A concentric, offset, or obliquely formed spun converter assembly includes an outer shell defining an internal cavity that receives a catalyst substrate. Inner cones are positioned within the internal cavity at each end of the outer shell. Each inner cone has a tapered body portion and a transversely extending shoulder portion that abuts an outer edge of the outer shell. The shoulder portions mechanically lock the inner cones to the outer shell.

A converter assembly includes an outer shell defining an internal cavity that receives a catalyst substrate. Inner cones are installed within the internal cavity at each end of the outer shell. In some configurations, the inner cones are spaced apart from the outer shell forming an air gap for insulation. In other configurations, an insulating mat is compressed between each of the inner cones and the outer shell to provide insulation.
Traditionally, in either configuration, the inner cones float within the internal cavity, i.e. the inner cones are not attached to the outer shell. Using the insulating mat restricts movement of the inner cones but does not prevent relative movement between the inner cones and outer shell. This floating relationship can generate undesirable acoustic effects, compromise insulation characteristics, or can damage the catalyst substrate. One solution has been to spot weld the inner cones to the outer shell, but this increases cost and assembly time.
Another disadvantage with current inner cone design concerns connecting elements that are attached to the converter assembly. The converter assembly includes connecting flange members and/or pipe connections that are welded onto each end of the outer shell to allow the converter assembly to be connected to other exhaust system components. In order to attach the connecting flange members to the outer shell, a welding operation is performed on an inside diameter of the connecting flange member and at an inside diameter of the inner cone. When attaching pipe connections to the outer shell, a welding operation is performed on an outside diameter of the pipe connection. These welding operations are difficult, time consuming, and expensive. Further, welding on the inside diameter on connecting flange members can generate splatter that can erode the catalyst substrate.
Thus, there is a need for an inner cone design that can be attached to an outer shell of a converter assembly without requiring cost prohibitive welding operations. The inner cone design should also provide for easier attachment of connecting members to the outer shell as well as overcoming the other above-mentioned deficiencies with the prior art.


A random access monochromator is disclosed. This device has no mechanical parts and eliminates the need to scan sequentially the wavelengths of light contained in a light spectrum to select a desired wavelength or wavelengths from the spectrum. The device has high speed switching means, permits one to select multiple wavelengths and bandwidths at the same time, and has the ability to correct for non-linearity in prisms caused by their nonlinear or second order dispersion of light.

A monochromator is a device that splits a broad band of light into individual bands of various wavelengths and individually displays a band or bands of a desired wavelength or wavelengths. A diffraction or transmission grating is customarily used to split the original light band. A grating is similar in function to a modern-day prism. In the past, prisms were used in monochromators to perform the function now performed by gratings.
In present-day monochromators, the grating splits light when the grating is mechanically rotated by a motor, or by hand, past a slit. Thus, the split wavelengths are scanned in the order in which they are found in a light spectrum. Grating type monochromators were developed to solve problems associated with the nonlinear or second order dispersion of light commonly exhibited by prisms.
This invention enables one to vary bandwidths of light. This, in turn, will correct for the aforementioned deficiency in prisms, and thus permits prisms to be used again as dispersive elements in the novel random access monochromators described herein.


A device for filtering a carrier frequency of a PWM waveform. The device includes a low-pass filter for converting the PWM waveform into an analog signal. The device further includes a sampling analog-to-digital converter receiving the analog signal from the low-pass filter and the device also includes a controller for causing the non-integrating analog to digital converter to sample the PWM waveform at the pulse frequency rate thereby rejecting the carrier frequency. As already stated the PWM waveform includes a pulse which has a leading edge, a top portion, and a trailing edge. In one embodiment, the controller causes the A/D converter to sample during the top of the pulse. Preferably, the controller causes the A/D converter to sample at substantially the center of the pulse.

The present invention relates to pulse width modulation and more specifically to filtering pulse width modulated waveforms.
In many cases it is not feasible to impose a DC or low-frequency waveform directly on a given system. Instead a pulse width modulated (PWM) waveform may be produced and then averaged using a low-pass filter.
It is known in the prior art to use a PWM waveform for producing a high-frequency waveform of a desired average. The analog representation can be recovered by demodulating/filtering the waveform. However, as the bandwidth content of the average waveform approaches the carrier frequency, the requirements of the recovery filter become stricter. The filter must reject the carrier frequency while passing through the desired signal. One means to design such a filter is to create a high order low pass linear time invariant filter. One drawback of such a design is phase lag. The higher the order of the filter, the more accurate the filter is, but the greater the phase lag that is introduced which is undesirable in a feedback control system.
Another approach to retrieving the analog version of the PWM waveform is to integrate the PWM waveform over one PWM period and to calculate the average value over one cycle. An embodiment of such a circuit is shown in FIG. 1 as taken from U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,114. Such a circuit requires an integrator, amplifier, and a calibration scheme to account for component tolerance. Thus, there is a need for a simpler system and method for obtaining the analog representation of a PWM waveform, when frequency content of this analog representation is significant when compared to the PWM frequency.


An image sensor and a method of fabricating the image sensor, the image sensor including a semiconductor substrate having a first floating diffusion region, a molding pattern over the first floating diffusion region and including an opening, a first photoelectric conversion part at a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a first transfer transistor connecting the first photoelectric conversion part to the first floating diffusion region. The first transfer transistor includes a channel pattern in the opening and a first transfer gate electrode. The channel pattern includes an oxide semiconductor. The channel pattern also includes a sidewall portion that covers a side surface of the opening, and a center portion that extends from the sidewall portion to a region over the first transfer gate electrode.

The present inventive concepts relate to image sensors and methods of fabricating image sensors.
Image sensors are semiconductor devices configured to convert optical images into electrical signals. Image sensors may be generally classified into two types: charge coupled device (CCD) type and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) type. In general, a CMOS-type image sensor may be referred to as a "CIS". A CIS includes a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged pixels, each of which includes a photodiode (PD) that converts incident light into an electrical signal.

Image sensor including transfer transistor having channel pattern on interlayered insulating layer over substrate and method of fabricating an image sensor


A voltage down converter with hysteresis generator combining a hysteresis signal to a reference voltage and an output voltage feedback signal applied to a comparator. The hysteresis generator is coupled to a control signal giving advance notice of when a high current load is to be activated. The hysteresis signal is switched to a first state prior to the high current load activation, and switched to a second state after the high current load activation. In the first state, the hysteresis voltage is added to a reference voltage. In the second state, the hysteresis voltage is added to the voltage output feedback signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to integrated circuits and, more particularly, to integrated circuits having voltage regulator circuits generating an internal power supply voltage from an external power supply voltage.
2. Relevant Background
Integrated circuits (ICs) comprise thousands or millions of individual devices interconnected to provide desired functionality. Significant effort is expended to improve processing techniques so as to reduce the size of each individual device in order to provide greater functionality on a given IC chip at reduced cost. In general, smaller geometry devices operate faster while dissipating less power than do larger geometry devices. As device geometries are reduced the breakdown voltages of the devices and the isolation that separates the devices decreases also.
Electronic systems usually comprise ICs manufactured with a variety of technologies. This has created a need for multiple power supply voltages to be supplied to a single printed circuit board to support the various types of devices on that board. For example, devices are available that require a power supply voltages ranging from 5.0 volts to 2.5 volts. A practical solution to this disparity is to provide voltage down converter circuitry that decreases the higher voltage (e.g., 5.0 V in the above example) to the lower voltage required internally by the small geometry device (e.g., 3.3 V or 2.5 V). Hence, it is necessary to regulate the available external power supply voltage to provide voltages consistent with that required internally by each of the small geometry ICs.
To limit undesirable volt age droop on the internal voltage supply node during high current loads, a large capacitor is coupled between the internal voltage supply nod e and ground. In practice, however, filter capacitors consume a great deal of area without adding functionality. Cost and circuit size considerations dictate limiting the filter capacitor to more modest sizes. Hence, it is desirable to minimize voltage ripple in ways that do not require large filter capacitors.
A conventional voltage down converter (also called regulators and DC/DC converters) is designed to generate a lower voltage than the available supply voltage In a linear regulator, a transistor is coupled in series between the external voltage supply node and the internal voltage supply node. The conductivity of the transistor is modulated to drop the excess voltage across the transistor. Linear regulators have many desirable characteristics such as simplicity, low output ripple, high quality line and load regulation, and fast recovery time. However, linear regulators are inefficient resulting in wasted power and excess heat generation.
Pulse width modulation (PWM) regulators are becoming more common because of their higher efficiency. A PWM down converter compares the voltage on the internal voltage supply node to a reference voltage to generate a PWM signal that is on (i.e., a logic high) when the internal supply voltage is too low, and off (i.e., a logic low) when the internal supply voltage is too high. The PWM signal controls the transistor coupled in series between the external voltage node and the internal voltage supply node. The series transistor operates primarily in either the on or off state where power losses are smallest (as compared to the linear region where power loss is greater).
The comparator used in conventional PWM regulators to compare the reference voltage to the internal supply voltage has a time delay before its outputs react to a change in the internal supply voltage. This delay is manifested as drooping and overshoot in the internal supply voltage, particularly under high current loads. In a memory device, for example, thousands of sense amplifiers are activated simultaneously creating periodic high current loads. This is complicated in light of a trend towards smaller transistors in the voltage down converter as well as smaller filter capacitors. Moreover, as more memory cells are placed on a single integrated circuit the interconnect lines become smaller, more resistive, and greater in number all of which lead to greater demand on the circuitry generating the internal supply voltage.
A technique used to minimize voltage droop in external (i.e., off-chip) down converters employs a hysteretic comparator to compare the converter output voltage to a reference voltage. However, it is difficult to generate accurate hysteresis using off-chip components that do not have direct access to the internal voltage supply levels that must be regulated. Although this limitation can be overcome by bringing the internal supply voltage out to a pin of the IC, this solution degrades the system's noise performance as well as raises the cost to manufacture the device. Moreover, the load capacitance created by the pins is significant making the design more complex in addition to degrading the overall performance device. A need exists for a voltage down converter that can be implemented on-chip with improved resistance to droop and overshoot in high load applications.

Voltage down converter with switched hysteresis


A spinal fixation device comprises an intervertebral body wedge which is inserted between vertebral bodies by sequentially expanding the inter-discal space using a spacer. With this sequential expansion, no posterior fixation devices are needed for stabilization of the spinal diseased vertebrae.

This invention relates to an apparatus for spinal column fixation. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this invention relates to a mechanical device used to obtain a rigid posterior spinal column fixation in order to obtain a rigid posterior spinal column bony fusion for disabling back and leg pain.
In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a posterior fixation device which is attached to the involved vertebral bodies. The attachment is made by pedicle screws penetrating into the vertebral body with rigid attachment to ball-and-socket clamps and rods.
The invention also may include a pair of intervertebral metallic or radiolucent wedges inserted into the disc space of the involved vertebrae to increase the stability of the spinal column anteriorly and to avoid breakage of the pedicle screw. Additionally, the application also discloses a method of placing the fixation and wedge device in a posterior lateral approach.
Posterior spinal fusions have been performed on millions of people since at least the early 1900's. The principle of bony fusion has been and still is stabilization or prevention of motion between two adjacent vertebral bodies.
The most recent attempt to stop motion of the spinal column in order to obtain spinal fusion is internal fixation. One design consist of a series of hooks, rods, screws and wires attached to the lamina or spinous processes to correct deformity or to stabilize the spine.
Another design utilizes screws inserted posteriorly through the pedicle into the vertebral body connecting to plates, rods and clamps to stabilize the two adjacent segments.
The prior art pedicle screw devices have different functions. One function includes the correction of the degenerative curve of the lumbar spine between L3 and S1 or traumatic deformities. These devices have the internal purpose of this device is correction of a deformity through two vertebra such as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,892 to Martin H. Krag, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,029 to Max Aebi and Robert Mathys, Jr.
Another function includes rigidly fixing the spinal column using a combination of intra-vertebral screws, plates, rods and clamps. In general, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,615,681, 4,648,388, 4,655,199 to Steffie; U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,326, to Burton; U.S. Pat. No. 4,950,269 to Gaines; U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,481 to Howland; U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,134 to Luque; U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,196 to Parke and Weinstein; U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,458 to Harms; U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,220 to Howland; U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,595 to Heinig; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,982 to Harms.
Another function includes flexible or semi-rigid fixation shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,134 to Luque; and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,260 to Buttem.
The present invention utilizes the rigid posterior fixation device which is attached to the involved vertebral bodies through pedicle screws connected with a series of operably associated ball-and-socket clamps and rods. One such device using a ball connector is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,458 to Harms. However, the prior art devices include several disadvantages. For instance, many devices were susceptible to breakage, and once breakage occurs, the devices are very difficult to retrieve. Also, the mechanism of clamps and rods is very complicated and difficult for the surgeon to install.
Furthermore, in both the rigid and flexible type of devices, the pedicle screw developed excessive motion and toggle. This in turn would cause the plate to become loose thereby allowing the plate to slide back and forth causing irritation, lack of fixation, and thus failure of fusion.
The rigid devices without inter-body fusion or rigid spacer will result in breakage in the screw because of mechanical factors. The greatest portion of the weight of the individual is taken through the vertebral body and disc. The center of motion of the vertebral segments is located in the posterior aspect of the disc. In the lower lumbar spine the greatest amount of motion is flexion and extension of the trunk, therefore, the intervertebral segment motion is mainly to the anterior frontal or posterior backward movement. Rigid posterior fixation is at a mechanical disadvantage because the forces of weight and motion are anterior to the rigid posterior fixation device. With repetitive motion the device either breaks or becomes loosened. With loosening or breakage, the motion will increase leading to more pain and failure.
Sciatica is pain which shoots down the posterior lateral aspect of the leg. Sciatica is caused by impingement or encroachment on the neural elements in the lumbar spine. Recent studies indicate that intervertebral body fusion is the most effective relief of sciatica. This is because the intervertebral disc is the mechanical center of motion between the intervertebral bodies; and the majority of the body weight of the individual is taken through the vertebral bodies.
Prior art devices are designed and placed in the intervertebral disc comprise several concepts. One is to replace the disc which has been removed with an artificial disc material which can function and behave biomechanically similar to the normal intervertebral disc when inserted in the space.
A second includes maintaining the disc height with no attempt at inter-body fusion. A spacer is placed in after removal of the intervertebral disc.
A third involves maintaining height and obtaining a fusion with a fenestrated spacer that will contain a bone graft. The fenestrated spacer is placed in directly posteriorly under the neural elements.
This invention solves these problem by combining the wedge insert anteriorly and the rigid posterior fixation device allowing the patient to obtain a solid, rigid fixation. The purpose of the wedge is to obtain anterior stabilization, restoration of intervertebral disc height, normal physiological lumbar lordosis, and intervertebral body bony fusion in the human spinal column. The posterior device stabilizes the mechanical dynamics associated with posterior forces, and the wedge compensates the forces associated with the anterior forces.


A method for letting a temporary radio base station (RBS, 140) gain and maintain control of the traffic of a targeted RBS (120) in a system (100), where RBS's transmit an identity signal and a list of candidate frequencies for use by user terminals when switching RBS. The temporary RBS (140) is positioned in or adjacent to the targeted RBS (120), and transmits on a frequency in the candidate list of the targeted RBS (120). The transmissions are at such a power level that the traffic of the targeted RBS (120) is transferred to the temporary RBS (140). The temporary RBS transmits the identity signal the RBS whose frequency the temporary RBS transmits on, and transmits a list of candidate frequencies such that user terminals whose traffic has been transferred to the temporary RBS cannot find signals with sufficient strength on any of the candidate frequencies.

Many situations can be envisioned in which it is desirable for government bodies such as law enforcement agencies to prevent the use of cellular telephones within a certain geographical area. For example, during a situation of civil unrest such as riots, it may be desirable for the police or other similar government bodies to prevent the function of cellular telephones within a certain section of a city.
Other cases where it may also be desirable to prevent the function of cellular networks in a defined geographical area might be, for example, before a police raid on a building. Another example of a problem area which could be addressed by area-selective prevention of cellular telephony is cellular telephones which have been smuggled into prisons, which is beginning to constitute a major problem.
Traditionally, the prevention of cellular telephony within an area has been approached much in the same manner as traditional electronic warfare. This means that traditional solutions have been used which are mainly aimed at transmitting a jamming signal, usually noise, on the relevant frequencies, so as to "drown" the information in noise, and to thus create a signal-to-noise ratio which prevents the user terminals in the targeted area from detecting the "payload" signal.
A problem with the technique described above, i.e. so called "brute force" jamming, is that this is a method which consumes a great deal of energy, thus making the equipment heavy and not very portable. In addition, since noise signals are transmitted with a relatively high output power at well known frequencies, it can be quite easy for a skilled user to detect that the system is being tampered with.
Document FR 2 858 742 describes a procedure and a device for tampering with cellular communications which addresses some of the problems described above. However, the device appears to need a great deal of processor power, since it relies on a rather complex algorithm, and tries to identify certain signals on a more or less constant basis.

Method and a device for gaining and maintaining control of the traffic from a radio base station in a cellular telephony system


Curable compositions, such as oxazine-based ones, are useful in applications within the aerospace industry, such as for example as a thermosetting resin composition for use as a matrix resin in processes, such as resin transfer molding, vacuum assisted transfer molding, resin film infusion, prepregging and towpregging, where the composites or laminates so prepared have superior surface finish and high fiber consolidation.

1. Field
Curable compositions, such as oxazine-based ones, are useful in applications within the aerospace industry, such as for example as a thermosetting resin composition for use as a matrix resin in processes, such as resin transfer molding, vacuum assisted transfer molding, resin film infusion, prepregging and towpregging, where the composites or laminates so prepared have superior surface finish and high fiber consolidation.
2. Brief Description of Related Technology
Epoxy resins with various hardeners have been used extensively in the aerospace industry, both as adhesives and as matrix resins for use in prepreg assembly with a variety of substrates.
Blends of epoxy resins with other resins are known. See e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,091 (Schreiber), U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,484 (Schreiber), U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,452 (Schreiber), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,911 (Schreiber). These blends appear to be potentially useful in the electronics industry as the epoxy resins can reduce the melt viscosity of oxazines allowing for the use of higher filler loading while maintaining a processable viscosity. However, epoxy resins oftentimes undesirably increase the temperature at which oxazines polymerize.
Ternary blends of epoxy resins are also known. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,207,786 (Ishida), and S. Rimdusit and H. Ishida, "Development of new class of electronic packaging materials based on ternary system of benzoxazine, epoxy, and phenolic resin," Polymer, 41, 7941-49 (2000).
Resin transfer molding ("RTM") is a process by which a resin—conventionally and predominately, epoxy-based resin systems and maleimide-based systems—is pumped at low viscosities and under pressure into a closed mold die set containing a preform of dry fabric. The resin infuses into the preform to make a fiber-reinforced composite article. The RTM process can be used to produce at low cost composite parts that are complex in shape. These parts typically require continuous fiber reinforcement along with inside mold line and outside mold line controlled surfaces.
Fiber-reinforced composite articles may be manufactured from vacuum assisted resin transfer molding ("VaRTM"), like RTM but with an applied vacuum. VaRTM typically employs an open mold and places the system under a vacuum to assist the resin infusion process.
Resin film infusion ("RFI"), like RTM, infuses a resin into a preform placed in a mold. Here, however, the resin is in the form of a film, which is placed in the mold together with the preform. U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,535 speaks to RFI molds and processes, and is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
The matrix resin used in the RTM and VaRTM advanced possesses a low injection viscosity to allow complete wetting and infusion of the preform.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0007692 refers to resin transfer molding, vacuum assisted resin transfer molding and resin film infusion processes, using a heat curable composition having a benzoxazine component.
Notwithstanding the state of the technology, there is a need for new resin systems for advanced processes, particularly a resin system with improved performance properties.

Curable compositions, processes for using such compositions to prepare composites and processes for preparing composites having superior surface finish and high fiber consolidation


Vibration or acoustic sound control is achieved using an elastic layer of thermal or insulation material in which a plurality of discrete masses are distributed throughout. The elastic layer may be installed as a pre-formed layer, or be blown into position within a structure where vibration or acoustic sound control is required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a vibration absorber and, more particularly, to an active/passive distributed vibration absorber for controlling vibration and sound radiation.
2. Background Description
Active and passive noise reduction control techniques are widely known and commonly used to reduce and/or control vibrations and accompanying sound radiation in vibrating bodies, such as aircraft and the like. In many instances active noise reduction techniques adequately reduce vibrations and noise, but at the cost of expensive and complex control systems. Similarly, passive noise reduction techniques also have been known to reduce vibrations and noise, but these passive systems are typically bulky and heavy and are not effective over low vibration frequencies.
Basically, active vibration control systems use a sensor which detects vibration or noise from a vibrating body. The sensor converts the vibration or noise into a signal and then inverts and amplifies the signal. The inverted signal is then fed back to an actuator (or loudspeaker) which provides the inverted signal to the vibrating body thus reducing the vibration or noise. Active control systems are typically effective at lower frequencies such as below 1,000 Hz.
In order to properly take advantage of active control systems, the selection of proper sensors and actuators are critical to the functionality of the active control systems. That is, if an improper sensor or actuator is chosen, the active control system will not properly invert and amplify the signal, and will thus not adequately reduce the vibration and noise of the vibrating body. It is also critical to the functioning of the active vibration control system to properly position the sensor and the actuator on the vibrating body with respect to one another, as well as with respect to the vibrations associated with the vibrating structure. For example, if the sensor and the actuator are not positioned properly, the inverted signal may not be properly amplified in order to cancel the vibration on the vibrating body. Also, it is very important to have a correct feedback circuit with is capable of inverting the signal since such a circuit determines the effectiveness of the vibration control and its frequency range.
In contrast to active control systems, passive damping systems usually are much less complex and costly. However, such damping systems are bulky and are generally only effective at higher frequencies of greater than 500 Hz. It is at these greater frequencies that the dimensions of the passive damping systems are comparable with the wavelength of the vibration of the vibrating body.
It is also common in the practice of vibration control systems to combine active and passive vibration systems. However, such hybrid active/passive dynamic vibration control systems provide improved attenuation over that achieved by the passive system at the expense of the energy added to the system via the control force.
Point tuned vibration absorbers are another method of damping the vibration of a vibrating body. However, a point absorber only controls one frequency at one point and is thus limited in its function to control vibrations over a large area of the vibrating body.

Active/passive distributed absorber for vibration and sound radiation control

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


An FFC connector according to the present invention includes a FFC (1) and an insulator (3). The FFC defines upper and lower surfaces (10) and (11) opposite to each other, a number of gold fingers (101) formed with the upper surface and exposed outside to contact with a complementary connector, and a reinforcement plate (4) held on the lower surface and supporting the gold fingers during mating with the complementary connector. The insulator abuts against the upper surface of the FFC and has a receiving room (310) for receiving the FFC.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a FFC connector, and more particularly, to a FFC connector which has an enhanced structure to enhance hardness of FFC.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, an FFC connector includes a housing with a plurality of terminals assembled therein. The housing further defines an elongate slot for receiving an inserted FFC cable. Each terminal includes a spring arms extending into the elongate slot such that conductors of the inserted FFC cable abut against to those spring arms thereby making electrical connection therebetween. When the FFC is inserted, it needs first to deflect those spring arms as they are interfering the course of insertion of the FFC. As a matter of fact, those spring arms create a great deal of normal force, which needs an equivalent or even stronger insertion force to balance it.
In order to provide an easy insertion of the FFC cable, an actuator is introduced to a FFC connector to facilitate electrical connections between conductors of the cable and terminals within the connector after the FFC is freely inserted, and then the actuator is actuated to make the connections. In this arrangement, the terminals within the FFC connector will not block the insertion path of the FFC cable during insertion of the FFC cable, i.e. zero insertion force. When the FFC cable is fully inserted, the actuator is then actuated such that the conductors of the inserted FFC contact with the terminals of the FFC connector. However, not only will this increase the height of the FFC connector, but will also complicate the assembling process.
Taiwanese Patent 1259619 discloses another type of FFC connector. The connector comprises a FFC and an insulator. The FFC has upper and below surfaces, and the upper surface has a plurality of gold fingers. The insulator is mounted on the below surface of the FFC, and makes the FFC rigid enough to be inserted into a complementary connector and directly contact with the terminals of the complementary connector.


A bath deposition solution for the chemical bath deposition of a metal sulfide layer, a process for the production of such a bath deposition solution, and a process for producing a metal sulfide layer on a substrate using such a bath deposition solution are provided. The bath deposition solution contains a metal salt, an organosulfide, a chelating agent which with metal ions of the metal salt forms a chelate complex and ammonium hydroxide.

The invention relates to a bath deposition solution for the chemical bath deposition of a metal sulfide layer, to a process for the production of such a bath deposition solution and to a process for producing a metal sulfide layer on a substrate using such a bath deposition solution. The invention is particularly suitable for the chemical bath deposition (CBD) of a zinc sulfide layer (known as CBD zinc sulfide layer) as buffer layer on an absorber layer in the manufacture of photovoltaic thin film components. For the present purposes, such CBD zinc sulfide layers are layers which can contain not only zinc and sulfur but also, due to the method of production, oxygen in a proportion dependent on the preparation conditions, and the layers are then also referred to formally as Zn(S,O) layers or ZnSi1-xOx layers where 0≦x<1 or Zn(S,O,OH) layers or ZnS(O,OH) layers, in the technical literature.
Especially for said ZnS buffer layer deposition in solar cell applications, various procedures have already been proposed. Thus, for example, it is known from the laid-open publications WO 2006/018013 A1 and DE 10 2006 039 331 A1 that a bath deposition solution prepared in a specific way from zinc sulfate, thiourea and ammonia dissolved in distilled water can be used for this purpose, where the temperature of the deposition solution is maintained at from 70° C. to 90° C. during the deposition process or is ramped up to such a temperature value. On the basis of experience, production of a ZnS buffer layer having a layer thickness in the order of 25 nm as is typically required requires a deposition time of at least about 15 minutes when using this deposition process.
ZnS buffer layers have recently been found to be very useful as an alternative to cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layers. Here, ZnS buffer layers are known to be less problematical than CdS buffer layers from an environmental point of view and transparent buffer layers can be produced therefrom. Compared to CdS, ZnS has a higher band gap and absorbs very little in the wavelength range from 300 nm to 500 nm. As a result, more light reaches the photovoltaically active absorber layer, which leads to a higher current density and a potentially higher efficiency. Furthermore, there has recently been increasing demand for the commercial manufacture of large-area photovoltaic modules, e.g. of the CIS or CIGS type. There is therefore great interest in a rapid and inexpensive process by means of which ZnS buffer layers can be deposited in the required layer quality over a large area of an appropriate substrate, i.e. a corresponding solar cell absorber layer. CBD zinc sulfide layers are of particular interest for this purpose, especially also when they contain oxygen as a result of the method of manufacture, as indicated above. The conduction band offset relative to the adjacent CIS absorber layer material can in this way be reduced from about 1.6 eV to about 1.0 eV or less. Depending on the oxygen content and any hydrogen or hydroxide content, the CBD zinc sulfide layers can be binary compounds composed of the elements Zn and S, ternary compounds composed of the elements Zn, O and S or the constituents Zn, S and OH, quaternary compounds composed of the constituents Zn, S, O and OH or the constituents Zn, S, O and H or oxygen- and/or hydrogen-doped ZnS layers, with continuous transitions between these types of compound naturally also being possible depending on the proportion or doping concentration of the constituent concerned.
The journal article R. Sahraei et al., Compositional, structural, and optical study of non-crystalline ZnS thin films prepared by a new chemical bath deposition route, J. of Alloys and Compounds 466 (2008), page 488, discloses a ZnS buffer layer deposition process in which a weakly acidic solution having a pH of about 5 and containing zinc chloride (ZnCl2), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) thioacetamide (TAA) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to adjust the pH is used as bath deposition solution. Deposition is carried out for up to about 6 hours at a temperature of about 70° C. in order to achieve a layer thickness of about 80 nm, with this deposition process being repeated if required in order to achieve greater layer thicknesses.
The journal article A. Goudarzi et al., Ammonia-free chemical bath deposition of nanocrystalline ZnS thin film buffer layer for solar cells, Thin Solid Films, 516 (2008), page 4953, discloses a ZnS buffer layer deposition process in which an ammonia-free, weakly acidic bath deposition solution having a pH of about 6.0 and containing zinc acetate, TAA, NaOH for adjusting the pH and a sodium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (Na2EDTA) dissolved in distilled water is used. Layer thicknesses of from about 20 nm to 140 nm are achieved for the ZnS layer deposited in deposition times of from about 30 minutes to seven hours using this bath deposition solution.
In the journal article S. Nagalingam et al., The Effect of EDTA on the Deposition of ZnS Thin Film, Z. Phys. Chem. 222 (2008), page 1703, electrodeposition of a ZnS buffer layer in a distinctly acidic deposition solution having a pH of not more than 4 and preferably about 1.26, where the deposition solution contains ZnCl2, Na2S2O3, NaEDTA and hydrochloric acid (HCl) to adjust the pH dissolved in distilled water, is proposed as an alternative to electroless chemical bath deposition.
Laid-open publication US 2007/0020400 A1 discloses a process for the continuous deposition of thin layers, for example ZnS and CdS layers, using a micromixer and a microchannel applicator. In this micromixer, two preferably liquid reactants are mixed in order to provide the deposition material desired for the deposition, for example a solution of cadmium chloride, ammonium chloride and ammonium hydroxide as first reactant and aqueous urea as second reactant for the deposition of a CdS layer. The deposition Material provided, e.g. in the form of appropriate CdS particles for the deposition of a CdS layer, is then directed in the form of a jet onto the surface to be coated by means of the microchannel applicator.
The technical problem addressed by the invention is to provide a bath deposition solution, an accompanying process for producing the solution and also a metal sulfide layer production process using this, which allows the electroless, chemical bath deposition of a metal sulfide layer of good quality, as is required, for example, for ZnS buffer layers in solar cell applications, with a short deposition time and which are also suitable, in particular, for large-area deposition as is required, for example, for ZnS buffer layers in the manufacture of large-area photovoltaic modules.
The invention solves this problem by providing a bath deposition solution for the chemical bath deposition of a metal sulfide layer, wherein it contains: a metal salt, an organosulfide, a chelating agent which with metal ions of the metal salt forms a chelate complex and ammonium hydroxide. The invention further solves this problem by providing a bath deposition solution production process for producing a bath deposition solution for chemical bath deposition of a metal sulfide layer, wherein a metal salt, an organosulfide, a chelating agent which with metal ions of the metal salt forms a chelate complex and ammonium hydroxide are mixed in distilled water. The invention still further solves this problem by providing a metal sulfide layer production process for producing a metal sulfide layer on a substrate, which comprises the following steps: provision of the inventive bath deposition solution, and chemical bath deposition of the metal sulfide layer on the substrate by bringing the substrate into contact with the bath deposition solution.
The bath deposition solution for the chemical bath deposition of a metal sulfide layer characteristically comprises a salt of the metal required for the metal sulfide layer and also an organosulfide as sulfur source for the metal sulfide layer, a chelating agent which forms a chelated complex with metal ions of the metal salt and ammonium hydroxide. One or more further constituents can optionally be present in a low concentration.
It has been found that the presence of the organosulfide as supplier of sulfur and also both the chelating agent and ammonium hydroxide makes it possible to achieve very advantageous, fast deposition of a metal sulfide layer of good quality even on relatively large areas, for which the interaction of the chelating agent, which due to its strong shielding effect makes it difficult for the metal ions to access the sulfur ions liberated from the organosulfide, and the ammonium hydroxide is considered to be responsible, with the ammonium hydroxide not only acting as agent to adjust the pH but also functioning as weak metal ion shielding component. The inventors have found that this composition of the bath deposition solution enables, for example, ZnS buffer layers having a thickness of about 25 nm and a good layer quality to be deposited in a deposition time of less than about 10 minutes, in particular only about 4 minutes.
While a Zn salt is used as metal salt for the deposition of ZnS layers such as said buffer layers for solar cell applications, it is possible, according to the invention, for other metal sulfide layers, e.g. of In or combinations of the metals Zn and In, to be chemically bath deposited in the same way using corresponding metal salts.
In an advantageous embodiment, thioacetamide (TAA) is used as organosulfide. It has been found that it is in this way possible to achieve more rapid liberation of sulfur, for example compared to thiourea, which can be explained by a higher hydrolysis sensitivity of TAA. An excessively rapid metal sulfide formation reaction associated with undesirable colloidal deposits of the metal sulfide or poor covering/morphology characteristics is prevented by controlled slowing of the attachment of sulfur to the metal ion due to the shielding effect of the chelating agent and of the ammonium hydroxide or ammonia.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) or iminodiacetic acid (IDA) or an appropriate salt of these acids, e.g. a sodium salt, ammonium salt etc. is used as chelating agent. It has been found that the use of such a chelating agent in combination with a suitable organosulfide, e.g. TAA, makes it possible to achieve good matching of the rate of liberation of sulfur by the organosulfide and the attachment of sulfur to the metal ion which has been slowed by the chelating agent in such a way that the metal sulfide layer can be deposited with comparatively very good quality and a high deposition rate of, for example, about 6 nm/min.
In an embodiment of the invention, the metal salt is present in a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 50 mM and/or the organosulfide is present in a concentration of from about 1 mM to about 150 mM and/or the chelating agent is present in a concentration of from about 0.01 M to about 1.0 M and/or the ammonium hydroxide is present in a concentration of from about 0.01 M to about 3.0 M in the bath deposition solution. These concentration ranges have been found to be particularly useful for achieving metal sulfide layers of good quality at a satisfactorily high deposition rate combined with a comparatively low usage of materials.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a pH in the basic range through to the neutral range is set for the bath deposition solution. It has been found that this enables advantageous chemical bath deposition of the metal sulfide layer to be achieved.
The bath deposition solution of the invention can, according to the invention, be produced easily by simple mixing of the participating constituents in distilled water.
When the bath deposition solution of the invention is used, it is possible, as mentioned, for metal sulfide layers to be chemically bath deposited on a substrate with comparatively good layer quality and a high deposition rate. Thus, for example, a ZnS buffer layer can be deposited on a photovoltaic absorber layer substrate by means of this process of the invention, with the layer quality required for such a buffer layer and a layer thickness of about 25 nm being able to be achieved at very short deposition times of not more than about 10 minutes and preferably not more than about 4 minutes or less.
In an embodiment of this metal sulfide layer production process according to the invention, the bath solution is maintained at a temperature of from about 40° C. to about 90° C. during the deposition process.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the contacting of the substrate with the bath deposition solution is effected by dipping the substrate into the bath deposition solution or equivalent contacting of the area of the substrate surface to be coated with the bath deposition solution by means of an appropriate wetting or spraying technique.

Bath deposition solution for the wet-chemical deposition of a metal sulfide layer and related production method


A license plate recognition apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect a plurality of quadrangles of license plate region candidates from input images, a character recognition unit configured to execute character recognition of a character region included in the license plate region candidate detected, and an output unit configured to select a license plate region candidate to be output from among the plurality of license plate candidates detected by the detection unit based on the character recognition result and information of the quadrangle of the respective license plate region candidates and output information relating to the license plate region candidates selected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus configured to read a license plate automatically from an image, a method and a program therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a fixed camera provided at a position above a road photographs a vehicle in order to read a license plate of the vehicle for the purposes of traffic control. For example, it is possible to read a license number of the vehicle passing through the plurality of road points and obtain a travel time and/or an average speed between road points by searching for an identical license number from a list of read results at the respective road points. In addition, this method can be used for an automated toll collecting system for a toll road.
When a license plate is read using such a fixed camera, since the license plate is photographed from the same angle, to a certain degree with a similar background, the license plate can be detected with relatively high accuracy.
In addition, it is discussed to photograph a plurality of images and to recognize the license plate that seem to belong to a same vehicle. When the plurality of images is identical with each other, the result is regarded as a final recognition result so that a recognition rate is improved (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-288795).
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-073514 discusses a technique for detecting a license plate region candidate by detecting a straight line of a frame of the license plate from an image using Hough transform and recognizing characters by performing a keystone correction.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-215293 discusses a technique for obtaining a vertical edge image by differentiating in the horizontal direction and detecting a position of a license plate from the edge image.
However, it is not easy to detect the license plate from an image photographed by an unfixed camera such as a commercially available digital camera because a photographing condition (e.g., photographing angle, luminance, background) thereof is variable. In addition, miscellaneous images may be included in the images photographed by the unfixed camera in addition to the license plate. For instance, if an object similar to a license plate is included in a photographed image, it becomes difficult to determine whether the object is the license plate.
For instance, when trying to detect a license plate region by detecting a frame of the license plate, a region having a rectangular frame such as a headlight part or a front grill of a vehicle may be incorrectly detected as the license plate region. In addition, when characters are recognized while detecting character blocks, for instance, commercial message characters written on a body of commercial vehicles may be incorrectly recognized as license plate characters. In cases where characters on signboards of shops in the background are photographed in an image, character strings of these signboards may be incorrectly detected as the character strings of the license plate.
In addition, when a user photographs a vehicle using a digital camera or the like, the same vehicle is not always photographed several times. Further, there is a possibility that the license plate is photographed from various angles.

License plate recognition apparatus, license plate recognition method, and computer-readable storage medium


A set of drinking cups is provided with individual identifying indicia, which serve to distinguish one cup of the set from another, and a matching set of labels with corresponding indicia, which are used to help cup users to find their own cups.

This invention relates to apparatus of individualized drinking cups to distinguish the cup of one user from that of another with the help of a unique indicia on a cup and a separate label with a matching indicia. This is particularly useful for two classes of users. One class consists of children who can't read. The other consists of elderly persons who tend to be forgetful.
Disposable drinking cups are extremely popular for the convenience they offer in situations in which large number of people are served. As is well known, disposable cups are offered by manufacturers in plastic or paper, and may be had in plain, unadorned form, in colors, or with decorative designs. Cups are typically purchased in bulk, and in the usual case, all of the cups in a given package are similar, if not identical, in appearance. This leads to situations in which the drinks of individual users, when put down momentarily, cannot be distinguished from one another. Consequently, an individual often cannot identify his own drink and is faced with the choice of drinking from a cup which may have been used by another, or abandoning what may indeed be his own drink.
Where confusion occurs of one drink for another, the results are unsanitary, and potentially injurious to health. On the other hand, when one unnecessarily abandons a cup because it cannot be positively identified, the result is wasteful, and uneconomical. Such waste is also ecologically injurious when the cups are made from non biodegradable materials such as plastic.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,877, to Kosisky, it was proposed to provide a circular tray having circumferentially spaced openings, marked with the names of individual users. Cups, also bearing the names of individual users, are associated with the openings. Such an arrangement permits the identification of cups and drinks, but in order for the disclosed technique to work, the cups must be returned to the tray. It has a further disadvantage of a need for prior identification of all individual users. Still another disadvantage is that the number of users it can accommodate is limited to the number of openings in the tray.
A drinking cup apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,979, to Nemeroff, overcame many of the limitations of the Kosisky patent. There, it was proposed to provide a stack of cups, each bearing a unique indicia which differentiates that cup from the others thereby eliminating the need for prior identification. It further solved the problem of confusion as between drinks of large number of people at an event.
However, there is a deficiency in such an apparatus in that a user may well forget which identifying indicia was placed on his cup. It is the object of the present invention to provide for a separate set of labels bearing identifying indicia with the indicia on each label corresponding to a matching indicia on each cup. Thus, even if a user forgets the indicia on his cup, he can easily remind himself of it by looking at the matching indicia on the label. The labels will usually have adhesive backings but need not have for this apparatus to work. Accordingly, a label without an adhesive backing can be placed in his pocket, or with such backing, placed on his hand, clothing, or on other suitable locations.
Another object of the invention is to provide a teaching tool for children learning numbers, letters or symbols, or for persons with learning disabilities. This can be accomplished, for example, by having a child place a label on his hand and asking him to match the indicia on the label to a cup with a corresponding indicia.


A battery housing comprising a main body portion, a socket in the main body portion shaped to receive a battery, contacts disposed at one end of the socket adapted to connect with correspondingly disposed electrodes on the battery, and a lid adapted to open and close over the socket, the lid including means for urging the battery electrodes into close connection with the contacts.

Housings are well known in the field of fire and smoke alarms, burglar alarms etc., for housing electronic circuitry including batteries for providing operating power to such circuitry. For example, one well known ceiling mounted smoke detector incorporates resilient battery clips forming part of a printed circuit board for receiving a nine volt transistor-type battery. The printed circuit board is secured to the ceiling and a plastic enclosure is provided for connection to the printed circuit board forming a protective and decorative cover. In order to install or replace a battery using this prior art arrangement, the user first removes the plastic cover, and then must pry the spent battery loose from the resilient clips. The replacement battery is then installed and the plastic cover replaced thereover.
It has been found that this battery installation or replacement procedure for prior arrangements can often be extremely awkward, and can potentially lead to accidental falls from step ladders, etc. Specifically, since the installation procedure requires the user to simultaneously hold the removed plastic cover and one of either the spent or charged battery while manipulating the other battery relative to the resilient fingers, abundant opportunities are provided for accidental falls. These opportunities are further enhanced in circumstances where the fire alarm has been accidentally activated due to unintentionally generated smoke within the house (e.g. burnt toast, etc.), in which case the user often finds himself or herself frantically attempting to remove the battery from the unit in the midst of a sonic barrage in the form of high volume and high pitch alarm signals.
As an alternative, the user may execute the de-installation or replacement of batteries in multiple steps (e.g. ascending and descending the step ladder three times in succession for removing the plastic cover, replacing or removing the battery, and finally replacing the plastic battery cover). However, human nature being what it is, many user's are apt to forego the cautious and more time consuming procedure in favour of the first discussed quicker and more dangerous installation procedure.


A digital camera comprises a solid state imaging device provided with an optical low-pass filter. A photographing optical system forms an object image on a light receiving surface of a CCD through the optical low-pass filter. An electronic-charge accumulation-time control program is stored in a ROM of a system control circuit to determine optimum exposure parameters according to which a photography is performed. The electronic-charge accumulation-time control program has a program diagram showing a relationship between an electronic-charge accumulation-time and an aperture value and/or an ISO speed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera which is provided with a solid state imaging device, and more particularly to a digital camera in which an electronic-charge accumulation-time control program for obtaining a proper exposure is installed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a 35 mm film camera (i.e., a Leica-size film camera) in which a shutter speed program is installed in order to obtain a proper exposure. When designing the shutter speed program, it is necessary to set a camera-shake limit shutter speed, i.e., a minimum shutter speed value to counteract the effects of a camera-shake. The camera-shake limit shutter speed is determined as follows.
First, in a 35 mm film camera, a permissible unsharpness, occurring because of being out-of-focus, is the diameter of the minimum circle of confusion (=60 μm) , in accordance with the JIS standard relating to the depth of field. On the other hand, a permissible image blur, occurring because of a camera-shake, is not regulated, and is usually set at the same level as the diameter of the minimum circle of confusion (=60 μm). Based on experience, if the shutter speed (sec) is less than a reciprocal value of the focal length (mm) of the photographing optical system, the image blur is roughly within a permissible range.
In a digital camera, the parameter corresponding to the shutter speed of a 35 mm film camera is the electronic-charge accumulation-time of the solid state imaging device, such as a CCD; and the camera-shake limit shutter speed is defined as a camera-shake limit electronic-charge accumulation-time. Therefore, when designing an electronic-charge accumulation-time control program for a digital camera, setting a camera-shake limit electronic-charge accumulation-time is required. Conventionally, the setting of the camera-shake limit electronic-charge accumulation-time is carried out in accordance with a conventional way in which a camera-shake limit shutter speed to counteract camera-shake in a 35 mm film camera is set.
That is, in the case of a 35 mm film, the size of the exposure area of one frame image is 36 mm×24 mm, and in a CCD of a digital camera, the size of the light-receiving surface is significantly smaller than that of the Leica-size silver halide film. When a predetermined focal length is set for the photographing optical system of the digital camera, the angle of view of the object image formed on the light receiving surface is determined by the focal length. Therefore, for setting the camera-shake limit electronic-charge accumulation-time in accordance with the conventional way for the 35 mm film camera, when the light receiving surface of the CCD is enlarged to 36 mm×24 mm, it is necessary to obtain a focal length for forming an object image with the same angle of view as that for the enlarged surface. Such a focal length is called a film-converted focal length.
Thus, the film-converted focal length is defined as follows.fc=f×(a/b)wherein fc is the film-converted focal length, f is an actual focal length of the photographing optical system of the digital camera, a is a length of a diagonal line of the exposure area (36 mm×24 mm) of one frame of 35 mm film, and b is a length of a diagonal line of the light receiving surface of the CCD.
That is, conventionally, when designing an electronic-charge accumulation-time control program, the camera-shake limit electronic-charge accumulation-time is set to a reciprocal number (1/fc) of the film-converted focal length fc defined as described above.
Solid state imaging devices such as a CCD used for a digital camera have a lot of kinds of pixel pitch. Generally, the smaller the pixel pitch, the higher the resolution of the photographed image, and the greater the pixel pitch, the lower the resolution of the photographed image. The minimum circle of confusion of a silver halide film camera is a parameter determined without regard to the photographing lens or a resolution of the film, and the photographing lens or the resolution of film is higher than the diameter of the minimum circle of confusion by one figure. Therefore, it is unreasonable to apply equally the diameter of the minimum circle of confusion (=60 μm) to digital cameras having CCDs with various kinds of pixel pitch to set a camera-shake limit electronic-charge accumulation-time. Generally, since the resolution of a digital camera is lower than the resolution of film in a silver halide camera and the diameter of the minimum circle of confusion (=60 μm), a camera-shake limit electronic-charge accumulation-time set based on the minimum circle of confusion is shorter than needed. This means that a degree of freedom in design for the electronic-charge accumulation-time of a digital camera is restricted.


In one aspect of the invention, a method for forming an integrated circuit having an at least substantially doped porous dielectric includes forming a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes at least a portion of a semiconductor substrate. The method also includes forming a dielectric layer disposed outwardly from the semiconductor substrate and surrounding at least a portion of the semiconductor device. The dielectric layer includes an at least substantially porous dielectric material doped with at least one dopant. In addition, the method includes forming a contact layer disposed outwardly from the dielectric layer and operable to provide electrical connection to the semiconductor device.

Integrated circuits typically contain a large number of semiconductor devices. Manufacturers of the integrated circuits often wish to decrease the size of the integrated circuits, which allows more circuitry to be placed within the same physical area of a circuit. To help decrease the size of the integrated circuits, the manufacturers may place the semiconductor devices closer together in the integrated circuits. One problem is that capacitance between the semiconductor devices typically increases as the space between the semiconductor devices decreases. The increased capacitance between the semiconductor devices can interfere with the operation of the semiconductor devices and with the operation of the integrated circuits.
One approach to decreasing the capacitance between the semiconductor devices involves decreasing the thickness of the semiconductor devices. For example, the manufacturers may reduce the thickness of gates used in transistors. The capacitance between the semiconductor devices is typically proportional to the cross-sectional area of the semiconductor devices. Because thinner semiconductor devices have less cross-sectional area, the capacitance between the semiconductor devices typically decreases. A problem with this approach is that difficulty may be encountered in maintaining the operation of the semiconductor devices. As the semiconductor devices become thinner, the reduced size of the devices may interfere with the ability of the devices to conduct. Eventually, the reduced thickness of the semiconductor devices may prevent the devices from conducting, and the semiconductor devices in the integrated circuits can fail.
Another approach to decreasing the capacitance between the semiconductor devices involves lowering the dielectric constant (K) of the insulating material between the devices. For example, oxide may be used as an insulating material in an integrated circuit, and oxide typically has a dielectric constant of approximately four. The capacitance between the semiconductor devices is typically proportional to the dielectric constant of the insulating material. As a result, lowering the dielectric constant of the insulating material reduces the capacitance between the semiconductor devices. A problem with this approach is that, as manufacturers place the semiconductor devices closer together, the dielectric constant of the insulating material may still be high enough to allow the formation of an appreciable amount of capacitance in the integrated circuit. Also, the insulating material may suffer from contamination, such as by metal ions like sodium, that interferes with the operation of the integrated circuit.

Integrated circuit having a doped porous dielectric and method of manufacturing the same


There is provided printing equipment that enhances the overprinting position accuracy in overprinting and a printing method for the printing equipment. In the printing method, a paper meandering profile acquisition part acquires a meandering profile of paper from a result of detection by a paper deviation detection sensor. A paper speed profile acquisition part acquires a paper speed profile from a result of detection by a paper conveyance speed detection sensor. A paper feed error calculator calculates a paper feed error on the basis of the meandering profile and paper speed profile. A paper feed error corrector corrects the image formation timing on the basis of a result of calculation by the paper feed error calculator.

In the printing equipment field, an overprinting technique, a technique to make a print again on a surface on which a print has been once made, is known. In printing equipment with an overprinting function, in order to ensure the accuracy of an overprinting position (position where overprinting is to be done), instability in paper feed must be minimized For this reason, a technique to stabilize the paper feed rate of paper conveying rollers by suppressing the instability in rotation of the paper feed motor is employed.
However, contributory factors for instability in paper feed or paper feed errors include not only instability in the paper feed rate of paper conveying rollers (namely, paper conveyance speed) but also instability caused by fluctuations in travel path due to meandering in the width direction of the paper (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "paper meandering"). Therefore, it is difficult to suppress the instability in paper feed (namely stabilize the paper feed) merely by stabilizing the paper feed rate of paper conveying rollers.
As a technique related to paper meandering, a technique to detect the amount of paper meandering and correct the image position in the main scanning direction is known (for example, see Patent Literature 1). Patent Literature 1 describes that meandering which occurs during conveyance of continuous form paper is detected by a displacement detection sensor, the amount of shift of print data per line in the width direction is calculated on the basis of the result of detection by the displacement detection sensor, and image recording is performed while print data per line is being corrected.


A backlight unit that includes: an outer container; a curved fluorescent lamp that is contained in the outer container and includes two electrodes and a glass bulb that has (i) a folded portion and (ii) two straight portions that extend in parallel with each other from the folded portion, and the two electrodes being respectively attached to two ends of the glass bulb; and an inverter operable to supply power for lighting to the curved fluorescent lamp. The inverter is disposed outside the outer container, and the curved fluorescent lamp is arranged so that the electrodes are at low positions and the folded portion is at a high position in the outer container when the backlight unit is erected vertically in use.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight unit and a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) apparatus, especially to a backlight unit which is disposed at the back of a LCD panel to constitute a LCD apparatus, and to the LCD apparatus including the backlight unit.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as the LCD apparatuses have started to be employed in liquid crystal televisions or the like in full scale, the demand for the backlight units, which are mounted in the LCD apparatuses, has increased as well.
Backlight units are classified into two types: an edge-light type (also referred to as a side-light type or an optical waveguide type) in which an optical waveguide is disposed on the back surface of a LCD panel, and fluorescent lamps are arranged at the edges of the optical waveguide; and a direct-below type in which a plurality of fluorescent lamps are arranged on the back surface of a LCD panel to be in parallel with the back surface. In general, edge-light type backlight units are advantageous in achieving a thin body and even brightness on the light-emitting surface, but are disadvantageous in achieving high brightness, and the direct-below-type backlight units are advantageous in achieving high brightness, but are disadvantageous in achieving a thin body.
Accordingly, LCD apparatuses for liquid crystal televisions, which put weight on achieving high brightness, often adopt the direct-below-type backlight unit.
A direct-below-type backlight unit has a reflection plate, which is in a rectangular shape that corresponds to a horizontally wide screen of the liquid crystal television, and a translucent plate that includes an optical diffusion plate, the plates being arranged in parallel with each other. The direct-below-type backlight unit also has a plurality of fluorescent lamps that are arranged between the reflection plate and the translucent plate, and lets light, which is emitted from the fluorescent lamps, pass through the translucent plate toward the LCD panel. With such a construction, the LCD panel receives light at its back from the backlight unit. The four sides of the backlight unit between the reflection plate and the translucent plate, in which the fluorescent lamps are arranged, are closed by side plates or the like to prevent dusts or the like from entering into the backlight unit (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-214605).
In regards with the backlight unit having the above-described construction, many types of backlight units, which are different in the shape or layout of the fluorescent lamps, have been put into practical use. Such backlight units include: a backlight unit in which straight-tube fluorescent lamps are laid horizontally with regular intervals in the vertical direction (hereinafter, the backlight unit is referred to as a straight-tube transverse-mounted type); a backlight unit in which straight-tube fluorescent lamps are erected vertically with regular intervals in the horizontal direction (hereinafter, the backlight unit is referred to as a straight-tube vertical-mounted type—see the above-mentioned Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-214605); and a backlight unit in which fluorescent lamps curved into the shape of character "U" are laid horizontally with regular intervals in the vertical direction (hereinafter, the backlight unit is referred to as a curved-tube transverse-mounted type—see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 7-270786).
Meanwhile, as the liquid crystal television are becoming larger in size and higher in brightness, the number of fluorescent lamps per direct-below type backlight unit to be attached to a LCD panel for a liquid crystal television is increasing. As the number of fluorescent lamps increases, the temperature in the backlight unit increases. This causes the temperature distribution in the backlight unit to be more uneven. In general, the liquid crystal televisions with horizontally wide screens are erected vertically in use. As a result, the upper portion of the backlight unit has a higher temperature, and the lower portion has a lower temperature.
In the transverse-mounted type backlight units in the above-described cases, the brightness is higher at a fluorescent lamp arranged at a higher position, and is lower at a fluorescent lamp arranged at a lower position. This makes a difference in brightness between fluorescent lamps and causes uneven brightness in the overall backlight unit. In the case of the straight-tube vertical-mounted type, there is hardly a difference in brightness between the lamps, but the brightness is higher at higher portions and is lower at lower portions of each lamp. This causes uneven brightness in the overall backlight unit.

Backlight unit including curved fluorescent lamp, and liquid crystal display apparatus including the backlight unit

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An antenna apparatus includes a minute loop antenna and at least one antenna element. The minute loop antenna is provided to be electromagnetically close to a dielectric substrate including a grounding conductor, has a predetermined number N of turns and a predetermined minute length, operates as a magnetic ideal dipole when a predetermined metal plate is located closely to the antenna apparatus, and operates as a current antenna when the metal plate is located apart from the antenna apparatus. The antenna element is connected to the minute loop antenna, and operates as a current antenna. In the antenna apparatus, one end of the antenna apparatus is connected to a feeding point, and another end of the antenna apparatus is connected to the grounding conductor of the dielectric substrate.

Conventionally, a loop antenna is used in a portable radio communication apparatus, in particular, a mobile telephone. A configuration of the loop antenna is disclosed in, for example, a prior art document of "Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers of Japan (IECE) editor, "Antenna Engineering Handbook", pp. 59-63, Ohm-sha Ltd., First Edition, issued on Oct. 30, 1980". The total length of the loop antenna is normally about one wavelength, a structure of the loop antenna can be approximated to a structure, in which two half wavelength dipole antennas are aligned, based on its current distribution, and the loop antenna operates as a directional antenna having a directivity in a loop axis direction.
When the size of the loop antenna is reduced to have a total length of 0.1 wavelengths or less, a distribution of a current flowing in a loop conducting wire is substantially constant. The loop antenna in this state is referred to as a minute loop antenna. Since the present minute loop antenna is robuster over a noise electric field than a minute dipole antenna and its effective height can be easily calculated, the minute loop antenna is used as an antenna for use in magnetic field measurement.
The present minute loop antenna is widely employed as a small-sized one-turn antenna in the portable radio communication apparatus such as a pager or the like. Since an input resistance of the minute loop antenna is normally quite low, there have been developed a multi-turn minute loop antenna having a multi winding structure so as to remarkably stepwise increase the input resistance. It has been known that the minute loop antenna operates as a magnetic ideal dipole (or a magnetic current antenna) and exhibits a favorable antenna gain characteristic even when a metal plate, a human body or the like is located closely thereto.

Antenna apparatus utilizing minute loop antenna and radio communication apparatus using the same antenna apparatus


A cutting method of the invention cuts a flat wire covered with a film, using a pair of first blades, and a second blade that is arranged between the pair of first blades. This cutting method includes a step of forming tapered cuts in an upper surface of the flat wire, by the pair of first blades cutting part way into the flat wire in a thickness direction, from the upper surface of the flat wire, and a step of cutting the flat wire by the second blade, between the two cuts, so as to form a chamfer on both side surfaces next to the upper surface of the flat wire.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a cutting method of flat wire, and a cutting tool.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-060860 (JP 2014-060860 A) describes film stripping device that strips a film from film-covered flat wire. The film stripping device described in JP 2014-060860 A has a rotating shaft that is parallel to a length direction of the flat wire, and transports the flat wire in a direction orthogonal to the rotating shaft. Then, with the flat wire positioned in the length direction, a plurality of processing means for carrying out processing in the same direction processes an end portion of the flat wire.
In this way, with the technology described in JP 2014-060860 A, a plurality of processing means processes the end portion of the flat wire. More specifically, the plurality of processing means involves chamfering a conductor of the flat wire, and stripping the film off of each side surface of the flat wire. Therefore, the number of processes is large, so the entire process is complicated. Furthermore, when chamfering the conducting wire and stripping off the film, processing must be done with a different cutting tool at different stations. That is, a station is required for each processing process, so a large number of stations are required.
One example of a related cutting method will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a related cutting method. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the structure of a flat wire 20 in the processing processes. The flat wire 20 is a film-covered flat wire in which a film 22 is provided on an outer periphery of a conductor portion 21. Also, in FIG. 13, the Y direction is the length direction of the flat wire 20, the X direction is the width direction, and the Z direction is the thickness direction.
First, in order to mark a cutting location, the film 22 is stripped at a portion of the cutting location (S101). As a result, a portion of the conductor portion 21 is exposed such that the structure shown in A of FIG. 13 is obtained. Then the film 22 is vertically precut (S102). The film 22 on two opposing side surfaces of the flat wire 20 is precut, such that the structure shown in B of FIG. 13 is obtained. Here, the film 22 is precut along two precut lines P1 that are parallel to the X direction.
Next, the film 22 is laterally precut (S103). As a result, the film 22 on the two remaining surfaces of the flat wire 20 is precut such that the structure shown in C of FIG. 13 is obtained. Here, the film 22 is precut at precut lines P2 that are parallel to the Z direction. In the Y direction, the precut lines P2 are in the same positions as the precut lines P1. Next, when the precut film 22 is laterally stripped (S104), the structure shown in D of FIG. 13 is obtained. Here, the film 22 is stripped between the two precut lines P1, on two opposing side surfaces of the flat wire 20. As a result, the conductor portion 21 is exposed. Then, when the flat wire 20 is cut (S105), the structure shown in E of FIG. 13 is obtained.
Next, chamfering is performed on the cut portion of the flat wire 20. Therefore, a tip end portion of the cut portion of the flat wire 20 is vertically chamfered (S106). Here, chamfering is performed on one end of the cut surface. As a result, the structure shown in F of FIG. 13 is obtained. In F of FIG. 13, the shaded area is chamfered. Next, a tip end portion of the cut portion of the flat wire 20 is laterally chamfered (S107). Here, chamfering is performed on both ends of the cut surface. As a result, the structure shown in G of FIG. 13 is obtained. In G of FIG. 13, the shaded areas are chamfered.
Next, the film 22 is stripped from corner portions of the chamfered tapered surface (S108). Here, the film 22 at the location indicated by the arrow in H of FIG. 13 is stripped off. Similarly, the film 22 is stripped from a corner portion of the chamfered tapered surface (S109). Here, the film 22 at the location indicated by the arrow in I of FIG. 13 is stripped off. Then, the film 22 of the two opposing side surfaces of the flat wire 20 is vertically stripped (S110). As a result, the film 22 of the entire cut portion of the flat wire 20 is stripped, such that the conductor portion 21 is exposed, as shown in J of FIG. 13.
In this way, the flat wire 20 is cut via 10 processing processes. Therefore, 10 different stations are required. A reduction in the number of processing processes is desired to reduce the number of stations.
Moreover, when the conductor portion 21 is formed from a conducting wire assembly, each twisted wire is independent. Therefore, when the flat wire 20 without the film is cut by a cutting tool 51, as shown in FIG. 14A, the twisted wires of the conducting wire assembly may separate, as shown in FIG. 14B, from the cutting force of the cutting tool 51, or the end portion of the cut location may deform, as shown in FIG. 14C, from the cutting force of the cutting tool 51.

Cutting method of flat wire, and cutting tool


An improvement in fence systems adjacent cattle gates is provided. Specifically, the fence system provides a fence post having a bumper system such that in the event that a vehicle passing the fence system hits the upright, the risk of damage to the fence system is minimized. In one form of the invention, the uprights at the end of the fence system are provided with a resilient rubber bumper attached to the upright which is preferably fabricated from discarded or used tires.

Cattle gates as a system for preventing cattle from wandering outside of a specific enclosure while also allowing vehicles or people to pass through the gate are well known. In the past, cattle gates have taken many forms including standard hinge gates which are opened either manually or automatically when a vehicle or person passes through the gate or a grate system which provides a permanent opening in the fence but discourages cattle from passing through the opening.
A number of problems exist with both standard hinge gates and cattle grates which lead to either inconvenience to a vehicle operator or the risk of cattle escaping from the enclosure. For example a manual gate requires that a person physically opens the gate to allow the vehicle to pass through, and subsequently requires a person to close the gate after the vehicle has passed through the gate. In the event that a driver of a vehicle is the sole occupant in the vehicle, this requires that the driver exits and re-enters the vehicle two times for each gate that is passed through. Furthermore, a standard hinge gate requires a latching mechanism to keep the gate closed which if either through malfunction or improper use may result in the gate opening at an improper time which allows cattle to escape. In order to overcome the inconvenience of a manual gate automatic gates have been developed which detect the presence of a vehicle near the gate and which automatically open the gate and subsequently close the gate when the vehicle has passed through. However, due to the mechanical and/or electronic complexity of such automatic gates, climate or other factors, such gates may be inappropriate due to expense and/or reliability in many circumstances.
Accordingly, in the development of systems to keep cattle enclosed within a field, a common form of gate is to provide a cattle grate or "Texas gate" type system. A cattle grate is positioned over a ditch and within an opening of an existing fence system. The grate is provided with a series of horizontal members spaced apart sufficiently for an animal's leg to fall through but close enough that a vehicle can pass over. Thus, while a vehicle can pass easily and safely over such a grate, cattle do not attempt to go over the grate and through the opening as their feet would fall through the members into the ditch below. Accordingly, the cattle stay within the pasture. Furthermore, in view of the lack of a specific barrier which must be opened, closed and maintained, the cattle grate system provides convenience to a vehicle operator in that the vehicle driver does not need to physically get out of the vehicle in order to pass through the gate. In fact, a vehicle need only slow down upon approaching and passing through a cattle grate and it is not normally required that the vehicle actually stops.
The problem with cattle grates arise when a large vehicle may have to pass through the opening while subsequently making a turn near the opening. In such a circumstance, as the vehicle turns, it may brush against the uprights of the adjacent fence posts resulting in damage to the fence posts and creating a hole in the fence system which may enable cattle to escape.
Furthermore, in the winter time, it is often necessary that a snow plow needs to travel across a cattle grate to remove snow from around the fence system. However, existing fence systems often do not allow a wide snow plow with its blade to pass through the gate without causing damage to the uprights at the side of the grate.
Accordingly, there has been a need for an improved cattle grate and fence system which overcomes the problems outlined above. In particular, there has been a need for a fence post system and cattle grate wherein the upright fence posts adjacent the cattle grate are provided with a flexible surface or a bumper so that in the event that a vehicle hits the upright, the upright will not break but rather the impact will be absorbed by the flexible surface or bumper system. Still further, there has been a need for a secondary fence post system wherein a complete section of the fence adjacent the cattle grate can be readily and easily removed from the ground in the event that a particularly wide vehicle is passing through or around the cattle grate.
A search of the prior art has revealed a number of patents to various related systems but none which address the specific problems as outlined above. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,493 discloses an automatic signal and barrier device for a railway crossing which includes resilient and flexible poles; U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,785 discloses a marine bumper which includes a hangar assembly for a tire bumper; U.S. Pat. No. 79,141, U.S. Pat. No. 446,852 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,309,041 disclose hinge fence post systems or support posts including pins for securing the posts in an upright position; U.S. Pat. No. 1,356,302 discloses a railway gate having a hinge support which includes a shear pin device; U.S. Pat. No. 1,694,109, U.S. Pat. No. 1,982,569 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,156 disclose socket like reciprocals for receiving poles; and, U.S. Pat. No. 12,385 and U.S. Pat. No. 978,505 disclose fence posts having hollow chambers and caps for sealing the chambers. However, none of the above patents disclose a vertical fence post with a bumper system adapted for use in and around a cattle grate.


In one implementation, a method includes obtaining a data entry from a user of a device, and obtaining a first time entry related to a first time zone. The first time entry and the first time zone are selected by a user of the device and the device converts the first time entry to a second time in a second time zone associated with a user of the device. The device then stores the data entry with the second time in the device. The method and device can thus be used to schedule a meeting in a selected local time in selected time zone, which is then converted to a local time in a time zone associated with the device.

Portable computing devices (also referred to herein as handheld devices) such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), Pocket Personal Computers (PPCs), or the like are readily available in the market place. These devices have a substantially smaller form factor than other portable computer devices such as laptop computers and, accordingly, are becoming increasingly popular. Due to their small form factor, they frequently accompany a person during working hours to schedule meetings, read e-mail, and perform a host of other functions.
Notwithstanding, their small form factor, these handheld devices have relatively high processing capabilities and may interact with a variety of more powerful computers, running sophisticated software applications that access large databases. During such interactions, a handheld device typically synchronizes its local content or data with that of another database. Such synchronization operations may relate to newly scheduled meetings or activities, entered by an instructing person but to be performed by another designated person.
However, due to the global and decentralized nature of business, the person instructing or scheduling an activity, and the person designated to perform the activity, may be in different time zones. Thus, an activity scheduled at a particular local time in a handheld device located in one time zone, and subsequently communicated to another handheld device located in another time zone, would not be reflected in the local time of the person designated to perform the activity, but rather in the local time of the person designating the activity.

Method and device for processing a time-related data entry


The invention relates to thermally conductive greases that may contain carrier oil(s), dispersant(s), and thermally conductive particles, wherein the thermally conductive particles are a mixture of at least three distributions of thermally conductive particles, each of the at least three distributions of thermally conductive particles having an average (D50) particle size which differs from the other average particle sizes by at least a factor of 5

The invention relates to thermal interface materials and their use.
In the computer industry, there is a continual movement to higher computing power and speed. Microprocessors are being made with smaller and smaller feature sizes to increase calculation speeds. Consequently, power flux is increased and more heat is generated per unit area of the microprocessor. As the heat output of the microprocessors increases, heat or "thermal management" becomes more of a challenge.
One aspect of thermal management is known in the industry as a "thermal interface material" or "TIM" whereby such a material is placed between a heat source, such as a microprocessor, and a heat dissipation device to facilitate the heat transfer. Such TIMs may be in the form of a grease or a sheet-like material. These thermal interface materials also are used to eliminate any insulating air between the microprocessor and heat dissipation device.
TIMs typically are used to thermally connect a heat source to a heat spreader, that is, a thermally conductive plate larger than the heat source, in which case they are referred to as TIM Is. TIMs may also be employed between a heat spreader and a thermal dissipation device such as a cooling device or a finned heat sink in which case such TIMs are referred to as TIM IIs. TIMs may be present in one or both locations in a particular installation. SUMMARY
In one embodiment, the invention provides a thermally conductive grease that comprises 0 to about 49.5 weight percent of carrier oil, about 0.5 to about 25 weight percent of at least one dispersant, and at least about 50 weight percent of thermally conductive particles. The thermally conductive particles comprise a mixture of at least three distributions of thermally conductive particles, each of the at least three distributions of thermally conductive particles having an average (D50) particle size which differs from the other distributions by at least a factor of 5.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a method of making a thermally conductive grease of the invention that comprises the steps of providing carrier oil, dispersant, and thermally conductive particles, and then mixing the carrier oil (if present), dispersant, and thermally conductive particles together.
In one aspect, the carrier oil (if present) and dispersant are mixed together, and the thermally conductive particles are mixed sequentially, finest to largest average particle size into the carrier oil and dispersant mixture. In another aspect, the thermally conductive particles are mixed together, and then mixed into the carrier oil (if present) and dispersant mixture. In another aspect, a portion or all of the thermally conductive particles are pre-dispersed with a dispersant prior to mixing the thermally conductive particles into the carrier oil (if present) and dispersant mixture.
In another embodiment, the invention provides a microelectronic package comprising a substrate, at least one microelectronic heat source attached to the substrate, and a thermally conductive grease disclosed in this application on the at least one microelectronic heat source.
In one aspect, the invention provides the above microelectronic package further comprising a heat spreader and thermally conductive grease disclosed in this application between the microelectronic heat source and the heat spreader.
In another aspect, the invention provides a microelectronic package comprising a substrate, at least one microelectronic heat source attached to the substrate, a heat spreader, and a heat dissipation device attached to the heat spreader wherein a thermally conductive grease disclosed in this application is between the heat spreader and the heat dissipation device.
In another aspect, the invention provides a microelectronic package comprising a substrate, at least one microelectronic heat source attached to the substrate, a heat spreader, a thermally conductive grease disclosed in this application between the microelectronic heat source and the heat spreader and a heat dissipation device wherein thermally conductive grease is between the heat spreader and the heat dissipation device.