A delay circuit includes a delay time setting circuit to set a delay time of an output signal with respect to an input signal, a first transistor connected to an input terminal of the delay time setting circuit and configured to set a first voltage to the input terminal of the delay time setting circuit and a second transistor connected to an output terminal of the delay time setting circuit and configured to reset the output terminal of the delay time setting circuit to a second voltage and clear the reset of the output terminal of the delay time setting circuit after the first voltage is set.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a delay circuit and, particularly, to a delay circuit having delay characteristics that are dependent on temperature.
2. Description of Related Art
A semiconductor device generally has temperature characteristics such that characteristics vary with temperature. Signal delay characteristics are one of such temperature characteristics. The signal delay characteristics exhibit a positive temperature coefficient showing an increase in delay with an increase in temperature if an operating power supply voltage is high. If, on the other hand, an operating power supply voltage is low, the delay characteristics exhibit a negative temperature coefficient showing an increase in delay with a decrease in temperature. A semiconductor device includes a delay circuit for adjusting the signal timings. In a delay circuit, the delay characteristics also exhibit a negative temperature coefficient if an operating power supply voltage is low.
Recent semiconductor devices operate at a low operating power supply voltage. Particularly, there is an increasing demand for the reduction of power consumption through the use of a lower voltage for a memory of a portable device, a logic device, or the like. Accordingly, the negative temperature coefficient of the signal delay characteristics becomes more pronounced in such semiconductor devices. A large negative temperature coefficient of the signal delay characteristics causes difficulty in timing adjustment with an external input signal, which requires a decrease in operating speed. A technique for reducing a negative temperature coefficient of the delay characteristics of a delay circuit is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-273712 (which is referred to hereinafter as a related art).
A delay circuit is typically configured as a multi-stage delay circuit which includes a plurality of delay circuits connected in multiple stages. FIG. 15 shows a circuit diagram of a multi-stage delay circuit 100 according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 15, the multi-stage delay circuit 100 includes delay circuits 101 and 102 which are connected in series. In each of the delay circuits 101 and 102, a resistor R and a capacitor which is composed of a MOS transistor MC are connected to the output of an inverter INV.
The capacitor which is used in the multi-stage delay circuit 100 is formed using a parasitic capacitor of a MOS transistor MC. A capacitance value of the capacitor is small when the MOS transistor MC is nonconductive and it is large when the MOS transistor MC is conductive. A threshold voltage of the MOS transistor MC has the temperature characteristics.
For example, a threshold voltage of a MOS transistor MC which is composed of a PMOS transistor becomes higher as a temperature increases. On the other hand, a threshold voltage of a MOS transistor MC which is composed of an NMOS transistor becomes lower as a temperature increases. Thus, a voltage range where a capacitance value of a capacitor is large becomes wider as a temperature increases. Accordingly, a time constant that is determined by the resistor R and the capacitor becomes higher as a temperature increases. Further, a delay time of an output signal of the delay circuits 101 and 102 becomes longer as a temperature increases. Thus, the multi-stage delay circuit 100 reduces a negative temperature coefficient of the delay characteristics of the delay circuit as a whole with the use of the temperature characteristics of the parasitic capacitor of the MOS transistor MC.
The multi-stage delay circuit 100 also includes reset transistors RTr. The reset transistor RTr of the delay circuit 101 causes an output signal of the delay circuit 101 to rise rapidly. On the other hand, the reset transistor RTr of the delay circuit 102 causes an output signal of the delay circuit 102 to fall rapidly. Thus, the reset transistor RTr causes either the rise or fall of the output signals of the delay circuits 101 and 102 to occur rapidly.
In the multi-stage delay circuit 100, a delayed signal is input to an inverter INV of a delay circuit which is connected in the subsequent stage. Further, the delay circuits are the inversion of each other. For example, if a delay circuit in one stage delays a rising edge, the delay circuit outputs a falling edge with a delay at the rising edge of an input signal. Then, a delay circuit in the subsequent circuit outputs a rising edge with a delay at the falling edge of the signal from the delay circuit in the previous stage.
However, the present inventors have recognized the followings. In the multi-stage delay circuit 100, the reset transistor RTr becomes nonconductive in response to the input signal IN. Thus, the timing when the output of each delay circuit starts changing corresponds to a timing when the output of the inverter INV changes. The output of the inverter INV of the delay circuit 101 in the first stage changes when the PMOS transistor P1 becomes nonconductive after the NMOS transistor N1 becomes conductive. The NMOS transistor N1 is a high-threshold transistor, and the PMOS transistor P1 is a low-threshold transistor. A delay occurs until the PMOS transistor P1 becomes nonconductive after the NMOS transistor N1 becomes conductive. The delay causes a delay in the inverter. On the other hand, the output of the inverter INV of the delay circuit 102 in the subsequent stage changes when the NMOS transistor N2 becomes nonconductive after the PMOS transistor P2 becomes conductive. The PMOS transistor P2 is a high-threshold transistor, and the NMOS transistor N2 is a low-threshold transistor. A delay occurs until the NMOS transistor N2 becomes nonconductive after the PMOS transistor P2 becomes conductive. The delay causes a delay in the inverter.
FIG. 16 shows a timing chart of the operation of the multi-stage delay circuit 100 according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 16, the multi-stage delay circuit 100 generates a delay time A after the input of the inverter INV of each delay circuit changes, which changes its output. Because the delay time A is a delay of the inverter INV, it has the temperature characteristics in accordance with the temperature characteristics of the transistor threshold. The temperature characteristics of the delay time A exhibits a negative temperature coefficient as in other circuits. If the negative temperature coefficient of the delay time A is larger than a positive temperature coefficient of a delay time that is generated by a resistor and a capacitor, it is unable for the multi-stage delay circuit 100 to generate a delay time of the entire circuit which exhibits a positive temperature coefficient. In other words, in the delay circuit of the related art, a positive temperature coefficient of the delay time which is generated by a resistor and a capacitor is cancelled by a negative temperature coefficient of the delay time of the inverter INV. Further, because the temperature characteristics of the delay time which is generated by the multi-stage delay circuit 100 are a mixture of a negative temperature coefficient of the delay time of the inverter INV and a positive temperature coefficient of the delay time generated by a resistor and a capacitor, the calculation of a delay time is complicated and it is difficult to set a delay time accurately.


A process for preparing GMT/foam composites in an integral process without the prior preparation of a separate consolidated GMT part produces lightweight load-bearing structures suitable for use as vehicle components such as load floors, seatbacks, and the like. The structures have fully GMT-encapsulated foam cores abutting at least partially consolidated GMT layers and at least one fully densified GMT portion. The structures may be economically and rapidly molded without resort to necessary adhesives for assembly.

In many industries, particularly in the aircraft and transportation industries, there is considerable impetus for the reduction of weight of vehicle components. In many cases, for example, these reductions in weight are necessary to achieve designated fuel economy standards which are becoming ever more stringent. Thus, it has become common within the automotive sector as well as in other transportation industries, to consider alternative designs of many vehicle components, even when the alternative designs incur a cost penalty, if the resulting parts can achieve significant weight savings.
There are many parts for which weight savings are desired. For example, in the automotive industry load floors and seatbacks are but two of such items. Load floors are essentially planar structures of fairly large areal dimensions which are placed over cargo holds, spare tire recesses, and the like. Since these floors must not overly flex upon the addition of a cargo load to the vehicle, or by the presence of vehicle occupants over this area, these floors must have appreciable stiffness. However, current floors, in order to achieve this required stiffness, are made of relatively thick section, dense materials which do not lend themselves to weight savings. Likewise, in the case of seatbacks, the relatively large buckets that surround many seats would desirably be produced in lighter weight versions without losing their structural capabilities. In the non-automotive industries, articles such as molded seats, garage doors, and the like are also amenable to use of lightweight, yet strong and highly stiff materials.
In the past, when high stiffness, high modulus materials have been utilized, they have often been prepared from substrates such as aluminum or thermoplastic honeycomb materials onto which aluminum or fiber-reinforced thermosetting skins are applied. These materials have particularly high stiffness and modulus, but their cost is prohibitive due to the very high cost of honeycomb materials. Moreover, such materials do not lend themselves to the attachment of fasteners, hinges, and other hardware items; nor are they easily formable to other than strictly planar shapes.
In similar fashion, a variety of structures have been produced from polymer foam by first forming a foam structure, and then adhesively bonding either thermoplastic, metal, or thermosetting fiber reinforced skins onto the foam core. These processes are deficient in several aspects. First, because of the relatively long curing time of the adhesives, as well as fiber reinforced thermoset materials, production time is relatively long and therefore expensive. Second, because the polymer foam core is not completely encapsulated, it is subject to shear stress under bending which may result in premature failure unless the skins are made of great thickness in order to mitigate the bending stress. However, making the skins thicker, and therefore stronger, increases both the product cost as well as the product weight.
Glass mat reinforced thermoplastic materials (GMT) have been in use for several years now. These materials are manufactured by laying down numerous strands of glass fibers into a planar array, and needling these fibers with a needle board containing numerous barbed needles. The needling operation causes the fibers to intertwine, to break, and to assume a more random distribution. The mats thus produced have the appearance of a deep pile velvet material having a thickness of from about 3 or 10 mm. These needled glass fiber mats are then impregnated with a thermoplastic in a continuous double band press. The impregnation is done at such a pressure that a lofty (low density and unconsolidated) material is produced. This lofty GMT "intermediate" product may then be laid up into a shape suitable for thermoforming. The layup may contain from one to ten or more layers of GMT material. The GMT material is generally heated prior to placement into a mold, although heated molds may be occasionally used. The material is then fully densified under high pressure to form a very stiff, high modulus, fiber reinforced product.
Most common GMT materials are rather isotropic in nature, having been derived from randomly deposited fiber strands which are then intensively needled. However, if isotropic materials having enhanced strength in a given direction are required, strands of unidirectional glass fibers may be introduced on top of the randomly laid down strands, or alternatively, the strands may be laid down in elliptical rather than circular patterns. The higher proportion of fibers in one direction produces anisotropic or "unidirectional" GMT. Such composite materials have been utilized in a wide variety of relatively low cost, but dense and therefore relatively heavy load bearing structures.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,398, discloses an energy absorbing bumper beam composed of a first, load bearing bumper support section which is designed to be attached to the vehicle frame, a core of expanded polyolefin thermoplastic foam for energy absorption characteristics, and an outer covering shell of another polymer. However, in the production of such bumper materials, it is necessary to form the three portions of the composite as separate components, and then bond them together adhesively. Thus, although the expanded polyolefin absorbing substrate is fully encapsulated, it is not fully encapsulated by a load-bearing GMT material, nor is it integrally encapsulated, i.e. encapsulated at the same time that the GMT material is molded. Rather, it is separately molded and adhesively bonded. The separate molding and adhesive bonding steps add additional cost and expense to the preparation of such bumper materials. As the covering layer is not fiber-reinforced, it has little tensile or compressive strength. The composite is not therefore sufficiently resistant to bending (shear) stress.
It would be desirable to be able to produce high modulus, high stiffness components having significant areal dimensions, yet having low weight. It would be further desirable to produce such components from readily available raw materials in a cost effective manner.

High modulus and stiffness polymer foam/GMT composites


A conductive substrate comprises a substrate, a plurality of conductive patterns, and a plurality of optical compensation patterns. The conductive patterns extend along a first direction and are sequentially disposed on the substrate along a second direction. The optical compensation patterns are staggered from the conductive patterns along the second direction on the substrate. An edge of at least one of the conductive patterns extending along the first direction has a plurality of conductive protrusions, and an edge of at least one of the optical compensation patterns extending along the first direction has a plurality of optical compensation protrusions. A touch display device is also disclosed.

Technical Field
The disclosed embodiments relate to a conductive substrate and a touch display device.
Related Art
With the progress of technologies, a touch input function has been widely applied to various electronic products. For a display device capable of the touch function, a user can conduct many functions by directly touching or clicking the screen thereof so that the user's operation can be simplified a lot.
According to the structure type, the touch display device can be divided into an out cell type and an in cell type. For the out cell type, a substrate with a touch function is added to a display panel so that the whole structure has at least three substrates. For the in cell type, it can be further divided into two kinds, in one of which the touch conductive patterns are embedded in the liquid crystal (LC) pixels, and in the other the touch conductive patterns are embedded between the color filter (CF) substrate and the polarizer. The latter kind is also called the on cell type. For the in cell type, the touch function is integrated into the display panel so that the whole structure just has two substrates, i.e. the two substrates of the display panel. Because the product of the in cell type can be made thinner and lighter, and can be made by less processes (e.g. the alignment process is omitted) and the less cost, the touch display device of the in cell type will become the mainstream product in the future.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional touch display device 1 of the on cell type. The touch display device 1 includes a first substrate 11, a second substrate 12, a liquid crystal layer 13, and a signal processing module 14. The first substrate 11 has a plurality of first conductive patterns 111 which are sequentially disposed on the first substrate 11. The second substrate 12 is disposed opposite to the first substrate 11, and has a plurality of second conductive patterns 121 which are sequentially disposed on the second substrate 12. The first and second conductive patterns 111 and 121 all function as electrodes. The liquid crystal layer 13 is disposed between the first and second substrates 11 and 12. The first conductive patterns 111 and the second conductive patterns 121 are electrically connected to the signal processing module 14 through conductive wires, respectively, for transmitting the signal about capacitance variation caused by the user's touch or click. The signal processing module 14 generates a coordinate signal representing the touch input by processing the signals from the conductive wires.
However, because the first conductive patterns 111 are disposed apart on the first substrate 11, different transmittances are caused by the thickness difference and refractive index difference between the portion with the first conductive patterns and the portion without the first conductive patterns, and the edge scattering effect. Besides, because each of the first conductive patterns 111 is disposed on the first substrate 11 in the form of a rectangle, moiré interference is easily caused by the first conductive patterns 111 and the pixel structures. Therefore, when the user views the touch display device 1, the edges of the first conductive patterns 111 are easily perceived by the human eyes, thereby affecting the display effectiveness of the touch display device 1.
Therefore, it is an important subject to provide a conductive substrate and a touch display device wherein the edges of the conductive patterns are blurred for enhancing the whole visual effect.

Conductive substrate and touch display device


The present disclosure provides a fluid clip for use with a coolant system for electrosurgical procedures. The fluid clip includes a clip housing having proximal and distal ends and a channel defined therethrough. The channel is dimensioned to receive tubing for carrying a cooling fluid from a cooling source. The fluid clip includes a luer that includes a passageway defined therethrough. The passageway is dimensioned to securely receive the tubing such that the tubing extends through the luer for reception within the channel defined in the clip housing. The luer includes one or more interface on a surface thereof that matingly engages a corresponding interface on the clip housing. The interface on the luer cooperates with the interface on the clip housing to limit rotation of the tubing.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to fluid delivery systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to coolant line clip assemblies for use with coolant delivery systems configured for delivering and circulating a quantity of coolant.
2. Description of Related Art
Microwave antennas are used for various types of tissue ablation procedures. Typically, microwave antennas include a probe configured to deliver thermal microwave energy to tissue for ablation purposes. Microwave antennas may include and/or be in operative communication with a coolant delivery system configured to circulate coolant (e.g., sterile water) from the microwave generator and/or coolant delivery system to the probe via a flexible coolant line. Chilling the probe allows the antenna and transmission lines associated with the probe to operate at higher powers over an extended period of time. Chilling of the antenna portion also allows for a greater depth of penetration of the probe. Moreover, by cooling an outer probe surface around the antenna, the therapeutic heating radius is increased.
It is also known that lesions created by microwave antennas typically yield tear drop profiles resulting in so called "tracking" caused by conductive energy which tracks proximally beyond the antenna. Cooling the antenna may help eliminate this profile and may provide for a more elliptical to spherical lesion with limited tracking. All of these design features translate into large, controllable lesions.
Commercially available coolant lines configured for use with coolant delivery systems are typically made from lightweight flexible material (PVC for example) that is formed into suitable lengths of tubing. Unfortunately, because the tubing is made from lightweight material that is made to easily flex, inadvertent blockages may develop along the length of the tubing. For instance, practitioners pulling on the coolant line may cause kinks to form along the length of the tubing and, or in addition thereto, the weight of the tubing may cause the tubing to collapse. Either instance may result in impeding and/or preventing circulation of the coolant to a probe during a microwave ablation procedure, which, in turn, may result in the microwave generator shutting off prematurely and/or result in the probe becoming too hot and overheated, which, in turn, may result in the unnecessary burning of tissue.

Coolant line clip assemblies for use with fluid delivery systems


A method and apparatus for controlling a vehicle HVAC system to automatically defog a windshield glass and to prevent fogging or condensation of the windshield glass. The ambient air temperature and vehicle speed are measured and used to determine a windshield glass temperature. The in-cabin air temperature and relative humidity are measured and used to determine a dewpoint. An dewpoint margin is calculated to compensate for sensor accuracy and fog predictability. A fog margin, which is based upon calculated windshield glass temperature and dewpoint, is calculated and used, in conjunction with the dewpoint margin, to control the HVAC system to anticipate potential fogging conditions and to scale the intensity of the HVAC system response based upon the severity of fogging conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle environmental control systems and methods and, more particularly, toward methods and systems for automatically sensing fogging conditions, and instituting appropriate measures to prevent fogging and to remove window fog should fog be present.
2. Description of Related Art
In conventional automobile control systems, application of remedial measures to combat fogging of the vehicle windows is manually instituted by the vehicle passengers. Naturally, such remedial measures, which primarily consist of activating a vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system into a defrost mode of operation, are employed after a fogging condition has developed, and typically require some time to alleviate the fogging condition. As will be appreciated, such systems are not suitable for automatic control, and do not anticipate impending fogging conditions.
In vehicles incorporating an automatic HVAC control system, it has been proposed to sense internal and external conditions to determine whether fogging is likely. Such known systems include a glass temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. The glass temperature sensor is affixed to an internal surface of the windshield glass, and the humidity sensor is disposed adjacent to the windshield glass. The system uses the sensed glass temperature and the sensed cabin humidity to determine whether a possible fogging condition exists, and actuates the HVAC system in response thereto. Unfortunately, such automated systems require additional sensors, which are expensive to purchase and require significant amounts of labor to install and electrically connect to the HVAC controller.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a method and system for anticipating fogging conditions within a vehicle cabin that is less expensive, that does not require additional sensors, and which will provide improved response to, and prevention of, fogging conditions.

System and method for vehicle defogging condition calculation and control


A cooling apparatus for power semiconductors, which apparatus is essentially box-shaped, has two extruded cooling sections (14, 15) joined to each other. One of the cooling profiles (14) forms a first heat-conducting side wall (16), and the other cooling profile (15) forms a second heat-conducting side wall (17), opposite the first side wall (16), of the cooling apparatus (1). The side walls (16, 17) have cooling partitions (18, 19) formed on the inner sides of the latter, which cooling partitions bound cooling channels through which a cooling fluid can be conducted. Power semiconductors (4, 5) are to be attached to the outer sides of the side walls (16, 17) in a heat-conducting manner. In order to achieve the largest possible cooling surface of the cooling apparatus, the cooling partitions (18) formed on the first side wall (16) project between the cooling partitions (19) formed on the second side wall (17).

The invention relates to a cooling apparatus for power semiconductors, which apparatus is essentially box-shaped and displays two extruded cooling sections that are connected to each other, one cooling section forming a first heat-conducting side wall, and the other cooling section forming a second heat-conducting side wall opposite the first side wall. The side walls display on their inner sides integrated cooling partitions, which bound cooling channels through which a cooling fluid can be conducted. The power semiconductors are to be attached to the outer sides of the side walls in a heat-conducting manner.
The preferred field of application is power converters, in particular inverters.
In one known cooling apparatus of this type (DE 196 28 545 A1), the cooling partitions formed on the opposing side walls abut each other with their free front sides, when the cooling sections are joined to each other. In order to be able to produce the cooling sections from heat-conducting metal in an extrusion process, the cooling partitions must be situated a certain, predetermined minimum distance from each other. Through this factor, the number of cooling partitions, relative to the volume of the cooling apparatus, and thus also the total cooling surface, are limited.
The invention is based on the task of specifying a cooling apparatus, of the type named in the introduction, that ensures an effective cooling with the lowest possible volumes.
According to the invention, this task is accomplished by the fact that the cooling partitions formed on the first side wall extend between the cooling partitions formed on the second side wall.
Achieved in this solution is a smaller spacing between the cooling partitions, relative to the volume of the cooling apparatus, than hitherto. Nevertheless, the cooling sections can, furthermore, be produced with the smallest spacing between their cooling walls that is possible in the extrusion process.
Preferably, the edge regions, facing away from the first side wall, of the cooling partitions formed on the first side wall are pressed into grooves in the second side wall. In this way, the cooling sections can be joined through a simple pressing-together.
Here, the edge regions, facing away from the first side wall, of the cooling partitions formed on the first side wall, can form a bulb. This results in a larger heat-transfer surface between the second side wall and the cooling partitions formed on the first side wall, since the bulb is thicker than other regions of the cooling partition on which it is formed.
Alternatively or in addition, the front sides, facing away from the second side wall, of the cooling partitions formed on the second side wall can display depressions, in which projections formed on the inner side of the first side wall are held fixed. When not only the cooling partitions formed on the first side wall are connected to the second side wall, but also the cooling partitions formed on the second side wall are connected to the first side wall, there results a more solid joining of the cooling sections.
When the projections are produced shorter than the depressions are deep, a compensation for measurement tolerances in the extrusion of the cooling sections is possible.
Preferably, the projections are firmly pressed into the depressions accompanied by reciprocal cold welding. By this means, there results, in a simple manner, a close and secure joining of the cooling sections also on the side of the first side wall.
Preferably, the cooling partitions are provided with cooling ribs. By this means, the effective cooling surface is increased.
Further, the two outer cooling partitions of the cooling partitions formed on the second side wall can form two additional side walls of the cooling apparatus. These outer cooling partitions thus fulfill a double function: on the one hand as a boundary of the cooling apparatus, and on the other hand the removal of heat by conduction.

Cooling apparatus for power semiconductors


A semiconductor cathode (11) in a semiconductor structure, in which the sturdiness of the cathode is increased by covering the emitting surface (4) with a layer of a semiconductor material (7) having a larger bandgap than the semiconductor material of the semiconductor cathode. Various measures for increasing the electron-emission efficiency are indicated.

The invention relates to a semiconductor device for generating electrons comprising a semiconductor body of a semiconductor material having at least one structure for emitting electrons, which structure is adjacent to a main surface of the semiconductor body and in which structure electrons can be generated by applying suitable electric voltages, which electrons emanate from the semiconductor body at the location of an emitting surface region.
The invention also relates to an electron tube provided with such a semiconductor device.
The electron tube can be used as a display tube or a camera tube, but it may also be constructed so as to be suitable for electrolithographic applications or electron microscopy.
A semiconductor device of the type mentioned hereinabove is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,930 (PHN 9532). In the semiconductor device, which is a so-called "cold cathode", a p-n junction is operated in the reverse direction in such a manner that avalanche multiplication of charge carriers takes place. As a result of this, electrons can receive sufficient energy to exceed the work function. The emanation of the electrons is further stimulated by the presence of accelerating electrodes or gate electrodes and by providing the semiconductor surface, at the location of the emitting surface region, with a work function-reducing material, such as cesium.
Particularly the use of cesium as the work function-reducing material often leads to problems. This can be attributed to the fact that, for example, cesium is sensitive to the presence (in the operating environment) of oxidizing gases (such as water vapor, oxygen, CO.sub.2). In addition, as cesium has a high vapor pressure, it evaporates easily, which may be a drawback in applications where (semiconductor) substrates or preparations are situated in the vicinity of the cathode, as is the case in electron lithography or electron microscopy. In addition, ESD (Electron Stimulated Desorption) occurs; the electrons emitted by the cathode induce desorption of the cesium, in particular from slightly oxidized surfaces. A slight degree of oxidation occurs, for example, during spot-knocking of the electron tube.

Electron tube having a semiconductor cathode with lower and higher bandgap layers


The object is to provide a method of manufacturing electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil for high-temperature heat-resistance in which the peeling of the carrier foil is easy even by press working at temperatures of not less than 200°C. For this purpose are adopted “a method of manufacturing electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil for high-temperature heat-resistance in which an organic adhesive interface layer is formed on a surface of carrier foil by use of an organic agent, and an electrodeposited copper foil layer is formed on the organic adhesive interface layer, characterized in that the formation of the organic adhesive interface layer on the surface of the carrier foil is performed by acid pickling the surface of the carrier foil by use of an acid pickling solution containing 50 ppm to 2000 ppm of organic agent used in the formation of the adhesive interface layer and by simultaneously causing the organic agent to be adsorbed whereby an acid pickled and adsorbed organic film is formed” and others.

Electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil has hitherto been used as basic materials for the manufacturing of printed wiring boards which are widely used in the field of the electrical and electronic industries. This electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil is bonded to a polymer insulating substrate, such as a glass-epoxy substrate, a phenol substrate and a polyimide, by hot pressing to form a copper-clad laminate, and is used in the manufacturing of printed wiring boards.
This electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil is thermocompressed to an B-stage cured prepreg by applying a high pressure in a high-temperature atmosphere (hereinafter this step is referred to as "press forming"), thereby preventing wrinkles from occurring in a copper foil layer during the manufacturing of a copper-clad laminate and hence making it possible to prevent the formation of cracks in the copper foil in wrinkle areas and to prevent the exudation of resin from the prepreg. And this makes it easy to form a thin copper foil layer on the surface of the copper-clad laminate.
In general, this electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil can be broadly divided into a peelable type and an etchable type. In a word, the difference is as follows. In the peelable type, the carrier foil is removed by peeling after press forming, whereas in the etchable type, the carrier foil is removed by an etching method after press forming.
In the peelable type, the value of peel strength of the carrier foil is very unstable after press forming. In an extreme case, the situation is such that the peelable type has the drawback that the carrier foil cannot be peeled and that the aimed peel strength cannot be easily obtained. In order to solve this problem, as electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil which eliminates the drawback of the conventional electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil of the peelable type and can stabilize the peel strength of an interface between the carrier foil and the electrodeposited copper foil at a low level, the present inventors have proposed electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil, as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-309898, which is characterized in that in electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil in which an adhesive interface layer is formed on the surface of the carrier foil, copper is electrodeposited on this adhesive interface layer and this deposited copper layer is used as the electrodeposited copper foil, an organic agent is used in this adhesive interface layer.
However, an adhesive interface layer of the electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil which the present inventors have proposed was formed by causing an organic agent constituting the adhesive interface layer to be adsorbed on a surface of the carrier foil by use of an aqueous solution containing only this organic agent. This carrier foil-incorporated electrodeposited copper layer shows excellent performance at pressing temperatures of about 180° C. in the case of use of an ordinary FR-4 prepreg, and even after press forming the carrier foil can be very easily peeled.
However, recent years have seen increasing requirements for the downsizing of electronics and electric machinery and apparatus without showing any sign of an end to this trend, and multilayer design of printed wiring boards, which are the basic parts of electronics and electric equipment, high density design of copper foil circuits, and high density packaging design of mounted parts have been required more strongly than before. In such a case, because the quantity of heat released from mounted parts increases, printed wiring boards as built-in parts are also required to provide high heat resistance and hence highly heat resistant substrates such as a substrate using a BT resin, a fluoroplastic substrate and a polyimide substrate have come to be used. It is inevitable to adopt pressing temperatures exceeding 200° C. as the pressing temperature of copper-clad laminates using these substrates and the pressing temperature tends to become higher.
In recent markets, it has been required to provide the characteristic that even after laminating at pressing temperatures of not less than 300° C., the carrier foil can be easily peeled from the surface of a copper-clad laminate. It was a fact that when the electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil which the present inventors have hitherto proposed is press worked at temperatures of not less than 300° C., the peeling of the carrier foil is not stable, with the result that the phenomenon that the carrier foil cannot be peeled occurs. Therefore, the markets have demanded electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil of the peelable type excellent in high-temperature heat resistance which permits easy peeling of carrier foil even in the case of press working at temperatures of not less than 200° C. (hereinafter referred to as "electrodeposited copper foil with a carrier foil for high-temperature heat-resistance" in this specification).

Method of manufacturing electrodeposited copper foil with carrier foil for high-temperature heat-resistance and electrodeposited copper foil with carrier foil for high-temperature heat-resistance obtained by the manufacturing method


Post-infection virus protection through data restoration using mirrored data that has been obtained prior to the virus infection. A network appliance in a network mirrors the data of a number of computers in an ongoing manner. An anti-virus module of the network appliance scans data received from a computer to determine whether the computer is infected by a virus. If no virus is identified, the network appliance uses the received data to update a mirrored copy of the computer's data. If, however, the network appliance identifies a virus, the mirrored copy is not updated. Instead, the previous mirrored copy, which represents a pre-infection state of the data, is used to restore the infected computer to its pre-infection state. In this manner, a single copy of an anti-virus utility executed at the network appliance can protect an arbitrary number of computers, which do not require their own anti-virus software.

1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of computer networking and data storage. In particular, embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of post-infection virus protection through data recovery using a mirrored copy of the data obtained prior to infection.
2. The Relevant Technology
Computer and data communications networks continue to proliferate due to declining costs, increasing performance of computer and networking equipment, and increasing demand for communication bandwidth. Communications networks, including wide area networks ("WANs") and local area networks ("LANs"), allow increased productivity and utilization of distributed computers or stations through the sharing of resources, the transfer of voice and data, and the processing of voice, data and related information at the most efficient locations. Moreover, as organizations have recognized the economic benefits of using communications networks, network applications such as electronic mail, voice and data transfer, host access, and shared and distributed databases are increasingly used as a means to increase user productivity. This increased demand, together with the growing number of distributed computing resources, has resulted in a rapid expansion of the number of installed networks.
One of the major dangers of computer networks pertains to the increased exposure to viruses and other forms of corruption. Most computer networks are connected to the internet via some form of internet portal which provides internet access to all of the devices within the network. Unfortunately, there are numerous destructive programs lurking on the internet that can invade a network through a simple email or downloaded file. Additionally, a computer in a local area network can become unintentionally infected with a computer virus through other mechanisms, such as when a file is loaded directly to the computer using, for example, a CD-ROM, a floppy disk, or other such removable media. In these instances, the local area network can cause the virus to proliferate to other devices in the network.
To counteract these potential security breaches, many computer users employ anti-virus software that screens files and other data downloaded onto a particular device. These screens look for particular software patterns that are known to match a virus or some other form of destructive program. The screening programs are therefore only effective against known destructive programs and provide little or no protection against new destructive programs.
Two of the major problems associated with existing anti-virus software are its cost and the complexity of maintaining and using the software. Because new viruses appear continually, frequent updates of the virus software are typically required. The cost of using and maintaining anti-virus software can include the initial purchase and an ongoing subscription, which enables the software to be updated to recognize new viruses. The complexity and cost of anti-virus software are multiplied as the number of computers in a network grows. As a result, many computer users, particularly individual users, home offices and small offices, are unable or unwilling to employ anti-virus software, which leads to frequent data loss and other related computer problems.

Restoration of data corrupted by viruses using pre-infected copy of data


The present invention is a transaxle with an offset shaft thereby having a reduced profile. The transaxle includes an upper housing and a lower housing defining a split line. A vertical input shaft and an axle shaft are rotatably disposed in the housing. A shift shaft is rotatably disposed within the housing and operably connected to the input shaft. Gears on the shift shaft mesh with gears on a counter shaft to transmit rotational motion from the one input shaft to the axle shaft. The axle shaft is disposed in a first generally horizontal plane and the shift shaft is disposed in a second generally horizontal plane below the first generally horizontal plane to reduce the profile of the transaxle.

1. Field of the invention.
The present invention relates to small transaxles such as used in riding lawn mowers and the like, and, more particularly, to horizontally oriented transaxles with vertical input shafts.
2. Description of the related art.
Manually shifted transaxles of the type concerned herein typically employ a shift shaft carrying a plurality of freely journalled speed change gears which can be selectively coupled to the shift shaft by a shift mechanism. Each of the speed change gears is in constant running mesh with one of a plurality of companion gears affixed to a counter shaft which rotate together in unison. The vertical input shaft transmits the input power to the transaxle via a bevel pinion gear engaged with a bevel gear freely rotatable on the shift shaft which has a combination gear enmeshed with a gear affixed to the counter shaft. The receiving bevel gear thereby drives the counter shaft which transfers the motion to the shift shaft via the selected speed change gear. The shift shaft then transmits the input power to the output axle shafts via a differential.
It is known in the art to provide a transaxle having a plurality of shafts disposed therein, including a vertical input shaft and axle shafts, which are disposed in a generally parallel relationship to each other. The vertical input shaft is operably connected to the axle shafts by transmission shafts which through gearing transmit rotational motion from the upper most input receiving shaft to the lower axle shafts. Moreover, the vertical input shaft is attached at the upper end thereof to a pulley, and is rotatably carried at the lower end thereof by a bearing formed in the housing of the transaxle. Because of the vertical height of the pulley and its associated input receiving shaft, such transaxles tend to have a relatively high profile height.
In certain applications, it is desireable to provide a transaxle having a relatively low profile height. The shafts within such a transaxle are typically oriented in a horizontal relationship to each other within the transaxle housing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,574 to von Kaler, et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference, discloses a horizontally oriented transaxle in which a shift shaft, counter shaft and output drive shafts are disposed in a common horizontal plane. Such a transaxle has the advantage of simplifying assembly and repair because of the ease of access to the shafts which are supported along the split line of the transaxle.
In applications such as riding lawnmowers, the vertical distance between the axle shafts and other components of the lawnmower may be relatively small. In some specific arrangements of riding lawn mowers, that vertical distance may be critical to the riding lawnmower design in order to provide space for other components. For these arrangements, it is thus desireable to provide a transaxle having a relatively low profile.
What is needed in the art is a horizontally oriented transaxle having an input shaft which receives rotational input power at a height which is closer to the axis of the axles than heretofore possible, thereby providing a transaxle with a lower profile.

Offset shaft arrangement for in-line shift transaxle housing


An A/D conversion circuit and a solid-state imaging device are able to reduce current consumption, and two input terminals of a NAND element included in a latch circuit receive a corresponding one of a plurality of clock signals and an enable signal. The enable signal is not input to the NAND element before an end timing of A/D conversion, and is input to the NAND element at the end timing of the A/D conversion and at a timing at which latching is performed. The latch circuit latches no clock signal when the enable signal is not input.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an A/D conversion circuit and a solid-state imaging device using the same.
The application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-108365, filed May 10, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein.
2. Description of Related Art
As an example of an A/D conversion circuit used in a solid-state imaging device of the related art, a configuration illustrated in FIG. 9 has been known (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2009-38726, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2009-38781). Firstly, the configuration of the A/D conversion circuit illustrated in FIG. 9 will be described. The A/D conversion circuit illustrated in FIG. 9 includes a phase shift portion 101, a comparison circuit 102, a latch portion 103, a counter circuit 104, and a buffer circuit 105.
The phase shift portion 101 includes a plurality of delay units DU[0] to DU[7] that delay and output an input signal. A start pulse φStartP is input to the first delay unit DU[0]. The comparison circuit 102 receives an analog signal φSignal, which is an object of time detection, and a ramp wave φRamp that decreases with the lapse of time, and outputs a signal φCOMP_OUT indicating a result obtained by comparing the analog signal φSignal with the ramp wave φRamp. The latch portion 103 includes latch circuits L_0 to L_7 that latch logical states of output signals φCK0 to φCK7 of each of the delay units DU[0] to DU[7] of the phase shift portion 101. The counter circuit 104 performs counting based on the output signal φCK7 of the delay unit DU[7] of the phase shift portion 101.
The comparison circuit 102 generates a time interval (the size in a time axial direction) according to the amplitude of the analog signal φSignal. The buffer circuit 105 is an inversion buffer circuit that inverts and outputs an input signal. Hereinafter, in order to facilitate the understanding of the description of the present specification, the buffer circuit 105 has a configuration of the inversion buffer circuit.
The latch circuits L_0 to L_7 constituting the latch portion 103 are in an enable (valid) state when an output signal φHOLD of the buffer circuit 105 is High, and output the output signals φCK0 to φCK7 of the delay units DU[0] to DU[7] as is. Furthermore, the latch circuits L_0 to L_7 are in a disable (invalid) state when the output signal φHOLD of the buffer circuit 105 is transitioned from High to Low, and latch logic states according to the output signals φCK0 to φCK7 of the delay units DU[0] to DU[7] at that time.
A count latch circuit, which latches a logic state of a count result of the counter circuit 104, is not illustrated. However, the counter circuit having a latch function is used, so that the counter circuit 104 serves as the count latch circuit.
Next, an operation of the related art will be described. FIG. 10 illustrates the operation of an A/D conversion circuit according to the related art. Firstly, at a timing (a first timing) related to the comparison start of the comparison circuit 102, as the start pulse φStartP, a clock of a cycle, which approximately coincides with the delay time (the sum of delay times of the eight delay units DU[0] to DU[7]) of the phase shift portion 101, is input to the phase shift portion 101.
In this way, the phase shift portion 101 starts to operate. The delay unit DU[0] constituting the phase shift portion 101 delays the start pulse φStartP and outputs the output signal φCK0. The delay units DU[1] to DU[7] constituting the phase shift portion 101 delay output signals of delay units of a previous stage and output the output signals φCK1 to φCK7, respectively. The output signals φCK0 to φCK7 of the delay units DU[0] to DU[7] are input to the latch circuits L_0 to L_7 of the latch portion 103. The latch circuit L_7 outputs the output signal φCK7 of the input delay unit DU[7] to the counter circuit 104 as is.
The counter circuit 104 performs a counting operation based on the output signal φCK7 of the delay unit DU[7], which is output from the latch circuit L_7 of the latch portion 103. In the counting operation, a count value is increased or decreased at the rise or the fall of the output signal φCK7. At a timing (a second timing) at which the analog signal φSignal approximately coincides with the ramp wave φRamp, the output signal φCOMP_OUT of the comparison circuit 102 is inverted. Moreover, at a timing (a third timing) after the lapse of a predetermined delay time applied to the input signal in the buffer circuit 105, the output signal φHOLD of the buffer circuit 105 becomes a Low state.
In this way, the latch circuits L_0 to L_7 become a disable state. At this time, logic states according to the output signals φCK0 to φCK7 of the delay units DU[0] to DU[7] are latched in the latch circuits L_0 to L_7. The counter circuit 104 latches a count value when the latch circuit L_7 stops operating. By the logic state latched in the latch portion 103 and the count value latched in the counter circuit 104, digital data corresponding to the analog signal φSignal is obtained.
In accordance with the A/D conversion circuit according to the related art, it is possible to obtain digital data corresponding to the time interval according to the voltage of the analog signal φSignal. That is, it is possible to obtain the digital data corresponding to the analog signal φSignal.

A/D conversion circuit and solid-state imaging device


The invention is directed to a wristwatch type paging device having a structure for preventing the intrusion of static electricity. The paging device is provided for receiving or transmitting signals. A pager circuit is provided for controlling and operating on the received or signals to be transmitted. A pager body, having a two part wrist band coupled thereto, houses the pager circuit. The body is formed with at least a conductive portion. The band fastens around the wrist of the user and carries antenna portions. A fastener mechanically couples the end portions and electronically couples the antenna portions. The conductive portion of the pager body is set to the AC ground potential (the potential of one of the positive or negative electrodes of the battery). A balanced varactor diode circuit is provided between the antenna portion ends defining an essentially neutral point coupled to one of its positive and negative electrodes. When the conductive portion of the pager body contacts the user in a fitted state, the static electricity is prevented from entering the paging circuit. A spark gap may also be used to discharge the static electricity.

The invention relates to a paging device such as a wristwatch type receiver and/or transmitter and, in particular to a wrist-fitted wireless set having a conductive portion which makes contact with the human body when fitted over a user's wrist and having a structure for preventing the intrusion of static electricity.
Wristwatch type receivers, also known as fitted wireless sets, pagers, selective call receivers or paging devices, have been manufactured over the past few years with various structural improvements including a reduction in both size and weight. For example, it has been proposed to use a band antenna such that a receiver antenna is built into a wrist hand for the purpose of reducing the size of the receiver body. It has also been proposed to form the body case or back lid of the receiver with a conductive member or material. In this manner, the body case or back lid has been utilized as a circuit component for the purpose of reducing the number of parts to be interconnected within the receiver body. Such devices can be configured as transmitters and/or receiver/transmitter sets.
When the wristwatch type pager is fitted over a user's wrist, fastening fixture is coupled to a loop antenna and a back lid; make contact with the human body. Since the fastening fixture and the back lid are each formed of conductive material, current distribution applied through the conductors forming the antenna circuit may be affected and changed based on the contact of those conductive components with the human body. Changes in the current distribution lower performance parameters of the wireless set such as gain of the antenna and a Q value of the antenna circuit. Accordingly, the sensitivity of the antenna also declines. In this configuration, it is difficult to provide an antenna mechanism and circuit arrangement which can operate within the range of desired frequencies. In fact, to date, no effective measures have been proposed to deal with a decline of sensitivity caused by the contact of the wireless set with the human body.
The contact of the wireless set with the human body also causes a circuit breakdown in the wireless set by an intrusion of static electricity from the human body. Referring to FIG. 3, a circuit is employed in accordance with the prior art as a measure to deal with the intrusion of static electricity. In this circuit, a diode 8 is serially connected to an antenna 5 so that static electricity entering from the antenna side is discharged through diode 8 to ground. Therefore, the static electricity is prevented from entering the side of an input amplifying circuit 9 connected at a downstream stage to the antenna circuit. However, the addition of diode 8 increases the capacitance of the circuit which resonates with the antenna to form an antenna tuning circuit. The increase in capacitance may render the circuit incapable of tuning to a particular frequency at which the tuning should be intrinsically achieved. Thus, to date, there have been no proposed no measures for effectively preventing the intrusion of static electricity which causes a decline of sensitivity of the receiver.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a wrist-fitted wireless set which prevents a decline of sensitivity of the receiver caused by the contact of the receiver with the human body and prevents an adverse intrusion of static electricity to the receiver.

Paging device with structure for removing static electricity


A communication system includes: a communication apparatus; and a relay apparatus. The communication apparatus includes: a contents-summary-information address request unit; a contents-summary-information display unit; a selection-information transmission unit; a selection-completion notification unit; and a contents get unit. The relay apparatus includes: an order-information addition unit that adds order information of contents to electronic data information; a contents-summary-information address transmission unit that transmits address information of a contents summary information item and the electronic data information, to which the order information is added, in response to a request of transmission of the address information of the contents summary information item; a contents-address get unit that gets the address information of the contents selected based on selection information from the selection-completion notification unit; and a contents-address transmission unit that transmits the address information of the contents got by the contents-address get unit to the communication apparatus.

There have been known image reading apparatuses for uploading electronic data of read images to servers, print apparatuses for printing electronic data downloaded from servers, and the like. There has been proposed a related-art image reading apparatus for uploading electronic data of read images to a server. In a case where a maker of image reading apparatuses or print apparatuses provides an electronic-file storing service, the maker needs to prepare dedicated servers for storing uploaded electronic data on maker's own.
Meanwhile, recently, electronic-data storing services capable of storing electronic data in databases prepared on networks by server providers are in widespread use. For example, Picasa (a registered trademark) web album and flickr (a registered trademark) are examples of the electronic-data storing services. Users can use terminal devices having web browsers to upload or download desired electronic data in the electronic-data storing services. In many electronic-data storing services, their own application program interfaces (API) are disclosed. The APIs can be used to provide new services cooperating with the electronic-data storing services to users.

Communication system, communication apparatus, and control method of relay apparatus


A sterile cover for a touchscreen device is provided that includes a transparent, electrically conductive screen area adapted to cover a screen of the touchscreen device and including a first sterile material. The sterile cover also includes a perimeter area surrounding the screen region and having an opening adapted to receive the touchscreen device and including a second sterile material. A removable sterile cover for substantially encapsulating a touchscreen device is provided that includes an opening for inserting the touchscreen device into the cover and a closure for closing the opening. A device for dispensing sterile covers for touchscreen devices is provided that includes a chamber adapted to enclose a plurality of sterile covers and an actuator adapted to move a next sterile cover of into a ready position. The device also includes a loading area adapted to hold a touchscreen device.

Tablet computers and mobile phones, particularly smartphones, are growing in popularity. These devices are used in a wide variety of settings for personal pleasure and to increase productivity. One of the appeals of tablet computers and smartphones is ease of access due to the use of a touchscreen as an interface with the computer and/or the internet. Tablet computers and smartphones (hereinafter collectively referred to as touchscreen devices or display devices) can be used in a clinic, hospital or other care-giving environment by doctors, nurses, or other caregivers, as well as by patients and the family and friends of patients.
Hospitals, clinics and other care giving environments are subject to transmission of diseases through physical contact and via the air. Sterilization of objects that come into contact with patients, staff, and family are important, both before contact to protect the patient, and after contact to protect the general public. To date, the ability to sterilize a tablet computer or smartphone has been limited to alcohol swabbing or insertion into a sterile x-ray envelope. These solutions present significant drawbacks, including possible damage to the touchscreen device due to excessive alcohol usage, incomplete sterilization due to human error, inability to access the device due to a lack of electrical conductivity through the envelope material, and lack of ability to view the device through envelope material.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0256019 discusses technologies for providing sterilization of a touchscreen or other tactile input surface of a user input device. A self-sterilizing user input device includes a touchscreen for receiving tactile user input and an ultraviolet (UV) light source that emits UV light onto a touchscreen at a sterilization wavelength. A controller selectively activates and deactivates the UV light source according to whether a user is at or near the user input device. According to one aspect, the user input device includes a backlight to illuminate the touchscreen. The UV light source is positioned with the backlight to provide the UV light from a rear side of the touchscreen.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0021476 discusses a medical display system for performing a medical function, including: an image display unit configured for displaying a medical image data set, and an additional device, wherein the additional device is integrated with said image display unit and is configured to assist in performing the medical function of the medical display system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,229 discusses an enclosure within which an elongated medical thermometer is to be placed prior to insertion into the body orifice of the subject whose temperature is to be taken. The enclosure may be secured to the thermometer at its heat sensitive portion. This enclosure will enable attainment of a level of asepsis presently obtainable only by discard of the thermometer itself after one-time use.

Devices and dispensers for sterile coverings for tablet computers and mobile phones


Optical interferometery is used to probe an integrated circuit device under test (DUT). During each cycle of a repetitive electrical test pattern applied to the DUT a reference pulse is provided at a fixed time relative to the test pattern, and a probe pulse is provided at a time scanned through the test pattern in the manner of equivalent time sampling. The probe and reference light pulses are each split to provide at least a second probe pulse and a second reference pulse. One probe pulse and one reference pulse interact with the DUT at the same physical location, but at displaced times with respect to each other. The second probe pulse and the second reference pulse travel an optical delay path with length controlled to compensate for motions of the DUT. The probe pulses are recombined and detected to provide a probe interference signal. The reference pulses are recombined and detected to provide a reference interference signal. For each cycle, electrical activity in the DUT is detected by preparing a ratio of the probe interference signal and the reference interference signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to optical testing of integrated circuits and more particularly to optical interferometric probing of integrated circuits"" electrical activity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical activity in integrated circuits can be monitored optically by probing changes in the refractive index and the absorption coefficient induced by varying bias voltages and carrier densities at semiconductor diode junctions. For example, changes in the refractive index and the absorption coefficient of the semiconductor material can be manifested by changes in the intensity of an optical beam reflected from the diode junction.
Paniccia et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,872,360, incorporated herein by reference, discloses detecting an electric field in the active regions of an integrated circuit. In one embodiment, a laser beam is operated at a wavelength near the band gap of a semiconductor such as silicon. The laser beam is focused onto a P-N (diode) junction such as, for example, the drain region of an MOS transistor, through the back side of the semiconductor substrate. The beam passes through the junction, reflects off the oxide interface and metal behind the junction, and returns back through the junction and out of the silicon surface. Modulation of the electric field in the junction causes amplitude modulation in this reflected beam due to the combined effects of electro-absorption and electro-refraction.
Wilsher et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,577, incorporated herein by reference, discloses dual laser beam probing of integrated circuits. A probe beam is used to sample the waveform on an integrated circuit device under test (DUT) during each cycle of a test pattern signal applied to the DUT. A reference laser beam is also used to sample the DUT at the same physical location sampled by the probe beam. Each reference measurement is made at a fixed time relative to the test pattern, while the probe measurements are scanned through the test-pattern, in the manner normal to equivalent time sampling, to reconstruct the waveform. For each test cycle, the ratio of probe and reference measurements is taken to reduce fluctuations in the probe measurement due to noise.
Changes in the refractive index and the absorption coefficient due to electrical activity in a DUT can also be manifested by phase modulation of an optical beam transmitted through or reflected by the DUT. Probes of phase modulation can be more sensitive than probes of reflectivity to electrical activity in a DUT. Heinrich et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,092, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method for interferometric measurement of phase modulation of an optical beam by an active semiconductor device. An optical beam is split into two beams which are focused on the DUT. One beam is focused on an active region, where it is phase modulated by a modulated refractive index, and the other beam is focused on an inactive region to provide a reference. The reflected beams are recombined and interfere. Modulation of the intensity of the interfering beams is attributed to modulation of the phase of the probe beam due to electrical activity in the probed region.
Typically, interferometric methods are extremely sensitive to vibration and to temperature changes. In the method of Heinrich et al. the relative phase of the two interfering beams is nominally insensitive to DUT vibration and temperature-induced movements in line with the beam axis. However, on a densely integrated circuit it is very difficult to find suitable points to place the reference beam. Also, there is still sensitivity to motion across the laser beam axis.
What is needed is an interferometric method for waveform probing of integrated circuits that is insensitive to vibration and temperature induced movements of the DUT, and that does not require finding a suitable reference point on the DUT near the active region of interest.
A method of detecting electrical activity in a semiconductor device as a repetitive electrical test pattern signal is applied to the device includes providing a first probe light pulse at a selected time during each repetition of the electrical test pattern, and providing a first reference light pulse at a time during each repetition of the electrical test pattern displaced relative to the selected time at which the first probe light pulse is provided. The first probe light pulse and the first reference light pulse are each divided to provide at least a second probe light pulse and a second reference light pulse. The first probe light pulse and the first reference light pulse are directed onto a region of the semiconductor device.
After the first probe light pulse and the first reference light pulse interact with the semiconductor device, the first probe light pulse is combined with the second probe light pulse to overlap in space and time, and the first reference light pulse is combined with the second reference light pulse to overlap in space and time. The overlapped probe light pulses are detected to provide a probe interference signal, and the overlapped reference light pulses are detected to provide a reference interference signal. The selected time is varied with the repetition of the electrical test pattern, The ratio of the probe interference signal and the reference interference signal is determined at a plurality of the selected times within the electrical test pattern.
An associated apparatus includes a source of a first probe light pulse, a source of a first reference light pulse, a splitter, a support for the semiconductor device, a beam combiner, a detector system, and a processor for determining a ratio of the probe interference signal and the reference interference signal.

Double-pulsed optical interferometer for waveform probing of integrated circuits


Method for the modular assembly of a pusher to a watch case (100) including a preliminary step of assembling a sealed functional module (10), including a tube (7), a stem (8), at least one sealing gasket (5) and a return spring (3) arranged between a first fixed stop member and a second moveable stop member, and then a first step (E1) of assembling the sealed functional module (10) to the case (100), and finally a second step (E2) of assembling a pusher head (1) to the sealed functional module (10).

To mount pushers on the middle part of a watch, it is known to fix a pusher body in a housing, generally provided on the edge of the case, and then to assemble the other constituent elements of the pusher once the pusher body has been driven or screwed into the middle part of the watch.
Given that each component of the pusher has to be assembled individually on the middle part outside of a specialised pusher workshop, the assembly is first of all relatively tedious, since it is not performed by specialists in this type of component, and relatively time-consuming. Secondly, since none of the functional parts are pre-assembled, it is impossible to test the completely assembled pusher before it is actually mounted on the middle part of the watch. Thus, with this assembly solution, it is not possible to check the sealing properties and travel setting of the pusher in a satisfactory manner prior to integration in the case.
To simplify assembly, for screw-in pushers, there exist tubes pre-fitted with sealing gaskets so that the sealing part is pre-assembled. In this case, the tube is screwed into the middle part in a first step, and then the stem is screwed in from the inside in a second step after the return spring of the pusher has been positioned and the pusher head has been pushed to the end-of-travel position. However, the drawback of this solution is that the sealing gaskets are liable to be damaged when the pusher stem is mounted, especially when this operation is not performed by a pusher specialist, and this solution does not allow the sealing and operating travel of the pusher to be pre-tested.
In order to overcome the drawbacks associated with the provision of individual components for pushers prior to the assembly thereof on the middle part of a watch, CH Patent No 692255 proposes a modular assembly solution, wherein a pusher is entirely assembled prior to mounting on the middle part, and then screwed in from the inside in a watch case using a tool acting on the pusher body. The drawback of this solution, however, is that it only applies to screw-in pushers, which must have a cylindrical head, particularly when there is no degree of freedom in rotation between the pusher body and the head.
There is consequently a need for an assembly method which is free of these known limitations.


The child resistant safety closure is one that uses a common single start thread on the neck of a container and on a closure. In conjunction with this single start thread there is a single mating projection on the neck and on the closure. These mating projections are in an interference fit until the closure is distorted so that the closure bows outwardly in the region of the projections whereby the projection on the neck and the projection on the closure can pass by one another. The distortion is enhanced by having the plastic of the closure in the area of the projection of a decreased thickness and the neck having flattened portions to provide for a easy distortion of the closure. By the use of a single start common thread and one projection the same closure can be used for containers requiring a safety closure and those not requiring a safety closure. The difference will solely be in the neck finish of the container or on the inner surface of the closure. When the container is to have a safety closure the neck finish has a projection to mate with a projection on the closure. In the instance where the container is not to have a child resistant safety closure either the closure will not have a projection or the neck of the container will not have a projection. In such a case the closure can be freely removed from the container.

This invention relates to a child resistant safety closure for a neck of a container. More particularly, this invention relates to a child resistant safety closure for a container that has a common single start thread, the closure having a structure that is easily deformed for clearance over a locking projection.
There is a constant need for child resistant closures that can easily be opened by adults, and in particular, closures that can be opened easily by elderly adults, but yet cannot be easily opened by young children. In this regard, there must not be a requirement of a vigorous twisting motion or of a strong squeezing in combination with a twisting. The reason is that many people through injury or disease, such as arthritis, have difficulty in gripping and/or twisting a closure to remove the closure from the container. On the other hand, the closure must not be easily removable by a small child. These are two competing requirements that must be considered in the design of a child resistant safety closure.
This problem has been addressed in various ways in the prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,991 there is shown a bottle where the container has more of a rectangular shaped dispensing neck. This permits the closure to be flexed inwardly at these points so that the closure at a point about 90.degree. from the point where pressure is applied will bow outwardly. This then permits closure projections on the inner surface of the closure and spout projections on an outer surface of the spout to clear each other and the closure can be removed from the spout in a twisting action. A related structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,514. In this closure, there is an inner skirt on the closure for threaded attachment to a container neck and a flexible outer skirt that has a locking arrangement. The outer skirt also has slots that allow for a greater flexing of the outer wall during squeezing and opening. By squeezing the outer flexible skirt the outer skirt is distorted in shape so that locking projections are released and the closure can be removed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,021 discloses a closure for a bottle where the bottle neck has two flattened areas. Locking projections are located about 90.degree. from these flattened areas. There are two locking projections and two flattened areas. When the closure is pressed in the area of the flattened areas of the neck, the closure in the area of the projections protrudes outwardly to release the locking mechanism.
These are interesting closures but they have disadvantages. There is yet a very high squeeze pressure needed to release the closure. That is, it takes too much force to deflect the walls of the closure to release the locking mechanism. Further, there is no need for a dual locking mechanism. That is, there is not a need for two projection locking means 180.degree. apart. A single locking means would suffice. The use of a single locking means allows for the use of single start threads, which are also known as common threads since they are used on most containers. The use of single start threads increases the utility of the closure and container. The same container can be used for child resistant safety use and regular use by using a container with a child resistant feature and a closure with or without a child resistant feature as needed. In the alternative the same closure can be used for standard containers not using a child resistant safety closure and containers which use a child resistant safety closure. For a child resistant safety closure requirement there would be a child resistant feature such as a projection on the outer surface of the container neck to interact with a mating projection on the inner surface of the closure. When a safety closure is not required there would not be the projection on the neck of the container or on the closure. One of these projections would be deleted. In a preferred embodiment it is preferred that the projection on the closure be deleted. The same container then would be used in all instances with one closure when child resistance is desired and another closure when it is not desired. In this latter instance, the closure can be freely removed from the container.