The process is based upon the steps of: forming a trench in a body including a substrate and at least one insulating layer; and depositing a metal layer above the body for closing the open end or mouth of the trench. The trench is formed by selectively etching the body, wherein the reaction by-products deposit on the walls of the trench and form a passivation layer along the walls of the trench and a restriction element in proximity of the mouth of the trench.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising an empty trench structure, and a semiconductor device obtained with said process.
Description of the Related Art
In the present context, the term "empty trench" refers to the fact that the trench (or some other cavity of any shape) is not filled, irrespective of the conditions of pressure existing inside the trench itself.
In semiconductors devices it is at times required to provide an empty trench. For example, empty-channel transistor devices are under study (also called "microminiature vacuum tubes" or "vacuum microelectronic devices"—VMDs) present in which is a very deep trench closed at the top by a layer of metal, for example aluminum, which operates as ion-emitter element.
An example of an embodiment of an empty trench microelectronic device and its manufacturing method are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0353576 in the name of the present applicant, as described hereinafter.
With reference to FIG. 1, an empty trench device 1 comprises a substrate 2 of heavily doped semiconductor material, such as silicon, a stack 3 of layers 4-6, which extends above the substrate 1, a trench or hole 10, which extends throughout the thickness of the stack 3, as far as the substrate 1, and a cathode metal region 11, which extends above the stack 3 and closes the trench 10 at the top. The trench 10 is here in a condition of negative pressure, and is thus defined as "vacuum hole".
The stack 3 of layers here comprises a first insulating layer 4 on the substrate 2, a semiconductor layer 5, made, for example, of polycrystalline silicon, and a second insulating layer 6, on the semiconductor layer 5.
A contact structure 12 is formed above the cathode metal region 11, and an anode metal layer 13 extends underneath the substrate 2.
A passivation layer 15, of silicon nitride, coats the side walls of the trench 10.
The device 1 is obtained as follows: the layers 4-6 are deposited in sequence on the substrate 2; then, using a resist mask, the layers 4-6 are chemically etched in sequence in different apparatuses and using appropriate etching solutions. Next, the passivation layer 15 is deposited, in a highly conformable way, and is then removed from the bottom of the trench 10 and from the external part of the trench 10, above the second insulating layer 6. Then a metal layer, made for example of aluminum, that closes the trench 10 at the top and forms the cathode metal region 11 is deposited in a non-conformable way and shaped lithographically.
In the practical manufacture of the device, there have been noted difficulties in deposition of the metal layer that is to form the cathode metal region 11. In fact, even using non-conformable material and deposition techniques, it is not always possible to guarantee that the metal does not penetrate extensively within the trench 10. Furthermore, the presence of metal particles inside the trench is disadvantageous given that any possible metal traces in the trench 10 may give rise to leakage that cannot be easily distinguished from emissions of the cathode metal region, resulting in an improper operation of the device.
It is thus desirable for the metal layer (which constitutes the cathode region) to extend above the trench and not penetrate therein.
This requirement, also in common with other empty trench semiconductor products, is not easy to meet, given the absence of a stop structure, also taking into account the conditions of negative pressure present in certain applications.

Process for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising an empty trench structure and semiconductor device manufactured thereby


The present invention is a solution that provides reliable and robust boot upgrade system and method. A power up boot process is performed in which a boot update application monitors for an indication of available update information and an update setup process is engaged in which an upgrade indication variable is set to a value indicating an upgrade is required and the upgrade indication variable continues to indicate an upgrade is required until an upgrade is successfully completed. An update reboot process is executed which retrieves updated information from a central management station and a boot loader routine reads an upgrade indication variable and repeatedly downloads the updated information until the upgrade indication variable indicates there is no pending update download required. The upgrade indication variable is changed to indicate no pending update download is required when a download is verified and authenticated.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of computer system upgrades. More particularly, the present invention relates to a robust remote memory upgrade system and method.
2. Related Art
Electronic systems and circuits have made a significant contribution towards the advancement of modern society and are utilized in a number of applications to achieve advantageous results. Numerous electronic technologies such as digital computers, calculators, audio devices, video equipment, and telephone systems have facilitated increased productivity and reduced costs in analyzing and communicating data in most areas of business, science, education and entertainment. Frequently, computer systems that provide information processing are needed to realize these advantageous results. Computer systems typically process information in accordance with a set of instructions beginning with boot instructions associated with initial configuration of a computer system. System startup routines, such as a boot process, typically initialize various settings within the computer system. As systems advance and applications become more complex there is usually a need for updating information in the system. However, providing updated information such as boot data is often very complex and traditionally susceptible to errors.
It is very important for boot up routines to be performed correctly and accurately. One of the fundamental desirable characteristics of a computer system is to provide reliable and predictable results. Reliability usually depends upon accurate initialization of the system. Most devices that include processors (such as computer systems, switches, routers, hubs, network adapters, gateways, etc.) that perform operations in accordance with a defined series of instructions require the system to start at a predetermined state or configuration. If the system does not start out with the correct setup information the processes will not start at an anticipated state and typically be misaligned for the remainder of the operations. Inappropriate or erroneous start up information usually produces unreliable and/or incomprehensible results and often causes system crashes. An accurate initialization establishes settings to ensure that processes commence from a predetermined known state. During a computer system power up, the processor typically starts executing instructions from a specific location in a read only memory (ROM) that includes boot instructions. This memory area (e.g., in a flash ROM) and its associated instructions is usually referred to as the boot loader. The boot loader performs a power on self-test (POST) on the system and loads the operating system (OS or firmware) stored in the flash.
Updating firmware information such as boot instructions is typically susceptible to a variety of difficulties. In particular there are a variety of interruptions to the update that often result in the occurrence of an inconsistent state being entered during a boot process. There are a variety of interruptions such as a power loss, communication loss, or other disruptions to the upgrade that result in error conditions in the update of firmware or boot information. For example, if only a portion of an update is loaded and another portion is not it typically results in an inconsistent state in the boot routine and the device usually has to be sent to the manufacturer for servicing to correct the problem.
Traditional attempts at updating the boot information or operating system (OS) firmware residing in a ROM (e.g., a flash ROM) typically lack desirable levels of robustness. For example, traditional approaches running over the firmware (in a product) attempt to obtain an updated flash image and program this image on the target device. However, these traditional approaches do not typically handle error conditions such as power loss, unplugging of power by the user, or other disruptions to the upgrade process that make the product unbootable and often completely disabled. Users typically have to send the target device product back to the factory to replace the flash ROM component. In addition, the traditional update attempts typically consume significant amounts of valuable RAM space.
Local update techniques are another way of traditionally attempting to update boot information. Local update techniques usually involved locally connecting a target device (e.g., computer system) to a second computer system using a serial cable/terminal and upgrading the ROM using a terminal application running on the second computer system. This approach does not provide the advantages of remote upgrading capabilities and does not typically provide enough robustness to handle boot upgrade interruptions. Local upgrade techniques typically require resources to be transported to multiple locations and are more susceptible to maintenance problems.
Thus, what is required is a solution that provides a reliable and robust boot upgrade system and method.

Robust remote flash ROM upgrade system and method


In a telephone network, a service control point is called by a switching center, if a flag has previously been set by some event (e.g. call charges crossing a threshold or the leaving of a voice mail message) when a call is being established or terminated. The switching center then operates in accordance with commands returned by the service control point. If no flags have been set, the service control point is not called and the call is treated by the switching center in a default manner.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a telephone network and a method of call processing in a telephone network.
In the present application, "enhanced service" means any service provided to a subscriber other than simple connection made, in response to dialling by a caller, between the terminal equipment from which the caller attempts to establish the call and another, "target", terminal equipment to which the attempt is made, and the associated signalling of ringing, engaged status and number unobtainable. The enhanced service may be provided to either the subscriber making the call attempt (for example call barring) or to the subscriber at the target terminal equipment (for example voice mail).
2. Description of Related Art
It is known to provide such enhanced services, sometimes known as "intelligent network" services, in telephone networks. The processing required to implement such services can be carried out by a telephone switching centre. However, this has been found to be undesirable because telephone switching equipment manufacturers must customise their switches according to different network operators' requirements. This increases the cost of such equipment.
An alternative approach is to use a relatively simple switching centre in conjunction with an enhanced service processing apparatus, or "service control point". In this arrangement, the switching centre notifies the enhanced service processing apparatus of an attempt to establish a call connection and the enhanced service processing apparatus returns switching control commands such as "proceed as normal" or "bar call".
A third approach, exemplified in International Patent Specifications WO97/48238 and WO96/13949 also use an enhanced service processing apparatus, but this is invoked only if the switching centre identifies the call as being of a type which may require enhanced processing, either because the digits dialled identify a target party for which enhanced processing capability is required, or because such capability has been previously specified for the calling party.
A disadvantage with these approaches is that there is often a lot of traffic between the switching centres and the enhanced service processing apparatus consisting of notifications of call connection establishment attempts and "proceed as normal" commands, for example, if the conditions for call forwarding are not met (line not busy, wrong time of day, etc). This extra traffic, and the extra processing carried out by the enhanced service processing apparatus, can impede the efficient operation of the enhanced services processes. It is an aim of the present invention to solve or ameliorate the aforementioned problem.

British Telecommunications public limited company


The present invention relates to a voltage converter based on a switching regulator, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of dynamically controlling an output of the voltage converter to rapidly transition between different power supply voltages as required in many electronic devices. The switching regulator generates an output supply voltage that tracks a voltage originally provided by an internal DAC. During the supply voltage variation, a step control signal is provided to introduce a supplemental voltage step into the reference voltage before the reference voltage is used to generate the output supply voltage. The switching regulator is thereby overdriven under this supplemental voltage step, enhancing the slew rate and the settling time of the output supply voltage to meet stringent requirements imposed by many electronic devices.

A. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a voltage converter, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of dynamically controlling an output of the voltage converter to rapidly transition between different power supply voltages as required in many electronic devices.
B. Background of the Invention
In most state-of-the-art electronic devices, processors are normally driven by variable power supply voltages. A voltage regulator module is oftentimes integrated to convert a high power supply voltage of +5V, +12V or more to a much lower voltage, such as +1.5V, required by many processors. Although it is fixed in some processors, this lower voltage supply is normally adjustable according to the activity level of the processors, such that power consumption may be better conserved when the activity level is low at an idle or pseudo-idle state. This is particularly important when more and more electronic devices are becoming mobile and relying on batteries to provide power to their regular operation.
The most demanding variable power supply specifications are found in central processing units (CPU) applied in a notebook, a desktop computer or a computer server. The voltage regulator module is coupled to receive voltage identification (VID) from the CPU, and thereby, continuously adjusts the power supply voltage as requested by the CPU. For instance, an eight-bit VID may be applied to the voltage regulator module for outputting a supply voltage between 0.5V and 2.5V. As the VID varies, the supply voltage has to rapidly transition to a higher or lower voltage level within the predetermined voltage range based on the new VID. For Intel microprocessors, such transitions are normally called as VID transitions, while other devices may generally refer to them as "dynamic supply voltage transition" or "supply voltage scaling."
A switching regulator is normally applied to convert an input supply voltage of +5V, +12V or more to the target supply voltage according to a reference voltage. The switching regulator mainly relies on a switching controller to control internal switching activities of a buck or boost converter core. When the switching regulator alternates between two control states, an inductor in the converter core temporarily store power in one control state and release it in a subsequent control state, and therefore, the output supply voltage is continuously maintained by the power that is either directly provided by the input supply voltage or previously stored in the inductor. The duty cycles of these two control states are determined according to the reference voltage and the input supply voltage, and particularly, are controlled in a closed loop by the switching controller based on the specific architecture of the switching regulator. During supply voltage scaling, the duty cycles are varied to enable the supply voltage transition to a distinct voltage level.
In prior art, supply voltage scaling is oftentimes associated with a slow slew rate, a long transition time and a long settling time. The switching regulator relies on a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to provide the reference voltage. The reference voltage is determined according to the VID which is normally communicated via a serial interface between the processors and the voltage regulator module. Although data communication and conversion via the serial interface takes a negligible period of time, the switching regulator may nevertheless be associated with such a narrow bandwidth that the transition and settling times are fundamentally limited in supply voltage scaling.
The natural bandwidth of the switching regulator may not be sufficiently wide particularly because of the use of a large LC filter and the presence of load-line impedance. As a result, the transition and settling times may fail to track the reference voltage closely or meet the timing requirements in certain applications. A need exists to dynamically control the output of the switching regulator to rapidly transition between different power supply voltages as required in many electronic devices, and particularly in many high-end electronic devices.

Voltage transition technique for a voltage converter


A method of analyzing and designing circuits comprising creating a set of interpolated models for transistor devices; creating a set of characterized (direct fit) models for the transistor devices; analyzing the transistor devices within a netlist for matches in the set of characterized models; and providing a choice of using the matched characterized models or one of the interpolated models in designing the circuits. The method further comprises schematically simulating a custom circuit; back annotating to a schematic circuit which of the transistors use direct-fit models and which of the transistor devices are interpolated; determining whether the transistor devices are in any of cutoff, saturation, static linear, and dynamic linear mode during simulation of the custom circuit; removing the saturation and dynamic linear mode transistor devices; back annotating the netlist to a schematic with a predetermined device state; and performing sensitivity analysis on saturation and dynamic linear mode transistor devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to electrical circuit design, and more particularly to a system and method for using direct fit and interpolated models in analyzing and designing electrical circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to create better circuits, circuit designers must depend on improved transistor models. However, circuit designers are seldom privy to information on how the models were generated such as device sizes that were characterized and their bias conditions. Seldom does the circuit designer have information about how the model was constructed, which device sizes (length, width, finger length) were directly characterized, and which device sizes are interpolated from characterized data. In addition, conventional device models typically employed in simulation are constructed to interpolate device performance parameters over a large number of physical, electrical, and environmental variables such that all devices in the netlist use the same generalized model. While this conventional approach eases simulation problems it does not provide optimal accuracy for device sizes which are actually characterized or provide the design information on what device topologies contributed to the model, which all lead to inaccuracy in simulation.
Therefore, due to the drawbacks and limitations of the conventional systems and methods there remains a need for a novel system and method for transistor level simulation to aid electrical circuit engineers in the design and analysis of circuits.

Method for optimal use of direct fit and interpolated models in schematic custom design of electrical circuits

International Business Machines Corporation


A bypass and switch arrangement is connected to the conventional steering system on a towable vehicle. A rotary bypass valve includes two ports connected between the two hydraulic lines leading from the steering control valve to the steering cylinder or motor. The bypass valve has a normal operating position which blocks flow between the lines so that normal steering operation is provided. When the vehicle is connected for towing, the bypass valve is rotated to an open towing position to permit free flow of fluid between the ports and lines so that fluid may move freely to and from the steering motor or cylinder. If a steering cylinder is used, a third port on the valve is connected to the oil cooler on the vehicle and opens the lines to reservoir through the cooler to accommodate the deficient or excess flow from or to the cylinder which results from the difference in effective area on opposite sides of the ram. A switch connected between the switched power supply and an electric shut-off valve on the vehicle engine injector pump is responsive to movement of the valve for disabling the engine when the valve is in the towing position. Before the engine can be restarted after towing, the valve must first be moved back to the operating position wherein normal steering and pump operation is enabled.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to agricultural implements such as self-propelled sprayers, and more specifically to such a vehicle which is towable for transport between field locations.
2) Related Art
Self-propelled sprayers of the type exemplified by the commercially available John Deere Model 6000 Hi-Cycle often include a tow bar arrangement so that the sprayer may be connected to a chemical supply vehicle or pickup truck for transport from location to location. Sprayers usually include a hydraulic steering mechanism such as a steering motor or a steering cylinder. Such a mechanism can adversely affect sprayer trailing in the towed configuration if steering fluid pressure is not relieved. Lateral movement of the tow bar during connection of the sprayer to the towing vehicle is also greatly hampered by fluid pressure in the steering lines.
Some sprayers utilize a bypass valve having a towing position which allows flow of fluid from one side to the other of the steering motor or cylinder during towing and tow bar connection. However, it is possible with such a system to inadvertently leave the valve in the towing position after towing and not realize that steering is disabled until after the engine is started and the drive is engaged. Also, on sprayers with steering cylinders, there are unequal volumes of oil moving on opposite sides of the ram because of the smaller effective area on the rod end side, and the bypass may not adequately relieve steering cylinder pressure because of the differential in fluid flow.


An illuminance detecting component includes: a supporting substrate including a substrate body made of silicon, and pads provided on an upper surface of the substrate body; a plurality of light receiving elements connected electrically to the pads and receiving light irradiated from an outside, the plurality of light receiving elements being arranged in array fashion on the upper surface side; external connection terminals connected electrically to the light receiving elements; and a translucent member provided on the substrate body. In the illuminance detecting component, an airtight space in which the plurality of light receiving elements are accommodated is formed between the translucent member and the substrate body.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an illuminance detecting component and an illuminance detecting apparatus and, more particularly, to an illuminance detecting component and an illuminance detecting apparatus for detecting an illuminance of light irradiated from the outside.
2. Background Art
In the related art, in manufacturing a wiring substrate such as a printed board, as shown in FIG. 1, an exposure apparatus 100 having a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) 106 is used for exposing a resist film or a film-like resist.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an exposure apparatus used in manufacturing a wiring substrate. Also, in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 100 can expose to light at a time in an area J (referred to as a "light irradiation area J" hereinafter), and K denotes a scanning direction of light (referred to as a "K direction" hereinafter).
By reference to FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 100 includes a stage 101, a light source 105, the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) 106, a light absorbing plate 107, and a projection lens 108.
The stage 101 is provided to fix a wiring substrate 102 on which a resist film 103 is formed. The light source 105 is disposed on the obliquely lower side of the DMD 106. The light source 105 is provided which radiates light onto the DMD 106.
The DMD 106 is provided over the stage 101 to face the wiring substrate 102. The DMD 106 has a plurality of micromirrors to receive the light emitted from the light source 105. When data (electric signal) corresponding to the pattern to be exposed is input, the DMD 106 tilts the micromirrors in response to the data to reflect the light emitted from the light source 105 to the resist film 103 and expose the resist film 103.
The light absorbing plate 107 is disposed on the obliquely lower side of the DMD 106. The light absorbing plate 107 is provided which absorbs the reflected light unnecessary for the exposure. The projection lens 108 is disposed between the DMD 106 and the wiring substrate 102. The projection lens 108 is provided which adjusts a light traveling direction, the light irradiation area J, and the like.
When exposure process of the resist film 103 is performed using the exposure apparatus 100 constructed as above, it is important to recognize an illuminance distribution of light in a plane of the wiring substrate 102 when the resist film 103 is patterned into a desired shape after the development process.
As the illuminance detecting apparatus for detecting an illuminance of light in a plane of the wiring substrate 102 in the related art, there is an illuminance detecting apparatus 112 shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 is a view describing an illuminance detecting apparatus in the related art, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the illuminance detecting apparatus shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, such a situation is schematically illustrated that the illuminance detecting apparatus 112 detects an illuminance of light irradiated from the exposure apparatus 100. Also, the illustration of wiring patterns 116, 117 shown in FIG. 3 will be omitted from FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, PA denotes an alignment pitch of photo diodes 122 (referred to as an "alignment pitch PA" hereinafter) when a plurality of illuminance detecting units 114 are disposed at a predetermined interval.
By reference to FIG. 2, the illuminance detecting apparatus 112 in the related art includes an aligning plate 113 and a plurality of illuminance detecting units 114.
By reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the aligning plate 113 is provided which aligns a plurality of illuminance detecting units 114 thereon and has a plate 115 and the wiring patterns 116, 117. The wiring patterns 116, 117 are formed on an upper surface 115A of the plate 115. The wiring patterns 116, 117 are connected electrically to the illuminance detecting units 114. The wiring patterns 116, 117 are wirings that lead detection signals that the illuminance detecting units 114 detect and also supply an electric power to the illuminance detecting units 114.
Each of the illuminance detecting units 114 includes a ceramic substrate 121, the photo diode 122, a ceramic frame 124, a glass substrate 126, and leads 128, 129. The plurality of illuminance detecting units 114 are disposed on the aligning plate 113 such that the photo diodes 122 are disposed at an alignment pitch PA. The ceramic substrate 121 has a ceramic substrate body 131 and pads 133, 134. The pads 133, 134 are provided on an upper surface 131A of the ceramic substrate body 131.
The photo diode 122 is provided on the pad 134. The photo diode 122 has a positive electrode 136 and a light receiving portion 138 on its upper surface side, and has a negative electrode 137 on its lower surface side. The positive electrode 136 is connected electrically to the pad 133 via a wire 125. The light receiving portion 138 is provided to receive light which is reflected from the DMD 106 and then passes through the projection lens 108. The negative electrode 137 is disposed on the pad 134, and is connected electrically to the pad 134.
The ceramic frame 124 has a through hole 124A in which the photo diode 122 is accommodated. The ceramic frame 124 is provided on the pads 133, 134 and the upper surface 131A of the ceramic substrate body 131 so as to surround the photo diode 122.
The ceramic substrate 121 and the ceramic frame 124 as described above are formed by laminating a second green sheet in which the through hole 124A is formed (this green sheet constitutes the ceramic frame 124 after the sintering) on a first green sheet on which conductors acting as the pads 133, 134 are formed (this green sheet constitutes the ceramic substrate 121 after the sintering), and then sintering them.
The glass substrate 126 is shaped like a plate, and is provided on the ceramic frame 124. The glass substrate 126 is provided to pass through the light irradiated from the exposure apparatus 100 and also to seal tightly a space L in which the photo diode 122 is accommodated.
The lead 128 is connected to a portion, which is positioned on the outside of the ceramic frame 124, of the pad 133. The lead 128 is the external connection terminal of the illuminance detecting unit 114, and is connected electrically to the wiring pattern 116 via a solder 141. Thus, the wiring pattern 116 is connected electrically to the positive electrode 136 of the photo diode 122.
The lead 129 is connected to a portion, which is positioned on the outside of the ceramic frame 124, of the pad 134. The lead 129 is the external connection terminal of the illuminance detecting unit 114, and is connected electrically to the wiring pattern 117 via a solder 142. Thus, the wiring pattern 117 is connected electrically to the negative electrode 137 of the photo diode 122 (see e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-27279).
However, according to the illuminance detecting apparatus 112 in the related art, the plurality of illuminance detecting units 114 on which one photo diode 122 is provided respectively are disposed on the aligning plate 113, and therefore it is difficult to narrow the alignment pitch PA of the photo diodes 122. As a result, such a problem existed that a detailed distribution of an illuminance of light irradiated from the exposure apparatus 100 cannot be detected.

Illuminance detecting apparatus comprising a light shielding element containing openings for each detector element


An apparatus and a method for the treatment of a flat steel product, taking place in throughput. The apparatus includes an indirectly heated annealing furnace chamber, a conveyor device for continuously conveying the flat steel product over a conveyor path leading from an entry to an exit of the annealing furnace chamber, and nozzle arrangements for feeding atmosphere gas, which is reactive in relation to the flat steel product, into the annealing furnace chamber. A controlled treatment of the flat steel product includes a first nozzle arrangement, from which a gas jet induces a first gas flow towards the entry of the annealing furnace chamber and sweeping over the surface of flat steel product to be treated. A second nozzle arrangement includes a gas jet which induces a second gas flow directed towards the exit of the annealing furnace chamber and sweeping over the surface of flat steel product.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment of a flat steel product, taking place in throughput, having an indirectly heated annealing furnace chamber, having a conveyor device for continuously conveying the flat steel product over a conveyor path leading from an entry of the annealing furnace chamber to an exit of the annealing furnace chamber, and having nozzle arrangements for feeding atmosphere gas, which is reactive in relation to the flat steel product, into the annealing furnace chamber.
The invention also relates to a method for treating a flat steel product, in which the flat steel product is conveyed in continuous throughput through an indirectly heated annealing furnace chamber from its entry to its exit, an atmosphere which is reactive in relation to the flat steel product, and which is introduced into the annealing furnace chamber through nozzle arrangements, being maintained in the annealing furnace chamber.
Description of Related Art
When "flat steel products" are referred to here, this means rolling products consisting of steel, which are for example in the form of steel strip, sheet steel or cuttings obtained therefrom.
Inter alia, it is known from DE 25 22 485 A1 that the surface reactivity of steel strips can be conditioned in a controlled way by oxidation. Thus, even those flat steel products which cannot be coated with the necessary reproducibility and absence from defects in the untreated state, owing to the composition of their steel, can have a protective metal layer applied to them by hot-dip coating after controlled surface oxidation.
Products which may be coated in this way with such a layer protecting against corrosion include, for example, strips or sheets which consist of so-called "Advanced High Strength Steels" (AHSS). Besides iron and unavoidable impurities, such steels typically contain (in wt. %) C: 0.01-0.22%, Mn: 0.5-3.0%, Si: 0.2-3.0%, Al: 0.005-2.0%, Cr: up to 1.0%, Mo: up to 1.0%, Ti: up to 0.2%, V: up to 0.4%, Nb: up to 0.2%, Ni: up to 1.0%.
Owing to their industrial importance, many attempts have been made to carry out the pretreatment steps necessary for coating with the protective metal coat economically with the respectively available means.
A particular challenge in terms of plant technology in this case involves the preoxidation of flat steel products in indirectly heated continuous furnaces, so-called "Radiant Tube Furnaces", abbreviated to "RTF". In the case of furnaces of the RTF type, in contrast to furnaces in which an open flame is applied directly against the flat steel product to be treated and the oxidation potential in the atmosphere surrounding the strip in the furnace is influenced by modifying the gas/air mixture which is combusted, gas-heated burners are not used. Instead, the heating of the steel strip is carried out by means of heat radiators which are arranged along the conveyor path of the flat steel product through the annealing furnace chamber of the respective furnace.
In order to permit the desired oxidation of the surface of the flat steel product respectively to be treated in practice in an indirectly heated continuous furnace as well, it has been proposed in DE 10 2004 059 566 B3 to carry out the annealing in an RTF furnace in three steps. The first annealing step is in this case configured in such a way that diffusion of essential alloy constituents to the surface of the strip is substantially avoided. In the next step, an effective iron oxide layer, which prevents further alloy constituents from reaching the surface at the final elevated annealing temperature, is then formed in a controlled way. Thus, during the subsequent annealing treatment in a reducing atmosphere, a pure iron layer is formed which is very highly suitable for a surface-wide and firmly adhering coating of zinc and/or aluminium.
The method described above requires that the preoxidation takes place within an enclosed reaction chamber, into which for example O2 is fed as an oxidant. Generally, in the case of furnaces of the RTF type, the problem then arises of separating the annealing furnace chamber, in which the oxidation is intended to take place, in the region of its entry and exit respectively from the surroundings and a further annealing chamber, subsequently passed through, in which there is a different atmosphere. The challenge in this case consists in delimiting the mutually adjacent chambers of the annealing furnace from one another in such a way that the different atmospheres existing in the chambers are not contaminated by the other respective atmosphere to an extent exceeding a tolerance volume. If a reduction treatment is intended to be carried out in the chamber following the annealing furnace chamber in which the oxidation is carried out, then it is necessary to prevent both escape of the oxidant fed into the oxidation chamber into the reduction chamber and entry of the reducing atmosphere of the reduction chamber into the oxidation chamber. Otherwise, by means of undesired side reactions, the treatment result and consequently the result of the coating carried out after the annealing treatment may be lastingly impaired or it may become more difficult to control the individual annealing steps. Both restrict the process stability and may entail extra consumption of process gases.
WO 2009/030823 A1 discloses a possibility of introducing a gaseous oxidant by means of slotted or perforated steel tubes in a continuous furnace according to the RTF design.
JP 2003-342645 A furthermore describes an example of the way in which an enclosed oxidation zone can be achieved in an annealing furnace configured in chamber design. Undesired contamination of the reduction atmosphere by O2 is in this case intended to be avoided by a mechanical seal in the form of squeeze rollers and by a negative pressure inside the oxidation chamber. This method has the disadvantage that hydrogen unavoidably required for the reduction treatment is drawn from the reduction zone into the oxidation region. As a result, water is formed in the oxidation zone. This reaction binds oxygen present in the oxidation zone, which is consequently no longer available for the actually intended oxidation of the flat steel product surface. Targeted control of the oxidation of the flat steel product surface can therefore be achieved only with difficulty in practical use. In particular, it proves difficult to keep the plant power constant in the event of load changes. Wetting defects or deficient adhesion by the hot-dip coating can result from this. Furthermore, in the case of conventional input by means of slotted or perforated steel tubes, the oxidant has only a weak impulse and can therefore be carried away by the gas flow in the furnace interior before it reaches the flat steel product surface.

Apparatus and method for the treatment of a flat steel product, taking place in throughput


A reticle illumination system. The novel system includes a first light source adapted to output light toward a target surface and a material having a predetermined index of refraction disposed between the first light source and the target surface for coupling light from the first light source to the target surface. In an illustrative embodiment, the material is a glue or epoxy having an index of refraction matching that of the target surface, and the target surface is a prism surface upon which a reticle is disposed. The system also includes a second light source adapted to output light into the material such that the light is reflected and scattered off of an exit end of the fiber, and/or off of scattering centers distributed throughout the material, towards the target surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical sights. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods for illuminating a reticle in an optical sight.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical sight (e.g., a gunsight or scope) is used to accurately aim a device such as a firearm, crossbow, or camera. A conventional optical sight uses a lens system that provides a magnified image of a target for viewing by an observer (the shooter), and typically includes a reticle, which is a pattern (crosshair, circles, dots, etc.) superimposed over the target image that is used by the observer to align the device.
Reticles usually need to be illuminated. Optical sights for military applications often use a radioactive light source, such as tritium, for illuminating the reticle. Tritium light, however, is dim, making it suitable for nighttime operation but not for daytime use. LED light sources can provide brighter illumination of the reticle, but LEDs require a battery that needs to be frequently replaced, and which may fail at an inopportune time. Self-powered light sources that do not require an external power source would be preferable, especially for military applications.
Hence, a need exists in the art for an improved system or method for illuminating a reticle in an optical sight that is suitable for both day and night time operation, which does not require a battery.

System and method for reticle illumination


There is proposed is a bending device which has a simple structure, easily performs a control and provides a high degree of freedom in bending. The bending device is provided with a positioning jig 6 with a clearance hole 4 formed therein for passing a material 1 to a bending jig 34 for contacting an outer periphery of the material supplied from the positioning jig 6. A rotary body 18 is rotated by a rotating drive source 22 coaxially with the material passed through the clearance hole 4 in the positioning jig 6. The bending jig 34 is attached to a member 30 pivotably supported by the rotary body 18, and pivoted by a cylinder 38, to bend the material 1.

The present invention relates to a bending device for bending a pipe, a round bar or other elongated materials.
A known bending device is, as proposed in a publication of Japanese patent application laid-open No. Hei 1-154824, provided with a fixed positioning jig with a clearance formed therein for passing a material, a bending jig with a clearance formed therein for passing the material supplied from the positioning jig, and a slide mechanism for moving the bending jig vertically and horizontally relative to a material supply direction, so that the material being supplied is bent by moving the bending jig. Further in the device, the bending jig is swingably supported vertically and horizontally in such a manner that the clearance in the bending jig is directed to a direction of a tangent line of the material to be bent. The device is also provided with two drive sources for swinging the bending jig vertically and horizontally.
In the prior-art device, however, the bending jig is moved vertically, i.e. perpendicularly to the material supply direction and horizontally, and swung vertically and horizontally, thereby complicating a mechanism. Further, multiple drive sources need to be controlled by a control device. Therefore, its control mechanism is also complicated. Additionally, the bent material easily interferes with the slide mechanism, and a degree of freedom in bending is disadvantageously restricted.


A heating apparatus for a vehicle includes a heat exchanger for implementing heat exchange between coolant which has cooled an engine and air directed to a vehicle interior to heat the vehicle interior. A viscous heater has a rotor and a heating chamber containing viscous fluid. The rotor rotates when being subjected to rotational power of the engine. The viscous fluid is subjected to a shear force and is heated when the rotor is subjected to the rotational power. The viscous heater heats the coolant fed to the heat exchanger as the viscous fluid in the heating chamber is heated. A clutch is operative for selectively permitting and inhibiting transmission of the rotational power from the engine to the rotor. A belt transmission device connects the engine and the clutch. A physical quantity detecting device is operative for detecting a physical quantity related to a rotational speed of the rotor. A control device is operative for controlling the clutch to inhibit the transmission of the rotational power from the engine to the rotor when the physical quantity detected by the physical quantity detecting device is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heating apparatus for a vehicle interior which uses coolant for an engine powering a vehicle body.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional heating apparatus for a vehicle interior uses coolant for an engine powering a vehicle body. Specifically, the conventional heating apparatus includes a heater core disposed within a duct. The engine coolant is supplied to the heater core as heating fluid. Air flowing in the duct is heated by the heater core before being discharged into the vehicle interior.
In some efficient engines of the diesel type or the lean-burn type, engine coolant tends to be only heated to an insufficient temperature at which the engine coolant inadequately heats a heater core.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,377 corresponding to Japanese published unexamined patent application 2-246823 discloses an automobile heating apparatus. The automobile heating apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,377 includes a water pump for circulating the cooling water for an automobile powering engine, a radiator for heating the air to be introduced into the automobile room by utilizing the cooling water delivered by the water pump as a heat source, and a hot water circuit for circulating the cooling water in the automobile powering engine, the water pump, and the radiator. A heat generator is disposed in the hot water circuit at an upstream portion with respect to the radiator. The heat generator includes a heat generating chamber having a labyrinth groove and containing viscous fluid therein, a housing disposed adjacent to the heat generating chamber and having a heat receiving path constituting part of the hot water circuit, a shaft rotatably held in the housing and receiving the rotary torque of the automobile powering engine by way of clutch means, and a rotor fixed on the shaft at an end thereof and having a labyrinth groove disposed in the heat generating chamber.
In the automobile heating apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,377, the heat generator includes a shearing-based heater. Specifically, when the clutch means couples the shaft with the output shaft of the automobile powering engine, the shaft is rotated by the engine output shaft and thus the rotor is also rotated. The rotor applies a shear force to the viscous fluid in the heat generating chamber while rotating. The applied shear force causes the viscous fluid to be heated. The cooling water is heated as the viscous fluid is heated. As a result, the cooling water can be heated to a sufficient temperature or a desired temperature.
A related drawing in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,377 shows that the clearance between the rotor and the housing is very small. Accordingly, it appears that the rotor tends to be locked to the housing by a cause such as deformation of the rotor relative to the housing or movement of a foreign body into the clearance.
Japanese published unexamined patent application 6-92134 discloses a heating apparatus for a vehicle which includes an auxiliary heater of a shearing-based type. In the heating apparatus of Japanese application 6-92134, a portion of coolant flows from the body of a vehicle powering engine to an air-heating core via the auxiliary heater. The auxiliary heater contains viscous fluid. The auxiliary heater has a shaft. As the shaft is rotated, a shear force is applied to the viscous fluid. The applied shear force causes the viscous fluid to be heated. The coolant in the auxiliary heater is heated as the viscous fluid is heated. The shaft of the auxiliary heater is connected to the output shaft of the vehicle powering engine via an electromagnetic clutch and a power transmission mechanism using a belt. When the electromagnetic clutch is in its engaged position, the shaft of the heater can be rotated by the output shaft of the vehicle powering engine. When the electromagnetic clutch is in its disengaged position, the shaft of the heater is uncoupled from the output shaft of the vehicle powering engine.
In the heating apparatus of Japanese application 6-92134, a temperature sensor detects the temperature of coolant directed from the body of the vehicle powering engine to the auxiliary heater. When the detected temperature of the coolant is relatively low, a computer-based controller sets the electromagnetic clutch in its disengaged position to suspend operation of the auxiliary heater.

Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho


A computer-implemented method for providing a real-time estimate of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of a patient from a self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) measurement, and tracking changes in average glycemia of said patient over time is disclosed. The method includes the steps of; a computer computing a surrogate fasting measurement based on SMBG data received from the patient; a computer computing a glycation value using the said surrogate fasting measurement in a predetermined glycation equation; a computer outputting said glycation value as an initial estimate of HbA1c upon initialization of tracking of said patient's average glycemia; a computer updating said glycation value by using an updated SMBG value in said predetermined glycation equation, said updated SMBG value being based on a subsequent computed surrogate fasting measurement; and a computer computing an updated estimate of HbA1c using said initial estimate of HbA1c and said updated glycation value in a predetermined HbA1c estimation equation.

Previously the eA1c has been introduced—a new approach to real-time tracking of average glycemia and estimation of HbA1c from infrequent self-monitoring (SMBG) data, which was developed and tested in Type 2 Diabetes. In the present disclosure, eA1c is tested in Type 1 diabetes and its relationship to the hemoglobin glycation index (HGI), an established predictor of complications and treatment effect, is assessed.
Methods:
Reanalysis of previously published 12-month data from 120 patients with Type 1 diabetes, age 39.15(14.35) years; 51/69 males/females; baseline HbA1c=7.99%(1.48), duration of diabetes 20.28(12.92) years; number SMBG/day=4.69(1.84). Surrogate fasting BG and 7-point daily profiles were derived from these unstructured SMBG data and the previously reported eA1c method was applied without any changes. Following the literature, we calculated HGI=HbA1c−(0.009*Fasting BG+6.8).
Results:
The correlation of eA1c with reference HbA1c was r=0.75 and its deviation from reference was MARD=7.98%; 95% of all eA1c values fell within ±20% from reference. The HGI was well approximated by a linear combination of the eA1c calibration factors: HGI=0.007552*θ1+0.007645*θ2−3.154 (p<0.0001); 73% of low- vs. moderate-high HGIs were correctly classified by the same factors as well.

System and method for tracking changes in average glycemia in diabetics

University of Virginia Patent Foundation


In a frictional hinge device, a metallic shaft 10 has an axis as a rotational center. A support block 20 is molded in synthetic resin (PC, PAR, PPS or the like) around the metallic shaft 10 so that the support block 20 is relatively rotatable with respect to the metallic shaft 10.The support block 20 is held at any angular position by a surface friction resistance between the support block 20 and the metallic shaft 10. In addition, an outer surface of the metallic shaft 10 is processed with a surface treatment to attain a surface roughness (Ra) ranging from 0.15 to 0.35 m. This ensures a stable surface frictional resistance between the support block 20 and the metallic shaft 10 with minimum scratch and stickslip.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a frictional hinge device which is used to pivotably support a lid and display of a portable business such as a laptop note type personal computer, and particularly concerns to a frictional hinge device used to frictionally hold the lid and display at desired pivotal angles.
2. Description of Prior Art
This type of the frictional hinge device is disclosed by Laid-open Japanese Patent Application No. 5-154864. This teaches that an outer shaft is made of a synthetic resin and integrally molded with an inner shaft. Due to a surface frictional resistance between the inner and outer shafts, it is possible to frictionally hold the inner shaft at the desired pivotal angle while permitting the inner shaft to rotate relative to the outer shaft against the force of the surface frictional resistance therebetween.
However, the disclosure remains silent about qualitative and quantitative analyses on the relationship between the inner and outer shafts. This causes no smaller variations on torque when the inner shaft pivotally moves. This also causes abnormal noise due to a stickslip phenomenon when pivotally moving the inner shaft while losing a good endurance with a torque reduced due to an unacceptable amount of wear between the inner and outer shafts.
Therefore, the present invention has been made with the above drawbacks in mind, it is a main object of the invention to provide a frictional hinge device which is capable of maintaining a stable frictional resistance between a shaft member and a support member for an extended period of time when frictionally holding the shaft member at desired pivotal angles based on the frictional surface resistance.
With a support member made of a resin molded to surround a shaft member, the support member tightly engages with the shaft member due to a residual stress established by a shrinkage allowance after molding the support member in integral with the shaft member. During the molding process, the synthetic resin is injected into a die mold in which the shaft member was beforehand placed.
When a surface frictional resistance appeared between the support member and the shaft member is smaller than an exterior torque to which the shaft member is subjected, the shaft member pivotally moves relative to the support member. When the surface frictional resistance exceeds the exterior torque, the shaft member is held at a desired pivotal angle due to the surface frictional resistance.
With the support member and the shaft member molded integrally, it is possible to manufacture them less costly while making it possible to readily determine the surface frictional resistance necessary to frictionally hold the shaft member at the desired pivotal position because the shaft member is provided with a surface roughness ranging 0.15 to 0.35 xcexcm. This avoids an abnormal noise caused from the stickslip phenomenon, and exceedingly reduces the wear dust produced between the support member and the shaft member to maintain a stable surface frictional resistance therebetween for an extended period of time.
With the frictional hinge device used to pivotably move a display for a portable business device, it is possible to hold the display at desired angles to ensure a good position for visually recognizing what the display shows.


Methods and apparatus are provided to facilitate debugging of a system with a hung data bus. A register scan chain is used to read data from logic blocks of the hung system. The scan chain is also used to write data into the logic blocks, possibly resetting a subset of those blocks or otherwise causing them to exit the hung state. The resetting may terminate the hung instruction in a manner that allows subsequent instructions to be executed, including entry into debug mode.

Hardware system development often involves debugging complex designs. As such, various circuits and protocols have been created to make the debugging process more efficient. For example, the Joint Test Action Group ("JTAG") standard was developed specifically for this purpose. The standard comprises a JTAG cable connecting a user's host computer to an integrated circuit. The cable includes circuitry to facilitate a variety of debugging operations, such as the ones described below.
The operations typically used when debugging a processor over JTAG include entry into debug mode, reading and writing of memory elements on the integrated circuit, and exit from debug mode. These functions permit users to diagnose a system by observing and changing the state of that system after it encounters a problem. The debug instructions are carried out on the same instruction pipeline that is used during normal operation.
A problem can arise when the target chip includes a processor whose data bus has hung. For instance, the processor may initiate a read instruction that fails to complete, thereby suspending operation on the data bus indefinitely. The instruction pipeline is unable to finish the read instruction, and thus cannot perform debugging instructions (e.g., entry into debug mode). Under these circumstances, the only option is to reset the processor, which results in loss of information about the system's state at the time of the hang.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to develop circuitry and methods to force the processor out of a hung state, thereby permitting entry into debug mode. Furthermore, it would be desirable to perform this task in a manner that preserves as much system state as possible, for future reading and manipulation during debug mode.

Methods and apparatus for debugging a system with a hung data bus


A system for controlling an earthmoving machine is provided. The system includes a positioning system and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the position signals from the positioning system, store the position signals in a pass history, and determine, based on pass history, an actual profile of the work surface. The controller is further configured to determine, based on the actual profile of the work surface in the pass history, existence of a first condition, the first condition exists when the actual profile has a first volume having a height above a threshold for an upper pass, and existence of a second condition, the second condition exists when the actual profile has a valley having a floor lower than the threshold for the upper pass. The controller is configured to direct the earthmoving machine to operate based on the lower pass if the first and second conditions exist.

Earthmoving machines, such as bulldozers, may be used to move materials at a work site. Such machines may operate in an autonomous or semi-autonomous manner to perform ground moving tasks in response to commands generated as part of a work plan for the machine. The machine may receive instructions based on such a work plan to perform operations (e.g., cutting, digging, loosening, carrying, etc.) at the worksite.
If such a machine operates autonomously, it may remain consistently productive without needing manual operation. Autonomous control systems may also allow for operation in work sites or environments which may be unsuitable or undesirable for a human operator. Further, autonomous and semi-autonomous systems may also compensate for inexperienced human operators and inefficiencies associated with repetitive ground moving tasks.
Control of ground moving machines and their associated work tools or implements is often developed by an on-board or off-board control system. Conditions associated with work sites, operation environment, and/or the machine itself may affect operation of the control system. Also, such conditions may have an effect on the overall efficiency of the machine or its associated work cycle. It is beneficial to determine such conditions and manage the control of earthmoving machines to ensure that material moving operations are performed in an efficient manner. Similarly, the locations at which earthmoving machines alter surfaces of a work site, and/or the profiles along which the machines alter the surfaces, should be chosen such that the machine functions efficiently.
Rework is one problem which may arise and impair efficiency during earthmoving processes wherein multiple passes are made by the earthmoving machine. Rework entails a need to remove materials from an area of a work site in which materials have already been removed. In some situations, such as automatic slot extension and terrain extensions, a volume may be created downstream of the initial spread location, the volume being above a planned first pass. The volume above the first planned pass may create a valley upstream of the volume which is below the threshold of the first pass. In operation, the earthmoving machine may revert to the first planned pass due to this volume. For example, a control system may determine that the system must "jump" the pass back to the path of the first pass for a "compensated" cut prior to making a second pass. Because, during this "compensated" cut, the work implement cannot go below the carry surface of the first pass, dozed material may fall into the valley, instead of being directly dumped into a spread location. In these scenarios, rework may be required during the earthmoving operation. Rework may lead to inefficiencies or low productivity.


A connector is adapted to be mounted on a board member. An insulative holder is formed with a through hole connecting a first side face and a second side face which is adapted to be opposed to the board member. The insulative holder accommodates a coiled spring in the through hole such that a first portion of the coiled spring is retractably projected from the first side face. A conductive plate member is attached to the holder. A first part of the plate member is disposed on the second side face of the holder such that a second portion of the coiled spring which is disposed within the through hole is brought into contact therewith. A second part of the plate member is disposed on the second side face separately from the first part, and adapted to receive solder for electrically connecting the coiled spring to a connection electrode provided on the board member. A third part of the plate member connects the first part and the second part while being extended on at least one side face which is other than the second side face.

The present invention relates to an electrical connector provided with a coiled spring contact (CSC). The connector is typically used by being interposed between two units or two circuit boards in an electronic device such as a mobile phone, thereby to perform electrical connection between connecting electrodes provided in both such units or circuit boards.
FIG. 5 shows a connector C provided with a coiled spring contact (hereinafter referred to as a CSC type connector) which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-93494A Here is shown, as an example of use, a state where the CSC type connector C is employed for connection between a liquid crystal display board 5 and a circuit board 6 in a mobile information terminal device such as a mobile phone. Specifically, connection electrodes 5C provided on the liquid crystal display board 5 and connection electrodes 6c provided on the circuit board 6 are electrically connected by the connector C.
As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the connector C is provided with two CSCs 1 having electrical conductivity and with an insulating holder 2 which holds these CSCs 1 in a state arranged at an interval in an axial direction thereof.
As shown in FIG. 5, each of the CSCs 1 is adapted to come into elastic contact with a pair of the connection electrodes 5c, 6c which are opposed to each other in a radial direction of the CSC. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7B, the CSC 1 includes a pair of end coil parts 10 adapted to come into contact with the connection electrode 6c, and a central coil part 12 which is displaced in a radial direction between each end coil part 10 and adapted to come into contact with another connection electrode 5c. The CSC 1 further includes intermediate coil parts 14, 16 between the respective end coil parts 10 and the central coil part 12. In this case, the intermediate coil parts 14, 16 and the end coil parts 10 are arranged at both sides of the central coil part 12 in such a manner that they are gradually displaced in a radial direction at substantially equal intervals, and so, an entirety of the CSC 1 has a substantially inverted V-shape, as seen in a side view.
Because respective axes of the end coil parts 10, the intermediate coil parts 14, 16, and the central coil part 12 are in parallel with one another, and a direction common to these axes is defined as the axial direction of the CSC 1. Moreover, a direction perpendicular to the axes of the end coil parts 10, the intermediate coil parts 14, 16, and the central coil part 12 is defined as the radial direction of the CSC 1.
As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the holder 2 is provided with openings 20 in a rectangular shape in both upper and lower faces thereof, through which portions of the end coil parts 10 and the central coil parts 12 to be contacted with the connection electrodes (portions of an outer periphery of the CSC) are respectively protruded outward. Moreover, the holder 2 has partition walls 21, 21′ for respectively interposing the CSCs 1 in the axial direction. By making a distance L between these partition walls substantially equal to a length t of the CSC 1 in the axial direction, the CSC 1 is restricted from being deformed or moved in the axial direction. Insulation between the two adjacent CSCs 1 is ensured by these partition walls 21, 21′.
When the liquid crystal board 5 and the circuit board 6 are pressed, as shown in FIG. 5, onto the connector C in a state as shown in FIG. 6B, the CSCs are elastically deformed so that a distance d between the respective axes of the central coil part 12 and the end coil parts 10 (an amount of displacement) decreases.
The partition walls 21, 21′ of the holder 2 are respectively provided with projections 22 which enter into the respective end coil parts 10 of the CSCs 1 in the axial direction. Each of the projections 22 has a slant face 22a at an upper side and a horizontal face 22b at a lower side, as shown in FIG. 6B. By reducing, to some extent, a length of the projection 22 in the radial direction of the end coil part 10, the CSC 1 is made possible to move in a displacing direction within a certain range, as shown in FIG. 6B.
According to the above described structure, when the aforesaid connection electrodes 5c, 6c are pressed onto the CSC 1 held by the holder 2 so as to clamp it from above and below in the radial direction, the CSC 1 will be elastically deformed only in the displacing direction, without being deformed and moved in the axial direction.
However, in mounting and positioning the connector C on the circuit board 6 (in order to secure electrical connection with the connection electrode 6c) in the above described structure, soldering work is employed. In this case, there has been such a possibility that solder or flux in a melted state may be sucked up by the CSC 1 by capillary force and may intrude into gaps between the respective coil parts. Thereafter, the solder or flux in the melted state may be hardened and adhered to the coil parts, and elastically deformable performance of the CSC 1 will be lost. To avoid such a problem, it is necessary to provide a separate positioning member in mounting the connector C on the circuit board 6.

Electrical connector provided with coiled spring contact


Systems, methods, and computer readable storage medium with executable instructions for detecting outliers and hidden relationships in heterogeneous data sets are provided. Features of the invention pertain to design and operation of various predictive models that identify multivariate outliers and influential observations by recognizing systematic local relationships within heterogeneous data sets or subpopulations of heterogeneous data sets. Multivariate outliers and influential observations are identified by utilizing general distance metrics which are specific to and defined for any number of individual observations within heterogeneous data sets. Aspects of the invention may be applied to sets of data that are large and complex (e.g. loan portfolios, health insurance company data, homeland security profiles, etc.) or sets of data having a more-limited scope (e.g. medical or drug research, etc.).

Standard techniques for understanding outliers, and thus hidden relationships, within multivariate data sets are often incomplete or misapplied. Such technology typically includes some type of regression analysis, basic neural networks and/or data mining techniques for identifying observations within a data set. Traditional data mining, for example, often produces unsatisfactory results due to spurious correlations, misleading associations, and illusory relationships. This is due to techniques that often define "patterns" upon noise in the data rather than actual systematic relationships.
In most cases, standard multivariate analysis techniques for identifying influential observations and outliers utilize some variant of multivariate regression; however, regression techniques typically do not predict outliers within groups, but rather predict a conditional mean across data sets. As a result, current methods of analysis in industries ranging from banking to homeland security often overlook systematic local relationships (i.e., relationships that apply to one or more portions of a population or subpopulation), in models that explicitly or implicitly estimate systematic global relationships (i.e., relationships that apply to the population or subpopulation as a whole).
Statements of the vexing problem of outlier identification and unique outlier cells have persisted for decades. Included among the problems are ineffective methods for identifying underlying set of true relationships.
Recent problems confronting private enterprise have heightened awareness of the risks involved in relying on current data analysis tools, particularly in the area of portfolio risk analysis. At the core of this discussion is the problem of measuring systematic global and systematic local variation. State of the art technology typically fails to capture many systematic local relationships within data sets because it applies only global measures. The existing technology falls short of observing cells (or sub-cells) based on shared characteristics derived from the underlying multivariate statistical distributions within a data set. Moreover, such technology does not provide meaningful analysis of systematic local and global variation for each data point. Consequently, state of the art technology typically overlooks potentially critical relationships at the local level that influence the relationship(s) of interest.

Systems and methods for multivariate influence analysis of heterogenous mixtures of categorical and continuous data


A camera includes a fixed first mirror for both reflecting a light flux and transmitting the light flux therethrough, a second mirror for reflecting a part of the light flux transmitted through the first mirror toward a particular device, the second mirror being capable of moving between a non-exposure position and a mirror-retracted position, and a light blocking member movable in interlocked relationship to a movement of the second mirror in such a manner that, when the second mirror is located at the non-exposure position, the light blocking member is located at a light blocking position at which the light blocking member blocks at least a part of the light flux transmitted through the first mirror, and, when the second mirror is retracted to the mirror-retracted position, the light blocking member moves to a retracted position at which the light blocking member is retracted from the light blocking position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having a light blocking device.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has heretofore been proposed to provide a camera which is arranged to divide a light flux exiting from a photographic lens into two light fluxes by means of a half-mirror and conduct the two light fluxes in different directions, one being conducted in a direction in which to expose film and to detect focus of the photographic lens and the other toward a viewfinder or an image pickup element.
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view showing the central portion of a single-lens reflex camera having a fixed half-mirror, which camera is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 2-89039. In the shown central portion, a light flux indicative of an image of a subject exiting from a photographic lens (not shown) is divided into two light fluxes to be respectively conducted toward a viewfinder system and a film plane, by means of a semi-transparent fixed mirror 1. The fixed mirror 1 is mounted on a mirror frame 2 by adhesion.
A sub-mirror 7 is provided for conducting the light flux transmitted through the fixed mirror 1, toward a focus detecting device 30. The sub-mirror 7 is mounted on a sub-mirror mount 8 by adhesion, and the sub-mirror mount 8 is supported for rotation about a shaft 9 by a mirror driving plate 10.
When the camera is in its photography standby state, the sub-mirror mount 8 is urged clockwise by a spring 14 and is held at a predetermined position by a stopper 15, as shown in FIG. 4.
When a photographic (exposure) cycle is started, the mirror driving plate 10 starts to rotate clockwise about a shaft 11 and the sub-mirror mount 8 also starts to move down toward the bottom of a mirror box. When approaching the bottom of the mirror box, the sub-mirror mount 8 is urged counterclockwise by a spring 17. The sub-mirror mount 8 continues to move down against the counterclockwise urging force of the spring 17, and when the sub-mirror mount 8 reaches its lower position, the sub-mirror 7 is placed into a retracted state in which it is held approximately in parallel with the bottom of the mirror box.
A sub-mirror driving mechanism using a conventional fixed half-mirror is constructed as described above in brief.
In the above-described conventional construction, a portion of the light flux transmitted through the semi-transparent fixed mirror 1 is blocked by the sub-mirror 7, while the other portion of the light flux reaches a shutter curtain 18. For this reason, the light blocking performance of the shutter curtain 18 needs to be higher than those of conventional general single-lens reflex cameras. To increase the light blocking performance of the shutter curtain 18, it is customary to adopt a double light blocking system in which both leading and trailing curtains of a shutter are used to block light.
However, to achieve such double light blocking, it is necessary to prepare an exclusive shutter having a complicated mechanism and an exclusive control program for controlling such exclusive shutter. As a result, the operation of the shutter is complex so that the probability of occurrence of faults increases, and the shutter or the camera becomes expensive.
If a general focal plane shutter is employed, it will be impossible to fully block the incidence of light from the photographic lens on the film plane. As a result, stray light may enter the film plane to adversely affect photography.


A passive terminator between a plurality of nodes includes a first voltage divider configured to passively set a differential voltage level between a first voltage level and a second voltage level. The first voltage divider has a Thevenin resistance and is electrically connectable to a first node. At least a second voltage divider is configured to passively set the differential voltage level between the first voltage level and the second voltage level. The second voltage divider has the Thevenin resistance and is electrically connectable to at least a second node. A transformer is electrically connected between the first voltage divider and the at least second voltage divider. The transformer has a reactance that is substantially greater than the Thevenin resistance of the first voltage divider and the at least second voltage divider.

Two-way serial communications in electrical systems are accomplished, in part, with electrical interfaces between nodes. For example, a controller area network or carrier area-wide network (both hereinafter referred to as "CAN") provides two-way serial communications via electrically-conductive wire according to CAN standard ISO 11898-2. The communications are provided between CAN transmitter receiver nodes. Electrical interfaces, such as repeaters and/or terminators, are provided between the nodes to match impedance and provide operating voltage levels that comply with the CAN standard.
In some applications, the nodes may be electrically connected by long cabling runs that may be up to 1 kilometer or so long. As a result, signals are driven by a driver in order to overcome losses over long distances. In this event, active repeater/terminators are provided to receive signals, buffer the signals, and transmit the signals.
Active repeater/terminators provide good drive over long distances. However, active repeater/terminators include relatively complex, active electronic circuitry. The active circuitry of one commercially-available active repeater/terminator requires external power and is galvanically isolated between channels. A level of active arbitration is required for mitigation of data path selection, thereby adding further complexity to the active repeater/terminator. Another commercially-available active repeater/terminator uses an optical coupler and provides optical isolation. However, drive capability is limited and external power is required. Both of these commercially-available active repeater/terminators have a relatively large size, generate heat, and consume processing resources. As a result, both of these active repeater/terminators are complex, suffer from reliability concerns, and are relatively expensive.
In other applications, it may be desirable to transmit a signal to multiple destinations and receive data back from the multiple destinations. Some of these applications may entail short signal paths. Therefore, it is not necessary to actively drive signals between nodes. It would be desirable to provide repeater/terminators that do not entail external power supplies, complexity, costs, reliability, and other concerns of active repeater/terminators. However, there is an unmet need in the art for a passive repeater/terminator.


In a magnetic memory device, and a method of manufacturing the same, the magnetic memory device includes a switching device, and a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) cell connected to the switching device, the MTJ cell including a lower electrode connected to the switching device and a lower magnetic layer, a tunneling film containing fluorine, an upper magnetic layer, and a capping layer, sequentially stacked on the lower electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory device and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a magnetic memory device and a method of manufacturing the magnetic memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic memory devices, such as magnetic random access memory (MRAM), are very sensitive to a variation of resistance between cells because of weak sensing signals. Therefore, if there is a large resistance deviation between cells, it may be difficult to correctly read data recorded in the memory device.
Even if a sensing error is minimized by minimizing the resistance deviation between cells, when stability of the memory cells is not ensured, i.e., when a sufficient magnetic resistance (MR) ratio is not achieved, it may be difficult not only to correctly read data but also to correctly record data to the magnetic memory device.
Accordingly, research has been conducted into minimizing the resistance deviation between cells and ensuring stability of cells. However, a more reliable magnetic memory device has not yet been developed.
Resistance deviation between cells of the magnetic memory device and the MR ratio are directly related to characteristics of a tunneling film.
In a conventional memory device, an aluminum oxide, e.g., Al2O3, film is widely used as a tunneling film. When the tunneling film is an aluminum oxide film, it may be formed to be thinner than about 12 Å for matching a sense circuit, to have a resistance as low as about 10 KΩμm2, and to have a uniform thickness so that a resistance variation between cells is less than 2%. When a thickness deviation of the aluminum oxide film is about 1 Å, the resistance varies about by about a factor of ten, i.e., one order of magnitude. Therefore, the aluminum oxide film should have thickness uniformity so that the maximum thickness variation in the cells is less than 1 Å.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate cross-sectional views illustrating a process for forming an aluminum oxide film in the course of manufacturing a conventional MRAM in which an aluminum oxide film is used as a tunneling film.
Referring to FIG. 1, an aluminum (Al) film 12 is formed on a synthetic anti-ferromagnetic (SAF) film 10. Reference numeral 12a in FIG. 1 indicates a grain boundary. During the process, the Al film 12 is oxidized through a predetermined oxidation process. As illustrated in FIG. 2, as a result of the oxidation, an aluminum oxide film 14 is formed on the SAF film 10. The oxidation of the Al film 12 starts along the grain boundary 12a and progresses into the grain, as indicated by arrows in FIG. 1. More specifically, the oxidation of the Al film 12 starts at a region 12b adjacent to the grain boundary 12a and progresses into the grain.
In the case of a conventional MRAM, the resistance of the tunneling film formed as described above varies from region to region because the oxidation of the Al film 12 does not occur simultaneously everywhere on the Al film 12.
In addition, a thickness of the Al film 12 increases during oxidation. However, the thickness of the Al film 12 after oxidation is not uniform because the oxidation of the Al film 12 does not take place simultaneously over the entire region of the Al film 12, as noted above.

Magnetic memory device and method of manufacturing the same