region is greater than an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, and the isolation diffusion region reaches a position deeper than the light detection photodiode portion and the circuit element.
In one embodiment of this invention, an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type is greater than or equal to 1xc3x971014 cmxe2x88x923.
In one embodiment of this invention, the diffusion region of the second conductivity type is divided into a plurality of regions by the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type.
In one embodiment of this invention, the diffusion region of the second conductivity type is divided into a plurality of regions by a second groove.
In one embodiment of this invention, the first groove is provided by a LOCOS method.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a circuit-incorporating light receiving device comprises a first semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, a first groover reaching the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type being provided in the first semiconductor layer, a diffusion region of a second conductivity type, provided in a first portion of the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type, the first portion being exposed at a bottom side of the first groove, and a circuit element provided in a second portion of the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type and the first portion of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type. The first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type and the diffusion region of the second conductivity type form a light detection photodiode portion. The diffusion region of the second conductivity type has a diffusion depth less than or equal to a penetration depth of short-wavelength signal light.
Therefore, a low-concentration (high-specific-resistance) epitaxial growth layer which is difficult to control is not used whereas a low-concentration substrate which is relatively easy to produce is used. A circuit-incorporating light receiving device having a circuit element having an optimized characteristic, and a light detection photodiode having a high sensitivity and a high-speed response over a range from long-wavelength to short-wavelength can be achieved.
In one embodiment of this invention, the diffusion depth of the diffusion region of the second conductivity type is less than or equal to 0.3 xcexcm.
In one embodiment of this invention, the short-wavelength signal light is blue light.
In one embodiment of this invention, a second semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type is provided at the bottom side of the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type, wherein a high-concentration buried layer of the first conductivity type having an impurity concentration greater than an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type is provided in the second semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type.
Therefore, an anode resistance in a traverse direction up to an electrode is reduced in the high-concentration buried layer. Further, a potential barrier is produced against carriers generated deeper than the buried layer when long-wavelength signal light enters the device. In this case, the carriers are prevented from contributing to a photoelectric current, thereby making it possible to prevent a reduction in a response speed due to a diffusion current. Furthermore, the substrates attached to each other is used whereas a low-concentration epitaxial growth layer which is difficult to control is used, and a low-concentration region can be provided on the high-concentration buried layer.
In one embodiment of this invention, a second semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type is provided at the bottom side of the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type, wherein the second semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type has an impurity concentration greater than an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type.
Therefore, an anode resistance in a traverse direction up to an electrode is reduced in the high-concentration buried layer. Further, a potential barrier is produced against carriers generated deeper than the buried layer when long-wavelength signal light enters the device. In this case, the carriers are prevented from contributing to a photoelectric current, thereby making it possible to prevent a reduction in a response speed due to a diffusion current. Furthermore, the substrates attached to each other is used whereas a low-concentration epitaxial growth layer which is difficult to control is used, and a low-concentration region can be provided on the high-concentration buried layer.
In one embodiment of this invention, the second portion of the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type and the first portion of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type have an N-type well region and a P-type well region, and the circuit element is provided using the N-type well region and the P-type well region.
In one embodiment of this invention, an isolation diffusion region of the first conductivity type is provided between the light detection photodiode portion and the circuit element, wherein an impurity concentration of the isolation diffusion region is greater than an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type, and the isolation diffusion region reaches a position deeper than the light detection photodiode portion and the circuit element.
In one embodiment of this invention, an impurity concentration of the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type is greater than or equal to 1xc3x971014 cmxe2x88x923.
In one embodiment of this invention, the diffusion region of the second conductivity type is divided into a plurality of regions by the first semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type.
In one embodiment of this invention, the diffusion region of the second conductivity type is divided into a plurality of regions by a second groove.
In one embodiment of this invention, the first groove is provided by a LOCOS method.
Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantages of providing a circuit-incorporating light receiving device which can read from short- to long-wavelength signal light which is used for a CD, a DVD, or a blue-light DVD, and which can be easily produced by integrating circuit elements, such as a transistor, on the same substrate.

Circuit-incorporating light receiving device


A brake system including electronic anti-lock control (ABS) and electronically controlled brake force distribution (EBV). This brake system has electrically operable hydraulic valves, of which the inlet valves are open in their inactive position. An electronic error monitoring device is provided which responds upon the occurrence of defects or malfunctions and disconnects the control at least in part. The brake system also has control electronics including secondary circuits which remain in function after the error monitoring device has responded, and by which the inlet valves leading to the rear-wheel brakes are actuated and which are provided such that the pressure in the rear-wheel brakes is maintained constant when a limit value of the braking pressure in the master cylinder is exceeded.

The present invention relates to a brake system including electronic anti-lock control (ABS) and electronically controlled brake force distribution (EBV) by means of electrically operated hydraulic valves, of which the inlet valves (i.e. the valves controlling the pressure fluid flow to the individual wheel brakes) are open in their inactive position. This brake system further includes control electronics to generate the valve control signals in response to wheel sensor signals representative of the rotational behavior of the individual wheels, and an error monitoring device which responds upon the occurrence of defects or malfunctions and disconnects or deactivates the control at least in part.
In up-to-date conventional brake systems including anti-lock control, the braking pressure is controlled by electrically or electromagnetically controllable inlet and outlet valves. The inlet valves are arranged in the pressure fluid conduit from the master cylinder to the wheel brakes. The pressure fluid conduits, in which the outlet valves are arranged, lead from the wheel brakes to a supply reservoir or a pressure fluid return pump. To ensure the uncontrolled brake function when the control system is deactivated or the current supply is disconnected, the inlet valves are provided as SO-valves (i.e. open in their de-energized condition), and the outlet valves are provided as SG-valves (i.e. closed in their de-energized condition). To reliably prevent dangerous overbraking of the rear wheels in any situation, even upon deactivation of the control, conventional pressure reducing valves or so-called brake force regulators are inserted into the pressure fluid conduits leading to the rear wheels in such slip-controlled systems.
Further, it is known to bypass these brake force regulators during an anti-lock control operation for introducing a particularly high amount of braking pressure into the rear-wheel brakes during a control operation in case of need. Upon failure of the anti-lock controller, the brake force regulators will operate to full effect.
Still further, it is known from German DE-A 33 23 402 to utilize the electrically operable hydraulic valves, which are required for an anti-lock control operation, also to control the brake force distribution to the front axle and rear axle which is necessary as a result of dynamic axle load shifts. In this publication, the inlet valves in the lines leading to the rear wheels take the form of SG-valves. These valves effect introduction of the pressure into the wheel brakes of the rear wheels in a decelerated fashion, so that the rearwheel slip maximally adopts a predetermined percentage of the slip which occurs on the front wheels. The pressure fluid conduit leading to the rear wheels is permanently closed in such a brake system upon deactivation of the electronic control.
Attempts have been made, for cost reasons, to use anti-lock brake systems in which additional brake force regulators are avoided. An electronic control or regulation of brake force distribution by means of anti-lock control valves, in particular inlet valves, is desirable. Upon malfunction or deactivation of the controller due to a defect, however, braking pressure introduction, even into the rear-wheel brakes, should be possible now as before. Thus, it is inappropriate that the valve in the conduit leading to the rear wheels is a SG-valve.

Brake system including anti-lock control and electronic brake force distribution


The invention relates to a process for polymerising a monomer, polymerizing and/or crosslinking an oligomer, or crosslinking a polymer or copolymer, said monomer, oligomer, polymer and copolymer being selected among precursor monomers, urethane, thiourethane and episulfide oligomers, and urethane, thiourethane and episulfide polymers and copolymers, which comprises:    (a) adding to precursor monomers or oligomers or polymers or copolymers an effective amount of at least one complex of Co, Mo or W which under irradiation conditions photochemically reacts to release at least one anionically charged nucleophile or uncharged Lewis base; and    (b) irradiating the mixture of (a) to release the at least one anionically charged nucleophile or uncharged Lewis base to initiate polymerisation and/or crosslinking of the monomer, oligomer, polymer or copolymer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a fast photopolymerization and/or curing process for making urethane, thiourethane and episulfide polymers and copolymers.
The invention also concerns a process for making an optical article, in particular an ophthalmic lens, through a fast photopolymerization and/or curing process.
2. Description of Related Art
Various polymer materials have been used for making optical lenses such as ophthalmic lenses. These materials include polymers and copolymers of (meth)acrylates, urethanes, thiourethanes, epoxides and episulfides.
Polymerization of the starting monomers and oligomers or crosslinking of the oligomers and polymers have been typically carried out using free radical thermal initiators or free radical and cationic photoinitiators.
Anionic photopolymerization and/or curing of certain monomers in the presence of an anionic photoinitiator is also known.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,280 discloses anionic photopolymerization and/or curing of ethylene, 1,3-dienes, styrene, (meth)acrylates and (meth)acrylonitriles, in the presence of an anionic photoinitiator. The photoinitiator is an inorganic transition metal complex that releases a nucleophilic anion when irradiated with visible or ultra-violet radiation. The inorganic complexes used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,280 are Cr complexes, Pt complexes and cyclopentadienyl Fe or Ru complexes. These anionic photoinitiators were used for polymerizing ethyl α-cyanoacrylate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,113 discloses a process for polymerizing a monomer or oligomer or crosslinking an oligomer or polymer, in the absence of protic solvents, comprising irradiating a mixture of a monomer, oligomer, or polymer in the presence of an inorganic transition metal complex. The complex is selected from trans-[Cr(NH3)2(NCS)4]−, trans-[Cr(en)2(NCS)2]+, trans-Co(en)2Cl2+, trans-Cr(cyclam)Cl2+, trans-Cr(cyclam)(NSC)2+, trans-Co(cyclam)Cl2+, trans-Cr(R)2(OH)2+, trans-Cr(R)2(OH)H2O2+, trans-Cr(R)2(OH)Cl+, and Pb(OH)62−wherein R is ethylenediamine or 1,3-propylenediamine. The examples describe anionic photopolymerization of ethyl α-cyanoacrylate in the presence of some of the above photo initiators.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,877,230 discloses anionic photopolymerization and/or crosslinking of the same monomers, oligomers and polymers, in particular ethyl α-cyanoacrylate, than the above mentioned patents using cyclopentadienyl metallo complexes as photoinitiators.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,098 discloses a thermal fast curing process of polyurethane lenses using a thiocyanate anion to activate the polymerization of the starting monomers. No photopolymerization is mentioned.
The entire contents of each of the above-cited patents are incorporated herein by reference.

Anionic and Lewis base photopolymerization process and its use for making optical articles


A standalone drum-mounted lint filter for a washing machine is provided. The filter includes a filter housing including a plurality of inner walls dividing the filter housing into a plurality of filter chambers, each filter chamber defining at least one inlet configured to allow wash water to flow into the respective chamber. The filter further includes at least one retainer barrel arranged within each filter chamber and configured to retain lint during operation of the washing machine. The filter also includes a porous removable filter cover defining front-facing outlets open to the drum, allowing for exit of the wash water back into the wash.

Lint filters are used in washing machines to capture lint on laundry loads after a wash cycle. The captured lint is retained inside the filter, allowing the consumer to clean the filter after a wash cycle is completed. For customers who do not use clothes drying appliances, it is especially important to trap lint during the wash cycle.


An information processing apparatus (5) is provided including: a lexicon generation module (22) operable to identify strings of characters present in a set of social media posts (50); a network data generation module (24) operable to generate network data in which posts are associated with nodes and link data (53) link nodes corresponding to posts which contain similar sets of strings of characters; and a network analysis module (26) operable to process network data generated by the network data generation module (24) to determine one or more metric values for each of the nodes wherein the metric values are determined based on the patterns of connectivity defined by the link data (53). The generated metric values are then utilized to select one or more posts (55) as posts representative of the set of media posts.

Social networking and micro-blogging services such as Twitter® and Facebook® provide new avenues for social comment. Such services typically allow users to post comments in a public or semi public forum and for those comments to be forwarded or shared with other groups of users. Such user comment is invaluable for marketers seeking to promote a particular product or lobbyists trying to promote a particular viewpoint as it provides rapid feedback as to how a product is perceived or an indication of popular opinion on a particular matter.
The nature and volume of social media posts, however, makes analysis of such posted information very difficult. Very large numbers of posts are generated and posts are generated by users in an unstructured manner. It is therefore difficult to know other than by reading each individual post what any particular post concerns and how they relate to other posts made by the same or other users. For large numbers of posts such an approach is impractical.
In view of this rather than providing analysis of the content of posts themselves most social media analysis has involved analysis of the links between users.
Thus for example, in the case of Twitter® certain relationships between users can be identified as users can choose to "follow", that is receive the posts of certain other identified users. The numbers of followers a particular user has is indicative of the extent to which messages posted by that user are likely to spread across the network. Similarly the numbers and identities of users someone chooses to follow can provide an indication of a user's interests, likes and sources of information.
Such analysis does provide some information about how data is spread via social media. However the analysis of links between users provides little if any information about the content of posts which are being shared by those users. Such information would be desirable because if it is possible to determine the types of messages influential users receive and broadcast, marketers could use that information to tailor their messages so that they were more likely to reach particular market segments.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Disclosed are various embodiments for hover activation based on movement by an input device pointer. A network page associated with a network site for display by a client is rendered for display, where the network page includes a first panel. A trajectory path of an input device pointer is determined based on movement of an input device pointer. A second panel in the network page is displayed according to the input device pointer hovering over an element in the first panel. The network page is modified according to a predetermined delay and according to a current position of the input device pointer.

Users often interact with a content delivery system via a network on a client device, where users may, for example, manipulate a user interface on a client in the form of a network page encoded by the content system, where the user includes one or more panels containing various elements.

Hover activation based on input device pointer movement


Lighting systems are provided which include a remote set of light fixtures communicably coupled to a base and a faceplate detachably mounted to the base such that electrical contacts of the faceplate are coupled to respective electrical contacts of the base. The faceplate includes one or more user input interfaces and/or one or more environmental sensors. In some cases, the base and faceplate are each programmed to facilitate communication between the base and the faceplate to independently control each of the light fixtures based on input to the user input interface(s) and/or the environmental sensor(s). In addition or alternatively, either the base or the faceplate is programmed to auto-configure hardware and/or software of the faceplate and the base, respectively. In some cases, the base may be programmed to individually auto-configure differing hardware and/or software of a plurality of different faceplates when they are respectively coupled to the base.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to lighting systems and, more specifically, to devices for controlling illumination of a set of remote light fixtures.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following descriptions and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion within this section.
Control units for varying the illumination of light fixtures and/or managing the illumination of multiple light fixtures are becoming increasingly complex and variable with the advent of environmental sensing and automation integrated within control units. The control units are generally remote from the light fixtures and, in many cases, are wired to the fixtures via electrical connections within standard electrical junction boxes in walls. In addition, many control units are programmable and include wireless functionality. Due to their complexity, installation of advanced control units (i.e., connection to a set of lighting fixtures) often requires the skill of an electrician and/or a field representative, which is costly and generally time consuming. As a consequence, consumers are often deterred from purchasing control units with alternative and/or new features.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop a lighting control device which may be easily installed by a consumer. It would be further beneficial to develop a lighting control device which offers interchangeable light control features.

Light control unit with detachable electrically communicative faceplate


In a method of forming a dual damascene pattern of a semiconductor device, horns that occur while forming a trench constituting the dual damascene pattern are removed in an intermediate process of forming the trench. Thus, the source of particles, which occur due to the horns in a cleaning process performed after the dual damascene pattern is formed, may be removed. Accordingly, an increase of contact resistance due to particles may be prevented, and a reduction in the yield of semiconductor devices may also be improved.

The present invention relates to a method of forming a dual damascene pattern of a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to a method of forming a dual damascene pattern of a semiconductor device, which can effectively remove horns existing at the boundary portions of a contact hole and a trench constituting the dual damascene pattern.
With the high integration of semiconductor devices, an alignment margin of a contact plug and an upper structure (for example, a line or contact pad) becomes short. Accordingly, a dual damascene process that is able to form the contact plug and the upper structure at the same time has been applied.
The dual damascene process includes several methods. One of the methods is described below as an example. First, a contact hole is formed by etching an inter-metal dielectric layer using a mask for the contact hole. The inside of the contact hole is gap-filled with a passivation layer. An insulating layer and the passivation layer are etched using a mask to form a trench connected to the contact hole. The passivation layer remaining within the contact hole is removed. Thus, a dual damascene pattern comprised of the contact hole and the trench is formed. A cleaning process is performed and the dual damascene pattern is gap-filled with a conductive material. Accordingly, a contact plug is formed in the contact hole, and a line or contact pad is formed in the trench.
However, during the etch process of forming the trench, the trench is etched while a polymer layer is formed around the contact hole. Therefore, a greater amount of the inter-metal dielectric layer remains at the entrance of the contact hole than at other portions, causing a horn shape (refer to 100 of FIG. 1). The horn shape is bent in a cleaning process. As a result, the bent horn shape may become a particle source.

Method of forming a dual damascene pattern of a semiconductor device


A bow mount includes a support member, a frame member, and two clamping arms. The clamping arms are spaced from each other and extend laterally from the front side of the frame member. A bow is secured in the clamping arms. The frame member is then rotated and tilted with respect to said frame member to determine the level conditions of a bow. An arrow is then attached to the bow string and an arrow stabilizer. The arrow rest is then placed and the sight pins are properly aligned.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a novel bow mount and process for tuning a bow. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method which provide sufficient flexibility and adjustability for use with any size or type of bow.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, it has been discovered that even premium bows are not always constructed or assembled with perfectly matched components such as limbs, eccentrics, bushings etc. Also, accessories such as arrow-rests or sights may not be precisely constructed or installed on a bow. In order for archers to be able to shoot accurately, they need a bow that has a number of elements precisely aligned and set up. Archers also need to check and adjust their bows, arrows and accessories frequently after the initial set-up. In an effort to alleviate the above difficulties, many bow holder and bow tuning devices have been developed.
An example of one such device is disclosed in Morey et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,576. This device is limited in use to bows that are capable of having a stabilizer in order to fasten a bow to the device. It is also difficult to set up bows with this method because of the swinging of the plumb bob or arrow while attempting to adjust the arrow rest and sight pins. Trying to hold a level in a precise location against an arrow or string is very awkward.
Another example is disclosed in Fenchel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,627. This device is limited to certain bows and elements and is therefore capable of only solving a portion of the problems associated with accurate archery shooting. The patent to Emerson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,937, is another example that is limited to bows that have two threaded holes in the riser. This device is capable of only solving a portion of the problems associated with accurate archery shooting.
Three other examples that are limited to solving a portion of the problems associated with accurate archery shooting are listed below. The patent to York et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,971, discloses a tool used to attempt to align the arrow with the bow and set the tiller. Accurate settings are difficult without checking other parts and assembly of a bow. An archer's form is not taken into consideration while using this tool. The patent to Boll, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,511, discloses a device which can only be mounted on bows which have a threaded stabilizer hole located in the riser. Accurate settings can be difficult without support of the bow and arrow while making adjustments. The patent to Scarpa, U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,110, merely discloses an apparatus designed to hold a bow in various positions.
The prior art fails to show any device which can allow a user to place bows of various sizes and shapes in a mount and then perform on the bow all the various measurements and make any necessary changes while the bow remains mounted. The prior art also fails to show any type of device which allows a great flexibility of motion once the bow is mounted in order to ensure that the bow is appropriately positioned. The present invention solves this and other problems not apparent from the prior art.


A fiber optic connector has a housing and a ferrule contained within the housing. The ferrule has a base portion, an endface portion protruding from the base, and at least one alignment tower extending from the base portion parallel to the endface portion. In one embodiment, the ferrule can have one alignment tower on each side of the endface portion. In one embodiment. The alignment towers extend the same distance from the base portion as the endface portion. In another embodiment, the alignment towers may be connected to the endface portion via webbing.

The Next Generation Data Center Connector (NGDC) is a 12 fiber MPO connector with a small form factor. The design allows for a connector with 12 fibers to fit into an adapter which fits into approximately the same size opening as a simplex LC adapter. As shown in FIG. 1, with this design, 144 NGDC adapters 1 can fit into a IRU patch panel 2, providing 1728 fibers per RU.
FIGS. 2-5 show the NGDC adapter and connector. Pins 3 held in each Male NGDC adapter 4 align the connectors inside the Male NGDC adapter when interacting with holes 5 located in the Female NGDC ferrule 6. With this design, the female features are located on the NGDC ferrule and the male features are located inside the NGDC adapter. The pins are held in the Male adapter using a metal bracket 7 and supported by circular molded features 8. The metal bracket does not offer much support to the pins, leaving the pins and bracket susceptible to bending during connector insertion and pin cleaning with swabs, possibly causing misalignment and or damage to the connector's ferrule alignment holes.


In an organic light emitting display with a data integrated circuit using the same, a buffer circuit comprises: a first capacitor receiving gradation voltage through a first terminal; a first inverter having an input terminal connected to a second terminal of the first capacitor; a second capacitor having a first terminal connected to an output terminal of the first inverter; a second inverter having an input terminal connected to a second terminal of the second capacitor; a third capacitor having a first terminal connected to an output terminal of the second inverter; and a first transistor connected to a second terminal of the third capacitor and controlling current flowing from a first power source to a data line so as to supply the gradation voltage to the data line in correspondence to the voltage supplied by the third capacitor. With this configuration, the gradation voltage is supplied regardless of the threshold voltages of the transistors.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a buffer circuit and an organic light emitting display with a data integrated circuit using the same and, more particularly, to a buffer circuit and an organic light emitting display with a data integrated circuit using the same, in which a threshold voltage is compensated to supply a correct output voltage.
2. Related Art
Recently, various flat panel displays have been developed, and they substitute for cathode ray tube (CRT) displays because the CRT displays are relatively heavy and bulky. The flat panel display includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), a field emission display (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP), an organic light emitting display (OLED), etc.
Among the flat panel displays, the organic light emitting display can emit light for itself by electron-hole recombination. Such an organic light emitting display has advantages in that response time is relatively fast and power consumption is relatively low. Generally, the organic light emitting display employs a transistor provided in each pixel for supplying current corresponding to a data signal to an organic light emitting diode, thereby allowing the organic light emitting diode to emit light.
The organic light emitting display generates a data signal based on external data, and supplies the data signal to the pixel through a data line, thereby displaying an image having desired brightness. At least one data integrated circuit is employed for converting the external data into the data signal.
The data integrated circuit transforms the external data into a voltage corresponding to gradation, and supplies the voltage as the data signal to the data line via a buffer circuit. Furthermore, in each pixel, current is applied to the organic light emitting diode in correspondence to the voltage of the data signal supplied through the data line, thereby displaying a predetermined image.
In the data integrated circuit, the buffer circuit should ideally transmit the data signal to the data line without a voltage drop. However, the buffer circuit cannot actually transmit the data signal to the data line with a voltage drop as much as the threshold voltage of the transistor because it comprises the plurality of transistors, so that the pixels cannot display an image having the desired brightness.

Buffer circuit and organic light emitting display with data integrated circuit using the same


A determination is made, at a device, as to whether data identifying signals detected at the device include data from a non-stationary wireless beacon. If the data includes data from a non-stationary wireless beacon then observation data including both the data and an associated trusted position of the device is maintained in an observation buffer; otherwise, the observation data is dropped by the device. The observation data from the observation buffer is provided to a service, which determines whether the observation data conforms to one or more patterns, the one or more patterns having been identified based on one or more criteria used by the device in providing the observation data to the service. If the observation data conforms to the one or more patterns then the observation data is maintained by the service; otherwise, the observation data is dropped by the service.

As cellular phones have become more commonplace and powerful, the desire for certain applications to provide location-based functionality on these phones has increased. In order to provide such location-based functionality, the position of the phone needs to be known at any time in any environment. The position of a phone can sometimes be determined based on coordinates received from a global positioning system (GPS) of the phone. However, it remains difficult to determine the position of a phone under certain circumstances, such as when the GPS of the phone is not able to determine an accurate position of the phone, or when the phone does not include GPS functionality.

Wireless beacon filtering and untrusted data detection


An adjustable wrench with strength enhancing structural design includes a body including a grip end and a driving head. The driving head includes a fixed jaw and a movable jaw. The movable jaw engages and is operably movable in a groove. The groove includes two lateral walls facing oppositely and spacing from each other. Each of the two lateral walls includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surfaces of the two lateral walls face oppositely and are separated by a space. The first and second surfaces of each of the two lateral walls have a common edge and an included angle less than 90 degrees. The movable jaw includes two slopped surfaces corresponding to and abutting against the second surfaces of the two lateral walls.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustable wrench and, in particular, to an adjustable wrench with a strength enhancing structural design.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an adjustable wrench has two jaws for engaging an object to be driven in between. The two jaws include one being a fixed jaw and the other being a movable jaw, which is operably movable relative to the fixed jaw at different relative positions for various sizes of objects. However, it is found that the movable jaw gets easier to move with respect to the fixed jaw inadvertently. As a result, the jaws are liable to slip and round an object to be driven.
The present invention is, therefore, intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.

Adjustable wrench with strength enhancing structural design


A rotatable debarking drum for removing the bark from logs comprises a cylindrical member and a plurality of axially extending rows of debarking tools circumferentially distributed on an inner circumference of the cylindrical member. Each row of debarking tools includes a plurality of axially spaced-apart arcuate ribs extending transversally relative to the cylindrical member axis. The discontinuous axially extending rows of debarking tools arrangement contributes to increase the efficiency of the overall debarking operation.

1. Field of invention
The present invention relates to a debarking drum and, more particularly, to debarking drums of the type having longitudinally spaced-apart debarking ribs mounted to an inner surface thereof for removing bark from logs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, conventional debarking drums generally consist of an elongated rotatable cylindrical drum having an open inlet end for receiving the logs to be debarked and an open outlet end for discharging the debarked logs. Typically, the cylindrical drum is provided with barking tools on an inner circumference thereof for applying hammer-like impact blows to logs in the drum, while the same is being rotated.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,300 issued on Apr. 6, 1976 and Canadian Patent No. 994,646 issued on Aug. 10, 1976 to Young disclose a rotatable cylindrical drum having on an inner circumference thereof a plurality of staggered protrusions arcuatetly contoured on all working sides. The protrusions are mounted to the drum by axially spaced-apart annular mounting rings. The protrusions are disposed in staggered spaced relationship to provide random impacts to logs.
Canadian Patent No. 745,445 issued on Nov. 1, 1966 to Delcellier discloses a debarking drum having a plurality of longitudinally extending corrugations on the inner periphery thereof for debarking the logs.
Canadian Patent No. 609,404 issued on Nov. 29, 1960 to Henson discloses a debarking drum having a plurality of longitudinal members of circular cross-section which are mounted to a plurality of axially spaced-apart annular plates so as to form a cylindrical framework. In operation, the logs tumble against each other and the longitudinal members so that the bark thereof knocked off.
Although the debarking drums described in the above mentioned patents are effective for removing the bark from logs, it has been found that a rearrangement of the barking tools would be beneficial to the debarking operations.


A security grille (1) adapted to securely close off a window, but which may be manually released from within the building including the window while maintaining security preventing unauthorized access from the exterior of the building. The grille (1) is attached along one edge by hinges (2), or by a releasable mechanism, and is lockable in position by locking device (20) on an opposite edge. The locking device (20) may including locking bolts which protrude out through holes (21, 24 ) which engage holes (22, 25) within a surrounding frame (32). The grille (1) can comprise two portions (1a, 1b) joined at their mating edges by further hinges (23). The frame (32) is secured by bolt devices (26), or the like to the wall structure of the building surrounding the window to be protected.

This invention relates to security grilles for windows that can be released in order to effect an emergency exit from the building which they secure.
In emergency situations, such as fire, the occupants of a building will often not be able to reach normal exits, or because of panic they might not firstly obtain the necessary keys to release, e.g. deadlocked, security doors. Therefore security grilles which are releasable without the requirement of a key are desirable in at least many establishments.
Australian patent specification 79341/87 discloses such a releasable security grille but it has been found that there is a viable alternative to the actual release/locking mechanism disclosed in that specification.


A search system for a radio LAN terminal includes: plural terminals; and a search computer that searches for connectable terminals out of the plural terminals in a radio LAN, wherein the search computer includes: a communication unit provided to be capable of changing transmission power of radio communication for performing radio communication via the radio LAN with the plural terminals; and a storage unit that stores a search list in which identification information including identifiers for identifying the searched terminals are listed according to an order of the searched terminals, the plural terminals include terminal communication units for performing radio communication with the search computer via the radio LAN, the search computer broadcasts a probe request for searching for the terminals by minimizing a set value of the transmission power of the radio communication of the communication unit, the terminals having received the probe request transmit response signals including the identification information of the terminals from the terminal communication units to the search computer, the search computer checks whether the response signals received are response signals from new ones of the terminals not stored in the search list, the search computer adds, when the response signals are response signals from the new terminals, the identification information included in the response signals to the search list of the storage unit, and the search computer performs, when the response signals are not response signals from the new terminals or the response signals are not received, a series of search operations starting from the probe request by increasing the set value of the transmission power of the radio communication of the communication unit.

The present invention related to a search method for a radio LAN terminal, a search system for a radio LAN terminal using the search method, and a search program for a radio LAN terminal for searching for, in a radio LAN including a personal computer (PC) and plural apparatuses and terminals (hereinafter referred to as "terminals") such as a projector capable of communicating with the PC by radio, a desired terminal among the plural terminals.
For example, in a node selection system described in JP-A-2004-200830 that is a type of the search system for a radio LAN terminal, all the terminals such as the projector always advertise identifiers such as IP addresses of the terminals one another with radio signals of an identical field intensity using radio LAN apparatuses for identifier advertisement attached to the terminals to allow a search PC for searching for a terminal to search for a nearest terminal. The search PC measures field intensities of radio signals transmitted from the respective terminals and makes connection to the terminal transmitting the radio signal with the highest filed intensity. All the terminals continue to always advertise the identifiers even after the search PC makes connection to the nearest terminal.
In another node selection system (no publicly known document), a search PC is capable of displaying terminals capable of making connection to the PC via a radio LAN in a form of a random list not including information on distances to the terminals.
However, in the node selection system described in JP-A-2004-200830, on the premise that field intensities of radio signals transmitted by the respective terminals are identical, the search PC searches for a nearest terminal according to strength of radio waves always outputted. Thus, the radio LAN apparatuses for identifier advertisement having identical radio power and capable of always transmitting identifiers have to be attached to all the terminals. Usually, the terminals make connection to the radio LAN by having general-purpose radio LAN cards or the like conforming to a radio LAN standard such as IEEE 802.11b (IEEE 802.11 High-Rate Direct Sequence) inserted therein. These radio LAN cards are manufactured by plural manufacturers. There are plural models even if a manufacturer is identical. Thus, it is difficult to set the radio LAN card to always transmit identifiers at an identical field intensity because of fluctuation in manufacturing and a difference of specifications. Consequently, the node selection system requires dedicated apparatuses, that is, the radio LAN apparatuses for identifier advertisement, as components of the terminals. Thus, it is difficult to add terminals having the general-purpose radio LAN cards inserted therein to the node selection system. The node selection system is a closed system poor in compatibility.
All the plural terminals have to always communicate identifiers of the terminals to the search PC by radio to allow the search PC to search for a nearest one terminal. Moreover, even after the search PC makes connection to the nearest one terminal, the remaining terminals always communicate the identifiers of the terminals to the search PC by radio.
As described above, in the node selection system in the past, since all the plural terminals always communicate with the search PC by radio, power consumption is large.
Since the list of the connectable terminals displayed by the search PC is a random list, information concerning which terminal is located nearest to the search PC is not included in the list.
Therefore, since a user has to search a nearest terminal out of the random list by referring to model numbers or the like of the terminals, search efficiency is not high.

Search method for radio LAN terminal, search system for radio LAN terminal using the search method, and computer readable medium having search program for radio LAN terminal


The present application provides a pass-through plug, including: a first housing, comprising a plurality of sockets; a second housing, configured to be connected with the first housing; and a tamper resistant assembly, trapped between the first housing and the second housing and configured to selectively block the plurality of sockets when the plurality of sockets are not simultaneously operated. The provided pass-through plug can reduce the potential risk of people accidentally inserting conductive objects into the socket holes.

The American standard plugs are generally active, which means that they always provide power to the contacts in the electrical socket. Therefore, children and even some elderly people are prone to electric shock when a conductive object is inserted into the socket hole of the plug. The conductive objects may include knives, paper clips, screwdrivers, or similar objects that a person can insert into the socket holes. Most existing sockets do not provide such a device for reducing the potential risk of a person accidentally inserting a conductive object into the socket holes.


An apparatus for cutting a window in a casing pipe in a well, having only a single mill with full gage primary cutting inserts of a very hard, highly wear resistant, material. The primary inserts can be protected from damage by forming each blade on the mill with an outside edge profile having a shallower angle than the angle of the whipstock which is used to guide the mill through the casing, preventing the primary inserts from riding directly on the whipstock. The primary inserts on each blade can be further protected from damage by a row of secondary inserts of a relatively more durable material, arranged behind each row of primary inserts, or by a full diameter buffer section of mill body or blade.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the field of methods and apparatus used to cut an exit or side window in a casing, downhole in a well bore, typically for the purpose of drilling a lateral well bore angled away from the main bore.
2. Background Art
Often, it is desired to cut a window in a downhole well casing in an oil or gas well, for the purpose of exiting the casing, to drill a lateral well bore off of the main bore. Typically, multiple mills are used to form such a window having the desired full gage diameter. Often, three separate mills are used, as shown in FIG. 1.
The downhole direction will be shown to the right herein, and the uphole direction to the left, but it should be understood that the borehole could be oriented vertically, horizontally, or anywhere in between. Further, it should be understood that, as used herein, the term "full gage" signifies a window having a diameter which is at least 96% of the full inside diameter of the casing which is being exited. Since the window will have an elliptical shape, the lesser or transverse diameter of such a full gage window will be at least 96% of the full inside diameter of the casing. The greater or longitudinal diameter of the window may be even greater than the inside diameter of the casing. Finally, when the term "separate mills" is used herein, it should be understood that two groups of cutting inserts separated by a substantial axial distance can be considered to constitute two "separate mills". For example, in some such mills, an axial distance of greater than one inch between groups of inserts could be considered substantial.
Often, the three mills that are typically used to cut such a window are all mounted on a work string WS together, one above the other. The lower or lead mill LM penetrates the casing wall C; then it is followed by the upper mills, commonly referred to as string mills or backup mills B1, B2. In such an apparatus, all three mills LM, B1, B2 typically have the same outer diameter, at least in their original condition. However, by the time the lead mill LM penetrates the casing C, it will usually have a slightly smaller diameter than it originally had, because of damage to the cutting inserts, resulting from severe vibration and impact against the casing C and the whipstock W. The string mills above it are then required to pass through the window in order to open it up to a substantially full gage diameter.
The lead mill LM cuts a relatively small window in the casing C as it is guided therethrough by the guide surface GS of a whipstock W. Rotation of the work string WS then continues as the second mill B1, and eventually the trailing mill B2, pass through the window, as shown in FIG. 2. Each mill slightly enlarges the window as it passes through. Typically, at least two and often three mills must be used, because the cutting inserts on the lead mill LM and even on the second mill B1 often deteriorate rapidly, with the result that the lead mill LM and the second mill B1 lose diameter during the window cutting process. This loss in mill diameter results in the cutting of a window that is slightly smaller than the original diameter of the mills. The mills can not have an original diameter that is larger than the full casing gage, of course. So, the second and third mills B1, B2 must be used to bring the casing window diameter up to full gage.
This typical apparatus having three separate mills on the work string suffers from several disadvantages. First, it is quite costly, because three mills, or at least three spaced apart groups of cutting inserts, are required. Second, the three mills are typically mounted together in a longitudinal arrangement, with the arrays of cutting inserts on the different mills being axially separated by a distance of greater than one inch. This creates a relatively long three mill assembly with a rigid axis. As a result, the apparatus can experience a substantial amount of vibration. Third, because of the long rigid axis of the three mill assembly, it is difficult to turn the mill in a direction away from the whipstock after forming the window and exiting the casing.

Single mill casing window cutting tool and method


A contactless power transmission device includes a switching unit that switches a power transmission line so that a first power is transmitted through the first line when an AC power supply outputs a first AC power and so that a second power is transmitted through a second line when the AC power supply outputs a second AC power. An impedance conversion unit is arranged on the second line that converts an impedance from an output of the AC power supply to a variable load when the second power is transmitted through the second line to approach an impedance from the output of the AC power supply to the variable load when the first power is transmitted through the first line.

A contactless power transmission device that uses a magnetic field resonance has been known as a common technique for a contactless power transmission device, which does not use a power supply wire, a power transmission cable or the like. For example, a contactless power transmission device described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-106136 includes a power supplying device that includes an AC power supply and a primary resonance coil, which receives an AC power from the AC power supply. The contactless power transmission device includes a secondary resonance coil arranged on a vehicle that enables the magnetic field resonance with the primary resonance coil. When the magnetic field resonance occurs between the primary resonance coil and the secondary resonance coil, the AC power is supplied from the power supplying device to the vehicle. The AC power is used for charging a vehicle battery, namely a variable load, arranged on the vehicle.


The invention relates to an in-motion scale, in particular, to a conveyor scale with a conveyor belt, with a load cell (9) and a conveying device (5) for goods to be weighed, in particular, packaged goods, for feeding the goods to and leading them away and from the load cell (9), and with a control device (11) for controlling the functions of the in-motion scale. According to the invention, the control device (11) can be changed over to a cleaning mode in which the functions of the in-motion scale (1) are controlled according to a specified cleaning-mode functional model so that danger to operating personnel and/or damage to the in-motion scale (1) is reduced or eliminated.

In-motion scales, for example, conveyor scales with a conveyor belt, are used in the food industry among other places. Precisely in these cases, the cleaning of the in-motion scales plays a large role, in order to be able to guarantee the required hygiene or purity of the produced products. Here it should be noted that the term "in-motion scale" is used in the course of this description for all scales that have at least one load cell for determining the weight of goods being weighed, as well as arbitrary means for feeding the goods to be weighed to, or leading them away from, the load cell or the point or area of a weighing platform at which the weighing process is performed. In the case of dynamic in-motion scales, frequently a conveyor belt is used that is coupled with the load sensor of the load cell, so that the weight of goods to be weighed on the conveyor belt can also be determined while the belt is moving. A static in-motion scale could be realized, for example, so that goods to be weighed are pushed onto the weighing platform by means of a suitable feeding device, and after a successful (static) weighing process, the goods are removed again from the weighing platform. Thus, the transport means could be realized in various ways, for example, as a (relatively simple) robot arm, slider, or the like. They could be mounted optionally on the weighing platform or on the machine frame.
The cleaning of complex or sensitive production machines, such as, for example, high-quality in-motion scales, requires, as a rule, appropriately trained personnel. Cleaning processes are often time intensive, because the in-motion scale must be opened at positions provided for cleaning and the cleaning of certain areas must be performed.
If in-motion scales, in particular, conveyor scales with at least one load cell and a conveyor belt, are used in the food industry for the production of food in a production line, these are often constructed so that the conveyor scale is largely covered in order to increase measurement accuracy and user safety. Then the conveyor belt can be cleaned, for example, with a steam-jet cleaner. The cleaning process is performed after disconnecting the conveyor scale from power to stop the conveyor belt.
If cleaning of the in-motion scale, as implemented to some extent, is performed during operation, then first there exists the risk that an operating person will be injured by moving elements of the transport means, or the in-motion scale will be damaged, for example, if a steam-jet nozzle collides with a moving element of the transport means.

In-motion scale, in particular, conveyor scale with a conveyor belt

Wipotec Wiege- und Positioniersysteme GmbH


A reclosable package comprising a receptacle and an assembly, the assembly comprising a plastic zipper joined to or integrally formed with the receptacle and a slider mounted to the zipper. The zipper comprises first and second interlockable profiled closure members, and a slider end stop projecting outward from a side of the first closure member for a distance sufficient to obstruct further travel of the slider in a closing direction. The slider end stop comprises a body of plastic material joined to the first closure member, the body being disposed near one end of the zipper and entirely within an elevational range bounded by top and bottom edges of the first closure member.

This invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for manufacturing slider-operated flexible zippers for use in reclosable pouches, bags or other packages of the type in which material, such as foodstuff and detergent, are stored.
Reclosable bags are finding ever-growing acceptance as primary packaging, particularly as packaging for foodstuffs such as cereal, fresh vegetables, snacks and the like. Such bags provide the consumer with the ability to readily store, in a closed, if not sealed, package any unused portion of the packaged product even after the package is initially opened. To gain acceptance as a primary package for foodstuffs, it is virtually mandatory that the package exhibit some form of tamper evidence to protect the consumer and maintain the wholesomeness of the contained product. In addition, in many cases it is necessary that food product be hermetically packaged.
Reclosable fastener assemblies are useful for sealing thermoplastic pouches or bags. Such fastener assemblies often include a plastic zipper and a slider. Typically, the plastic zippers include a pair of interlockable profiled members that form a closure. As the slider moves across the profiles, the profiles are opened or closed. The profiles in plastic zippers can take on various configurations, e.g. interlocking rib and groove elements having so-called male and female profiles, interlocking alternating hook-shaped closure members, etc. Reclosable bags having slider-operated zippers are generally more desirable to consumers than bags having zippers without sliders because the slider eliminates the need for the consumer to align the interlockable zipper profiles before causing those profiles to engage.
In one type of slider-operated zipper assembly, the slider straddles the zipper and has a separating finger at one end that is inserted between the profiles to force them apart as the slider is moved along the zipper in an opening direction. The other end of the slider is sufficiently narrow to force the profiles into engagement and close the zipper when the slider is moved along the zipper in a closing direction. Other types of slider-operated zipper assemblies avoid the use of a separating finger. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,450 discloses a zipper comprising a pair of mutually interlockable profiled structures, portions of which form a fulcrum about which the profiled structures may be pivoted out of engagement when lower edges of the bases are forced towards each other.
One of the important features of zipper assemblies operated by sliders without separating fingers is the end stop, which prevents the clipped-on slider from falling off when the slider reaches the end of the fastener. A slider end stop is provided on each end of the zipper. End stops have taken on various configurations, such as, for example, riveted end clamps such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,067,208 and 5,161,286; transverse end stops made from molten material of the fastener strips, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,971; tubular end stops, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,478; a window structure combined with sealed zipper ends, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,837; plastic end clips fused to the zipper, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,807; posts with enlarged heads that pass through the ends of the zipper profiles, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,173; and plastic ribbon, monofilament or clip-shaped segments that conform to the outer shape of and are fused to the zipper profile, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,791.
A slider end stop must be designed to withstand the forces applied by a consumer during normal use. More specifically, as the consumer pulls the slider to either end of the zipper, the end stop should not bend, fold, collapse or otherwise lose its ability to stop the slider when the slider is pressed against the end stop by the consumer. Preferably a slider end stop has relatively high slider pull-off resistance.
There is a need for improvements in the manufacture and construction of slider end stops for slider-operated zippers. In particular, there is a need for an improved, yet economical method of making a slider end stop having high slider pull-off resistance.

Reclosable packaging having zipper with slider end stops


In one embodiment of the present invention, a configuration information generation method receives an indication to begin the configuration information generation method. A determination is made which versions of a simple network management protocol a network device supports, wherein the versions support a security feature. Information is forwarded for inclusion in a printout, wherein the information includes an indication of which versions of the simple network management protocol the network device supports.

Electronic systems and circuits have made a significant contribution towards the advancement of modern society and are utilized in a number of applications to achieve advantageous results. Numerous electronic technologies such as digital computers, calculators, audio devices, video equipment, and telephone systems have facilitated increased productivity and reduced costs in analyzing and communicating data, ideas and trends in most areas of business, science, education and entertainment. Frequently, these advantageous results are realized through the use of distributed network resources that facilitate leveraged utilization of centralized resources. While utilization of distributed resources communicatively coupled in a network is often advantageous, appropriate configuration and management of the distributed resources are usually critical to operational integrity and very complex. Convenient and simplified presentation of network management information is usually very desirable.
Networks are often arranged in numerous configurations comprising a variety of network types. Some of the most popular types of network architectures comprise Ethernet, token ring, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), Frame Relay, Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), X.25, and Synchronous Data Link Control (SDLC). The networks usually consist of a variety of different devices (e.g., clients, servers, routers, hubs, gateways, etc.) that are communicatively coupled by various communication mediums (e.g., coaxial cable, twisted-pair cable, fiber optic cable, radio waves, microwaves, etc.). These networks are often arranged in architectural hierarchies such as local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). Usually, LANs are distinguished from WANs based upon the geographical area they cover and sometimes the number of users connected to the network. The significant variety of devices, communication mediums, and communication protocols that may be included in a network increase the difficulty and complexity of compatible network management.
Standardized protocols typically provide beneficial techniques that attempt to address compatibility problems often encountered with otherwise ad-hoc network management features of various network devices. One such standardized protocol is an Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). SNMP is a set of rules that govern communication of network management information (e.g., network device statistics) and network devices that have SNMP enabled can be managed with SNMP network management software. Various network devices track information associated with their operational activities and/or information. For example, a router may track the amount of information communicated on each interface port and errors that occur or a Web server might keep a tally of the number of hits it receives. The operational activity and/or configuration information is typically stored in a database often referred to as a Management Information Base (MIB).
Network management information is usually vital for maintaining network operations and providing a level of security for the network management information is often desirable. While some network management activities (such as monitoring and performance management) may not require strong security protection, it is typically beneficial to provide relatively stringent security measures directed to protecting other network management activities (e.g., configuration, accounting and fault management) from illicit interference (e.g., snooping, hacking, etc.).
Simple Network Management Protocols usually provide for the optional implementation of some level of security with later versions of SNMP (e.g., version 3) typically facilitating a wider range of optional security provisions. Knowing an SNMP version is supported is usually very advantageous and provides an indication of security levels that are potentially available. In addition to knowing the SNMP version that is supported, it is also often beneficial to know enabled security level information within the SNMP version. For example, a network manger may have a false sense of security if the network device is compatible with an SNMP version that supports relatively strong security provision features but the strong security provision features are not enabled. A convenient and accurate indication of enabled security for network management information communications usually facilitates implementation of security measures directed towards minimizing illicit interference with network operations and management activities.
What is desired is a system and method for facilitating convenient access to information associated with a supported network management protocol.

Configuration information generation system and method

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A quantum wire switch and a switching method for switching charge carriers between a first output and a second output utilizing quantum interference of the charge carriers. A quantum switch includes a quantum wire extending from an input to a first output, a second quantum wire extending from the input to a second output, and a third quantum wire extending between the first and second outputs, the three quantum wires together defining a ring. A controllable-length quantum wire electron stub tuner is connected to the ring. As charge carriers propagate from the input around the ring the stub tuner is used to control the quantum interference of the charge carriers resulting in local maxima and minima at various points around the ring. Setting the stub to a first length results in a local maximum at the first output and a local minimum at the second output, and the charge carriers can propagate to the first output and not the second output. Setting the stub to a second length reverses the locations of the local maxima and minima, and the charge carriers propagate to the second output but not the first output. The invention can also include a second controllable-length stub attached to the ring to increase switching efficiency. A quantum switch according to the invention can also act as a simple binary NOT logic gate or a simple binary AND logic gate.

The present invention relates generally to electrical conductors and switches and more particularly to a quantum wire switch and a method of switching electrical current.
Many kinds of electrical wires and switches are in widespread use in applications ranging from industrial motor controls to ordinary house wiring to high-speed solid state logic in microcomputers. A wire that carries current for a given electrical device must be physically large enough to carry the quantity of current required by the device without overheating. To minimize cost and physical bulk, wires and switches should be no larger than needed. The constraint of making wires and switches big enough to perform their functions and as small as possible to minimize size and cost is particularly critical in microprocessor fabrication because a very large number of wires and switches must fit into a very small space.
Innovations in semiconductor design and semiconductor manufacture have led to methods of making very tiny transistor switches that require extremely small amounts of electrical current. This has made it possible to shrink the size of the conductors that carry the current to and from the transistors to such an extent that millions of transistors and conductors can now fit into a semiconductor chip one or two centimeters square.
An electric current can be defined as a flow of charge carriers through a conductor. Countless millions of charge carriers can fit on a cross-sectional slice of a typical conductor such as house wiring, and even at the small dimensions found in today's integrated circuits many charge carriers can fit across one conductor.
Every physical object, including each of these charge carriers, has a wave nature associated with it. This means that in some respects the object behaves as if it were a particle and in other respects the object behaves as if it were a wave. The particle behavior is dominant in any object where the wavelength associated with the object, called the de Broglie wavelength, is much smaller than the other characteristic dimensions of the physical system in which the object is present. For all practical purposes, this means that an object large enough to be seen with the human eye will behave like a particle rather than like a wave. Newton's laws of motion describe the particle behavior of these objects.
In objects operating in systems that have characteristic dimensions approaching the size of the de Broglie wavelength of the object, the particle behavior is not dominant and the wave behavior becomes important. Newton's laws do not describe the wave behavior of objects; instead, one must have recourse to the principles of quantum mechanics.
Quantum mechanics is the study of systems that approach the size of the de Broglie wavelength where the wave nature of particles becomes dominant. The de Broglie wavelength associated with a charge carrier in a semiconductor such as gallium arsenide is of the order of ten nanometers (one nanometer is 10.sup.-9 meters). If the conductor in which such a charge carrier is moving has a cross-section only slightly larger than the de Broglie wavelength of the particle, the wave behavior of the charge carrier will become dominant and will correctly predict what will happen to the charge carrier as it moves through the conductor. One aspect of the wave behavior of objects is the occurrence of quantum interference effects.
Quantum interference effects are similar to interference effects observed in optical systems, such as interferometers and reflection gratings, but occur only for much smaller physical systems. The developing capability of fabricating smaller and smaller conductors has allowed researchers to begin to investigate electrical devices whose operational characteristics are dependent upon the quantum interference effects of charge carriers.
Much recent activity has centered on structures called "quantum wires". These structures are long thin channels which confine charge carriers within a region of maximum transverse dimension comparable to the de Broglie wavelength of those charge carriers. These quantum wires can act as fermionic waveguides, in direct analogy to electromagnetic waveguides. In order for the propagating modes of the quantum wire to maintain their quantum wave coherence along the length of the structure, it is necessary that the carriers enjoy "ballistic transport". This means the carriers must not undergo decohering inelastic scattering events as they propagate through the structure. Due to improvements in achievable materials characteristics, simple quantum wire structures have been fabricated and tested, as reported, for example, by Ismail, Bagwell, Orlando, Antoniadis and Smith in the Proceedings of the IEEE, volume 79, page 1106 (1991).
A means of controlling the conductance properties of the channel has been implemented by making a channel with a variable length stub of quantum wire attached in the transverse dimension. The conductance of the channel is affected by reflected standing waves which are established in the stub. These standing waves interfere with the channel wave function. The interference effects are dependent upon the de Broglie wavelength of the carriers and the length of the stub. If the channel and stub are fabricated as, for example, gallium arsenide (GaAs) channels in an aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) substrate, the length of the stub can be controlled by a bias voltage which varies a depletion region that determines the stub termination point. This simple structure has been called an "electron stub tuner" or "quantum stub tuner" and was independently proposed by Sols, Macucci, Ravaioli Hess, Applied Physics Letters, vol. 54 page 350 (1989) and vol. 66 page 3892 (1989), and by Fowler in U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,330, issued Oct. 29, 1985.
The conductance of the channel in an electron stub tuner is expected to be a periodic function of the stub length, and this is borne out by data descriptive of actual electron stub tuners (see Aihara, Yamamoto and Mizutani, International Electronic Devices Meeting, 1992).
The electron stub tuner and other possible quantum wire structures can be theoretically analyzed using a simple model wherein the wire channels are assumed to have negligible transverse spatial extent. This allows analysis of the structure by solving the one-dimensional Schrodinger's equation on a thin-wire network wherein the wavefunctions and boundary conditions are well-defined, as described in Ruedenberg and Scherr, Journal of Chemical Physics, vol. 21, page 1565 (1953).
If quantum wire structures of more complicated topologies than the electron stub tuner could be developed, it would be possible to create an entirely new class of electronic devices that would offer significant advantages over conventional devices in terms of smaller size, higher speed, and lower power consumption. Accordingly, it will be apparent that there is a need for quantum wire devices having more capabilities than the electron stub tuner.

Quantum wire switch and switching method