A multilayer circuit board includes a base layer, a conductive layer and a soldermask. The soldermask layer has two sets of openings. One of the openings are vent openings, that expose the base layer to provide ventilation so that gases may escape during processing. The second openings expose selective regions of a conductor layer. The multi-layer circuit board provides for less occurrences of delamination.

A typical printed circuit board is a flat board that provides support and electrical interconnection between microchips and other electronic components. The base of the board can be made of reinforced fiberglass or plastic, and the electronic components are electrically interconnected by conductive pathways. There are several ways to make printed circuit boards. One method entails bonding a conductive foil, such as copper, over the base. A conductive pattern is then formed in the conductor. One method of patterning the metal layer uses a negative image of the desired circuit pattern and a photo resist layer. The photo resist is activated using the image such that selected areas of the photo resist can be removed. An etch process is then performed to remove the photo resist that was not activated and the underlying metal layer, leaving behind the conductive pathway pattern.
Today, most printed circuit boards are composed of several sheets or layers. A multi-layer printed circuit board may be fabricated from several composite sheets, each comprising a substrate of insulating material and a layer of metal, such as copper, attached to one surface of the substrate using a resin. A desired conductive pathway pattern is then provided in the metal layer, as explained, and multiple layers of insulating material and metal conductor layers can be fabricated. A soldermask layer can be provided over the top level of conductor to control areas exposed to a soldering process. A finished printed circuit board can then put through an assembly process where it is populated with various electrical components.
Delamination, or separation, problems have been discovered in the printed circuit board assembly industry regarding processes similar to the one described above. These problems are a result of the various environmental stresses inherent to assembly procedures. For example, delamination of the soldermask layer can occur when moisture retained by a board's constituent components are exposed to post-production assembly processes performed at high temperatures.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need for a multi-layer printed circuit board assembly that reduces the likelihood of delamination.

Soldermask opening to prevent delamination


To achieve improvements in developing performance, transferring performance, and fixing performance, a toner has a glass transition temperature (TgA) of 40 to 60° C. and a temperature (P1) of the highest peak of 70 to 120° C.; cyclohexane (CHX) insoluble matter in the tetrahydrofuran (THF) soluble matter of the toner has a glass transition temperature (TgB) of 80 to 120° C.; TgA and TgB satisfy a specific formula; the toner has a viscosity at 100° C. of 5,000 to 30,000 Pa·s; and the cyclohexane (CHX) insoluble matter has an acid value of 5 to 40 mgKOH/g.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner to be used in an image-forming method such as an electrophotographic method, an electrostatic recording method, an electrostatic printing method, or a toner jet method.
2. Description of the Related Art
High reliability and consideration for the environment have been strongly requested of a printer or copying machine in recent years.
The term "high reliability" means not only that the printer or copying machine can continue to output images at levels comparable to that of an initial image even when images are printed with the printer or copying machine over a long time period but also that the printer or copying machine is user-friendly. To be specific, the printer or copying machine is requested to maintain good developing performance, good transferring performance, and good winding resistance irrespective of the environment under which the printer or copying machine is used and irrespective of what kind of a transfer material is used. In addition, the term "consideration for the environment" means that the printer or copying machine is requested to be capable of being driven with a low power consumption so as to respond to energy savings. To be specific, the printer or copying machine is requested to have good low-temperature fixability.
A color toner obtained by subjecting a polymerizable mixture containing styrene and α-methylene aliphatic monocarboxylates for producing polar and non-polar polymers to suspension polymerization has been proposed with a view to improving transparency in an OHP sheet. The proposal discloses a color toner having the characteristics (see Patent Document 1) that the toner contains a mixture of a polar polymer and a non-polar polymer as a binder resin, the polar polymer is unevenly distributed on the surfaces of the particles of the toner, and the toner has a Wardell sphericity of 0.95 to 1.00 and a melt viscosity at 130° C. of 10 to 33,000 poises.
A proposal has been made with a view to obtaining a toner having the characteristics that the toner is excellent in blocking resistance even under a high-temperature, high-humidity environment, allows images to be fixed at low temperatures, is excellent in releasing performance, stably shows high developing performance, provides an image having a high image density, and shows a suppressed change in its performance even when the toner is used over a long time period. The proposal describes toner particles each containing at least two kinds of components including a high-softening-point resin (A) and a low-softening-point substance (B) and each having a structure separated into an A phase mainly formed of the high-softening-point resin (A) and a B phase mainly formed of the low-softening-point substance (B) (see Patent Document 2).
A toner for image formation having the following characteristic has also been proposed with a view to securing pulverizing performance, heat-resistant storage stability, offset resistance, transferring performance, low-temperature fixability, and flaw resistance (see Patent Document 3): at least one exothermic peak is present around the glass transition point of the binder resin of the toner in the second temperature increase process of the DSC curve of the toner.
Further, a toner having the following characteristics has been proposed with a view to securing gloss, color reproducibility, and the uniform stability of image gloss (see Patent Document 4): the binder resin of the toner has a weight-average molecular weight of 8,000 to 50,000 and a glass transition point of 40 to 55° C., and a thermoplastic resin having a weight-average molecular weight twice or more as high as that of the binder resin and a glass transition point higher than that of the binder resin by 5° C. or more is present near the surface of the toner.    Patent Document 1: JP 07-34126 B    Patent Document 2: JP 03184626 B    Patent Document 3: JP 2004-184561 A    Patent Document 4: JP 2006-053353 A


A carrier head assembly including a drive shaft and a system flange connectable to the drive shaft where the system flange includes a number of magnetic plates. The carrier head assembly also includes a carrier head flange. The carrier head flange has more magnetic plates, these magnetic plates generally facing the previous plates. The magnetic plates magnetically engage to couple the carrier head flange to the system flange.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a magnetic carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing, and more particularly to a carrier head attached by magnetic forces to a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus.
2. Background Information
Integrated circuits typically are formed on semiconductive substrates, particularly silicon wafers, by the sequential deposition of conductive, semiconductive, or insulative layers. After each layer is deposited, the layer is etched to create circuitry features. As a series of layers is sequentially deposited and etched, the outer surface of the substrate, i.e., the exposed surface of the of the top layer on the substrate, becomes successively more non-planar as a result of peaks and valleys which are formed by the selective etching. This non-planar outer surface presents a problem for the integrated circuit manufacturer. If the outer surface of the substrate is non-planar, then a photoresist layer placed thereon also is non-planar.
A photoresist layer may be placed on the substrate as a step of an etching process. The photoresist layer typically is patterned by a photolithographic apparatus that focuses a light image onto the photoresist layer. If the outer surface of the substrate is sufficiently non-planar, then the maximum height difference between the peaks and valleys of the outer surface may exceed the depth of focus of the imaging apparatus. Consequently, properly focusing the light image onto the entire outer surface becomes difficult if not impossible.
Designing new photolithographic devices having an improved depth of focus may be prohibitively expensive. In addition, as the feature size used in integrated circuits becomes smaller, shorter wavelengths of light must be used, resulting in further reduction of the available depth of focus. Therefore, a need exists to planarize (i.e., make smooth) the substrate surface periodically to provide a planar layer surface.
Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is one method of planarization. This planarization method typically requires that the substrate be mounted on a carrier or polishing head. The exposed surface of the substrate is then placed against a rotating polishing pad. The carrier head applies a controllable load, i.e., pressure, on the substrate to push it against the polishing pad. In addition, the carrier head may rotate to provide additional motion between the substrate and polishing surface.
A polishing slurry, including an abrasive and at least one chemically-reactive agent, may be distributed over the polishing pad to provide an abrasive chemical solution at the interface between the pad and substrate. CMP is a fairly complex process. In a CMP process, the reactive agent in the slurry reacts with the outer surface of the substrate to form reactive sites. The interaction of the polishing pad and abrasive particles with reactive sites on the substrate results in polishing.
The carrier head performs several mechanical functions in the CMP process. Generally, the carrier head holds the substrate against the polishing pad, evenly distributes a downward pressure across the back surface of the substrate, transfers torque from the drive shaft to the substrate, and ensures that the substrate does not slip out from beneath the carrier head during polishing operations. If the carrier head consistently fails to perform any of these functions, it often must be repaired. A first step in many repair procedures is the removal of the carrier head from the rest of the system.

Magnetic carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing


A method for analyzing defect information on a substrate, including logically dividing the substrate into zones, and detecting defects on the substrate to produce the defect information. The defect information from the substrate is analyzed on a zone by zone basis to produce defect level classifications for the defects within each zone. The zonal defect level classifications are analyzed according to at least one analysis method. The defect level classifications are preferably selected from a group of defect level classifications that is specified by a recipe. Preferably, the at least one analysis method includes at least one of zonal defect distribution, automatic defect classification, spatial signature analysis, and excursion detection. The defect level classifications preferably include at least one of individual defect, defect cluster, and spatial signature analysis signature. In one embodiment the defect information is logically divided into configurable zones after the defects on the substrate have been detected.

Modern integrated circuits, such as monolithic semiconductor devices formed on substrates of Group IV materials such as silicon or germanium, or Group III-V materials such as gallium arsenide, or combinations of such materials, are fabricated using extremely complex processes. These processes can be generally categorized into a few different groups, such as photolithographic, deposition, and etching. Process steps that fall into one or more of these different groups are applied over and over again, forming the integrated circuit layer by layer, until it is completed.
Because both the integrated circuit itself and the process by which it is formed are so complex, there are innumerable ways in which defects and flaws can creep in to the fabrication process. Such defects are able to not only degrade the ability of the integrated circuit to function properly, but can reduce its anticipated lifetime, or cause it to not function at all. These defects can be related to a myriad of different sources, such as materials issues, handling issues, and process capability issues.
Because of the great number of potential pitfalls during integrated circuit fabrication, and the extreme cost associated with the defects caused by such, it is very important to become aware of defects and identify their sources as soon as possible. In this manner, there might be some type of remedy or rework that can be timely applied to the integrated circuits that exhibit the defects, or more likely, the source of those defects can be corrected as soon as possible, so that additional integrated circuits are not impacted by the problem.
Thus, in-line inspections are an important part of the integrated circuit fabrication process. These inspections are conducted at many different points during the fabrication process, and in some instances are conducted virtually after each individual process step. In this manner, defects and their sources are hopefully detected and identified in a timely manner, before too many integrated circuits are affected.
One important classification of such inspections are optical inspections, meaning inspections that are intended to identify defects that can be seen in some manner. These optical inspections have traditionally been done manually, meaning that a human inspector looks at the substrate, typically called a wafer, on which the integrated circuits are formed. First, an inspection may be conducted with the naked eye, which hopefully detects large defects, or large patterns of defects. Next, the inspector may look at the substrate under some type of microscope to determine additional information about the nature of the defects, or to detect defects which cannot be observed by the naked eye.
Unfortunately, such manual inspection of substrates is somewhat insufficient. For example, such manual inspection is extremely tedious to perform. Thus, human inspectors tend to tire and stop noticing the more subtle defects. In addition, due to the difference in the training, experience, and ability from one inspector to the next, the data that is produced in this manner tends to be extremely difficult to integrate into a production system that can use the data to identify problems and improve processes.
For this reason, various automated optical inspection methods and analysis systems have been developed. Unfortunately, such systems tend to be very limited in their capabilities as compared to a human inspector, generally because of their more limited cognitive and associative abilities as compared to a human. Thus, such automated optical inspection and analysis systems often miss things that an experienced and careful human inspector would find.
Thus, well trained and alert human inspectors tend to recognize and identify defects better, but automated systems are less subjective and more repeatable. What is needed, therefore, are automated analysis methods that increase the ability of an automated inspection and analysis system to recognize the sources of defects.


A leaf stripper which is intended more specifically for stripping vine leaves includes a stripping head which is equipped with a rotary drum with an open-work cylindrical side wall, rotator device for the drum, suction device which can be used to generate a suction air stream that passes through the aforementioned open-work cylindrical side wall of the drum, and a mechanism of channeling the air stream through a portion modifying the side wall. There is a cutting device which is installed close to the side wall portion of the rotating suction drum and which is positioned parallel or essentially parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum. The open-work cylindrical wall of the drum is made from a flexible, deformable material which is permeable to the air stream.

Leaf stripping is a technique that consists in eliminating a more or less sizeable quantity of leaves located in the fructiferous zone of plants. Done manually for a long time in some vineyards, this operation, which aims to improve the quality of the harvest and to make easier the manual work of thinning and picking, is experiencing a growing interest with the development of mechanical leaf stripping.
The interests in leaf stripping are manifold:                Promote the aeration of bunches of grapes in order to reduce rot;        Promote thinning in order to improve the coloration (thicker grape skin);        Thin out the vegetation layer in the fructiferous zone for better penetration and localization of treatments (botrytis; oidium; gray mold; grape worm; mildew)        Improve the maturation of the grapes by a better exposure to the sun (grapes heavier, flavors more developed and a better sanitary state of the grape harvest);        Promote access to the grapes in order to reduce the time of labor in manual operations such as thinning (−50%), manual harvesting (−30% to −40%);        Reduce the foliage in order to limit the losses of juice due to the intake of leaves from the rest of the harvest when it is done mechanically; and        Make drying easier in case of rain by a better exposure to the sun and a better aeration.
Leaf stripping thus turns out to be an operation that is very much of interest and that corresponds well to the problem of optimization of tasks and the pursuit of quality of the harvest.
Several machines and processes have been proposed to date and some of them are currently still being used to accomplish this work.
According to a technique for leaf stripping developed by the applicant, in order to accomplish the task, a machine is used that consists of an open rotary drum, an intake mechanism that makes it possible to generate an intake flow of air that passes from the drum through the lateral cylindrical wall having lateral openings, a mechanism to direct the flow of air through a varying portion of the lateral wall, in a manner so as to catch and pin the leaves against the open lateral wall of the rotary drum, and a system for leaf stripping that makes it possible to pick off the leaves pinned against this wall.
For example, in the document FR-2,417,932-A, a device for leaf stripping is described that uses an open rotary cylindrical cage to roll on the vegetation layer and inside of it, a hollow cylinder is housed affixed and equipped with an opening. An aspirator mounted above the inside hollow cylinder makes it possible to create, inside of the inside cylinder, a partial vacuum that has the effect of sucking in the leaves of the vegetation and pinning them against the open rotary cage facing the opening of the fixed cylinder. Contact rollers mounted on articulated supports are applied under pressure against the lateral surface of the cage and are driven in rotation by this surface. The leaves come to get caught between the turning open drum and the contact rollers, and are torn off of the branches under the force of traction resulting from the movement of the machine.
A priori, the principle of parting of the foliage by means of an intake flow of a turbine through an open rotary drum that makes it possible to pull and pin the leaves on the lateral surface of the drum appears clever and economical. It does not appear, however, that the machine described in the document FR-2,417,932 was put on the market, and to the knowledge of the applicant, no stripping machine using this principle is being marketed today.
The failure of this machine results certainly from the fact that the principle of separating the leaves using frictional contact rollers does not appear to be able to be applied concretely for several reasons.
Following the description and the drawings of document FR-2,417,932, the articulated supports mounted on springs carrying the contact rollers are assigned to be arranged, during work, in the vegetation layer; this arrangement can not be applied due to the fact that these supports rub in the vegetation layer and hinder the aspiration of the leaves because they push back the vegetation; it is not possible to arrange the mechanical instruments in the vegetation layer beyond the wall of the rotary cage, since they would collide with and be torn off by various obstacles located in the axis of the vine row, such as stakes, guy wires, and above all, poles.
Due to the fact that a relatively sizeable force is necessary in order to remove the leaves by tearing them off, it is hardly probable that the force generated by friction of the contact rollers on the drum will be sufficient, especially if the leaves or the vine shoots become positioned between the wall of the cage and the contact rollers.
This device, as a result of its position relative to the vegetation layer, and as a result of its principle of separating the leaves by tearing them off, can only cause jamming of the system by accumulation of the plants and damage to the vine.
According to the document FR-2,808,964 A, the applicant has proposed a leaf stripping machine more specifically designed for stripping the leaves of a vine, consisting of at least one leaf stripping head, consisting of an open rotary drum, an aspiration mechanism making it possible to create an intake air flow going through the lateral cylindrical opened wall of this drum, a mechanism to channel this air flow through a varying portion of the lateral wall, and a cutting mechanism installed near the portion of the lateral wall of the turning intake drum oriented in parallel or approximately parallel to its axis of rotation, the cutting mechanism is arranged behind a diametral plane of the rotating drum oriented perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the machine during work.
This machine represents a first stage of progress to the extent that it makes it possible to perform leaf stripping with a quality comparable to a trimming of the vegetation layer, taking into account the fact that the leaves are cut and not torn, contrary to the solutions previously proposed which remove the leaves by tearing them off using blades or knives, or jamming contact rollers.
After separating, the leaves remain pinned against the opened lateral wall of the turning drum and are driven outside the intake field by the rotation of this wall. When the portion of the lateral wall covered with cut leaves is isolated from the intake field by the channeling baffle of the intake flow, the leaves, no longer subjected to the attraction of the air flow, fall due to gravity. This result comprises another advantage, because it eliminates projections of torn leaves likely to cause risks of disease as a result of the particles and dust propelled by blast of the turbine onto the adjacent vine rows.
However, it has been noted that the quantity of the leaves removed remained insufficient to obtain all of the sought-after results, the partial vacuum generated by the aspirator mechanism does not always exert a strong enough traction action to move the leaves that are only pinned against the turning drum, in the direction of the cutting mechanism.
The document WO 01/87047 A describes an evolution of the leaf stripping machine shown in the document FR-2,808,964 A.
According to this document, the leaf stripping head or each leaf stripping head of the leaf stripping machine consists of a tracked guide mechanism comprised of an endless opened belt wound, on the one hand, on the turning aspirating drum and, on the other hand, on a second drum arranged in front of the aspirating drum, the endless opened belt having, on the side of the leaf stripping machine assigned to face the vegetation layer, comprised of the vine row, during work, a trajectory or rectilinear portion, parallel to the path of movement of the leaf stripping machine, in a manner so as to have a planar support surface.
The opened tracked mechanism created in this way has the function of ensuring a good guidance and stability of the leaf stripping head on the vegetation layer. It ensures a flexible support of the leaf stripping head on the vegetation layer, while avoiding crushing the vegetation layer as a result of its large contact surface.
On the other hand, the cutting mechanism of the machine described in the document WO-01/87047 is comprised of a spiral cutting bar consisting of, on the one hand, a cutting screw comprised of a cylindrical rotary shaft equipped with a spiral threading having at least one sharp edge and, on the other hand, a bed knife comprised of a fixed cylindrical sleeve, open laterally, and inside of which the cutting screw is housed.
It has been observed that the machine constructed in this way tears the leaves to pieces and tears off a non-negligible quantity of young vine shoots.
In summary, though the two versions of the leaf stripping machines described, respectively, in the document FR-2,808,964 A, and in the document WO 01/87047 A have made it possible to simplify the technical nature of utilization of the equipment, while improving the quality of the leaf stripping machine, it has been noted:                that the adjustment of the intensity of the leaf stripping is still difficult and depends on the dexterity of the driver of the machine;        that the percentage of leaves cut to pieces or lacerated is not always negligible; and        that the quantity of injuries inflicted on the grape bunches, especially when the leaf stripping is done late in the season, still remains an unresolved problem for the wine-growers.
The invention notably has the objective of proposing solutions to the problems mentioned above.

Leaf stripper, more particularly designed for selective vine leaf stripping


A method for recommending a collection of digital images from a set of images includes specifying at least one image selection criterion. For each of a plurality of images in the set of images, an image quality value for the image is determined. Images are recommended for the collection by taking into consideration the image quality value for the images and the degree to which the collection satisfies the at least one image selection criterion.

The present exemplary embodiment relates to the field of digital images. It finds particular application in connection with the automated recommendation of a collection of digital images from a larger set of images, which best meets a set of user-selected criteria.
Sales of digital photographic equipment now exceed those of film-based equipment and many mobile phones now come equipped with the capability to take still photographs or capture short movie clips. The growth in digital photography has driven a demand for accessories, such as photo-quality printers for the home, photograph printing via the web and, particularly in the case of mobile phones, short-range radio communication via technologies such as Bluetooth™ wireless technology. The economics of digital photography enable users to take many more photos, with a view to subsequently selecting from these a set to be preserved in a main record of the event. However, when several photographers are recording the same event, the task of selection can be daunting.

Method for assembling a collection of digital images


A method for forming a self-aligned bipolar transistor structure uses the selective growth of a doped silicon emitter in a sloped oxide emitter window to form the self-aligned structure. In an alternate process flow, the top emitter layer is SiGe with a high Ge content that is etched off selectively after deposition of the extrinsic base layer. In another alternate flow, a nitride plug formed on top of the emitter blocks the extrinsic base implant from the emitter region.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,979,884 ("the '884 patent"), which issued on Dec. 27, 2005, discloses techniques for fabricating bipolar transistor structures. FIG. 1 shows a partial bipolar transistor structure 100 disclosed in the '884 patent. The FIG. 1 partial bipolar transistor structure 100 includes a silicon-containing substrate 102 having isolation regions 104, e.g. trench isolation or field oxide isolation, formed therein. The substrate 102 also includes a collector region 108 and a collector contact region 106. A patterned protective material, such as oxide or nitride or oxynitride, is formed on top of selected portions of the device area. The structure 100 also includes a base region that comprises intrinsic base portion 112 and surrounding extrinsic base layer 114. The intrinsic base 112 comprises silicon (Si) or germanium (Ge) or a combination of silicon and germanium. The intrinsic base 112 is typically monocrystalline, while the extrinsic base 114 is typically polycrystalline silicon or SiGe. An emitter opening 118 is formed within a dielectric (e.g. oxide) layer 116 and raised extrinsic base 114. Within the emitter opening 118 is an oxide layer 120 and annular insulating spacer 122. The insulating spacer 122 is typically referred to as an "inside" spacer because it is formed within the opening 118 in the dielectric layer 116. The inside spacer 122 is a dielectric such as oxide or nitride. As shown in FIG. 1, the dielectric layer 116 and the underlying extrinsic base layer 114 form a raised extrinsic base/dielectric stack.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inside spacer 122 is utilized to define the final dimension of the emitter of the bipolar transistor structure and to provide lateral emitter-base isolation. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that, as device sizes become smaller (e.g., 0.18 μm processes), thus reducing the size of the emitter window, the ability to utilize inside spacers to define the emitter dimension and to obtain adequate emitter-base isolation becomes increasingly problematic.
There is an increasing desirability in the electronics industry, particularly with respect to handheld, wireless devices, for the use of integrated circuits that combine the high speed, high gain advantages of bipolar transistor technology with the simple, low power logic associated with CMOS technology. While circuit designers recognize the advantages of this so-called "BiCMOS" technology, the very high level of integration that can be achieved with CMOS technology still cannot be realized with BiCMOS technology. Thus, it is highly desirable to reduce the size of bipolar devices.
Circuit designers are relying on self-aligned bipolar architectures to achieve the narrower emitters and more critical extrinsic/intrinsic base alignments necessary for reduced bipolar device size. Many of these bipolar architectures achieve self-alignment through the use of sacrificial emitters.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,869,853 ("the '853 patent"), which issued on Mar. 22, 2005, discloses techniques for fabricating a bipolar transistor structure using a sacrificial emitter.
FIGS. 2A-2E show a sequence of steps for fabricating a bipolar structure using the sacrificial emitter techniques of the '853 patent. As shown in FIG. 2A, isolation structures 202, such as shallow trench isolation (STI) silicon dioxide, are formed in an amorphous silicon layer 201. A polycrystalline silicon-germanium layer 204 and a silicon or silicon-germanium layer 203 are formed on isolation structures 202 and silicon layer 201, respectively, by epitaxial growth. The portion of the layer 203 that will be under a subsequently formed emitter is referred to as an "intrinsic base region", while the remainder of the layer 203 and the poly-SiGe layer 204 as "extrinsic base regions." As shown in FIG. 2B, an oxide layer 213, e.g. silicon dioxide, is then formed and a polycrystalline silicon layer 211 is formed over the oxide layer 213. Polycrystalline silicon layer 211 serves as the sacrificial emitter material, and therefore does not require an implantation step or an activation step. As further shown in FIG. 2B, a photoresist (PR) sacrificial emitter mask 241 is patterned on the polysilicon layer 211 for use in defining the sacrificial emitter. As shown in FIG. 2C, the patterned photoresist mask 241 is then used to etch the polysilicon layer 211 to form the sacrificial emitter 211′. Spacers 212, e.g. silicon nitride, are then formed on the outside sidewalls of the sacrificial emitter 211′, as shown in FIG. 2D. Portions of the oxide layer 213 that are not under the sacrificial emitter 211′ and the sidewall spacers 212 are then removed and an extrinsic base implant step is performed, as shown in FIG. 2E. As can be appreciated by reference to FIG. 2E, the extrinsic base implant step is self-aligned with respect to the spacers 212. As shown in FIG. 2F, a layer of conformal oxide 221 is then formed over the FIG. 2E structure and etched back to expose the polysilicon sacrificial emitter 211′. The sacrificial emitter 211′ is then removed, as shown in FIG. 2G, using a poly-etch process that is selective to the sidewall spacers 212 and to oxide layers 221 and 213. A portion of the oxide layer 213 is then removed to expose a portion of layer 203. A layer of emitter material, e.g. polysilicon, is then formed, doped, activated and etched to form polysilicon emitter 231 of the bipolar transistor structure, as shown in FIG. 2H.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a sacrificial emitter process of the type described above involves the deposition and etch back of multiple layers of polysilicon and dielectrics. This inevitably results in some residues being left behind in each such operation, potentially resulting in operational degredation and, thus, yield loss. Furthermore, as the critical dimensions in these bipolar devices decrease, the tradeoffs in the lightly doped extrinsic base implant and the need to minimize extrinsic base to collector capacitance become more problematic.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,026,666 ("the '666 patent"), which issued on Apr. 11, 2006, shows another self-aligned technique for fabricating a bipolar transistor structure.
Referring to FIG. 3A, the technique disclosed in the '666 patent includes the formation of a structure that comprises a p-type silicon substrate 302 having an n-type collector region 304 and a p-type Si, SiGe or SiGe:C epitaxial layer 306. The epitaxial layer 306 is deposited over the surface of the substrate 302 such that a mono crystalline portion 308 of the epitaxial layer 306 is deposited over a mono crystalline portion 310 of the substrate 302 and a poly crystalline portion 312 of the epitaxial layer 306 is deposited over isolation oxide 314. An ONO stack 316 comprising thin silicon dioxide layer 318, silicon nitride layer 320 and top silicon dioxide layer 322, is formed on the substrate 302.
Referring to FIG. 3B, an emitter mask layer (not shown) is then formed over the top oxide layer 322 and utilized to selectively etch the top oxide layer 322 and the nitride layer 320 to form an emitter window 324; the thin oxide layer 318 is left in place as an etch stop. A self-aligned collector implant is then performed through the emitter window 324. The thin oxide layer 318 is then etched to expose a portion of the epi portion 308 and a layer of polysilicon 328 is formed over the structure. The polysilicon layer 328 may be in-situ doped with n-type dopant while deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). A polysilicon emitter 330 is then formed by etching back the polysilicon layer 328 such that the top surface of the poly emitter 330 is coplanar with the top surface of the top oxide layer 322, as shown in FIG. 3C. The poly emitter 330 is then exposed by selectively removing the top oxide layer 322, resulting in the structure shown in FIG. 3D.
Referring to FIG. 3E, nitride spacers 132 are then formed on the exposed sidewalls of the poly emitter 330 by depositing a layer 324 of silicon nitride and anisotropically etching the nitride layer 324. As shown in FIG. 3F, the thin oxide layer 318 is then removed and a heavily doped epitaxial layer 340 is selectively deposited over the base epitaxial region 306 and over the poly emitter 330. Referring to FIG. 3G, the thickness of the nitride spacer 332 is then increased forming and etching nitride layer 350 to provide thicker spacers 350, thereby increasing the width of the emitter region 342 in order to prevent the emitter silicide layer from shorting with the base silicide and in order to prevent the emitter contact etch from exposing the base region 344.
FIG. 3H shows the formation of a silicide layer 354 at the surface of the raised extrinsic base region 344 and at the top surface of the emitter region 342. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the emitter structure is completed by forming an emitter contact to the silicided upper surface 354 of the emitter region 342.

Method of forming a self-aligned bipolar transistor structure using a selectively grown emitter


A method of manufacturing a microlens substrate 10 is provided. The microlens substrate 10 is provided with a plurality of microlenses 8. The method includes the steps of: preparing a substrate 101 with concave portions having two major surfaces, each of the plurality of concave portions 3 having a shape corresponding to that of each of the plurality of microlenses 8 being formed on one of the two major surfaces of the substrate 101 with concave portions; preparing a base material substrate 102′ mainly formed of a resin material, the base material substrate 102′ having two major surfaces; and pressure-joining the substrate 101 with concave portions to the base material substrate 102′ in a heating state. In this case, in the pressure-joining step, the substrate 101 with concave portions is joined to the base material substrate 102′ so that the plurality of concave portions 3 are filled with the resin material of the base material substrate 102′ which has been melted by the heat.

There is known a projection type display apparatus that projects an image on a screen. In most of such projection type display apparatuses, a liquid crystal panel (liquid crystal light shutter) is used for forming the image.
Such a liquid crystal panel has a configuration in which, for example, an opposed substrate for a liquid crystal panel that is provided with a black matrix, a common electrode and the like is joined to a liquid crystal driving substrate provided with a large number of thin film transistors (TFT) for controlling respective pixels and a large number of pixel electrodes via a liquid crystal layer.
In the liquid crystal panel (TFT liquid crystal panel) having such a configuration, since the black matrix is formed in a portion other than the portions to become the pixels in the opposed substrate for a liquid crystal panel, a region for light transmitting the liquid crystal panel is restricted. This makes light transmittance be lowered.
In order to improve the light transmittance for the liquid crystal panel, there is known a liquid crystal panel in which a large number of minute microlenses are provided at the positions corresponding to the respective pixels in the opposed substrate for a liquid crystal panel. According to such a liquid crystal panel, light transmitting an opposed substrate for a liquid crystal panel is condensed into openings formed in a black matrix, and this makes it possible to improve light transmittance.
As a method of forming such microlenses, for example, a method in which an uncured photocuring resin material is supplied on a substrate with concave portions on one major surface of which a plurality of concave portions for forming microlenses are formed, a flat transparent substrate (cover glass) is joined to the supplied resin material to press and bring into contact with the supplied resin material, and the supplied resin material is then cured, that is, a so-called 2P method is known (for example, see JP-A-2001-92365).
However, in the conventional techniques, steps such as alignment of the cover glass, polish of the cover glass in order to obtain the optimal optical path length are required, and therefore, the manufacturing process of a microlens substrate has been complicated. Further, in the case where the cover glass is polished, there was fear that stains and the like occur due to the polish process. As a result, an appropriate cleaning process is required, and therefore, there is a problem that the manufacturing process has been further complicated and the manufacturing costs are made to be heightened. The complication of the manufacturing process makes a factor of debasement of the microlens substrate, and therefore, there was a possibility that lowering of the yield ratio is generated. In particular, in the 2P method, since a microlens substrate is manufactured using three members including a resin layer formed of a photocuring resin material, a cover glass, and a substrate with concave portions, strain or the like tends to be generated due to difference in coefficients of thermal expansion thereof, and as a result, there is a possibility that characteristics of the microlens substrate such as an optical characteristic are lowered.

Method of manufacturing a microlens substrate, an opposed substrate for a liquid crystal panel, a liquid crystal panel and a projection type display apparatus


Described is a system and method of receiving content on a portable mobile communications device from a mobile TV service provider. A mobile pointer record is created and stored within the portable mobile communications device that contains data that identifies content to be delivered from the mobile TV service provider. The mobile pointer record data is sent to a content server maintained by the mobile TV service provider where a corresponding content server pointer record is created and stored such that the mobile TV service provider associates the content server pointer record with stored content. When desired, a request is sent to the mobile TV service provider from the portable mobile communications device by selecting the desired mobile pointer record for the content. The mobile TV service provider identifies the content via the corresponding content server pointer record and delivers the requested stored content to the portable mobile communications device.

The present invention relates to portable mobile communications devices and systems, and more particularly to a portable mobile communications device, system and method that can efficiently deliver audio/video content from a mobile TV service provider to a portable mobile communications device.
Portable mobile communications devices such as mobile phones are becoming more sophisticated and include many new features and capabilities. One such feature is the capability to receive mobile broadcast signals, mobile television, or the like. Such services include digital video broadcast-handheld (DVB-H), digital media broadcast (DMB), integrated services digital broadcast-terrestrial (ISDB-T), mobile broadcast multi-cast service (MBMS), or similar technologies. When integrated into a mobile phone, all of the aforementioned technologies utilize a separate mobile broadcast tuner except for MBMS which can be received using the portable mobile communications device existing mobile radio receiver and transmitter.
A third party provider maintains the content or programs that can be viewed by a portable mobile communications device such as a mobile TV equipped mobile phone. This content is made available to subscribers similar to a television network schedule. Thus, a viewer/subscriber can tune in to the content currently being broadcast. Unfortunately, this scheme only allows a viewer to see what is currently being broadcast or streamed. It does not provide for time shifting of viewing in which a viewer can watch a program that has already aired or preserve the ability to watch a future program just not at its originally scheduled broadcast time.
Currently, there are no provisions addressing the user's dilemma described above. What is needed is a mechanism that allows the viewer to selectively reserve the ability to watch programs on a time shifted basis that suits the viewer's schedule without having to use significant memory resources to actually store the desired content.

Efficient streamed content delivery to portable communications device


A speech coding apparatus includes a pulse position candidate table, inter-pulse distortion table, first and second reference address tables, first and second reference address table creation units, and search table creation unit. The pulse position candidate table stores the pulse position candidate of each pulse. The inter-pulse distortion table stores a distortion calculated every pulse interval. The first reference address table creation unit regards the pulse position of the inter-pulse distortion table as a relative distance from the start of the inter-pulse distortion table, calculates a distortion every pulse interval to obtain the absolute address of the inter-pulse distortion table, and stores it in the first reference address table. Table creation unit creates a second reference address table accordingly. A multipulse search table is created using these absolute addresses. The search table creation unit reads out absolute addresses from the first and second reference address tables, and creates the multipulse search table using them. A multipulse search processing method is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a speech coding apparatus and, more particularly, to a speech coding apparatus for coding an input speech signal using an MPEG-4/CELP scheme as one of code excited linear prediction coding schemes of modeling a sound source using a multipulse.
MPEG-4/CELP (Moving Picture Experts Group phase 4) is one of CELP (Code Excited Linear Prediction) schemes as general-purpose speech coding schemes standardized by ISO/IEC (International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission) in February, 1999. There are two coding modes, MPE (MultiPulse Excitation) and RPE (Regular Pulse Excitation) in accordance with the type of sound source code book. In both the MPE and RPE modes, the sound source is modeled by a multipulse made up of a plurality of impulses. However, the degrees of freedom for the pulse position have a difference. The RPE mode uses a constant pulse interval, whereas the MPE mode has a high degree of freedom for the pulse position. Because of this difference, the MPE mode can achieve higher speech quality than in the RPE mode, but suffers a large required calculation amount.
The basic operation of a speech coding apparatus using the MPEG-4/CELP scheme as a speech coding apparatus for the MPE mode will be described with reference to FIG. 5.
As shown in FIG. 5, this speech coding apparatus is constituted by an LPC (Linear Prediction Codec) analysis unit 401, quantization unit 402, LPC filter 403, speech synthesis unit 404, and subtracter 412.
Speed coding is done by segmenting input speech into frames each with a predetermined time, and using the frame as a compression unit.
An input speech signal as original speech is subjected to LPC analysis by the LPC analysis unit 401, and quantized by the quantization unit 402. A code speech-synthesized by the speech synthesis unit 404 and a code quantized by the quantization unit 402 are filtered by the LPC filter 403 to generate reproduced speech. The subtracter 412 calculates the difference between the original speech and the reproduced speech, and outputs an error signal 405. The error signal 405 is input to the speech synthesis unit 404 to select and the parameters of the speech synthesis unit 404 so as to minimize the error signal 405. When the error signal 405 minimizes, the speech synthesis model and input speech are approximate to each other. The parameters of the speech synthesis unit 404 which minimize the error signal 405 form an MPEG-4/CELP code.
The speech synthesis unit 404 comprises multipliers 409 and 410, an adder 411, and three parameters, an ACB (Adaptive Code Book) 406, MP (MultiPulse) code book 407, and GCB (Gain Code Book) 408.
The ACB 406 is generated from many basic speech models of a corresponding person on the basis of the primitive period of the sound source, and generates a pitch period component. The MP code book 407 expresses the noise/error of the sound source by the positions and amplitudes of a plurality of pulses (multipulse), and generates a random component other than the pitch period component. The GCB 408 represents the mixing ratio of the ACB 406 and MP code book 407. That is, the multiplier 409 multiplies a pitch period component generated by the ACB 406 by the mixing ratio of the ACB 406 controlled by the GCB 408, while the multiplier 410 multiplies a random component generated by the MP code book 407 by the mixing ratio of the MP code book 407 controlled by the GCB 408. Outputs from the multipliers 409 and 410 are added by the adder 411 to perform speech synthesis.
Processing of selecting a multipulse which minimizes the error signal 405 from the MP code book 407 is called multipulse search processing. The multipulse search processing method as the feature of the MPE mode is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-160298.
In multipulse search processing, a position where each pulse can be set is uniquely determined for each pulse. Therefore, in multipulse search processing, distortions are calculated and added for respective set pulse position candidates in ascending order of pulse numbers, and a combination exhibiting the smallest distortion is obtained. The xe2x80x9cdistortionxe2x80x9d is a correlation coefficient between adjacent pulses. Multipulse search processing creates a multipulse search table which stores a distortion for each pulse position candidate set for each pulse number, and determines the position and amplitude of each pulse based on the multipulse search table. This multipulse search table must be created for each frame serving as a speech compression unit.
FIG. 6 shows the structure of the MP code book 407 for performing multipulse search processing in a conventional speech coding apparatus.
A search table creation unit 508 creates a multipulse search table 307 on the basis of an inter-pulse distortion table 301 and pulse position candidate table 302.
The contents of the pulse position candidate table 302 are shown in Table 1.
The pulse position candidate table exists for each compression bit rate. Table 1 represents a pulse position candidate table for an MPEG-4/CELP compression bit rate of 8,300 bps. The number of pulses is five, and pulses are given by pulse numbers 1, 2, . . . , 5 sequentially from the top. For a bit rate of 8,300 bps, the number of samples in one frame serving as a compression unit is 40, and 40 pulses having an amplitude of xc2x11 are modeled to be expressed by five pulses. The pulse position candidate table in Table 1 has pulse position candidates for each pulse number. The pulse position candidate interval for each pulse number is uniquely determined.
As the modeling method, the pulse position candidate table is arranged at the nodes of a tree structure as shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 8 shows the structure of the multipulse search table 307. The structure of the multipulse search table 307 stores a distortion 704 between adjacent pulses for each pulse position candidate 703 present for each pulse number 702. The pulse interval in obtaining each pulse position candidate and a distortion between adjacent pulses varies from 1 to the maximum number of samples of one frame at a pulse position candidate interval. Distortions are calculated every pulse interval, and stored as the inter-pulse distortion table 301 as shown in FIG. 6.
Multipulse search processing in the conventional speech coding apparatus will be explained with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. 9 and 10.
The multipulse search processing sequence has a quadruple loop structure made up of, sequentially from the outer loop, a loop whose end condition (step S901) is whether processing has been performed up to the maximum pulse position candidate interval from an initial value of 1 at a distance increment of 1 using an inter-pulse distance for obtaining a distortion as an index, a loop whose end condition (step S902) is whether processing has been performed for the maximum number of samples of one frame from an initial number of 1 at a pulse position candidate interval of 1, a loop whose end condition (step S903) is whether processing has been performed for the number of pulses to be modeled, i.e., pulse numbers, and a loop whose end condition (step S904) is whether processing has been performed for the number of pulse position candidates at each pulse number. Whether processing has been done for the maximum number of samples of one frame from an initial number of 1 at a pulse position candidate interval of 1 is determined (step S902). Then, a distortion between pulses having a distance set by the outermost loop is obtained, and distortions of one frame are stored in the inter-pulse distortion table 301 (step S905). In these loops, the multipulse search table 307 is created (step S906).
FIG. 10 shows a sequence of creating the multipulse search table 307 in step S906 of FIG. 9.
The start addresses of the pulse position candidate table and inter-pulse distortion table 301 are respectively set as the current pointers of the pulse position candidate table 302 and inter-pulse distortion table 301 (step S1001). In practice, the pulse position candidate table 302 is one-dimensionally arrayed in ascending order of pulse numbers. Whether processing for pulse numbers ends is checked (step S1002). If YES in step S1002, multipulse search table creation processing ends. If NO in step S1002, the start address of the multipulse search table 307 is set as the current address of the multipulse search table 307 (step S1003).
Whether processing for the number of pulse position candidates ends is checked (step S1004). If YES in step S1004, the pulse number is incremented by one (step S1005), and the flow returns to step S1002 for checking whether processing for pulse numbers ends. If NO in step S1004, a pulse position is read out from the current pointer of the pulse position candidate table 302 (step S1006), and the difference between the readout pulse position and an inter-pulse distance in obtaining a distortion is calculated (step S1007). If the difference is 0 or more (step S1008), the difference is added to the current pointer of the multipulse search table 307 (step S1009), and added to the inter-pulse distortion table 301 (step S1010). A distortion value is read out from a position represented by the address obtained in step S1010, and stored in a position represented by the address obtained in step S1009 (step S1011). If the difference is smaller than 0 in step S1008, processing in steps S1009 to S1011 is not executed. Subsequently, the sum of the pulse position and the inter-pulse distance in obtaining a distortion is calculated (step S1012). If the sum is smaller than the number of samples of one frame (YES in step S1013), the sum is added to the current pointer of the multipulse search table 307 (step S1014), and added to the inter-pulse distortion table 301 (step S1015). A distortion value is read out from a position represented by the address obtained in step S1014, and stored in a position represented by the address obtained in step S1015 (step S1016). If the sum is equal to or more than the number of samples of one frame (NO in step S1013), processing in steps S1014 to S1016 is not executed. The number of samples of one frame is added to the current pointer of the multipulse search table 307 (step S1017), and the flow returns to step S1004 for checking whether processing for pulse position candidates ends.
Implementing multipulse search table creation processing by an actual program requires instruction processes of 12 steps corresponding to steps 1006 to 1017 in FIG. 10.
MPEG-4/CELP is used for speech of a video phone or the like as the speech codec of a portable terminal, and thus must execute real-time processing. In the prior art, a processing time necessary for multipulse search processing occupies 50% or more of a time necessary for speech coding. When a speech coding apparatus is to be mounted as software in a digital signal processor (to be referred to as a DSP hereinafter), multipulse search processing requires 17.682 MIPS (Million Instructions Per Second) in terms of the processing time, and the total decoding processing requires 30.64 MIPS, which poses a bottleneck.
This is because the addresses of a reference table and copying destination table for copying a distortion value are calculated in the four loops in processing of creating a multipulse search table to be referred in multipulse search processing, and the number of instructions is 12 steps.
FIG. 11 shows an actual program source list for performing conventional multipulse search table creation processing. Twelve instruction processes in this source list correspond to 12 steps in the flow chart of FIG. 10.
Since the conventional speech coding apparatus calculates the addresses of a reference table and copying destination table for copying a distortion value, many instructions are necessary for multipulse search table creation processing, and multipulse search processing takes a long time.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a speech coding apparatus capable of increasing the speed of multipulse search processing in MPEG-4/CELP by decreasing the number of instructions necessary for multipulse search table creation processing.
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a speech coding apparatus for, in coding input speech using a multipulse made up of a plurality of pulses, creating a multipulse search table which stores a distortion serving as a correlation coefficient between adjacent pulses of the multipulse for each pulse position candidate of each pulse, and using the multipulse search table to perform multipulse search processing of determining a position and amplitude of each pulse of the multipulse so as to minimize an error between the input speech and reproduced speech, comprising a pulse position candidate table for storing a pulse position candidate of each pulse for a pulse number of the pulse, an inter-pulse distortion table for storing a distortion calculated every pulse interval corresponding to a pulse position of the pulse position candidate table, a first reference address table, a second reference address table, first reference address table creation means for regarding a pulse position of the inter-pulse distortion table represented by the pulse position candidate table as a relative distance from a start of the inter-pulse as distortion table, calculating a distortion every pulse interval corresponding to the pulse position of the pulse position candidate table in advance to obtain an absolute address of the inter-pulse distortion table, and storing the absolute address in the first reference address table, second reference address table creation means for regarding a pulse position of the inter-pulse distortion table represented by the pulse position candidate table as a relative distance from a start of the multipulse search table, calculating a distortion every pulse interval corresponding to the pulse position of the pulse position candidate table in advance to obtain an absolute address of the multipulse search table, and storing the absolute address in the second reference address table, and search table creation means for, in creating the multipulse search table, reading out from the first reference address table an absolute address which uses a pulse position candidate of the inter-pulse distortion table as an index, reading out from the second reference address table an absolute address which uses a pulse position candidate of the multipulse search table as an index, and creating the multipulse search table using the readout absolute address of the multipulse search table and the readout absolute address of the inter-pulse distortion table.

Multipulse search processing method and speech coding apparatus


Novel optical devices based on diamondoid-containing materials are disclosed. Materials that may be fabricated from diamondoids included diamondoid nucleated CVD films, diamondoid-containing CVD films, molecular crystals, and polymerized materials. Devices that may be fabricated from the diamondoid-containing materials disclosed herein include solid state dye lasers, semiconductor lasers, light emitting diodes, photodetectors, photoresistors, phototransistors, photovoltaic cells, solar cells, anti-reflection coatings, lenses, mirrors, pressure windows, optical waveguides, and particle and radiation detectors.

1. Reference to Related Applications
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 60/431,273 filed Dec. 6, 2002. U.S. Provisional Patent application No. 60/431,273 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
2. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention are directed in general toward the optical uses of diamondoid-containing materials. Specifically, these devices may include solid state dye lasers, semiconductor lasers, light emitting diodes, photodetectors, photoresistors, phototransistors, photovoltaic cells, solar cells, anti-reflection coatings, lenses, mirrors, pressure windows, optical waveguides, and particle and radiation detectors.
3. State of the Art
Carbon-containing materials offer a variety of potential uses in optics and optoelectronics. Elemental carbon has the electronic structure 1s22s22p2, where the outer shell 2s and 2p electrons have the ability to hybridize according to two different schemes. The so-called sp3 hybridization comprises four identical σ bonds arranged in a tetrahedral manner. The so-called sp2-hybridization comprises three trigonal (as well as planar) σ bonds with an unhybridized p-electron occupying a π orbital in a bond oriented perpendicular to the plane of the σ bonds. At the "extremes" of crystalline morphology are diamond and graphite. In diamond, the carbon atoms are tetrahedrally bonded with sp3-hybridization. Graphite comprises planar "sheets" of sp2-hybridized atoms, where the sheets interact weakly through perpendicularly oriented π bonds. Carbon exists in other morphologies as well, including amorphous forms called "diamond-like carbon" (DLC), and the highly symmetrical spherical and rod-shaped structures called "fullerenes" and "nanotubes," respectively.
Diamond is an exceptional material because it scores highest (or lowest, depending on one's point of view) in a number of different categories of properties. Not only is it the hardest material known, but it has the highest thermal conductivity of any material at room temperature. It displays superb optical transparency from the infrared through the ultraviolet, has the highest refractive index of any clear material, and is an excellent electrical insulator because of its very wide bandgap. It also displays high electrical breakdown strength, and very high electron and hole mobilities.
A form of carbon not discussed extensively in the literature is the "diamondoid." Diamondoids are bridged-ring cycloalkanes that comprise adamantane, diamantane, triamantane, and the tetramers, pentamers, hexamers, heptamers, octamers, nonamers, decamers, etc., of adamantane (tricyclo[184.108.40.206,7] decane), adamantane having the stoichiometric formula C10H16, in which various adamantane units are face-fused to form larger structures. These adamantane units are essentially subunits of diamondoids. The compounds have a "diamondoid" topology in that their carbon atom arrangements are superimposable on a fragment of an FCC (face centered cubic) diamond lattice. According to embodiments of the present invention, electron donating and withdrawing heteroatoms may be inserted into the diamond lattice, thereby creating an n and p-type (respectively) material. The heteroatom is essentially an impurity atom that has been "folded into" the diamond lattice, and thus many of the disavantages of the prior art methods have been avoided.

Optical uses diamondoid-containing materials


An inventory control system, comprising a blister pack having a pierceable sheet that includes a plurality of printed circuits overlying each of the compartments of the blister pack. The printed circuits are in electrical communication with a connector assembly, the connector assembly being in electrical communication with a removable header. The header is in communication with a microprocessor controlled device having a memory; wherein the microprocessor controlled device determines the contents of the blister pack. The blister pack and connector assembly are removed from the substantially fixed header so the contents can be distributed. As the contents are distributed from the blister pack, the printed circuits are broken. When the connector assembly is reattached to the blister pack, electrical signals transmitted through the connector assembly and the blister pack determines the number of broken circuits, indicative of the contents of the blister pack. The connector assembly is a reusable device that includes a board that provides for electrical communication between the header and the blister pack and also facilitates assembly and removal of the connector to the header.

Certain products have sufficient value that their distribution must be carefully controlled, monitored and recorded. To prevent unauthorized distribution of such products, they are kept under lock and key with limited access until time for distribution, use or sale. There are many products that fall within this description. As an example, one category of products that falls within this description is pharmaceuticals.
Certain pharmaceuticals are maintained in blister packs in a locked area until ready for distribution. When ready for distribution, the blister packs containing the products are removed from locked area. The individual product is removed from the blister pack by the professional responsible for its distribution, and the product is distributed by the professional to the patient. The professional responsible for distribution of the product must maintain meticulous records regarding access and distribution of the product. Nevertheless, despite the procedures for accountability, the current system is subject to mistake, fraud or theft. What is needed is an improved system for tracking access and distribution of valuable products to minimize losses due to mistake, fraud or theft.

Electrical connector interfaced with conductive ink on a cardboard substrate


A shelter coating comprising polyvinyl alcohol and polyethyleneimine is disclosed. The shelter coating may optionally further include a photocatalyst capable of generating singlet oxygen from ambient air. The shelter coating may optionally include a singlet oxygen scavenger.

Exposure to toxic chemical and biological agents ("CBAs") is a growing concern to both military and civilian organizations alike. Areas of enhanced vulnerability include assemblies of persons, whether military or civilian. One such scenario includes military personnel assembled within one or more tents and/or portable shelters.
In order to mitigate the harmful effects of an exposure to CBA agents, many military shelters are constructed from fabrics which include one or more polymeric materials exhibiting barrier properties to one or more toxic agents. Many of these fabrics comprise, for example, fluoropolymers such a polytetrafluoroethylene ("PTFE"). One such composite material comprises Teflon coated Kevlar. While such composites demonstrate acceptable barrier properties, these CBA barrier shelter fabrics are expensive and require multiple manufacturing operations to join various fabric segments. The high costs of materials in combination with high manufacturing costs limit the availability of such prior art fabrics for widespread use.
As a result, most real-world military shelters are not made from such fabrics. Rather, current shelters are formed using materials having inferior CBA resistance. For example, forces of the United States of America typically utilize a General Purpose Shelter Fabric ("GP Fabric") manufactured from cloth coated with polyvinyl chloride ("PVC"). GP Fabric is relatively inexpensive and affords soldiers adequate protection against inclement weather including rain, snow, wind, and dust storms. Shelters made from GP Fabric, however, offer minimal CBA protection. Such prior art shelters require an additional M28 Saranex liner to impart acceptable CBA barrier properties. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, use of such liners adds to the overall weight, cost, and complexity, of the shelter.
Applicant's invention includes a more convenient, lower cost means of providing CBA resistance comprising disposing a waterborne CBA barrier coating directly onto either the interior, exterior, or both, of shelters made from GP Fabric. Applicant's method uses conventional coating methods, such as knife coating, spray coating, calendaring, and the like. Waterborne coatings are desirable because of inherent low toxicity and low flammability properties. Applicant's coating solutions rapidly and uniformly spread over the shelter surfaces, including the seams, thereby producing a continuous CBA barrier film after drying. Applicant's coating effectively "hardens" the shelter, i.e. enhances its CBA barrier properties.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, in order for any barrier coating to be effectively repel toxic agents, that coating must exhibit a high degree of mechanical integrity. In addition, that coating must adhere well to the GP Fabric substrate such that the coating neither tears nor delaminates from the fabric. Poor mechanical strength and/or poor adhesion greatly increase the likelihood of forming cracks and other coating defects that facilitate passage of toxic chemicals into the shelter.


Protrusions 11 are provided in a buttress portion 20, the protrusions 11 are composed of a center portion 11a extending from the groove bottom 4 of the transverse grooves 2 toward the tire rotational axis and side portions 11b, the center portion 11a and the side portions 11b are integrally formed, the side portions 11b extend from the same cross-sectional height as, that of the center portion toward the tire rotational axis, the protrusions 11 extend at least to a virtual line 22 in which the inner most belt layer 21a is virtually extended to the buttress portion 20, and the width W of the side portions 11b is 7% to 30% of the depth D of the transverse grooves 2, and the thickness L of the protrusions 11 on the virtual line 22 is 1 mm to 10 mm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire with improved handling and stability and traction performance, as well as improved uneven wear-resistant performance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At shoulder portions of a tread of a pneumatic tire, uneven wear is likely to occur. In particular, in the case of the pneumatic tire provided with a row of blocks at the shoulder portion, such uneven wear called toe-and-heel wear is likely to occur. For example, as the pneumatic tire provided with the row of blocks at the shoulder portion, the pneumatic tire disclosed in the Patent Document 1 (Patent document 1: Unexamined Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 7-32818, FIG. 1) is known.


This invention is related to an ink cleaning device, wherein this device comprises a cartridge stand, a driving mechanism, a printing control device and a cleaning cartridge. The feature of this invention is when the cleaning cartridge is put in the cartridge stand to replace the ink cartridge; the cleaning cartridge will be driven to guide cleanser into the guide tube and the printing head for cleaning purpose. Besides, the cartridge stand can accommodate the ink cartridge and the cleaning cartridge at one time. When ink cleaning function is required, the cleaning cartridge will be driven directly to clean the ink out by printing control device which is driven by an external device. The function of cleaning will also be approached.

The printer becomes a necessary appliances for modern people in these days, when people always use it at work or entertainment specially. At this moment, the type of printer comprises a laser printer, a dot matrix printer, and an inkjet printer. Focusing to the economic price, a highly development and low cost, the inkjet printer has become a main stream of the other printers.
There are two design trend at present of an ink cartridge of an inkjet printer. One is the ink cartridge has a printing head thereon. User can replace the ink cartridge directly when ink is run out, and then user has replaced the printing head at the same time. It will be convenient for use because user don't need to clean the printing head anymore, but it will get a higher cost and selling price; The other is the ink cartridge has not a function of printing head, in the other word, the printing head is set in a cartridge stand of inkjet printer instead of the ink cartridge. Please refer to FIG. 1. A conventional inkjet printer comprises a cartridge stand 10, a driving mechanism 14, and a printing control device 16, wherein the cartridge stand 10 comprises a printing head 100, which can control the flow rate of the ink; an ink cartridge 12 guides the ink into the printing head 100 when it is put in the cartridge stand 10. The driving mechanism 14 is used to drive the cartridge stand 10 for moving through a direction like the arrow of FIG. 1. The printing control device 16 is electronically connected to the driving mechanism 14 and the printing head 100 for controlling the movement of the cartridge stand 10, and the inkjet action of the printing head 100 at right time to achieve the printing function. The above-mentioned structure can save the cost of replacing printing head, however, due to a long time idle, it will cause the printing head 100 or/and the guide tube 102 is usually jammed because the ink is dried therein. The inkjet printer is usually out of order for these reasons.

Ink cleaning device of the inkjet printer


A structure of a multi-mode supported and configurable six-input look-up table (LUT), and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) device. The six-input LUT has six signal input ends and two signal output ends. The six-input LUT includes: a first five-input LUT, a second five-input LUT, a first multiplexer, and a second multiplexer. The first five-input LUT outputs a first output signal according to five data signals input by five signal input ends of the six-input LUT, where the first output signal is output by a first signal output end of the six-input LUT; the second five-input LUT outputs a second output signal according to the five data signals input by the five signal input ends of the six-input LUT; and the first multiplexer outputs a control signal according to a set configuration mode, to control the second multiplexer to output the first output signal or the second output signal.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of integrated circuit technologies, and in particular, to a structure of a multi-mode supported and configurable six-input look-up table (LUT), and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) device.
Related Art
A field-programmable gate array (Field-Programmable Gate Array, FPGA) is a logical device having rich hardware resources, powerful parallel processing capabilities, and flexible reconfigurability. The FPGA has been widely applied in many fields such as data processing, communications, and networks due to these features.
A look-up table (Look-up table, LUT) is a main element of a modern FPGA device and the LUT is substantially a random-access memory (Random-Access Memory, RAM). At present, most FPGAs use 4-input LUTs and each LUT may be regarded as a 16x1 RAM with a 4-bit address line. After a user describes a logic circuit by using a conceptual diagram or an HDL language, FPGA development software computes all possible results of the logic circuit automatically and writes the results into an RAM. In this case, each time inputting a signal to perform a logic operation is equivalent to inputting an address to look up a table, content corresponding to the address is searched for, and then the content is output.
As an application system is enhanced in functions and is increased in scale, the required number of gate arrays of a programmable logical device increases day by day, for example, a wide range of applications of FPGAs with thousands of gate levels. The increase in the number of the gates of the FPGA brings a strengthened function implementation capabilities and enhanced functions, but incurs performance degradation of the FPGA correspondingly, such as an increase in chip area, an increase in power consumption, and speed reduction, which all restrict the performance of the entire system. Therefore, it not only requires a reduction in process dimensions and an increase in the number of gate arrays, but also requires improvement of application capabilities of all logical blocks.
Improvement of flexibility, logic implementation capabilities and computing capabilities of the LUT may effectively improve the utilization of cabling resources, reduce the area occupied by resources, and further improve the operating speed of a chip, thereby implementing more functions and applications by using limited resources.

Structure of multi-mode supported and configurable six-input LUT, and FPGA device


Methods of assembling a coupler are provided in which a first printed circuit board is provided, and a second printed circuit board is then surface mounted on the first printed circuit board. The first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are then electrically and mechanically connected to provide a coupler having a shielded region defined between the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board. The shielded region at least partly surrounds a coupler circuit disposed therein.

The present invention generally relates to RF couplers, and more particularly relates to highly isolated RF couplers.
Conventional RF couplers that can provide a high degree of isolation typically include connectorized couplers, couplers within isolated compartments, or couplers within multi-layer structures. Such couplers typically employ of bulky, space consuming shielding such as surface mounted isolation walls, shielding cans, enclosures or other housings that are typically placed over the coupler circuit in order to achieve a high degree of isolation. Such couplers are discussed in, for example, a copending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/103,277 entitled "A SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING HIGHLY ISOLATED RADIO FREQUENCY INTERCONNECTIONS", which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.
In many circumstances, however, it is not possible or desirable to use such couplers due to cost, space constraints, or other manufacturing considerations such as the significant amount of time required to install such couplers.
Accordingly, there is a need for low cost RF couplers that are compact yet highly isolated. Ideally such RF couplers would be easily manufacturable in that they do not require extensive hand assembly to produce. It would be highly desirable if such RF couplers were easily integrateable with modem manufacturing techniques and would allow for cost efficient manufacturing.


A method for preparing electroconductive powders by applying a surface coating comprising amorphous silica, and an electro-conducting network of antimony-containing tin oxide crystallites. The process simultaneously applys silica in association with an antimony-containing tin oxide.

Electroconductive compositions and a process for preparing them are described in European Patent Application Publication No. 0359569, which published on Mar. 21, 1990, and is entitled "IMPROVED ELECTROCONDUCTIVE COMPOSITION AND PROCESS OF PREPARATION". The process described in European Patent Publication No. 0359569 (hereinafter referred to as "EPO '569"), for preparing ECP compositions requires providing a substrate comprising an amorphous hydroxylated or active silica-containing material. The hydroxyl groups on the substrate may enhance the chemical interaction among the silica-containing solid, and an aqueous solution of tin and antimony salts in order to form the desired ECP compositions. The substrate was prepared by coating a finely divided core material with silica prepared in an active form by adding an aqueous solution of an alkali silicate, such as sodium silicate or potassium silicate and a mineral acid, such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid to an agitated suspension of core material. The core material was optionally removed to produce a hollow silica shell.
A coating layer comprising hydrous oxides of tin and antimony was then applied to the hydroxylated silica substrate surface by adding aqueous solutions of hydrolyzable tin and antimony salts to a slurry of the substrate.

Process for producing electroconductive powders


A digital testing system providing for cost efficient comprehensive testing of very high frequency phase-locked loop performance parameters. The system tests PLL performance parameters both at integrated circuit level and communication board level. Cost efficiency of the testing system allows for volume testing by manufacturers.

The present invention relates to a digital testing system for high frequency digital Phase-Locked Loops (PLLs). This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/729,937, entitled "Digital Serial Loop Filter for High Frequency Control Systems" U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/681,095, entitled "Digital Signed Phase to Frequency Converter for High Frequency Phase-Locked Loops", as well as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/730,228, describing a phase detector, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/,731,138 describing a phase error processor, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,633 describing a frequency controlled oscillator, all incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Testing of dynamic performance parameters of PLLs, at very high frequencies, requires time measurements in sub-nSeconds (e.g. clock jitter for 125 MHz PLLs would be on the order of 0.75 nS). Due to limited resolution, most automatic test equipment is not capable of making such measurements. This has made the dynamic testing of high frequency PLL performance parameters, at component level or at board level, a high-price-tag item for most manufacturers. Furthermore, volume testing has also been considered as difficult to achieve if these products are to remain price competitive. Therefore, the general approach in the industry has been one of "guaranteed by design" with ac/dc tests at the integrated circuit level and limited functionality tests at board level.
From the above it is seen that an improved device/method for PLL testing is desired.

Digital testing techniques for very high frequency phase-locked loops


A breastpump, manual or motorized, that includes a mechanism to regulate pressure change, e.g., vacuum, within a breastshield chamber, including in some cases to a maintained minimum pressure that is less than ambient (atmosphere). The pressure regulator provides control for varying negative pressure between a minimum value and a maximum value (and values in between), or to achieve a specific actually measured negative pressure value within a breastshield.

Breastpumps for use by nursing mothers are well known. They allow the nursing woman to express the breastmilk as necessary or convenient, and further provide collection of the breastmilk for later use. For some mothers, breastpumps may be a necessity, such as when the child has suckling problems, or if the mother has problems with excessive or deficient milk production, or soreness, deformation or injury of the mammilla, or like conditions that are not conducive to suckling at the breast.
There are three general broad classifications of breastpumps: hand pumps that generate suction manually, battery operated pumps with small motors that generate suction from power supplied by batteries, and electric pumps in which suction is created by various types of electric motors that run off "house" current. Some pumps can cross over these broad classifications.
Various types of hand pumps exist. An example of such manually-driven pumps is in U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,677.
A battery-driven portable breastpump is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,851, for example. This breastpump is small, lightweight and achieves good vacuum (i.e., negative pressure) regulation in preferred limits. The LACTINA breastpump sold by Medela, Inc. is also another type of breastpump, which may be driven by battery as well as house current. It is generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,899.
All of these breastpumps are designed to cycle pressure, typically a negative pressure or vacuum, that is applied to the breast and nipple within the breastshield. Conventional breastpumps are generally of the displacement pump type or accumulator pump type. Displacement pumps use a mechanism to expand a volume to thereby generate a vacuum, such as the foregoing piston-type pumps. At the end of the return stroke, they return to atmosphere. A maximum (or other) vacuum is achieved by the length of the stroke. Upon returning the breast shield to atmospheric pressure, a one way valve may be opened to discharge accumulated leakage air, excess air from the repositioning of the breast tissue, and expelled milk within the breast shield. The discharge occurs into an atmosphere vented milk collection bottle or flexible bag. Alternatively, air can be adjustably added during a fixed-length stroke (as by an adjustable return to atmosphere) to roughly establish a desired vacuum level.
Accumulator pumps build up vacuum by repeatedly exhausting small portions of the original quantity of gas in the system. As the amount of gas (air) in a fixed volume decreases, the pressure decreases causing the vacuum to increase. Accumulator pumps control the maximum vacuum via the time, or duration, the pump is powered on and operating, e.g., the number of pump reciprocations for a given cycle. Vacuum can also be adjusted via a regulator, like that of the battery-driven portable breastpump described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,851, for example.
An issue with conventional breastpumps is that the "system" volume within the breastshield varies due to the amount of volume the breast of a nursing mother occupies in the breastshield, as well as the response of a given breast under vacuum. For example, a nursing mother with engorged breasts will have tight breast and nipple tissue that may occupy the breastshield differently from a mother with highly elastic breast tissue and/or nipples. So too, a small breast or nipple may fill the breastshield and react differently from a large breast or nipple. The system volume thus varies from breast to breast, and even from time to time for the same breast.
This "variable system volume," sometimes referred to as the "dead" volume, is problematic within a suction cycle. Imagine a highly elastic breast/nipple; at the start of the suction cycle, the breast and nipple occupy a certain portion of the breastshield system volume. This fixes the starting quantity of air in the system. As suction builds, the breast/nipple tissue is drawn into the breastshield, partially relieving the buildup of vacuum. Thus, the developed vacuum within the cycle is less than would be realized with a less elastic breast/nipple.
To the extent that conventional breastpumps of the displacement or accumulator types have attempted to provide actual set points for vacuum desired, they do so only through an approximation. A vacuum setting of "250 mmHg" for such pumps would only be for a standard sized breast for example, since it is based upon an expected level derived from displacement, or alternatively accumulation, effected by operation. The method or mechanism by which a vacuum is regulated is thus not controlled by the actual pressure sensed at the breast.
Some prior art patents disclose regulating pressure with a sensed pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,267 to Medo discloses a regulator within a central vacuum system that applies the regulated output to a pump "flange" on the breast, and then returns to ambient pressure in a cycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,163 to Kelly discloses a vacuum sensor for sensing suction in the breast cup and opening a valve when a maximum suction is sensed to release the pressure and return the breast cup to ambient. Upon the breast cup achieving ambient pressure, the valve closes for another cycle.
Unlike the present invention, the prior art does not regulate vacuum at the breastshield to reach a maximum negative pressure, and then a desired minimum negative pressure still less than ambient, without the need to return to atmospheric pressure for successful milk expression. A return to ambient pressure within the breastshield chamber may not be required, and benefits may be achieved by maintaining a minimum level of vacuum on the breast throughout at least a portion of the pumping session. Such would include, for example, reducing the amount of energy required to thereafter reach maximum vacuum. The "elastic rebound" of the nipple upon release of vacuum would also be minimized. Further benefits may result from being able to control a given vacuum cycle between desired set points of actually sensed, and thereby actually applied pressures, which set points may be made numerous for more complex, yet precisely controlled suction curves. The present invention also provides comfort to the nursing mother in that the reciprocation of a breast or nipple within the breastshield is minimized.
Patent application Ser. No. 11/786,364 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Minimum Negative Pressure Control, Particularly for Breastpump with Breastshield Pressure Control System," describes means of using an accumulator breast pump with sensors to control the vacuum cycle precisely including the minimum vacuum. The application describes a breast shield which, when in contact with a breast, has internal pressure controlled by the control system, and where the internal breast shield pressure communicates with the milk collection bottle to bring the bottle to the minimum vacuum. Some slight cyclic variation to greater vacuum occurs each pumping cycle within the bottle collection. The collection bottle is sealed from the atmosphere. Opening of the one way valve is assisted by the higher vacuum in the bottle as the breast shield approaches the minimum vacuum, a lower vacuum.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for minimum negative pressure control, particularly for a breastpump with breastshield pressure control system


A clutch mechanism includes clutch members having an engaged position, in which torque generated by a drive is transmitted to an output, and a disengaged position, in which torque is not transmitted to the output. The clutch members are capable of slipping with respect to each other in order to prevent damage caused by overload conditions. The clutch mechanism further comprises an actuator associated with a clutch member. If the clutch members slip and a characteristic associated with slipping of the clutch members, such as the temperature rise of the slipping surfaces or the relative rotational speed of the clutch members is above a predetermined value, transmission of torque to the output is interrupted. The clutch mechanism is particularly suited for inclusion in a drive mechanism for the agitator of a surface treating appliance, such as a vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum cleaners typically comprise a downwardly directed dirty-air inlet arranged in the cleaner head or a floor tool, through which dirty air is sucked, by means of a motor-driven fan, into dirt and dust separation apparatus. An agitator, such as a brush bar, may be arranged in the mouth of the dirty air inlet so as to agitate the fibres of a carpet over which the vacuum cleaner is passed. The agitator helps to release dirt and dust trapped in the carpet. The agitator is normally driven by means of a motor via a gear or belt transmission system. The motor may be a dedicated agitator motor or a turbine, or may be the vacuum motor that powers the cleaner.
It is desirable to be able to bring the agitator into and out of operation. In the case that the agitator is driven by a dedicated motor, the motor may simply be switched on and off. If the agitator is driven by the vacuum motor, a clutch mechanism may be provided. When the clutch is engaged, torque generated by the motor is applied to the agitator. When the clutch is disengaged, torque is not applied to the agitator.
A problem which may be encountered with vacuum cleaners having an agitator is that, on occasion, the agitator may become jammed by becoming entangled with objects on the floor surface, for example, or by being pressed hard into the floor. Turbine drives have the advantage of being self-limiting in an overload situation, but impose a loss of air-watts at the suction opening. Where the agitator is driven by a dedicated motor, it is relatively straightforward to sense such overload conditions. For example, the rise in current caused by the increase in load can be detected and the motor electrically switched off. However, where the agitator is driven by the vacuum motor, sensing of such overload conditions is more difficult.
Therefore, it has been proposed to provide means for limiting the torque applied to the jammed agitator by, for example, causing the drive belt to slip. However, over time, the belt deteriorates and so needs replacing periodically. This is a nuisance to the user.
A further problem with conventional torque limiters is that they may respond immediately to an overload condition. Such limiters do not allow for momentary overloads such as may occur when the agitator is momentarily pushed into the pile of the carpet, for example.