A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first transistor formed on the semiconductor substrate and having a first source diffusion region, a first drain diffusion region and a first gate electrode, a second transistor formed on the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the first transistor and having a second source diffusion region, a second drain diffusion region and a second gate electrode, a field oxide layer formed on the semiconductor substrate for isolating the first and second transistors, a first insulator layer which covers a surface of the semiconductor substrate including a surface of the first transistor but excluding a surface of the second transistor, where the first insulator layer has a side wall portion, and a second insulator layer formed at the side wall portion of the first insulator layer and a side wall portion of the second gate electrode of the second transistor.

The present invention generally relates to semiconductor devices and production methods thereof, and more particularly to a semiconductor device having first and second transistors and a production method thereof, where there are three demands on the first and second transistors. First, there is a demand to suppress generation of crystal defects in the first transistor by not subjecting an impurity diffusion layer of the first transistor to an etching. Second, there is a demand to form a conductor layer on the first transistor via an insulator layer. Third, there is a demand to obtain a satisfactory current driving capability for the second transistor.
For example, in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) which is provided with stacked capacitors, there are demands to simultaneously satisfy the above three conditions in order to improve the charge storage characteristic of memory cells. A first condition is not to subject an impurity diffusion layer of a transistor which makes up the memory cell so as to suppress the generation of crystal defects. A second condition is to facilitate the formation of a storage electrode by flattening a layer below the storage electrode. A third condition is to ensure a satisfactory current driving capability of the transistor of a peripheral circuit.
Conventionally, there is a DRAM provided with stacked capacitors as shown in FIG. 1K which shows a cross section of an essential part of this conventional DRAM. The DRAM includes a p-type silicon (Si) substrate 1, a field oxide layer 2 which forms a device isolation region, a memory cell 3, and a peripheral circuit 4.
The memory cell 3 is made up of an n-channel insulated-gate type field effect transistor (hereinafter simply referred to as an nMOS FET) 5 which forms a transistor for controlling input/output of charge, and a stacked capacitor 6. The nMOS FET 5 has a lightly doped drain (LDD) structure. A source diffusion layer 7 of the nMOS FET 5 is made up of an n.sup.- -type source diffusion layer 8 and an n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer 9. A drain diffusion layer 10 of the nMOS FET 5 is made up of an n.sup.- -type drain diffusion layer 11 and an n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12.
A gate insulator layer 13 is made of silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2), a gate electrode (word line) 14 is made of polysilicon, an interlayer insulator 15 is made of SiO.sub.2, an interlayer insulator 16 is made of phospho-silicate glass (PSG), and a bit line 17 is made of aluminum (Al). The bit line 17 makes an ohmic contact with the n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer 9 via a contact hole 18.
The stacked capacitor 6 is made up of a stacked structure including a polysilicon storage electrode 19, a SiO.sub.2 capacitor insulator layer 20 and a polysilicon confronting electrode 21. The storage electrode 19 makes an ohmic contact with the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12 via a contact hole 22.
The peripheral circuit 4 is made up of an nMOS FET 23 which also has the LDD structure. A source diffusion layer 24 of the nMOS FET 23 is made up of an n.sup.- -type source diffusion layer 25 and an n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer 26. On the other hand, a drain diffusion layer 27 of the nMOS FET 23 is made up of an n.sup.- -type drain diffusion layer 28 and an n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 29.
A gate insulator layer 30 is made of SiO.sub.2, a gate electrode 31 is made of polysilicon, and an interconnection 32 is made of Al. The interconnection 32 makes an ohmic contact with the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 29 via a contact hole 33.
In addition, the bit line 17 makes an ohmic contact with the n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer 26 via a contact hole 34.
This conventional DRAM is produced in a sequence shown in FIGS. 1A through 1K.
First, the p-type Si substrate 1 is prepared as shown in FIG. 1A. A surface of this p-type Si substrate 1 is selectively oxidized to form the field oxide layer 2 which has a thickness of 5000 .ANG., for example. Then, the SiO.sub.2 layers 13 and 30 are formed in a device region by a thermal oxidation to a thickness of 150 .ANG., for example. Furthermore, a polysilicon layer 35 having a thickness of 2000 .ANG., for example, is formed on the entire surface of the stacked structure by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
Next, the polysilicon layer 35 is patterned, and as shown in FIG. 1B, the gate electrodes 14 and 31 are formed. Then, the gate electrodes 14 and 31 and the field oxide layer 2 are used as a mask when implanting phosphorous (P) ions into the p-type Si substrate 1 with an energy of 50 keV and a dosage of 1.times.10.sup.13 cm.sup.-2, for example. As a result, n.sup.- -type diffusion layers 36 and 37 are formed.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1C, a SiO.sub.2 layer 40 having a thickness of 3000 .ANG., for example, is formed on the entire surface of the stacked structure by a CVD. A reactive ion etching (RIE) is made with respect to the SiO.sub.2 layer 40 and the SiO.sub.2 layers 13 and 30 under the SiO.sub.2 layer 40, so as to partially expose the n.sup.- -type diffusion layers 36, 37, 38 and 39 as shown in FIG. 1D. In this state, so-called side wall SiO.sub.2 layers 41, 42, 43 and 44 are formed on the side wall portions of the gate electrodes 14 and 31.
Next, a thermal oxidation is made to form a SiO.sub.2 layer 45 which has a thickness of 150 .ANG., for example, on the exposed surfaces of the p-type Si substrate 1 and the gate electrodes 14 and 31 as shown in FIG. 1E. Thereafter, the gate electrodes 14 and 31, the side wall SiO.sub.2 layers 41, 42, 43 and 44 and the field oxide layer 2 are used as a mask when implanting arsenide (As) ions into the p-type Si substrate 1 with an energy of 50 keV and a dosage of 4.times.10.sup.15 cm.sup.-2, for example. As a result, the nMOS FET 5 and the nMOS FET 23 are formed. The nMOS FET 5 has the source diffusion layer 7 which is made up of the n.sup.- -type source diffusion layer 8 and the n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer 9, and the drain diffusion layer 10 which is made up of the n.sup.- -type drain diffusion layer 11 and the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12. Similarly, the nMOS FET 23 has the source diffusion layer 24 which is made up of the n.sup.- -type source diffusion layer 25 and the n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer 26, and the drain diffusion layer 27 which is made up of the n.sup.- -type drain diffusion layer 28 and the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 29.
Then, as shown in FIG. 1F, a SiO.sub.2 layer having a thickness of 1000 .ANG., for example, is formed on the entire surface of the stacked structure by a CVD so as to form the interlayer insulator 15 which is made of SiO.sub.2. The contact hole 22 which has a width of 0.8 .mu.m, for example, is formed in the interlayer insulator 15 above the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12.
Next, as shown in FIG. 1G, a polysilicon layer 46 having a thickness of 2000 .ANG., for example, is formed on the entire surface of the stacked structure. As ions are implanted into this polysilicon layer 46 with an energy of 50 keV and a dosage of 1.times.10.sup.15 cm.sup.-2, for example, so as to reduce the resistance. The polysilicon layer 46 is then patterned as shown in FIG. 1H, and the storage electrode 19 which makes an ohmic contact with the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12 via the contact hole 22 is formed.
Thereafter, an oxide layer which is naturally formed on the exposed surface of the storage electrode 19 is removed by an etching using a hydrogen fluoride (HF) solution. Further, a thermal oxidation is carried out to form a SiO.sub.2 capacitor insulator layer 20 which has a thickness of 100 .ANG., for example, on the exposed surface of the storage electrode 19 as shown in FIG. 1I.
Next, a polysilicon layer 47 having a thickness of 2000 .ANG., for example, is formed on the entire surface of the stacked structure as shown in FIG. 1J, and P is thermally diffused into the polysilicon layer 47 to reduce the resistance. Thereafter, this polysilicon layer 47 is patterned to form the confronting electrode 21 as shown in FIG. 1K.
Then, the PSG layer 16 is formed on the entire surface of the stacked structure to a thickness of 5000 .ANG., for example, as shown in FIG. 1K. The contact holes 18, 33 and 34 are formed in the PSG layer 16, and the bit line 17 and the other interconnection 32 are formed. As a result, the conventional DRAM having the stacked capacitor 6 is obtained.
According to the conventional method of producing the DRAM shown in FIG. 1K, the side wall SiO.sub.2 layers 41 and 42 are formed on the side wall portions of the gate electrode 14 as shown in FIG. 1D in order to realize the LDD structure of the nMOS FETs 5 and 23. The side wall SiO.sub.2 layers 41 and 42 flatten the vertical stepped portions at the side wall portions of the gate electrode 14, and have a function of facilitating the formation of the storage electrode 19.
FIGS. 2A through 2C are cross sectional views and FIG. 3 is a plan view for explaining the side wall SiO.sub.2 layers 41 and 42. For the sake of convenience, a consideration will be given of a case where the storage electrode 19 is formed without forming the side wall SiO.sub.2 layers 41 and 42 at the side wall portions of the gate electrode 14.
In this case, a SiO.sub.2 layer 48 which covers the gate electrode 14 and the n.sup.- -type diffusion layers 36 and 37 are first formed as shown in FIG. 2A. After forming a contact hole 49 in the SiO.sub.2 layer 48, the polysilicon layer 46 is formed on the entire surface of the stacked structure. Then, after the resistance of this polysilicon layer 46 is reduced by carrying out an ion implantation with respect to the polysilicon layer 46, an RIE is carried out and the polysilicon layer 46 is patterned to form the storage electrode 19 as shown in FIG. 2B.
However, side wall portions 48A and 48B of the SiO.sub.2 layer 48 along the gate electrode 14 are formed vertically in accordance with the shape of the side wall portions of the gate electrode 14. For this reason, when the polysilicon layer 46 is etched by the RIE and the storage electrode 19 is formed as shown in FIG. 2B, polysilicon 50 and 51 remain at the side wall portions 48A and 48B of the SiO.sub.2 layer 48 as shown in FIGS. 2C and 3. For example, there is a problem in that the polysilicon 50 may extend across two mutually adjacent storage electrodes 19 and short-circuit these storage electrodes 19. On the other hand, there is a problem in that the polysilicon 51 may come off during a subsequent process and adhere across two mutually adjacent storage electrodes 19 and short-circuit these storage electrodes 9.
The side wall portions of the gate electrode 14 may be formed as overhangs. In this case, the side wall portions 48A and 48B of the SiO.sub.2 layer 48 are also formed as overhangs. For this reason, when the RIE is carried out with respect to the polysilicon layer 46 and the storage electrode 19 is formed, polysilicon inevitably remains at the side wall portions 48A and 48B. When the side wall portions of the gate electrode 14 are formed as overhangs, the above described problems become particularly notable.
Accordingly, in the conventional DRAM, the side wall SiO.sub.2 layers 41 and 42 are formed at the side wall portions of the gate electrode 14 as shown in FIG. 1D and the vertical stepped portions at the side wall portions of the gate electrode 14 are flattened so as to facilitate the formation of the storage electrode 19.
However, the conventional DRAM described above suffer from the following problems.
First, when forming the side wall SiO.sub.2 layers 41, 42, 43 and 44 by the RIE as shown in FIG. 1D, the surface of the n.sup.- -type diffusion layer 37 is subjected to the plasma atmosphere. As a result, there is a problem in that a crystal defect is generated at the surface of the n.sup.- -type diffusion layer 37 due to contamination of metals such as iron, copper and nickel which are included in the internal wall of a chamber containing the plasma or included in the plasma atmosphere caused by electrode erosion. Because the storage electrode 19 is connected to the surface of the n.sup.- -type diffusion layer 37, the charge storage characteristic (refresh characteristic) of the memory cell 3 is deteriorated by the crystal defect.
Hence, a description will be given of a conceivable method of producing the DRAM to eliminate the problem of the conventional method, by referring to FIG. 4. According to this conceivable method, when etching by the RIE the SiO.sub.2 layer 40 which is formed on the entire surface of the stacked structure in the step shown in FIG. 1C, the etching is ended halfway as shown in FIG. 4. Then, a SiO.sub.2 layer 52 having a predetermined thickness is formed, and side wall SiO.sub.2 layers 53, 54, 55 and 56 are formed at the side wall portions of the gate electrodes 14 and 31.
According to this conceivable method, it is possible to form the side wall SiO.sub.2 layers 53 and 54 at the side wall portions of the gate electrode 14 without subjecting the n.sup.- -type diffusion layer 37 to the plasma atmosphere. For this reason, it is possible to protect the n.sup.- -type diffusion layer 37 from metal contamination and easily form the storage electrode 19.
However, a problem occurs according to this conceivable method at a latter stage when the n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer 9 and the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12 of the nMOS FET 5 and the n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer 26 and the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 29 of the nMOS FET 23 are formed as shown in FIG. 1E described above.
In other words, when forming the n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer 9, the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12, the n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer 26 and the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 29 according to the conceivable method of FIG. 4, it is necessary to accelerate the As ion implantation into the p-type Si substrate 1 such that the As ions penetrate the SiO.sub.2 layer 52. But it is difficult to control the thickness of the SiO.sub.2 layer 52 with a high accuracy according to the RIE, and the As ions must be implanted with an energy which takes into consideration the thickness distribution of the SiO.sub.2 layer 52. Hence, when the As ion implantation is carried out under such consideration, the As ions penetrate the gate electrodes 14 and 31 and reach the channel region, thereby introducing undesirable effects on the characteristics of the nMOS FETs 5 and 23.
On the other hand, there is another problem in that the ion implantation with a high acceleration and a high dosage leads to a poor throughput.
Second, the conventional DRAM shown in FIG. 1K has the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12 provided in the nMOS FET 5, but the As ion implantation with respect to the p-type Si substrate 1 must be carried out with a high dosage in order to form this n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12. In this case, the region which is subjected to the As ion implantation is transformed into an amorphous state, and it becomes necessary to thereafter carry out a thermal process to transform the region back into a crystal state. But when such a recrystallization is carried out, a dislocation loop is generated in the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12 and there is a problem in that the charge storage characteristic of the memory cell 3 is deteriorated thereby.
In addition, in the conventional DRAM shown in FIG. 1K, the tip end of the side wall SiO.sub.2 layer 42 makes direct contact with the p-type Si substrate 1 as shown in FIG. 1D, and an angle the tip end of the side wall SiO.sub.2 layer 42 makes with respect to the surface of the p-type Si substrate 1 cannot be made small. As a result, there are problems in that a stress is concentrated at the tip end portion of the side wall SiO.sub.2 layer 42 and an edge dislocation is generated in the n.sup.- -type drain diffusion layer 11 or the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12 about this portion when the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer 12 is formed (recrystallization takes place), thereby deteriorating the charge storage characteristic of the memory cell 3.
The dislocation loop and the edge dislocation are also generated in the source diffusion layer 7. However, since the source diffusion layer 7 passes the charge, the dislocation loop and the edge dislocation in the source diffusion layer 7 essentially do not affect the charge storage characteristic of the memory cell 3.
The transistor which makes up the memory cell merely controls the input/output of the charge. Thus, virtually no problems are generated from the point of view of the operation characteristic of this transistor even when the resistances of the source diffusion layer and the drain diffusion layer thereof are large. Accordingly, it is sufficient to provide only the n.sup.- -type source diffusion layer and the n.sup.- -type drain diffusion layer with respect to the transistor which makes up the memory cell, and this in effect avoids the generation of the dislocation loop and the edge dislocation in the drain diffusion layer.
On the other hand, the current driving capability must be ensured for the transistor which makes up the peripheral circuit. For this reason, the resistances of the source diffusion layer and the drain diffusion layer of this transistor must be small. As a result, the n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer and the n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer must be provided for the transistor which makes up the peripheral circuit.
Therefore, in the conventional DRAM, there is a demand to form the transistor which makes up the memory cell so that a source diffusion layer and a drain diffusion layer thereof are respectively made solely from an n.sup.- -type source diffusion layer and an n.sup.- -type drain diffusion layer, and to form the transistor which makes up the peripheral circuit so that a source diffusion layer includes an n.sup.- -type source diffusion layer and an n.sup.+ -type source diffusion layer and a drain diffusion layer includes an n.sup.- -type drain diffusion layer and an n.sup.+ -type drain diffusion layer.

Semiconductor device having two transistors forming a memory cell and a peripheral circuit, wherein the impurity region of the first transistor is not subjected to an etching atmosphere


A food processing apparatus comprises a first and second shaft and first, second, third and fourth subsets of blades. The first and second subsets of blades are mounted to the first shaft. The blades of the first subset of blades are separated by a first displacement. The blades of the second subset of blades are separated by a second displacement differing from the first displacement. The third and fourth subsets of blades are mounted to the second shaft. The blades of the third subset of blades are separated by the first displacement. The blades of the fourth subset of blades are separated by the second displacement. The first and third subset of blades form a first cutting region for cutting food to a first dimension and the second and fourth subset of blades form a second cutting region for cutting food to a second dimension.

This invention relates to food processing machines, and, more particularly, to a meat slicing machine capable of forming slices, strips and cubes from frozen, cooked or raw meat.
In the restaurant industry and particularly in the Chinese food restaurant industry, it is common for food, and in particular meat, to be cut into slices, strips and cubes. Cutting meat into slices, strips or cubes by hand can be a laborious and slow process, and uniformity of the slices, strips or cubes depends upon the skill of the person doing the cutting. In Chinese cooking "slices" are slabs of meat typically approximately four millimeters thick having varying lengths and widths. "Strips" are long pieces of meat about typically four millimeters thick and eight millimeters wide. "Cubes" are typically eight millimeters wide, eight millimeters thick and eight millimeters long.
There are, in the prior art, numerous examples of apparatus for slicing meat into strips. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,236 of Repisky et al., there is shown an apparatus for cutting food into strips or cubes that has first and second counter rotating shafts, each having an array of cutter discs thereon. The cutter discs on one shaft are offset from corresponding discs on the other shaft and form cutter pairs therewith. Guide means extending between cutter pairs define the maximum thickness of meat that can be cut, and the discs forming a pair overlap a distance equal to or greater than one-half the spacing between the guide means. A hand crank is coupled to rotate one of the blade carrying shafts. The other blade carrying shaft is coupled by gears to be rotated by the first blade carrying shaft at a different angular velocity than the first shaft. The device is designed to be modular so that a second set of blade carrying shafts having blades with a different spacing than the first set can replace the first set of blades to make wider or thinner slices through the meat.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,536 of Deckert, there is shown an apparatus that simultaneously tenderizes and slices a slab of meat into strips. A plurality of spaced tenderizing blades is mounted on a first shaft and a lesser plurality of spaced slicing blades is mounted on a second shaft closely adjacent and parallel to the first shaft. The slicing blades, which are fewer in number than the tenderizing blades, are interleaved therewith. The two shafts are geared together so that the slicing blades revolve faster than the tenderizing blades, and the tenderizing blades penetrate the meat and pull it into the cutting area. Guide fingers are disposed between the tenderizing blades and the slicing blades for guiding the meat into the cutting area. This general arrangement of elements is common to a number of prior art meat tenderizing devices, such as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,716 of Dickey, which also includes stripper plates for preventing the meat from wrapping around the rollers. Such wrapping of the meat around the rollers occurs frequently when raw meat is being tenderized or cut.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,163,123 of Huse, there is shown a meat tenderizing machine having the general structure of parallel shafts having interleaved cutters geared together to counter rotate relative to each other to draw the meat into the cutting area. Spring loaded fingers interspersed between the blades function to guide the meat into the cutting area and to prevent the meat from wrapping around the shafts. Inasmuch as the Huse arrangement does not cut the meat into strips, it is less likely that the slab of meat will wrap around the shafts, although such wrapping can occur in the Huse mechanism if the guide fingers are not present and functioning.
As discussed in the foregoing, many of the prior art devices are directed to meat tenderizing, i.e., scoring the meat, and not to meat slicing. Even the Deckert arrangement, which does slice the meat, simultaneously scores the meat into the cutting area as the tenderizing blades pull the meat therethrough. In all such cases, the apparatus is designed to process raw meat. Of the foregoing patents, only the Repiskey et al. patent disclosed a slicer that does not simultaneously tenderize the meat.
In restaurants which serve Chinese cuisine, it is much more efficient and economical to cook the meat before slicing or cubing it. Cooked meat loses most of the glutinous tendencies of raw meat and thus is less likely to cling to the cutting blades or to wrap around the shafts. On the other hand, cooked meat is more susceptible to tearing or ragged cutting. Thus, in an apparatus of the type shown in the Deckert patent, the toothed tenderizing wheels, if used with cooked meat, would tend to tear the meat, resulting in unsightly strips or cubes. Even arrangements such as in the Huse apparatus, which apparently does not use toothed tenderizing wheels to tenderize the meat, tend to make ragged shallow cuts in the meat.
Food preparers would appreciate a device that can cut food, such as meat, into neat, clean-cut strips or cubes, whether the food is raw or cooked. The disclosed meat slicing apparatus, as opposed to a meat tenderizing apparatus, are adapted to produce cleanly cut slices, strips or cubes of either cooked or raw meat.
According to one aspect of the invention, a food processing apparatus for slicing food into slabs, strips and cubes comprises a frame, a first and second shaft and first, second, third and fourth subsets of blades. The first shaft is coupled to the frame for rotation relative to the frame about a longitudinal axis of the first shaft. The second shaft is coupled to the frame for rotation relative to the frame about a longitudinal axis of the second shaft. The longitudinal axis of the second shaft is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first shaft and is displaced therefrom by a displacement. The first and second subsets of blades are mounted to the first shaft. Each blade of the first subset of blades is displaced along the longitudinal axis of the first shaft from adjacent blades of the first subset of blades by a first displacement. Each blade of the second subset of blades is displaced along the longitudinal axis of the first shaft from adjacent blades of the second subset of blades by a second displacement differing from the first displacement. The third and fourth subsets of blades are mounted to the second shaft. Each blade of the third subset of blades is displaced along the longitudinal axis of the second shaft from adjacent blades of the third subset of blades by the first displacement. Each blade of the fourth subset of blades is displaced along the longitudinal axis of the second shaft from adjacent blades of the fourth subset of blades by the second displacement. The first subset of blades cooperate with the third subset of blades to form a first cutting region therebetween for cutting food to a first dimension and the second subset of blades cooperate with the fourth subset of blades to form a second cutting region therebetween for cutting food to a second dimension.
According to another aspect of the disclosure, a food processing apparatus comprises a frame, a first and second shaft, a first and second set of pairs of cooperating blades, a motor, a linkage and a food orientation guide. The first shaft is coupled to the frame for rotation relative to the frame about a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The second shaft is coupled to the frame for rotation relative to the frame about a longitudinal axis of the second shaft. The longitudinal axis of the second shaft is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first shaft and is displaced therefrom. Each pair of cooperating blades in the first and second set of cooperating pairs of blades includes a first blade mounted to the first shaft and a second blade mounted to the second shaft in close proximity to the first blade. Each pair of cooperating blades in the first set of cooperating pairs of blades is spaced apart from adjacent pairs of cooperating blades in the first set of pairs of cooperating blades by a first displacement and is adjacent another pair of cooperating blades in the first set of pairs of cooperating blades to define a first cutting region between the first and second shaft. Each pair of cooperating blades in the second set of cooperating pairs of blades is spaced apart from adjacent pairs of cooperating blades in the second set of pairs of cooperating blades by a second displacement and is adjacent another pair of cooperating blades in the second set of pairs of cooperating blades to define a second cutting region between the first and second shaft. The motor has a drive shaft and the linkage is configured to convert rotation of the drive shaft of the motor into rotation of the first and second shafts. The food orientation guide is movable relative to the frame and adapted to guide unprocessed food into one cutting region when in a first position and to guide previously processed meat into the other cutting region when in a second position.
According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a food slicing apparatus for slicing food into strips comprises a frame, a first and second shaft, a first and second set of pairs of cooperating blades and a means for rotating the first and second shafts. The first shaft is coupled to the frame for rotation relative to the frame about a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The second shaft is coupled to the frame for rotation relative to the frame about a longitudinal axis of the second shaft. The longitudinal axis of the second shaft is disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first shaft and is displaced therefrom. Each pair of cooperating blades in the first and second set of cooperating pairs of blades includes a first blade mounted to the first shaft and a second blade mounted to the second shaft in close proximity to the first blade. Each pair of cooperating blades in the first set of cooperating pairs of blades is spaced apart from adjacent pairs of cooperating blades in the first set of pairs of cooperating blades by a first displacement and is adjacent another pair of cooperating blades in the first set of pairs of cooperating blades to define a first cutting region between the first and second shaft. Each pair of cooperating blades in the second set of cooperating pairs of blades is spaced apart from adjacent pairs of cooperating blades in the second set of pairs of cooperating blades by a second displacement and is adjacent another pair of cooperating blades in the second set of pairs of cooperating blades to define a second cutting region between the first and second shaft.
The various objects and features of the present invention can more readily be understood and appreciated from the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Like reference characters tend to indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Food processing apparatus for forming strips, slices and cubes


A method and system permits photographers and/or consumers to select from a menu an applicable scent which is to be applied to an image. The selection of the scent and associated image can be recorded and stored either on film or digitally. At a photofinishing site the scent information can be inputted to a device which then delivers the selected scent to a print, a set of prints or a package of prints. With the system and method of the present invention, a photographer and/or consumer can designate a digital image or a frame on a photosensitive film that is to be associated with a scent, and at a photofinishing site, the scent can be applied to the print of the image.

Currently, Advanced Photo System arrangements provide the photographer with the capability of choosing a frame or roll title that will be magnetically encoded onto a film. During a printing operation, the information, such as a frame title of "Christmas" is printed on the back of the print. This provides the advantage of having a magnetically recorded description of the occasion on the print for future reference.
Conventional arrangements do not provide the consumer or photographer with the option of choosing from a plurality of scents, a specific scent that is to be associated with a particular image on a film, and subsequently delivered to a photographic print which includes the particular image. Additionally, conventional arrangements do not provide for the automatic association of a scent with a specific title. More specifically, conventional arrangements do not provide for the selective association of a scent to an image whether the image is an unexposed image on a photosensitive film, an exposed image on a photosensitive film, an image on a print or a digital image.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,327 provides for a card that has a scent-receiving zone and a greeting message receiving zone; however, this arrangement differs from the present invention in that it does not give the consumer or photographer the option of associating a specific scent to an image for subsequent delivery to a print, either during a picture-taking event or during photofinishing.
WO 93/08676 and WO 94/26375 each disclose a device for intensifying or increasing sensorial perception of visual and/or acoustic representations in, for example, theaters. In the devices disclosed by these two documents, scents which are associated with the specific visual and/or acoustic event are defused to viewers or listeners. However, these documents do not provide for the specific association of a scent with an image by a consumer or photographer, and the subsequent delivery of the scent to a print which includes the image during, for example, a photofinishing operation.

System and method of delivering a scent to a photographic print


A motor system comprises a rotor shaft, and a magnetic drive motor and a capacitive drive motor. An engagement system is configured for selectively engaging one or both of the magnetic drive motor and the capacitive drive motor with the rotor shaft, in order to rotate the rotor shaft at a desired rotational speed and generate a desired output torque. An actuator may be coupled to the rotor shaft in order to convert the rotational speed and/or output torque (or a rotational position of the rotor shaft) for operation on a load, for example to position the load rotationally or linearly with respect to the rotor axis, or to exert a force or torque on the load.

This application relates generally to electrically powered motor systems and actuators, including electromechanical actuators and motors adapted for robotics and other automated actuator systems. Suitable applications include, but are not limited to, welding and automated tooling systems utilized in the automotive, transportation and manufacturing industries, including robotic, pedestal and fixture welding guns. Additional applications include, but are not limited to, motor systems, short stroke actuators and other linear actuator systems for injection molding, clamping fixtures, parts manufacturing, and precision control of linear positioning systems utilized in automated production, packaging and materials processing.
Various industries, and particularly the manufacturing industry, among others, have utilized linear actuators to control the movements of automated welding guns, automated clamping fixtures, and the like. Specifically, in the automotive industry and various other industries, actuation and control of welding guns and clamping fixtures and controlled linear movement of other fixtures and devices have been accomplished using fluid actuators such as pneumatic or hydraulic actuators. While fluid actuators have functioned reasonably well for these purposes, they inherently embody various limitations. One, because of the possibility of leaks and failure of seals, etc., there is always the concern of contamination of the worksite by a leaking fluid. Second, fluid actuators necessarily require a source of pressurized fluid and thus a fluid supply system. This leads to significant maintenance and other costs. Third, limitations sometimes exist with respect to the accuracy and positioning of linear movement and the adjustability of such movement.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved actuator which overcomes the deficiencies and limitations of the prior art, and in particular, an improved actuator which is designed for use in controlling the movement of, and accommodating the loads associated with, welding guns, clamping fixtures, injection molding fixtures, and various other fixtures and devices. A need also exists for an improved actuator which is particularly useful for applications requiring a relatively short linear stroke actuation and highly accurate positioning.
Suitable motor coupling arrangements include, but are not limited to, those described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,736,137 and U.S. Publication No. 2013/0106317, each of which is incorporated by reference herein, in the entirety and for all purposes. Suitable alternate coupling designs include, but are not limited to, those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,307, U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,091, U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,372, U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,154 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,272, each of which is incorporated by reference herein, in the entirety and for all purposes.
Suitable electric actuator systems adaptable to be operated with a capacitively coupled rotor system as disclosed herein include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,141,752 to Hochhalter et al., entitled "Electric Actuator," U.S. Pat. No. 7,939,979 to Hochhalter et al., entitled "Electric Actuator," and U.S. Pat. No. 8,701,513 to Rosengren et al., entitled "Screw Driven Linear Actuator and Housing Assembly," each of which is incorporated by reference herein, in the entirety and for all purposes.

Coupled capacitive and magnetic servo motor systems


A compiler transforms source code into intermediate code and provides the intermediate code to a profiler. The profiler executes the intermediate code. The profiler generates a performance profile that indicates the performance of the intermediate code, and annotates the intermediate code based, at least in part, on data from the performance profile. The compiler receives annotated intermediate code from the profiler and transforms the annotated intermediate code into machine code. Alternatively, the compiler transforms intermediate code to machine code and provides the machine code to a profiler. The profiler executes the machine code and generates a data file that indicates the performance of the machine code. The compiler receives the data file, and modifies the machine code based on the data file.

In general, a program is sequences of instructions executed by a processor to cause an electronic system to perform various functions. An electronic system may be, for example, a desktop, laptop or palmtop computer, or an electronic device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), cellular phone or network access device. Typically, a programmer writes the program in a programming language, at which point the program is generally referred to as source code. The programmer runs a compiler to transform the source code into machine code, converting the program into a form that a processor can execute.
A compiler is a program that transforms source code into machine code. A front-end of the compiler receives the source code and generates an intermediate representation of the source code. The intermediate representation is also referred to herein as intermediate code. A back-end of the compiler uses the intermediate code to generate machine code.
A program may contain sections, commonly referred to as hotspots, that take more time to execute than other sections of the program, and thus negatively affect the program's performance. An example of a hotspot is a section of code at which a large number of incorrect branch predictions occur. A branch instruction is a point in a program at which a processor executes one set of instructions under one condition, and another set of instructions under another condition. Typically, the processor evaluates the branch before processing may continue, which thus slows processing. Some processors use a technique, commonly referred to as predictive branching, to predict, prior to the processor arriving at the branch instruction, which branch is the correct branch.
Instructions for a predicted branch are loaded in a pipeline prior to the processor arriving at the branch instruction. In general, a pipeline is used to load one instruction while a processor is executing another instruction. Without a pipeline, the processor retrieves, or fetches, an instruction from memory, executes the instruction, retrieves the next instruction, executes it, etc. Accordingly, the processor cannot execute an instruction until it is fetched. With a pipeline, instructions to be executed following an instruction currently being executed are fetched and held in a buffer while the processor is executing the current instruction. The buffer is typically closer to the processor than the memory in which the instructions are initially stored, which allows the processor to execute the program faster.
If instructions for a predicted branch are stored in a pipeline, but the predicted branch turns out to be the incorrect branch, the pipeline is flushed, i.e., instructions corresponding to the incorrect branch are cleared and replaced with instructions corresponding to the correct branch. Flushing a pipeline is expensive in terms of time, since the next and subsequent instructions must be loaded into the pipeline and proceed through the pipeline to be executed, before further progress in executing the program may be achieved. Consequently, flushing the pipeline causes a program to execute more slowly. Thus, a section of a program at which a large number of incorrect branch predictions and pipeline flushes occur typically cause a hotspot in the program.
A programmer can run a program and use a conventional tool commonly known as a profiler to analyze the program's performance and identify hotspots. In general, a profiler is a program that periodically collects and records samples of another program at user-defined time intervals while the program is running. The profiler records information regarding each section of the program sampled over a period of time, where such information includes, for example, the amount of time a section of the program takes to execute.
A programmer can use the information generated by the profiler to determine hotspots in a program. The programmer may choose to improve the program by manually inspecting and rewriting sections of the program that correspond to the hotspots. However, a profiler is unable to identify all of the hotspots in a single run of the program. Thus, if the programmer wants to further improve the code, the programmer runs the compiler to convert the revised source code into machine code, runs the revised program and uses the profiler to determine hotspots in the revised program. Accordingly, improvement in the program is limited to the hotspots identified each time the program is run. Improving the program using a conventional compiler and profiler therefore consumes a great deal of time and resources.

Generating executable code based on code performance data


A high strength screw (2), especially an ultra high strength screw (2) having a tensile strength Rm of at least 1400 N/mm2, having a bainite structure has a yield ratio of at least 0.95. The screw (2) belongs to the new strength classes 14.10, 15.10, 16.10 or 17.10. The high yield ratio is realized by heat treatment of the screw (2).

An ultra high strength screw having a bainite structure, a screw joint with such a screw and a component as well as a method for producing such a screw are known from German Patent Application No. DE 10 2008 041 391 A1. The bainite structure has been produced by austempering, and it substantially extends over the entire cross-section of the screw. The screw thus has a tensile strength Rm of at least 1,400 N/mm2. Due to the bainite structure, the screw has extremely high strength values in connection with maximum ductility values. The screw especially has a yield ratio of less than 90% and preferably of less than 80%.
Additional prior art is known from the examination procedure of the above described German Patent Application DE 10 2008 041 391. These are the documents DE 28 17 628 C2 (corresponding to GB 2 019 436 A), DE 1 758 287 A (corresponding to GB 1 200 423 A), DE 1 558 505 A (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,088), DE 23 26 882 A (corresponding to GB 1 425 738 A), DE 698 07 297 T2 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,743), JP 09263875 A Patent Abstracts of Japan, DE 10 2005 004 712 A1 (corresponding to EP 1 564 422 B1), GB 1 492 720 A, EP 1 728 883 A1 (corresponding to US 2007/0187003 A1), DE 103 26 898 A1 as well as "Verbindungselement "Pass-Dehn-Schraube"-Mehrfachverschraubung im überelasti-schen Bereich" in "Der Konstrukteur 4", 1986, pages 40, 42, 44; "Handbuch der hoch-festen Schrauben, 1. Auflage, 1986, page 225, 8.3.3"; SAE-2003-01-1179; SAE-2007-01-1003; and "Vortrag der Arcelor Mittal".

Ultra high strength screw having a high yield ratio


A control device for a vehicle-mounted apparatus, the control device includes: a second CPU state judging section provided to the first CPU, and configured to judge a state of the second CPU based on a state of the inter-CPU communication and a voltage value of the electric power supplied from the first electric power supply section, or the second reset signal; and a first CPU state judging section provided to the second CPU, and configured to judge a state of the first CPU based on the state of the inter-CPU communication and a voltage value of the electric power supplied from the second electric power supply section, or the first reset signal.

A device described in a following patent document 1 is known as a conventional control device for a vehicle-mounted apparatus.
That is, in this control device, at the resets of the first CPU and the second CPU, the first CPU and the second CPU are reset at the same time. With this, the stabilities of the operations of the first CPU and the second CPU are ensured.

Control device for vehicle-mounted apparatus


According to the present invention, a code selection device wherein, an unused spreading code, or one of a plurality of unused spreading codes, is selected for allocation to a new communication channel, comprises: a dummy spreading signal generator for despreading dummy original data by using the unused spreading code or codes available for employment, and generating dummy spreading signals; a superimposing unit for superimposing the dummy spreading signals and received signals and forming pseudo superimposed signals; a despreading unit for despreading the pseudo superimposed signals by using the unused spreading codes related to the corresponding pseudo superimposed signals, and the spreading codes already used for communication channels that previously have been established; and a spreading code selector for selecting an unused spreading code based on data for the communication channels reproduced for the pseudo superimposed signals and the reproduced dummy original data. With this configuration, a method can be provided whereby, in accordance with the usage condition of a network, a code sequence having a preferable correlation property can be selected, from among a number of code sequences that are generated, and allocated to a communication channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and a method for selecting codes, and can be applied for a code selection device used to select spreading code (hereinafter referred to as "code") in order to allocate to a communication apparatus employing, for example, a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, a new communication channel having a preferable correlation property.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, a time division multiple access (TDMA) system is mainly employed as an access system for an optical access network, for example. According to the TDMA system, however, when a plurality of channels are multiplexed to a single optical fiber, the period of time it can be used by an individual user is fixed, and an unused period, during which communication by a designated, specified user is not performed, can not be utilized by another user. Therefore, the band available for each user across the network can not be utilized to the maximum. To resolve this problem, a CDMA system has been proposed.
An example method for providing a CDMA system via an the optical access network is disclosed, for example, in reference: "COMMUNICATION USING SPREAD SPECTRUM METHODS OVER OPTICAL FIBERS", WO9907087. According to this method, a transmission side modulates an optical carrier that has been coded (spectrum spreading) by using a spreading code sequence (hereinafter referred to as "code") in an electric region, and a reception side directly detects an optical modulated signal and decodes (spectrum despreading) the signal in an electric region.
With this method proposed in the reference, while an increase in the data transmission rate for one communication channel is limited, the standard parts used for a conventional CDMA system, such as a mobile communication system, can be employed. Therefore, the CDMA system can be provided comparatively easily.
In addition, since wavelength control and filtering are not required in an optical region, it is possible to construct the system at a low cost.
For a network using the CDMA system in addition to the optical access network in the above reference, the following two methods are available for the allocation of communication channels.
The first method is a method for allocating, to the transmitter of each terminal, a fixed code sequence (spreading code sequence) that is already known in a network. The second method is a method whereby, instead of allocating a fixed code to the transmitter of each terminal, a code sequence is transmitted when a connection is established by using a control line, and a code is allocated each time communication is initiated. Example code sequences used for this method are the M sequence, the Gold sequence and the Kasami sequence.
For a network that uses the CDMA system, it is known that the number of channels is extremely reduced when a code sequence is used, while taking into account the phase difference between different channels, that is a complete orthogonal sequence.
Therefore, generally, systems tend to be constructed that use incomplete orthogonal code sequences. As a result, when different channels employ a communication path at the same time, due to the non-orthogonality of the codes that are employed, an interference occurs between the communication channels, and the number of occupation channels is limited.
The magnitude of the inter-channel interference depends on the phase difference between the communication channels and the correlation property of the code that is currently being employed. Thus, in order to increase the number of occupation channels, it is preferable that codes having a preferable correlation property be selected and allocated.
For the above described two communication channel allocation methods, code sequences are employed for which the correlation properties are regarded as being preferable; however, a method is not described whereby to select and allocate one of several types of code sequences that are to be used for the entire network.
Therefore, a demand exists for the provision of a method whereby, in accordance with the usage condition of a network, a code sequence having a preferable correlation property can be selected, from among a number of code sequences that are generated, and allocated to a communication channel.


The invention includes a method that produces a low cost aqueous solution of high molecular weight solubilized collagen by the steps of: (a) providing an aqueous ground slurry of insoluble collagen; (b) adjusting the water or solid content of the wet ground slurry whereby the insoluble collagen is at a concentration that promotes substantially maximum solubilized collagen concentration and molecular weight in a final product; (c) adjusting the pH of the slurry from Step b to obtain activity for a proteolytic enzyme added in Step d; (d) adding the proteolytic enzyme to the pH adjusted slurry and reacting at a temperature, T, and for a time, t, effective for forming high molecualr weight solubilized collagen from the insoluble collagen particles; (e) controlling the reaction conditions for obtaining a high concentration of soluble collagen and a high molecular weight of the solubilized collagen by simultaneously measuring the concentration of solubilized collagen and the molecular weight of the solubilized collagen, whereby the reaction is complete when the molecular weight and the concentration are substantially maximized; and (f) withdrawing the aqueous solution of high molecular weight solubilized collagen as product. Proteolytic enzyme recycle steps are disclosed that can be used to further reduce costs.

The processing of animal hides to produce leather is an ancient art, and today it is a very mature industry. Excellent references to the chemistry of leather manufacture by McLauglin, G. D., et al, The Chemistry of Leather Manufacture, Reinhold Publishing Corp, N.Y. (1945), and collagen reactivity by Gustavson, K. H., The Chemistry and Reactivity of Collagen, Academic Press Inc., N.Y. (1956), date from the 1940's and 1950's, and are still basic descriptions of the art practiced today. The name "collagen" is derived from the Greek word for glue, as is the term "colloid" which means "gluelike" in Greek.
Skin is composed of four distinct layers, which are, proceeding from outside-in: (1) a thin outer layer of epithelium termed the "epidermis", which is rich in the protein keratin, not collagen; (2) a dense collagen-rich layer, termed the "dermal" or "grain" layer, also called in the older literature the "thermostat" layer; (3) a thicker layer of less-dense, collagen-rich connective tissues, termed the "corium" layer; and (4) an inner layer of "subcutaneous tissue", known to the tanner as "flesh", by which the skin is attached to the underlying tissue.
Although hides may merely be "cured" in salt and/or other biocidal solutions to stop microbial degradation, many hides that are intended for use in leather manufacture are "limed", that is, soaked in a saturated solution of hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) and water. The liming process initiates the loosening of the epidermis and the subcutaneous layer, and is the first step in the dehairing process. After liming is complete, the hair, epidermis, and any residual flesh, fat and surface muscles are removed by mechanical scraping, and the dermal layer is mechanically cut, along with enough of the corium layer to give the final leather its required thickness, from the remaining inner corium layer.
In leather-making the primary interest is on the dense collagen-rich dermal layer, which is about 25% of the thickness of the corium layer. During the process of leather-making, the dermal tissue receives separate chemical and tanning treatments to stabilize the collagen structure.
The residual portion of the corium layer that is separated from the dermal layer is termed the "limed split" and is a by-product waste of the leather manufacturing process. It is these limed splits that become, for example, the collagen-rich feedstock for sausage casing production, and that have been used as the source of collagen for the examples herein.
During the liming process, the skin imbibes and binds water, and becomes highly swollen; in the process it acquires a very alkaline pH of about 12.5. The chemistry of the liming process is quite well understood. Prior to further leather processing, and in the collagen production process considered here, the skins must be "delimed" by soaking in acid or salt solutions.
Four U.S. Pat. Nos. (4,140,537, 4,233,360, 4,488,911, 4,655,980) all assigned to Collagen Corporation, describe enzymatic methods, including pepsin hydrolysis, for solubilizing collagen to produce a "non-immunogenic" soluble collagen, which is then converted to other forms for use as medical implants. In these patents, the initial soluble product is relatively low (for collagen) molecular weight aggregates (about 300,000 daltons); the objective is to remove all of the "telopeptides" which are found at the end of these chains. Higher molecular weight aggregates would not have the telopeptides completely removed, and would be more "immunogenic" by their standards.
A 1970 U.S. Pat. No. (3,532,593) describes a method for making collagen for use in papermaking. It describes a mechanical method for isolating preexisting gelled collagen fibers, not an enzymatic method for solubilizing the collagen as in the present invention. This patent describes a method for adjusting the pH of mechanically gelled collagen to promote flotation of fat and for skimming the floating fat from the collagen. The patent also refers to the partial "gelatinizing" of the collagen by heating to improve the bonding properties of the additive, although the primary objective is to produce a fibrous product.

Process for the production of low-cost soluble high-molecular weight collagen


A masked property file system receives a property key from a programmer and retrieves property key-value pairs. For each property key-value pair, the masked property file system identifies a masked value based on property files associated with the property key-value pair. For each property key-value pair, the masked property file system associates an environment for the masked value corresponding to the property key-value pair. For each property key-value pair, the masked property file system identifies an executable code for the masked value associated with the environment associated with each property key-value pair and generates a callback within the property key-value pair comprising the executable code. The masked property file system presents the property key-value pairs comprising the callbacks to the programmer. The programmer selects a callback of a property key-value pair and tire user computing device web browser is redirected to a property file service where the programmer may unmask the masked value corresponding to the executable code.

Hard-coding configuration conflates configuration and code. This may cause much pain in software engineering, as the application and infrastructure grow this anti-pattern will make configuration increasingly complex and error prone. Configuration varies substantially across deploys.
There is also security implication in addition to simple inconvenience and complexity. Knowing the secret token allows an attacker to trivially impersonate any programmer in the application. The only system that needs to know the production secret token is the production infrastructure, which is likely to be the most secure part of the infrastructure, thus it is not unreasonable to limit attack vector to the production infrastructure. Nevertheless, hardcoding the production secret token in the code base has the consequence of opening additional undesirable attack vectors:
Every developer that has had access to the code base.
Every development workstation that has a local copy of the code.
The source control repository.
The continuous integration server
The types of potential threats to application security include compromising administrative access to applications, session forgery, and remote code execution (RCE). The result of the anti-pattern can potentially compromise the confidentiality, integrity or availability properties of resources.

Smart property archive for safeguarding software configuration


Propylene is produced from the disproportionation of impure butene-2 containing oxygenates and butene-1 by treatment with alumina and isomerization of the butene-1 prior to disproportionation with ethylene.

In one aspect, the invention relates to an olefin conversion process. In another respect, the invention relates to the purification of hydrocarbon streams.
Prior to the invention, high purity feeds were required for disproportionation conversion reactions. For the conversion of butene-2 with ethylene to produce propylene, for example, a butene-2 purity in excess of 75% by weight was required, and oxygenates in the feed could not be tolerated. Sources of such a feedstock were quite limited and expensive.
One such source, for example, was an ethylene dimerization unit operated with a nickel octanoate triphenyl phosphate catalyst. With increasing ethylene costs, an alternative, less expensive, butene-2 source was clearly needed.
One such source that was identified was formed by removing the isobutene from a mixed C.sub.4 stream by reaction with methanol and the butadiene by absorption with acetonitrile. This stream, however, contained a low level of butene-2, on the order of 15% wt %, and high levels on the order of 0.1 wt % or more, of oxygenates, which are known disproportionation catalyst poisons.
In a preferred embodiment, this invention relates to process modifications made to permit propylene production from this feedstock via disproportionation.


A multi-layer rigid-flex circuit (20) is formed of a number of flexible layers (62-70) on a rigid substrate (100) with individuals ones of the layers having laterally projecting arms (32,38) that define flexible circuit connections to individual ones of a number of ceramic circuit boards (10,12,14,16). The laterally projecting flexible arms (32,34,36,38) are each formed with gold dot or projecting feature pressure contacts (40a-40g) which are pressed against mating sets of circuit board contact pads (40a-40g) by a clamping bar (120) that is bolted to the rigid circuit board. Thus the interconnections between the rigid-flex circuit and the circuit boards are effectively built into the rigid-flex circuit, requiring only a clamp to complete the connection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to circuit board interconnections, and more particularly concerns interconnections between rigid-flex circuits and circuit boards.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic systems are frequently composed of circuitry formed on individual circuit boards, with the boards being electrically interconnected as required for operation of the electrical system. Frequently a plurality of circuit boards are mounted on an assembly base, and a multi-layer rigid-flex circuit, also mounted on the base, extends along or between rows of circuit boards that are to be interconnected. The rigid-flex circuit is then connected to each of the circuit boards by connectors or other types of circuit board interconnection devices. Such types of interconnections are laborious, time consuming, expensive to accomplish and subject to errors and mechanical failures.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide for interconnection of a rigid-flex multi-layer circuit by means of an integral configuration that avoids or minimizes above mentioned problems.

Raised feature/gold dot pressure interconnections of rigid-flex circuits and rigid circuit boards


A preassembled gear shift module is adapted to be connected to a substructure. The preassembled gear shift module includes a cover assembly, a circuit board, and a function button. The circuit board is attached to the cover assembly, and includes a switch. The function button is exposed through the cover assembly, and is operably connected to the switch.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle gear shift system, and more particularly, to a modular vehicle gear shift.
Traditional gear shifts often function to at least place a vehicle drive train in park, reverse, neutral, and drive. For some gear shifts, a button or lever carried by a shift lever, and/or knob of the shift lever, must first be actuated before moving the shift lever into a different position (i.e., park, reverse, neutral, and drive), or also changing the gear position to another position, or even to a predetermined position, such as a park position. Traditional gear shifts may further carry many other design features, such as illumination features, and some form of position indication in, for example, the gear shift lever or the knob. Such gear shifts may include a multitude of separate components with many moving in relationship to one-another.
Improvements in such complex gear shifts is desirable to, for example, reduce the number of components, reduce manufacturing costs, optimize assembly, reduce tolerance concerns and/or undesirable free-play, and improve robustness and reliability.


Implementations described herein relate to transitioning a computing device between operating modes according to whether the computing device is suitably oriented for received non-audio related gestures. For instance, the user can attach a portable computing device to a docking station of a vehicle and, while in transit, wave their hand near the portable computing device in order to invoke the automated assistant. Such action by the user can be detected by a proximity sensor and/or any other device capable of determining a context of the portable computing device and/or an interest of the user in invoking the automated assistant. In some implementations location, orientation, and/or motion of the portable computing device can be detected and used in combination with an output of the proximity sensor to determine whether to invoke the automated assistant in response to an input gesture from the user.

Humans may engage in human-to-computer dialogs with interactive software applications referred to herein as "automated assistants" (also referred to as "digital agents," "chatbots," "interactive personal assistants," "intelligent personal assistants," "assistant applications," "conversational agents," etc.). For example, humans (which when they interact with automated assistants may be referred to as "users") may provide commands and/or requests to an automated assistant using spoken natural language input (i.e. utterances), which may in some cases be converted into text and then processed, and/or by providing textual (e.g., typed) natural language input. An automated assistant responds to a request by providing responsive user interface output, which can include audible and/or visual user interface output.
In many cases, before the automated assistant can interpret and respond to a user's request, it must first be "invoked," for example, using predefined oral invocation phrases that are often referred to as "hot words" or "trigger phrase." Thus, many automated assistants operate in what will be referred to herein as a "default listening state" in which they are always "listening" to audio data sampled by a microphone for a limited (or finite, or "default") set of hot words. Any utterances captured in the audio data other than the default set of hot words are ignored. Once the automated assistant is invoked with one or more of the default set of hot words, it may operate in what will be referred to herein as a "speech recognition state" wherein for at least some time interval after invocation, the automated assistant performs speech-to-text ("STT") processing of audio data sampled by a microphone to generate textual input, which in turn is semantically processed to determine a user's intent (and to fulfill that intent).
However, in some contexts, a user may not be able to provide a coherent "hot word," such as when the user is driving in a car where multiple people are chatting, or when the user is at home listening to music or watching a movie. Should the automated assistant attempt to process a "hot word" in such contexts, the automated assistant may inadvertently capture audio being concurrently provided from a variety of different sources. As a result, the automated assistant may fail and/or provide erroneous output when a "hot word" is not discernible from other sounds that have been captured by audio data received by the automated assistant. This can lead to excess usage of computational and/or network resources, for instance, as a result of a user needing to provide a supplemental invocation phrase, that is more discernible from other background noise. Such supplemental invocation phrases must additionally be processed by a corresponding client device and/or remote automated assistant component(s), thereby causing additional usage of various computational/network resources.

Operating modes that designate an interface modality for interacting with an automated assistant


A damp-wiping cloth (e.g., a sponge or the like) from a foam body of flexible foam material, the foam body (2) being interspersed with foam strips (3) whose hardness is greater than the hardness of the foam body (2).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to various kinds of wiping cloths (e.g., sponges) that are used to clean the floor or other surfaces in households.
2. Description of Related Art
The wiping cloths may have a simple structure in that they are formed from a sponge-type material, for instance. It is important that the wiping cloth absorbs the dirt from the surface to be cleaned and releases it again during the wringing-out process. In order to remove even baked-on dirt, wiping cloths have become known in which two different materials are superposed on top of one another. One layer is primarily used to absorb water, and the other is used as scrubbing surface. A mop made up of an internally located sponge and two side surfaces from different materials has found wide distribution. One side is implemented as swab, while the other side is made of a non-woven fabric and has an especially high absorbency. For the wringing-out process, two rollers are guided across the sponge and the water is squeezed out in this manner. As an alternative, the wiping mop may also be implemented by using two foldable sponge-holding devices ("butterfly mop"), which may be squeezed out against each other by a roller mechanism.
A wiping cloth has become known from German utility model patent No. 299 14 621 U1, which is made up of at least one hydrophilic foam-type layer and an abrasion-proof hydrophilic layer arranged on its underside and an abrasion-proof second hydrophilic layer arranged on the topside. In this manner, a high degree of absorbency of the central, foam-type layer is achieved, which is protected on its top and bottom side by an individual abrasion-proof layer. Such a wiping cloth finds many uses.
From the laid-open document DE-OS 25 56 277, a floor mop has become known, which consists of a holder with wiping strips attached thereto. Such a floor mop is relatively easy to manufacture, but the wringing-out the absorbed water creates difficulties.

Damp-wiping cloth, sponge or the like and method for its manufacture


In a radio loop-back test system for a radio apparatus in which a transmitter (15) transmits a first radio signal in response to a transmission signal and which a receiver (16) receives a second radio signal to produce a reception signal, a comparing portion (22) compares the reception signal with the transmission signal to produce a comparison result signal. An interference detection portion (23) detects whether or not the reception signal has an interference component unrelated with the first radio signal. The interference detection portion produces an interference detection signal when the reception signal has the interference component. The comparison result signal is controlled by an output control portion (24) in accordance with presence and absence of the interference detection signal.

This invention relates to a radio loop-back test method for confirming normality in operation of a radio apparatus and to a radio loop-back test system using the test method.
In the manner known in the art, a radio loop-back test for the radio apparatus is carried out in order to confirm the normality of the entire apparatus including not only a control portion but also a radio portion.
As an example of the radio apparatus, a conventional radio telephone apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 244054/93 and comprises a transmitter and a receiver. On carrying out the radio loop-back test for the radio telephone apparatus, the transmitter carries out a transmitting operation to transmit a radio signal in response to a transmission signal on a transmission time slot known in the art. The receiver carries out a receiving operation to receive the radio signal and produces a reception signal. With comparison the reception signal with the transmission signal, it is possible to judge about whether or not the radio telephone apparatus has a normal operation.
It is assumed as a particular case where an error or an interference is produced during the radio loop-back test by an external interference wave and is superposed on the reception signal. In the particular case, it is judged that the radio telephone apparatus does not have the normal operation even when both of the transmitting and the receiving operations are normal. This results in lowering reliability of the radio loop-back test. More particularly, if it is judged as a result of the radio loop-back test that the radio telephone apparatus does not have the normal operation, discrimination is impossible whether an abnormality of the apparatus or the interference causes the error.

Radio loop-back test method and system which are reliable even in the presence of outside interference


An absorption spectroscopy gauge to measure chemical concentrations in a post-detonation combustion cloud of energetic materials. A broadband light source coupled to an optical fiber guides light into a gauge via a first leg where a plano-convex lens collimates the light source internally. The light reflects off a mirror and passes through an absorption region before entering a second leg of the gauge where it is refocused into a different fiber and sent to a time-resolved spectroscopy system for analysis. The time-resolved spectroscopy system can include a spectrometer and a steak camera. The two legs of the gauge are arranged as separate halves connected by a plurality of rods that can be adjusted to change the length of the absorption region. The gauge is arranged to include stainless steel cone shaped tips to minimize added turbulence brought upon by its use.

Spectroscopic analysis provides information about the identity, structure, and concentration of the chemical species of a given sample using the detected energy change of an atom or molecule through either the emission or absorption of a photon. Absorption spectroscopy measures the net absorption of incident radiation throughout a chosen wavelength range. Radiation passing through a sample is attenuated depending upon the path length traveled by the radiation, the strength and concentration of absorbing species present and scattering losses. Unique spectral fingerprints arise from the absorption of photons of light at discrete (resonant) energies, signifying known electronic, vibrational and/or rotational energetic transitions. A plot of light absorbance or transmission versus wavelength for a given sample is used to map out the spectral fingerprints for species identification.
In general for absorption spectroscopy, an arrangement of light sources, fiber optics, mirrors, collimating lens and spectrometers are used to direct light through a given sample or interaction region, to collect the light emerging from the sample and to analyze the collected light. A given absorption spectroscopy system is sensitive to the sample and environment studied. In general, however, absorption spectroscopy systems are not constructed for use in hazardous environments where the systems or probes would experience elevated temperatures and pressures.
A known arrangement for use in hostile environments is a Raman fiber optic probe assembly. In this case, the hostile environment is an autoclave, and the probe forms a dry well assembly. The probe is positioned inside a shell and supported by a hanger pipe. The arrangement of the probe makes it suitable for pressures up to 2000 psi and temperatures up to 600° F. However, the probe is isolated from the hazardous environment and requires sturdy structures to provide this physical isolation.
Other arrangements of apparati for spectroscopic analysis in hazardous environments are disclosed in the related art. However, the arrangements are application specific, and no device is arranged for measuring the post-detonation combustion cloud of energetic materials, and in particular for providing a probe or gauge that can be placed within the detonation cloud to analyze the species in the cloud in particular over the very brief time period associated with a detonation event.

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


A drain trap adaptor adapted to allow draining of a drain trap and retrieval of a material. The drain trap includes a first drain pipe having an entry portion and an exit portion, a second drain pipe extending from the exit portion and a bore disposed substantially at the exit portion. The drain trap adaptor includes a ball valve having an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein the inlet end is adapted to connect to the bore; and a container adapted to connect to the outlet end of the ball valve. The container is configured to receive the drainage trapped in the drain trap and the material at the bore upon opening of the ball valve such that the drain trap can be drained and the material can be retrieved.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to a drain trap adaptor adapted to a drain trap. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a drain trap adaptor configured to allow the drain trap it is adapted to and the drain trap adaptor itself, to be drainable in a controlled fashion. The drain trap adaptor includes a space adapted to receive an item dropped into the drain trap it is adapted to, wherein the drain trap adaptor is adapted to be removable from the drain trap such that the contents of the space can be accessed.
2. Background Art
The need to clean out a clogged sink drain often requires one of the following actions be taken. A drain trap may be dismantled so that the clogged portions of the drain trap can be exposed and cleaned or replaced. Although conventional drain traps are not designed to allow retrieval of items that have become lodged in them, they may be dismantled so that their internals can be accessed or exposed such that items dropped in the drain trap may be retrieved. Drain traps come in permanent and semi-permanent configurations. Permanent configurations include metal or plastic plumbing materials having tubings and fittings that are permanently secured together, e.g., using glue, etc. Semi-permanent varieties includes those fittings and tubings which are secured together using techniques involving screw threads, friction fit or pressure fit, etc. Numerous clean out tools, either discretely available or integrally built into drain traps, have been attempted. However, none of the clean out tools are geared towards enabling a user to dismantle a drain trap without creating a messy situation, although many of these tools require that access to the drain trap be made available. None of the clean out tools are geared towards enabling a user to retrieve an item dropped in a drain trap. It shall be noted that it is difficult or impossible to retrieve a dropped item, e.g., jewelry, ring, coins, etc., using conventional tools, e.g., a plumber's snake, plunger or any existing tools in a simple manner. Although a plunger may be use to dislodge a mildly clogged drain by dislodging materials contributing to the clog, it is unsuitable for use in retrieving a dropped item in a sink drain.
One of the prior attempts in enabling clean out of a drain trap is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,914 to Neri (Hereinafter Neri). Neri discloses a drain trap having a clean out arrangement. The clean out arrangement comprises an upwardly extending branch that projects obliquely from the long vertical leg of the J-bend portion of a drain trap. The clean out branch has a relatively large diameter, being of substantially the same diameter as the J-bend itself. At its upper end the clean out branch has an easily removable, sealing closure. With the arrangement provided, the clean out opening is in a readily accessible location and the closure can be removed without tools to permit the trap to be cleaned. However, Neri's drain trap cannot be accessed without removing the cap (part 17 of Neri), causing liquid contained in the drain trap to spill uncontrollably to create a messy situation.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,515,073 to Savard (Hereinafter Savard) discloses a drain trap configured to be disposed in a discharge pipe to collect grease, dirt and other material which would tend to line the pipe and interfere with the proper discharge of fluid from the sink. It is said that the device can also be used for lavatories, bathtubs, urinals, etc.
Savard discloses a drain trap that can be removed in the upward direction, away from a sink upon which the drain trap is disposed. Although Savard's drain trap is capable of collecting a variety of materials poured into the drain trap-equipped sink, such type of drain trap is not customarily used in a modern sink, especially a bathroom sink as it is difficult to clean, unnecessarily trapping materials which can simply be sent to sewer or septic tank via drain pipe.
Thus, there is a need for a drain trap adaptor, when coupled to a drain trap, is capable of enabling controlled dismantlement of a drain trap, i.e., a practice that is performed without creating a messy situation and allowing retrieval of an entrapped item dropped in the drain trap.


A cover for a hollow rain gutter, according to the invention, is described as having an upwardly pitched top surface arranged to seat beneath the shingles of a roof at which the gutter has previously been secured, a downwardly pitched front surface extending towards the trough of the gutter, and a single row of interrupted slots running horizontally along the front surface of the cover, with the lower edges of the slots extending below the front lip of the gutter, and with the top-edges of the slots aiding in defining a plurality of rearwardly and downwardly extending flaps for diverting rain received across the top surface into the trough of the gutter. The cover of the invention may be obtained in any length desired, and can be connected to the gutter by readily available "clips", thereby making its installation easy for even the average handyman or homeowner.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,110--Carey--describes a rain gutter construction said to offer particular advantage in preventing leaves, twigs, and other debris from entering the gutter and stopping rain flow into the connected downspouts. One limitation of such arrangement is the obviously clear showing of its restriction as a completed construction. That is, the gutter disclosed is only adapted for use where a new dwelling or building is to be constructed, or where a gutter is to be added to an existing dwelling or building, or where an existing gutter is to be removed and replaced with a new configuration. Clearly, there are millions-and-millions of dwellings and buildings where gutters already exist and where there is no intention of replacing them in the near future. It goes without saying that the teachings of this patent cannot there be put to use.
I have thought of modifying the disclosure of this patent, so as to construct a cover embodying its principles into an already existing gutter. However, this produced problems of its own--which, upon analysis and testing, were also found present in the design of U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,110 as a complete gutter construction. Thus, where it was the intention of this prior patent to employ narrow slots so as to keep leaves, rocks, twigs and nails from entering the gutter, such narrow slots themselves became clogged--especially when the installation was on a dwelling or building surrounded by pine trees or honey locust trees whose needles and sap tend to clog up the openings. In such situations, it has been found necessary to brush these slots clear periodically, sometimes up to three times per year.
Additional testing and analysis has also shown a further drawback in the prior teachings, as resulting from the relatively short length of the flaps established in the slots to guide and divert rainwater into the gutter. More specifically, such flaps must be critically angled even to operate as there described--but suffer the disadvantage that in colder weather, any rainwater guided along the flap by surface adhesion exhibited a tendency to freeze-up--where such "freeze-up" occurred, or where the flap was not angled properly, the guided rainwater did not completely fall into the trough, but fell by gravity, instead, along the facial board and sides of the structure.
Were this not bad enough, the situation grew worse when one tried to employ these features in fabricating a cover for an existing gutter. More particularly, in order to implement the teachings--and with a plurality of rows of interrupted slots to capture the rain--, in many installations it became necessary to lower the gutter so that the top surface of the cover could fit properly with the roof. Many of the average handymen who might try to install such an arrangement were found to lack the talent to lower these gutters properly--and such an undertaking was found to be completely beyond the ability and imagination of the average homeowner. In almost every instance, furthermore, investigation showed that the handyman or homeowner lacked the proper tools to begin such an undertaking, including the power screwdriver needed to secure the collar and rear walls of this earlier construction to the facial board (if intended to secure the construction by screws) and, most certainly, the tools needed to connect the cover to the existing gutter. As a result, it was found that any attempt to carry these patented teachings to a gutter installation that already had been erected required the skill of the professional installer, and at an increased cost.


A formulation to treat ocular disease such as dry eye disease, as well as other diseases, is disclosed. Tacrolimus is administered either topically or by injection. For topical administration, an amount of about 1 ng to 10 xcexcg may be formulated in an aqueous based cream that may be applied at bedtime or throughout the day. For injection, a dose of about 20-1000 xcexcg/ml is used. Tacrolimus may also be administered in milligram quantities as a surgical implant contained in a diffusible walled reservoir sutured to the wall of the sclera, or may be contained within an inert carrier such as microspheres or liposomes to provide a slow-release drug delivery system.

The invention is directed to therapeutic treatment of ocular diseases such as dry eye disease.
Dry eye disease encompasses any condition where the tear film loses water and becomes more concentrated. It is a common complaint, affecting three million people in the United States alone, yet it is difficult to diagnose and treat. The loss of water from the tear film causes a corresponding rise in tear osmolarity. The increased osmolarity results in symptoms such as a sandy-gritty feeling in the eye, burning, irritation, or a foreign-body sensation that worsens during the day. Patients suffering from dry eye disease complain of mild to severe symptoms, with signs ranging from minimal superficial punctate keratitis to corneal perforation.
Dry eye disease has a chronic remitting and relapsing nature and may result from a number of factors. The disease may be a natural part of the aging process, affecting 15%-20% of adults over age 40. It may also result from pathological processes such as diseases of the lacrimal glands, mucus glands, and/or lipid producing glands, and may occur with cell infiltration or atrophy of the lacrimal gland (Sjogren""s Syndrome). Estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women is also postulated to result in dry eye disease.
One method to treat dry eye disease is by topical administration of over-the-counter drugs that serve as artificial tears. Numerous varieties of these artificial tears are available (TheraTears(copyright) (Advanced Vision Research), Refresh(copyright) and Celluvisc(copyright) (Allergan), Tears Natural(copyright) and Bion Tears(copyright) (Alcon), GenTeal(copyright) and HypoTears(copyright) (CIBA Vision), each of which contain electrolytes and has varying pH levels, osmolarities, and surface tensions. Another method to treat dry eye disease is by surgery to close the lacrimal drainage ducts using punctum plugs. Neither method, however, is completely desirable. Artificial tears do not have a constant flow rate as do human tears, and treat the symptoms rather the cause of the disease. Surgery has its attendant risks, and may not be a viable option in older patients.
It is known that Cyclosporin A (cyclosporine, Allergan Inc.), may treat dry eye disease since patients administered cyclosporine for other disorders have shown a marked increase in tear flow. A topical formulation containing Cyclosporin A (Arrestase(copyright), Allergan Inc.) is currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration. Cyclosporin A is an immunomodulator, suggesting that immune-mediated inflammation contributes to dry eye disease. Cyclosporin A has been used to treat various ocular pathologies such as glaucoma, corticosteroid-induced ocular hypertension, allograft rejection, infections, and ocular surface disease. It is also known that Cyclosporin A may be used in the eye to treat uveitis (inflammation of the uvea) by topical, intravitreal or systemic administration. Doses of 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.5% cyclosporine have been reported. Cyclosporin A has good penetration into the cornea but not into the anterior chamber, and does not increase intraocular pressure or cause cataracts.
Tacrolimus (Prograf(copyright), previously known as FK-506) is an immunomodulating drug that has been applied topically to treat a variety of dermatoses. Topical administration of tacrolimus at doses ranging from 0.03%-0.3% resulted in significant clinical improvement in atopic dermatitis after 2-3 weeks treatment, and tacrolimus treatment of other dermatologic diseases shows promise. Tacrolimus, like cyclosporine, blocks the signal transduction pathway needed to induce interleukin-2 gene expression and thereby activate T lymphocytes. In addition to suppressing T cell activation, tacrolimus inhibits anti-lgE-triggered histamine release and inhibits prostaglandin D2 synthesis in human skin mast cells. While oral administration produces limiting adverse effects (systemic immunosuppression, infection, neural toxicity, nephrotoxicity, and hypertension), topical administration for treatment of dermatoses at concentrations up to 0.3% showed no significant difference in effects between treated and control groups. In addition, tacrolimus is well tolerated locally and only occasionally causes mild irritation.
The non-systemic use of tacrolimus in the treatment of ocular diseases including dry eye disease would be advantageous.
The invention is directed to a method of treating ocular disease, such as dry eye disease, uveitis, scleritis, neuritis, and/or papilitis, by providing an effective amount of tacrolimus in a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation to a diseased eye. In one embodiment, the formulation is applied topically. In an alternative embodiment, the formulation is injected intraocularly, for example by subconjuctival, intravitreal, or retrobulbar injection. For subconjunctival injection a concentration in the range of about 1 ng/ml to 500 xcexcg/ml tacrolimus may be used. For intravitreal injection a concentration in the range of 1-1000 xcexcg/0.1 ml may be used, with a preferred concentration of about 50 xcexcg/0.1 ml tacrolimus. For retrobulbar injection, a concentration in the range of about 20-1000 xcexcg/ml tacrolimus may be used. Tacrolimus may be administered in an aqueous-based solution, for example tacrolimus bound to liposomes, or tacrolimus dissolved in an organic solvent. Tacrolimus may also be provided in an inert physiologically acceptable carrier by surgical implantation, injection, or topical application.
The invention is also directed to a composition for treating dry eye disease. The composition contains an effective amount of tacrolimus in a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation. The formulation may be an aqueous cream or liquid containing, for example, about 1 ng to 10 xcexcg tacrolimus. The formulation may be an inert carrier such as a microsphere, liposome or polymeric matrix containing tacrolimus. Tacrolimus may be dissolved in an aqueous solvent such as 0.9% saline or 5% dextrose, or an organic solvent such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or an alcohol.
The invention is additionally directed to a composition for intraocular injection to treat ocular disease. An effective amount of tacrolimus is dissolved in either an aqueous solvent such as 0.9% saline or 5% dextrose, or an organic solvent such as DMSO or alcohol.


A homeostatic circuit for neural networks includes a feedback circuit, a first electronic switch, a synapse circuit, a second electronic switch, a third electronic switch and a first capacitor. The feedback circuit is configured to receive the total synaptic driving current and output a feedback voltage which varies with the total synaptic driving current. The first electronic switch is connected with the synapse circuit and the second electronic switch and configured to receive the feedback voltage and output a current control signal according to the feedback voltage. The second electronic switch is connected with the synapse circuit and the third electronic switch and configured to output a first voltage signal according to the current control signal. The third electronic switch is configured to adjust the total synaptic driving current in a direction opposite to variation tendency of the total synaptic driving current according to the first voltage signal.

The hardware implementation of a neural network system requires that a circuit should work against the drifts produced by the neural network system under the influence of certain external conditions. For example, when the temperature varies, the input of the system may vary. In order to realize the stable operation of the neural network, the circuit must take proper homeostatic actions to adapt to such variations and keep the system working around an operating point. A feature of the aforementioned variations is that the time scale is relatively long, which requires that the time period for the homeostatic actions of the circuit should be relatively long. Otherwise, the homeostatic actions will interfere with the signal processing or learning mechanism of the neural network.
Conventional homeostatic actions for neural networks are generally realized by floating gate transistors or software control and often require an external memory and a processor at the same time, which leads to high power consumption, high cost and difficulty in realizing large-scale and high-density integration with other artificial neural computing systems.

Dongguan Bang Bang Tang Electronic Technologies Co., Ltd.