This invention relates to apparatus and a method to protect the internal components of semiconductor processing equipment such as a plasma reactor or a reactive species generator against physical and/or chemical damages during etching and/or cleaning processes. Layered superlattice materials having three or more metal elements such as strontium bismuth tantalate (SBT) are used to form a protective barrier on the surfaces of the internal components of a reaction chamber.

In the manufacture of semiconductor integrated circuits (IC), dielectric materials such as silicon dioxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), and silicon oxynitride (SiON) have been widely used as insulators for transistor gates. As IC device geometry shrinks, gate dielectric layers have become progressively thinner. To maintain adequate breakdown voltage at very small thickness (≦10 nm), high dielectric constant (high-k) materials, defined as materials where k is greater than about 4.1 (the k of silicon dioxide) can be used as the insulating layer in the transistor gate structure and the barrier layer in deep trench capacitors. The latest and most promising high-k materials are metal oxides such as Al2O3, HfO2, ZrO2, and mixtures thereof, and metal silicates such as HfSixOy, ZrSixOy, and mixtures thereof. In some instances, nitrogen may be incorporated into these metal oxides and metal silicates high-k materials.
Semiconductor Process Chambers such as Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) chambers, and specifically Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) chambers, which are employed for the deposition of high k films, often are exposed to highly corrosive gases during processing of semiconductor components or during periodic cleaning to remove accumulation of deposition residues from the interior surfaces. Among the highly corrosive gases employed for processing and cleaning are the halogen-containing agents, Cl2, HCl, BCl3, NF3, F2, HF and/or a combination of BCl3/NF3. Cleaning high-k ALD/CVD chambers using highly corrosive halogen-based chemistries activated by in situ plasma, remote plasma, and/or thermal heating have been demonstrated as being very effective. However, because BCl3 or BCl3/NF3 in situ plasmas are extremely aggressive, these halogen-based in situ plasmas, for example, not only remove high-k deposition residues from the reactor surfaces they also etch and corrode the internal components and surfaces of the ALD/CVD deposition chambers.
The following patents and articles are illustrative of processes for imparting resistance to corrosion and etching of ALD and CVD reactors which are subjected to halogen gases during processing of semiconductor components and from cleaning from time to time.
WO 02/054454 A2, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,429 B2, disclose the incorporation or corrosion resistant components in semiconductor processing equipment such as a plasma chamber. To prevent erosion caused by the corrosive effects of plasma chamber gases on walls, electrodes, supports, etc. commonly constructed of aluminum and aluminum alloys, diamond-like coatings are applied to such interior surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,910 B2 and WO 02/053794 A1 disclose corrosion resistant components for semiconductor processing equipment based upon carbonitride coatings. These coatings are deposited on the surface of the processing equipment, such surfaces include ceramic, stainless steel, refractory and the like as well as those coated with alumina, SiC, of Si3N4.
WO 02/053797 A1 discloses a method for providing corrosion resistance to metal, ceramic and polymer surfaces interior components of semiconductor processing apparatus including parts of a plasma reactor chamber. Hard carbon intermediate layers are incorporated into chamber surfaces which hard carbon intermediates include fullerenes such as C60 and C70 etc (buckyballs or buckmisterfullerenes), diamond, carbides, carbonitrides, borides and the like.
EP 1,026,281 A2, discloses an anti-corrosion member based upon a support having a film thereon incorporating a main crystal phase of AlF3. Such film affords corrosion and erosion resistance to a base member of a metal in which aluminum is included, ceramics in which aluminum is included and so forth when heated to elevated temperatures in the presence of corrosive fluorine compounds, e.g., WF6.
U.S. Pat. No. 2003/0159657 A1 and WO 03/001559 A1 disclose the application of a monolithic ceramic workpiece for a plasma reactor chamber formed from a mixture of yttrium aluminum perovskite and yttrium aluminum garnet. Such mixture acts to prevent erosion of the internal chamber components which are susceptible to corrosion and wear by fluorine processing gases.
WO 03/080892 A1, discloses components for semiconductor materials which are subjected to erosive and corrosive plasma environments. Such components are based upon ceramic coatings comprised of at least one oxide, nitride, boride, carbide and/or fluorides of strontium, lanthanum and dysprosium or a nitride, boride, carbide or fluoride of hafnium.
U.S. 6,613,442 B2, and WO 2004/003962 A2 disclose various methods to protect semiconductor processing chambers by employing various binary metal compounds such as aluminum nitride, boron nitride, and in particular, boron nitride/yttrium oxides and cerium oxides.

Method to protect internal components of semiconductor processing equipment using layered superlattice materials


A semiconductor device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a channel formation region formed on a side wall, having a mixture of a first semiconductor material with a first lattice constant, a second semiconductor material and carbon, the second semiconductor material having a second lattice constant differing from the first lattice constant.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and particularly to a semiconductor device with increased mobility of charge carriers.
In the development of ever-smaller, more powerful and more efficient power transistors, the complexity of each individual shrink process increases enormously, until technological-physical limits prevent further performance gain. For example, this concerns trench power transistors with silicon as bulk material and geometric sizes that can be reached are not at least limited from technological point of view by the photo technology. Alternative possibilities, such as the known silicon-on-insulator technology and the use of high-k gate dielectrics, cause increased cost by a more expensive substrate and also by the complicated deposition of thin high-k materials.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device


A method and circuit for compensating the vibration of an image by detecting the amount of motion of an input image. A sub-block is extracted from the entire screen and the amount of motion is detected by comparing the extracted sub-block with a sub-block extracted form a previous frame. Thus, the vibration is compensated for in response to a motion detecting value.

The present invention relates to a method for compensating for the vibration of an image and a device therefor in a video camera, and more particularly to a method and a device capable of compensating for the vibration of an image of a camera and recorder (hereinafter referred to as a camcorder) by detecting the amount of motion of an input image.
When photographing an object using a portable video camera, a vibration phenomenon of an entire screen is generated by the physical vibration of a user. If the object has been recorded on video tape together with the vibration, the vibration will appear on a reproducing screen, causing increased eye strain on a viewer.

Method for compensating the vibration of an image and device therefor in a video camera


In a method for packing groups (3) of cigarettes (4) in soft packets (1) comprising a single wrap (2) consisting of a single blank (18) comprising a first length (20) of wrapping material printed with a first graphical design (D) and a second length (21) of the same wrapping material printed to look like a metal foil or of another material, juxtaposed and sealed along corresponding join portions (22, 23), the first and second lengths (20, 21) are made by feeding two webs (25) and (36) of the aforementioned wrapping materials presenting, respectively, a longitudinal portion (28) printed to look like a metal foil, and then overlapping and sealing the two portions (27, 28) along the join portions (22, 23) so as to make a single sealed web (37) which is then cut transversely into separate blanks (18), each of which is folded and wrapped around a group (3) of cigarettes (4) in such a way as to place the join and seal portions (22, 23) along a defined perimetric portion (24) of the packet (1) adjacent to its top face (17).

Normally, soft cigarette packets have a substantially parallelepipedal shape and consist of a first, complete inner wrap made of paper or metallised paper (foil), placed right around a group of cigarettes, also parallelepipedal in shape, and a second, outer wrap or label.
The second wrap is made from a length of wrapping material, usually paper, having two longitudinal edges and placed partly around the first wrap in such a way as to leave the top face of the latter free, to form the front, the rear and the two sides of the packet, and is also folded at the bottom of the first, inner wrap to form the bottom of the packet.
Once the second wrap or label has been folded around the first wrap, the label presents a free longitudinal edge extending along a defined perimetric portion transversal to the packet and adjacent to its top face, made of foil.
Normally, there is a revenue stamp applied in such a way as to straddle the top of the inner wrap, with its two ends glued at the top edge of the label.
The surface of the label is designed to be visible and is usually printed with decorative patterns and logos, forming a distinctive coloured graphical design, identifying the brand and the organoleptic properties of the cigarettes inside the packet.
Lastly, cigarette packets of this type are usually also wrapped and sealed with a protective overwrap made from transparent plastic film, for example, polypropylene, equipped with a tear strip designed to enable the overwrap to be easily torn in order to gain access to the outer wrap to open the packets.
The packing machines used to make the soft packets described above essentially comprise a packing line along which the preformed groups of cigarettes are fed to a packing station where a corresponding length of paper or metallised paper is folded and wrapped around each group of cigarettes to form the inner wrap. Next, each group of cigarettes enclosed by the first wrap is fed to a second packing line where a corresponding label is folded around the first wrap enclosing the group of cigarettes. When the packing operations have been completed, and the revenue stamp has been applied, the soft packets are usually fed to another machine which wraps and seals each single packet with the protective overwrap made of transparent plastic film.
Soft cigarette packets consisting of a single wrap are also known. The single wrap presents a printed section with a well-defined coloured graphical design constituting the label and designed to wrap the four lateral surfaces and one bottom of a group of cigarettes, and a second section having the appearance of metal foil designed to cover the top of the cigarette group. Packets of this kind have obvious economic advantages not only because they save wrapping material but also because the packing machines used to make them are much simpler than the conventional machine described above.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,218 discloses a soft packet consisting of a single, one-piece blank, also presenting a first printed section constituting the label and designed to wrap the four lateral surfaces and one bottom of a group of cigarettes, and a second section having the appearance of metal foil and designed to cover the top end of the cigarette group.
At the line dividing the first section from the second, and along its full length, the blank has a Z-fold made by folding by 180° over each other two longitudinal portions of the blank at said dividing line and placing them over one another to form a reinforced portion along the dividing line itself. Once the blank made in this way is folded and wrapped around the cigarette group, the reinforced portion is located at and adjacent to the top of the packet right around its transversal perimeter. This type of Z-fold, besides strengthening the packet, also simulates the presence of an inner wrap and gives the packet the appearance of a traditional soft packet with two wraps.
Obviously, the blank of wrapping material used to make this type of packet must be considerably wider than a blank that does not have a Z-fold of the this kind. This means that a considerable amount of additional material is required, thus significantly increasing production costs.

Method for packing cigarettes in soft packets as well as the packet obtained


An exponential signal generator having a memory, a scale unit and an adder. A value stored in the memory is scaled and added to itself to produce a new value for storing in the memory. The exponential signal is represented by the exponential value.

Signal sources are a common form of test equipment used in many areas, including the testing of electronic equipment, dynamic structures and audio equipment. One category of test equipment includes sweep generators. Sweep generators are designed to generate a signal (such as a sinusoidal, square, triangular or saw-tooth waves) whose frequency varies in a prescribed manner with respect to time. A common form of sweep is a linear sweep, where the instantaneous frequency increases by a fixed amount per time unit. Another form of sweep is an exponential sweep, in which the frequency increases or decreases exponentially with time. Such as sweep is generated by a "logarithmic sweep generator", so called because the logarithm of frequency varies linearly with time.
Sweeps are usually described by a set of 'sweep parameters', such as the initial and final frequency values and the duration of the sweep.
One form of logarithmic sweep generator uses an analog circuit to produce an exponentially increasing or decreasing voltage, which is then applied to a voltage-controlled oscillator to produce a signal with an exponentially increasing frequency. This approach is limited because of the difficulties in producing circuits that can cover extreme variations of sweep parameters. In addition, the approach is incompatible with digital signal generation techniques, such as fractional-N PLL or Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS).
Another approach stores a list of frequency values in a memory to provide a look-up table. The values are retrieved during a sweep to provide the desired frequency profile. Disadvantages of this method include the size of the memory required for long sweeps with high-resolution steps and the amount of time required for loading the table when the sweep parameters are changed.
A still further approach uses a high-speed processor to compute each new frequency step and updates the frequency at fixed time intervals. This requires large computation power when high resolution (32-bit of higher, for example) frequencies or high step rates are required.

Method and apparatus for producing an exponential signal


Methods of fabricating integrated circuit devices are provided. The method includes forming a buried diffusion layer in a source active region. A word line pattern is formed crossing over parallel cell active regions and the source active region. The word line pattern has parallel sidewalls such that the word line pattern forms a substantially straight line pattern on an integrated circuit substrate. A plurality of bit line contact plugs and at least one common source contact plug are formed in an insulating layer on the integrated circuit substrate. The bit line contact plugs and the common source contact plug are electrically coupled to the buried diffusion layer and disposed in a line on the integrated circuit substrate that is substantially parallel to the word line pattern. Related integrated circuit devices are also provided.

Integrated circuit memory devices used for storing data can typically be categorized as either volatile memory devices or nonvolatile memory devices. Volatile memory devices generally lose any stored data when power supplied to the volatile memory device is interrupted. Nonvolatile memory devices typically retain any stored data even when power supplied to the nonvolatile memory device is interrupted. Accordingly, nonvolatile memory devices, such as flash memory devices have been widely used in, for example, memory cards, mobile telecommunication systems and the like, for their memory retention capabilities.
Information stored in a flash memory device may be electrically deleted or programmed. Generally, there are two types of flash memory devices, a NOR-type flash memory device and a NAND-type flash memory device. FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a conventional NOR-type flash memory device. Referring to FIG. 1, a device isolation layer (not shown) is provided on an integrated circuit substrate to define a plurality of active regions 100, for example, cell active regions 100a and source active region 100b. A plurality of word line patterns 104 is provided on the integrated circuit substrate and cross the active regions 100. Each of the word line patterns 104 includes a floating gate pattern 102, an inter-gate dielectric layer (not shown) and a control gate 103, which are sequentially stacked. Drain regions are provided in the cell active regions 100a along one sidewalls of the word line patterns 104 and bit line contact holes 108 are provided in the drain regions. A common source line 106, which is typically self-aligned to the word line patterns 104, is provided along the other sidewall of the word line patterns 104, and a common source contact hole 110 is provided in a region between the common source line 106 and the source active region 100b. A conductive material is provided in the bit line contact holes 108 to provide bit line contact plugs. Upper surfaces of the bit line contact plugs are electrically coupled to bit lines 112. The bit lines 112 are provided on the active cell regions 100a crossing the word line patterns 104. A conductive material is also provided in the common source contact hole 110 to provide a common source contact plug. An upper surface of the common source contact plug is electrically coupled to a common source contact wiring 114. The common source contact wiring 114 is provided on the source active region 100b parallel with the bit lines 112.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a source contact hole is not formed for each unit cell of the flash memory device, a common source line 106 is formed instead. Accordingly, the width of the common source line 106 may be reduced, which may allow the size of the integrated circuit device to be reduced. However, in order to form the common source contact hole 110 such that it contacts the common source line 106 having the reduced width, the word line patterns 104 may be curved around the common source contact hole 110 as illustrated in FIG. 1.
As illustrated, the word line patterns 104 are curved at both sides of the common source contact hole 110. Thus, a distance d1 between the control gates 103 crossing over the active cell regions 100a adjacent to the common source contact hole 110 and the bit line contact holes 108 adjacent to the control gates 103, is smaller than a distance d2 between the control gates 103 on other active cell regions 100a and the bit line contact holes 108 adjacent to the control gates 103. Accordingly, coupling ratios between cells on the cell active regions 100a at both sides of the source active region 100b and cells on other cell active regions 100a may be different and may increase distribution of an erase threshold voltage of the NOR-type flash memory device.
Furthermore, the distance between floating gates 102 adjacent to both sides of the bit line contact holes 108 on the cell active regions 100a at both sides of the source active region 100b may be reduced and may reduce an alignment margin when the bit line contact holes are formed. Thus, if significant contact misalignment occurs, the bit line contact plug and the word line patterns 104 adjacent to both sides of the bit line contact plug may be electrically shorted, which may adversely affect the characteristics of the NOR-type flash memory device.

Methods of fabricating flash memory devices including word lines with parallel sidewalls


A method and system for editing words that have been misrecognized. The system allows a speaker to specify a number of alternative words to be displayed in a correction window by resizing the correction window. The system also displays the words in the correction window in alphabetical order. A preferred system eliminates the possibility, when a misrecognized word is respoken, that the respoken utterance will be again recognized as the same misrecognized word. The system, when operating with a word processor, allows the speaker to specify the amount of speech that is buffered before transferring to the word processor.

A computer speech dictation system that would allow a speaker to efficiently dictate and would allow the dictation to be automatically recognized has been a long-sought goal by developers of computer speech systems. The benefits that would result from such a computer speech recognition (CSR) system are substantial. For example, rather than typing a document into a computer system, a person could simply speak the words of the document, and the CSR system would recognize the words and store the letters of each word as if the words had been typed. Since people generally can speak faster than type, efficiency would be improved. Also, people would no longer need to learn how to type. Computers could also be used in many applications where their use is currently impracticable because a person's hands are occupied with tasks other than typing.
Typical CSR systems have a recognition component and a dictation editing component. The recognition component controls the receiving of the series of utterances from a speaker, recognizing each utterance, and sending a recognized word for each utterance to the dictation editing component. The dictation editing component displays the recognized words and allows a user to correct words that were misrecognized. For example, the dictation editing component would allow a user to replace a word that was misrecognized by either speaking the word again or typing the correct word.
The recognition component typically contains a model of an utterance for each word in its vocabulary. When the recognition component receives a spoken utterance, the recognition component compares that spoken utterance to the modeled utterance of each word in its vocabulary in an attempt to find the modeled utterance that most closely matches the spoken utterance. Typical recognition components calculate a probability that each modeled utterance matches the spoken utterance. Such recognition components send to the dictation editing component a list of the words with the highest probabilities of matching the spoken utterance, referred to as the recognized word list.
The dictation editing component generally selects the word from the recognized word list with the highest probability as the recognized word corresponding to the spoken utterance. The dictation editing component then displays that word. If, however, the displayed word is a misrecognition of the spoken utterance, then the dictation editing component allows the speaker to correct the misrecognized word. When the speaker indicates to correct the misrecognized word, the dictation editing component displays a correction window that contains the words in the recognized word list. In the event that one of the words in the list is the correct word, the speaker can just click on that word to effect the correction. If, however, the correct word is not in the list, the speaker would either speak or type the correct word.
Some CSR systems serve as a dictation facility for word processors. Such a CSR system controls the receiving and recognizing of a spoken utterance and then sends each character corresponding to the recognized word to the word processor. Such configurations have a disadvantage in that when a speaker attempts to correct a word that was previously spoken, the word processor does not have access to the recognized word list and thus cannot display those words to facilitate correction.

Method and system for buffering recognized words during speech recognition


The honeycomb heater has a structure that the first corrugated heater and the second flat heater are alternately and vortically wound to make the value of the resistance of the first corrugated heater from one end to the other end equal to that of the second flat from one end to the other end. The second flat heater has a mesh shape. Consequently, the honeycomb heater of the present invention has no deformation of heaters caused by piling of corrugated heaters and has a larger area of heater per unit area.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to honeycomb heaters for activating a catalyst used for an automotive catalytic convertor, etc., for purifying exhaust gases.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a heater disposed in a catalytic convertor is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,389, in which a corrugated heater is wound vortically around a central electrode. In this structure, however, as a plurality of corrugated heaters are wound around the central electrode, the corrugated heaters become partly piled up on each other as shown in FIGS. 17(a) and 17(b). Consequently, at some parts of the piled corrugated heaters, deformation of the corrugations and unequal heater density per unit area respectively cause generation of unequal heat. As a countermeasure, it has been suggested that a flat heater and the corrugated heater be alternately disposed. However, since the distance of the corrugated heater between the central electrode and a case holding the periphery of the heater is longer than that of the flat heater, the value of electric resistance of the flat heater is much smaller than that of the corrugated heater. That causes unequal heat generation throughout the whole heater.
To solve the unequal heat generation problem, it has been suggested to use a thin corrugated heater or a thick flat heater which, however, causes a decline of strength of the whole heater or an increase of pressure loss. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a honeycomb heater having no deformation of corrugated heaters caused by being piled up and having large heater area per unit area.


This invention concerns a system for the protection of electric circuits (60, 61, 62) which permits an analysis in real time of the evolution of electric currents circulating in such electric circuits, such analysis having as its purpose not only protection but also prevention. Such protection system comprises at least one circuit breaker (64, 66) including a first coil (70, 71) associated with a magnetic circuit and bearing the main current, as well as a second coil (74, 75) likewise associated with the magnetic circuit. Such second coil carries an induced current representative of the main electric current. Such induced current is processed by an electronic circuit (80) which supplies a processed signal representative of at least one characteristic of the main current, said characteristic being used for prevention in the electric circuits.

There are known in the state of the art load protection systems having several functions, such systems generally enabling automatic stopping of the current when an abnormal state occurs. For example, it has already been known from the patent application FR 2 645 362 to integrate several functions within a single concept for a protection system enabling active and passive prevention. The arrangement described in this application comprises circuit breakers in a first unit acting on several phases of a principal circuit, such circuit breakers reacting to an overload current, the interruption mechanism being also coupled to an electromagnet permitting interrupt manoeuvres and closing down of the principal circuit. In a second unit, there is provided a current transformer for each of the phases, such transformer serving uniquely for the detection of a current flowing in the phase concerned. Moreover, such system comprises a means for production of signals coupled to the current transformers, automatic or remote controlled triggering means, means for communication with a central microcomputer and display means.
If this system has the advantage of proposing a set of integrated functions within a single arrangement, it is relatively heavy in components. In particular, the short-circuit protection and the stopping function in case of an anomaly in a predetermined parameter of such current require two different triggering mechanisms acting on the same pair of contacts. Next, the measuring function requires several units comprising current transformers which are structurally separated from the circuit breakers. This not only brings about an increase in the cost of construction, but complication during the assembly and a relatively substantial space requirement.
The invention has as its purpose to provide a protection system for at least one electric circuit which is more simple and less costly than that of the prior art cited hereinabove.


An apparatus that is used to convert a surface of a table into a card table, that can later be removed, stowed and easily transported. In its preferred embodiment, the device would be comprised of four major components: a thin flat piece of padding; a piece of cloth with a constricting perimeter, a long, soft, flexible border; and a strap with a joining mechanism. The device would be installed onto a table by laying the piece of padding flat on a table surface; covering the padding with the cloth; wrapping the border around the common edges of the cloth, padding and table; and securing the padding, cloth and border in place around the perimeter of a table surface edge through tension afforded by the strap, with the ends of the strap being connected by the joining mechanism.

Card games are a popular form of entertainment whether they are played in the home or in public card rooms and casinos. Typically, card games are played on a table or other type of suitable surface. In general, the attributes of the tables, mainly their surfaces and edges, are important features in the suitability of the table to playing card games. The types of tables used in public card rooms and casinos have evolved into being superior pieces of equipment for the purposes of playing card games and posses key attributes. Tables such as kitchen tables, however, usually lack these key attributes.
Casino card tables posses four main attributes that make them ideal surfaces for playing card games. These attributes are: (1) a playing surface that is (a) a fabric texture, and (b) padded; and (2) a perimeter rail that is (a) elevated above the playing surface, and (b) soft. These four attributes each make a unique and vital contribution to enjoyment of the game. A fabric texture covering the playing surface provides the optimal level of friction to allow cards to slide freely along the playing surface while at the same time slowing their velocity so they eventually come to rest without outside intervention. The padding below the fabric covering dampens impact when solid articles of the game are placed or thrown into the center of the table, and also reduces noise. The elevated perimeter rail serves as a boundary around the playing surface that helps to contain the articles of the card game and prevent them from falling on the floor, and in a like fashion it prevents articles from being wrongfully introduced to the card game and thus helps to prevent cheating. The elevation of the perimeter rail is designed to position players forearms and hands in an optimal position for the retrieval, and manipulation of cards and other articles of the game. The softness of the perimeter rail makes it a comfortable place to rest your arms and hands. The combined benefit of these attributes is that they each contribute to making the mechanics of distributing and retrieving cards and other articles of the game easier and more efficient, and add to the comfort and enjoyment of the game.
There are two specific areas of need that this invention proposes to address. First, the home card player has a need for a table that can possess the superior playing attributes of a casino card table, while also being temporary, inexpensive and easy to stow. Second, the casino or public card room has a need due to the increasing popularity of tournament poker. The nature of tournament poker is that an ever increasing and often unpredictable number of people may show up for a tournament. The casino then needs to have a means of readily increasing the number of tables they can deploy on short notice, and these tables need to posses the four key attributes described above.
Prior art does exist in the field of this invention, but none of the examples of that art can solve each and every problem that are solved by the scope of this invention. Casino poker tables are widely known and readily available and they contain the four attributes outlined above as vital to the enjoyment of a card game, but they are a permanent fixture. They are constructed by placing a piece of plywood surface on top of a leg or base structure. The plywood surface is covered with a sheet of foam rubber and a sheet of fabric which is stapled in place. The rail is an assembly comprised of a rigid, one-piece wooden frame that is the size of the entire perimeter of the plywood playing surface. The rail has thick foam which is covered by a thin vinyl or leather sheet that is wrapped around the rail and stapled in place. The rail assembly is placed on top of the table. The standard casino card table can not be disassembled and stored very easily, and they are costly.
Some inventions have been created to solve the problem of a temporary card playing surface. These inventions accomplish this by way of a folding table design that is slightly compactable, but can still be quite large, heavy and hard to transport or stow. These designs also lack one or more of the four key attributes, previously stated above, that have become state of the art for permanent casino card table: a cloth-covered playing surface, padding below the cloth cover, an elevated perimeter rail and a soft edge border. In addition, many of these types of inventions are a completely separate and additional piece of furniture and do not take advantage of the usefulness afforded a table that a person may already possess.

Apparatus for converting a table into a card table


A display for a football goal post comprises a net spanning the space between the uprights of the goal post, the net bearing a message. The message may be advertising, spirit booster information, team identification or the like, and it may be illuminated. Trip wires laced through and attached to the net detect contact with the net by a football, indicating successful penetration of the plane formed by the uprights and therefore a score. A trip signal from switches attached to the trip wires triggers for a predetermined period a flashing, illuminated display attached to the net, such as the illuminated message or separate chase lights around the perimeter of the net.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements to football goalposts, and in particular, to an apparatus for detecting penetration of the plane between goalpost uprights by a football, indicating a score. Additionally, this invention relates to a means by which goal kicks may be conveniently prevented from flying outside the playing area and out of reach, such as into the stands behind a goalpost. Finally, this invention relates to a means by which schools may supplement revenues by leasing highly visible advertising space.
2. Description of Related Art
In judging the success of football goal kicks, such as point-after-touchdown (PAT) kicks and field goals, the football must be kicked high enough to cross the goalpost crossbar, and it must do so between two vertical uprights, to qualify as a score. Due to the relatively small size of the football and the crossbar and uprights in contrast to the usual observation distance, fans and officials alike often have difficulty detecting whether the football actually passed within the prescribed area. Even when two referees are posted directly beneath or near the crossbar, the speed of travel of the ball and its appearance against the background sky can result in divergence of opinion between them as to whether or not the kick scored. The problem is usually solved by relying upon the call, right or wrong, of one official.
Numerous devices exist to circumvent the problem. McKenna, U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,325, provides cloth panels attached around the perimeter and extending perpendicular to the plane of the uprights and crossbars to widen the apparent background against which the ball can be viewed. Though helpful, this method still depends upon careful visual observation to assure an accurate call. Karkoska, U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,554, provides a photocell field coincident with the target plane and associated electronics to detect penetration thereof and trigger a vertical message matrix to announce the successful score. Though more reliable, Karkoska bears the disadvantage of being expensive and complex, removing it from the budgetary reach of many schools. A need therefore exists for a reliable and inexpensive means of detecting successful scores through the goal post.
Professional football franchises having better funding than most schools have adopted a practice of raising a net between the goalpost and the grandstands to catch a football kicked for a PAT or field goal and to prevent it from entering the grandstands. Though footballs are expensive and unwary fans can be injured if struck by a kicked football, such nets are uncommon at high schools and colleges at least partly because of the cost to install them. A need therefore exists for a practical and inexpensive means for capturing goal kicked footballs to prevent them from entering the grandstands.
Baseball fans are accustomed to seeing advertising on outfield fences at school stadiums, but such advertising is less common in football fields, though it sometimes appears along the low perimeter wall of the grandstands. Schools derive significant revenues and advertisers derive significant exposure from such advertising even though the viewing time usually is limited to sporting events. Advertisers likely would be attracted to significantly higher visibility message media at such events, but few exist, the notable exception being electronic scoreboards at better funded institutions. Schools of lesser means have little more to offer than billboards standing around the premises. A need therefore exists for an inexpensive means of providing highly visible advertising, creating an attractive exposure medium for advertisers and a welcome revenue source for budget-conscious schools.

Football goal post and net display apparatus


A split-gate, P-channel flash memory cell having a band-to-band hot electron (BBHE) programming method is defined to improve the endurance characteristics of performance of the cell. The split-gate, P-channel structure, which includes a P+ drain, P+ source, floating gate and a control gate, advantageously improves protection from over-erase and hot-hole trap conditions, and improves programming speed and higher injection efficiency. The cell is erased by a polysilicon-polysilicon tunneling technique.

The present invention relates generally to nonvolatile memories and particularly to electrically erasable nonvolatile memories.
Semiconductor memory devices may be characterized to be volatile or nonvolatile, depending on whether a memory device is able to retain the contents of the memory on removal of power to the device. Typical well-known examples of volatile memory devices include random access memories RAM's such as SRAM's and DRAM's, and examples of nonvolatile memory (NVM) devices include read only memories (ROM's). There are many types of ROM devices including erasable programmable read only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable and programmable read only memories (EEPROMs) and flash EEPROM memories. Typically EPROMs are erasable through light exposure and are electrically programmable. Conventional EEPROMs have the same programming functionality, however instead of being light erasable they may be erased and programmed by an electron tunneling process facilitated by an on-chip electrical signal. Thus, information may be stored in these NVM devices, retained when the power is off, and the devices may be erased for reprogramming, as necessary, using appropriate techniques. A memory cell in a flash memory device may be individually programmed. Several memory cells may be advantageously erased as a block, typically resulting in improved performance compared to conventional EEPROMs.
Presently, flash memories have gained considerable popularity due to their smaller size, lower power consumption and improved read/write performance. For example, flash memories are often utilized to provide on-chip memory for portable devices such as cellular phones, digital cameras, audio/video recorders, modems, SMART cards and the like where it is desirable to store information that may need fast updating.
The typical data storage element of an EEPROM memory cell is a floating gate transistor, which is a field-effect transistor (FET) having an electrically isolated (floating) gate that controls electrical conduction between source and drain regions of the cell. Data is represented by a charge stored on the floating gate and the resulting conductivity obtained between source and drain regions. A floating gate memory cell may be formed in a P-type substrate with an N-type diffused source region and an N-type drain diffusion formed in the region. A floating gate, typically made of doped polysilicon, is located over the channel region and is electrically isolated from the other cell elements by oxide. For example, a thin gate oxide may be located between the floating gate and the channel region. A control gate is typically located over the floating gate and may also be made of doped polysilicon. The control gate is typically separated from the floating gate by a dielectric layer.
Basic operations of the EEPROM memory cell may be described as: a) programming, b) erasing, and c) reading. Programming usually refers to transferring a charge to the floating gate. Erasing usually refers to removing the charge from the floating gate and reading involves sensing an electrical signal of the cell to determine if the device is in a programmed or an erased state.
Functionality and fabrication method of a flash memory device such as a conventional N-channel, stack-gate memory cell is well known. However, some of these traditional techniques often result in well-known problems such as creating over-erase and hot-hole trap conditions often resulting in low programming speed and low injection efficiency. This leads to the degradation of the endurance performance of the memory cell.
Thus, a need exists to provide an improved memory cell that offers: a) protection from over-erase and hot-hole trap conditions, and b) an improved programming speed and higher injection efficiency. Additionally, it would be desirable for the improved memory cell to offer a higher endurance performance when compared to the traditional memory cell.

Split-gate P-channel flash memory cell with programming by band-to-band hot electron method

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A system for efficiently transferring heat from a cold sink to a hot source utilizing thermoelectric cooling effects is disclosed. A plurality of thermoelectric elements are coupled in a series configuration with a power source. The plurality of thermoelectric elements are coupled in a parallel configuration with the cold sink and the hot source. The surface area of the hot source is greater than the surface area of the cold sink such that the plurality of thermoelectric elements can effectively transfer heat from the cold sink to the hot source in response to the power source. The plurality of thermoelectric can be fabricated on an integrated circuit with analog or digital circuity and effectively cool hot spots.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to thermoelectric cooling, and in particular to a system for positional cooling utilizing thermoelectric devices. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a system for positional cooling utilizing a novel configuration of Peltier devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
The utilization of thermoelectric devices in industry has, to date, been restricted to very specialized applications. Due to inefficiencies, very few applications can effectively utilize thermoelectric effects. The undesirable properties of thermoelectric elements such as high cost and low efficiency are outweighed by the desirable properties of thermoelectric devices. Recently, there have been significant advances in material technology, many attributable to advances made by the semiconductor industry.
Conventional cooling systems, such as a refrigerator, utilize vapor compression refrigeration cycles to provide heat transfer. Vapor compression cooling requires significant moving hardware, including at a minimum, a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and related coolant transfer plumbing. Miniature vapor compression cooling is not available for small cooling applications.
Semiconductors and superconductors have enhanced performance at lower temperatures. CMOS logic can operate materially faster at lower temperatures. For example, if CMOS logic devices are operated at -50.degree. C., performance is improved by 50 percent over ambient room temperature. Liquid nitrogen cooling of CMOS logic to---196.degree. C., has shown a 200 percent performance improvement in speed.
Similar benefits have been shown for integrated circuit wiring. Wiring resistances decrease by a factor of two for integrated circuits operated at -50.degree. C. in comparison to room ambient temperature operation.
Thus, sub-ambient temperature operation of integrated circuit logic devices, such as field effect transistors, as well as the interconnect wiring can materially improve integrated circuit performance. However, accomplishing such cooling in the confines of an ever decreasing size poses new challenges.
Thermoelectric cooling is one alternative that has found some usage given the compact size of Peltier devices. Peltier device thermoelectric cooling is very reliable because such devices are solid state. The inefficiency of thermoelectric devices is a key negative aspect of implementing a thermoelectric cooling design. A Peltier device cooling system typically has an efficiency in the range of 20 percent for a relatively nominal temperature differential between the cold sink and ambient temperature conditions.
For example, utilizing a Peltier cooling system to cool at a rate of one watt and attain a sub-ambient temperature of 0.degree. C. requires that the system be powered with five watts. As the amount of heat to be transferred increases, the total power to be dissipated into the ambient mandates large convection devices and large power supply circuits. Therefore, Peltier device thermoelectric cooling has not been considered a broadly applicable technology for cooling integrated circuits and improving integrated circuit performance.
Typically, Peltier devices are fabricated from semiconductor material such as bismuth telluride or lead telluride. Commonly utilized, Peltier materials exhibit very high electrical conductivity and relatively low thermal conductivity. In contrast, most metals have both high electrical and high thermal conductivity.
In operation, a Peltier device transports electrons from a cold sink at temperature T.sub.cold to a hot source at temperature T.sub.hot in response to an electric field placed across the Peltier device.
FIG. 1 schematically depicts a conventional Peltier type thermoelectric element (TE) 1 with DC power supply 2 creating an electric field across TE 1 and a load current 3. The desired heat transfer is from cold sink 16 at temperature T.sub.cold to hot source 14 at temperature T.sub.hot which is represented below. EQU q=.alpha.T.sub.cold I-1/2I.sup.2 R-K.DELTA.T Equation 1
The net heat energy transported by a Peltier device is composed of three elements. In equation 1, the first element represents the Peltier effect (thermoelectric) contribution, the second element defines negative Joule heating or resistive effects, and the third element defines negative conductivity effects of the heat. The thermoelectric component is composed of the Seebeck coefficient, the temperature of operation (T.sub.cold) and the current through the (TE) device.
Approximately one half of the Joule heating produced by the bias current is conducted to the cold sink and the remainder to the hot source. Lastly, the negative component attributable to thermal conduction represents the heat flow or heat conduction through the Peltier device. K is the thermal conductivity of the Peltier device from the hot source to the cold sink.
In equation 1, the thermoelectric component of the heat transport increases linearly with the current through the Peltier device and the Joule heating increases in proportion to the square of the current. Alternately described, the resistive heating exponentially increases due to the current through the Peltier device while the cooling effect linearly increases with increased current flow. The thermal conduction is also in direct proportion to the temperature differential between the hot source and the cold sink. Equation 1 clearly reflects how quickly the Peltier device becomes inefficient.
Equation 2 below defines a coefficient of performance for a Peltier device. The coefficient of performance is the ratio of the net heat energy transported at low temperature to the power consumed in the Peltier device. For a typical Peltier device made from bismuth telluride material, the coefficient of performance is less than 0.3. ##EQU1##
Note that the numerator of equation 2 represents the net cooling capability of the Peltier device. The denominator of equation 2 represents the total energy provided by external D.C. power supply 2. The individual elements of the numerator were described in reference to equation 1. The first element in the denominator is the total Joule heating, while the second element is the heat energy transport work done by the Peltier device in moving energy from the T.sub.cold sink to the T.sub.hot source. Based upon this relationship, the maximum coefficient of performance possible in the configuration of FIG. 1 is given by equation 3. ##EQU2##
The parameter .gamma. can be expressed in terms of the Seebeck coefficient .alpha., electrical conductivity .sigma. and thermal conductivity .lambda. as set forth in equation 4. ##EQU3##
The first factor in equation 3 T.sub.cold /.DELTA.T is the maximum efficiency possible for any heat pump operating between two thermal sinks T.sub.cold and T.sub.hot. T.sub.cold /.DELTA.T is commonly referred to as the Carnot efficiency. The second factor represents the non-ideal thermoelectric cooling, which can also be characterized by a figure of merit ZT. Note that .eta..fwdarw.(T.sub.cold /.DELTA.T) as .gamma..fwdarw..infin.. To date it has been very difficult to develop a thermoelectric material which yields high values of ZT.
Historically, the prevalent material for thermoelectric coolers has been bismuth telluride (Bi.sub.2 Te.sub.3) and lead tellurium (PbTe). These materials have ZT values of approximately 0.3 at room temperature. Recent research has shown that ZT values approaching one may be possible in lead tellurium quantum wells and multilattices. However, even with these materials, thermoelectric device have not produced practical cooling solutions.
Another constraint of Peltier device cooling is that only a limited temperature excursion below ambient temperature is attainable. The temperature differential limitation arises from the fact that the effective temperature span is constrained by efficiency. Efficiency degrades quickly with an increasing temperature differential between a hot source and a cold sink. The maximum temperature differential possible T.sub.max is given by equation 5 below.
Equation 5 EQU .DELTA.T.sub.max =1/2ZT.sub.cold.sup.2
For bismuth telluride having a ZT of approximately 0.3, T.sub.max is 45.degree. K at 300.degree. K, where 32.degree. f is equivalent to 273K.
Thus, there are a number of very fundamental constraints on efficiency and differential temperature that limit the practical utilization of conventional thermoelectric elements for cooling applications. Particularly, applications which utilize ambient temperatures to dissipate the heat are impracticable. Typically, each Peltier device is small in dimension and can only transport a finite amount of heat. Therefore, to produce a cooling effect of desired magnitude many Peltier devices must be connected together. Peltier cooling has been attempted by attaching TE devices to the top of an integrated circuit package to provide localized cooling. However, the inefficiency of TEs and thermal impedance between the integrated circuit and the TEs has prevented utilization on a large scale.
Within an operational integrated circuit, many subcircuits such as oscillators are actively switching states. During the transition of a transistor from ON to OFF or from OFF to ON the voltage across the transistor and the current through a transistor produces heat from the resistive effects. A circuit that continually switches, creates a "hot spot" in a geographic area on an integrated circuit.
Often, hot spots on the integrated circuit must be located away from other temperature sensitive circuits to ensure proper operation. Integrated circuit spot cooling utilizing Peltier devices has been proposed where Peltier devices are placed on top of the integrated circuit creating a three dimensional configuration. However, a specific problem encountered in integrated circuit cooling is that only a finite amount of Peltier devices can be located in the proximity of a hot spot. Therefore, the amount of heat which can be transferred from the hot spot is very limited.
The dimension of integrated circuit transistors is continually decreasing and the density of transistors is ever increasing. Faster switching speeds or more switching transitions per unit time also contributes to additional heating. Currently, switching speeds of over one gigahertz are being implemented and adequate cooling has increasing importance in such devices.
Analog circuits, such as voltage controlled oscillators, phase detectors, mixers, and low noise amplifiers produce more heat than digital circuits. Additionally, lasers and photo diodes have remarkably improved performance at lower temperatures. Hot spots within an integrated circuit can cause a host of related failures. As the dimension of integrated circuits decrease and become more compact, the dissipation of internally generated heat becomes an increasing problem.
It should therefore be apparent that there is a need for a miniature devices to reduce temperatures of electronic devices within integrated circuit. Further, a novel configuration of Peltier devices for cooling articles external to an integrated circuit would be very desirable.

Two dimensional thermoelectric cooler configuration

International Business Machines Corporation


When a setting target apparatus accepts an instruction to start up setup software, a controller starts displaying wizard screens. The controller acquires reference information on a reference apparatus. The reference information includes an actual value and attribute information on it. The actual value is a set value actually set on the reference apparatus. The controller, using the attribute information, creates a list which lists actual values acquired in accordance with a selected category.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus which performs printing.
Modern image forming apparatuses such as multifunction peripherals, printers, and copiers have multiple functions. Some functions, when used for the first time, require setup. For example, a function using a network is not available until a plurality of pieces of information such as a server name and an address are entered. A setup wizard is sometimes used to allow a user to enter set values required for using a function without omission. The setup wizard, for example, includes a plurality of setting screens. When one or a plurality of set values are entered, the next setting screen is displayed. Once entry to a series of screens is finished, entry of all the required information is completed. Using the setup wizard helps simplify setting.
There are known technologies related to the setup wizard, such as the one discussed below. Specifically, there is known a setup program which: includes a plurality of setting modules that permit processing setting required for the environment setting of a network device; makes a computer display a plurality of questions about a used function and a network environment before setup; acquires answers to the questions; selects a plurality of required setting modules in accordance with the used function and the network environment based on the acquired answers; creates a setup wizard in which a plurality of selected modules are combined together; and executes the setting modules in the created setup wizard.
Some functions in image forming apparatuses require setup when used for the first time. When, for example, a user wants to use a network transmission function, the setting related to a network is required. During setup, generally, proper setting values need to be entered for a plurality of setting items. When there is any unknown set value, a user needs to look it up or ask an administrator of the apparatus.

Image forming apparatus and method for controlling setup information based on a reference apparatus


A composition for treating water contained in enclosures, such as swimming pools, spas, whirlpool tubs and cooling towers, which includes at least one boron compound, cyanuric acid, at least one mineral remover and at least one clarifier is provided. A composition and method for treating salt water contained in enclosures using halogen generators to generate sterilizing halogen in situ, wherein the method includes adding to the water effective amounts of a composition having at least one boron compound, cyanuric acid, at least one mineral remover and at least one clarifier, such that they are present in the water simultaneously is also provided.

This invention relates to the field of treatment of water contained in enclosures. Such enclosures are typically swimming pools, spas, whirlpool tubs and cooling towers.
Boron and halogen-containing compounds, specifically chlorine-containing compounds, are often added to water contained in enclosures such as swimming pools, spas, whirlpool tubs, and cooling towers to inhibit bacteria, algae and fungal growth. However, in order to be effective against microorganisms such as bacteria, algae and fungus, it is necessary to maintain a particular concentration of halogen in the water. Using chlorine in swimming pools, for example, it is desirable to maintain an available chlorine content of about 0.4 to about 1.5 parts per million (ppm). Although boron and halogen-containing compounds, such as chlorine-containing compounds, are excellent water treatment agents, there are several inherent problems. For example, chlorine which has been directly added to a pool as elemental chlorine or as a hypochlorite, will gradually degrade. This loss of chlorine is accelerated in direct sunlight. Thus, it is necessary to continuously replace the lost chlorine. Another disadvantage of treating water in enclosures by direct addition of chlorine to the water is that the chlorine reacts with the water to form hydrochloric acid. The formation of hydrochloric acid causes a drop in the pH of the water and makes acid-base balancing difficult. Thus, when using chlorine as a water treatment agent, it is also necessary to add a buffer system to the water in order to maintain a proper pH level.
Another method of controlling water-borne microorganisms is through the use of halogen-substituted organics such as trichloro-S-triazinetrione, bromochlorodimethylhydantoin and trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA). This class of water treatment agents do not dissipate as rapidly as other chlorine and boron-containing compounds and are much easier to handle and to store. However, they can be quite expensive and a buffering system is still required to maintain a proper pH level.
Yet another method of treating water involves the use of chlorine generators in salt-water enclosures, such as pools or spas. Chlorine generators use electrolysis to produce chlorine/hypochlorous acid directly into the pool or spa from a low concentration of salt added to the water. Electrolysis takes place in an electrolytic cell installed inline in the recirculation system. Inside the cell are layers of metal plates electrically charged by a separate power supply. Preferably, a salt concentration of about 2500 ppm to about 6000 ppm in the water contained in the enclosure is maintained for the chlorine generator to operate effectively.
Chlorine generators create a better, healthier swimming or bathing experience for most people. It is not necessary to handle or buy chlorine or chlorine-containing compounds, and if the unit is functioning correctly, sufficient chlorine will be present in the enclosure to inhibit bacteria, algae and fungal growth. Unfortunately, the chlorine generators tend to become inefficient too quickly, due to corrosion of their special electrolyte plates.


A turbine rotor blade used in a gas turbine engine, which includes an airfoil having a tip at an outer radial edge, is described. The airfoil includes a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall that join together at a leading edge and a trailing edge of the airfoil, the pressure sidewall and the suction sidewall extending from a root to the tip. The tip includes a tip plate and, disposed along a periphery of the tip plate, a rail. The rail includes a microchannel connected to a coolant source.

The present application is related to Ser. No. 13/479,710 and Ser. No. 13/479,683, filed concurrently herewith, which are fully incorporated by reference herein and made a part hereof.
The present application relates generally to apparatus, methods and/or systems for cooling the tips of gas turbine rotor blades. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, the present application relates to apparatus, methods and/or systems related to microchannel design and implementation in turbine blade tips.
In a gas turbine engine, it is well known that air is pressurized in a compressor and used to combust a fuel in a combustor to generate a flow of hot combustion gases, whereupon such gases flow downstream through one or more turbines so that energy can be extracted therefrom. In accordance with such a turbine, generally, rows of circumferentially spaced rotor blades extend radially outwardly from a supporting rotor disk. Each blade typically includes a dovetail that permits assembly and disassembly of the blade in a corresponding dovetail slot in the rotor disk, as well as an airfoil that extends radially outwardly from the dovetail.
The airfoil has a generally concave pressure side and generally convex suction side extending axially between corresponding leading and trailing edges and radially between a root and a tip. It will be understood that the blade tip is spaced closely to a radially outer turbine shroud for minimizing leakage therebetween of the combustion gases flowing downstream between the turbine blades. Maximum efficiency of the engine is obtained by minimizing the tip clearance or gap such that leakage is prevented, but this strategy is limited somewhat by the different thermal and mechanical expansion and contraction rates between the rotor blades and the turbine shroud and the motivation to avoid an undesirable scenario of having excessive tip rub against the shroud during operation.
In addition, because turbine blades are bathed in hot combustion gases, effective cooling is required for ensuring a useful part life. Typically, the blade airfoils are hollow and disposed in flow communication with the compressor so that a portion of pressurized air bled therefrom is received for use in cooling the airfoils. Airfoil cooling is quite sophisticated and may be employed using various forms of internal cooling channels and features, as well as cooling holes through the outer walls of the airfoil for discharging the cooling air. Nevertheless, airfoil tips are particularly difficult to cool since they are located directly adjacent to the turbine shroud and are heated by the hot combustion gases that flow through the tip gap. Accordingly, a portion of the air channeled inside the airfoil of the blade is typically discharged through the tip for the cooling thereof.
It will be appreciated that conventional blade tip design includes several different geometries and configurations that are meant to prevent leakage and increase cooling effectiveness. Exemplary patents include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,789 to Butts et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,556 to Bunker; U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,129 to Mayer et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,530 to Lee. Conventional blade tip designs, however, all have certain shortcomings, including a general failure to adequately reduce leakage and/or allow for efficient tip cooling that minimizes the use of efficiency-robbing compressor bypass air. In addition, as discussed in more detail below, conventional blade tip design, particularly those having a "squealer tip" design, have failed to take advantage of or effectively integrate the benefits of microchannel cooling. As a result, an improved turbine blade tip design that increases the overall effectiveness of the coolant directed to this region would be in great demand.

Cooling structures in the tips of turbine rotor blades


When a first device receives an indication to establish a communication with a second device, a feature character string is generated. The first device is associated with a first public key and a first private key. The second device is associated with a second public key and a second private key. The second public key of the second device is obtained. The second public key is used to encrypt the feature character string. A first identification of the first device is at least partly based on the encrypted feature character string and is published. When the feature character string is obtained after decryption, the first public key of the first device is obtained. The second identification is an identification encrypted by the first public key. In response to a determination that the feature character string is obtained after decryption of the second identification, the communication between the first device and the second device is established.

Near field communication, also referred to as near field wireless communication, is a short distance high frequency wireless communication technology that allows point-to-point data transfer and data transmission between electronic devices without visible connection. This technology is derived from radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and is based on RFID and its related technology. Near field communication is short distance high frequency wireless technology and runs at 13.56 MHz within 20 cm, which has three transmission speeds including 106 KB/s, 212 KB/s, or 424 KB/s.
Near field communication business combines near field communication technology and mobile communication technology to implement electronic payment, identity recognition, ticket business, data exchange, anti-counterfeiting, advertising, etc., which is a kind of new business in wireless communication field. Near field communication business changes the manner in which users use mobile phones so that consumer behaviors of the user are becoming electronic and a new user consuming and business model is established.
There are mainly two existing techniques corresponding to near field communication devices.
A first technology is near field induction with a common RF card matching function that is associated with an apparatus for receiving signals and an RF card. For example, a mobile phone that is equipped with the RF card directly scans for payment at a bus or conducts payment at a point of sale (POS). The RF card is unique to each mobile phone and its unique identification is to identify the mobile phone. The apparatus that receives signals actively reads or passively receives the unique ID of the RF card. The RF card is mainly used in a mobile payment application such as an electronic wallet.
A second technology is near field induction with server assistance. A common application is a shaking function of an instant communication tool. When two persons concurrently shake their mobile phones with the instant communication tool, each phone obtains a shaking signal and sends such signal to a server. The server matches phones that are shaken concurrently and have adjacent locations. Such technology has been widely used in gaming, file transfers, payments, etc.
However, the first technology requires installing a special RF card at an electronic device while the RF card is not common at the electronic device especially a smart phone. The main reason is that a special device needs to be installed at the electronic device. However, on one hand there is high cost and on the other hand such special device has no universal standard. An RF card installed on the electronic device by one manufacturer may be incompatible with another manufacturer. Thus, corresponding recognition devices also need to be widely used. Therefore, universality and applicability of the first technology are very weak.
The second technology requires near field devices within a short distance. Especially with respect to payment, the distance is restricted to reduce a mapping error to implement accurate mapping. In addition, a mapping accuracy of devices is not high. One of the reasons is that the number of clients that shake concurrently is not certain. There might be multiple devices that shake concurrently. Thus, the shaking has no direction. The server determines how to match. It is difficult to conduct one-to-one mapping. Therefore, the second technology has low security and is difficult for automatic mapping.
Thus, a technical problem that is urgent for one of ordinary in the art to resolve is to provide a mapping mechanism of a near field device, which has low cost, high accuracy, and high security.

Establishing communication between devices


A connector fitting structure includes a female connector without a rotating member and an elastic sealing part arranged on the female member. The female connector is configured so as to be engageable with a male connector having a guide groove formed for the rotating member. The male connector is provided with a fitting recess. The guide groove is formed on an outer circumferential face of the fitting recess. The male connector is configured so as to be engageable with another female connector with the rotating member for moving at least one of the male and female connectors in a fitting direction. The female connector includes a fitting protrusion for engagement with the fitting recess. The elastic sealing part is arranged on an outer circumferential face of the fitting protrusion to continuously adhere to an inner circumferential face of a fitting-side end portion of the fitting recess along the circumferential direction.

1. Technical Field
The present application relates to a connector fitting structure where a male connector, which is provided with a fitting recess and which has a guide groove (for a rotating member) formed on an outer circumferential face of the fitting recess so as to be engageable with a female connector having a rotating member, is fitted to a different female connector provided with no rotating member.
2. Related Art
For a fitting structure for a pair of male and female connectors for electrical connection with an automobile transmission, there exists a structure where movement of the pair of male and female connectors in a fitting direction is accomplished by rotating a rotating member, which is rotatably arranged on the female connector, while guiding the rotating member by a guide groove formed on an outer circumferential face of a fitting recess of the male connector (see JP2003-163056A (Patent Literature 1)).
In the meantime, a female connector which does not have such a rotating member (hereinafter, such a female connector will be referred to as "female connector with no rotating member") enables a number of components to be reduced due to an absence of the rotating member advantageously. However, the female connector with no rotating member is inferior to the female connector having the rotating member in terms of allowing female connector to be fitted to the male connector in a formal posture of female connector. Note, the female connector having the rotating member will be referred to as "female connector with the rotating member", hereinafter.
With use of a common male connector formed with a guide groove for the rotating member, therefore, it becomes easy to provide a connector fitting structure on request if only fitting the common male connector with use of both the female connector with no rotating member and the female connector with the rotating member.


The invention relates to a lifting door assembly comprising a lifting door, in particular a fast-moving industrial door, having a door leaf which in the closed condition of the lifting door covers a door aperture, and a door lintel sealing device disposed in the area of a door lintel and mounted so as to produce a sealing effect between the door leaf and the door lintel in a sealing position when the lifting door is in the closed condition. The lifting door assembly is characterized in that the door leaf is guided laterally such that in the open position, it is wound free of contact in the area of a door lintel, and in that in the sealing position, the door lintel sealing device rests on a horizontal lateral edge surface of the door leaf adjacent the door lintel. The invention further relates to such a door lintel sealing device. The invention allows to improve a lifting door assembly such that particularly reliable sealing may be obtained with it in the area of the door lintel.

The invention relates to a lifting door assembly comprising a lifting door, in particular a fast-moving industrial door or gate having a door leaf which covers a door aperture when the lifting door is in the closed condition, and a door lintel sealing device arranged in the area of a door lintel and mounted so as to establish a seal between door leaf and door lintel in a sealing position when the lifting door is in the closed condition.
From practice, various manners of configuring lifting doors are known. Thus, lifting doors are variously employed wherein the lintel-side end of a segmented armor is fixedly connected to a winding shaft which is present in the area of the door lintel. In the open position of the door, the door leaf is present being wound on the winding shaft, with the coil layers being in contact with each other. There are furthermore known so-called sectional doors in which the door leaf comprised of sections is usually deflected in the door lintel area and guided alongside underneath the ceiling when the lifting door is moved into its open position.
On the other hand, lifting doors of the type disclosed, e.g., by German patent applications DE 40 15 214 A, DE 40 15 215 A, and DE 40 15 216 A are of particular interest for the present invention, with the fast-moving spiral doors described there being realized as a burglary-proof and weather-resistant external door. The door leaf of these lifting doors comprises a plurality of segments which are connected to each other in a manner allowing them to be inclined relative to each other. In the open position of the door, the segments are present free of contact in a coil at the upper side of the door aperture, i.e., in the area of the door lintel.
The door leaves of such lifting doors need to have sufficient stability in all three spatial axes in order to be able to function as a reliable closure of the door aperture. As such rolling doors frequently need to separate spaces of different temperatures, it is generally advantageous if they produce an effective thermal insulation. In this context, reliable sealing of the lateral marginal areas as well as in the area of the door lintel particularly also plays a crucial role.
Sealing in the area of the door lintel was particularly found to be problematic in practice, for there, the distance of the door leaf from the adjacent edge of the door lintel frequently is not constant across its entire width of the lifting door. Thus it was found that such door leaves quite frequently bulge inwardly or outwardly, resulting in a distinctly different spacing from the door lintel that in the center area of the door leaf and at the lateral marginal areas thereof. Such inward or outward bulging may be brought about by bending stresses owing to the own weight of the door leaf or also owing to other influence quantities such as, e.g., a wind pressure or wind suction. This problem also occurs particularly distinctly when the segments of the door leaf are so-called double-walled segments with thermal isolation of the segment walls.
One example of such an industrial door is described in EP 1 251 236 A2. Here the segment walls of these segments that are formed with double walls are connected to each other at their longitudinal edges by a respective web which is formed of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the material of the segment walls so as to produce a thermal isolation of the segment walls. The segment walls are typically manufactured of an aluminum alloy, while the webs in these known rolling doors are generally formed of a plastic such as, e.g., PMMA, PVC, or PC. In order to improve the thermal insulation effect, the cavities in the segments formed in this manner may also filled with a foam-type insulation material such as, for example, PS. If, in the case of such double-walled segments, highly different temperatures are present on the two sides of the door leaf, which may be the case, for instance, if the outside of the door leaf is exposed to intense insolation while the inside is shaded or the inner space is cooled by air conditioning or a cooling apparatus, then different longitudinal elongations occur in the two walls of a slat. In this example, this may result in a considerable flexure of the door leaf towards the outside. The problem is exacerbated with increasing temperature differences and greater widths of the door leaf. At greater door widths of 6 m or more, for example, the deflection of such a thermally isolated segment out of the plane of the door leaf proper may amount to as much as 100 mm at the center.
Such spiral doors, or generally lifting doors having a door leaf guided free of contact in the area of the door lintel, are prone to this problem in a particular degree, for at its end face the door leaf is not attached to a winding shaft which is capable of opposing flexure. The situation is different with conventional rolling doors as addressed at the outset. In those cases the topmost segment is connected to the winding shaft, thus preventing a flexure in this location, and the entire door leaf is moreover additionally stabilized by the winding shaft. This is equally true if a deflecting roller is additionally provided in the area of the door lintel, as was proposed, e.g., by DE 10 2004 063 924 A1, for the deflecting roller will then have a stabilizing effect on the door leaf being in contact with it.
In order to be able to securely avoid a collision between the door leaf, which may bulge under certain circumstances, and the door lintel even in the case of lifting doors having a door leaf guided free of contact in the area of the door lintel, the door leaf accordingly must be arranged at a corresponding distance form the door lintel. This does, however, render reliable sealing between door leaf and door lintel even more difficult.
In practice, sealing lips attached in the area of the door lintel are for example used for this purpose, which sealing lips contact the outside of the door leaf by their free ends. As the distance between the door leaf and the door lintel is not constant across the entire width of the door leaf due to the mentioned bulge of the door leaf, this type of sealing presents the problem that the seal should be formed in such a way as to produce a reliable sealing effect irrespective of the actually spanned distance. On the one hand, the sealing lips must therefore at any rate be soft enough to sealingly contact the door leaf across the entire width of the door, irrespective of the distance to be sealed between door leaf and door lintel, while on the other hand having to have a sufficient strength so as to contact the door leaf at a sufficient elastic pressure, to thus avoid the formation of a gap. In practice, this is achieved only in a very unsatisfactory degree, so that a reliable sealing effect can not be obtained with this type of sealing in the area of the door lintel.
In an equally known sealing system including a modification, it is provided to dispose the sealing lips on the outside of the door leaf in the area of the topmost segment or section. This variant also had only limited success in practice, for here the sealing lips will bulge jointly with the door leaf and correspondingly present inhomogeneous contact with the door lintel or furnish varying contact pressure across the width of the door. The sealing effect is therefore also limited in this system. Sealing lips of this type may accordingly only be utilized to advantage where a deformation of the element to be sealed—in the present case the door leaf—does not occur or only occurs in a slight degree. In addition, providing the sealing lips on the outside of the topmost segment or section results in a widening of the door leaf in this area, so that it is hardly possible to wind it on a winding shaft free of contact. But even in the case of a door leaf that is wound free of contact such as, e.g., according to EP 1 251 236 A2, such sealing lips have an interfering effect, for the single coil layers must then be guided at a correspondingly great spacing from each other. This would necessitate undesirably large dimensioning of the spiral section which is hardly sensible in the lintel area in practice.
An alternative sealing system provides so-called brush seals. A door leaf bulging across the door's width, however, involves substantially the same problems in regard of a limited sealing effect as in the case of sealing lips. The bristles will either not be in sufficiently pressurized contact owing to an excessively large distance, or the very bristles are exposed to a risk of being damaged at a small distance and a high contact pressure. Such brush seals are likewise disposed either at the door lintel or at the topmost segment or section; with regard to their usability in particular with spiral doors exhibiting high operating frequencies as in the field of industrial field of use, they give rise to the same problems as sealing lip systems.
German laid-open publications DE 103 39 506 A1, DE 103 48 543 A1, DE 10 2004 014 350 A1, and DE 10 2004 063 924 A1 furthermore each disclose a lifting door which has a door leaf comprised of horizontally extending segments that are connected to each other with tensile strength and in a radially articulated manner, with the topmost segment being fixedly connected to a winding shaft arranged in the area of the door lintel. When this lifting door is opened, the door leaf is wound directly onto the winding shaft. In order to avoid scratching of the wound segments, a sealing band of a wear-resistant and noise-attenuating material is moreover wound jointly so as to come to lie between the single layers of the segmented armor in the coil. In this lifting door assembly, a lintel seal is furthermore provided which is mounted rotatably at the door lintel and is closed by a catch, or drive member, when the segmented armor is closed. As the door leaf is here fixedly connected to the winding shaft, the lintel seal finally is in contact at the outer surface, i.e., at a major surface of the door leaf.
More detailed information on the type and structure of this lintel seal is not found in these documents, while the problem of bulging of the door leaf across the width of the door is equally not addressed. Thus, this known lifting door also exhibits the problem that reliable sealing in the lintel area across the entire door width can not be ensured when the door leaf happens to bulge. In particular, this prior art does not furnish any suggestion how this sealing problem might be solved particularly in the case of a lifting door having a door leaf which is wound free of contact when the lifting door is in the open position, which is of particular interest for the present invention.

Vertical-lift door assembly and lintel sealing unit therefor

EFALEX Tor-und Sicherheitssysteme GmbH & Co. KG


A method for removing etch residue material in which the removing process is simple, and the metal is prevented from being corroded or damaged. The method for removing etch residue materials and photoresist after carrying out a dry etching includes the steps of preparing a dry chemical by using one or more gas compounds, and removing the etch residue materials by raising the dry chemical above a critical point, wherein the dry chemical comprises carbon dioxide gas and one or more gases selected from a group consisting of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), DMFA (dimethyl formamide), and THF (phentydrone).

Dry etches are frequently used during semiconductor manufacturing processes. When a dry etch is to be carried out, the etching method and the method for removing the etch residue material have to be properly selected in accordance with the object to be etched. A conventional dry etching method is constituted as follows.
First, in the case where the object to be etched is a metal, the etch residue material is converted into a volatile material after etching, so that the etch residue material can be removed in the form of a gas.
That is, the etch residue material, which is formed by reaction between the etched material and the etch chemistry, is removed via a gaseous state. The etch chemistry is selected in such a manner that the etch residue material should have an increased volatility at the etching temperature, whereby the etch residue material becomes a compound which can be removed in a gaseous state.
For example, in the case where Al is to be etched by using F.sub.2 gas, a reaction occurs may be illustrated as follows.
Al+3F.fwdarw.AlF.sub.3. PA1 Al+3/2Cl.sub.2 .fwdarw.AlCl.sub.3 (.uparw.) PA1 SiO.sub.2 +CF.sub.4 .fwdarw.SiF.sub.4 +CO.sub.2 (.uparw.) PA1 Residue materials containing C and F+O.sub.2 plasma.fwdarw.COF, CO, CO.sub.2. PA1 Residue material/lower layer Si+HBr/Cl.sub.2 plasma.fwdarw.residue material/(SiBr.sub.4, SiCl.sub.4). PA1 Polymer+O.sub.3 /H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 .fwdarw.CO.sub.2 PA1 Polymer+H.sub.2 O.sub.2 /H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 .fwdarw.CO.sub.2 PA1 Residue materials/lower layer SiO.sub.2 .fwdarw.residue materials/Si.sub.2 F.sub.6 H.sub.2 PA1 Residue materials/lower layer SiO.sub.2 +BOE.fwdarw.residue materials/Si.sub.2 F.sub.6 H.sub.2
However, AlF.sub.3 is not volatile at a normal temperature, but becomes volatile at a temperature of over 200.degree. C. Therefore it is not used.
If chlorine Cl.sub.2 gas is used as the etching chemistry, there is formed AlCl.sub.3, which is highly volatile at a normal temperature, and therefore, this material is widely used. The reaction may be illustrated as follows.
Therefore, when Al is etched, a chemistry of Cl.sub.2 gas typically is used. If this method is used, however, an etch residue material is formed simultaneously with the formation of AlCl.sub.3. Accordingly, there is required an additional process for removing the etch residue material. Due to the properties of the metal, an acid cannot be used for removing the etch residue material, and it has been difficult to remove the residue material.
Further, in the case where the etched material is silicon oxide, the used chemistry typically is CF.sub.4 or CHF.sub.3, and with this chemistry, a dry etching is carried out. In this case, an example reaction may occur as illustrated as follows:
Based on the above illustrative reaction, SiF.sub.4 is formed, but other materials including etch residue materials such as CF, CF.sub.2 and CF.sub.3 also tend to form, and, therefore, a process for removing etch residue material also has to be carried out.
As for methods of removing etch residue materials formed after an etching process, there are dry chemical methods and wet chemical methods.
A dry chemical method is that in which a dry chemical of a plasma state is used to remove the etch residue materials including C and F. With such a method, the etch residue materials and the dry chemical of a plasma state directly react to form a highly volatile material, thereby removing the etch residue materials. Alternatively, a lift-off method in which the silicon of a lower layer under the residue material is etched, thereby removing the etch residue material utilizing a lift-off phenomenon.
The reaction in such cases may be illustrated as follows.
In the wet chemical method for removing the etch residue materials, a U cleaning+a D cleaning may be applied, in which a sulfuric acid chemical, a developer (containing amine as the main ingredient) and hydrogen peroxide are used, thereby removing polymers of a large molecular size. In the case where the lower layer consists of an oxide film, HF or a BOE (buffered oxide etchant) may be used. The U cleaning may use a solution in which NH.sub.4 OH, H.sub.2 O.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O are mixed at a ratio of 1:2:10, or 1:1:5, while the D cleaning may use a solution in which HCl, H.sub.2 O.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O are mixed at a ratio of 1:1:5. In both the U cleaning and the D cleaning, a cleaning is carried out, for example, at 10 minutes at a temperature of 80.degree. C. The reactions for removing residue materials by using a wet chemical method may be illustrated as follows.
In conventional methods as described above, if a polymer of a large molecular size is to be removed, there typically is required a composite process consisting of an oxygen plasma+U cleaning+D cleaning, or O.sub.3 /H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 +U cleaning+D cleaning.
Further in the case where a polymer is disposed upon a metal, if the general acid or the U cleaning is applied, the metal is corroded, and, therefore, basically developers have been used. However, defects due to the metal corrosion tend to remain as before.

Method for removing etch residue material


A paper cutting device comprising a fixed blade, a movable blade, a movable blade drive mechanism for moving the movable blade, wherein the movable blade and the fixed blade are disposed in substantially perpendicular positions.

1. Field of Technology
The present invention relates to a paper cutting device for cutting printed recording paper, and to a printer in which this paper cutting device is incorporated.
2. Description of Related Art
Printers that print to a long tape of recording paper wound into a roll on a core (that is, roll paper) commonly have a paper cutting device disposed near the paper exit for cutting the paper to a certain length after the paper is printed. One type of such paper cutting device is a scissors-like device comprising a fixed blade and a movable blade. Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. H8-309689 teaches a scissor-type paper cutting device, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. H9-254474 teaches a printer comprising a scissor-type paper cutting device.
The paper cutting device of the printer taught in Japanese Unexamined Patent Appl. Pub. H9-254474 has the fixed blade mounted on an operable cover that opens and closes the storage compartment where the roll paper is held, and disposes the movable blade on the printer chassis side. When the operable cover opens, the fixed blade separates from the movable blade and thus opens the paper path from the roll paper compartment past the printing position and paper cutting position to the paper exit. As a result, the roll paper can be easily replaced. When the operable cover then closes, the movable blade and fixed blade are positioned so that the paper can be cut.
In a scissor-type paper cutting device the fixed blade and movable blade are disposed in opposing positions either vertically or longitudinally (in the front-to-back direction) to the printer, and are supported so that the cutting edges touch at a point. The movable blade is driven to pivot from the side of the paper at which cutting starts, and the paper is cut at the position of the paper between the blades by gradually moving the point of contact between the two blades from the paper edge where cutting starts (the side where the movable blade pivots) to the edge where cutting ends (the distal end of the blade).


A method is described for locating content addressable memory (CAM) bit cells on a column within a main memory array and within the guard ring surrounding the main memory array.

Semiconductor memory manufacturers use spare memory cells to repair defective memory cells and improve wafer yield. Spare memory cells are commonly called redundant memory cells. Thus, redundancy refers to schemes utilizing spare memory cells. Content addressable memories (CAMs) are a popular means of implementing redundancy. A CAM stores the address of an electrically defective memory element. The defective memory element is replaced with a redundant memory element when the CAM is activated.
Placement of CAMs on a die relative to a memory array varies. In one prior UV erasable electrically programmable read only memories (EPROMs) the CAMs are located to the side of the memory array. The CAMs may then be addressed by memory array row selects, thereby decreasing circuitry associated with CAMs. To prevent the CAMs from being erased along with the memory array, the CAMS are sealed to prevent UV light from reaching and erasing them. As a result, CAMs in UV EEPROMs are quite large. This is a disadvantage as large CAMs increase die size and decrease wafer yield.
In one prior electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) CAMs are placed below the main memory array in separate mini-arrays. Due to their location the CAMs cannot be driven by main array wordline selects. The additional circuitry required to drive the CAMs increases die size.
The guard rings surrounding each CAM mini-array also increase the die size of the prior EEPROM. Guard rings surround the CAM mini-arrays to prevent electrons injected into the mini-arrays from straying into other circuits. Guard rings also attract certain impurities into the guard ring structure and away from the arrays which guard rings surround. Guard rings increase die size in disproportion to their actual size because lay-out design rules dictate that circuitry must be spaced apart from guard rings.

Physical placement of content addressable memories


A femoral compression device includes a pressure applying device for compressive bearing at a puncture site at a femoral artery of a patient and for applying pressure on the puncture site, a belt adapted to be fixed around the patient's body, and a base plate provided with first and second extensions, with the end of the first extension being closer to the pressure applying device than the end of the second extension and being provided with a fastener in the ends thereof for fastening of an end of the belt. The compression device also includes a support plate, which is attached to the second extension and which is adapted to bear against the patient's body, thereby compensating for the imbalance, which originates from the different extents of the two extensions, that otherwise would be present.

The present invention relates generally to a femoral compression device comprising a pressurizing (or pressure applying) means that presses against the femoral artery, and in particular to a femoral compression device comprising two extensions with different lengths and an extra support that in use compensates for the imbalance of the device.
The present invention is an improvement of the femoral compression device disclosed in the patents U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,811 and EP 0 462 088, which are assigned to the present assignee and which claim priority from SE 9002077 and SE 9003271. All four of these documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. A femoral compression device according to these publications comprises basically a pressurizing means for compressive bearing against a puncture site at a femoral artery of a patient, a belt adapted to be fixed around the patient's body, and a base plate supporting the pressurizing means and being provided with two extensions. In use, the pressurizing means, which in one embodiment has the form of an inflatable semi-spherical air cushion, is positioned over the femoral artery, and the belt, which extends from the end of the first extension, around the patient's body and to the end of the second extension, is tightened.