The present invention refers to an ammonobasic method for preparing a gallium-containing nitride crystal, in which gallium-containing feedstock is crystallized on at least one crystallization seed in the presence of an alkali metal-containing component in a supercritical nitrogen-containing solvent. The method can provide monocrystalline gallium-containing nitride crystals having a very high quality.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to processes for obtaining a gallium-containing nitride crystal by an ammonobasic method as well as the gallium-containing nitride crystal itself. Furthermore, an apparatus for conducting the various methods is disclosed.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Optoelectronic devices based on nitrides are usually manufactured on sapphire or silicon carbide substrates that differ from the deposited nitride layers (so-called heteroepitaxy). In the most often used Metallo-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) method, the deposition of GaN is performed from ammonia and organometallic compounds in the gas phase, and the growth rates achieved make it impossible to provide a bulk layer. The application of a buffer layer reduces the dislocation density, but not more than to approx. 108/cm2. Another method has also been proposed for obtaining bulk monocrystalline gallium nitride. This method consists of an epitaxial deposition employing halides in a vapor phase and is called Halide Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) ["Optical patterning of GaN films" M. K. Kelly, O. Ambacher, Appl. Phys. Lett. 69 (12) (1996) and "Fabrication of thin-film InGaN light-emitting diode membranes" W. S. Wrong, T. Sands, Appl. Phys. Lett. 75 (10) (1999)]. This method allows for the preparation of GaN substrates having a 2-inch diameter.
However, their quality is not sufficient for laser diodes, because the dislocation density continues to be approx. 107 to approx. 109/cm2. Recently, the method of Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth (ELOG) has been used for reducing the dislocation density. In this method the GaN layer is first grown on a sapphire substrate and then a layer with SiO2 is deposited on it in the form of strips or a lattice. On the thus prepared substrate, in turn, the lateral growth of GaN may be carried out leading to a dislocation density of approx. 107/cm2.
The growth of bulk crystals of gallium nitride and other metals of group XIII (IUPAC, 1989) is extremely difficult. Standard methods of crystallization from melt and sublimation methods are not applicable because of the decomposition of the nitrides into metals and N2. In the High Nitrogen Pressure (HNP) method ["Prospects for high-pressure crystal growth of III-V nitrides" S. Porowski et al., Inst. Phys. Conf. Series, 137, 369 (1998)] this decomposition is inhibited by the use of nitrogen under the high pressure. The growth of crystals is carried out in molten gallium, i.e. in the liquid phase, resulting in the production of GaN platelets about 10 mm in size. Sufficient solubility of nitrogen in gallium requires temperatures of about 1500° C. and nitrogen pressures in the order of 15 kbar.
The use of supercritical ammonia has been proposed to lower the temperature and decrease the pressure during the growth process of nitrides. Peters has described the ammonothermal synthesis of aluminium nitride [J. Cryst. Growth 104, 411-418 (1990)]. R. Dwiliński et al. have shown, in particular, that it is possible to obtain a fine-crystalline gallium nitride by a synthesis from gallium and ammonia, provided that the latter contains alkali metal amides (KNH2 or LiNH2). The processes were conducted at temperatures of up to 550° C. and under a pressure of 5 kbar, yielding crystals about 5 μm in size ["AMMONO method of BN, AlN, and GaN synthesis and crystal growth", Proc. EGW-3, Warsaw, Jun. 22-24, 1998, MRS Internet Journal of Nitride Semiconductor Research, http://nsr.mij.mrs.org/3/25]. Another supercritical ammonia method, where a fine-crystalline GaN is used as a feedstock together with a mineralizer consisting of an amide (KNH2) and a halide (KI) also provided for recrystallization of gallium nitride ["Crystal growth of gallium nitride in supercritical ammonia" J. W. Kolis et al., J. Cryst. Growth 222, 431-434 (2001)]. The recrystallization process conducted at 400° C. and 3.4 kbar resulted in GaN crystals about 0.5 mm in size. A similar method has also been described in Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 495, 367-372 (1998) by J. W. Kolis et al. However, using these supercritical ammonia processes, no production of bulk monocrystalline was achieved because no chemical transport processes were observed in the supercritical solution, in particular no growth on seeds was conducted.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A dosing syringe comprising a barrel and a piston is provided. The piston is slidably receivable in the barrel and can move within the barrel from a maximum inserted position to a withdrawn position to draw a dose of a product into the barrel. The syringe comprises means for pre-setting the withdrawn position, which defines a maximum dose which can be drawn into the barrel.

A syringe is a reciprocating pump consisting of a sliding piston/plunger that fits tightly in a barrel/tube. The plunger can be pulled and pushed inside the cylindrical tube, or barrel, letting the syringe draw in or expel a liquid or gas through an orifice at the open end of the tube. Pressure is used to operate a syringe. Plastics and disposable syringes are often used to administer medications.
In normal operation, first the plunger is in a bottom position (normally maximally inserted into the barrel). Then the end of the barrel (and/or nozzle, needle or the like extending therefrom) is dipped into the fluid and the plunger is pulled back to or towards a top position, thus pulling the fluid inside the tube. When the plunger is pulled back a partial vacuum is created in the tube resulting in pressure difference. Pressure inside the barrel is lower than atmospheric pressure hence fluid enters the tube to establish pressure equilibrium. When the plunger is pushed back to or towards the bottom, it exerts pressure on the fluid to cause it to exit the syringe.
Currently, syringes are in use wherein the amount to be taken has to be adjusted by the user. However, there is a huge failure rate with the dosing, for which reason users very often use the wrong amount of syrup (didn't read the instructions, not using the right amount according to the weight of a baby, handling problems etc.).
The present invention seeks to address problems with known syringes.


An absorbent article for pet includes: a liquid permeable top surface layer, a liquid impermeable back surface layer, and an absorbent core disposed between the top surface layer and the back surface layer; the absorbent article for pet being configured to be in a belt-like shape and to be fit wrapped around a waist of a pet, in which the absorbent core includes: a belt-like absorbent core main body that extends from the first end portion side to the second end portion side in the longitudinal direction LD of the absorbent article for pet; and a first extension portion that extends outwards in a width direction from a first side edge in a central portion in the longitudinal direction of the absorbent core main body.

Heretofore, a disposable diaper for pet used for a pet such as a dog and a cat has been proposed. Such a disposable diaper for pet catches the feces and urine of the pet by covering the anus and the urethral opening positioned between the bases of the hind legs when being fit.
Some types of pets (for example miniature dachshunds which are dogs having long torsos and short legs) may have the urethral opening further forward than a position between the bases of the hind legs. In addition, male dogs have the urethral opening further forward than female dogs. If the disposable diaper for pet is fit on pets having the urethral opening further forward than a position between the bases of the hind legs, the urethral opening may not be covered by the diaper and urine may leak.
Given this, an absorbent article for pet that is used in a state of being wrapped around a pet's waist is proposed, the absorbent article for pet including an absorbent core in a rectangular belt shape, a liquid permeable top sheet disposed on a first face of the absorbent core, and a liquid impermeable back surface sheet disposed on a second face of the absorbent core, and being configured in a rectangular shape (see for example Patent Document 1).
Such an absorbent article for pet configured in a rectangular shape can be fit to cover the urethral opening infallibly, regardless of the position thereof.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-20533


A reflector antenna includes a feed configured to always point during operation in a direction that opposes ingress of water into the feed, and a reflector having a truncated spherical reflecting surface, wherein a relative orientation of the reflector and the feed is adjustable. Another reflector antenna includes a feed configured to always point during operation in a direction that opposes ingress of water into the feed, and a reflector spaced apart from the feed by a focal length at least as great as a diameter of the reflector. Another reflector antenna includes a feed and a reflector having a truncated spherical reflecting surface, wherein the reflector is spaced apart from the feed by a focal length at least as great as a diameter of the reflector.

Many applications involve the use of reflector antennas. For example, satellite communications in frequency bands such as the Ka-band typically rely upon ground-based reflector antennas to transmit communication signals to and receive communication signals from orbiting satellites. Such satellites have either geosynchronous orbits (so that the orientation of the antenna may be fixed, always pointing at the satellite) or non-geosynchronous orbits (requiring the antenna to scan across the sky to track a satellite's path). A typical reflector antenna includes a reflector dish for reflecting signals from the satellite to a "feed" for signal reception, or for reflecting signals from the feed to the satellite for signal transmission.
For various reasons, including attenuation and field of view for example, reflector antennas are typically located outdoors, such as on building rooftops or at other locations often having high elevations. However, locating antennas outdoors poses various difficulties, including attenuation or signal loss when the antenna is exposed to rain. To attempt to protect the feed of a conventional antenna from rain and other deleterious exposure to the elements, the feed is typically surrounded by a "radome", i.e., a protective cover, typically composed of a dielectric (insulator) such as plastic, for example.


A method of combining optical signals from a plurality of optical fibers into a single optical signal includes receiving, at corresponding optical-signal receivers optically coupled to corresponding trunk fibers, respective optical signals. The method further includes determining, by the corresponding optical-signal receivers, when each respective optical signal is received. When the respective optical signal is received, the method includes performing the following steps: converting, by the corresponding optical-signal receiver, the respective optical signal to a corresponding electrical signal; transmitting, by the corresponding optical-signal receiver, the corresponding electrical signal to a corresponding input channel of an electrical-multiplexing device; and configuring the electrical-multiplexing device to select the corresponding input channel. Configuring the electrical-multiplexing device to select the corresponding input channel causes the electrical-multiplexing device to transmit the corresponding electrical signal to an electro-optical converter configured to convert the corresponding electrical signal back to the respective optical signal.

Fiber optic communication is an emerging technique for transmitting information from a source (transmitter) to a destination (receiver) using optical fibers as the communication channel. Fiber optic communications allow for the transmission of data over longer distances and at higher bandwidth than other forms of communications. Companies use optical fibers to transmit telephone signals, internet communication, and cable television signals. A passive optical network (PON) is a telecommunications technology used to provide fiber to the end consumer. A PON's distinguishing feature is that it implements a point-to-multipoint architecture, in which unpowered fiber optic splitters are used to enable a single optical fiber to serve multiple end-points. Passive optical networks are often referred to as the "last mile" between an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and customer.
A PON includes an optical line terminal (OLT) at the service provider's central office (hub) and a number of optical network units (ONUs) or optical network terminals (ONTs) near end users. A PON reduces the amount of fiber and central office equipment required compared with point-to-point architectures. In most cases, downstream signals (i.e., from OLT to ONU) are broadcast to all premises sharing multiple fibers. Upstream signals (i.e., from ONU to OLT) are combined using a multiple access protocol, usually time division multiple access (TDMA). Due to the topology of a PON, the transmission modes for downstream and upstream are different. For downstream transmission, the OLT broadcasts optical signal to all ONUs in continuous mode (CM). However, the use of CM by ONUs may result in the optical signals transmitted from the ONUs overlapping. Therefore, burst mode (BM) transmission is typically used for upstream channels. BM transmission mode requires the optical transmitter to turn on and off in a short time period. In BM, an ONU transmits optical packets when it is allocated a time slot and it has data to transmit.


A device adapted to be mounted, optionally removably, directly on wire and cable and indirectly thereon via cable ties and similar products, for the receipt of information or other indicia concerning the item to which the notator is attached or for the receipt of other information. The device includes a first indicia receiving portion and a second retainer portion for mounting the device on a substrate. An accessory engageable with one portion of the device or optionally built into that portion of the device includes a cable tie portion.

As computer proliferate throughout home and industry, users find they are adding more and more peripherals such as printers, modems, scanners, etc. All of these utilize both electrical cords as well as signal cables. In a single user environment, one can usually fairly easily trace the wires to find the ends, in order to determine which is the first of perhaps several printers and which is the modem etc. But in a multiuser environment, where many cables from many terminals lead to a single shared printer switch box; or in a multiroom hi-fi setup it is next to impossible to determine which are the leads to the living-room speakers, and which go to the master bedroom. These are but a few of the plethora of instances, where wire and cable tracing is either not practical or is difficult to employ.
There is a need therefore for a means to notate specific wires and cables with information as to their location or function. Technicians may conceive of using a Sanford Sharpie.TM. or similar pen to write on the wire, such a trick is impossible at locations wherein a large number of small wires are employed, none of which is greater than a 1/16th of-an-inch in diameter, and which oftentimes are black in color.
There are of course other situations that arise in our daily lives wherein it would be helpful to have indicia notations pertaining to that article for the purpose of giving warnings, limitations on use; directions and other information. For example wiring of differing voltages, such as 110 Volt AC versus 12 Volt DC; power lines versus speaker "cables" among others.
It is an object therefore of this invention to provide several versions of a device having two primary portions, one of which is for the reception of data and the other of which is a mounting means.
It is another object to provide an information notator that is integrated into and forms a part of a cable tie or similar device and as such is indirectly mountable on cable or wire.
It is a yet further object to provide an indicia notator whose first portion can be made in various sizes and configurations.
It is a further object to provide an information notator capable of bearing indicia thereupon and adapted to receive substrates therein, i.e., direct mounting.
These and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the device possessing the features, properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Information notator for wire, cable and cable ties


Systems, feeder devices and methods for moving particulate hot melt adhesive from an adhesive supply to an adhesive melter. A feeder device includes a body having an inlet and an outlet, and an interior communicating with the inlet and the outlet. The inlet is configured to receive particulate hot melt adhesive from an outlet of the adhesive supply, and the outlet is configured to provide particulate hot melt adhesive to an inlet of the adhesive melter. The feeder device further includes a mechanical agitator positioned in the interior for urging the particulate hot melt adhesive in a flow direction toward the outlet.

Hot melt adhesive systems have many applications in manufacturing and packaging. For example, thermoplastic hot melt adhesives are used for carton sealing, case sealing, tray forming, pallet stabilization, nonwoven applications including diaper manufacturing, and many other applications. Hot melt adhesives often come in the form of pellets or particulates and are contained in or provided from an adhesive supply, such as a tank or hopper. The hot melt adhesive pellets are heated and melted by a melter, and liquid hot melt adhesive is pumped to a dispenser, such as a dispensing gun or other applicator which applies the hot melt adhesive to a carton, case, or other objects or substrates. Hot melt adhesive, in its pre-melted state (referred to herein as "particulate" hot melt adhesive), can be provided in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from small bb-sized pieces, to larger sized pieces or chips, and still larger "pillows" that are several inches in dimension. Particulate hot melt adhesive must be moved from the adhesive supply to the melter, and the size and shape of the particulate hot melt adhesive and the construction of the adhesive supply and the melter can present challenges that affect this movement.
For example, air-driven, or pneumatic, feed systems use the force of flowing air to move particulate hot melt adhesive from an adhesive supply to a melter. In a known arrangement, a transfer hose connects the adhesive supply with the melter, and an air pump is operated to generate an air flow that moves particulate hot melt adhesive through the transfer hose from the adhesive supply to the melter. However, such pneumatic feed systems have a limit relative to the size of particulate hot melt adhesive they can transfer in a cost effective manner. Larger-dimension particulate hot melt adhesives, including larger pellets, chips, and pillows require a larger-diameter transfer hose than comparatively smaller-sized particulate hot melt adhesives, and also require greater air flow, which can necessitate using a higher performance air pump. In addition, the transfer hose typically connects with a lid on the melter, but heat generated by the melter is transferred to the lid and to adjacent portions of the transfer hose. Transferring heat to the lid and transfer hose can cause premature heating or melting of the hot melt adhesive before it reaches the melter. This can cause problems such as interference with the proper transfer of hot melt adhesive into the melter. Also, air-driven feed systems often include an air filter, which requires periodic replacement or cleaning, and therefore results in system downtime. Furthermore, large bins used as the adhesive supply in air-driven feed systems undesirably increase the overall floor space requirements of the system. In addition, the particulate hot melt adhesives in these large bins can become compacted and begin to stick together, forming larger clumps of particulate hot melt adhesive that are heavier and more difficult to transfer using an air-driven feed system. Further, larger clumps of particulate hot melt adhesive can cause blockages in the transfer hose, which interfere with transferring hot melt adhesive to the melter.
In addition, arrangements have been used where an adhesive supply is positioned directly above the heating elements of a melter, and the force of gravity causes the particulate hot melt adhesive to move downwardly through the adhesive supply to the melter. For example, a hopper can be positioned above the melter, with an outlet of the hopper being connected with an inlet of the melter, so that particulate hot melt adhesive in the hopper falls under its own weight through the outlet of the hopper and directly into the inlet of the melter. Such an arrangement can occupy a smaller footprint on a floor surface than the above-mentioned air-driven feed systems because the adhesive supply is not situated on a floor surface. However, because melters are heated systems, and because the hopper is directly above the melter, heat is transferred from the melter to the hopper, and the hopper becomes heated. Essentially, in such arrangements, the hopper acts as a chimney. Transferring heat to the hopper can cause premature heating or melting of the hot melt adhesive in the hopper, which can interfere with the efficient transfer of hot melt adhesive into the melter.
When feed systems are interrupted from transferring hot melt adhesive from an adhesive supply to a melter, the melter can be starved of new hot melt adhesive and the supply of liquid hot melt adhesive in the hot melt adhesive system can be diminished or completely depleted. This, as well as the other issues discussed above, contributes to downtime of the hot melt adhesive system.
There is a need, therefore, for feed systems for transferring particulate hot melt adhesive from an adhesive supply to a melter that address one or more of the drawbacks discussed above.

Hot melt systems, feeder devices and methods for moving particulate hot melt adhesive


Provided is an ion implantation apparatus including a disk which rotates about a first axis, a pad which is rotatable about a second axis on the disk, and on which a substrate is placed with a holder attached to a circumference of the substrate, the holder including a weight, fixing pins which are each fixedly provided on a portion on the disk around the pad, a sliding piece which slides, by its own centrifugal force, on the disk with a rotational movement of the disk and thereby clamps the holder in cooperation with the fixing pins, and an ion beam generator which irradiates the substrate with ion beams.

For semiconductor devices such as LSIs, various types of ion implantation are performed on semiconductor substrates for the purpose of forming impurity diffusion regions such as wells.
Ion implantation apparatuses for use in the ion implantation are roughly classified into single-wafer type apparatuses and batch type apparatuses. Among these apparatuses, the batch type apparatuses are capable of performing the collective ion implantation on multiple semiconductor substrates, and are hence more efficient than the single-wafer type apparatuses.
The batch type ion implantation apparatuses have a mechanism in which multiple semiconductor substrates are disposed on the periphery of a circular disk, and are irradiated with ion beams while the disk is rapidly rotated.
A clamping mechanism is provided on the disk in order to fix the semiconductor substrates on the disk. The clamping mechanism prevents the semiconductor substrates from dropping off from the disk during the ion implantation.
However, if the clamping mechanism is not correctly aligned with an orientation flat of the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate cannot be fitted into a predetermined position of the clamping mechanism. As a result, the semiconductor substrate may possibly be dropped off. Additionally, with such incorrect alignment, the clamping mechanism can exert only an insufficient force to fix the semiconductor substrates on the disk. Consequently, the semiconductor substrate sometimes drops off from the disk, soon after a rotation of the disk is started.
In addition, since an ion implantation direction is determined depending on an orientation of the orientation flat of the semiconductor substrate, the orientation flat of the semiconductor substrate needs to be correctly aligned with the disk in order to form the semiconductor device having predetermined electrical characteristics.
It should be noted that the technologies related to the present application are disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent publication No. Hei 7-335585, Japanese Laid-open Patent publication No. 2004-253756, and Japanese Laid-open Patent publication No. 2005-203726.

Ion implantation apparatus, substrate clamping mechanism, and ion implantation method


The interface between a telephone station device and a telecommunications system/network is digitized at a point at which a telephone call is originated such that signals generated by the device and other intelligence, e.g., voice or data signals, are formed into respective data packets. The data packets are then sent to the telecommunications system/network via a data network as they are so formed. Similarly, the intelligence contained in data packets received from the telecommunications system and destined for the telephone station device is converted into a form acceptable to the telephone station device.

For most of its history, telecommunications was limited to the provision of a single telecommunications "application"--so-called plain old telephone service, or POTS. Within the last thirty years or so, however, a wide array of new telecommunications applications have been introduced with yet others being planned for implementation within this decade and beyond. Thus the range of current and future telecommunications applications includes not only POTS, but facsimile, cash machine and lottery telecommunications applications, access to computers, video to the home, and telephone-network-based games, as well as a variety of features that can be implemented for various of the telecommunications applications, such as call waiting, calling number ID, and speed calling.
The aforementioned and other telecommunications applications are realized by such telecommunications "services" as basic voiceband switching, packet switching, message switching, frame relay, SMDS and call switching (such as the so-called asynchronous transfer mode, or ATM).
It is a straightforward matter to provide a subscriber location with access to different telecommunications applications by assigning to that location directory numbers supported by each of a plurality of so-called intelligent network element (INE) servers capable of supporting respective telecommunications applications. The telecommunications network's numbering plan will thereby cause calls directed to those various directory numbers to be routed to the appropriate INE server and, thence, to the appropriate terminal device, e.g., POTS telephone set, cash machine, video terminal or personal computer, at the subscriber location.

Telephone network local access using data messaging


The present invention relates to a supporting structure for a movable mirror of an interferometer, the supporting structure comprising a fixed frame (11), a movable frame (12) to which the movable mirror (42) is arranged to be attachable, and at least two flexible members (13), first ends of said members (13) being fastened to the fixed frame (11) and second ends of said members (13) being fastened to the movable frame (12) in such a way that the distance between fixing points of each flexible member (13) is essentially the same and the distance between the fixing points of the first ends essentially equals the distance between the fixing points of the second ends. The supporting structure comprises support members (16) attached to at least one side of at least two flexible members (13). The invention also relates to an interferometer and a method for reducing the tilting of a movable mirror of an interferometer.

In an interferometer, such as a Michelson-type interferometer, a light beam coming from a light source is split into two beams by a beamsplitter. The first beam travels to a fixed mirror and the second beam to a movable mirror. After being reflected, the beams recombine and interfere at the beamsplitter. The optical path difference, i.e. the difference in the optical path lengths travelled by the first and the second beam, results in a phase difference between the beams. By moving the movable mirror in the direction of the second light beam, the phase difference between the light beams changes. This change in phase difference modulates the intensity of the interference beam which is detected by a detector.
In order to achieve high accuracy, the plane of the reflective surface of the movable mirror must be aligned perpendicular to the direction of the light beam directed to it. The perpendicular alignment must also be maintained while the movable mirror is moving. In other words, the movable mirror should be moved in such a manner that the mirror does not tilt.
Various supporting structures for a movable mirror have been described. A well-known structure, an example of which is disclosed in the document US 2002/0149777 A1, comprises a movable frame to which the mirror and a voice coil are attached. The movable frame is connected to a fixed frame by two equal length flexible members. The upper ends of the flexible members are connected to the movable frame, and the lower ends of the flexible members to the fixed frame in such a manner that the spacing between the upper fixing points equals the spacing between the lower fixing points. A permanent magnet is arranged in connection with the voice coil. By adjusting the current fed into the voice coil the distance between the voice coil and the magnet changes, whereupon the movable frame moves.
Movement of the movable frame from its rest position forces the flexible members to bend from a straight line into an S-curve. A disadvantage is that the flexible members do not bend equally whereupon the position of the movable frame relative to the horizontal plane alters. This results in the tilting of the movable mirror which decreases the accuracy of the interferometer.

Supporting structure for a movable mirror, method for reducing the tilting of a movable mirror, and interferometer


A protecting element, comprising a first n+-type region, an insulating region, and a second n+-type region, is connected in parallel between two terminals of an FET. Since discharge across the first and second n+ regions is enabled, electrostatic energy that reaches the operating region of the FET can be attenuated without increasing the parasitic capacitance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a semiconductor device, in particular, a semiconductor device that is greatly improved in terms of the electrostatic breakdown voltage.
2. Description of the Related Art
The general consumer-use microwave device market, which began with the appearance of satellite broadcast receivers, has enlarged rapidly in scale with the worldwide spread of cellular phones and presently, the market for wireless broadband applications is about to emerge substantially. In these markets gallium arsenide (GaAs) devices, which are suited for microwave applications, and Si microwave devices, resulting from the making of conventional Si devices finer and arranging three-dimensional structures to achieve lower parasitic capacitance and lower parasitic resistance, are mainly used.
FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram of a compound semiconductor switching circuit device. The source electrodes (or drain electrodes) of first and second FET's, FET1 and FET2, are connected to a common input terminal IN, the gate electrodes of FET1 and FET2 are respectively connected to first and second control terminals Ctl-1 and Ctl-2 via resistors R1 and R2, and the drain electrodes (or source electrodes) of FET1 and FET2 are connected respectively to first and second output terminals OUT1 and OUT2. The control signals applied to the first and second control terminals Ctl-1 and Ctl-2 are complementary signals and the FET to which the H level signal is applied is made to turn ON and transmit the input signal applied to common input terminal IN to one of the output terminals. The resistors R1 and R2 are disposed for the purpose of preventing high-frequency signals from leaking via the gate electrodes to the DC potential of the control terminals Ctl-1 and Ctl-2 which are AC grounded.
FIG. 14 shows an example of a compound semiconductor chip designed by integrating this compound semiconductor switching circuit.
FET1 and FET2, which perform switching, are disposed at central parts of a GaAs substrate, and the resistors R1 and R2 are connected to the respective gate electrodes of the FET's. Also, pads, respectively corresponding to the common input terminal IN, the output terminals OUT1 and OUT2, and the control terminals Ctl-1 and Ctl-2, are disposed at peripheral parts of the substrate. A gate metal layer (Ti/Pt/Au) 20, which is formed at the same time as the forming of the gate electrodes of the respective FET's, is a second-layer wiring and indicated by dotted lines, and a pad metal layer (Ti/Pt/Au) 30, which connects the respective elements and form the pads, is a third-layer wiring, indicated by solid lines. An ohmic metal layer (AuGe/Ni/Au) of a first layer wiring, which is in ohmic contact with substrate, forms the source electrodes and drain electrodes of the respective FET's and take-out electrodes at the ends of the respective resistors, and this layer is not illustrated in FIG. 14 as it overlaps with the pad metal layer.
FET1, shown in FIG. 14, is formed in a rectangular operating region 12 that is surrounded by alternate long and short dash lines. The three third-layer pad metal layer 30 parts, which take on the form of comb teeth that extend from the lower side, are a source electrode 13 (or drain electrode) connected to output terminal OUT1, and below this is disposed a source electrode 14 (or drain electrode), formed by a first-layer ohmic metal layer 10. Also, the three third-layer pad metal layer 30 parts, which take on the form of comb teeth that extend from the upper side, are a drain electrode 15 (or source electrode), connected to common input terminal IN, and below this is disposed a drain electrode 14 (or source electrode), formed by the first-layer ohmic metal layer 10. These electrodes are disposed in the form of engaged comb teeth and a gate electrode 17, formed on an operating region 12 from the second-layer gate metal layer 20, is disposed in between in the form of five comb teeth. A central drain electrode 15 (or source electrode) that extends from the upper side is used in common by FET1 and FET2 to further contribute to size reduction. Here, that the gate width is 600 μm means that the total gate width of the comb-teeth-like gate electrode 17 of each FET is 600 μm.
As described above, with a conventional switching circuit device, no measures are taken in particular for protection against electrostatic breakdown.
FIG. 15 shows the results of measuring the electrostatic breakdown voltage of the switching circuit device shown in FIG. 14. Here, the electrostatic breakdown voltage is measured under the following conditions. That is, after applying a test voltage to the terminals of a test capacitor of 220 pF and thereby charging electricity in the test capacitor, the wiring for voltage application is cut off. Thereafter, the charged electricity in the test capacitor is discharged between the terminals of a tested element (FET) without resistance factor nor inductance factor inserted and whether or not the FET breaks down is measured. If the FET does not break down, the test is repeatedly carried out with the first application voltage being increased by 10V at a time, and the application voltage at which the FET breaks down is measured as the electrostatic breakdown voltage.
As is clear from this figure, since measures for improving the electrostatic breakdown voltage are not taken in the conventional art, the electrostatic breakdown voltage is the lowest and only 140 V between common input terminal IN and control terminal Ctl-1 and between common input terminal IN and control terminal Ctl-2.
Also, there is variation of the electrostatic breakdown voltage depending between which terminals the electrostatic breakdown voltage is measured. Though the specific mechanism that determines this electrostatic breakdown voltage is unclear, with a switching circuit device, the value of the minimum electrostatic breakdown voltage between two terminals is generally of the level of 100 V or less as mentioned above, and the finest care was required for handling. That is, the electrostatic breakdown voltage value for the terminals between which the electrostatic breakdown voltage is the minimum governs the electrostatic breakdown voltage of the element as a whole, and thus improvement of the electrostatic breakdown voltage between these terminals is the subject.
Besides, unlike other devices for audio, video and power supply applications, microwave communication devices are low in the internal Schottky junction or PN junction capacitance and these junctions are weak against static electricity.
Generally in order to protect a device against static electricity, a method, in which an electrostatic breakdown protecting diode is connected in parallel between the terminals of a PN junction or Schottky junction that is damaged readily by electrostatic discharge, in a device, may be considered. However, this method could not be applied to a microwave device since increased parasitic capacitance due to connection of a protecting diode causes degradation of the high-frequency characteristics.


An RFID system of the present invention has a plurality of antennas for reading data from an RFID tag; an antenna configuration storage unit for prestoring a position of each of the plurality of antennas; a position detection unit for detecting a position of the RFID tag; and an antenna control unit for selecting one or more of the antennas that read the RFID tag, based on the position of the RFID tag detected by the position detection unit and on the position of each of the plurality of antennas stored in the antenna configuration storage unit, and for preferentially activating the selected one or more of the antennas.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system and an RFID reading method for reading data from an RFID tag.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, it has become increasingly common to perform article management by attaching RFID tags on which data about articles is written, and reading data from those RFID tags. To ensure accurate article management, the requirement is that data must be accurately read from RFID tags.
Accordingly, as RFID systems for article management, multi-antenna systems that have a plurality of antennas for reading data from RFID tags have recently come into use (see JP-A-2002-074279 and JP-A-2002-356227). In addition, multi-reader systems that connect an RFID reader to each of the plurality of antennas are also beginning to be applied.
An RFID system having a plurality of antennas reads data from RFID tags by switching the antennas at regular intervals.
However, a problem is that the reading rate for RFID tags can decrease depending on the position of RFID tags attached to articles or the like.


A supply manifold (10) and a transmitter supporting block (11, 11a, 11b) are combined into a pressure transmitter supporting modular unit such that when maintenance or cleaning of the system is to be carried out, the pressure transmitter or transmitters can be removed together with the supporting block (11, 11a, 11b) to keep inlet section of the transmitter(s) protected from mechanical impacts or the like. The supporting block with the transmitter(s) can then be placed back after the servicing, rodding or the like of the system, without the need for time consuming realignment of the elements and without the danger of damaging the pressure transmitter as mentioned above. Three different embodiments of the supporting block (11, 11a, 11b) are described for use in the modular unit of the invention.

The present invention relates to is a modular manifold system which has been developed to mount directly to pressure transmitters of both coplanar and biplanar types.
It is known to provide five valve manifolds with an integral body having the shape of a rectangular prism. They are typically provided with two block valves for selectively blocking or opening the input of the high and low pressure process fluid into the manifold. The high and low pressure process fluid is directed to a transmitter from which the pressure differential is monitored and transmitted. Disposed within the same body is a pair of vent valves used when it is desired to flush the ducts of the manifold with a flushing fluid usually delivered from the high or from the low pressure duct to the transmitter. With the vent valves selectively open or closed, the flow of the flushing liquid is manipulated.
Flushing of the ducts of a manifold system is an important operation in maintaining the system operative and accurate. However, after a period of operation, the length of which depends on the nature of the process fluid and other conditions, flushing is no longer sufficient and rodding (mechanical scraping) of sediments off inside walls of the passageways is required where such sediments may be difficult or impossible to remove by flushing.
An object of the present invention is to advance pressure transmitter manifold systems by producing a manifold system which allows for improved serviceability, a reduction in the number of valves required to operate the manifold system, a reduction in the number of separate components required by existing systems, a reduction in the number of potential leak points, minimizes environmental and safety hazards by allowing for the capture of toxic fluids released either through flushing of the manifold system or venting of the manifold system, improved economy and improved transmitter accuracy and response.
During the operation of differential pressure measuring installations there may be a requirement to service the orifice taps, the manifold, the passages connecting the orifice taps and the manifold or the pressure transmitter.
With respect to the pressure transmitter there may be a requirement to calibrate, test and repair the instrument. In some cases the pressure transmitter is best serviced in the controlled environment of an instrument shop, rather than in field. To accomplish this the transmitter itself, or the transmitter manifold assembly, must be removed from the field installation. The present invention is modular in nature. This permits the process fluid supply manifold to remain in service, while the support block of the manifold system, that portion directly connected to the pressure transmitter, is removed from service. The process fluid can be blocked by the process fluid supply manifold which remains in place, thus eliminating the need to provide additional block valves or to entirely shut down the process fluid flow.
The support block of the manifold system, remains connected to the pressure transmitter. This maintains the seal integrity between the pressure transmitters and the manifold, which, as some transmitter manufacturers recommend, permits precise assembly procedures and rigorous testing for the seal connection and represents a significant advantage. This seal is delicate in nature and not easily remade under field conditions. It is best left undisturbed. In the case of coplanar type transmitters, the support block also protects the delicate process isolator foils while the pressure transmitter is removed from its' installation for calibration or repair. Calibration, testing and repairs to the pressure transmitter can be conveniently carried out under controlled shop conditions, rather than in the field, with the support block attached to the transmitter.
Existing modular manifold systems were all developed for the industry standard pressure sensor spacing of 2.125" and as such could not mount directly to coplanar type transmitters with pressure sensor spacings of 1.3". The existing systems required the use of adapter flanges or plates. The present invention eliminates the need for such adapter components, thereby reducing the number of components and potential leak points.
The connection between the process fluid supply manifold and the support block is made by two couplings. The couplings incorporate an easily remakeable seal, which is shielded and protected by the coupling itself. The couplings can be readily connected and disconnected under field conditions, numerous times, without requiring the sealing gaskets to be replaced. The couplings are robust and rigid to allow the entire manifold system to be self supporting.
Another aspect of the operation of pressure measuring installations is servicing the manifold system and the various connecting passages, especially the passages connecting the orifice taps to the manifold. The nature of certain process fluids is such that the internal passages, particularly at the orifice taps, may become clogged or plugged. The passages from the process fluid source to the pressure transmitter must be open and clear for the process fluid pressures to be accurately monitored. The present invention allows for the internal passages to be kept open and clear.
These passages are maintained by rodding. Rodding is an operational practice which involves pushing an appropriately sized rod through the passages to remove any clogs or debris. The support block, after it is isolated from the process by the block valves, is removed from the connecting couplings to allow access to the manifold passages through the process supply manifold. The connecting couplings have been designed to allow the easy attachment of a pressure retaining rodding tool. The rodding tool is then inserted through the coupling connectors and into the manifold passages. The passages can be rodded through the block valves and back to the orifice taps.
The known manifolds have the disadvantage that they cannot be rodded due to the complex, tortuous passageway of the conduits through the manifold. Prior art known to the present applicant includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,628 (Nimberger) which shows a pressure signal instrument and manifold having a modular structure. Viewed from the standpoint of the present invention, the transmitter is mounted on the manifold so that the rodding of the manifold would probably require removal of the transmitter exposing the inlet face to possible damage. The arrangement does not allow efficient and convenient flushing as it is not adapted to be quickly connected to a source of flushing liquid independent of the process fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,246 (Conley et al.) shows that it is known to provide a rodding tool. U.S. Pat. No. 5,313,985 (Donner) shows that it is known to provide a modular assembly of manifolds.

c/o Century Valve & Machine Ltd., 1915-30th Avenue N.E.


A recording medium reproducing apparatus capable of accommodating a plurality of recorded media and exchanging a recorded medium even during the reproduction of another recorded medium, the apparatus being made easy to use. A stocker accommodates a plurality of recorded medium holders for holding a recording medium. A first transport unit transports the recorded medium holder between the inside of the stocker and the outside of an apparatus housing. A second transport unit transports the recorded medium holder between the inside of the stocker and a reproduction unit. The stocker is moved up and down in order to align the position of the recorded medium holder with the position of the first or second transport unit. When the recorded medium holder is transports from the outside of the housing to the inside of the stocker, a presence/absence of a recorded medium is detected by a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. A controller stores information of a presence/absence of a recorded medium at each stage of the stocker. If the second transport unit instructs to transport the recorded medium holder not holding a recorded medium to the reproducing unit, the controller neglects this instruction.

As a conventional recorded medium reproducing apparatus having a recorded medium exchanger, a disk reproducing apparatus such as shown in FIG. 22 disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 4-38673 is known in which a stocker houses a plurality of carriers each capable of placing a disk thereon and is raised or lowered by stocker transport means to a height at which a desired carrier is pulled out by a tray. Namely, the stocker is moved by a distance corresponding to the number of shelves for housing carriers.
The tray is transported between a load position shown in FIGS. 22(a) and 22(b) and an eject position shown in FIGS. 22(c). As shown in FIG. 22(a), the carrier having a desired disk placed thereon is pulled out on the tray at the load position, and the disk is clamped by clamping means to reproduce the disk as shown in FIG. 22(b).
As the tray with the carrier moves from the position shown in FIG. 22(a) to the position shown in FIG. 22(c), the carrier on the tray is exposed to the outside of the apparatus housing. In this state, the disk on the carrier is exchanged or a new disk is placed on the carrier. As the tray with the carrier moves from the position shown in FIG. 22(c) to the position shown in FIG. 22(a) and the carrier on the tray is moved back to the stocker, the disk can be exchanged or a new disk can be added to the apparatus. This disk reproducing apparatus is advantageous over a conventional disk reproducing apparatus with an exchanger in that a disk magazine is not used. The disk magazine is expensive, and if it is dismounted from the apparatus and placed at a different position, it takes some time to locate this disk magazine. This is inconvenient to use.
However, this disk reproducing apparatus disclosed in the above-described Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 4-38673 has only one means for pulling a carrier out of the stocker. Therefore, a disk in the stocker cannot be exchanged during the reproduction when the carrier is at the position of reproducing means.
The invention has been made under the above circumstances. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recorded medium reproducing apparatus capable of accommodating a plurality of recorded media and exchanging a recorded medium in a stocker even during the reproduction of another recorded medium, the apparatus being made easy to use and preventing unnecessary operations.
A recorded medium reproducing apparatus of this invention comprises: a recorded medium holder for holding a recorded medium; a stocker capable of accommodating the recorded medium holder; reproducing means for reproducing a recorded medium; first transport means for transporting the recorded medium holder between the inside of the stocker and the outside of an apparatus housing; second transport means for transporting the recorded medium holder between the inside of the stocker and a reproduction position; positioning means for determining a relative position between the recorded medium holder in the stocker and the first or second transport means; recorded medium detecting means for detecting whether a recorded medium is accommodated in the stocker; first instructing means for instructing to operate the first transport means; second instructing means for instructing to operate the second transport means; and control means for controlling to operate the first transport means if the first instructing means instructs to transport the recorded medium holder not holding a recording medium and not to operate the second transport means if the second instructing means instructs to transport the recorded medium holder not holding a recording medium.
According to the recorded medium reproducing apparatus of this invention, even while the second transport means transports the recorded medium from the stocker to the recorded medium reproducing means and the recorded medium is reproduced, the positioning means aligns the position of a desired recorded medium holder with the position of the first transport means and the recorded medium holder is transported between the inside of the stocker and the outside of the housing. It is therefore possible to exchange recorded media or add a new recorded medium.
Even if the second instructing means instructs to transport the recorded medium holder in the stocker not holding a recorded medium, the second transport means is not operated. Therefore, the recorded medium reproducing apparatus becomes easy to use and prevents unnecessary operations.

Reproducing apparatus for recorded medium


A diagnostic assay system for accelerating reagent reactions comprising a base portion receiving a disposable cartridge and a cover portion moveably mounted to the base such that the disposable cartridge may be installed and removed from the base portion. The disposable cartridge includes at least one assay chamber for receiving an assay fluid, and a cartridge body including a syringe barrel operative to move assay fluids into and out of the assay chambers. The diagnostic assay system also includes a heater proximal the at least one fluid assay-containing cavity, operational when the cover portion is in a closed position and configured to heat the assay fluid in one of the assay chambers to accelerate reagent reactions in the disposable cartridge.

There is continuing interest to improve testing methodologies, facilitate collection and decrease the time associated with clinical laboratories. Particular testing requires that a sample be disrupted to extract nucleic acid molecules such as DNA or RNA.
The number of diagnostic tests performed annually has increased exponentially in the past decade. The use of molecular diagnostics and gene sequencing in research and medical diagnostics is also rapidly growing. For example, DNA testing has also exploded in view of the growing interest in establishing and tracking the medical history and/or ancestry of a family. Many, if not all of these assays, could benefit from a rapid sample preparation process that is easy to use, requires no operator intervention, is cost effective and is sensitive to a small sample size.
Sample collection and preparation is a major cost component of conducting real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), gene sequencing and hybridization testing. In addition to cost, delays can lead to the spread of infectious diseases, where time is a critical component to its containment/abatement. In addition to delaying the test results, such activities divert much-needed skilled resources from the laboratory to the lower-skilled activities associated with proper collection, storage and delivery.
For example, a portable molecular diagnostic system could be operated by minimally trained personnel (such as described in US 2014/0099646 A1) and have value with regard to disease surveillance. However, the adoption of such portable systems can be limited/constrained by current methods of sample collection, which require trained personnel to permit safe and effective handling of blood/food/biological samples for analysis. Other limitations relate to: (i) the ability of injected/withdrawn fluids to properly flow, (ii) manufacturability, (iii) cross-contamination of assay fluids which may influence the veracity of test results, (iv) proper admixture of assay fluids to produce reliable test results, and (v) the ability or inability to introduce catalysts to speed the time of reaction,
A need, therefore, exists for an improved disposable cartridge for use in combination with a portable molecular diagnostic/assay system which facilitates/enables the use of minimally-trained personnel, hands-off operation (once initiated), repeatable/reliable test results across multiple assay samples (e.g., blood, food, other biological samples) and an ability to cost effectively manufacture the disposable cartridge for the diagnostic assay system.

System for accelerating reagent reactions in a disposable cartridge


A method for assembling a gas turbine engine includes coupling a rotor assembly including a plurality of rotor blades about a rotatable main shaft of the gas turbine engine. The main shaft is aligned in an axial direction of the gas turbine engine. A shroud assembly is coupled to the gas turbine engine. The shroud assembly includes a plurality of shroud segments circumferentially coupled about the rotor assembly such that a shroud spacing gap is formed in the axial direction between adjacent shroud segments. A cooling fluid source is coupled to each shroud segment such that cooling fluid is channeled through each shroud segment into a corresponding shroud spacing gap to facilitate positive purge flow through the shroud spacing gap.

This invention relates generally to gas turbine engines and, more particularly, to a turbine shroud assembly for gas turbine engines.
Many conventional turbine shroud assemblies utilize cooling fluid flow across or between shroud segments to facilitate cooling of the shroud segments. During gas turbine engine operation, the shroud segments thermally expand in a circumferential direction due to exposure to high temperatures associated with the engine operation. This thermal expansion results in a decrease in spacing between adjacent shroud segments. As the spacing between adjacent shroud segments decreases, the amount of cooling fluid flow also decreases. The decrease in cooling fluid flow prevents or limits cooling of the shroud segment faces and ultimately results in shroud segment distress, particularly at the circumferential end faces of the shroud segments. Further, such shroud segment distress may result in spallation of a ceramic shroud coating.

Turbine shroud assembly and method for assembling a gas turbine engine


Methods for manufacturing a semiconductor device include forming a seed layer containing a silicon material on a substrate. An amorphous silicon layer containing amorphous silicon material is formed on the seed layer. The amorphous silicon layer is doped with an impurity. A laser beam is irradiated onto the amorphous silicon layer to produce a phase change of the amorphous silicon layer and change the amorphous silicon layer into a single-crystal silicon layer based on the seed layer.

The present invention relates to semiconductor (integrated circuit) devices, and more particularly, to methods of manufacturing a semiconductor device including doping a silicon layer.
In general, semiconductor materials may be classified as single crystal, polycrystal and amorphous. A single crystal material is a material formed of a one crystal structure, a polycrystal material is a material formed to have a multi-crystal structure, and an amorphous material is a material formed of an irregular atom array, not a crystal structure.
A polycrystal generally has plural crystal structure with many grain boundaries. Such grain boundaries may interfere with movement and control of carriers, such as an electron, a hole or the like As such, an electrical characteristic if such a structure may be degraded.
A single crystal has a single crystal structure that generally has almost no grain boundary. Thus, this structure may not influence the movement and control of carriers and may provide improved electrical characteristic as compared with the polycrystal structure. In a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor (TFT) or the like having a stack structure and/or in a semiconductor device including a multilayer structure, such as a system on chip (SOC) or the like, a channel layer may be formed of single crystal material, and a single-crystal silicon thin film is generally used as a thin film to form the active area.
A method for forming a single-crystal silicon thin film is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,105.
In some known methods of forming a single crystal thin film, an insulation layer pattern having an opening is formed on a single crystal substrate and a seed thin film of single crystal structure is formed in the opening through a selective epitaxial growth. An amorphous silicon thin film is then formed on the insulation layer pattern having the seed thin film and a heat treatment is performed on the amorphous silicon thin film. As a result, the amorphous silicon thin film has a phase change from the heat treatment, which changes the amorphous silicon thin film into a single-crystal silicon thin film.
The heat treatment is generally performed using a laser beam. The laser beam is projected onto the amorphous silicon thin film to heat the amorphous silicon thin film and change the amorphous silicon thin film into a single-crystal silicon thin film through a phase change. This may be referred to as laser induced epitaxial growth (LEG).
When a laser beam is irradiated onto the amorphous silicon thin film, protrusions are typically formed on the surface of the silicon at a crystallizing time, as a result of which an ablation defect, where a thickness of the thin film becomes excessively thinned, may occur between the protrusions.
FIG. 1 illustrates an image of an ablation defect measured on the surface of a single-crystal silicon thin film formed using conventional LEG. As shown in FIG. 1, the ablation defect of excessively thinned film is formed on the silicon thin film crystallized by the LEG. In such an ablation defect portion, a state of face is not even and devices typically cannot be formed thereon. Further, in forming the device, a defect may occur and a rapid drop of yield may be caused. Thus, both an increase of error occurrences on products may be caused and productivity may be lowered.

Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices including a doped silicon layer


Methods, systems and devices for communicating between a host optical systems controller and an optical subcontroller. A database residing in the optical subcontroller contains multiple possible valid command identifiers which define the format of any data following the command identifiers. Each device is equipped with a copy of the database. Each command identifier can be paired with a different action for a different device based on the database mapping. These command identifiers are sent from the host to the subcontroller with each command denoting a specific action to be taken by the subcontroller. Upon receipt of the command message, the subcontroller will determine the interpretation of a command identifier contained in the command message and execute the action associated with that command identifier. The subcontroller will then send a response message back to the host controller indicating the success or failure of the action denoted by the command identifier.

The recent increase in reliance on optical communication systems and optical networking has led to major developments in the field of optical devices and their control systems. Recently there has been a move towards the development of network control systems for optical devices. Essentially this means that a host optical system controller is networked with a multitude of optical subsystem controllers (referred to as subcontrollers). Each subcontroller directly controls at least one optical device. Clearly this development requires that methods of communication between the host controller and the subcontroller be developed. Unfortunately, as it stands there is no generic communications protocol between a host optical system controller and its subcontroller. Because of this, manufacturers have had to develop their own in-house protocols leading to a lack of compatibility between the products of different manufacturers. Not only that, but these in-house protocols are not upwardly nor downwardly compatible in that a new system's protocol will only work with that system's devices. It cannot work with legacy devices nor with devices that are subsequently developed. Unfortunately, this leads to higher development costs for systems in terms of both time and resources as each new system will have to be re-engineered to work with legacy devices.
It should also be noted that the current developments in the field of optical devices have given rise to electronically reconfigurable devices. Lasers, tunable filters, switches, and other optical devices can now be reconfigured on demand to more efficiently transfer or route optical channels. Real-time control of these devices has led to better control and more efficient use of resources. As an example, a diode laser operating at 980 nm can now be controlled in real time to provide the proper amount of amplification needed by channels passing through a system. A tunable add/drop filter can be requested, in real-time, to add or drop a particular channel or service to arrive at a specific and desired result. This real-time capability of current optical devices is well suited to the use of subcontroller which provide an interfere between the electrical/computer side of a control system and the electrical/optical device side of physical optical devices.
Since subcontrollers receive control data at one end and translate this into specific optical settings, a common data interface and protocol between these controllers would be particularly advantageous. Such a development would simplify the control scheme and allow interoperability between devices from different vendors. Furthermore, using a networking framework for such a control scheme would allow the migration of formerly network based technologies into the optical device control arena. And last, but not least, the interchangeability between optical devices attached to a subcontroller would speed device and device interface standardization in the optical device industry.
From the above, it is clear that there is a need for a communications protocol or a method of communicating between host and subcontrollers that is not only robust but can service the needs of not only legacy but also of future devices.

Method of simple control and management of reconfigurable fiber optic devices


The invention relates to a brake booster with a short operating travel, in which the three-way valve comprises a mobile valve seat borne by a sleeve (54). The movement of this sleeve is controlled by the piston. According to the invention, there is an elastic device (70) applying force to the sleeve (54) in the direction of the front of the booster, and tending to move this sleeve forward with respect to the pneumatic piston (12). In addition, there is a device for transmitting the pressure of the master cylinder (120) to the sleeve (54) and that tends to apply a rearward force to the sleeve (54).

The invention relates to a brake booster and more specifically to a rapid actuation brake booster that can be applied in particular to motor vehicles.
In automotive braking systems, there is generally a perceptible dead travel at the start of braking when the brake pedal is actuated and during which the driver depresses the brake pedal without any hydraulic pressure being induced effectively in the vehicle braking circuit.
There are systems in existence that are able to reduce this dead travel. Such is the case, for example, of the system described in French Patent Application FR 2 856 363.
This system comprises, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2:
a casing 2, of longitudinal axis X, containing a skirt 6 mounted such that it can slide axially in a sealed manner in the casing and which delimits a low-pressure first chamber 8 known as the front chamber and a variable-pressure second chamber 10 known as the rear chamber,                a piston 12 secured to the skirt 6,        a three-way valve 26 which, under the control of a control rod 28, can be used to isolate the front and rear chambers from one another, to place them in communication with one another, or to place the rear chamber at a higher pressure with respect to the low pressure such as atmospheric pressure,        a sleeve 54 sliding axially inside the piston 12, an annular face 48 of this sleeve acting as a first valve seat, known as the equalizing seat, for the three-way valve 26,        a slide valve plunger 32 that has an annular face 50 acting as a second valve seat, known as the intake valve seat, for the three-way valve 26,        a key 84 running at right angles to the axis X through two diametrically opposed openings 86 in the piston and two diametrically opposed slots 88 in the sleeve 54. The key 84 is mounted fixedly in the pneumatic piston 12.
The way in which a booster such as this works is as follows:
In the rest position (FIGS. 1 and 2), the valve shutter 46 is lifted off the first valve seat or equalizing seat 48 (borne by the sleeve 54) and places the front chamber 8 in communication with the rear chamber 10. The valve shutter 46 presses against the intake valve second seat 50 thus isolating the rear chamber from atmospheric pressure.
At the start of a braking phase, when the driver depresses the brake pedal, the control rod 28 is moved axially forward, the valve shutter 46 then comes to press against the first valve seat 48, isolating the rear chamber from the front chamber, and lifts off the second seat 50 and allows air at atmospheric pressure to be supplied to the rear chamber. Because of the pressure difference between the front chamber and the rear chamber, the skirt 6 and the piston 12 are made to move forward. The first valve seat 48 borne by the sleeve 54 is immobile while the clearance C between the key 84 and the front end of the second slots 88 is not closed up.
The spring 58 keeps the sleeve 54 in a determined axial position relative to the casing of the booster as long as the piston 12 has not covered a determined travel C (FIG. 2). The hydraulic piston of the master cylinder is pushed by the pneumatic piston, which itself carries along the auxiliary piston 126 which moves away from the sensor feeler. Once the pressure in the master cylinder is high enough for the auxiliary piston 126 to be able to overcome the jump spring 128, the auxiliary piston is pushed back toward the sensor feeler until it comes into contact therewith and then passes the reaction on from the hydraulic circuit to the brake pedal.
When the pneumatic piston 12 has covered the travel C (see FIG. 2), the front face 100 of the key 84 which is fixed relative to the pneumatic piston comes to bear against the front end of the slots 88 of the sleeve. The sleeve is then axially connected with the movement of the piston. The valve shutter 46 comes into contact with the intake valve seat 50 and interrupts the supply of air at atmospheric pressure to the rear chamber. The driver then has to depress the brake pedal further in order to increase the intensity of braking.
The travel C is preferably chosen such that it corresponds to the dead travel of the master cylinder, that is to say to the travel that the hydraulic piston has to cover within the master cylinder in order to begin to cause the pressure of the brake fluid to rise in the brakes. As a result, the driver feels through the pedal only the travel needed to close the equalizing valve and open the intake valve and does not perceive the dead travel of the master cylinder. Driver comfort is thus improved, because the driver has the impression of immediate braking.
Thereafter, the system enters the actual braking phase.
In a system such as this it is found that there is a peak load that has to be applied to the pedal when the key 84 has covered the travel C and comes into contact with the front end of the slots 88 of the sleeve 54. The object of the invention is to attenuate this transition which is perceivable at the brake pedal.
One subject of the invention is therefore a brake booster comprising:
a casing of longitudinal axis,
a skirt and pneumatic piston assembly mounted such that it can slide in a sealed manner in the casing along the longitudinal axis, said skirt-piston assembly dividing the interior space of the casing into a low-pressure front chamber and a variable-pressure rear chamber,
a three-way valve actuated by a control rod mounted in a longitudinal passage pierced in the pneumatic piston, said control rod being connected via a first longitudinal end to a brake pedal,
a slide valve plunger able to move, in said piston, along said longitudinal axis under the control of a second end of said control rod, said slide valve plunger allowing the force of the control rod to be applied to a hydraulic piston of a master cylinder, said skirt-piston assembly transmitting a pneumatic boost force to the hydraulic piston of the master cylinder,
a sleeve mounted such that it can slide in a sealed manner in the pneumatic piston along said longitudinal axis over a determined travel.
The three-way valve comprises a first and a second valve seat, and a valve shutter intended to be pressed against the first and/or the second valve seat. The first valve seat is borne by a first longitudinal end of the sleeve. The second valve seat is borne by a first longitudinal end of the slide valve plunger.
According to the invention, the booster also comprises:
an elastic device bearing, on the one hand, against a front face of the piston and, on the other hand, against a shoulder of the sleeve. This elastic device tends to exert a forward force on the sleeve relative to the piston,
a device for transmitting the pressure of the master cylinder to the sleeve which tends to apply a rearward force to the sleeve.
Provision will advantageously be made for the elastic device to comprise a first spring.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the device for transmitting the pressure of the master cylinder comprises an auxiliary piston coaxial with the primary piston of the master cylinder. This auxiliary piston is intended to apply a force to the sleeve via the device that transmits the pressure of the master cylinder. Advantageously, this transmission device comprises a second spring.
According to this embodiment, provision may be made for the second spring to be contained between a first washer that bears against a shoulder of the auxiliary piston and a second washer that bears against a front shoulder of the sleeve.
Furthermore, according to the invention, means are provided for limiting the movement of the sleeve with respect to the pneumatic piston. In this context, the pneumatic piston may then comprise an end-stop shoulder and the sleeve may comprise a travel-limiting component intended to butt against said end-stop shoulder in order to limit the travel of the sleeve inside the piston of the booster.
Provision may also be made for the position of the travel-limiting component on the sleeve to be axially adjustable.
Furthermore, there may also be a bearing piece which bears against the casing of the booster and which has a first part that penetrates an opening in the pneumatic piston and against which this piston is intended to bear, and a second part which enters an opening in the sleeve and which is intended to limit the forward movement of the sleeve when the booster is at rest.
Advantageously, the load of the first spring is lower than the load of the second spring.
One exemplary embodiment of the device of the invention will therefore be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Motor vehicle rapid braking brake booster


A system (method and apparatus) for verifying/identifying a person based on contour of the knuckle surface of at least one hand, e.g. a digitized waveform unique to each individual. At an Enrollment Station a microcomputer is connected to a device for identifying the knuckle surface profile (e.g. a video camera or electromechanical contour sensing device). A candidate user grasps a grip handle, preferably vertically oriented, on the apparatus, positioning a fist before a viewing window and activating the device to scan or assess the fist and generate a contour of the user's knuckle surface contour. User's data comprises a knuckle contour, an assigned PIN, and optionally, information such as user's name, bank ID number, Social Security Number, and access restrictions. User's data may be stored as a profile (template) in an ID card, and/or in a master database containing data of all authorized users in a guarded system.

As explained in the parent application, numerous biometric hand geometry methods exist or have been proposed for verifying the identity of persons. Each method has its drawbacks. The patent literature describes numerous forms of hand geometry apparatus which generally use guides (e.g. posts, grooves, raised plates) to physically constrain the hand and fingers into prescribed positions which are not user friendly. The present invention stems from work to develop an apparatus, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,950 issued 17 Dec., 1991 and assigned to the assignee of this application, which relies on measuring length, width and shape (contour) of four fingers. The present invention is also an improvement on grip-type hardware disclosed in the parent application.
To avoid using physical restraints, such as guide posts, that patented apparatus uses a mathematical algorithm is disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,950 and used to realign or normalize the images of the four fingers to for differences in finger spread and palm orientation between the template image and the profile image, as defined below. While this normalizing or remapping process is effective, to the great relief of the users, the computational overhead can cause a delay of several seconds in the accept/reject (decision) time. This limits the apparatus to low traffic applications. A desire to avoid forcing the fingers into awkward positions, and to avoid mathematically remapping the finger images, gave rise to the present invention. The decreased and simplified verification time results in a system usable in high traffic applications.
The novel system (method and apparatus) described herein can prevent an unauthorized individual from gaining access to a restricted zone. It also can prevent an imposter from fraudulently transacting business by posing as another person.

Knuckle profile identity verification system

Personal Information & Entry Access Control, Incorporated


A galvanomagnetic position sensor (36, 18) wherein a single die MR sensor (22, 22xe2x80x2) senses the rotation of an end face (14) of a motor shaft (12) which is made of a ferromagnetic material and generates three sinusoidal voltage signals with 120 degree phase shifts. In a first implementation, an MR die incorporating a plurality of matched pie-shaped MR elements (MR1, MR2, MR3, MR4, MR5, MR6) collectively form a circular area. When the motor shaft rotates, a tooth (18) of the end face sweeps past the MR elements resulting in resistance modulation of each MR element between a maximum resistance and a minimum resistance whereby three sinusoidal voltage signals spaced 120 degrees apart are provided, via OpAmps (AMP1, AMP2, AMP3) or voltage dividers and OpAmps (AMP1xe2x80x2, AMP2xe2x80x2). From these voltage signals the shaft rotative position is known. In a second implementation of the present invention, the single MR sensor consists of an MR die (22xe2x80x3) wherein each of a plurality of MR elements (23xe2x80x3) consists of three interdigitated electrically isolated MR segments collectively forming a circular area, wherein OpAmps are obviated and the sensor circuit is totally passive.

The present invention relates to galvanomagnetic position sensing of a rotating shaft.
It is well known in the art that the voltage modulation of Hall elements or the resistance modulation of magnetoresistors can be employed in position and speed sensors with respect to moving magnetic materials or objects (see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,835,467, 4,926,122, and 4,939,456). In such applications, the magnetoresistor (MR) is biased with a magnetic field and electrically excited, typically, with a constant current source or a constant voltage source. A magnetic (i.e., ferromagnetic) object moving relative, and in close proximity, to the MR, such as a tooth, produces a varying magnetic flux density through the MR, which, in turn, varies the resistance of the MR. The MR will have a higher magnetic flux density and a higher resistance when a tooth is adjacent to the MR than when a slot is adjacent to the MR.
Increasingly more sophisticated spark timing and emission controls introduced the need for crankshaft sensors capable of providing precise position information during cranking. Various combinations of magnetoresistors and single and dual track toothed or slotted wheels (also known as encoder wheels and target wheels) have been used to obtain this information (see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,570,016, 5,714,883, 5,731,702, and 5,754,042).
The crank position information is encoded on a rotating target wheel in the form of teeth and slots. Virtually all such sensors are of the magnetic type, either variable reluctance or galvanomagnetic (e.g. Hall generators or magnetoresistors). Galvanomagnetic sensors are becoming progressively most preferred due to their capability of greater encoding flexibility and speed independent output signals.
Furthermore, virtually all brushless motors require rotor position sensors to operate. The simplest and most common method of sensing rotor position is by means of an arrangement of three individual Hall sensors. These sensors have to be placed at specific locations on the motor stator periphery, and spaced 120 degrees from each other. In addition, they provide only a very basic commutation signal. If more precise motor control and operation are required, then an additional high-resolution sensor is also needed.
Siemens Corporation disclosed in a 1982/83 data book a noncontact differential MR sensor for detecting shaft rotation position. In this disclosure, a pair of rectangularly shaped and parallel arranged MRs are located adjacent to, and axially aligned with, the end of a rotating shaft, wherein the shaft has a rectangular permanent magnet mounted thereto which covers a portion of the end of the shaft. With 360 degrees of rotation of the shaft, the permanent magnet controls the MR sensor (part FP212L100) to generate a single sine-like output signal. This output signal has low accuracy due to the limited range of angular position resolution that a single sine curve can provide. This low accuracy limits the usefulness of this sensor for motor control applications.
Therefore, what remains needed is a simple and inexpensive noncontact sensor which provides high resolution rotor position at all times.
The present invention provides a galvanomagnetic position sensor, wherein a single die MR sensor senses the rotation of the end face of a motor shaft having a magnetic irregularity (as for example a semicircular ferromagnetic tooth) and generates at least two periodically varying voltage signals having a predetermined phase spacing therebetween (as for example three sinusoidal signals with 120 degree phase shifts). In addition, disclosed is a unique MR die configuration for this sensor, and the appropriate sensor interface circuit therefor.
In a first implementation of the present invention, the single MR sensor consists of an MR die incorporating a plurality of matched pie-shaped MR elements collectively forming a circular area. Structurally, the MR die consists of a plurality of electrically independent pie shaped segments, each characterized by a magnetosensitive material. In the first implementation of the present invention, the segments are by way of example composed of indium antimonide (InSb) epitaxial film mesas, or film mesas of another suitable magnetosensitive material. The techniques to fabricate the MR elements is elaborated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,557, issued Oct. 6, 1992 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,106, issued Feb. 2, 1993, both of which being hereby incorporated by reference herein.
It is preferable that the MR elements be matched to each other and that the geometry of the MR elements be such that the magnitude of the increase of the resistance of one MR element is the same as the magnitude of the decrease in resistance of a diametrically opposed MR element, but this is not essential. Proper circuit design with appropriate weighting factors, determined empirically or theoretically, can be applied by those of ordinary skill in the art to accommodate MR element mismatch and geometries.
The MR die is mounted on a bias magnet and affixed to face toward the end face of the motor shaft which is made of a ferromagnetic material. The center of the shaft is aligned with the center of the MR die and the end face of the shaft is parallel to the plane of the MR die. One half of the shaft end face is a few millimeters shorter than the other half creating a half circular tooth covering one half of the total MR die area. When the motor shaft rotates, that tooth sweeps past the MR elements and covers one half of the total MR die area at all times. Due to the higher magnetic flux density under the tooth, the MR elements under the tooth increase their resistance resulting in the resistance modulation of each MR element between a maximum resistance and a minimum resistance. By a proper selection of the MR elements, a properly designed circuit can obtain three sinusoidal voltage signals spaced 120 degrees apart. For example, the resistance changes of the MR elements can be converted into corresponding sinusoidal voltage signals by using a plurality of matched current sources to drive each MR element independently and then using operational amplifiers (OpAmps) to derive the three sinusoidal output voltages. Alternatively, the resistance changes of the MR elements can be converted into corresponding sinusoidal voltage signals by using a constant voltage source to drive the plurality of MR elements utilizing voltage dividers and OpAmps to derive the sinusoidal output voltages.
In a second implementation of the present invention, the single MR sensor consists of an MR die wherein each of a plurality of MR elements consists of three interdigitated electrically isolated MR segments collectively forming a circular area, wherein OpAmps are obviated and the sensor circuit is totally passive. This permits one to use electrically independent, but magnetically interdependent voltage dividers to generate three sinusoidal signals with 120 degree phase shifts.
Structurally, in the second implementation, the present invention is composed of an MR die wherein each MR element of a plurality of MR elements thereof consists of three interdigitated electrically isolated MR segments wherein each MR segment is characterized by a magnetosensitive material. Respective interdigitated MR segments of each of the plurality of MR elements are electrically connected such as to form an MR sensor consisting of three groups of a plurality of interdigitated segments apiece. In the second implementation of the present invention, the MR segments are composed of indium antimonide (InSb) epitaxial film mesas, or film mesas of another suitable magnetoresistive material. The ends of the MR segments of each MR element are connected to their respective bonding pads (or terminals) by which electrical connections may be made to the MR die. The techniques to fabricate the MR elements are elaborated in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,153,557 and 5,184,106.
It is preferable that the respective corresponding MR interdigitated segments within each group be matched to each other and that the geometry of the interdigitation of the MR segments is such that the magnitude of the increase of the resistance of one MR segment within one group is the same as the magnitude of the decrease in resistance of a respective corresponding MR segment within a diametrically opposed group, but this is not essential. Proper circuit design with appropriate weighting factors determined empirically or theoretically can be applied by those of ordinary skill in the art to accommodate MR segment mismatch and interdigitation geometries.
The MR die is mounted on a bias magnet and affixed to face toward the end face of the motor shaft, wherein at least an end portion thereof is composed of a ferromagnetic material which provides a magnetic irregularity. The center of the shaft is aligned with the center of the die and the end face of the shaft is parallel to the plane of the MR die. One half of the end face is a few millimeters shorter than the other half creating a half circular tooth covering one half of the total MR die area. When the motor rotates, that tooth sweeps through the MR segments and covers one half of the total MR die area at all times. Due to the higher magnetic flux density under the tooth, the MR segments under the tooth increase their resistance resulting in a resistance modulation of each MR segment between a maximum resistance and a minimum resistance. By a proper selection of the MR groups one can obtain a plurality of periodically varying voltage signals having a predetermined phase spacing therebetween, as for example three sinusoidal voltage signals spaced 120 degrees apart. For example, the resistance changes of the MR groups can be converted into corresponding sinusoidal voltage signals by using a constant voltage source to drive the MR segments and then using three voltage dividers thereby enabling the MR sensor to be totally passive.
Accordingly, it is a preferred object of the present invention to provide a position sensor wherein a single MR die consisting of a plurality of matched pie-shaped MR elements, collectively forming a circular area, acts as a single MR sensor to sense rotor position from the position of a ferromagnetic tooth on a shaft of a motor with respect to the MR sensor.
It is an additional preferred object of the present invention to provide a position sensor wherein a single MR die has a plurality of MR elements consisting of three interdigitated electrically isolated MR segments such that each MR segment is characterized by a magnetosensitive material, wherein the MR die acts as a single MR sensor to sense rotor position from the position of a ferromagnetic tooth on a shaft of a motor with respect to the MR sensor.
These, and additional objects, advantages, features, and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.

Magnetoresistive die and position sensor