A method transfers image information from a camera module (1) to an electronic device, such as a mobile station (23). In the camera module (1), an image is formed by an image sensor (2) having pixels, where the light to which the pixel (P1,1-Pm,n) is exposed is converted into an analog signal which is converted into digital image information. The image information is transferred in serial form, and the transfer of the image information is controlled by the electronic device (23).

The present invention relates to a method for transferring image information according to the preamble of the appended claim 1, a camera module according to the preamble of the appended claim 7, and a mobile station according to the preamble of the appended claim 13.
In digital cameras and video cameras, an optical image is converted into electrical form by an image sensor, typically a charge coupled device (CCD). Such an image sensor consists of several photosensitive picture elements (pixels) which are arranged advantageously in a matrix form. The number of pixels in the image sensor affects the resolution of the image to be formed. Typically, the image sensor used in cameras and video cameras consists of hundreds of thousands of pixels, for example 640×480=307 200 pixels. In a CCD sensor, light induces a charge in the pixel, which is affected e.g. by the intensity of the light as well as the time of action of light in the pixel, i.e. exposure time. Cameras are equipped with optics whereby the image is focused at the pixels of the image sensor. When a CCD sensor is used, the pixels are uncharged before taking the picture, whereby after a predetermined exposure time, each pixel has a charge which is proportional to the quantity of light directed to it and which can be measured. After the exposure, the entry of light in the CCD sensor is prevented e.g. with a mechanical shutter. The shutter function can be implemented also electrically by sufficiently quick reading of the image sensor.
In the CCD sensor, the pixels are chained by coupling them in series, and the output of the CCD sensor is coupled with the first pixel in the connection in series, whereby the image signal from the CCD sensor can be read by transferring charges from one pixel to the next, timed by a charge transfer signal. The charges can be read from the output of the CCD element, whereby the charge of the pixel coupled to the output is read first. In the same connection, the charge transfer signal induces the transfer of charges in other pixels to the next pixel, i.e. the pixel coupled to the output will receive the charge of the second pixel coupled to the same, the second pixel will receive the charge of the pixel that is third in the connection in series, respectively, etc. Each line of the image sensor can form a separate pixel chain. Each pixel chain is provided with a separate output from the first pixel in the chain, as presented above. From these outputs from the pixel chains, the charges can be transferred e.g. to a transfer register. Reading a CCD image sensor formed in this way requires transfers of charges in a way corresponding to the number of pixels in the pixel chain. Thus, measuring the charge of a single pixel is not possible except by carrying out the transfer of charges as presented above as long as the charge of the desired pixel is in the output of the image sensor. Using such an image sensor, undersampling of the image is difficult and slow because, in practice, the charges of all pixels in the pixel chain must be transferred to the output even though some of the pixels were not processed in undersampling.
The conversion of an analog signal generated by the image sensor to digital form can be conducted with an analog/digital converter. The conversion accuracy of the analog/digital conversion is typically 8 bits, whereby 256 luminous intensity levels are obtained from each pixel. Considering the capacity of human eye, this number is usually sufficient to provide the required image quality. From the analog/digital converter, this conversion result is transferred in parallel form for further processing steps, such as for storing in an image memory or on a video tape. In digital cameras and video cameras of prior art, the display device used is an analog display device, such as a LCD display device equipped with an analog connection, whereby the image is transferred as an analog signal to the display device.
In addition to the above-mentioned CCD sensors, recent development has involved so-called CMOS image sensors, whereby it is also possible to conduct the photoelectric conversion of the image. These CMOS image sensors are based on primarily two different operating principles: integrating and non-integrating image sensors.
In integrating image sensors, the current generated by the pixel is used to charge a capacitor arranged in connection with the pixel. The charge of the capacitor depends on the strength and charge time of the current induced by the pixel. Before image formation, each capacitor is uncharged, after which the current generated by the pixel starts to charge the capacitor, whereby the charge accumulated in the capacitor after the exposure is proportional to the quantity of light to which the pixel was exposed. Setting the exposure time of integrating CMOS image sensors can be handled e.g. by a mechanical shutter, whereby the control electronics can be made simpler whereby the exposure time of each image element is substantially the same, or by timing the discharging of the capacitor and measuring of the accumulated charge substantially the same for different pixels. In an integrating image sensor, a charge is also accumulated in the capacitor when the pixel is in darkness. This may distort the image signal from the pixel. To correct this, a so-called correlated double sampling (CDS) method has been developed, whereby the charge of the capacitor of the pixel is measured after charge resetting preferably before exposure, and this value is stored for each pixel. The charge of the capacitor is measured again after the exposure time, and the stored value is subtracted from this measurement value. The difference corresponds better to the real image signal proportional to the quantity of light than an image signal obtained by one measurement. After the charge measurements presented above, the measurement value is subjected to analog/digital conversion, whereby the measurement result can be stored in digital form.
In non-integrating CMOS image sensors, the current generated by each pixel is measured, which is proportional to the intensity of light to which the pixel is exposed at the time. This kind of a sensor has the advantage that each pixel can be designated separately and the current can be measured irrespective of other pixels and exposure times. This random access is easier in integrating image sensors, if a mechanical shutter is used to set the same exposure time for different pixels.
CMOS image sensors can be also divided into passive and active image sensors. Their primary difference lies in the fact that in active image sensors, the pixel is also provided with an intensifier. This reduces the spreading of the charge of capacitors in the integrating image sensor to the next capacitors at the stage of measuring the charge, which may distort the measuring results in passive image sensors.
Irrespective of the type of the image sensor, the digitised values of the pixels are transferred for further processing typically in analog form, pixel by pixel. Thus, the image field is scanned for example line by line, starting from the first pixel on the first line. The analog image signal can be sent to be displayed e.g. by an analog display device. At the stage of further processing, the analog image signal can be converted to digital form e.g. for storage in an image memory, whereby the digital value formed from the analog signal of each pixel is stored in a memory location corresponding to the pixel in question. The image signal can be subjected to e.g. filtering and noise suppression, if necessary.
In currently known camera modules comprising an image sensor and control logic, the image information can be read either in analog form, whereby the signal must be subjected to analog/digital conversion for further processing steps, or readily converted in parallel digital form. Further, the synchronisation of image information is conducted by the control logic of the camera module in a predetermined image format, whereby typically a standard quantity of information must be transferred from each image. The quantity of information for one image depends on the number of pixels in the image sensor, i.e. the resolution, and the accuracy of the analog/digital conversion of each pixel. For example, in an image sensor consisting of 480 horizontal lines and 640 vertical lines, thereby comprising 307 200 pixels, each of which is subjected to analog/digital conversion of 8 bits, the total information of one image amounts to 2 457 600 bits.
When such a camera module of prior art is connected to a portable electronic device, such as a mobile station, one problem is the greater space needed by the parallel bus solution, compared with using a serial bus for the transfer of image information. In a typical application, information of 8 bits per pixel is used in a black-and-white image and information of 24 bits per pixel in a colour image, whereby at least 8 parallel transfer lines are needed. When a separate camera module is used, the coupling cable to be connected with the parallel bus should comprise conductors for each line of the parallel bus and also a ground conductor and possibly a power supply conductor for the camera module, whereby the coupling conductor becomes considerably more expensive and stiffer to use than a coupling cable of a serial bus containing fewer conductors. Furthermore, possible capacitive coupling between signal transfer lines in the parallel bus may cause cross-talk between adjacent conductors. Cross-talk is easily increased when the length of the conductors is increased. Furthermore, parallel data transmission complicates the structure of the device to be connected to the camera module and increases the manufacturing costs.
The use of a serial bus in solutions of prior art would typically require increasing the data transfer rate at least 8 times compared with data transfer in parallel form, if the aim is to transfer the same quantity of information in the same time. This is not always possible, because fast digital signals have very sharp edges, i.e. the rise and fall times of the signal are very short, whereby they easily induce disturbances in the operation of the electronic device as well as other electronic devices. Also, signals containing rapid changes are susceptible to distortions which may affect the reliability of the data transfer.
One disadvantage with present camera modules is their inflexibility; they produce an image in a determined form at a rate determined by the camera module itself. Information produced by camera modules of prior art cannot be easily affected, whereby it may be necessary to conduct unnecessary functions in the device receiving the image signal particularly when the quantity of image information entering the receiving device exceeds the quantity that can be utilised in the receiving device, whereby transferring the unutilised image information consumes power to an unnecessary degree. Some camera modules of this kind provide the option of adjusting how often a new image is transferred from the camera module. However, the quantity of information in each image is not changed. If the receiving device cannot process all images at the set updating rate but controls the camera module to transfer images at a slower rate, the updating rate may sink to such a low level that it can be detected in the image e.g. as discontinuous movement.
In several digital cameras, an LCD display device is presently used for displaying image information. This display device is used both as a viewfinder for directing the camera to the desired photographic subject and for observing the picture taken, whereby the picture can be taken again, if necessary. Display devices of this kind are typically analog, whereby the image signal is in analog form. When used as a viewfinder, the image displayed with a display device must be updated at a sufficient rate. The frequency of updating the image is limited by the large quantity of image information to be transferred and the limited transfer rate. This results in discontinuous movement of the image to be displayed on the display device, particularly during movement of the camera or the photographic subject. Also in several video cameras, an analog LCD display device is currently used as a viewfinder, whereby the problems are similar during video recording.

Method and apparatus for transferring image data from an internal camera module


A dividing method for a wafer includes a step of irradiating a laser beam along streets to form modified regions in an inside of a wafer, a step of dividing the wafer into individual chips beginning with starting points given by the modified regions, a step of placing a processing chamber in which the wafer is charged to a vacuum state and fill the processing chamber with inert gas, and a step of introducing etching gas into the processing chamber filled with the inert gas to etch side faces of the chips.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dividing method for a wafer by which a semiconductor wafer is divided along a street.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor wafer is partitioned into a large number of rectangular regions with streets (planned dividing lines) arrayed in a lattice pattern and are divided into individual chips along the streets. Conventionally, as a dividing method for a wafer, a method of dividing a wafer into individual chips by combination of SD (Stealth Dicing) and expansion (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-252126 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-111147). In the SD, a laser beam is irradiated along a street to form a modified region, which becomes a starting point of division, in a wafer. In the expansion, a tape pasted to a wafer is expanded so that external force is applied to a modified region to divide the wafer along a street.
Meanwhile, in the dividing method for a wafer disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-252126 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-111147, since tensile force is applied to a modified region in which a strength decreases so that the wafer is broken at the modified region, if a crack appears on a side face (dividing face) of a chip, then very small broken pieces scatter. Further, if a modified region having reduced strength remains on a side face of a chip after broken, then part of the modified region sometimes comes off and further scatters as a broken piece to ambient. Since such a crack or very small broken piece has a bad influence on a performance of a chip, etching gas is used to remove a modified region, a crack and a broken piece to smoothen a side face of a chip.


A method and system for synthesizing audio speech is provided. A synthesis engine receives from a host, compressed and normalized speech units and prosodic information. The synthesis engine decompresses data and synthesizes audio signals. The synthesis engine can be implemented on a digital signal processing system which can meet requirements of low resources (i.e. low power consumption, lower memory usage), such as a DSP system including an input/output module, a WOLA filterbank and a DSP core that operate in parallel.

There are various methods available to solve the speech synthesis problem in general. The most successful methods use an inventory of prerecorded speech units, such as diphones, and concatenate the units (with or without some prosodic modifications) to synthesize fluent speech with correct prosody. Prosody relates to the pitch, rhythm, stress, tempo and intonation used in expressing words i.e. how the words are spoken. Through employing unit selection methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,637, one can achieve a reasonable quality of synthesized speech and avoid the prosodic modification of speech units by recording a very large inventory of units and searching for optimal units to be concatenated at the synthesis stage.
However, these techniques require a large amount of volatile and nonvolatile memory to store the unit inventory, and search results. Also, the search for optimal units at the synthesis stage is complicated and increases the computation load significantly.
An alternative form of Text-to-Speech (TTS) synthesizers is the class of small-unit concatenation systems that use less than a few thousands of speech units. Amongst the various versions of these systems proposed in the literature, the Time-Domain Pitch-Synchronous Overlap and Add (TD-PSOLA) method is very simple and offers a reasonable speech quality if the problems of pitch, phase and spectral discontinuities are properly addressed. Details of TD-PSOLA is described in Diphone Synthesis Using an Overlap-Add Technique for Speech Waveforms Concatenation, F. Charpentier and M. G. Stella, Proceedings of the ICASSP, 1986 pp. 2015 to 2018 and Pitch-Synchronous Waveform Processing Techniques for Text-to-Speech Synthesis Using Diphones, E. Moulines, and F. Charpentier, Speech Communication, vol. 9, No. 5–6, 1990 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,730.
In PC-based synthesis systems, synthesized speech is stored in temporary files that are played back when a part of the text (such as a complete phrase, sentence or paragraph) has been processed. In contrast, in a typical real-time system, the text has to be processed while synthesis is taking place. Synthesis cannot be interrupted once it has started. Also, synthesis is not a straight-through process in which the input data can be simply synthesized as it is made available to the processor. The processor has to buffer enough data to account for variations in prosody. It also has to work on several frames at a time in order to perform interpolation between such frames while synthesis is taking place.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a real-time audio synthesis method and system that offers a high quality audio in real-time, and that can meet requirements of low resource usages (i.e. lower memory usage, low power consumption, low computation load and complexity, low processing delay).

Method and system for real time audio synthesis


The color filter array 21a comprises seven or more types of color filters including a first color filter. The seven or more types color filters have different spectral sensitivity characteristics. The seven or more types of color filters are arranged in a two-dimensional form. Among the seven or more types of color filters, at least two types of color filters are designated as a color filter of interest. Two color filters arranged at a first interval on both sides of the color filter of interest along a first direction are of the same type. Two color filters arranged at a second interval on both sides of the color filter of interest along a second direction that is different from the first direction are of the same type. Among the color filters, at least one type of color filter have a density higher than that of the other types of color filters, thereby realizing acquisition of highly accurate gradient information from a multiband color filter array.

There is known an imaging apparatus including an image sensor provided with a three-color (RGB) filter for capturing full-color images. It is known that the gradient information of images is acquired to detect various information from the captured images and to perform various processing of the images. In the conventional imaging apparatus, the number of bands of color filter is small, thus the sample density of image signal components corresponding to each band is relatively high, and the accuracy of the gradient information based on interpolation images produced by color interpolation is sufficiently high.
To provide a faithful color reproduction of an object, a multiband image photographing has received an attention. For multiband image photographing, photographing with a plurality of cameras or several times of photographing may be performed. However, for such a multiband image photographing, a dedicated photographing system has been needed. Thus, there has been suggested that, by using a single-chip multiband image sensor where color filters of four or more bands are arranged, a multiband image photographing is performed by one piece of photography with one imaging apparatus (see Patent Literature 1).


An asset management system for managing media assets in media production. The system includes a database and a database interface. The database stores a plurality of records, each record storing information for a media asset. Each record includes work performance information for the media asset. The database interface is coupled to the database and to a network. The database interface is configured to provide access to the plurality of records, and to collect and manage information for the corresponding media assets.

Producing a modern motion picture can involve the production and management of a large number of media assets. For example, sequences of shots in a movie can be stored as digital information before transfer to film. In turn some or all of the shots can use assets, such as audio and video sequences, images, computer graphics information (e.g., characters, props, environments, models), and other related assets. Many assets require work and development from different people and groups, sometimes passing back and forth as adjustments are made. Managing the various assets through their stages of development can become very complicated. Accordingly, it is highly desirable for information of assets for media production (i.e., asset information) to be stored in one or more databases and to provide a convenient interface to access that information for production.


The present invention discloses adjustable air duct sealing systems for obstructing airflow through portions of an air duct system. Such systems may include an adjustable frame assembly configured to allow changes to a perimeter of the adjustable frame assembly. Systems may also include an actuator pole connector configured to attach the adjustable air duct sealing system to an actuator pole. Systems may include two or more support arms such that each support arm connects the actuator pole connector to the adjustable frame assembly and each support arm moveably connects to the actuator pole connector to allow the support arms to adjust to changes in the perimeter of the adjustable frame assembly. Some systems also include a sheet cover configured across the adjustable frame assembly to obstruct airflow through at least a portion of the adjustable frame assembly.

As the trend to conserve energy continues, more individuals are demanding and more governmental entities are mandating that houses and commercial facilities undergo periodic energy audits. An energy audit is a service where a building structure's energy efficiency is evaluated by a person using professional equipment as blower door and infra-red cameras), with the aim to suggest the best ways to improve energy efficiency in heating and cooling the structure.
An energy audit involves recording various characteristics of the building envelope including the walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, and skylights. For each of these components the area and resistance to heat flow (R-value) is measured or estimated. The leakage rate or infiltration of air through the building envelope is of concern and is strongly affected by window construction and quality of door seals such as weather stripping. The goal of an audit is to quantify the building's overall thermal performance. The audit may also assess the efficiency, physical condition, and programming of mechanical systems such as the heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, and thermostat.
Leaks in an air duct system often account for a large percentage of energy being wasted in a typical home. In a residence, the percentage of air that escapes out of an air duct system due to leaks, on average, is approximately twenty-five percent (25%). Given that in some areas of the country, sixty percent (60%) to seventy percent (70%) of the cost of a household's monthly utilities bill is due to the operation of the HVAC system, air leakage in an air duct system may represent a significant waste of both monetary and energy resources.
Measuring the leakage in an air duct system is generally the most time consuming portion of a home energy audit. In fact, as much as fifty percent (50%) of the time required to perform a home energy audit is consumed in testing air leakage of an air duct system. The majority of that time is spent sealing off the various air vents so that the air duct system can be pressurized or depressurized to measure the air leaks.
Current methods of sealing off the air vents involve the use of a special adhesive tape that adheres to the face of an air vent. There are, however, certain drawbacks to the use of this adhesive tape. Applying and removing the adhesive tape to all of the air vents takes a significant amount of time because the adhesive tape is cumbersome and awkward to use. Commonly, the tape sticks to itself and those pieces have to be thrown away unused. The tape is generally stored in bulky spools that are heavy and difficult to maneuver. When the tape is removed from the spools, it can generate an extremely loud noise that may wake up members of a home that are asleep during the day, such as, for example a baby or elderly person taking a nap, or be disruptive to ongoing business concerns.
Another drawback is that the tape does not provide the best seal possible for the air duct system. Even after the tape is applied to the air vent, air may still enter and leave the air duct system beneath the face of the air vent that touches the wall or ceilings surface because the tape only blocks the openings of the air vent on the face of the air vent. The tape does not block openings between the air vent and surface on which the air vent is installed. An additional drawback occurs when the tape is removed. Because the tape uses a strong adhesive, damage often occurs to the wall, ceiling, or air vent when the tape is removed.
Even more problematic is the current process of sealing the pressurizing fan system to the return air vent after all of the other air vents have been sealed. In many buildings, the return air vent is located on the ceiling. Sealing the pressurizing fan system to the HVAC system involves awkwardly climbing a ladder with a flexible duct and trying to tape the flexible duct overhead to the air return vent while balancing on the ladder. Often, the weight of the flexible duct pulls the tape away from the air return vent and the operator has to repeat this process several times before adequately sealing the flexible duct to the return vent.

Air duct sealing system for obstructing or directing airflow through portions of an air duct system


A device for transmitting sound has a transmission element shaped to form a sound symposer and forms a sound cone between a rear wall and a front-side panel, Thus, sound is projected from the latter through openings in the panel into the vehicle interior.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sound transmitting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,600,408 B1 discloses an apparatus with a hollow body for targeted transmission of sound from an intake tract of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle to an interior of the motor vehicle. DE 10 2005 025 092 B3 discloses a device for transmitting sound from an internal combustion engine to a passenger compartment. The device has a plate with a through opening and comprises a membrane surface insulator. Furthermore, DE 10 2010 036 769 A1 discloses a sound symposer for transmitting noises in a vehicle from the intake tract of an internal combustion engine into a vehicle interior is known from.
It is an object of the invention to provide a device for transmitting sound from an internal combustion engine to a vehicle interior while ensuring a targeted projection of sound prepared for the vehicle interior.

DR. ING. H.C.F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT


A rotary disc filter includes one or more filter discs secured to a rotary drum and include a series of circumferentially spaced backwash guides disposed in the filter disc. During backwashing, the backwash guides function to engage a mixture of backwash and suspended solids and guide or direct the mixture to a sludge trough disposed in the disc filter. The backwash guides generally assure that a greater percentage of the backwash and suspended solids mixture end up in the solids trough.

Rotary disc filters are designed to filter a liquid, such as water or wastewater, and typically include a drum, a plurality of filter discs secured to the drum, and a backwash system for backwashing filter media forming a part of the filter disc. Liquid to be filtered passes from the drum into the filter disc, which includes the filter media on opposite sides thereof. Liquid in the filter disc flows outwardly through the filter media. In this process, suspended solids in the liquid are captured or retained on the inner surfaces of the filter media. From time-to-time, the filter media is cleaned by a backwashing operation. In the backwashing operation, nozzles disposed exteriorly of the filter disc direct a pressurized backwash through the filter media and into the filter disc. The backwash dislodges the suspended solids retained on the inner surfaces of the filter media. The mixture of backwash and dislodged suspended solids flow by gravity from the filter disc, through openings in the drum, and into a solids trough disposed in the drum.
It is challenging, however, to channel all or substantially all of the suspended solids into the solids trough. An accumulation of suspended solids takes place inside the drum and inside the filter disc. Particles of all sizes accumulate in these areas. The reasons for this accumulation are many. A main reason is that 100% of the solids filtered by the filter media do not end up in the solids trough. Some of the solids fall off the media when breaking through the water surface when the drum and filter disc are rotated in a backwashing operation. Other suspended solids fail to reach the solids trough due to a high incoming water speed or a high rotation speed of the filter disc during backwashing. Further, some of the suspended solids captured or retained on the filter media do not end up in the solids trough. All of this tends to result in an inefficient filtering process.
Therefore, there has been and continues to be a need for a rotary disc filter that is designed to more efficiently collect suspended solids and direct them into the solids trough.

Rotary disc filter having backwash guides

Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Support


A paddle includes a plurality of axially divided components that are connected together, each component including axially extending blades, wherein the blades overlap with blades provided on a component adjacent to the corresponding component in the circumferential direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for use in, for example, a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus provided with a developing device, wherein the developing device has a paddle and the paddle supplies developer while agitating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus used for a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, and a multi-function machine which includes at least two of these functions selectively exposes the surface of a uniformly charged photoreceptor drum according to image information to form a latent image, develops the formed electrostatic latent image to form a toner image, and transfers the toner image to printing paper to print an image. Subsequently, the toner image which is not yet fixed is fixed on the printing paper. A developer is stored in a developer container, and a paddle provided with blades extending in the radial direction supplies the developer to a developing sleeve while agitating the same to cause the developing sleeve to hold the developer. Then, by supplying the developer from the developing sleeve having the developer held thereon to the photoreceptor drum, a toner image, which is based on the electrostatic latent image, is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor drum.
The paddle is an elongated member since it requires at least a length equal to the length of the developing sleeve which corresponds to the width of the printing paper. It is difficult to obtain such an elongated paddle with a high degree of accuracy by metal machining, and the machining cost is expensive. Injection molding of the elongated paddle with resin or plastic requires a high die cost, and it is also difficult to eliminate molding distortion generated in the axial (longitudinal) direction.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, there is known a paddle 900 which is axially divided into a plurality of components 901 and each component 901 is individually formed by injection molding (see, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-40768). The components 901 each include blades 902 extending between both end surfaces in the axial direction. For example, FIGS. 11 and 12 disclose an assembly of a paddle including discontinuous blades extending in the radial direction and shifted by 30° and a helical blade made by connecting the axially divided plurality of components.
However, as shown in FIG. 12, in the paddle 900 obtained by connecting the axially divided plurality of components 901, since there is a limit in dimensional accuracy of the injection molding or the like, spaces s are generated between the blades 902 provided on each component 901 of the paddle 900 and blades 902 adjacent thereto. Such spaces s degrade the accuracy of supplying the toner by the paddle 900, and cause defective image formation. For example, since the developer is not agitated at positions where the spaces s exist, the developer conglomerates and causes defective image formation. Since the developer is not scraped up at the positions where the spaces s exist and thus is not supplied to the developing sleeve, there may be portions on the surface of the developing sleeve where the developer is not supplied. In such a case, there is a problem such that the developer is not supplied to a portion of the surface of the photoreceptor drum which opposes the developing sleeve. Hence, the toner is not adhered to the corresponding portion and hence an image with a void is formed on the printing paper, so that defective image formation results. Since there are the spaces s between the blades 902 of the paddle 900, if there are portions where a sufficient required amount of the developer is not held on the surface of the developing sleeve, there may be a case in which an image having a density less than that of the desired level is formed on the printing paper, so that defective image formation results.

Paddle, developing device and image forming apparatus


An image forming method using an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier whose surface is driven in a sub scanning direction; a deflector which scans a beam spot reciprocally in a main scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the sub scanning direction on the surface of the latent image carrier in the use of an oscillating deflect mirror so as to form spot latent images each of which formed on a pixel; developer which develops each of the spot latent images as a pixel-dot, the method includes of: halftoning for a tone reproduction in which a halftone-dot constituted by the pixel-dot(s) is formed on a cell consisting plural pixels according to a fattening type threshold matrix, wherein a plurality of cells are contiguously arranged in the main scanning direction so as to form a plurality of contiguous locations at each of which the cells adjoin mutually in the main scanning direction, each cell includes a larger-than-four even number of pixels in the sub scanning direction, and the cells, which mutually adjoin at a particular contiguous location out of the plurality of contiguous locations, are mutually shifted by an odd number of pixel(s) in the sub scanning direction.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which forms an image by scanning a light beam on a surface of a latent image carrier in a main scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the sub scanning direction, the latent image carrier driven in a sub scanning direction. The invention also relates to an image forming method used in the apparatus.
2. Related Art
The image forming apparatus of this type includes the latent image carrier, an exposure unit and a developer unit and operates as follows to form a toner image on the latent image carrier. Specifically, a light source of the exposure unit is controlled based on image data representing the toner image. In the meantime, the exposure unit makes a deflector deflectively scan the light beam from the light source in the main scanning direction as focusing the light beam in a spot shape on the latent image carrier, whereby a latent image corresponding to the image data is formed on the surface of the latent image carrier. Then, the latent image is developed with toner to form the toner image.
JP A-2002-182147 proposes an art to use an oscillatory deflection mirror surface as the deflector in order to achieve the downsizing and high speed performance of the deflector. In this apparatus, the deflection mirror supported by a torsion bar is brought into oscillation, while the light beam emitted from the light source is reflected by the deflection mirror for reciprocally scanning the light beam on the surface of the latent image carrier.


A lighting control device can include a control module and a processing module. The control module can provide a driving signal. The driving signal can modify a control voltage on a control interface. The control voltage can control a controllable ballast or driver. The processing module can determine a duty cycle of the driving signal. The control module and the processing module can receive power via the control interface and a power supply on the control device.

Currently available control systems for lighting devices, such as luminaires, include those controllers that support a 0-10 volts ("V") analog control protocol. Currently available control systems are not powered via a control interface, such as a 0-10 V control bus used to provide a control voltage or control signal to, for example, a control input of a controllable ballast or driver for a luminaire. Currently available control systems include additional power sources for powering the components of the control system, thereby increasing the cost and complexity of lighting control systems.
Control systems for lighting devices can also include methods and devices to compensate for lumen depreciation in lighting devices. Lumen depreciation is the reduction of light output over the lifespan of the lighting device. For example, luminaires can reduce light output by 20% or more over their useful lifespan. Previous methods and devices designed to compensate for lumen depreciation may require the incorporation of additional specialized equipment, such as optical or electrical sensors or dedicated external equipment requiring a separate power supply of some kind. The incorporation of additional specialized equipment can increase the costs and complexity involved with compensating for lumen depreciation.


The application discloses a system and methods for remote access and analysis of data collected about items under inspection. The system includes one or more data collection stations, each of which may include an X-ray scanner that scans the items under inspection to obtain data about the items. The data is transmitted to one or more remote stations, where the data is remotely analyzed to determine whether the item contains a potential threat, such as, for example, explosives or other contraband. Data may be aggregated so that correlations between data collected for different items may be used to more accurately detect threats.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for remotely transmitting X-ray data over a communication channel to enable remote access to, and analysis of, that data. One application for the invention is in the field of baggage screening.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A number of conventional systems for screening both checked and carry-on baggage at airports are in use, including X-ray scanners, computed tomography (CT) scanners, and the like. Some of the systems are largely automated and include computing equipment that implements threat detection software. Some of these and other such systems are multilevel screening systems which may involve human operation in at least some levels of the screening process. An operator views a reconstructed image of an item under inspection on a monitor or view-screen, and makes decisions regarding, for example, whether the item may present a threat, and/or should be subjected to more detailed screening.
Presently existing systems provide differing degrees of sophistication in terms of their ability to analyze and screen objects based on X-ray data obtained about the object. Though, screening of carry-on baggage has traditionally been done with smaller and less automated equipment than checked baggage. Some, systems for example, balance the speed of baggage screening with the degree of certainty in screening for explosives, contraband and the like. In addition, especially in the United States, operators of such systems have varying levels of skill. Often, operators of first-level screening equipment for checked or carry-on baggage at airports have a lower level of skill than those who may be located remote from such equipment.
There exists a need for improved systems and methods for baggage screening for explosives, contraband and the like at airports and in other locations.

L-3 Communications Security and Detection Systems, Inc.


A digital camera (300) has panning and/or tilting functionality and comprises: a camera housing (6) with an optical input (400), such as a lens or objective (8); an image capturing unit (500) for producing a digital image from light received through the optical input; and a controller (600). A first mirror (9) is mounted externally to the camera housing (6). An image rotating device (200) receives an angular displacement control signal from the controller (600) and rotates the first mirror at an angle with respect to the optical input (400, 8) of the camera housing (6).

A common example of a digital camera with panning and/or tilting functionality is a web camera, which e.g. may be mounted at a given location for the purpose of surveillance, production monitoring, etc. The web camera comprises an optical input in the form of a lens or objective and an image capturing unit for producing a digital image from light received from the optical input. Usually, the image capturing unit comprises a CCD element (Charge Coupled Device). The web camera has software and hardware for allowing the camera to be connected to a given network, such as an Ethernet or Token Ring network. The web camera is arranged to produce digital images at a given rate, such as 1-25 images per second. In order to increase the visual volume covered by the web camera, the camera is provided with mechanical means for panning and/or tilting the camera. Generally speaking, "panning" means rotating the camera by a given angle (normally 0°-360°) in a horizontal plane, and "tilting" means rotating the camera by a given angle (normally 0°-180°) in a vertical plane.
In prior art web cameras the panning and/or tilting functionality is obtained by moving the whole camera or at least the objective thereof. Since the camera and objective have a considerable weight, such an approach involves complex, large and expensive mechanics. Furthermore, the speed at which the camera may be panned or tilted is restricted due to the large mass, that has to be moved accordingly.

Digital camera having panning and/or tilting functionality, and an image rotating device for such a camera


A product quality information control method including the act of feeding repair information for making a repair based on imperfection information found during an inspection process of a product back to a manufacture control department. The repair information includes graphic and character information indicative of the contents of the repair made by a repair person. As a result, it becomes possible for the manufacture control department to accurately grasp an imperfection found by an inspection department and a temporary measure taken to cure the imperfection.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a product quality information control method wherein information of an inspection department is fed back to a manufacture department to thereby stabilize the quality of resulting products. The present invention also relates to a display system for displaying such information.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional product quality information control method, when an imperfection in a product is repaired, the repair position, repair contents and repair time are communicated to a control department for controlling the manufacturing line responsible for the occurrence of the imperfection. Then, the control department provides the manufacturing line with information relating to measures for preventing reoccurrence of such imperfection and records this, thereby stabilizing the quality of resulting products.
Automobiles, for example, are manufactured through a pressing process, a welding process, a painting process, a body assembly process and so forth. Manufacture control departments for controlling those processes perform their respective parts and assembly control operations.
Subsequently, an inspection department performs an outer appearance check, a function check and an adjustment operation in combination with the detection and repair of an imperfection, thereby maintaining the required product quality.
When an imperfection found by the inspection department is repaired, this is transmitted as repair information to an applicable manufacture control department where a measure against the imperfection is worked out. The measure information is reflected upon a responsible manufacturing line so that the imperfection is cured to thereby render the product quality stable. The repair and measure information is recorded at the manufacture control department for practical use in the succeeding manufacture of the products to keep the product quality stable.
The conventional product quality information control uses a database in which the geometric configurations of various areas or portions of an automobile and parts forming those areas are pre-stored. When an imperfection is found by the inspection department, an inspector takes a temporary measure to cure the imperfection. Thereafter, the inspector retrieves and selects from the database an imperfection position and related part or parts in an applicable area through a keyboard, inputs the state of the imperfection through the keyboard or the like, and specifies a manufacture control department controlling the imperfection position and related parts. Information on the imperfection is inputted into a personal computer or the like so that the imperfection position and related parts are communicated to the manufacture control department. Based on the communicated imperfection information, the manufacture control department works out an appropriate measure and inputs such measure information into the computer so that the measure can be put into practice.
However, it often becomes difficult for the manufacture control department to accurately grasp specifically what imperfection has occurred and what temporary measure has been taken, because the imperfection information from the inspector relates merely to the imperfection position and related parts and the state of the imperfection.
In certain instances, the inspector makes a sketch of the imperfection position and related parts, as well as the taken temporary measure. Normally, such sketch is delivered to the applicable manufacture control department after a day's inspection is over. As a result, many imperfections of the same nature occur in the resulting products. This provides the manufacture control department with many imperfection reports and temporary measures taken, thereby increasing man-hours of the inspector.

Product quality information control method and display system for such information


An arrangement for configuring a device of a system by transferring control information from a removable controller thereto. The controller includes an input apparatus for receiving control information for configuring the device, a memory circuitry arranged to store and retrieve control information for configuring the device, and an output apparatus for transferring to the system retrieved control information for the device. The system includes apparatus for coupling with the output apparatus of the removable controller to transfer retrieved control information therefrom, and a controller arranged to configure the device in dependence upon the transferred control information.

The present invention relates to the configuration of systems, such as vehicle management systems. In particular, the invention relates to a portable controller for configuring a system comprising one or more devices.
Electronically controlled devices are very common, and are becoming even more so.
Currently, the onus lies with the user of both electronically and manually controlled devices to adapt each device as he uses it. For example, when a driver gets into a vehicle, he generally adjusts at least the mirror and seat positions, and often also temperature/ventilation settings.
It would be desirable to reduce the burden placed on a user to adapt each device within a system when he employs that system. It would be desirable to adjust the devices of a system automatically when a user wishes to use that system, according to the user's predetermined preferences.


A system and method allow for more than one substrate to be simultaneously moved and/or positioned on a support table. In one example, this is accomplished through use of a frame that either supports or separates one or more substrates for either transport or positioning on a support table. In another example, this is accomplished through use of spacers on a support table, which are used to properly position one or more substrates. In yet another example, this is accomplished through use of a robot placing one or more substrates on the support table.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus and a method for manufacturing a device.
2. Related Art
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of flat panel displays, integrated circuits (ICs) and other devices involving fine structures. In a conventional apparatus, a patterning device, which may be referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern corresponding to an individual layer of a flat panel display (or device). This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. comprising part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a glass plate). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate.
Instead of a circuit pattern, the patterning means may be used to generate other patterns, for example a color filter pattern, or a matrix of dots. Instead of a mask, the patterning device may comprise a patterning array that comprises an array of individually controllable elements. An advantage of such a system compared to a mask-based system is that the pattern can be changed more quickly and for less cost.
In general, a flat panel display substrate is rectangular in shape. Known lithographic apparatus designed to expose a substrate of this type typically provide an exposure region which covers a full width of the rectangular substrate, or which covers a portion of the width (for example half of the width). The substrate is scanned underneath the exposure region, whilst the mask or reticle is synchronously scanned through the projection beam. In this way, the pattern is transferred to the substrate. If the exposure region covers the full width of the substrate then exposure is completed with a single scan. If the exposure region covers, for example, half of the width of the substrate, then the substrate is moved transversely after the first scan, and a second scan is performed to expose the remainder of the substrate.
Another way of imaging includes pixel grid imaging, in which a pattern is realized by successive exposure of spots.
Typically, substrate support devices that support a substrate during patterning are sized to hold one substrate. This is true as substrates have become larger and larger, for example, in the formation of flat panel displays. However, when smaller substrates are sometimes used on these large support devices, only one is exposed at a time even. This reduces throughput and makes the systems inefficient.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method that allow for increased throughput in a lithography system.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method utilizing a multiple substrate carrier for flat panel display substrates


According to the air bag apparatus, for example, a side air bag apparatus 20, in a mode in which a portion on a side of a connector portion 33 of an inflator 30 is exposed from a cylindrical portion 51 of a retainer 50, the inflator 30 is contained in the retainer 50. Further, an exposed portion of the inflator 30, that is, a portion thereof exposed from the cylindrical portion 51 of the retainer 50 is fastened together with an extended portion 52 substantially in a shape of a half cylinder extended from the cylindrical portion 51 of the retainer 50 by a clamp mechanism 60 in a state of being covered by an extraneous portion of a base cloth extended from an opening portion 41 of the air bag 40.

The present invention relates to an air bag apparatus in which an inflator constituting a gas generating source is inwardly mounted to an air bag, and the air bag is expanded to develop by a gas injected from the inflator.
In the background art, as an air bag of this kind, there is an apparatus described in, for example, Japanese patent application JP-A-2005-170362. That is, according to the air bag apparatus, first, a retainer in a cylindrical shape having a diameter slightly larger than that of an inflator is arranged at inside of the air bag. One end portion in a longitudinal direction of the retainer is exposed to outside of the air bag from an opening portion formed at the air bag, and the inflator is inserted to an inner side of the retainer in the contained state. Further, the inflator is fixed to an end portion of the retainer projected from the air bag by calking. By providing the inflator at the air bag in this way, the air bag is avoided from being damaged in an operation of calking the inflator.
When the inflator is provided in such a mode, since the retainer is projected to outside of the air bag, and therefore, a gas flowing into the air bag through a gap between the retainer and the air bag flows out. Further, depending on the air bag apparatus, there is present an air bag having a specification in which a request for an inner pressure of the air bag is set to be higher than normal, and therefore, in such a case, the flowing out of a gas cannot be disregarded. Although there is also proposed a constitution of pressing the opening portion along with the inflator by a tongue piece extended from the opening portion of the air bag as in an air bag apparatus described in Japanese patent application JP-A-2005-104176 in order to restrain the gas from flowing out, even in such a constitution, only a portion of the opening is closed, and therefore, there still remains a room for improvement.


A filler neck for the introduction of fuel into a fuel tank of a motor vehicle is constructed of at least two interconnected injection-molded half shells, each half shell having outwardly curved regions which form a filler pipe and vent lines. Also, receptacles for valves and filters are integrally formed in the outwardly curved regions.

The subject of the invention is a filler neck for a fuel tank of a motor vehicle, with vent lines and valves arranged in addition to the filler pipe.
Filler necks for fuel tanks of motor vehicles are generally known. In addition to the actual filler pipe for introducing fuel into the fuel tank, current filler necks have additional lines and compensating reservoirs for venting the fuel tank while the motor vehicle is being refueled and operated. Furthermore, filler necks often have valves, such as, for example, roll-over valves, switching valves and safety valves.
It is known to produce filler pipes for fuel tanks by the blow molding method and subsequently to mount the vent lines and the valves, together with the filler pipe, on the filler neck. For this purpose, the vent lines have to be laid in place and connected to the filler pipe. The necessary valves likewise have to be connected to the corresponding lines. A filler neck of this type possesses a multiplicity of individual parts and connections and therefore requires a high outlay in terms of assembly. Moreover, the high fuel permeation due to the connections on the filler neck is also particularly disadvantageous.
It is also known to produce vent lines in one piece with the filler pipe by the blow molding method, the vent lines being connected only on the circumference to the filler pipe and separately to valves or to the fuel tank. In this design, too, filler necks still have high permeation values. Finally, because of poor access, the valves are also complicated to mount when they are subsequently built into the blow-molded filler pipe.
Improved mounting is made possible by a filler pipe which is produced by the injection molding of two half shells. In this design, a valve can be mounted into the half shells before these are welded together.
The object on which the invention is based is to provide an easily mountable filler neck which has low permeation values.
The filler neck according to the invention comprises of at least two interconnected injection-molded half shells, each half shell possessing a plurality of outwardly curved regions. In the connected state, these outwardly curved regions produce individual chambers of the filler neck. These chambers form the filler pipe, the operational vent line, the tank vent line or further lines of the filler neck. Furthermore, at least one chamber, preferably the chamber forming the filler pipe is designed for connection to another component, in particular the fuel tank. Moreover, receptacles are integrally formed in the outwardly curved regions of the half shells, in order to arrange structural elements in the filler neck.
The essential advantage of this filler neck is that all the lines, valves and other structural elements are now arranged in the half shells. The filler neck therefore does not have any other connection points, apart from the connection to the fuel tank, so that very low permeation values are achieved. Also, this filler neck makes very simple mounting possible, since the structural elements, for example roll-over valve, backwash valve, vent valve, can be mounted in the individual half shells prior to assembly.
Advantageously, the half shells of the filler neck are welded to one another. However, all other connections leading to a permanent and leaktight composite structure of the half shells may also be envisaged. In this case, the filler neck according to the invention can be produced particularly easily if the half shells are connected to one another on their end faces. The half shells can be connected particularly simply if all the end faces lie in one plane.
In another development, not all the end faces lie in one plane. It may be advantageous to provide one or more end faces of a half shell so as to be elevated out of the plane of the other end faces, so that these elevated end faces, when being connected to the other half shell, reach into an outwardly curved region of the other half shell. What is achieved thereby is that, when the half shells are welded together, this elevated end face subdivides the outwardly curved region of the other half shell into two chambers.
Furthermore, it may be advantageous, depending on the geometry of the filler neck, if the filler neck is formed from three or more half shells. As a result, despite the filler neck having a complicated shape, the half shells can be produced by means of relatively simple molding dies.
It is advantageous if the half shells have integrally formed on them connecting and catching elements. By means of these, the structural elements can be fixed in the half shells particularly simply. There is therefore no need to have additional fastening means for the structural elements.
In an advantageous development, the filler neck is particularly small if the vent lines are not formed as chambers in the half shells, but are produced in them by the gas internal pressure method (GID). For this purpose, when the half shells are being produced, a gas is injected in one region of the plasticized plastic and, by means of its pressure, inflates the plastic material, thus providing a cavity which forms the subsequent line. These GID lines may, in turn, open again into a chamber. The vent lines can thus be arranged particularly simply, for example, in the wall of the chamber forming the filler pipe.
In a further advantageous development, these GID lines, on the one hand, open into the filler pipe, whilst, at their other end, they open into further chambers, in which, for example, valves are arranged. The advantage of this design is that the vent lines are led out of the fuel tank through the lower region of the filler pipe and are then connected to the corresponding GID lines. The filler neck according to the invention therefore requires only one point of connection to the fuel tank, thus likewise contributing to a marked reduction in permeation.
In a further advantageous development, a filter for the gases to be discharged through the vent lines is integrated into the filler neck. For this purpose, the filler neck possesses a further line leading from the vent lines to a region in which the filter, preferably an activated charcoal filter, is arranged. The filter may, in this case, be arranged at any desired point on the filler neck. The purified gases are conducted to the atmosphere via a shutoff valve which is likewise arranged in the filler neck and which is provided for leak diagnosis in order to check the leak-tightness of the tank.
In another development, a chamber in the half shells forms the filter housing, so that only the filter material has to be arranged in this chamber. The filter can consequently be adapted more closely to the existing geometry of the motor vehicle, and no space is required for a separate arrangement of the filter. The line to the filter is also dispensed with. Arranging the filter in the filler neck likewise contributes to reducing the permeation.
It is also advantageous to arrange in the half shells, instead of the receptacles for the valves, parts of the valves, for example the housing and valve seat, in that these parts are integrally injection-molded onto the half shells.

Filler neck for a fuel tank of a motor vehicle


In a multicolor printing press which has a plurality of printing sections arranged in vertical alignment, the multicolor printing press facilitates adjustment of register position along the feeding direction of a printing medium. The multicolor printing press comprises a plurality of printing sections arranged in vertical alignment, a plurality of the printing sections each including at least one plate cylinder for transferring printing pattern defined on a printing plate carried thereon to a printing medium on which the printing pattern is to be printed, and means, associated with the plate cylinder, for adjusting rotational phase of the plate cylinder relative to the printing medium for adjustment of register position of the printing pattern on the printing medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multicolor printing press, in which a plurality of printing sections are arranged in vertical alignment in spaced part relationship to each other. More specifically, the invention relates to a multicolor printing press which is featured in capability of adjustment of rotational phase of a plate cylinder carrying a printing plate for adjustment of register position in circumferential direction of the plate cylinder. The invention further relates to a multicolor printing press which is particularly suitable for printing on a uniform kind of web paper, such as a newspaper.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 3-1946 discloses a construction of a multicolor printing press, in which a plurality of printing devices are vertically arranged in spaced apart relationship. The above-identified publication also discloses a register position adjusting means which minimizes register error of printing patterns between the printing sections. The printing register position adjusting means in the shown construction comprises at least means for adjusting along axial direction of each plate cylinder relative to a corresponding blanket cylinder, for each of the printing sections.
The prior art disclosed in the above-identified publication is designed for compensating expansion of a web paper due to variation of humidity, on which printing of printing pattern is performed, by allowing adjustment of register position in the transverse direction relative to the feed direction of the web paper. Such technology should provide certain extend of gain in certain accuracy in the transverse register position. Particularly, such technology is effective when a various kinds of web papers are used for printing.
In contrast, in case of multicolor printing of newspaper, since specific kind of web paper is used. The variation in the width direction of the web paper due to variation of humidity is substantially constant. Therefore, in such case, transverse register position can be preliminarily adjusted by adjusting the position to place the printing plates on the plate cylinder to compensate the width variation based on expected magnitude of variation of the width. This makes the transverse register position adjustment less important than that in the former case.
On the other hand, in multicolor printing of the newspaper, the contents, topics, to be printed have on the newspaper have to be differentiated for local area to which the newspaper is to be delivered. Also, it is frequently experienced in making newspaper that necessity of rearrangement of news is caused for newly occurring news. Therefore, in the printing station of newspaper, the printing plates on the plate cylinders are often rearranged or replaced. Re-arrangement or replacement of news is taken place by interrupting printing operation. After completion of re-arrangement and/or replacement of the printing plate, printing operation is resumed. During this procedure, non-uniform tension is exerted on the web paper in paper feeding direction. This tends to cause variation of expansion ratio in the longitudinal, i.e. paper feeding, direction to cause register error in the printed color images to degrade quality of printed image. In the prior art, substantial load is thus added for performing fine adjustment of the register position of the plate cylinder in its circumferential direction. Furthermore, for correcting register error, substantial amount of paper should be wasted.

Multicolor printing press with feature of rotational phase adjustment


A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device comprises a substrate. A lamination structure is on the substrate along a first direction. The lamination structure comprises a plurality of conductive layers arranged from bottom to top and separated from each other, and each of the conductive layers has a channel region and an adjacent source/drain doped region along the first direction. A first gate structure is on a sidewall of the channel region of each conductive layer. The first gate structure comprises an inner first gate insulating layer and an outer first gate conductive layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same, and more particularly to a semiconductor device with a relatively higher device density and a method for fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Three dimensional (3D) integrated circuits (ICs) and fabricating processes thereof are important for circuit density and electronic performances of devices, such as, logic devices or memory devices. Concepts of conventional ICs, however, follow two dimensional (2D) fabricating processes. U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,350 B2 a conventional 3D flash memory array 100 shown in FIG. 1. A first level memory array 1 is formed. The first level memory array 1 mainly comprises a channel stripe 102, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer 104, a word line stack 106 and a source/drain region 110. A second level memory array 2 is then formed after forming the first level memory array 1. Elements of the second level memory array 2 are substantially the same as the first level memory array 1. Thus, a formation of the conventional 3D flash memory array 100 is completed. Amount of masking procedures for the conventional 3D flash memory array, however, are increased due to memory array lamination. The memory array lamination of the conventional 3D flash memory array 100 is performed by repeatedly laminating the first level memory array 1. Fabricating cost of the conventional 3D flash memory array 100 can mainly be reduced by saving a substrate area due to each memory array level process has the same fabricating cost. Additionally, gate oxide quality and silicide contact resistance of the first level memory array 1 of the conventional 3D flash memory array 100 may be hindered by thermal budget when forming the upper second level memory array 2; resulting in electronic performances of the first level memory array 1 and the second level memory array 2 to be different. Moreover, the second level memory array 2 channel layer can not be subjected to a high temperature annealing process to achieve higher carrier mobility, for example, higher than 1000° C., due to damage to the first level memory array 1 metal interconnects. Therefore, an additional compensation method is used to keep the same electronic performance of each memory array level for the conventional 3D flash memory array.
Thus, a semiconductor device with higher device density and the same device electronic performances is desirable.

Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same

Industrial Technology Research Institute


Methods for inspecting a wafer are provided. One method includes directing light to a center portion and an edge portion of a wafer in a single scan. The method also includes detecting light scattered from the center portion using a first detection channel and detecting light scattered from the edge portion using a second detection channel. Another method for inspecting an edge portion of a wafer includes scanning the edge portion of the wafer with light. The method also includes separately detecting different portions of light scattered from the edge portion. In addition, the method includes separating light scattered from edge features in the edge portion from other light scattered from the edge portion. The method further includes detecting defects in the edge portion of the wafer using the other scattered light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to methods and systems for inspection of an entire wafer surface using multiple channels. Certain embodiments relate to detecting light scattered from different portions of the entire wafer surface using different detection channels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fabricating semiconductor devices such as logic and memory devices typically includes processing a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer using a number of semiconductor fabrication processes to form various features and multiple levels of the semiconductor devices. For example, lithography is a semiconductor fabrication process that typically involves transferring a pattern to a resist arranged on a semiconductor wafer. Additional examples of semiconductor fabrication processes include, but are not limited to, chemical-mechanical polishing, etch, deposition, and ion implantation. Multiple semiconductor devices may be fabricated in an arrangement on a semiconductor wafer and then separated into individual semiconductor devices.
Wafers may contain defects both in central portions of the wafers as well as in edge portions of the wafers, which includes a relatively narrow region around the periphery of the wafers, and on the outer edge of the wafers. Examples of defects that may be found in the edge portion and on the outer edge of wafers include, but are not limited to, chips, cracks, scratches, marks, particles, and residual chemicals (e.g., resist and slurry). As wafer sizes continue to increase, both wafer and integrated circuit (IC) manufacturers are becoming more concerned about defectivity at or near the wafer edge. The main concerns are that edge defects could fall onto the central part of the wafer thereby causing untraceable yield loss, cross contamination during processing, and/or catastrophic wafer breakage. These yield loss mechanisms are experienced by most wafer and IC manufacturers at one time or another.
Traditionally, wafer inspection tools are designed to inspect a central portion of the wafers (i.e., a surface area of the wafer on which electrical elements will be formed or a surface area of the wafer opposite that on which electrical elements will be formed). Since these areas of the wafer reflect or scatter relatively small amounts of light, such wafer inspection tools are designed to detect relatively small amounts of light. However, near the outer edge of the wafer, relatively large amounts of light may be reflected or scattered from the wafer due to edge features such as a bevel formed at or near the outer edge. As a result, these large amounts of light will saturate the detectors of traditional wafer inspection systems. Consequently, any output signals generated near or at the edge of wafers by such wafer inspection tools are generally unusable. In some instances, the wafer inspection systems may be designed to block the light from reaching the detectors when inspecting near the edge of the wafer to protect the detectors from damage that may be caused by the relatively high intensity light.
Some edge inspection systems are being developed to detect defects at or near the outer edge of wafers. Examples of apparatuses for detecting defects along the edge of electronic media such as semiconductor wafers are illustrated in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003/0030050 by Choi and 2003/0030795 by Swan et al., which are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. Due to the substantially different reflecting and scattering characteristics of the outer edge of wafers in comparison to the inner portion of the wafer, such edge inspection systems have substantially different configurations than the traditional wafer inspection tools. Therefore, the edge inspection systems are not optimized to, or even able to, detect defects in the central portion of the wafers. Consequently, if wafer or IC manufacturers want to detect defects in both the central and outer portions of wafer (as is usually the case since defects in either portion may result in expensive yield losses and other problems), they will need to purchase two separate tools. Using two different wafer inspection tools instead of just one inspection tool will obviously increase costs in many ways such as increases in clean room real estate and operating costs, increases in tool maintenance costs, and increases due to reduced throughput. However, since a tool that is capable of inspecting both the inner and outer portions of wafers is not currently available, and due to the increasing costs associated with defect-based yield losses, wafer and IC manufacturers may not be able to avoid the costs associated with multiple, different inspection tools.
Accordingly, it may be advantageous to develop a wafer inspection system that is capable of inspecting substantially an entire surface of wafers including both center and edge portions of the wafers.

Methods and systems for inspection of an entire wafer surface using multiple detection channels


A track width defining layer includes: a track width defining portion having an end located in the air bearing surface and the other end located opposite to the air bearing surface; and a wide portion coupled to the other end of the track width defining portion. The track width defining layer is formed by frame plating. A frame is formed by exposing and developing a resist layer. The step of exposing the resist layer includes: a first exposure step for forming a first latent image in the resist layer; and a second exposure step for forming a second latent image in the resist layer. The first latent image is made up of a first portion corresponding to the track width defining portion and a second portion adjoining the first portion and extending along the contour of the wide portion. The second latent image is intended for use in combination with the first latent image so as to form a latent image corresponding to the track width defining layer, and does not include a portion corresponding to the track width defining portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head having at least an induction-type electromagnetic transducer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent years have seen significant improvements in the areal recording densities of hard disk drives. In particular, the areal recording densities of latest hard disk drives have reached 100 to 160 gigabytes per platter and are even exceeding that level. It is required to improve the performance of thin-film magnetic heads, accordingly.
Among the thin-film magnetic heads, widely used are composite thin-film magnetic heads made of a layered structure including a recording (write) head having an induction-type electromagnetic transducer for writing and a reproducing (read) head having a magnetoresistive element (that may be hereinafter called an MR element) for reading.
Typically, the write head incorporates: a medium facing surface (an air bearing surface) that faces toward a recording medium; a bottom pole layer and a top pole layer that are magnetically coupled to each other and that include magnetic pole portions opposed to each other and located in regions of the pole layers on a side of the medium facing surface; a write gap layer provided between the magnetic pole portions of the top and bottom pole layers; and a thin-film coil at least part of which is disposed between the top and bottom pole layers and insulated from the top and bottom pole layers.
A higher track density on a recording medium is essential to enhancing the recording density among the performances of the write head. To achieve this, it is required to implement the write head of a narrow track structure in which the track width, that is, the width of the two magnetic pole portions opposed to each other with the write gap layer disposed in between, the width being taken in the medium facing surface, is reduced down to microns or the order of submicron. Semiconductor process techniques are utilized to achieve the write head having such a structure.
One of the parameters that affect the writing characteristics of the thin-film magnetic head is the throat height. The throat height is the length (height) of the pole portions, that is, the portions of the two pole layers opposed to each other with the write gap layer in between, as taken from the medium-facing-surface-side end to the other end. The throat height affects the intensity and distribution of the magnetic field generated near the write gap layer in the medium facing surface.
Moreover, it is required that the write head have an excellent overwrite property as a parameter indicating an overwriting capability. To improve the overwrite property, it is necessary to introduce as great a part of magnetic flux passing through the two pole layers as possible to the pole portions and to generate a large magnetic field near the write gap layer in the medium facing surface. Therefore, it is effective to increase the thickness of the pole portions and to reduce the throat height for improving the overwrite property.
As disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,578 as prior art, the track width and the throat height are defined by the top pole layer in many of conventional thin-film magnetic heads. In such a case, for example, the insulating layer covering the thin-film coil protrudes upward from the top surface of the write gap layer, and the throat height is defined by one of the ends of this insulating layer closer to the medium facing surface. The top pole layer includes: a track width defining portion that has an end located in the medium facing surface and that defines the track width; and a wide portion that is located farther from the medium facing surface than the track width defining portion and has a width greater than the track width. The top pole layer is formed on the write gap layer and the above-mentioned insulating layer by a method such as frame plating.
The following is a description of a method of forming the top pole layer by frame plating on the write gap layer and the insulating layer that defines the throat height as described above. In this method an electrode film is formed on the write gap layer and the insulating layer that defines the throat height. Next, a photoresist layer is formed on the electrode film. The photoresist layer is made of a positive resist in this case. Next, the photoresist layer is exposed to light having a pattern corresponding to the shape of the top pole layer. The photoresist layer is then developed. A groove corresponding to the shape of the top pole layer is thereby formed in the photoresist layer. This photoresist layer serves as a frame. Next, electroplating is performed, using the frame and feeding a current to the electrode film, to form the top pole layer in the groove.
This method has the following problem. When the photoresist layer is exposed, the light used for exposure is reflected off the electrode film. Here, the surface of the insulating layer that defines the throat height includes a portion near the medium facing surface that forms a sloped surface. As a result, part of light reflected off the electrode film disposed on this sloped surface reaches a portion of the photoresist layer corresponding to the pole portion of the top pole layer. Consequently, the portion of the photoresist layer corresponding to the pole portion of the top pole layer is exposed to not only the light having a pattern corresponding to the pole portion but also the part of light reflected off the electrode film disposed on the sloped surface. It is therefore difficult through the above-described method to form the portion of the frame corresponding to the pole portion of the top pole layer with accuracy. In particular, it is extremely difficult through the method to form the pole portion having a width of 0.05 to 0.15 micrometer (μm) and a sufficient thickness.
To solve this problem, a thin-film magnetic head has been proposed wherein a concave portion is formed in the bottom pole layer and the thin-film coil is placed in the concave portion, and the top pole layer is formed on a flat surface. In this type of head the throat height is defined by an end of the concave portion closer to the medium facing surface. This type of head is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,578, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,400,525B1 and the U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,583B1, for example. This head allows the pole portion of the top pole layer to be formed with more accuracy, compared to the case in which the top pole layer is formed on the insulating layer that defines the throat height.
However, the case in which the top pole layer is formed by frame plating involves the following problem even though the top pole layer is formed on a flat surface. As described above, the top pole layer has the track width defining portion and the wide portion. To improve the overwrite property, it is desirable that the length of the track width defining portion taken in the direction orthogonal to the medium facing surface is smaller. The wide portion is much greater than the track width defining portion. Therefore, when the photoresist layer is exposed, part of light reflected off the portion of the electrode film corresponding to the wide portion reaches the neighborhood of the portion of the photoresist layer corresponding to the interface between the track width defining portion and the wide portion. As a result, there arises a problem that the neighborhood of the portion of the frame corresponding to this interface loses shape. Since reflected light broadens while travelling, disturbance to the shape of the frame is greater in the upper portion of the frame. Such disturbance to the shape of the frame results in disturbance to the shape of the neighborhood of the interface between the track width defining portion and the wide portion of the top pole layer. In particular, if the track width is small or the length of the track width defining portion taken in the direction orthogonal to the medium facing surface is small, it is difficult to define the track width with accuracy when the top pole layer loses shape as described above.
If the track width is reduced, in particular, it is required to increase the thickness of the track width defining portion to improve the overwrite property. However, since disturbance to the shape of the frame is greater in the upper portion of the frame as described above, the above-mentioned problem caused by the disturbance to the shape of the frame is more serious as the thickness of the track width defining portion is increased.

Method of manufacturing thin-film magnetic head


A sachet may include at least two sealed compartments. The sachet may include first and second opposite main walls, a partition separating an inside of the sachet into two compartments, and first and second foldable side walls situated on respective sides of the partition.

The present invention relates to separate packaging of at least two substances, for example, substances that are to be mixed extemporaneously, for example, two hair coloring substances, such as a dye and a oxidizer.
Numerous two-compartment flasks have been proposed that enable two substances for mixing together extemporaneously to be packaged separately.
French patent application FR 2 826 641 discloses a device for simultaneously dispensing at least two substances packaged separately in first and second flexible-walled sachets. That device has first and second means for enabling the two sachets to be held stationary relative to each other in a superposed position so that their respective outlet orifices are disposed in a vicinity of each other. The second means are movable relative to the first means to exert pressure on both sachets so as to force their contents out through the orifices. Such a device is relatively complicated to implement.

Sachet including at least two sealed compartments


A clip for securing trim to a body. A first portion of the clip has a first side configured to be mated against a surface of the body and a second, opposing side configured to mate with the trim. The second side has a device for securely coupling to the trim. A second portion of the clip is configured to be attached to the body. The second portion is disposed within a channel in the first portion. The first portion is slidable relative to the second portion along a first axis. The first portion may be moved relative to the second portion to permit adjustment of a position on the body of trim coupled to the first portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a clip, and more particularly to a clip and method of using the clip to attach a trim strip to a vehicle.
2. Related Art
Many vehicles (i.e., automobiles) use a trim strip (or trim) to cover and/or seal the gap between a windshield and the body opening into which the windshield is mounted. In some cases, the trim strip helps to physically hold the windshield in place. In other cases, the trip strip is added solely to cover the adhesive and/or gasket that secures the window into the body opening to provide a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Conventional trim strips often span the gap between the windshield and the body opening and extend slightly over both the edge of the windshield and a portion of the body adjacent the windshield opening. While the adhesive and/or gasket provide the primary seal between the windshield and vehicle body, the seal also prevents dirt and debris from entering the gap. To function effectively, the trim strip must be securely attached and must be stable across its width. Ideally, the trim strip is attached relatively centrally over the width of the strip. This positioning becomes more important as the trim strip becomes wider. An ill fitting trim strip may be inadvertently dislodged or may allow dirt and debris to enter the gap.
Another problem occurs because of allowable tolerances. Trim strips are typically attached to the vehicle body using mounting holes or posts that are positioned on the body adjacent the windshield opening. Manufacturing tolerances in the shape of the windshield opening and/or the positioning of the mounting holes or posts can cause the trim strip to look uneven when attached or may cause the trim strip to not completely cover the gap.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for securing a trim strip to a vehicle that minimizes these and other problems.

Clip for coupling windshield trim to a vehicle


Real and simulated (virtual) networks are interfaced with one another for carrying out hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) testing and evaluations. A simulated network is modeled at a workstation by running a network simulation or discrete event modeling tool on the workstation. A virtual gateway node is defined in the simulated network, and the gateway node is linked with a network adapter on the workstation. An external real network operating with Internet protocol (IP) is also linked with the adapter. The adapter and the gateway node are configured to (i) translate simulated data packets sent from nodes of the simulated network and designated for the real network, into IP data packets for routing or processing by the real network, and (ii) translate IP data packets sent from nodes of the real network and designated for the simulated network, into simulated data packets for muting or processing by the simulated network.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to network data processing, and particularly to a method of interfacing data packets between real and virtual networks when carrying out hardware in the loop simulations.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
During development of communication (e.g., radio) and other networking hardware devices, only a limited number of actual prototypes are ordinarily available for testing. Because of this, it is difficult to test the prototypes exhaustively to confirm that a large number of the devices can communicate effectively with one another under various conditions over a real network. Therefore, an alternative approach toward testing has been adopted that involves modeling of the hardware specifications, and simulating the modeled specifications within a virtual network under a variety of conditions using a commercially available discrete event modeling tool such as, for example, OPNET Modeler® available from OPNET Technologies, Inc. (hereafter "OPNET").
A number of disparities may exist between the actual (real) hardware and its modeled specifications, however. Such disparities can have a significant impact on resources and production costs if not detected early on. Accordingly, there is a need for a bridge or technique to correlate real network devices (i.e., actual hardware) with their virtual models so as to reduce or eliminate disparities, and to improve the validation process for the devices.
Work has been performed toward interfacing real network hardware with an OPNET simulation for the purpose of evaluating individual network components as well as entire networks. See R. Martínez, et al., "Modeling & Simulation of Hardware-in-the-Loop Using OPNET Process Models", OPNETWorks Symposium, Washington, D.C. (August 2002); K. M. McNeil, et al., "HITL/SITL Generic Reference Model", OPNETWorks Symposium, Washington, D.C. (August 2003); and R. Martínez, et al., "Hardware and Software-in-the-Loop Techniques Using the OPNET Modeling Tool for JTRS Developmental Testing", MILCOM 2003 (October 2003). All relevant portions of the three mentioned articles are incorporated by reference.
The prior work uses the of sockets for extraction and insertion of data packets between simulated networks. That is, a TCP socket connection is used to send traffic, thus requiring a one-to-one mapping between two simulations. For example, simulated network A must create a specific TCP socket to simulated network B before sending data to network B. If network A wants to send data to simulated network C, then network A must create a new socket connection specifically for network C. Moreover, the known technique supports the exchange of packets only between simulated networks.

Interfacing real and virtual networks in hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) simulations

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


An unacknowledged, reliable short message service cell broadcast message reception protocol method to enable short message service cell broadcast messages to be constructed from the fragments of the multiple repetitions of the cell broadcast service messages which are repeated on the cell broadcast channel. When a new message block, corresponding to a recognized type of cell broadcast service message, is geographically coherent with existing partially received data or contains message components previously received, and is temporally coherent with previously received message blocks, the new message block is inserted within a received message structure. If the received message structure is complete and correctly received, the complete message is assembled and sent to an upper software layer.

The present invention relates generally to communication systems, and in particular, the present invention relates to a method for receiving short message service cell broadcast services in a GSM system.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a wireless communication network 100 preferably includes a mobile switching center 102, a plurality of cell sites 104 each having a base station 105 coupled to a base site controller 106. Mobile communication devices 108 or portable communication devices 110 (collectively xe2x80x9cmobile stationsxe2x80x9d) are adapt to communicate with base stations associated with the base site controllers 106 to maintain communications with another mobile unit or wireline unit associated with a land line network.
The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) defines a teleservice that supports the concept of the transmission of a short message to all mobile stations 108, 110 within the coverage area of a base station 105. This teleservice is referred to as Short Message Service Cell Broadcast (SMSCB) service, and is identified as xe2x80x9cTeleservice 23xe2x80x9d, and permits the broadcast of unacknowledged messages to all receivers within a specific geographical region, which may comprise one or more cells sites 104, or possibly the entire Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN). Cell Broadcast messages are assigned their own geographical area of coverage by agreement between an information provider and a PLMN operator. The Cell Broadcast messages may originate from any number of Cell Broadcast Entities (CBEs) which are connected to a single Short Message Service Center (SMSC); these are the principle network elements which are involved in implementation of this teleservice. The Cell Broadcast Service (CBS) messages may comprise 82 octets each, which, using a default character set, equates to a maximum of 93 characters in length. Up to 15 of these CBS messages, (referred to as xe2x80x9cpagesxe2x80x9d in this case), may be concatenated onto one another to produce a macro-message. Each of these CBS messages comprises four 23 octet radio blocks, and four blocks are received in order during idle-mode to produce a single, CBS message, using specified addressing and link protocol specifications for the transmission of these messages.
Although this service is intended to be used to send information to users during idle mode, there is a desire for this service to be available during General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) or Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) data transfer modes. The problem with providing such cell broadcast services during GPRS/EDGE data transfer mode is that it is not possible to receive all of the four blocks which comprise a CBS message according to current GSM specifications. Accordingly, what is needed is a method for receiving SMSCB messages during GPRS/EDGE data transfer mode without requiring a change to the current GSM specifications.

Method for receiving SMSCB messages during GPRS/EDGE data transfer mode