The present invention provides extractive distillation processes for removing difluoromethane (HFC-32) from a mixture comprising HFC-32 and at least one of chlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12), 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (HFC-143a), chloropentafluoroethane (CFC-115), and pentafluoroethane (HFC-125) using hydrocarbon, chlorocarbon, and oxygen-containing extractive agents.

New regulations have been established to protect the stratospheric ozone layer from possible damage by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Highly purified HFC-32 is a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) that is valuable as an etchant gas in plasma etching of materials used in the fabrication of semiconductor devices.
HFC-32 may be prepared by allowing methylene chloride (CCl2H2) to react with hydrogen fluoride (HF) in the presence of an oxidized metal catalyst of metals such as chromium, antimony, and tantalum. HFC-32 may also be co-produced with HFCs such as pentafluoroethane (CF3CF2H, HFC-125) by such metal mediated processes in which an HFC-125 precursor compound such as tetrachloroethylene (CCl2═CCl2) is utilized. The HFC-32 reaction product obtained from such processes may contain one or more of HFC-125, unreacted methylene chloride and HF, byproduct hydrogen chloride (HCl), and small amounts of organic byproducts such as 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (CF3CH3, HFC-143a), dichlorodifluoromethane (CCl2F2, CFC-12), chloropentafluoroethane (CClF2CF3, CFC-115), methyl chloride (CH3Cl, HCC-40), methyl fluoride (CH3F, HFC-41), trifluoromethane (CF3H, HFC-23), chlorodifluoromethane (CHClF2, HCFC-22), and 1,1-difluoroethane (CF2HCH3, HFC-152a). The presence of even trace amounts of such impurities in HFC-32 can be undesirable in the utilization of HFC-32 as an etchant gas in plasma processes employed in the semiconductor industry.
Casey et al., in PCT publication WO9703936 disclose processes for separation of HFC-32 and HFC-125 by azeotropic distillation of a low boiling HFC-32/HFC-125 azeotrope, separation of a mixture of HFC-32 and CFC-115 by azeotropic distillation of a low boiling HFC-32/CFC-115 azeotrope, separation of a mixture of HFC-32 and HFC-125 by extractive distillation employing methylene chloride as extractive agent, and separation of a mixture of HFC-32 and HFC-143a by employing CFC-115 as extractive agent.
Takahashi Reiji et al., in Japanese patent application JP 07291878, describe a process for the removal of HFC-143a, HFC-125, and methyl chloride from HFC-32 by extractive distillation. This process is characterized by employing at least one of 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane (CCl2FCH3, HCFC-141b), dichloropentafluoropropane, trichlorotrifluoroethane, and 2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane (CHCl2CF3, HCFC-123) as extractive agent. Using such CFC extractive agents is relatively expensive, and regulations concerning protection of the stratospheric ozone layer will cause CFCs to be phased out as commercial products thereby making CFCs unavailable or uneconomical for such a process.
The present invention solves problems associated with conventional purification methods and provides lower cost and more economical processes for separating HFC-32 from mixtures comprising HFC-32 and at least one halocarbon selected from HFC-143a, CFC-12, HFC-125, and CFC-115.

Purification of difluoromethane by extractive distillation


A method and system for the biological disposal of oxalate is described in which a biological reactor having an alkalophilic oxalate-degrading aerobic micro-organism in aqueous solution is employed. The biological reactor comprises a vessel containing the aqueous solution and having an input for receiving dissolved oxalate from a dissolver tank. Sodium oxalate, as a by-product or the Bayer process in an alumina refinery, can be introduced into the dissolver tank in solid form together with trace elements and nutrients for biological growth. The system operates as a continuous feed process with dissolved oxalate being pumped from the dissolver tank into the biological reactor vessel continuously in a controlled manner. The biological reactor further comprises an aerator, including an oxygen probe for monitoring the level of dissolved oxygen in solution. Biological degradation of the sodium oxalate in a highly alkaline solution occurs in the biological reactor with sodium carbonate and bicarbonate formed as end products in an effluent. The effluent is then pumped to a causticiser reaction tank and settler tank for converting the sodium carbonate and bicarbonate in the effluent to useful sodium hydroxide which can be recycled in the Bayer process. The alkalophilic oxalate-degrading aerobic micro-organism is preferably Bacillus AGAL N91/005579.

Sodium oxalate is a by-product of the Bayer refinery process used for producing aluminium hydroxide and alumina from bauxite. In the Bayer process, sodium oxalate is removed from sodium aluminate liquor, following or during aluminium hydroxide precipitation, by feeding the sodium aluminate liquor or liquor enriched in sodium oxalate to a crystalliser containing seed crystals of sodium oxalate. These seed crystals induce precipitation of further sodium oxalate. Sodium oxalate is normally removed by thickening and/or filtering the sodium oxalate slurry. Sodium oxalate is an environmentally hazardous compound and must be disposed of carefully. Typically the filtered sodium oxalate is reduced to solid cake form and must be transported to another site for disposal by combustion or other means.
Another method currently employed for the disposal of sodium oxalate from the Bayer process involves chemical treatment of the oxalate with lime. However, one of the products of this chemical treatment is calcium oxalate which is equally difficult to dispose of in an environmentally acceptable manner.
Australian Patent Application No. 39465/89 in the name of ALCAN INTERNATIONAL LTD describes a method for the biodegradation of oxalate in solution which has been removed from a Bayer processing system. Micro-organisms for degrading oxalates are maintained in a bio-reactor. Preparatory to introducing the oxalate-containing composition to the bio-reactor the pH of the oxalate-containing solution is adjusted to be compatible with the micro-organisms in the medium. In the Alcan method the pH of the solution is adjusted to the neutral range by the addition of a suitable acid, such as sulphuric acid. In addition, it may also be necessary to adjust the concentration of Na.sup.+ ions in the solution to a level which can be tolerated by the micro-organism developed to digest the oxalates. The micro-organisms employed were isolated from the soil of the rhizospheres of the oxalate producing plants Dieffenbachia picta and Rheum rhaponticum (Rhubarb), and it was believed that the prominent micro-organism which is capable of degrading oxalates is a Pseudomonas or Pseudomonas-like organism.
A significant disadvantage of the Alcan method of biodegradation of oxalate is the step of pretreatment of the oxalate-containing solution to adjust the pH to the neutral range and to reduce the sodium concentration to a level compatible with the micro-organisms. This pretreatment is necessary because the micro-organisms employed require an aqueous solution with pH in the neutral range and sodium concentration below a level of approximately 8000 mg/L. A further disadvantage is the need for an extended period of pre-stressing the microbial culture by exposure to varying concentrations of oxalates to ensure efficient oxalate degradation in the harsh environment of the oxalate-containing solution.
The present invention was developed with a view to providing a more economic and environmentally acceptable method of oxalate disposal using an oxalate-degrading micro-organism as the biological agent.

Biological degradation of sodium oxalate with bacillus agal N91/005579


A method for increasing an operating rate of a graphics card includes: raising a rotation rate of a radiator fan of a graphics processing unit chip of the graphics card to a first rotation rate according to a rate increasing command; raising a voltage inputted to the graphics processing unit chip to a first voltage, and raising a voltage inputted to a memory of the graphics card to a second voltage when the rotation rate of the radiator fan is approximately equal to the first rotation rate; and raising a timing of the graphics processing unit chip to a first timing, and raising a timing of the memory to a second timing when the voltage inputted to the graphics processing unit chip is approximately equal to the first voltage, the voltage inputted to the memory being approximately equal to the second voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a method for adjusting an operating rate of a graphics card, and more particularly, a method for adjusting the operating rate safely.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As multimedia technology improves, the efficiency of graphics displays in a computer system increases a lot. Generally, in order to ensure a workable graphics card, graphic-card manufacturers set parameters of the graphics card with a safety setting, such as a lower operating rate. Therefore, in the graphics card, a timing and a voltage for a graphics processing unit (GPU) chip are much lower than the maximum timing and voltage that the GPU chip can bear. In order to get different performances, a user can increase or decrease the operating rate of the graphics card. For example, when playing a PC game, the user can increase the operating rate of the graphics card to get a better performance, while when using two-dimensional software, a lower operating rate is sufficient to satisfy the user's desired performance. However, there are no systematic and safe methods for changing the operating rate of the graphics card in the prior art, so the user can only use trial and error to find an optimal setting for the graphics card, which wastes time, easily fails, and may damage the graphics card.

Method for adjusting an operating rate of a graphics card


A method for remediating contaminated soil and groundwater includes selecting a treatment material and creating a smolderable mixture of a contaminant, the treatment material, and soil.

Smoldering combustion, when applied for the remediation of contaminated soils, is known commercially as the Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR) technology and is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 8,132,987.
Smoldering combustion requires a short duration energy input, and the addition of an oxidant (e.g., oxygen, air, etc.), to initiate and sustain the smoldering combustion reaction. Smoldering combustion is only possible in the presence of a fuel source and a porous matrix. A common example of a smoldering combustion reaction is that of a burning charcoal briquette where the charcoal is both the fuel and the porous matrix. For the STAR process, however, the fuel is the organic contaminant and the porous matrix is the subterranean volume of soil undergoing remediation.
Smoldering combustion of the organic contaminant may be self-sustaining in that it may only be necessary to supply sufficient energy to ignite the material; once ignited, combustion of the material may proceed as long as there is sufficient fuel (the combustible material) and oxygen for combustion to take place. This is in contrast with, for example, known thermal remediation processes, which require continuous energy input.
If sufficient fuel is not present (i.e., the contaminant concentration or saturation in soil is too low to support a self-sustaining combustion reaction), a surrogate fuel may be added to the fuel/porous matrix mixture as described for the ex situ treatment of soils and liquid organic wastes patent "Method for Volumetric Reduction of and Organic Liquid" (Australian Patent Number 2012249643). This process is known commercially as ex situ Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STARx)
There are a variety of organic contaminants that are resistant to complete destruction by chemical, biological, or other means. Examples of recalcitrant compounds include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), dioxins, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These types of recalcitrant compounds, however, may be amenable to destruction via smoldering combustion or decomposition at elevated temperatures.
In the field of groundwater and soil remediation, there are many in situ techniques available to capture and treat recalcitrant organic contaminants in groundwater and soil. One technique is the use of Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs) that destroy, detoxify, collect or immobilize dissolved contaminants in groundwater as it flows through the PRB. The treatment materials used in PRBs may: (1) chemically react with dissolved contaminants (e.g., zero-valent metals), (2) adsorb dissolved contaminants (e.g., charcoal, activated carbon, resins, polymers); and/or (3) enhance the biological degradation processes of the dissolved contaminants (e.g., vegetable oil acting as an electron donor for reductive processes). A PRB can be 100% of the selected treatment material or mixed with soils or other permeable materials for construction or performance purposes. PRBs can also be composed of mixtures of treatment materials.
Treatment materials can also be added directly to the source zone of contaminants so that treatment can begin immediately upon application of the treatment materials rather than rely on the transport of contaminants to the location of the PRB. The treatment materials used in source zones can be the same or similar materials to those used in PRBs to cause chemical reaction, adsorption or biodegradation processes, but may also include clays or cements.
Some common treatment materials are organic and therefore combustible, such as vegetable oil or granular activated carbon. These organic treatment materials can be smoldered in a self-sustaining reaction and are common fuel surrogates for the ex situ destruction of organic contaminants via STARx. When these organic treatment materials are used in a PRB, low concentration or recalcitrant contaminants, such as PFAS compounds dissolved in groundwater and accumulating in the PRB, can be destroyed (i.e., thermally decomposed) through the in situ or ex situ smoldering combustion of the mixture of the contaminant, organic treatment material, and/or soils or other permeable construction material. Likewise, when these organic treatment materials are mixed into contaminant source zones, destruction (i.e., thermal decomposition) of the contaminant can take place through the smoldering combustion of the mixture of contaminant, organic treatment material, and/or soils or other permeable construction material.

Method for the destruction of organic contaminants through smoldering combustion


A band gap circuit using NPN transistors (10, 12) having collectors connected to a power source voltage is employed, and transistor active regions of the NPN transistors (10, 12) and semiconductor elements constituting other signal processing circuits are integrated in the same floating block (19) with high voltage resistance. As a result, a reference voltage circuit used in the signal processing circuit can be integrated in a compact manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sustain driver for applying a discharge sustain pulse voltage to electrodes of a plasma display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plasma display devices, as shown in FIG. 4, comprise a PDP 101, a sustain driver 102, a scan driver 103, a data driver 104, and a panel control unit 105.
In the PDP 101 with a three-electrode surface discharge structure, address electrodes A are arranged in the vertical direction of the panel on a rear-surface substrate, and sustain electrodes X and scanning electrodes Y are arranged alternately in the transverse direction of the panel on the rear-surface substrate.
The sustain electrodes X are connected to each other and have substantially the same potential. The potential of the address electrodes A and scanning electrodes Y can be varied by one electrode at a time with the data driver 104 and scan driver 103.
Discharge cells P are provided in the intersection points of address electrodes A and electrode pairs composed of adjacent sustain electrodes X and scanning electrodes Y. A gas is sealed inside each discharge cell P. A dielectric layer, a protective layer for protecting the electrodes and dielectric layer, and a fluorescent layer comprising a fluorescent substance are provided on the surface of discharge cells P.
In the fluorescent layer, fluorescent substances emitting fluorescence of RGB colors is pasted in each discharge cell, and each discharge cell constitutes a sub-pixel cell of one color of RGB. Sub-pixels of three colors of RGB constitute one pixel.
The sustain driver 102 drives all the sustain electrodes X of the PDP 101 at the same time and outputs a discharge sustain pulse voltage which is periodically repeated for the prescribed interval.
The scan driver 103 individually changes each potential of scan electrodes Y of the PDP 101. In particular, it applies the scan pulse voltage in the prescribed order to the scan electrodes Y.
The data driver 104 individually changes each potential of the address electrodes A of the PDP 101. In particular, it stores a video signal for each line, selects an address electrode A in a row where the sub-pixels that have to emit light are located, and applies the address pulse voltage to the selected address electrode.
The panel control unit 105 controls the timing of pulse voltages produced by the sustain driver 102, scan driver 103, and data driver 104.
Because a high output voltage level is required for the sustain driver 102, the circuit thereof is composed by using elements with a high voltage resistance. Furthermore, in order to increase the power source efficiency of the circuit, a boot strap circuit is often employed for returning the output amplitude to the power source line of the control circuit so that the circuit functions effectively only when the output voltage waveform is at a high level.
FIG. 5 shows the sustain driver 102 comprising a boot strap circuit. The connection point OUT of output MOS transistors 36, 37 is connected to sustain electrodes X.
Here, the sustain driver 102 is composed of an integrated semiconductor device. A power source terminal VCC, a ground terminal GND, a high-potential power source terminal VB, an output terminal HO, and a low-potential terminal VS are the external terminals of the semiconductor device. An input circuit 1, a level shift circuit 2, a signal reception circuit 3, a reference voltage circuit 20, a protection circuit 7, and an output circuit 18 are integrated inside the semiconductor device.
An island region constituting a floating block 19 with a high voltage resistance is connected to a high-potential power source terminal VB, which is at a highest potential in the semiconductor device and is higher than the potential of the power source terminal VCC, and the floating block is biased to this highest potential. The signal reception circuit 3, reference voltage circuit 20, protection circuit 7, and output circuit 18 are included in the element formation region in the floating block 19 with a high voltage resistance.
In such a sustain driver 102, an input signal HIN, which is inputted from the outside, is received via the input circuit 1, the level shift circuit 2 shifts the output signal level of the input circuit 1 and transmits it to the signal reception circuit 3 located in the floating block 19 with a high voltage resistance.
The signal reception circuit 3 conducts shaping of the pulse waveform. The output circuit 18 is a circuit for expanding the output current performance and serves as a power amplifier of the output signal of the signal processing circuit. The sustain driver 102 also conducts a high-speed switching drive of the gate of the output MOS transistor 36 connected to the output terminal HO.
The reference voltage circuit 20 is composed of a serial circuit of a diode-connected MOS transistor 22 having a drain and a gate commonly connected and a resistor 21 connected between the drain of the transistor and the high-potential power source terminal VB. The voltage between the source and drain of the MOS transistor 22 is picked up as the reference voltage Vref. This reference voltage is equal to the threshold voltage Vt of the MOS transistor 22.
The protection circuit 7 performs resistance division of the voltage between the high-potential power source terminal VB and low-potential power source terminal VS by the resistors 5, 6 and monitors the abnormality of the power source voltage (voltage between the high-potential power source terminal VB and low-potential power source terminal VS) inside the floating block 19 with a high voltage resistance by comparing the resistance divided potential with the drain potential of the MOS transistor with a comparator 4.
Further, a wired AND circuit is constituted by connecting the output terminal of the comparator 4 to the input terminal of the output circuit 18. As a result, if the power source voltage of the floating block 19 with a high voltage resistance abnormally increases, the output of the comparator 4 assumes a low level, the input of the output circuit 18 is shielded, and the operation of the output circuit 18 is terminated. Further, the application of excessively high voltage to the power transistor constituting the output circuit 18 or output MOS transistor 36, 37 externally connected to the output terminal HO is prevented and those transistors are protected from breakdown.
The output MOS transistor 37 is controlled via an input circuit 40, a signal processing circuit 41, and an output circuit 42 based on the input signal LIN inputted from the outside.
While the output MOS transistor 37 is ON in the circuit shown in FIG. 5, a voltage lowered by VF≈0.7 V of a diode 38 is applied from the low-potential power source VCC to a capacitor 39. While the output MOS transistor 36 is ON, the voltage on the VS terminal rises almost to the HV voltage and, the high-voltage power source VB becomes at "VS+VCC−0.7" V. The high-voltage power source VB varies depending on the ON time of the output MOS transistors 36, 37 and capacitance of the capacitor 39.
For this reason, the circuit operates in a state in which the power source voltage of the control circuit fluctuates, and if the surge voltage is superimposed on the power source voltage, there is a risk of the control circuit being damaged. Moreover, there is also a risk of the output MOS transistors 36, 37 being damaged.
For this reason, a protection operation function against the surge voltage superimposed on the power source voltage is also required. A stable reference voltage source is necessary to demonstrate this protection operation function with high stability.
The configuration shown in FIG. 5 uses a simple reference voltage circuit 20 composed of a serial circuit of a MOS transistor 22 and a resistor 21, and the reference voltage Vref depends on the threshold voltage Vt of the MOS transistor 22. The value of the threshold voltage Vt of the MOS transistor 22 differs because of a spread occurring in the manufacture of MOS transistors or has inherent dependency on temperature. As a result, the detection sensitivity of the protection circuit 7 is different for each semiconductor device, or the detection sensitivity changes depending on the ambient temperature, and the circuit operation of the semiconductor device is difficult to ensure.
Accordingly, even if the number of MOS transistors constituting the circuit is increased and a linear circuit (reference voltage circuit) with a stable temperature characteristic and a small spread is designed, the mutual spread of electric characteristics between the MOS transistors contained in the semiconductor device is large. As a result, the spread cannot be decreased to a level of linear circuits composed of bipolar transistors.
Further, generally, in the case of semiconductor devices composed of bipolar transistors, a mutual spread between the bipolar transistors is small. As a result, the accuracy is good and a reference voltage circuit 20 with a small spared of absolute values can be easily constituted. However, if the consideration is based on the assumption that the sustain drive 102 is integrated in the semiconductor device, then a high voltage resistance characteristic of 400 V or higher is required for the bipolar transistors used in the sustain driver 102 and bipolar transistors for a high voltage resistance have to be used.
A problem associated with bipolar transistors with a high voltage resistance is that a guard ring has to be formed inside the island region forming the transistor, and the unit shape becomes larger than that of the usual bipolar transistor. This issue will be described hereinbelow.
FIG. 6A shows a plan view configuration of the floating block 19 with a high voltage resistance that is formed in a semiconductor substrate. FIG. 6B is a plan view of an NPN bipolar transistor. FIGS. 6A and 6B have the same enlargement ratio.
As shown in FIG. 6B, the outermost periphery of the NPN bipolar transistor is electrically separated by a separation and diffusion region 23 in order to cause the NPN bipolar transistor to function as a unit element. The main portion providing for the transistor action of the NPN bipolar transistor is a transistor active region 24 located in the center of a transistor island region. A collector diffusion layer, a base diffusion layer, an emitter diffusion layer, and electrodes connected thereto (not shown in the figures) are formed in the transistor active region 24. As for the element voltage resistance of the NPN bipolar transistor, a high voltage resistance characteristic is ensured by forming guard rings 25a, 25b, 25c between the transistor active region 24 and separation and diffusion region. In order to ensure even higher voltage resistance, the number of guard rings has to be increased and a large surface area for forming the guard rings is necessary around the transistor active region 24.
The floating block 19 with a high voltage resistance is formed in the island region formed by an N-type semiconductor, as shown in FIG. 6A. Semiconductor elements such as MOS transistors, resistors, and capacitors are integrated in the central part thereof, those element guard groups are formed in the element formation region 26 (a size of about 200 μm×400 μm), a guard ring region with a width of about 100 μm is provided around the element formation region 26, and a separation and diffusion region 27 is formed on the outermost periphery. As a result, the floating block 19 with a high voltage resistance has a size of about 400 μm×600 μm.
The floating block 19 with a high voltage resistance is also provided with guard rings 28a, 28b, 28c between the element formation region 26 and the separation and diffusion region 27, the entire element formation region 26 is tied up, and voltage resistance is increased. The necessity of providing guard rings on the peripheral portion of the element formation region 26 with the object of increasing the voltage resistance of elements was disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H6-21358.
Further, in order to configure a stable reference voltage circuit, at least two NPN bipolar transistors are required, and a plurality of guard rings are necessary in the element region of the NPN bipolar transistors with a high voltage resistance in order to obtain a configuration composed of NPN bipolar transistors with a high voltage resistance that are separated from the peripheral portion and act independently. Moreover, the guard ring region where the guard rings are disposed is required to have a surface area that increases with the increase in the required voltage resistance. For example, as shown in FIG. 6B, in the area necessary for forming one NPN bipolar transistor having a voltage resistance of about 400 V, the size of the transistor active region 24, which is the main portion responsible for transistor operation, is about 40 μm×60 μm, and the width of the guard ring region where three guard rings are formed is about 100 μm.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, in order to stabilize the reference voltage circuit 20, the NPN bipolar transistors 23A, 23B are disposed on the outside of the floating block 19 with a high voltage resistance. Therefore, a large surface area is necessary and the degree of integration of the semiconductor device is decreased.
As described hereinabove, when a reference voltage circuit 20 with a simple circuit configuration shown in FIG. 5 was employed, the problem was that the production spread of the resistor 21 or MOS transistor 22 was large, in particular, the spread in the threshold voltage Vt of the MOS transistor 22 degraded the detection accuracy of the protection circuit 7 and sufficient electric characteristics of the semiconductor device could not be guaranteed. For all that, in the case of forming a circuit by using a large number of MOS transistors, a sufficient accuracy of relative values of the MOS transistors cannot be obtained and a circuit design ensuring absolute values of detection accuracy of the protection circuit 7 is difficult to provide.
When bipolar transistors with good accuracy of relative values are used, it is possible to configure a reference voltage circuit that can ensure the absolute value of the operating voltage. However, the problem is that bipolar transistors with a high voltage resistance characteristic are required for integrating the sustain drive 102, and configuring the circuit by using bipolar transistors with a high voltage resistance that comprise guard rings degrades the degree of integration of the semiconductor device.
It is the first object of the present invention to resolve the above-described problems and to provide a semiconductor device that can be integrated without using bipolar transistors with a high voltage resistance that comprise guard rings.
It is the second object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device with a high voltage resistance that has incorporated therein a protection circuit capable of ensuring stable circuit operation.

Semiconductor device with floating block

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A light guide plate according to the present invention includes an incident plane into which a light flux from a light source is incident, and a plurality of prisms having reflection planes reflecting the light flux incident from the incident plane, wherein the reflection planes of the plurality of prisms are extended to cross in a direction in which the light flux from the light source incident into the incident plane travels, and of the reflection planes of the plurality of prisms, the reflection plane of at least one prism closest to the incident plane is formed in a recess shape with respect to the incident plane. Thereby nonuniformity of backlight illumination can be improved and a display device can be uniformly and efficiently illuminated.

FIG. 9 shows an example of a conventional art backlight system illuminating a display device (not shown) (see Patent Reference 1). The backlight system has a light source 5 including one or a plurality of light emitting diodes (hereinafter, abbreviated as LED or LEDs) and a light guide plate 1 having an incident plane 3 receiving light emitted from the light source 5. A reflection sheet 7 is arranged facing a first plane 2 of the light guide plate 1. A diffusion sheet 8 is arranged facing a second plane 4 of the light guide plate 1. Two prism sheets 9 and 10 are arranged above the diffusion sheet. The second plane 4 is a plane facing the display device. The reference numeral 6 denotes the state of progression of a few of the light beams in the light guide plate 1.
As shown in FIG. 10, in the conventional art backlight system having the above-described structure, when viewed from the second plane 4, in other words, the display device, the illuminating light illuminating the display device is nonuniform. As shown in FIG. 10, in more detail, in the plane of the light guide plate 1 (the diffusion sheet 8, and the prism sheets 9 and 10 are removed), a hatched portion 20 is a region appearing bright viewed from the front (the upper side) and an unhatched brightness shortage portion 21 is caused in the portion near the incident plane 3. The backlight user identifies that the brightness of the illuminated plane is nonuniform and there is illumination nonuniformity. To reduce the illumination nonuniformity, the number of light sources 5 is increased so as to bring the adjacent light sources 5 closer to each other in order to reduce the proportion of the light beam 6 incident into the incident plane 3 at a large angle.
The reason why illumination nonuniformity is caused will be described based on the structure of the conventional art light guide plate shown in FIGS. 11A to 11C and FIG. 12. To efficiently emit an incident light flux from the second plane 4 (the lower side viewed in FIG. 11C), the conventional art light guide plate 1 has a plurality of prisms provided on the first plane 2. As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11C, the respective prisms are linearly extended over the overall width of the light guide plate 1 in parallel with the incident plane 3. As shown in FIG. 12, each of the prisms is a prism with a triangle cross section shape having a reflection plane 2a gently and downwardly tilted from the front position near the light incident plane 3 toward the rear position far from the incident plane 3, a back plane 2b steeply tilted from the rear position rearward of the light guide plate 1, and a ridge line 2c formed by the reflection plane 2a and the back plane 2b. The reflection plane 2a is formed at a tilt angle (mold tilt angle) α0 with respect to the second plane 4 of the light guide plate 1.
When the respective prisms are formed in parallel with the incident plane 3 of the light guide plate 1, as shown in FIG. 11A, a tilt angle (a substantial tilt angle α) on the reflection plane 2a with respect to horizontal light incident horizontally from the incident plane 3 is different depending on an incident angle θ of the light beam 6 (one light beam included in the light flux incident into the light guide plate 1) formed on the plane of the light guide plate 1. This will be described with reference to FIG. 13. When the mold tilt angle α0 on the reflection plane 2a of the prism formed on the light guide plate 1 is expressed by d/p, the substantial tilt angle α on the reflection plane 2a of the light beam 6 incident from the incident plane 3 into the light guide plate 1 at the incident angle θ is expressed by d/p1. Since p<p1, the substantial tilt angle α is smaller than the mold tilt angle α0. As shown in FIG. 11A, the substantial tilt angle α on the reflection plane 2a with respect to the light beam incident substantially parallel with a center line D (which is typically substantially matched with the center axis of the light flux of the light source 5) of the light guide plate 1 orthogonal to the incident plane 3 is very close to the mold tilt angle α0 of the prism. The substantial tilt angle α on the reflection plane 2a with respect to the light beam 6 incident at the incident angle θ is approximately, α=α0·cos θ. As the light incident angle θ increases, the substantial tilt angle α gradually decreases and the amount of light reflected on the reflection plane 2a is gradually reduced, so that the amount of light emitted from the second plane 4 is reduced.
FIG. 14 is a graph (curve F) showing the substantial tilt angle α on the reflection plane 2a with respect to the incident angle θ of the light beam in the conventional art prism. The substantial tilt angle α is largest when the incident angle θ=0 (the light beam 6 is incident into the incident plane 3 of the light guide plate almost at a right angle) (in this example, α0=approximately 2°), and gradually decreases as the incident angle θ of the light beam increases.
In the conventional art light guide plate 1 shown in FIGS. 11A to 11C and FIG. 12, the amount of light reflected on the reflection plane 2a for the light beam 6 incident into the incident plane 3 at the large incident angle θ is greatly reduced, which is a major cause of illumination nonuniformity. To make considerable compensation for illumination nonuniformity, a plurality of light sources 5 (LEDs) need to be arranged close to each other so as to prevent the incident angle θ of the light beam 6 from becoming large.    Patent Reference 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-327096 (FIG. 17)


Certain examples involve controlling a circadian impact of a lighting system. For instance, a lighting system includes a first lighting fixture. The first lighting fixture includes at least one lighting element to illuminate a first space and a first controller to control a first light output of the at least one lighting element. Additionally, the lighting system includes a first background circadian system that provides a first modifying factor to the first controller of the first lighting fixture. The first modifying factor is associated with a first circadian impact profile that specifies a first circadian impact level in the first space. Further, the first controller of the first lighting fixture controls the first light output based on the first modifying factor.

Circadian response in humans may be affected by the amount and color of light that is received by the eyes. Exposure of the eyes to different wavelengths of light may promote or suppress melatonin production, which in turn may promote or suppress sleep in humans, as well as impact other circadian hormones, including Cortisol levels and Alpha amylase levels. Other physiological biomarkers may also be impacted by light. The presence of blue light may promote wakefulness, while the presence of yellow light may negate the impact of the blue spectrum. In addition, exposure of the eyes to the different wavelengths may have different effects at different times of day. Exposure to bright light, or to moderate light in the blue spectrum, soon after waking may cause the person's circadian rhythm to advance, i.e., the person may fall asleep or awaken the following day earlier than otherwise. Exposure to bright light or moderately intense blue light shortly before going to bed may cause the circadian rhythm to delay, i.e., the person may fall asleep or awaken the following day later than otherwise. At either time of day, exposure to light in the yellow spectrum may negate the effects of the bright or blue-spectrum light.
The ability to adjust one's wakefulness finds use in the medical treatment of sleep disorders, adjusting to a new schedule (e.g., night shift workers or travelers between time zones), and in promoting one's own well-being. For certain medical conditions (including conditions other than sleep-related), a doctor may prescribe a certain type or amount of light treatment. It is desirable to have a circadian stimulus system capable of reliably producing an appropriate amount and spectrum of light, in order to achieve a user's desired circadian response. Existing systems may use a fixed light source to produce a certain intensity or color of light. However, normal changes in a person's exposure to light throughout the day may cause a fixed light source to produce an inappropriate type or amount of light.

Systems and methods to provide circadian impact


The invention relates to a circuitry by means of which it is possible to switch to a mobile telephone that antenna out of two or more antennae which has the best signal, without substantial alterations in the mobile telephone itself. According to the invention, the antennae (A, B), the antenna selection switch (2) and the peripheral circuits (5, 6) connected to it constitute an integrated part which is separate from the actual mobile telephone (1) but can be coupled to it by means of an antenna cable (3), and the antenna cable (3) is coupled to the radio part of the mobile telephone (1) by mediation of a signal combining circuit (4) which transfers to the antenna cable (3) the supply voltage (V) and the antenna selection switch (2) control pulse, and transfers and selects the RF signal.

The present invention is directed to circuitry for a switch which selects one of two or more mobile telephone antennas which has the best signal, and, more particularly, to such a circuit which operates without having to make any alterations in the mobile telephone itself.
In certain cases it is advantageous for a radio telephone to select one of several antennas, each antenna having different reception and transmission characteristics. The best antenna at each given time can be selected according to the signals being received by the radio telephone and is switched (either manually or automatically) to the radio part of the mobile telephone. This principle is called antenna diversity.
In the committee preparing the system specifications for the dual mode radio telephone system which will be adopted in the U.S.A., a proposal has been made to make mobile station receiver diversity optional, e.g., the use of a diversity antenna would not be compulsory. One advantage of antenna diversity is that a significant improvement in transfer quality when data which mediates a service is being transmitted from a support station to a mobile station (for example, at a rate of 9.6 kb/s) because an antenna intended for the reception of this data signal is used, rather than the same antenna for mediating both speech and data.
For example, prior art car phones using a diversity antenna comprise the mobile telephone itself, two antenna, and a switch between the telephone and the antenna. This switch allows the mobile telephone to be switched to either one of the antenna. The switch is a controllable switch in the mobile telephone and receives its control from the mobile telephone logic via a separate control line. A control signal from the control line cause the antenna to be switched according to the best signal obtained. Field intensity, for example, is a suitable criterion on which to base this selection. In a digital time division multiplex system (TDMA), for example, it is advantageous to make the selection before the time interval for reception, since antenna switching carried out within that time interval causes error bursts in the bit queue received.

Antenna selection switch for a diversity antenna


A microfluidic device and method is disclosed having one or more membranes for the control of electrolysis. In one embodiment, a microfluidic device is disclosed that includes body with first channel and second channels separated by a gel layer. A first electrode positioned in the first channel and a second electrode positioned in the second channel wherein a potential applied to the first and second electrodes passes electrons from the first channel to the second channel through the gel layer. In another embodiment, a microfluidic device includes a body having a surface with a channel separating two first reservoirs. One or more membranes are positioned on the surface covering a portion of the channel and a blank is positioned covering the channel and the one or more membranes. A second reservoir through the blank is in contact with the membrane, each second reservoir in communication with the channel via the membrane. A first electrode is positioned in the first reservoir and a second electrode is positioned in the second reservoir wherein a potential applied to the first and second electrodes passes electrons from the first channel to the second channel through the membranes.

Several methods have been employed of segregating electrolysis products from analyte. On method employs (i) inserting electrodes into open reservoirs for maximum release of the gaseous products from electrolysis (dihydrogen and dioxygen). Another method employs reservoirs in sufficient volume that the ionic products of electrolysis (protons and hydroxide ion) do not overwhelm the buffering capacity of the buffer solution in the reservoir. However, these methods do not address the issues pertaining to the ionic products of electrolysis.
Techniques such as electrophoresis and chromatography may be used to separate charged molecules such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA) and proteins. Generally, electrophoresis is used to separate charged molecules on the basis of their movement in an electric field. Chromatography on the other hand, is used to separate molecules based on their distribution between a stationary phase and a mobile phase.
Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) is a standard tool in the study of proteins. Generally, with PAGE, proteins and peptides are exposed to a denaturing detergent such as sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS). SDS binds proteins and peptides. As a result, the proteins/peptides unfold and take on a net negative charge. The negative charge of a given SDS treated protein/peptide is roughly proportional to its mass. An electric field is then applied which causes the negatively charged molecules to migrate through a molecular sieve created by the acrylamide gel. Smaller proteins or peptides migrate through the sieve relatively quickly whereas the largest proteins or peptides are the last to migrate, if at all. Those molecules having a mass between the two extremes will migrate in the gel according to their molecular weight. In this way, proteins that differ in mass by as little as 2% may be distinguished.
Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis may be used in conjunction with other electrophoretic techniques for additional separation and characterization of proteins. For example, native proteins may be separated electrophoretically on the basis of net intrinsic charge. That is, the intrinsic charge of a protein changes with the pH of the surrounding solution. Thus, for a given protein there is a pH at which it has no net charge. At that pH, the peptide will not migrate in an electric field. Thus, when proteins in a mixture are electrophoresed in a pH gradient, each protein will migrate in the electric field until it reaches the pH at which its net charge is zero. This method of protein separation is known as isoelectric focusing (IEF).
Isoelectric focusing and SDS-PAGE are commonly used in sequence to separate a protein or peptide mixture first in one dimension by IEF and then in a second dimension by PAGE. Isoelectric focusing followed by SDS-PAGE is commonly referred to as 2D-PAGE. Disadvantageously, 2D-PAGE requires the use of bulky equipment. Further, the chemicals required to run 2D-PAGE separations can be expensive and potentially hazardous. Additionally, running 2D-gels can be time consuming and usually requires a skilled technician to obtain satisfactory results. Even then, results may be variable and difficult to reproduce.
Other separation techniques, such as Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) are available to separate polar compounds including proteins. However, MALDI-TOFMS requires a substantial investment in expensive equipment and labor, and does not improve upon the core 2D-PAGE separation technology.
Thus, there is a need for improved devices for (i) mitigating the gaseous and ionic products of electrolysis, particularly with regard to microfluidic devices; (ii) a media for electrochromatographic sieving of charged molecules which is easily fabricated and which offers significantly improved performance over conventional sieving media; (iii) a robust, reliable and easily fabricated filter which prevents ambient particles from entering fluidic channels, particularly microfluidic and nanofluidic channels; and (iv) a robust fluidic element which is able to buffer hydraulic pressure surges.

Fabrication and use of semipermeable membranes and gels for the control of electrolysis in a microfluidic device


To provide a power module driving control apparatus and a hybrid vehicle capable of obtaining sufficient accelerator response despite adoption of a speed sensing type clutch for connection and disconnection of a power drive between an engine side and a driving wheel side. When a rotational speed on an input side of a centrifugal clutch falls short of a set value, at which the clutch can be connected, and an acceleration request is made by a rider, a control unit controls a motor generator so as to bring the rotational speed on the input side of the clutch near to the set value. When the motor generator is made to function as a motor, rotation on the input side of the clutch is assisted. When the motor generator functions as a generator, an amount of electricity generated is decreased.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving control apparatus, in which a motor generator connected to a crankshaft of an engine is controllable. A power module is provided for transmitting an engine power drive to the side of a driving wheel through a clutch. A hybrid vehicle is provided with the driving control apparatus.
2. Description of Background Art
A hybrid vehicle mounted with an engine and an electric motor as a vehicle power drive sources is known. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-350310.
In the hybrid vehicle disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-350310, the electric motor is operated with a torque value greater than that for starting the engine when a operating mode is changed from a motor operating mode to an engine operating mode. This is done to prevent an engine starting lag.
In a power unit of a hybrid vehicle, the connection and disconnection of the power drive from an engine side can be accurately controlled by means of an electromagnetic clutch, a hydraulic clutch, or the like. With a scooter type compact motorcycle or the like, it has been lately studied to adopt a speed sensing type clutch, such as a centrifugal clutch or the like that connects or disconnects the power drive according to a rotational speed on the side of a crankshaft (an input side).
In a hybrid vehicle using the speed sensing type clutch for connecting and disconnecting the power drive between the engine side and the driving wheel side, an attempt may be made to open an accelerator again for acceleration after the accelerator has temporarily been returned during operation. In such instances, it can at times take some time for the rotational speed on the crankshaft side (input side) to return to a level, at which the clutch can be connected.
With this hybrid vehicle, it takes time for the rotational speed on the crankshaft side (input side) to return to the level, at which the clutch can be connected, even by attempting to open the accelerator widely for sudden starting or other needs. It can therefore happen that it takes time to switch from a motor drive to an engine drive and thus only insufficient starting acceleration performance can be derived.

Power module driving control apparatus and hybrid vehicle


A vehicle tool box assembly includes a storage area disposed in a vehicle cargo space and a tool box disposed in the storage area. The tool box includes a body having opposite first and second end walls and an upper surface extending between upper ends of the first and second end walls. A plurality of cut-outs is formed in the upper surface and configured to receive tools. A first lip extends upwardly from the upper surface at the first end wall. A second lip extends upwardly from the upper surface at the second end wall. A cover member is received by the tool box. The cover member includes a first recess received by the first lip and a second recess received by the second lip, thereby substantially preventing movement of the cover member relative to the tool box.

Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a tool box for a vehicle cargo space. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tool box receivable by a spare tire disposed in a vehicle cargo space, and a cover member receivable by the tool box such that the cover member is located to the tool box.
Background Information
Many current vehicles include a storage area in which a spare tire is disposed. A tool box is disposed in the storage area and houses tools used to change a vehicle tire. Existing tool boxes are large and have a large surface area contacting the spare tire. Movement of the tool box relative to the space tire results in noises being generated, such as squeaks or rattles, which can be distracting to a vehicle passenger.
A board can be used to cover the tool box. The board is merely disposed over the tool box with no engagement therebetween, such that properly locating the board to the tool box is difficult. Additionally, noise is generated by movement of the board relative to the tool box, which can be distracting to a vehicle passenger.


A medication regimen communication device for holding example medications within the cavities (2) of modular frames (100). Each frame displays one type of medication, and frames may be attachable to or detached from one another as needed. When attached, each cavity would align with one another and with an indicated time. An example dosage (14) is contained in the cavity appropriate to the timing of that dosage. When fully employed, the connected frames and their contents would consist of a representation of all the medications taken over the period of indicated time—typically a single day's medications.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to medication containers, specifically to such containers that are arranged as calendars for the aid in consumption of the medications.
2. Description of Prior Art
This invention relates to a system and apparatus for the containing and communicating of medication regimens, particularly ones that are complex and/or frequently changing. Because polypharmacy (use of many medicines, drugs (including herbal or "over the counter") in the treatment of disease) is usually associated with serious disease or with multiple concurrent diseases or maladies it typically involves more persons in the management of the patient's health. The patient himself (or herself, for that matter) is the typical primary user and compiler of that information and he may need an aid to managing and communicating that information to all his other healthcare providers and assistants (some examples: physicians, pharmacists, nurses, homecare nurses, relatives, friends). Depending on the individual patient, the regimen of polypharmacy may include from two to over one hundred medicines and supplements. The number and type of medications may change frequently and can be confusing, especially when the change is in name only (from branded to generic) or when the patient's health is stable but their provider's formulary changes. Communicating the regimen succinctly, plainly, and accurately can be a cumbersome task considering the commonly short duration of a consultation. Whatever device a patient employs, it must be portable and durable enough to make many trips to his providers.
There have been many attempts at providing an aid to these persons but these attempts have missed solutions to the key needs of patients with polypharmacy in their inventions. Additionally, these inventions do not address many of the communication needs of low-literacy, illiterate, mentally handicapped, or dyslexic users.
Both U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,371 to Malpass (1987) and U.S. Pat. No. 1,583,419 to Cappuccilli (1977) show pill trays for organizing and dispensing containers for medication regimens which are arranged to show solid medications to be consumed at set times during the day. Both are designed to be rigid and secure, non-collapsible box structures to hold medications for the later consumption of those medications. Both rely on 3 things to understand the regimen: the physical layout of the cavities in rows and columns, printed information at the indices of those rows and columns to be read by the user as to the significance of that row or column,
Malpass has added to this pill-grid box another adjacent container to hold an exemplification of the appropriate dosage of medication to be taken. It is designed in such a way that this example dosage portion of the device is not to be accessed by the user, but set out by a pharmacist or other person and will be difficult to open so as to only allow the healthcare provider to access it.
In one embodiment of the container, a series of cassettes exist so that the medications may be pooled together and filled so that it might be removed and transported by the user. When used in combination with the main tray it serves to reduce the possibility of wrong dosage, however when used alone it is little more than a compartmentalized container with multiple medications arranged by preferred medication time.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 1,844,189 to Stuart (1928) shows other methods of displaying medicines whereby the medication itself is prominently displayed in the same container as a reservoir of the same medication.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,717,060 to Mottayaw (1926) describes a tray for charting the timing of medication administration that may be examined by a doctor to see if his directions are being followed, but incorporates nothing for the written communication as to the identity of each medication. It also makes no provision for easily understanding the total daily intake of medications.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,297 to Schutten (2003) describes a set of pockets for medications and significant space for writing copious information about the medications, though because it has only one example medication both the patient and any doctors must still make an interpretation of the written data thereon as to the scheduling of the regimen. In addition, because only one example pill is included, there is no "safety margin" for a full one-day supply of those medications taken more than once a day.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,618 to Peterson (2003) is of a constant size and cannot expand or contract with each medication gained or lost in the patient's regimen. This limitation can be significant when the regimen is much smaller or larger in comparison to the size of the purchased grid. It also requires an add-on card to explain the contents of the apparatus, which may be lost and render the entire set of medications unusable with a subsequent change in the regimen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,258 to Daneshvar (1994) also envisions a maximum regimen size as it is not readily expandable. It envisions one example pill or medication and written information about the timing of consumption of the medication, such that the written information is critical to the user's understanding of that timing. It also does not easily allow the user to, for example, take only the medications necessary with him to the pharmacist when refilling prescriptions. If the user desired to only take the prescriptions to be refilled, he would have to partially empty the container and rearrange it on his return.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,273 to Tapper (1961) describes some methods for packaging small quantities of products like tablets with a label area large enough to include whatever written information is required by law to accompany the product.
Insofar as I am aware, there has not thus far been developed a device or method which makes easy and convenient the communication of a complex medication regimen between healthcare providers and patients that conveniently accommodates large, changing regimens and users with difficulty understanding written medical information.

Medication dosage regimen communication device


The present invention relates to compositions and methods for selectively expressing a polypeptide in a membrane vesicle. The invention also relates to genetic constructs and recombinant cells suitable to produce such membrane vesicles. This invention also relates to such functionalized membrane vesicles as well as to methods of making antibodies, methods of producing or regulating an immune response as well as to methods of screening or identifying binding partners using the same. The invention more particularly uses lactadherin or portions thereof to selectively express polypeptides in membrane vesicles, of natural or synthetic origin. This invention can be used in experimental, research, therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic areas.

Exosomes are vesicles of endosomal origin that are secreted in the extracellular milieu following fusion of late endosomal multivesicular bodies with the plasma membrane (4). Cells from various tissue types have been shown to secrete exosomes, such as dendritic cells, B lymphocytes, tumor cells and mast cells, for instance. Exosomes from different origin exhibit discrete sets of proteins and lipid moieties (5,6). They notably contain proteins involved in antigen presentation and immuno-modulation suggesting that exosomes play a role in cell-cell communications leading to the modulation of immune responses. Indeed, exosomes from dendritic cells (DC) pulsed with peptides derived from tumor antigens elicit anti-tumor responses in animal model using the matching tumor (7,8). Methods of producing, purifying or using exosomes for therapeutic purposes or as research tools have been described for instance in WO99/03499, WO00/44389 and WO97/05900, incorporated therein by reference.
Considering their immunogenic and therapeutic properties, it would be particularly useful to be able to modify the content of exosomes in order to alter their properties. In this respect, recombinant exosomes have been described in the art, which derive from cells transfected with plasmids encoding recombinant proteins. Such recombinant exosomes contain the plasmid-encoded recombinant protein (WO00/28001).

Methods and compounds for the targeting of protein to exosomes


An apparatus for anodizing a support for a lithographic printing plate which comprises a backing roller which guides a web made of aluminum or an alloy thereof in a state of contacting the backing roller, (an) electrode(s) which is/are arranged along the peripheral surface of the backing roller in a concentric arc, an electric supplier which is provided at least on the upstream side or the downstream side of the backing roller, and an electrolyte solution which fills the clearance between the backing roller and the electrode, and an anodizing method using the same. By using the apparatus, the electric voltage loss can be reduced in electrolyte solution, and only a single surface of the supports is anodized without the necessity for providing any special means. Anodizing can be conducted at a high speed and the thickness of anodized layer easily increased. Moreover, thin supports can be anodized without fusion troubles.

This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for anodizing supports for a lithographic printing plate, particularly made of aluminum or an alloy thereof of which the surface is roughened mechanically, chemically or electrochemically.
In general, aluminum supports used for lithographic printing plate are required to be excellent in hydrophilic property and water retention, and accordingly, the surface of the aluminum substrate is finely roughened by a mechanical, chemical or electrochemical method. Furthermore, it is usually conducted to anodize the roughened surface in order to improve mechanical strength and water retention of the surface.
A conventional anodizing of a support for lithographic printing plate was conducted by the anodizing method disclosed in Japanese Patent KOKAI Nos. 48-26638 and 47-18739 and Japanese Patent KOKOKU No. 58-24517, and the method is usually called as the submerged power supply system. An apparatus for anodizing according to the submerged power supply system is shown in FIG. 4. The anodizing apparatus shown in FIG. 4 composed of three parts, i.e. a power supply part 2 for charging an aluminum web 1 with negative charge, an anodizing part 3 for the anodizing treatment of the aluminum web 1 charged with positive charge and an intermediate part 4 for preventing a short circuit in the liquid between the power supply part 2 and the anodizing part 3. A power supply electrode 5 and an electrolysis electrode 6 are disposed in the electrolyte solution of the power supply part 2 and the anodizing part 3 respectively, and the power supply electrode 5 is connected to the electrolysis electrode 6 through a direct current source 7.
In the apparatus for anodizing treatment, the electric current from the direct current source 7 flows to the aluminum product 1 through the electrolyte solution from the power supply electrode 5 in the power supply part 2, and the electric current flows to the anodizing part 3 in the aluminum web 1. Thus, an anodized layer is formed on the surface of the aluminum web 1.
However, the electric voltage loss in the above anodizing treatment was considerably great, and could not be neglected. That is, when the distance between the electrode and the aluminum web is small at the power supply part and the anodizing part, quality troubles, such as flaw and spark, tend to occur by flapping or unstable travel of the aluminum web resulting in contact with the electrode. Therefore, the distance between the electrode and the aluminum web must be rendered great in order to prevent the quality troubles, and the distance is usually necessary to be larger than 50 mm. As a result, the electric voltage loss becomes great.
Additionally, in the conventional method, since both surfaces of the aluminum web are dipped in the electrolyte solution, electric current goes around the opposite surface not to be intended to be provided with anodizing treatment to form an anodized layer. Therefore, in the case of manufacturing single surface treated web, it is necessary to provide a special means for preventing the electric current from going around the non treatment surface of the aluminum web, such as disclosed in Japanese Patent KOKAI No. 57-47894.
Moreover, the speedup of the anodizing line and the increase in a thickness of the anodized layer cannot be conducted in low cost. That is, in the case that the electrolytic treatment line is speeded up for improving productivity and in the case that the thickness of the anodized layer is increased for improving quality, the amount of supply current must be increased. Attendantly, voltage drop caused by ohmic loss is increased in the aluminum web with increasing supply current. Therefore, an increase in electrolytic voltage of source is necessary.
When the electrolytic voltage is increased, electric energy running cost is increased due to the increase of electric energy used. Since the source capacity is necessary to be increased, the plant investment is increased. Besides, since the electrolytic voltage is great, Joule heat is greatly generated in the aluminum web between the power supply electrode 5 and the electrolysis electrode 6. As a result, the cooling cost for cooling the aluminum web and the electrolyte solution to a prescribed normal temperature increases. As described above, when an electrolytic treatment line is speeded up in the conventional apparatus, the cost becomes great.
In the case of thin aluminum web, the speedup of the electrolytic treatment line is difficult. That is, since the whole current supplied by a power source flows into the aluminum article at the intermediate part between the power supply part and the anodizing part, when the amount of supplied current in great, the thin aluminum web heats up greatly and fuses. Therefore, in the case of the thin aluminum web, there is a limit in the amount of current supply. As a result, the speedup of an electrolytic treatment line and the increase in the thickness of an anodized layer are difficult.

Apparatus and method for anodizing supports for lithographic printing plate


A knob accessory for a round thermostat of the type having a centrally located thermostat adjustment knob, has a relatively large diameter which allows easier adjustment of the thermostat setting for people who have difficulty in rotating an adjustment knob having detents to indicate thermostat settings. The knob accessory latches onto the standard adjustment knob with a detent mechanism which also allows removing the knob.

The round thermostat which was originally pioneered by the assignee of this patent has become one of the most ubiquitous features of the modern home. It has been produced in a number of different versions, but all have a number of common features. These include a housing having a generally circular periphery with a central axis and a front face on which is carried a scale of the thermostat setting. For adjustment of the thermostat setting, there is a thermostat knob having an axis of rotation coinciding with the central axis. The thermostat knob has a predetermined external shape which includes a circular wall projecting from the housing. A pointer on the thermostat knob indicates the current setting on the scale. Typically, the diameter of the housing may be 70-100 mm. and the thermostat knob may be 50-60 mm. in diameter.
A version now available is intended for use by the vision impaired. This version has extra large (over 8 mm.) raised numbering on the scale, and a detent which clicks for each 2F. rotation of the thermostat knob. The temperature settings divisible by 10 have a looser detent which creates a distinguishable tactile impression compared to the detents in the other setting positions. The two types of detent allow a person with very severe vision impairment to adjust the thermostat setting by tactile sense only since it is easy to estimate within 10F. the current temperature setting from the temperature level of the room.
It is not uncommon that people who have vision impairment also have strength impairment. This circumstance may arise from old age or from diseases which affect both their strength and their vision. Because of their vision impairment, the vision-impaired model is very desirable, but their strength impairment causes them difficulty in rotating the thermostat knob of a vision-impaired version against the resistance of the detent.

Increased diameter detachable thermostat knob allowing easier thermostat use


A low pressure warning device that comprises a piston located inside the device, where the piston partitions the device into a first chamber communicating with a first opening and a second chamber communicating with a second opening, an adjustable stop, and a spring located inside the device and configured to bias the piston to a position based on a position of the adjustable stop and based on a pressure differential between the first opening and the second opening, wherein a low pressure differential warning state is associated with a position of the piston.

Encapsulated protective suits may be worn in contaminated areas to protect the wearer of the suit. For example, workers may wear an encapsulated protective suit while working inside of a nuclear powered electrical generating plant or in the presence of radioactive materials. An encapsulated protective suit may be a one-time use type of system, wherein after a single use the suit is disposed of. An encapsulated protective suit may receive breathing air during normal operating conditions via an external air flow hose connected to the suit. It may be desirable to maintain a positive pressure differential between the inside of the suit and the outside of the suit. The positive pressure differential may reduce the chances of material, such as radioactive particles or other hazardous material, from entering the protective suit. Additionally, the positive pressure differential may promote proper inflation of the suit.


A wallet/pocket credit card accounting book used for keeping records of credit card charges and credit card credits. The accounting book provides a convenient way of storing a credit card and storing charge and credit receipts. The wallet/pocket accounting book includes a front cover with a side of the front cover having a back cover fold line. The back cover fold line joins together the front cover and a back cover. Disposed at the bottom of the front cover is a pocket cover fold line. The pocket cover fold line joins together the front cover and a pocket cover. The pocket cover includes a credit card slit therein. The credit card slit is used for receiving a portion of a credit card therethrough and storing the credit card inside the wallet/pocket accounting book. The pocket cover also includes a first flap fold line and a second flap fold line. The first and the second flap fold lines join the pocket cover with a first and a second flap. The first and the second flap, when folded, are attached to a back of the front cover for forming a pocket between the pocket cover and the back of the front cover. The pocket is used for receiving and storing charge receipts. The wallet/pocket accounting book also includes a plurality of lined pages for keeping records of charges and credits, dates of purchase and items bought.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to accounting books and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a wallet/pocket accounting book for storing a credit card and credit and charge receipts.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
Heretofore, there have been a variety of different types of of pocket accounting books. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,531,606 to Broughton, a pocket case for holding a memorandum pad is described. The case includes a front wall member and a rear wall member joined together by a fold line. The front wall has a transverse slit for receiving a portion of the pad therethrough. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 2,467,656 to Broughton describes a pocket case for holding a memorandum pad.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,728 to Reese, a credit card holder and record book is illustrated. The holder and book are made of flat paper stock with die cuts and fold lines for forming the holder. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,828,975 to Wright, the construction of a pocket secretary is described. The pocket secretary includes side by side pockets for removable cards.
None of the above mentioned patents describe the combination of structure, unique features and advantages of the subject pocket credit card accounting book as described herein.

Wallet/pocket credit card accounting book with credit card and receipt holder


A process for preparing an aqueous emulsifier-stabilized vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer dispersion with weight average particle size in a range from 100 nm to 300 nm includes emulsion polymerization of a reaction mixture including:

Emulsifier-stabilized aqueous dispersions of vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymers are used in a wide variety of applications, for example as binders in adhesive compositions and in coating compositions. These are high volume applications, and therefore large amounts of such dispersions have to be produced on an industrial scale. Shortening of cycle times of the polymerization of emulsifier-stabilized vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer dispersion would result in a considerable economic advantage. At the same time, a key issue for obtaining high quality binders for such applications is the need to produce the dispersed vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer particles with a fine particle size.
It is known in the art to use external cooling loops in emulsion polymerization for enhancing cooling capacity to achieve a shorter reaction time. For the shortening of polymerization time it is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,660,814 B1 to use a polymerization reactor combined with an external cooling unit, which is equipped with a low-shear pump and a heat exchanger having a laminar flow profile. EP 2 106 849 A1 teaches a process for emulsion polymerization. To improve heat removal, the polymerization reactor is combined with an external cooling loop, which is equipped with a low-shear pump and a plate and frame heat exchanger. To prevent coagulation of the polymerisation mixture, the plate and frame heat exchanger has a gap width of 6 to 18 mm. U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,000 B1 concerns an emulsion polymerization in the presence of emulsifiers. The polymerization takes place in a reactor equipped with an external cooling circuit, which includes a pump and a heat exchanger. To improve cooling capacity and to prevent gel formation, the polymerization mixture is pumped through the heat exchanger and returned to the polymerization reactor. The object of US 2005/0261423 A1 was a polymerization process providing shorter reaction time. The goal was said to be achieved with a process wherein the polymerization mixture is transferred to an external circuit which leads from and back to the polymerization reactor and which comprises a low-shear pump and a heat exchanger. US 2011/0112218 A1 describes a process for the production of a protective colloid-stabilized aqueous polymer dispersion. To improve heat dissipation and thereby shorten reaction time, an external loop is installed which includes a pump and a heat exchanger. The process uses a specific type of heat exchanger, i.e., a static mixer heat exchanger.
One problem with aqueous emulsifier-stabilized vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer dispersions with fine particle size is their typically poor shear stability. This problem has traditionally prevented production of such dispersions in polymerization reactors employing external heat exchange circuits, which typically produce high shear. In order to make vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer dispersions in reactors with external heat exchangers, some way must be found to increase the shear stability of the dispersions while nonetheless maintaining fine particle size, as well as good scrub resistance in paints and other coatings made from the dispersions.
US 2008/0262104 A1 discloses polyvinyl acetate dispersions having high shear stability with 0.05 to 5% by weight of (meth)acrylic acid units in the vinyl acetate copolymer. US 2007/0244238 A1 describes polymer dispersions said to have very good shear stability. These polymer dispersions comprise two copolymers with a Tg difference of at least 10° C., stabilized with a nonionic emulsifier comprising at least one aryl-substituted phenolalkyleneoxy ether.
EP 1 300 448 A2 and EP 1 801 168 disclose an aqueous vinyl acetate-ethylene dispersion used as a binder in coating compositions having a high pigment volume concentration. To improve scrub resistance, use of a combination of a phosphate-functional emulsifier and a protective colloid for stabilization during polymerization is recommended.
Despite the foregoing efforts, it has remained difficult to produce vinyl acetate ethylene copolymer dispersions having fine particle size in equipment employing an external heat exchanger. Thus, advances in this area would be a welcome addition in the industry.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Process for the preparation of an aqueous emulsifier-stabilized vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer dispersion with fine particle size

Abstract: a) vinyl acetate and ethylene,

Abstract: b) 0.05 to 1% by weight, based on the total weight of monomers and comonomers, of at least one functional comonomer selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated monomers with at least one phosphate group or phosphonic acid group or their salts and ethylenically unsaturated sulphonic acids or their salts,c) 0.5 to 5% by weight, based on the total weight of monomers and comonomers, of at least one anionic emulsifier and optionally one or more nonionic emulsifiers, andd) optionally at most 0.5%, based on the total weight of monomers and comonomers, of a protective colloid.

Abstract: The process reactor uses an external heat exchange circuit.


Disclosed are poly(hydroxyalkanoic acid) compositions comprising a poly(hydroxyalkanoic acid), an ethylene ester copolymer, and an aliphatic carboxylic acid amide.

Poly(hydroxyalkanoic acids), also known as polyhydroxyalkanoates, have gained great attention in the plastics industry because they can be produced from renewable monomers. Because these polymers are biodegradable they have been proposed for use in a broad range of applications. However, physical limitations such as brittleness and slow crystallization may limit the applications of poly(hydroxyalkanoic acids). Numerous impact modifiers have been developed in the past to improve the toughness of poly(hydroxyalkanoic acids). For example, Japanese Patent No. 9316310 discloses a poly(lactic acid) resin composition comprising a modified olefin compound as an impact modifier. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0173133 discloses a toughened poly(hydroxyalkanoic acid) composition wherein an ethylene ester copolymer (e.g., a terpolymer having copolymerized units of ethylene, butyl acrylate and glycidyl methacrylate (EBAGMA)) is used as an impact modifier. In addition, various nucleating agents have been developed to increase the crystallinity or rate of crystallization for poly(hydroxyalkanoic acid) compositions and therefore improve the dimensional stability and thermal resistance thereof. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,294 discloses the use of an aliphatic carboxylic acid amide (e.g., behenamide) as a nucleating agent for poly(lactic acid).
In general, when poly(hydroxyalkanoic acid) is used to manufacture thermoformed packaging articles, such as cups, trays, and clam shells, the resin is first melt extruded and rapidly cooled (i.e. generally for less than 5 seconds) to a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the polymer on a rotating quench drum to form a nearly transparent sheet (herein called Rapidly Quenched Sheet). The sheet is then further formed into finished articles under higher temperature conditions (above the glass transition temperature of the polymer). The term "Rapidly Quenched Sheet" as used herein also encompasses thin sheets, i.e. films, for example of thickness of 10 mils (0.25 mm) or less.
Rapidly Quenched Sheet of poly(hydroxyalkanoic acid), however, often lacks the stretchability that is required for acceptable processability on continuously moving equipment. Thus, there is a need for a poly(hydroxyalkanoic acid) containing composition that not only has desirable toughness and dimensional stability, but that also has adequate stretchability, especially when in the form of a Rapidly Quenched Sheet.

Poly (hydroxyalkanoic acid) compositions with improved toughness, dimensional stability and stretchability


A hockey puck comprising a resilient material having a first configuration, a first thickness and a predetermined hardness. There is a first disk having a second configuration and a second thickness that is engageable with a first side of the resilient material and a second disk having a third configuration and a third thickness engageable with a radially opposed second side of the resilient material. Both disks are produced from a preselected material having a predetermined coefficient of friction. The resilient material extends beyond a periphery of the first disk and the second disk a predetermined distance. The second thickness and the third thickness of the first disk and the second disk, respectively, each have a thickness which is at least as thick as one half of the thickness of the resilient material. There is, further, a first means for securing the first disk to at least one of the second disk and the resilient material adjacent the first side of the resilient material and a second means for securing the second disk to at least one of the first disk and the resilient material adjacent the radially opposed second side of the resilient material.

A wide variety of hockey pucks have been developed for use on a variety of surfaces. One criteria for a hockey puck is that it should travel on whatever surface it is on without tumbling, bouncing or being slowed because of uneven contact with that surface. The most common hockey puck, obviously, is a puck that is made for use on ice surfaces. Since ice surfaces tend to be free of snags the likelihood of bouncing is minimal.
However, other pucks have been developed that are designed for use on unsmooth surfaces such as streets and parking lots. These have been developed so that they can travel over these rough or uneven surfaces with a greatly reduced likelihood of tumbling or bouncing. Some of these pucks have bristles on the outer surfaces of the puck while other have springs disposed between the outer surfaces to reduce the problem of bouncing or flipping when the puck strikes a imperfection.


Devices, systems and methods for shielding a person's neck and head are disclosed. The exemplary device may have an exterior portion running lengthwise approximately the length of a forearm and at least two angled surfaces widthwise for deflecting a projectile. The system may also have an interior portion adapted to fit against a forearm. The person may shield the neck and head by positioning a palm against the forehead and aligning the forearm lengthwise in front of the person's face. The exemplary system may also have a coupling portion for coupling the shield to a rifle.

Policemen enter a room and are confronted by a person. The policemen assume the person may have some type of weapon. The police bold their guns in front of themselves and aim at the person. They yell "freeze" and the person reaches into his belt or under his jacket. If the policemen hesitate, a gun could be pulled out and discharged, possibly hitting someone in the head and most likely killing him. If the policemen fire a second too soon and the person was not reaching for a weapon but rather identification or possibly a badge, an innocent life may be taken.
The bullet-proof vest has saved countless lives, but the bullet-proof vest has limitations. The bullet-proof vest does not protect against specially designed bullets such as Teflon® coated, armor piercing bullets. The bullet-proof vest does not provide protection to a user's neck, face, or head. While armor has been designed for a person since the Middle Ages to withstand the impact of swords or other lower impacts, this armor may not withstand the impact of a modern projectile.
Accordingly, an efficient and effective device, method and system is needed to deflect modern projectiles. In addition, the device, method and system may need to be inexpensive, concealable, and maneuverable.


A ceiling lamp may include: a base plate and a light emitting component arranged on the base plate. The ceiling lamp further includes a diffusing structural member, arranged outside the light emitting component and configured to evenly diffuse light emitted by the light emitting component; and a light transmitting structural member, arranged outside the diffusing structural member. The light transmitting structural member is provided with a microprism structure, and is configured to allow the light evenly diffused by diffusing structural member to form into a pattern corresponding to the microprism structure on the light transmitting structural member.

At present, LED lamps are increasingly used in all fields of lighting. As a semiconductor light emitting device, a LED (light emitting diode) has many advantages such as low power consumption, long service life and high reliability as compared with a conventional electric lamp, so it is widely used in the field of lighting, and more and more applied to a field of indoor lighting.
With the improvement of people's quality of life, people pose higher and higher requirements on interior decoration, especially, on lighting fixtures that can best reflect a decoration effect. Therefore, various styles of lighting fixtures enter people's lives, but traditional lamps are mainly used as overhead lighting source for indoor lighting, which is mainly a single-layer lampshade and has a relatively simple shape.


Disclosed is a low impurity content caspofungin pharmaceutical composition and a method for preparing the low impurity content caspofungin pharmaceutical composition. The caspofungin pharmaceutical composition comprises the compound of formula I and/or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in combination with a saccharide protective agent(s) and an amino acid(s). The caspofungin pharmaceutical composition is prepared by dissolving the saccharide protective agent and the amino acid into water or a suitable buffer solution; adding the caspofungin compound and dissolving it; filtering the solution and lyophilizing.

The echinocandins are novel anti-fungal medicaments, which belong to 6-member ring compounds containing acetyl. Echinocandins are medicaments for inhibiting glucan synthetase and exert germicidal effect by non-competitively inhibiting the synthesis of -β(1,3)-D-glucan in cell-wall of fungi. Glucan is a polysaccharide in cell-wall of fungi, which is the important component in cell-wall and can maintain the integrity of cell-wall and the stability of osmotic pressure.
Caspofungin, the structure of which is shown in formula I, is the first anti-fungal medicament in echinocandins.

Caspofungin possesses broad-spectrum antifungal activities, demonstrating excellent antifungal activities toward fungi of Candida albicans, non-Candida albicans and aspergillus, and in vitro antifungal activities toward fungi, such as Candida and aspergillus etc., resistant to fluconazole, amphotericin B or fluorocytosine. Caspofungin does not possess cross-resistance with azoles or polyenes, no natural drug resistance exists in the isolates of Candida, and caspofungin applies to invasive aspergillosis to which other treatment is inefficient or intolerable.
Caspofungin preparation was firstly developed by Merck Sharp & Dohme (USA), marketed with the tradename "Cancidas", and in the preparation, caspofungin is administered in the form of caspofungin diacetate. Caspofungin has low stability, and is prone to degradation, thereby producing degradation impurities. The degradation impurity of formula II is the major degradation impurity, and is indicated as L-747969 in Import Drug Registration Specification of injectable caspofungin acetate (Standard No: JX20050258), the relative retention time of which is RRT 1.67. In "HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION" disclosed by FDA (U.S.A) for "CANCIDA", it is further demonstrated that L-747969 is an open-loop polypeptide compound. In "Metabolites of Caspofungin Acetate, a Potent Antifungal Agent, in Human Plasma and Urine", it is further demonstrated that the structure of the major degradation impurity of caspofungin, i.e., the open-loop polypeptide compound, is shown as Formula II.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,300 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,783, caspofungin pharmaceutical compositions comprising acetate buffer system and excipient and the indications thereof have been disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,300 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,783, it is disclosed that caspofungin pharmaceutical composition is stable due to the use of acetate buffer instead of tartrate buffer. However, the stability and degradation impurities for the composition have not been characterized or defined in detail. In US2010137197, another caspofungin pharmaceutical composition with better stability has been disclosed. The composition comprises one or more of non-reducing sugar with glass transition temperature over 90° C. and acetate buffer system at pH 5-7, therefore, the composition is better than the composition disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,300 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,783 in stability. However, in US2010137197, the degradation impurity of formula II or the degradation impurity at RRT (relative retention-time) 1.35 from caspofungin has not been characterized or defined. In CN102166186A, another caspofungin injectable composition, which is more stable, has been disclosed. The composition has better stability due to the existence of sorbitol or the mixture comprising sorbitol and other excipients. However, the inventors have tested the composition, and found that the stability of that composition is not as good as it was alleged and much lower than that of the formulation disclosed herein.
In US20090324635, caspofungin free of impurity A (formula III), and preparation method thereof have been disclosed. In US20090291996, caspofungin free of impurity C0 (formula IV), preparation method and the pharmaceutical composition thereof have been disclosed. In the documents, the contents of which relate to raw medicine, neither the degradation impurity of formula II nor impurity RRT 1.35 has been characterized or analysed. In US20090170753, another stable pharmaceutical composition comprising caspofungin has been disclosed, which comprises additional pH adjusting agent for caspofungin salt, the amount of which is less than 0.3 mole equivalent, and pharmaceutically acceptable amount of excipients for efficiently forming lyophilized cake. It is believed that the composition has better stability due to the minor amount of additional acetate pH adjusting agent. The degradation impurity CAF-42, which was determined in US20090170753, was the impurity of formula II by analysis. The lowest content of the impurity was disclosed as 0.27% at time 0. After being stored at 25° C., the content of the impurity was significantly increased; however, after being stored at 2-8° C., the content of the impurity was reduced rather than increased, wherein the content of the impurity in Formulation 4 is reduced most significantly, which is contrary to the common sense. Therefore, the data disclosed in US20090170753 are doubtful.

Impurities in an active pharmaceutical ingredient, such as caspofungin, are not desired, which may even do harm to the patient. However, it is impossible to remove all of the impurities. Therefore, it is important for a developer in pharmaceutical formulation field to reduce the content of impurities.
However, all of the pharmaceutical compositions known in the prior art are not desirable formulations, the major degradation impurities are not strictly controlled, and the stability of these formulations should be further improved. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a novel pharmaceutical composition and the preparation process thereof for reducing the content of major degradation impurities in caspofungin, improving the safety and stability thereof, and extending the shelf-life of medicament.
Upon lots of experiments, great advancements have been obtained in the stability of caspofungin pharmaceutical composition by the inventors.
In the present invention, a lyophilized pharmaceutical composition and the preparation method thereof have been provided. Said composition is of low-impurity, safe, stable, and reproducible, and can be directly used for treating/preventing fungal infections.

Low impurity content caspofungin preparation, method for preparing same, and use thereof

Shanghai Techwell Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd.


In IC chips for display device driving, an operational amplifier is widely used in input and output circuits, and a capacitor in a medium withstanding voltage chip is used as a compensation capacitor. As for this product area, cost competitiveness is very important. Therefore, a MIS capacitor with good area efficiency is widely used. However, unlike a so-called varactor widely used in a VCO circuit, a characteristic of as small a voltage dependence of the capacitor as possible is used. Therefore, an additional process is added to reduce the voltage dependence of the capacitor, but there is a problem of an increase in process cost. A semiconductor substrate side capacitor electrode in a MIS capacitor within a first conduction type medium withstanding voltage chip used in an I/O circuit or the like on a semiconductor integrated circuit device is formed in a first conduction type low withstanding voltage well region.

This application relates to a device structure of a semiconductor integrated circuit device (or a semiconductor device) and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device (or a semiconductor device). For example, this application relates to a device structure of a semiconductor integrated circuit device (or a semiconductor device) and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device (or a semiconductor device) that can be applied to a device in which a complementary metal insulator semiconductor field effect transistor (MISFET) is integrated.
JP-A-2010-62182 or U.S. Pat. No. 8,067,807 corresponding thereto relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) driver integrated circuit device (IC). JP-A-2010-62182 or U.S. Pat. No. 8,067,807 corresponding thereto discloses an LCD driver chip which has an impurity doped region structure having well regions of various depths including a P-type well region and an N-type well region and in which a low withstanding voltage metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) and a high withstanding voltage MOSFET are mixed.
JP-A-2005-210005 relates to a varactor having a large variable capacitance range. JP-A-2005-210005 discloses a technique of providing a P-type counter doped layer under a gate electrode (opposite capacitor electrode) on the surface of an N well.
JP-A-2004-235577 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,999,296 corresponding thereto relates to a varactor (voltage-controlled variable capacitor element). JP-A-2004-235577 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,999,296 corresponding thereto discloses a varactor element having an N well on the surface of a P-type semiconductor substrate and a polysilicon gate electrode as a capacitor electrode.
JP-A-2004-311752 or U.S. Pat. No. 7,211,875 corresponding thereto relates to a voltage-controlled capacitor element with excellent ability to follow a capacitance change according to a change in the voltage between terminals. JP-A-2004-311752 or U.S. Pat. No. 7,211,875 corresponding thereto discloses a device structure in which, in a voltage-controlled capacitor element having an N well and a gate electrode as two electrodes, P+-type impurity doped regions are provided on the surface of the N well on both sides of the gate electrode and these are connected to the ground potential.
JP-A-2008-283090 relates to an LCD driver chip having resistive elements disposed in an array. JP-A-2008-283090 discloses an impurity doped region structure having well regions of various depths including a P-type well region and an N-type well region.
JP-A-2009-21546 or U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012-37965 corresponding thereto relates to an LCD driver chip having a high withstanding voltage MISFET. JP-A-2009-21546 or U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012-37965 corresponding thereto discloses a technique of mixing a low withstanding voltage metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) and a high withstanding voltage MOSFET as an LCD driver IC chip.