A probe-testing device includes probe tips configured to apply inputs to pads of a semiconductor chip, wherein one of the probe tips is connected to a calibration pad for impedance adjustment and a calibration resistor is connected thereto.

The present invention relates to a testing of calibration operation for an impedance adjusting used in various semiconductor integrated circuits such as a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, to a probe-testing device and a probe-testing method of a semiconductor device capable of testing a calibration operation at wafer level.
Semiconductor devices are implemented into integrated circuit (IC) chips such as central processing units (CPUs), memories, and gate arrays, and are incorporated into a variety of electrical products such as personal computers, servers and workstations. Most of semiconductor devices include a receiving circuit configured to receive signals from an outside world via input pads and an output circuit configured to provide internal signals to an outside world via output pads.
As the operating speed of electrical products is increasing, a swing width of a signal exchanged between semiconductor devices is being gradually reduced for minimizing a delay time taken for signal transmission. However, the reduction in the swing width of the signal has a great influence on an external noise, causing the signal reflectance to become more critical at an interface terminal due to impedance mismatch. Such impedance mismatch is generally caused by an external noise, a variation of a power voltage, a change of an operating temperature, a change of a manufacturing process, etc. The impedance mismatch may lead to a difficulty in a high-speed transmission of data and a distortion in output data. Therefore, if semiconductor devices receive the distorted output signal through an input terminal, it frequently gives rise to problems such as a setup/hold failure and an error in decision of an input level.
In particular, in order to resolve the above problems, a memory device requiring high-speed performance employs an impedance adjusting circuit near around an input pad inside an IC chip. In a typical impedance adjusting circuit scheme, source termination is performed at a transmitting end by an output circuit, and parallel termination is performed by a termination circuit connected in parallel with respect to a receiving circuit coupled to the input pad.
A ZQ calibration refers to a procedure of generating pull-up and pull-down codes which are varied with PVT (process, voltage and temperature) conditions. The resistance of the impedance adjusting circuit, e.g., a termination resistance at a DQ pad in a memory device, is calibrated using the codes resulting from the ZQ calibration. Here, the term of ZQ calibration is attributed to the fact that the calibration is performed using a ZQ node.
Hereinafter, how the ZQ calibration is performed in an impedance adjusting circuit will be described.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a calibration circuit for performing a ZQ calibration in a conventional impedance adjusting circuit.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional impedance adjusting circuit configured to perform ZQ calibration includes a first calibration resistor circuit 110, a second calibration resistor circuit 120 and 130, a reference voltage generator 102, first and second comparators 103 and 104, and pull-up and pull-down counters 105 and 106. The first calibration resistor circuit 110 is provided with a plurality of pull-up resistors that are turned on/off in response to a pull-up calibration code PCODE<0:N>. The second calibration resistor circuit 120 and 130 includes a pull-up calibration resistor unit 120 and a pull-down calibration resistor unit 130. Here, the pull-up calibration resistor unit 120 has the same construction as the first calibration resistor circuit 110. The pull-down calibration resistor unit 130 is provided with a plurality of pull-down resistors that are turned on/off in response to a pull-down calibration code NCODE<0:N>.
The first calibration resistor circuit 110 generates the pull-up calibration code PCODE<0:N> primarily while being calibrated with an external resistor 101 connected to a ZQ node. The second calibration resistor circuit 120 and 130 generates the pull-down calibration code NCODE<0:N> secondarily using the pull-up calibration code PCODE<0:N> which has been generated through the first calibration resistor circuit 110.
The first comparator 103 compares a ZQ node voltage at the ZQ node with a reference voltage VREF (generally, set to VDDQ/2) generated from the reference voltage generator 102, thereby generating up/down signals UP/DOWN. Herein, the ZQ node voltage is generated by coupling the first calibration resistor circuit 110 to the external resistor 101 (generally, 240Ω) connected to a ZQ pin that is disposed outside a chip of the ZQ node.
The pull-up counter 105 receives the up/down signals UP/DOWN to generate the pull-up calibration code PCODE<0:N> as a binary code, which turns on/off the pull-up resistors connected in parallel in the first calibration resistor circuit 110, thereby calibrating total resistance of the first calibration resistor circuit 110. The calibrated resistance of the first calibration resistor circuit 110 affects the ZQ node voltage again, and the above-described calibration procedure is then repeated. That is, the first calibration resistor circuit 110 is calibrated such that the total resistance of the first calibration resistor circuit 110 is equal to resistance of the external resistor 101, which is called a pull-up calibration.
The binary code, i.e., the pull-up calibration code PCODE<0:N>, generated during the pull-up calibration is inputted into the pull-up calibration resistor unit 120 of the second calibration resistor circuit 120 and 130, thereby determining total resistance of the pull-up calibration unit 120. Thereafter, a pull-down calibration starts to be performed in a similar manner to the pull-up calibration. Specifically, the pull-down calibration unit 130 is calibrated such that a voltage of a node A is equal to the reference voltage VREF using the second comparator 104 and the pull-down counter 106, that is, the total resistance of the pull-down calibration resistor unit 130 is equal to the total resistance of the pull-up calibration resistor unit 120, which is called the pull-down calibration.
The binary codes PCODE<0:N> and NCODE<0:N> resulting from the ZQ calibration, i.e., pull-up and pull-down calibrations, are inputted to pull-up and pull-down resistors (termination resistors) at input/output pads, which are identically configured to the pull-up and pull-down calibration resistor units in the calibration circuit of FIG. 1, thus determining resistance of the impedance adjusting circuit. In a memory device, resistances of pull-up and pull-down resistors at a DQ pad are determined.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating how termination resistance of an output driver of a semiconductor memory device is determined using the calibration codes PCODE<0:N> and NCODE<0:N> generated from the calibration circuit of FIG. 1.
The output driver configured to output data in the semiconductor memory device includes first and second pre-drivers 210 and 220 located at its upper and lower parts, and pull-up and pull-down termination resistor units 230 and 240 for outputting data.
The first and second pre-drivers 210 and 220 control the pull-up termination resistor unit 230 and the pull-down resistor unit 240, respectively. When outputting a data having a logic high level, the pull-up termination resistor unit 230 is turned on so that a data pin DQ goes to 'HIGH' state. On the contrary, when outputting a data having a logic low level, the pull-down termination resistor unit 240 is turned on so that the data pin DQ goes to 'LOW' state. That is, the data pin DQ is pull-up or pull-down terminated to thereby output data of a logic high level or a logic low level.
At this time, the number of resistors in the pull-up and pull-down termination resistors 230 and 240 to be turned on is determined by the pull-up and pull-down calibration codes PCODE<0:N> and NCODE<0:N>. Specifically, which resistor unit is turned on between the pull-up and pull-down termination resistor units 230 and 230 is mainly determined depending on a logic level of output data, but which resistor is turned on among the termination resistors provided in one of the termination resistor units 230 and 240 that has been selected to be turned on is determined by the pull-up calibration code PCODE<0:N> or pull-down calibration code NCODE<0:N>.
For reference, target resistances of the pull-up and pull-down resistor units 230 and 240 are not necessarily equal to resistances (240Ω) of the first and second resistor circuits (see "110", "120" and "130" of FIG. 1) but may have a resistance of one-half (120Ω) or one-quarter (60Ω) of 240Ω, etc. In FIG. 2, reference symbols "DQP_CTRL" and "DQN_CTRL" inputted to the first and second pre-drivers 210 and 220 denote various control signals exemplarily.
FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a conventional probe-testing device.
Specifically, FIG. 3 illustrates a probe-testing device (also referred to as a probe card because it is shaped like a card) fabricated according to general leads on center rule. The probe-testing device performs testing whether a semiconductor chip normally operates or not by applying a desired input to each pad of the semiconductor chip and then measuring a signal outputted according to the applied input.
As shown in FIG. 3, the conventional probe-testing device includes a plurality of probe tips, which are divided into a power tip configured to supply power such as VDD/VDDQ, a ground tip, a signal tip configured to receive/output a signal.
As described above, the calibration operation for the impedance adjusting circuit of the semiconductor device is performed using the external resistance coupled to the ZQ pad as a reference. When performing probe testing upon a wafer, the ground tip is connected to the ZQ pad because the ZQ pad is neither the pad receiving power nor the pad receiving/outputting a signal. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is impossible to test the ZQ calibration during probe testing because the external resistor is not connected to the ZQ pad.
Moreover, even if signal tips or power tips instead of the ground tip are connected to the ZQ pad, data for the external resistor cannot be detected like the case where the ZQ pad is connected to the ground, making it impossible to test the ZQ calibration during probe testing.
Accordingly, the conventional probe-testing device has a problem in that it is not possible to verify the ZQ calibration through probe testing at wafer level but possible to test the ZQ calibration only after package.

Probe-testing device and method of semiconductor device


A system and method for identifying and responding to a condition in which an electric motor fails to start. A rotor core includes slots in which magnets are received to produce an electrical reluctance. A motor controller determines a position of the rotor, uses the determined position to convert a torque demand to a demanded D-axis current value, and compares the demanded value to a supplied D-axis current value. If the demanded value differs from the supplied value by at least a pre-established threshold amount, then the motor is restarted. Otherwise, the difference between the torque demand and an actual current is used to drive a voltage applied to the motor. The controller may also implement a sensorless technology, and may restart the motor if the demanded value differs from the supplied value by at least the threshold amount even if the sensorless technology determines that the motor started.

The sensorless technology used in a heating, ventilation, air condition, and refrigeration (HVACR) variable speed electric motor starts the motor from rest in an open loop mode. In this mode, the motor controller applies a specified voltage/frequency profile to initiate motion. Once the motor achieves a pre-established speed, the sensorless technology attempts to find the actual speed and angle of the motor. If successful, the motor can then run in a closed loop sensorless mode in which it is capable of full torque, speed, and efficiency of operation. In some circumstances, the motor may be prevented during the open loop portion of the starting cycle from reaching the speed needed for the sensorless technology to close the loop. This may be referred to as a "locked rotor" condition when the rotor does not move or does not achieve the required speed but is not mechanically locked or otherwise physically prevented from moving or achieving the required speed. When such a failure-to-start condition occurs, the motor should be stopped and the open loop start sequence repeated for correct operation. However, detecting this condition is difficult because limited information is available during the open loop starting process.
One solution is to observe parameters of the sensorless calculations and watch for them to stabilize at steady state values. Once this occurs, it normally indicates that the sensorless technology is ready to switch to the closed loop mode. However, occasionally this solution does not work correctly and falsely indicates that the motor has successfully started when, in fact, it has not. When this happens, the motor will continue to operate but will not be able to generate the full torque and speed or reach the full efficiency of operation
This background discussion is intended to provide information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art.

System and method for addressing failure-to-start condition in electric motor with internal magnets


A network device may perform traffic policing to determine if incoming data cells are in conformance with policing parameters, including a theoretical arrival time (TAT), for each cell's communication channel. Each cell may have an arrival time according to a timer value. The timer value and TAT may rollover upon reaching a maximum value. The network device may be configured to account for such rollovers when determining cell conformance. For each communication channel, a table entry may include the policing parameters and rollover data. Each entry may also include operations and maintenance (OAM) data. The rollover data indicates the rollover phase relationship between the timer value and TAT parameter for each channel. The rollover data may be updated each rollover phase of the timer, for example as part of an OAM table scan process. The network device may be an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) traffic policing device or switch.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to traffic policing in communication networks, and more in particular to handling timer and policing parameter rollovers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various communication technologies exist for transferring data across a network or between a sender and receiver. Some communication technologies may provide for the creation of one or more communication channels or paths. In some communication technologies, data may pass from source to destination through one or more switches or routers. In some applications, it may desirable to limit or police the rate at which data may flow through a particular connection or channel. For example, in broadband communication networks where multiple communication channels are supported, it may be desirable to limit a channel to a particular data rate or bandwidth so that all channels may have a certain quality of service (QoS).
A network device, such as a switch, may provide traffic policing functionality to determine whether communications conform to an allocated bandwidth for each channel handled by the network device. The term "cell" is used herein to refer to any type of data unit, datagram, packet, or other data configuration communicated as a unit through a network. Traffic policing may involve monitoring the amount of data or the number of cells received (e.g. by a switch) during a period of time. If too much data or too many cells are received, some of the cells may be dropped or flagged as non-conforming.
In some traffic policing devices an allowed arrival time or theoretical arrival time may be maintained for each channel. The allowed/theoretical arrival time may be set to determine if data units are arriving too fast (e.g. too closely spaced). If a data unit (e.g. cell) arrives before the allowed/theoretical arrival time, then it may be discarded or flagged as non-conforming. If the data unit arrives after the allowed/theoretical arrival time, then it is passed on and the allowed/theoretical arrival time is incremented.
The traffic policing device may employ one or more counters or timers to track the actual arrival time of data units. For each channel, the traffic policing device may compare the actual arrival time to the allowed/theoretical arrival time. The timer or counter may have a certain bit width and the allowed/theoretical arrival time may be stored as a value having the same bit width as the timer or counter. For example, a 32-bit counter may be used for the timer to track actual arrival times. The allowed/theoretical arrival time may be stored as a 32-bit value.
When the counter reaches its highest value (e.g. FFFFFFFFh for a 32-bit counter), it rolls over and continues from zero. Similarly, the allowed/theoretical arrival time may rollover when it is incremented beyond its maximum value. These rollovers may cause errors in traffic policing if not accounted for. For example, if the allowed/theoretical arrival time value for a channel is large, for example FFFFFFFAh, and the timer counter rolls over, then the arrival time of a data unit may appear small, for example 000000005h. When the arrival time is compared to the allowed/theoretical arrival time, if rollover is not accounted for, the arrival time will appear to be less than the allowed/theoretical arrival time indicating that the data unit arrived too early (when in fact, in this example, it arrived eleven clocks after the allowed/theoretical arrival time). Similarly, if the allowed/theoretical arrival time is incremented beyond its max value so that it rolls over and a data unit arrives before the arrival time counter rolls over, it may appear that the data unit is conforming (since the arrival time appears to be greater than the allowed/theoretical arrival time), when in fact the data unit may have arrived too early.
In some communications systems, the network device, switch, router, etc. that is performing a traffic policing function may be configured to handle a large number of channels. For example, a switch may handle thousands of different channels. The switch may store and maintain a different allowed/theoretical arrival time and other traffic parameters for each channels. The allowed/theoretical arrival time may roll over independently for each channel. Also, a roll over of the arrival time counter may effect all of the channels at once. The more channels handled by a device, the more difficult it may be to account for roll overs of the arrival time counter and the allowed/theoretical arrival time for each channel.

Timer rollover handling mechanism for traffic policing


Method for enhancing a food item by apply a hypoallergenic, plant-based vegan dressing by combining water with a hypoallergenic-substrate, and at least one or more of sunflower seed butter and/or coconut cream. The resulting dressing is then subjected to a preservation process. In an alternative method, the resulting dressing is also inoculated in order to reduce its pH.

The food industry now has an increased awareness of the beneficial role of probiotics in the diet. There is also a growing shift to more sustainable plant-based foods that goes beyond veganism. Globally, there is an increased incidence of severe food allergies among children and many ethnic groups that are lactose intolerant. Other dietary trends include reducing sugar, increasing fiber and adding seed butters to the diet.
A growing body of clinical evidence supports that some illnesses can be treated by consumption of foods containing specific strains of live bacteria called probiotics. Not all probiotics are the same with different strains having different effects. Most often, they are absorbed in the stomach or intestines and travel through the bloodstream to the rest of the body to provide health benefits.
Clinical research has been documented for strain-specific probiotics in the treatment or prevention of diarrhea; constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, the recurrence of bladder cancer, and dermatitis. Additional clinical evidence is emerging documenting the role of probiotic strains in weight control, sports enhancement, cognitive function and mood, diabetes management, celiac disease, allergies, heart health and several other conditions.
The food industry has seen the rapid growth in the introduction of cultured and non-cultured plant-based food products traditionally and typically associated with the dairy industry. Innova Market Insights data shows that the number of new food and beverage launches tracked with plant-based claims in the U.S. witnessed a 54 percent compound annual growth rate from 2013 to 2017. Plant-based food product introductions grew at 69 percent in this five-year period, while plant-based beverages witnessed a 38 percent growth.
According to the International Food Information Council, 21 percent of Americans said they have an improved opinion about the healthfulness of plant-based products, and 69 percent are trying to consume more. While these products roll out across the globe, Americans consumed more plant-based products than any other region in 2017 and this trend is expected to grow.
Many of these early plant-based products were made with soybeans or tree nuts, excluding from their target audience a sizeable portion of the US population that suffers from these severe food allergies.
Researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies, including 5.9 million children under age 18. About 30 percent of these children are allergic to more than one food. Eight major food allergens—milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fin fish and crustacean shellfish—are responsible for about 90% of the most serious food allergy reactions in the United States.
Among US children, the most common food allergies include peanut, milk, crustacean shellfish, tree nut, egg, fin fish, wheat and soy. An emerging concern, sesame, is the ninth most common food allergen affecting many children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the prevalence of food allergy in children increased by 50 percent between 1997 and 2011. Between 1997 and 2008, the prevalence of peanut or tree nut allergy more than tripled in U.S. children.
Each year in the U.S., 200,000 people require emergency medical care for allergic reactions to food. Childhood hospitalizations for food allergy tripled between the late 1990s and the mid-2000s. About 40 percent of children with food allergies have experienced a severe allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis.
Lactose intolerance is a digestive condition that happens when an individual does not produce enough lactase enzymes in the small intestine to digest the lactose in dairy products. Approximately 65 percent of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy. Lactose intolerance in adulthood is most prevalent in people of East Asian descent, affecting more than 90 percent of adults in some of these communities. Lactose intolerance is also very common in people of African, Arab, Jewish, Greek, Italian and Hispanic descent. The prevalence of lactose intolerance is lowest in populations with a long history of dependence on unfermented milk products as an important food source. For example, only about 5 percent of people of Northern European descent are lactose intolerant.
Symptoms of lactose intolerance include diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramping and bloating. Some of the symptoms of lactose intolerance and a food allergy may be similar. However, the difference between intolerant to dairy and having a food allergy to dairy is important. Consuming a dairy product can make you miserable if you are intolerant to it. The reaction to a food allergy can be life threatening. There is no cure for lactose intolerance but you can manage your symptoms by avoiding dairy products or by taking an enzyme medication to assist with the lactose breakdown in your intestines.


A modification process of formation of microscopic clusters (quantum dots) in a semiconductor material and changing refractive index in the near-surface region of the material is used for improving performance of different semiconductor light emitting devices. The clusters formation directly in an active region of a semiconductor laser diode results in increasing its power, slope efficiency and decreasing threshold current. Changing the refractive index distribution along active and passive regions of the semiconductor material enables fabrication of uniform or non-uniform waveguide structures along a laser diode cavity and optical isolation of individual emitters in a laser diode array. Modification of the refractive index in the vicinity of laser mirrors allows efficient control of reflection from laser mirrors. The modification can be used instead of mirror coating resulting in considerable increasing the laser diode power and decreasing threshold current. Enhancement of the third order nonlinearity in a semiconductor material after its modification is useful for performing different all-optical functions. The method can be applied to many semiconductor based active and passive integrated optical and photonic devices, including diode lasers, diode laser bars and arrays, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs), and light emitting diodes. It is useful in all applications where highly efficient diode lasers are required, including high-power laser diode systems for pumping solid state lasers, industrial cutting and welding and different medical procedures.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated optical semiconductor light emitting devices, such as semiconductor laser diodes, arrays and light emitting diodes, and, in particular, to a new method of improving performance of the light emitting devices by modification of their material including increasing power, slope efficiency, thermal stability and decreasing threshold current and linewidth enhancement factor. The modification of the laser material improves performance of the semiconductor light emitting device by creating clusters (quantum dots) in its active or passive regions improving efficiency of the lasing material and changing its refractive index.
In one preferred embodiment, the change in refractive index as a result of the modification process is used to fabricate a longitudinally inhomogeneous waveguide structure along the active light emitting device in order to expand the beam preventing its self-focusing, to increase output power and to make the beam almost diffraction limited. In another preferred embodiment, the change in refractive index is used to isolate individual active elements of a diode laser array in order to suppress amplified spontaneous emission in the lateral dimension.
The method can be used in all applications where highly efficient diode lasers, diode laser arrays or light emitting diodes are required, including high-power laser diode systems for pumping solid state lasers, industrial cutting and welding and different medical procedures including photo-dynamic therapy.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Semiconductor laser technology offers the most efficient and flexible means for generating coherent laser radiation at different wavelengths. It has the potential to replace, in the future, large inefficient and expensive laser systems in many industrial, scientific, medical and military applications. The benefits of semiconductor laser diodes include less expensive, more efficient and more compact laser delivery systems with substantial output power.
Many laser delivery systems use compact and inexpensive laser diodes or diode laser arrays as a source of coherent radiation. Combination of high brightness beams delivered by optical fibers from individual laser diodes would provide a flexible means for generating powerful output beams at various frequencies. Semiconductor technology has the potential to provide wavelengths in the visible to middle infrared regions at powers over 70 watts by combining beams from individual lasers. Therefore semiconductor lasers may successfully replace different lasers currently used in many industrial, medical and scientific applications.
Improving performance of the semiconductor lasers and reducing price per watt of delivered power is a critical problem to be solved for all applications. High brightness beam generated by diode lasers or diode laser arrays is required, for example, in different diode pumped solid state laser systems, laser radars, systems of free space laser communication, industrial cutting and welding and systems for various medical surgery, diagnostic and treatment, including photo-dynamic therapy.
In order to improve power, slope efficiency and thermal stability of the laser diodes and laser diode systems, and reduce their threshold current and linewidth enhancement factor, new active laser materials should be designed. At the beginning of the development of laser diode technology researchers used heterostructures (sandwiches created by alternating layers of two materials with different conductive properties) to reduce the movement of electrons and improve the laser performance. By further limiting the carriers, creating a multiple quantum wells (MQW) structure in the active region of the laser diode or laser diode array, researchers increased efficiency and thermal stability of diode lasers while reducing threshold currents. One of the most efficient method of further improving laser diode performance is creating microscopic quantum wires or three-dimensional clusters (quantum dots) in the active region of the semiconductor device. Fabrication of efficient quantum dot materials would revolutionize the laser diode technology leading to highly efficient threshold-less semiconductor laser emitters.
Today, the uniform island of high-quality semiconductors on the nanoscale can be created using highly strained semiconductors and standard, self-assembling deposition technique such as molecular beam epitaxy. By carefully choosing semiconductor material, one can create quantum dot structures capable of emitting visible light by using AlInAs/AlGaAs or infrared emissions using InGaAs/GaAs.
The present invention suggests new approach to improving performance of the semiconductor light emitting devices. It is based on a new method of modification of the device semiconductor material creating microscopic clusters (quantum dots) and changing refractive index of the material. The modification of semiconductor material is caused by a drift of intrinsic defects to the surface of semiconductor, in particular, by drift of the interstitial Ga atoms in GaAs crystal in the electric field induced by a near-surface band bending due to adsorption of appropriate dopants. On achieving the limit of solubility for the concentration of interstitial material in crystal, it forms clusters (quantum dots) which drastically change properties of the semiconductor material in its near-surface region. The creation of quantum dots in active semiconductor region increases power and slope efficiency of the semiconductor light emitting device, reduces its threshold current and linewidth enhancement factor, improves electrical efficiency of the system, simplifies heat sink requirements and increases the system lifetime and performance.
Moreover, extremely large index variation in the semiconductor material can be achieved as a result of the cluster formation. This provides a unique possibility for low cost fabrication of a broad class of semiconductor based active or passive diffractive optical elements. In one preferred embodiment, the cluster formation and index variation can be supported by illumination of the semiconductor material with the light beam at the fundamental absorption wavelength in presence of highly polar liquid having appropriate dopants dissolved in it. This provides a possibility of simple fabrication of the semiconductor based active or passive diffractive optical elements using simple process of direct laser beam writing.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/749,814 describes a method of self-correction of the laser diode beam by creating a gradient index micro-lens near the output mirror of the laser diode employing the process of modification of refractive index under the influence of laser beam. The present invention, however, describes the more general process of modification of the semiconductor material and different applications of the process to improving the laser performance, particularly, by modifying the semiconductor material along the laser cavity.
In one preferred embodiment, the modification is employed to create quantum dots directly in active region of the semiconductor light emitting device, considerably improving its performance by increasing power, slope efficiency and decreasing threshold current.
In another preferred embodiment, the modification is used to control the refractive index distribution along active and passive regions of the semiconductor material in order to fabricate a longitudinally inhomogeneous waveguide structure along the laser device or isolate individual emitters in a laser diode array. Moreover, the process of modification of the refractive index in the vicinity of laser mirrors can be used instead of coating for controlling reflection from the mirrors. This also results in considerable increasing in the laser power and decreasing the laser threshold current.
The proposed method can be applied to all semiconductor based light emitting devices including standard horizontal cavity diode lasers, bars, arrays, VCSELs (vertical cavity surface emitting lasers) and also light emitting diodes.

Method of improving performance of semiconductor light emitting device


A method and apparatus for selecting a destination in a vehicle navigation system are described. The vehicle navigation system includes a display and a selection control. A first destination is selected from a primary list of destinations in response to a selection signal generated by the selection control. The first destination is placed on a secondary list of destinations in response to its selection. The secondary list includes previously selected destinations from the primary list. For subsequent destination selections, the primary and secondary lists are presented on the display thereby facilitating selection of destinations from both the primary and secondary lists. A feature by which the system may search for a destination across categories is also described.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for selecting a destination in a vehicle navigation system. More specifically, a vehicle navigation system designed according to the present invention maintains a destination selection history of the destinations most recently selected by the user and allows global searching for specific destinations across destination categories.
If the user of a vehicle navigation system is visiting a large metropolitan area with which she is not familiar, she is likely to need guidance from the navigation system each time she drives the vehicle in that area. Each time the user requests such guidance, she will have to step through the system's destination selection process, often repeating the same steps over and over again. For example, the user will need to designate the city within which she is traveling each time route guidance is desired. In particularly large cities, the same city is likely to be selected each time. The repetition of this step is inefficient and can become a source of irritation for the user.
In some currently available vehicle navigation systems, attempts have been made to avoid this inefficiency by making it easier for a user to select a previously selected destination. For example, according to one system, when the user is prompted to designate the city within which route guidance is desired the display cursor position is automatically placed on the most recently selected city. According to another system, the cursor is automatically placed on the city in which the vehicle is presently located. In each of these cases, if the highlighted city is the one for which guidance is currently needed, the user need only press enter to select the city.
However, some large metropolitan areas comprise many different cities. In such areas, if the user desires to travel between several of these cities, the above-described solutions provide no benefit. A vehicle navigation system is therefore desirable which allows a user to select from a plurality of previously selected destinations.

Method and apparatus for selecting a destination in a vehicle navigation system


Light-field microscopy is facilitated using an approach to image computation. In connection with an example embodiment, a subject (e.g., 105) is imaged by passing light from the subject through a microlens array (e.g., 120) to a photosensor array (e.g., 130) to simultaneously detect light from the subject that is passed through different directions to different locations. In certain embodiments, information from the detected light is used to compute refocused images, perspective images and/or volumetric datasets, from a single-shot photograph.

Microscopy imaging applications involving light field microscopes and/or cameras, video cameras, telescopes and more have generally been limited in their ability to obtain image data from subjects. That is, most imaging devices do not record most of the information about light distribution entering the device. For example, conventional microscopes do not record most of the information about the light distribution entering from the world. In these devices, collected light is often not amenable to manipulation for a variety of approaches, such as for focusing at different depths (distances from the imaging device), correcting for lens aberrations or manipulating an angle of view.
Many imaging applications suffer from aberrations with the equipment (lenses) used to collect light. Such aberrations may include, for example, spherical aberration, chromatic aberration, distortion, curvature of the light field, oblique astigmatism and coma. Correction for aberrations has typically involved the use of corrective optics, which tend to add bulk, expense and weight to imaging devices. In some applications benefiting from small-scale optics, the physical limitations associated with the applications make it undesirable to include additional optics.
Microscopes are the primary scientific instrument in many biological laboratories. In a transmission-mode light microscope, an illumination source is focused by a condenser lens (for illumination) onto a specimen. An objective lens magnifies the specimen, creating a real image at an intermediate image plane. In more traditional microscopes, the intermediate image plane is located inside the microscope tube, and ocular (eyepiece) further magnifies a portion of this image, thereby creating a second image that is focused at infinity. Although the performance of microscopes, and their ease of use, has improved dramatically over their 400-year history, microscopes suffer from several limitations. First, diffraction limits their spatial resolution, especially at high magnification. This limit can be ameliorated by enlarging the lens opening (called the numerical aperture) while keeping the lens strongly curved, but we reach a practical limit when the lens becomes a half-sphere. Second, in a microscope, objects are seen in orthographic projection from a single direction. Moving the specimen laterally on the microscope stage does not produce parallax, making it hard to disambiguate superimposed features. Third, microscopes have a very shallow depth of field, particularly at high magnification and numerical apertures. This "optical sectioning" is useful when viewing thick specimens, but examining the entire specimen requires moving the stage up and down, which is slow and may not be possible on live or light-sensitive specimens.
Difficulties associated with the above have presented challenges to microscopy imaging applications, including those involving the acquisition and altering of digital images.

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A liquid crystal display and backlight module. The backlight module comprises a base plate, first reflectors, light sources, second reflectors, diffuser plate and diffuser film. Each first reflector comprises a wave-shaped structure and is provided with a first reflecting surface facing toward the base plate and a focus. Each light source is disposed at the focus of the first reflector and the light beams from the light source reflected by the first reflector pass through the base plate toward the diffusive film in parallel. Each second reflector is disposed on the base plate and provides with a second reflecting surface faced toward the light source. Thus, mura phenomenon and interferences between the two adjacent light sources can be reduced.

1. Description of the Related Art
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and backlight module, and in particular to a backlight module providing a wave reflector to reduce mura phenomenon or interference between two adjacent light sources.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a backlight module, especially in a direct light type backlight module, a flat reflector is applied to reflect light beams from a light tube.
Interference to the reflected light beams and mura phenomenon on adjacent light tubes, however, are often seen in a scanning process because luminous regions of the light beam reflected by the flat reflector tubes are wide and overlapping.

Liquid crystal display and backlight module thereof


A magnetostrictive torque sensor comprises a rotary shaft rotating around its center axis and having a magnetostrictive characteristic and a cylindrical ferrite magnetic core disposed at a predetermined distance from the outer periphery of the rotary shaft and coaxially with the rotary shaft and having on its inner peripheral surface a coil serving to detect the strain of the rotary shaft and having an insulating cover. The cylindrical ferrite magnetic core has a pair of opposed coil-forming inner peripheral surfaces defined by dividing the inner peripheral surface into two parts along a plane including the center axis. The coil has, on the respective opposed paired inner peripheral surfaces, a first coil including a going-current coil and a returning-current coil disposed in the same position at an angle of +45° to the center axis, adapted to flow a going current and a returning current in the same direction, and connected in series and a second coil including a going-current coil and a returning-current coil disposed in the same position at an angle of −45° to the center axis, crossing the first coil at right angles, adapted to flow a going current and a returning current in the same direction, and connected in series.

In power steering mechanism, engine control mechanism, power transmission device, etc. for vehicle, a necessity for detecting the torque applied to the steering shaft and other passive axes, etc. that are rotating shafts is high.
Generally, concerning a material having the magnetostrictive characteristics, a relative permeability varies when a force is applied thereto, and the relative permeability decreases in a compression force direction while the relative permeability increases in a tensile force direction. A magnetostrictive torque detection apparatus using this principle is disclosed, for example, in prior arts 1 and 2.
The prior art 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-94230) discloses a magnetostrictive torque detection apparatus shown in FIG. 1A. In this magnetostrictive torque detection apparatus, plural magnetostrictive films 13, 13 are adhered with an angle of ±45° to the rotating shaft 11 on an outer periphery of a rotating shaft 11 that is a passive axis, and ring form detection coils 12, 12 corresponding to the ±45° magnetostrictive films 13, 13 are disposed on an outer periphery thereof. When the torque is applied to the rotating shaft 11 from outside, a compression force occurs in one of the magnetostrictive films 13, 13, while a tensile force occurs in another one, thereby generating a strain, so that the permeability of the magnetostrictive films 13, 13 changes. A change in inductance of the ring form detection coils 12, 12 based on a change in permeability of these magnetostrictive films 13, 13 are detected and output.
The prior art 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-194239) discloses a magnetostrictive torque detection apparatus shown in FIG. 1B. In this magnetostrictive torque detection apparatus, two strips of detection coils 12, 12 inclined with an angle of ±45° to a magnetostrictive rotating shaft 11 are overlapped and adhered to an inner peripheral surface of a ring form magnetic core 14, to be disposed at a circumference of the magnetostrictive rotating shaft 11, so that the change in permeability of the magnetostrictive rotating shaft 11 is detected and output (FIGS.4 to 6 and Embodiment 4).
FIG. 1C shows another magnetostrictive torque detection apparatus (prior art 3). In this magnetostrictive torque detection apparatus, a change in permeability of a magnetostrictive rotating shaft 11 is detected and output, by using detection coils 12, 12 wound on U-shaped magnetic cores 14, which are disposed to be opposed in regard to the magnetostrictive rotating shaft 11.
However, the magnetostrictive torque detection apparatus according to the prior art 1 has a disadvantage in that it is necessary to process the rotating shaft 11, since the magnetostrictive films 13, 13 with an angle of ±45° are adhered to the rotating shaft 11.
In the magnetostrictive torque detection apparatus according to the prior art 2, it is not necessary to process the rotating shaft 11, however a difference of inductance between two strips of the detection coils 12, 12, which are overlapped and inclined with an angle of ±45° to the inner peripheral surface of the ring form magnetic core 14, is detected, so that it is necessary to detect increase and decrease directions of the inductance for detecting a torque direction. Further, since it is necessary for setting a zero point to detect a condition where inductances of two strips of the detection coils 12, 12 become equal to each other, it is not easy to set the zero point. Still further, since the rotating shaft 11 has a configuration penetrating through the ring form magnetic core 14, it is difficult to install the detection coil 12 thereon.
In addition, in the magnetostrictive torque detection apparatus according to the prior art 3, it is not necessary to process the rotating shaft 11, and it is easy to install on the rotating shaft 11, however, there is a following problem. Since the U-shaped magnetic cores 14 on which the detection coils 12 are wound up are not positioned rotationally symmetrical to the rotating shaft 11 such as a ring form magnetic core, and that there is a part of the rotating shaft 11 which does not face to the U-shaped magnetic cores 14, the zero point of the output signal fluctuates greatly in accordance with rotation of the rotating shaft 11.


A tailgate system is disclosed that relates generally to vehicles for collecting, transporting and unloading several sorted classes of materials, that may include recyclable materials, in which the truck body is in the form of a generally hollow container mounted on a truck chassis and having an internal volume partitioned into two or more horizontally extending compartments, each equipped to receive, store and discharge or eject materials. The tailgate system is a split system that enables totally separate operation of a tailgate door for each compartment, but which includes automatic latching and maintains a relatively low center of gravity with reference to the vehicle regardless of the position of the doors.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicles for collecting, transporting and unloading several sorted classes of materials, that may include recyclable materials, in which the truck body is in the form of a generally hollow container mounted on a truck chassis and having an internal volume split or compartmentalized into two or more compartments, each equipped to receive, store and discharge or eject materials separately. More particularly, the present invention relates to a split tailgate system that enables the separate operation of a tailgate door for each compartment, but which maintains a reduced center of gravity with reference to the vehicle regardless of the position of the doors.
II. Related Art
The art of refuse collection is becoming increasingly complex, particularly in view of the rising interest in requirements with respect to recyclable goods. Rules and requirements of recycling restrict comingling of unlike materials such as paper with glass, metal and plastic goods. These separately loaded and stored materials must also be kept apart during the discharge operation so that each associated compartment must be capable of being unloaded to the exclusion of others.
Vehicles of the class have been specifically designed with refuse bodies arranged in several compartments for the separate processing of segregated materials. This includes the use of a split compartment charging hopper for separately charging upper and lower storage compartments. The refuse body may employ a single set of packing cylinders in conjunction with connecting arms between upper and lower packers to operate both packers or use individual dedicated compacting mechanisms. Provision is made for separate discharge from the upper and lower compartments. Examples of these are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No, 5,868,543 which illustrates a packing apparatus with a multi-compartment storage body which includes a charging hopper divided into upper and lower portions, each having its own packing system. Front loading systems of the class are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,681,140 and 5,797,715; all of which are assigned to the same assignee as the present application.
A further tailgate design for a multiple compartment rear discharge collection vehicle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,098 which allows access to each of two (upper and lower) compartments in a rear discharging refuse body using a plurality of doors which allows separate operation. However, both doors are hinged at the top of the refuse body. The opening of the doors at once owing to the top hinging of both doors may, in certain instances, raise the center of gravity of the system sufficiently to adversely affect the stability of the vehicle. This is particularly true in the case of a dump body unloading system in which the front of the container is raised during the discharge operation and/or wherever heavy material is loaded into the upper compartment.
It will readily be seen that a definite need remains for a rear discharging, multiple compartment refuse vehicle of the class that enables clear separate discharge of stacked compartments with a minimal effect on the center of gravity of a discharging vehicle.
The present invention provides a tailgate system for a split body collection vehicle which allows the separate discharge of upper and lower longitudinally oriented compartments in the storage container by the provision of upper and lower discharge doors featuring a vertically pivoting lower door which operates using a mid-body hinging system and is shorter than the height of the lower compartment and thereby introduces a vertical unsealed gap between the doors. An auxiliary closure device is provided to normally close the upper portion of the lower compartment maintained by the upper portion of the lower door. This unique construction provides adequate clearance that enables the lower door to open fully while the upper discharge door remains closed. Conversely, the system also enables the upper door to open alone fully or both to open at once, if desired, each mutually clearing the other without sacrificing the ability to fully expose the related compartment to allow full ejection or requiring top hinging of the lower door.
In the detailed embodiment, each of the doors is operated by a pair of oppositely disposed fluid cylinders with associated rods which, upon extension, lift and pivot the doors in a manner that accomplishes both unlatching and opening using vertically adjustable hinge pins that are designed to travel as followers along slots provided. The auxiliary closure device is an intermediate vertically pivoting plate member suspended at the top of the lower compartment and, as stated, the lower portion of the plate is normally held closed by the upper portion of the lower door when the door is in the closed position, but is allowed to freely pivot with the lower door to expose the full discharge opening of the lower compartment when the lower door is open and thereby to enable sufficient separation such that full open/close independence is achieved by the stacked doors of the tailgate system.
While the detailed description pertains to a particular embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated that that embodiment is offered by way of example rather than limitation with respect to the underlying invention and those skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments could be used as well.

Tailgate for multiple compartment material container


A portable closed wound drainage system that uses a pouch shaped dressing which is inserted into a wound. At least a portion of the outer surface of the pouch is porous to allow exudates to enter. Exudates are removed from the pouch by flexible tubing which is secured inside the pouch at one end and secured at the other end to a portable drain/suction unit. The pouch contains porous material. The tubing can have a single or multi-lumen structure. The pouch and the tube are sealed by a flexible sealing material which is applied to the outer surface of the skin. A cosmetic cover sheet is attached to the patient's skin over the closed wound drainage system.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to wound dressings. In particular, it relates to wound dressings which are inserted directly into open wounds and which are combined with a suction system that provides for enhanced drainage of the wound to facilitate rapid healing. The device includes a sealant to provide a leak proof seal around the periphery of the dressing. In addition, optional antibacterial agents are used by the dressing to aid healing.
2. Background Art
The treatment of wounds has resulted in the development of a variety of methods to facilitate healing. One popular technique has been to use negative pressure therapy ("NPT"), which is also known as suction or vacuum therapy. This treatment has been practiced for many years in a wide variety of locations (e.g., Europe, the Middle East, and even ancient China). A variety of NPT devices have been developed to allow exudates (i.e., body secretions) to be removed while at the same time isolating the wound to protect it so that its recovery time is reduced.
A more recently developed form of NPT is known as vacuum assisted closure ("VAC") techniques. The use of VAC techniques in the treatment of wounds is based on the premise that when controlled negative pressure is applied to a wound, it stimulates mitosis, which forms new vessels and closes the wound. Studies have shown that this treatment assists wound healing by providing a moist protective environment, by reducing peripheral edema around the wound, by stimulating circulation to the wound bed, by decreasing bacterial colonization, and by increasing the rate of granulation tissue formation and epithelialization.
NPT is useful in the treatment of a variety of wound types, including acute, subacute, chronic, traumatic, graphs, flaps, pressure ulcers, and diabetic ulcers. NPT has been shown to facilitate healing in deep wounds or cavity wounds due to its vacuum characteristics. In particular, it allows the dead tissue, debris, and/or exudates to be drawn from the wound area under vacuum pressure which increases the rate of healing.
Several other methods of wound draining, in addition to the NPT and VAC methods discussed above, are known. For example, suction therapy, drain therapy, electrical simulation, and even the use of leaches. All of these techniques are directed to the same goal, which is the removal of dead tissue, exudates, and any other contaminants in a wound.
These methods use devices that have been developed for use in treatment of a variety of wound types, including cuts, burns, and other injuries. They typically include a watertight seal over the wound. Generally, the watertight seal is adhered to the portion of the outer skin which surrounds the wound area. By forming a watertight seal, contaminants are prevented from accessing the wound and fluids accumulating in the wound area are prevented from leaking through the wound dressing. Isolation of the wound therefore helps not only the recovery process, but also prevents exposure of contaminated exudates to others. However, the production of body fluids during healing process creates a problem and that they interfere with the healing process if they are allowed to accumulate. As a result, a number of devices have been developed to assist drainage in the wound area for the purpose of aiding the body during natural healing process.
One type of wound dressing uses a porous foam insert which is inserted into a wound. Typically, a drainage tube, a drainage pump, and a dressing cover are combined with the porous foam insert to form a system which siphons exudates from the wound. There are problems associated with this type of dressing. For example, because the foam has a memory as to its shape, it may leave gaps inside the wound cavity rather than fling the entire cavity. Likewise, since the drainage tube extends from the porous foam insert through the dressing cover, if the drainage cover is not adequately sealed in the area where the drainage tube exits, then there can be leakage in either direction. If this occurs, the wound is subject to contamination, and the exudates which leak out may expose others to infection. Further, the more an individual patient moves about, the more likely it is that this type of wound dressing will fail and create leakage. It would be desirable to have a wound dressing which is capable of filling the wound cavity, sealing a wound in the location of the drainage tube, and maintaining a leak proof seal when the patient is mobile.
Another type of dressing has been developed which uses a flexible single piece dressing that has a unitary structure which combines a drainage tube as an integral part of the outer wound cover. In addition, this type of single piece dressing may have flexible risers to lift the central portion of the dressing away from the wound for the purpose of allowing fluid flow to reach the entry port of the wound drainage tube. This type of dressing does not provide for packing the wound so that it can heal from bottom up. Likewise, it does not provide any method of distributing medications or antibiotic preparations to the wound. It would be desirable to have a wound dressing system which provides for packing a wound to facilitate its healing from the bottom up.
While addressing the basic need to protect wounds during the healing process, the prior art has failed to provide a wound treatment system which packs the wound, which provides inputs for preparations to be applied to the wounds, which drains exudates from the wounds, and which seals the area of the wound to prevent both contamination of the wound and/or contamination of the area outside of the dressing due to leakage from the wound dressing.


A toner composition with a novel surface additive package for developing images is provided. The additive package comprises a sol-gel silica, a PDMS silica, an HMDS silica, and an organic spacer such as PMMA, and melamine. The toner composition exhibits improved properties and are useful for high speed printing on Single Component Development systems.

Numerous processes are known for the preparation of toners, such as, for example, conventional processes wherein a resin is melt kneaded or extruded with a pigment, micronized, and pulverized to provide toner particles. Emulsion aggregation (EA) toners are used in forming print and/or xerographic images. Emulsion aggregation techniques typically involve the formation of an emulsion latex of resin particles that have a small size of from, for example, about 5 to about 500 nanometers in diameter, by heating the resin, optionally with solvent if needed, in water, or by making a latex in water using an emulsion polymerization. A colorant dispersion, for example of a pigment dispersed in water, optionally with additional resin, is separately formed. The colorant dispersion is added to the emulsion latex mixture, and an aggregating agent or complexing agent is then added and/or aggregation is otherwise initiated to form aggregated toner particles. The aggregated toner particles are heated to enable coalescence/fusing, thereby achieving aggregated, fused toner particles.
Toner systems normally fall into two classes: two component development (TCD) systems, in which the developer material includes magnetic carrier granules having toner particles adhering triboelectrically thereto; and single component development (SCD) systems, which generally use only toner. Of the SCD systems, both magnetic and non-magnetic systems are known. Magnetic systems involve the use of a toner containing a magnetic substance, which may preclude the development of sharp color images, which has led to a focus on non-magnetic systems.
The operating latitude of a powder electrophotographic development system may be determined to a great degree by the ease with which toner particles may be supplied to an electrostatic image. Placing charge on the particles, to enable movement and development of images via electric fields, is often accomplished with triboelectricity. Triboelectric charging may occur either by mixing the toner with larger carrier beads in a TCD system, or by rubbing the toner between a blade and donor roll in an SCD system.
With non-magnetic SCD systems, toner is supplied from a toner house to the supply roll and then to the development roll. The toner is charged while it passes a charging/metering blade. Non-magnetic SCD has been very popular for desk top color laser printers due to its compact size, since it does not need a carrier in the development housing to charge toner. Non-magnetic SCD systems may thus utilize cartridges that are smaller in size compared with TCD systems, and the cost to a customer to replace a unit may, in some cases, be lower for a single component development system compared with a two component system.
There are several issues associated with SCD systems. The first is low charge and broad charge distribution on toner particles compared with conventional TCD toner. This is because the time for toner to flow through the gap between the blade and the development roll is very short. Low charge causes high background and low developability. Toner for SCD systems also has a high fines content, which may affect the charge and the print background. Also, the higher the fines content, the broader the charge distribution.
Another issue with SCD systems includes toner robustness in aging and in extreme environments such as A and C zone conditions found in an electro photographic apparatus. The high stress under the blade may cause the toner to stick to the blade or the development roll. This may reduce the toner charge and the toner flowability. Since non-magnetic toner is charged through a charging/metering blade, low charging and low flowability can cause print defects such as ghosting, white bands, and low toner density on images.
There remains a need for a toner composition suitable for high speed printing, particularly high speed monochrome printing that can provide excellent flow, charging, lower toner usage, and reduced drum contamination.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Toner compositions for single component development system


A network analyzer having .means for determining the type and element values of a hypothetical lossless matching circuit for a device under test (DUT) and for computing and displaying S parameters of the DUT in combination with the matching circuit.

A conventional network analyzer displays the scattering parameters, or S parameters, S.sub.11 and/or S.sub.22 of a device under test (DUT) on a Smith chart. (S parameters are reflection and transmission coefficients and are familiar to RF and microwave designers. S parameters are directly related to impedances and reflection coefficients.) The user then determines the necessary characteristics of a matching circuit by reading the information displayed on the Smith chart. The matching circuit's purpose is to improve the reflection coefficient of the DUT, i.e., to match the impedance of the DUT to the characteristic impedance of its intended environment. The user graphically designs the matching circuit by plotting the DUT's S parameters on a Smith chart and determining the complex impedance and/or admittance values necessary to transform the S parameters to a prescribed point or set of points on the chart. However, it is often very difficult to accurately read data from the Smith chart.
Alternatively, one could have a computer such as an EWS (engineering workstation) acquire the measurement data and calculate the desired matching circuit data with CAE (computer aided engineering) software. This method, however, requires software for controlling a measuring instrument (e.g., a network analyzer) and for data transmission in addition to the computer and CAE software, rendering the system unnecessarily large and expensive.
Moreover, the method of programming an EWS or the like to acquire the measurement data from a network analyzer and carry out the necessary calculations is not suitable for performing real-time evaluations that follow changes in the environment (e.g., changes in temperature) of the DUT.
Furthermore, in many cases the calculated values of the parameters of the matching circuit do not coincide with those of realizable circuit elements (such as inductances and capacitances). Accordingly, it may be necessary to evaluate the characteristics of the DUT with an actual matching circuit attached.
In addition, if the user has only a network analyzer, he or she must actually make a trial matching circuit and measure its characteristics.


The present invention relates to the treatment of cancer with compounds that inhibit the activity of endo-exonuclease. Endo-exonuclease has been shown to be necessary for the repair of damaged DNA. Compounds that inhibit the activity of endo-exonuclease have been shown to be particularly effective for treating cancer when used in combination with drugs that induce DNA breaks such as cisplatin and mitomycin C. These compounds have a synergistic effect when used in combination for inhibiting tumour growth. The invention includes pharmaceutical compositions for inhibiting tumour growth comprising a compound that inhibits endo-exonuclease activity. These pharmaceutical compositions preferably include compounds that induce DNA breaks. The invention includes methods of treating cancer with these pharmaceutical compositions and uses of these compositions to treat cancer. The preferred compounds that inhibit the activity of endo-exonuclease have low toxicity. One such compound is pentamidine. The invention also includes a method for diagnosing cancer and monitoring its progression. This aspect of the invention involves isolating serum from a patient; measuring the concentration of endo-exonuclease in said serum and determining whether said concentration is above a predetermined mean.

Cancer cells proliferate more rapidly than normal cells. The rate of mitosis and DNA replication is therefore significantly greater in cancer cells. Agents that inhibit DNA replication and recombination affect cancer cells more than normal cells.
Many chemotherapeutic agents for treating cancer inhibit DNA replication by inducing DNA breaks. Some drugs, such as mitomycin, induce DNA breaks in part by binding to the DNA itself. Other anticancer agents interfere with topoisomerase enzymes, which modify DNA structure. In doing so, they induce strand breaks. Normally the breaks are transient but in the presence of a topoisomerase enzyme inhibitor, such as etoposide, the breaks become longer lived and expose the DNA to permanent damage.
Living organisms repair DNA by a variety of mechanisms including an excision-repair system. Enzymes that mediate excision-repair cut out the damaged DNA. They then replace the damaged DNA sequences with the correct sequences. This repair system lessens the efficiency of cancer therapies that are dependant on chemotherapeutics that induce DNA breaks. The loss in efficiency necessitates the use of high concentrations of DNA-breaking chemotherapeutics in order to obtain a satisfactory inhibition of cancer proliferation. These chemotherapeutics are very toxic and have damaging side effects. The need to use high concentrations is a significant drawback.
It has been suggested that endo-exonucleases may function in DNA repair and recombination. U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,830 to Resnick et. al. describes the isolation of a DNA segment that codes for an endo-exonuclease, RhoNuc from S. cerevisiae. U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,524 describes the characterization of a gene for mammalian endo-exonuclease and the isolation of primate endo-exonuclease. However, it has not been previously suggested that inhibiting endo-exonuclease activity would be effective for inhibiting the DNA repair process or the proliferation of cancer cells.
There is a need for compounds that inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells that are less toxic than conventional chemotherapeutics. There is further need for compounds that inhibit DNA repair in order to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. There is a further need for compounds that can be used in combination with conventional chemotherapeutics to improve the efficiency of cancer treatment. There is a further need for such compounds to be used in combination with conventional chemotherapeutiucs so that the combination permits the use of lower dosages of chemotherapeutics to cancer patients without loss of therapeutic efficiency.

Inhibitors of endo-exonuclease activity for treating cancer


A ceramic substrate made of a dielectric material including silicon carbide particles, which is used as a forming material, in which the number of the silicon carbide particles per unit area on the surface of the substrate is smaller than the number of the silicon carbide particles per unit area in a cross section of the substrate.

In recent years, in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus which performs a plasma process, a susceptor has been used in which a plate-shaped sample (wafer) can be easily mounted and fixed to a sample stage and the temperature of the wafer can be maintained at a desired temperature. An electrostatic chuck device, which is one type of susceptor, is provided with an electrostatic attraction electrode that generates an electrostatic force (Coulomb's force) between a substrate having one main surface serving as a mounting surface on which a wafer is placed and the wafer placed on the mounting surface. Usually, the substrate uses a dielectric material as a forming material.
As such an electrostatic chuck device, there is known a device having a configuration in which a mounting surface made of a dielectric material is processed to provide a plurality of projection shapes and a plate-shaped sample is held on the top surfaces of the projection shapes (refer to, for example, Patent Literature No. 1). In such a device, the plate-shaped sample can be cooled by causing a cooling gas to flow in the space between the projection portions, and thus the temperature of the plate-shaped sample can be controlled.


A planning system for developing new products includes resource and projected financial performance information as inputs. By selecting various combinations of possible new products to develop, a planner can determine a product mix that maximizes future profits as well as can actually be implemented using available resources. A product development schedule is generated along with projected financial information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to planning systems, and more particularly to a system and method for planning a portfolio of new products to be developed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In today's marketplace, development of new products to be brought to market is becoming of increasing importance. In many industries, product life cycles are becoming shorter, increasing the importance of new product planning and introduction. Planning of new products is usually based upon a decision by management as to what new products will sell the best, and hopefully provide the best profit margins for the company.
It is difficult for a company to determine whether it is selecting the best mix of new products to be developed. Because of shorter lifetimes, the development process itself must be carefully planned so that new products can be brought out in a timely manner. Bringing out new products too late can have a devastating impact on a company's profit margin.
Previously, there did not exist adequate tools to assist corporate management in planning and defining a proper portfolio of new products to be developed. Most companies know what current products are doing well, and which are contributing to the corporate profits, but have less knowledge about which new products under consideration will best contribute to profits in the future.
Planning systems can be used to plan for product development and allocate resources. However, the impact on profits of developing different possible combinations of new products is generally unknown. Because timing considerations can have such a great impact on overall profitability of a new product, timing of its introduction is of primary concern. Present planning tools available to corporate planners do not allow the impact on future profits to be determined for different scenarios for introducing new products.
It would be desirable to provide a system and method for planning development of new products that could consider the impact of product development on product profitability. It would be further desirable for such a system to enable planners to determine a cost of product development as well as impact on future profits.

System for planning a new product portfolio


Assemblies and methods are provided for positioning a sealing tool within a receptacle and pressure testing a seal between the sealing tool and the receptacle. The assembly may be coupled to the sealing tool for latching the sealing tool into the receptacle. The assembly may include a projection that is movable between a coupled position and an uncoupled position. In the coupled position, the projection may couple the assembly to the sealing tool. In the uncoupled position, the projection may be positioned such that the assembly is not coupled to the sealing tool. The projection may move from the coupled position to the uncoupled position in response to determining a seal is established between the sealing tool and the receptacle.

A well can be a multilateral well. A multilateral well can have multiple lateral wellbores that branch off a main wellbore. The wellbore can be drilled vertically, directionally, or at an inclined angle, and the lateral wellbores can be drilled horizontally, or otherwise deviated, off the main wellbore. Multilateral wellbores can have an increased productive capacity and higher recoverable reserves. A sealing tool may be positioned within a main wellbore, for example a deflector tool, a plug tool, or a packer tool. The sealing tool may be latched into a receptacle within the main wellbore. The sealing tool may be sealed to the receptacle. For example, a completion deflector assembly may be latched into and sealed to a polished bore receptacle.

Methods and assemblies for running and testing tools


The present invention, belonging to the technical field of data transmission, relates to an integrated intelligent interaction machine. The integrated intelligent interaction machine comprises a signal transmission device, a processing device, a upper computer and a network transmission device, wherein the signal transmission device is connected to the processing device, the processing device is connected to the upper computer, and the upper computer is connected to the processing device through the network transmission device. The signal transmission device is used to receive a screen transmission signal and transmit it to the processing device, and the processing device is used to process the screen transmission signal to obtain screen transmission data and transmit the screen transmission data to the upper computer. The upper computer is used to connect to an external network and output a network signal to the network transmission device, and the network transmission device transmits the network signal to the processing device. The upper computer is used to connect the external network and the internal device of the equipment to provide the network signal for the processing device, thereby realizing the communication between the processing device and the external network. The screen transmission data and the network signal are transmitted through different paths, so as to carry out screen transmission communication in the equipment and network sharing, respectively, thereby improving the data transmission convenience of the integrated intelligent interaction machine.

An integrated interaction machine, which uses a high-definition LCD screen as the display and operation platform, has functions such as writing, annotation, drawing, synchronous interaction, multimedia entertainment, and network conference integration, and combines multiple technologies such as high-definition display, human-computer interaction, multimedia information processing and network transmission, so as to provide the optimal solution for office, teaching, graphic interactive presentation in the information age.
In the conventional network communication mode of interaction machines, a main chip connects a wireless module and an external network to acquire wireless signals received by the wireless module, and the main chip is also connected with the module/chip directly or through a router, and the IP (Internet Protocol) of the module/chip is allocated by the main chip. When the module/chip needs to communicate with the external network, it is necessary to input the IP of the external network equipment, and because the two sides of the main chip belong to different network segments, the connection communication cannot be conducted. The conventional network communication mode of interaction machines has the disadvantage of low data transmission convenience.

Intelligent interactive all-in-one machine

Guangzhou Shiyuan Electronic Technology Company Limited


A static induction transistor having a silicon carbide substrate upon which is deposited a silicon carbide layer arrangement. The layer arrangement has a plurality of spaced gate regions for controlling current flow from a source region to a drain region vertically spaced from the source region by a drift layer. The pitch distance p between gate regions is 1 to 5 microns and the drift layer thickness d is also 1 to 5 microns.. In one embodiment the source regions are positioned alternatively with the gate regions and are formed in a top layer of high doping concentration. In another embodiment the gate regions are ion implanted in the layer arrangement.. In another embodiment the structure includes a dual oxide layer covering gate and source or drain regions, and in yet another embodiment contacts for the drain, source and gate regions are located on the same side of the substrate member.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention in general relates to semiconductor structures, and more particularly to a silicon carbide static induction transistor capable of high frequency, high power operation.
2. Description of Related Art
typical static induction transistor is a vertical structure device wherein active carriers flow from a source region to a drain region on opposite sides of a substrate member. Current flowing from source to drain is controlled by an electrostatic potential barrier induced by gate regions positioned on either side of the source region. The static induction transistor has a d.c. current-voltage characteristic similar to a vacuum tube triode and is relatively linear over a wide range of drain current values.
Static induction transistors are typically made of silicon and can operate at frequencies up to approximately 1 GHz and can handle maximum power densities of less than about 12 kW/cm.sup.2. A plurality of such static induction transistors are generally interconnected in an array to provide a desired function such as a radar transmitter. There is a need for static induction transistors which can operate at much higher frequencies and at significantly higher power densities than silicon static induction transistors. The present invention provides for such need with a device operable at the higher frequencies and power levels desired. This is accomplished with fewer transistors accommodated within a smaller package than comparable silicon static induction devices providing the same function.

Silicon carbide static induction transistor structure


A method of doping diamond by. (1) ion implanting carbon into the diamond to create a damage zone of opaque, nondiamond material; PA1 (2) ion implanting a semiconductor dopant material that is a pentavalent donor dopant or a trivalent acceptor dopant into the damage zone of opaque, nondiamond carbon material; PA1 (3) melting the opaque, nondiamond carbon material by lased light; and PA1 (4) allowing the carbon melt to cool and crystallize homoepitaxially as diamond from the diamond surfaces during which the dopant material is incorporated into the new diamond lattice.

This invention relates to diamonds and more particularly to methods of doping diamonds.
It has been widely known for many years that diamond would be greatly superior to either silicon or GaAs as a material for integrated circuits. Reasons include the greater heat conductivity of diamond, the higher carrier mobilities, the higher operating temperatures, and the intrinsic radiating hardness such a "chip" would possess. The problem has been to find a way to dope diamond with suitable impurities to create n- and p- type semiconductors. The very compact structure of diamond coupled with the very high c--c bond energies prevent diffusion of dopants into the material. Moreover, diamond has an extremely high melting temperature, making the liquid hard to form. Ion implantation has been used to introduce the dopants into the structure. However, considerable lattice damage must be produced to allow the impurity atoms to get in. If too much damage is done, subsequent annealing graphitizes the structure. If too little damage is done, the dopants end up in interstitial rather than substitutional sites after annealing. In spite of the difficulties, efforts to produce diamond integrated circuits exceed one hundred million dollars annually.
It would be desirable to provide a practical method of doping diamonds to produce integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices.

Method of doping single crystal diamond for electronic devices

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


The present invention provides a hybrid vehicle including a first transmission path that transmits a traction of an engine to driving wheels and a second transmission path that transmits a traction of a motor to the driving wheels, and the hybrid vehicle runs by alternatively selecting either the first or second transmission path or in combination thereof. The first transmission path has a first reduction gear ratio that is defined to be smaller than a reduction gear ratio at which a maximum vehicle speed can be achieved by the traction of the engine alone.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hybrid vehicle running in combination of traction of an engine (internal combustion) and traction of a motor (electric motor), particularly to a hybrid vehicle provided with a first transmission path that transmits engine traction to driving wheels and a second transmission path that transmits a motor traction to the driving wheels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, it has been well-known that a hybrid vehicle runs by utilizing characteristics of each traction of an engine and a motor, in which a second transmission path that transmits the motor traction to the driving wheels is used when the vehicle speed is less than a given value (vehicle speed V1); a combination of a first transmission path that transmits the engine traction to the driving wheels and the second transmission is used when the vehicle speed is V1 or more; and the hybrid vehicle runs chiefly through the first transmission path transmitting the engine traction to the driving wheels when the vehicle speed reaches around the maximum speed Vmax. In such a hybrid vehicle, as disclosed in JPB2942533 (Paragraph [0015] to [0028], FIGS. 1, 2), for example, a gear ratio of the first transmission path is defined such that the characteristic of the engine traction covers the maximum speed Vmax, thereby to simplify a transmission system of the vehicle without providing a transmission mechanism which has a variable gear ratio for the first and second transmission paths. Accordingly, when the vehicle speed reaches around the maximum speed Vmax, the vehicle runs with the engine traction trough the first transmission path to the driving wheels.
However, according to such a hybrid vehicle disclosed in JPB2942533 (Paragraphs [0015] to [0028] and FIGS. 1, 2), in a steady running state with a smaller load (cruising), the vehicle is designed to run in a series driving mode in which the engine generates electric power, whereby the motor drives the driving wheels, or to run by using the first transmission path that includes a transmission device in which a reduction gear ratio is defined to be relatively greater (lower gear ratio) in order to achieve the maximum speed Vmax by using the engine traction.
However, there are such disadvantages: fuel efficiency of the vehicle may become lowered since transmission efficiency of the traction becomes relatively lowered; in addition, when running with the engine traction alone through the first transmission path including a transmission device in which a lower gear ratio is defined, the vehicle runs at the lower gear ratio to realize engine traction characteristics that achieves the maximum vehicle speed Vmax. Since the rotational rate of the engine significantly varies depending on the vehicle speed in a steady running state, it is difficult to select a region of the engine rotational rate that can provide higher fuel efficiency for the steady running state.
In particular, in a combination of an engine traction and a motor traction in a hybrid vehicle having a large displacement volume engine, such a large displacement volume engine has a greater excess traction, resulting in significant deterioration in fuel efficiency in the first transmission path including the transmission device in which a lower gear ratio is defined, as described above. In combination with this large displacement volume engine, even though the large displacement volume multi-cylinder engine is provided with an output characteristics variable mechanism for a variable displacement or the like in order to enhance fuel efficiency, it is difficult to make the most of this output characteristics variable mechanism performing a variable displacement for fuel efficiency enhancement at the lower gear ratio defined as described above.
JPB2942533 mentioned nothing about a driver's selection of a running condition by using a shift lever or the like; therefore, it is impossible to cope with a situation against the driver's will.
In the light of the above-mentioned disadvantages, it is desirable to provide a hybrid vehicle that enhances fuel efficiency of the vehicle as well as allowing a driver to select a running condition that meets his or her will.


A network caching device includes primary storage and secondary storage. The network caching device creates a set of metafile entries, each of which contains metadata for a logical grouping of related objects cached by the network caching device, and uses the set of metafile entries to reduce accesses to the secondary storage in response to requests for the objects.

One use of the Internet is to allow users to access remotely stored content, such as documents and multimedia. To do so, typically a person operates a client device to access content on a remote origin server over the Internet. The client device may be, for example, a personal computer (PC) or a hand-held device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or cellular telephone. The client normally includes a software application known as a browser, which can provide this functionality. A person using the client typically operates the browser to locate and select content stored on the origin server, such as a web page or a multimedia file. In response to this user input, the browser sends a request for the content over the Internet to the origin server on which the content resides. In response, the origin server returns a response containing the requested content to the client, which outputs the content in the appropriate manner (e.g., it displays the web page or plays the audio file). The request and response may be communicated using well-known protocols, such as transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) and hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).
It is often desirable to cache network content in a device on the network that is located logically between the clients and the origin servers. The main purpose of caching content in this way is to reduce the latency associated with servicing content requests from clients. Storing certain content locally in the cache avoids the necessity of having to forward every content request over the network to the corresponding origin server and having to wait for a response. Instead, if the cache receives a request for content which it has cached, it simply provides the requested content to the requesting client (subject to any required authentication and/or authorization) without involving the origin server. An example of a device which has this functionality is the NetCache product designed and manufactured by Network Appliance, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif.
The information requested by a client from an origin server generally includes a number of objects. For example, if a client requests an HTML web page, that page is an object. The page may also include one or more images (e.g., .jpg, .gif, or .tiff), advertisements, and other entities, which are also objects. When a user of a client machine initiates an HTTP request for a web page, if the page includes other objects, the client device typically automatically issues an additional request for each of those objects. Although these additional requests are transparent to the user, this process takes time, which adds to the overall network latency perceived by the user. In a network cache it is desirable to reduce such latency.
Certain network cache implementations attempt to reduce latency by minimizing the number of disk input/output operations (I/Os) required per object by, for example, storing certain critical information about the objects in main memory. One implementation of a network cache maintain a hash table that stores references to all objects that it has cached. Objects are accessed using meta-information contained in inodes, which are stored in a separate file. For a particular cached web page, each hash table entry stores a reference to each object included in the web page as well as a reference to the web page itself. As long as the inode file is resident in memory, sufficient meta-information exists such that an object can be accessed using a single disk I/O. Once the object has been read into memory, subsequent requests for the same object can be served from memory.
In reality, however, such perfect conditions are rarely achieved. The inode file tends to be so large that it generally is not possible to retain it completely in memory (i.e., some of it must be stored on disk), and subsequent requests are rarely served from memory. Often the number of disk I/Os per object is greater than one.
Also, references to related objects (e.g., objects from a particular web page) tend to get spread out randomly throughout the hash table. Consequently, to deliver a single web page that includes multiple objects to a client, the network cache may have to perform multiple, essentially random disk I/Os. The result is less than optimal throughput in serving client requests.

Method and apparatus to improve buffer cache hit rate


An absorption layer 13 is formed above a substrate 11. The transmittance of the absorption layer 13 varies at different locations of the substrate 11. The absorption layer 13 includes a first material and a second material that have an absorption coefficient that depends on a wavelength. The extinction coefficient of the absorption layer 13 is equal to or less than 0.5 at a wavelength of 400 nm to 700 nm.

A graduated ND (NeutralDensity) filter, transmittance of which has a distribution on an optical surface has been known as one of optical elements for use in optical systems such as digital cameras. The use of the graduated ND filter (referred to below as the GND filter) enables the brightness of an image to be selectively controlled and enables variation in acuteness of the contour of an image that is out of focus (blurred image) to be reduced.
A characteristic feature that the GND filter is required to have is that the degree of dependence of the transmittance on a wavelength is small.
PTL 1 discloses a GND filter in which absorption layers that are composed of different metals are formed on the front surface and the back surface of a substrate to reduce the dependence of the transmittance on the wavelength.

Optical element and optical system including the same