A conductive paste for a terminal electrode of a multilayer ceramic electronic part, comprising (A) a spherical conductive powder which comprises chiefly copper, and which has a vitreous thin film on at least a portion of the surfaces thereof, (B) a flaky conductive powder comprising chiefly copper, (C) a glass powder, and (D) an organic vehicle, and may further contain (E) an aliphatic amine. When baked to form terminal electrodes for multilayer ceramic electronic parts, this paste exhibits extremely superior binder removal characteristics at low temperatures, and furthermore, it is superior in terms of oxidation resistance, binder removal characteristics and firing characteristics with no need for strict control of the firing conditions, thereby dense terminal electrodes that are superior in terms of adhesion and conductivity can be formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a conductive paste for forming terminal electrodes of multilayer ceramic electronic parts such as multilayer ceramic capacitors, multilayer ceramic inductors, laminated type piezoelectric elements and the like. In particular, the present invention relates to a conductive copper paste suitable for forming terminal electrodes of multilayer ceramic electronic parts that have base metal internal electrodes made of nickel or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multilayer ceramic electronic parts, e. g., multilayer ceramic capacitors, are generally manufactured as follows. An internal electrode conductive paste is printed in a specified pattern on a dielectric ceramic green sheet such as a barium titanate ceramic or the like. Several individual sheets of this type are laminated, and are pressed together, thus producing an unfired laminate in which ceramic green sheet layers and internal electrode paste layers are alternately laminated. The laminate thus obtained is cut into chips of a specified shape, and these chips are then co-fired at a high temperature, thus producing multilayer ceramic capacitor bodies. Next, the end surfaces of each ceramic capacitor body on which the internal electrodes are exposed are coated by dipping or the like with a terminal electrode conductive paste consisting chiefly of a conductive powder, a glass powder and an organic vehicle; then, following drying, terminal electrodes are formed by firing at a high temperature. Subsequently, a plating layer of nickel, tin or the like is formed (if necessary) on top of the terminal electrodes by electroplating or the like.
Conventionally, noble metals such as palladium, silver-palladium, platinum and the like have been used as internal electrode materials. However, because of requirements in terms of resource conservation, cost reduction and prevention of delamination and cracking caused by oxidation expansion during the firing of palladium or silver-palladium, base metals such as nickel, cobalt, copper and the like now constitute the mainstream of such materials. Accordingly, copper, nickel, cobalt or alloys of these metals which allow the ready formation of good electrical connections with base metal internal electrodes are also used instead of silver or silver-palladium as terminal electrode materials.
In cases where base metals are thus used in internal electrodes and terminal electrodes, the firing of the terminal electrodes is ordinarily performed at a maximum temperature of 700 to 900° C. in a non-oxidizing atmosphere with an extremely low oxygen partial pressure, e. g., an inert gas atmosphere containing several ppm to several tens of ppm of oxygen.
However, in cases where (in particular) a terminal electrode conductive paste consisting chiefly of copper is fired in such an atmosphere containing little oxygen, organic components such as binder resins, solvents and the like used as vehicles tend not to be decomposed by oxidation; accordingly, the appropriate combustion, decomposition and removal (also called "binder removal") of the organic components is difficult to perform in an appropriate manner. Specifically, in the initial stage of firing which is performed at a relatively low temperature, unless binder removal is sufficiently performed prior to the occurrence of the fluidization of the glass and sintering of the copper powder, a carbon and carbonaceous organic residues such as vehicle decomposition products or the like will be enclosed in the film following the initiation of sintering. Such enclosed carbon and carbonaceous organic residues (hereafter referred to as "residual carbon" in some cases) leads to various problems in subsequent high-temperature stages, causing a loss of characteristics by the electronic parts, and lowering the reliability of such parts. For example, in the stage in which the copper powder is sintered at a high temperature, carbon remaining in the film impedes the fluidization of the glass and sintering of the copper, so that the fine dense texture of the electrode and adhesion to the ceramic body are impaired. Furthermore, such residual carbon captures oxygen from the dielectric ceramic, thus creating an oxygen deficiency so that the dielectric characteristics are caused to deteriorate, and so that the strength of the ceramic body is also caused to drop. As a result of such a drop in the strength of the ceramic body, cracking of the ceramic body caused by thermal shock (thermal cracking) occurs in the subsequent soldering process or the like. Furthermore, when the sealed-in residual carbon is converted into a gas at high temperatures, blisters (bubbles) are formed so that the texture of the sintered film is impaired. As a result, when a plating treatment is subsequently performed on the sintered film, the plating solution penetrates into the electrode film, causing a drop in the insulation resistance and cracking of the ceramic body; furthermore, the penetrating plating solution is heated during solder reflow and converted into a gas, thus leading to "solder sputtering", which cause the molten solder to scatter.
Accordingly, the question of how to efficiently achieve binder removal in the initial stage of firing, so that the residual carbon can be reduced prior to the sintering of the copper powder in a high-temperature region, has been an important problem in terminal electrode conductive pastes that consist chiefly of base metals (especially copper).
Conventionally, in order to solve this problem, methods using a resin with good thermal decomposition characteristics such as an acrylic resin or the like as the binder resin, or methods using a glass having characteristics which are such that the glass tends not to soften at low temperatures, but rather softens following the removal of the vehicle, so that the texture of the electrode is made finer, have been employed.
Furthermore, terminal electrode pastes using a fine spherical copper powder form excessively dense films when applied and dried; accordingly, it appears that the vehicle tends not to be driven off, and that carbon remains up to high temperatures. Accordingly, the use of a flaky copper powder instead of a spherical copper powder has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-180731A discloses a multilayer ceramic capacitor terminal electrode paste that contains a flaky copper powder, a spherical copper powder, a glass powder and an organic vehicle. Such a flaky copper powder creates appropriate spaces in the dried film of the paste; it appears that these spaces act as gas venting paths, so that binder removal can be smoothly performed in structural terms. Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-56717A, it is indicated that the binder removal characteristics can be improved without sacrificing the paste applying characteristics and fine texture of the film by setting the dry film density of the paste in a specified range.
Meanwhile, in order to perform binder removal efficiently, there are also methods in which the oxidative decomposition of organic material is accelerated by raising the oxygen concentration to several hundred ppm or higher in a temperature region of (for example) approximately 200 to 600° C. prior to the densification of the electrodes in the temperature elevation process at the time of firing, and then lowering the oxygen concentration and performing firing. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-330802A and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-338831A disclose methods in which a fine spherical copper powder is covered with an oxidation-resistant coating consisting of glass or the like, the binder removal process is performed in an atmosphere with a high oxygen partial pressure such as the atmosphere or the like, so that the vehicle is decomposed while preventing oxidation of the copper, and firing is then performed after lowering the oxygen partial pressure.
In recent years, there have been increasingly strict requirements for increased capacity, improved performance and improved reliability in multilayer ceramic electronic parts. Especially in the case of small-size large-capacity multilayer ceramic capacitors, the spacing between the internal electrodes is narrow, i. e., 1 to 2 μm, so that a defective capacitance tends to be generated unless the terminal electrodes are dense and finely textured. Accordingly, there is a need to perform binder removal more smoothly, and to form a denser and more finely textured final fired film that is free of oxidation. However, in cases where the terminal electrode conductive paste used is a copper conductive paste, reduction of the amount of residual carbon (excellent binder removal characteristics) and prevention of the oxidation of the copper are mutually conflicting objects which are such that one of these characteristics deteriorates if an attempt is made to improve the other, and if either of these characteristics is poor, a good electrode cannot be formed. In addition, the effect of residual carbon on the sintering of copper is also great, so that it is extremely difficult to satisfy the above-mentioned requirements regardless of the conventional method that is used.
For example, in the case of methods in which binder removal is performed as described above in an atmosphere with a high oxygen partial pressure after covering the surfaces of the copper powder with a glass coating, and firing is then performed after lowering the oxygen partial pressure, the anti-oxidation effect and binder removal characteristics in the low-temperature region are superior; however, atmosphere adjustment in the high-temperature region is difficult, so that it is difficult to perform firing without ultimately oxidizing the copper powder.
Conversely, however, in cases where binder removal is performed in a low-oxygen atmosphere with an oxygen partial pressure of several tens of ppm or less, the binder removal at low temperatures tends to be incomplete even if the film is formed with a structure that allows easy gas venting by using a flaky copper powder. This tendency is especially conspicuous in cases where the oxygen concentration in the firing atmosphere is a few ppm or less, or in cases where the number of chips simultaneously fired is large. Furthermore, in order to improve dispersion and prevent oxidation, flaky metal powders are ordinarily subjected to a surface treatment with fatty acid or its metal salt such as stearic acid or the like; however, according to research conducted by the present inventors, the presence of such substances contributes to blistering and deterioration of the ceramic body.
Furthermore, in the case of firing in such a low-oxygen atmosphere, it is extremely difficult to achieve strict control of the oxygen partial pressure to a value on the order of ppm, and to maintain the atmosphere at a fixed concentration. Specifically, when organic material contained in the paste decomposes, oxygen is captured from the atmosphere so that a reducing atmosphere is created, and metal oxidation-reduction occurs, so that the oxygen concentration shows a slight variation. Accordingly, the ease of binder removal and the degree of oxidation of the copper also vary according to slight differences in the ceramic body, the size of the chips, the quantity of chips fired at the same time, the organic composition in the paste, and the firing conditions such as the oxygen concentration, peak temperature, temperature profile and the like. Furthermore, since the amount of carbon that remains up to the high-temperature region in the firing process varies greatly according to the number of chips fired at the same time and the shape of these chips, it is especially difficult to obtain a stable local oxygen partial pressure in the vicinity of the bodies being fired. As a result, the characteristics fluctuate greatly so that there is considerable dispersion in the results.
However, according to electronic part standards and makers, there are currently differences in the types of ceramics and firing conditions used, so that there is a need for a paste with a wide process window which makes it possible to obtain terminal electrodes with superior characteristics in a stable manner under various firing conditions.

Conductive paste for terminal electrode of multilayer ceramic electronic part


A AUTO RECHARGEABLE FLASHLIGHT is provided with a base having a weight coupled to a bottom face thereof. At least one recess is formed in a top face of the base with such recess having a pair of contacts situated on an inner side wall thereof. Further provided is a power cord having a first end coupled to the periphery of the base and a second end having a vehicle cigarette lighter adapter designed to be releasably plugged within a vehicle cigarette lighter socket for receiving power therefrom. The first end of the cord is connected to the contacts for supplying power to appliances to be recharged.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to battery chargers and more particularly pertains to a new auto automotive rechargeable flashlight for recharging modular battery packs within a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of battery chargers is known in the prior art. More specifically, battery chargers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art battery chargers include U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,236; U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,929; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 349,096; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 349,096; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 336,281; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 278,703; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,703.
In these respects, the automotive rechargeable flashlight according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of recharging modular battery packs within a vehicle.


There is provided an air grille panel assembly for a vehicle. The assembly includes an air grille panel having air grille openings, a top end, and a bottom end. The top end is configured for coupling to a sidewall panel in a cabin of the vehicle. The bottom end is configured for coupling to a raceway assembly on a floor in the cabin. The assembly further includes a frame member disposed around a perimeter of each of the air grille openings, to define each of the air grille openings, an air grille coupled to the frame member and covering each of the air grille openings, and a cover member releasably attached to the air grille. The assembly is configured for coupling to the sidewall panel, via a float attachment, that allows for a vertical adjustment, to accommodate different installed positions of the assembly in the cabin of the vehicle.

Vehicles, such as aircraft, for example, commercial aircraft, have sidewall panels located in an interior of a passenger cabin. Such sidewall panels are designed to cover an aircraft frame and walls, as well as to cover aircraft insulation, ducting, and conductive elements, such as electrical runs, for example, wiring and cables, and systems transport elements, for example, air lines and water lines, which are located along the length of the passenger cabin. Such sidewall panels may include air grille panels having air grilles for controlling return air flow and rapid decompression air flow in the aircraft. These air grilles are typically located in the cabin sidewall near the floor between the lower edge of each sidewall panel and the top of the floor. Such air grilles further function as decorative screens and typically have backing baffles to minimize noise transmission into the passenger cabin.
Known sidewall panel assemblies with air grille panels and air grilles exist. However, such sidewall panel assemblies may include full length sidewall panels with the air grilles that tie frame attachments to a floor tolerancing, and may be difficult and time consuming to install in a vehicle, such as an aircraft. Moreover, such full length sidewall panels with the air grilles may be difficult to repair and replace after they have been installed, and may not be of a standard size for variable use. This may result in increased installation, repair, and replacement time and expense.
In addition, known sidewall panel assemblies with a separate air grille panel that attaches to a sidewall panel exist. However, the attachment mechanisms for attaching the separate air grille panel to the sidewall panel may include numerous mechanical parts and/or complex mechanical parts. This may result in increased part count in manufacturing, and may result in increased installation, repair, and replacement time and expense.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an air grille panel assembly, system, and method of installing the same in a vehicle, such as an aircraft, that provide for easy installation and replacement, that provide for improved installation time and decreased expense by being incorporated with a sidewall panel, that minimize or eliminate variability in design and installation, that minimize part count, and that provide further advantages over known assemblies, systems, and methods.

Air grille panel assembly, system, and method of installing the same in a vehicle


A Brag reflective Mach-Zehnder filter has arms that introduce a .pi. phase difference in transmission but not in reflection. In one embodiment a .pi. phase difference is introduced in one of the two arms between the Bragg grating and one of the couplers. In another embodiment, a phase difference of .pi./2 is introduced in one arm both before and after the grating and the location of the grating in the other arm is shifted. The transmission of the resulting filter is substantially independent of the degree of coupling at the input and the output. WDM systems employing the new filters are also disclosed.

Mach-Zehnder filters are optical waveguide devices used in a variety of optical communications applications. A typical Mach-Zehnder filter comprises a pair of optical waveguides (interferometer arms) extending between two coupling regions. In the coupling regions, the cores of the respective waveguides are disposed sufficiently close together to permit evanescent-field coupling. In the region between the couplers, the waveguides are disposed sufficiently far apart that no evanescent coupling occurs. Each of the interferometer arms includes a refractive index Bragg grating, and the two interferometer arms are conventionally of equal length.
An improved Mach-Zehnder filter is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,309 issued to applicant C. H. Henry et al. on Jun. 3, 1997. In this improved filter the spaced apart arms are sufficiently close together that a Bragg grating can be simultaneously written in both arms, providing nearly identical gratings in both arms. The patent further describes articles employing the new filters such as add-drop filters and wavelength division multiplexers (WDMs).
One shortcoming of conventional Mach-Zehnder filters is that ideal operation can be achieved only approximately. Significant causes for non-ideal operation are imperfect 3 dB couplers, non-identical gratings in the two interferometer arms, and inadvertently unequal path lengths. The device of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,309 patent substantially eliminates non-identical gratings, but ideal operation strongly depends on precisely balanced 3 dB couplers. Accordingly there is a need for a new Mach-Zehnder filter of reduced coupler dependence.

Article comprising a Bragg reflective Mach-Zehnder filter of reduced coupled dependence


The present invention provides compounds isolated from avocado seeds for use as a natural colorant in edible materials. The compounds of the invention are useful for coloring edible materials red, orange, or yellow. The invention also provides compositions and methods for coloring edible materials to a desired color such as red, orange, or yellow.

Color has a direct and significant connection with human sensory perception of foods as the sense of sight plays a critical role in food choice and safety. Edible colorants are a category of food additives that are extensively used by the food, drug and cosmetic industries. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) divides food colorants into two categories based on perceived risk: certified colors (commonly referred to as "synthetic" or "artificial"), and those exempt from certification (commonly referred to as "natural"). The former are subjected to extensive pre-market safety testing and in the US are assigned Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) numbers. The latter typically do not require extensive pre-market safety testing and are considered safe based on their general historical use in foods. A natural colorant can be defined as any pigment which is produced by any organism, such as plant, animal, fungi or microorganism (Luning et al., 2008, Food Colorants: Chemical and Functional Properties (p. 557). Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group). A natural food colorant can be either extracted from its natural source (e.g. safranal from saffron) or, after discovery, can be chemically synthesized (e.g. β-carotene). The latter is referred to as "nature identical."
The global market for food colors is expected to reach US $3.75 billion by 2022, with North America dominating the market, followed closely by Europe (Rizvi et al., 2016, Food Colors Market, Global Forecast to 2022, retrieved from https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/food-colors-market-36725323.html). Synthetic food colorants have several advantages compared to natural pigments including excellent heat, light, and oxygen stability, vibrancy, and lower costs of production. For these reasons they are commonly used in many popular formulated foods including confections, baked goods, and soft drinks.
While some studies have suggested potential negative health consequences related to consumption of synthetic food colors including potential carcinogenicity, allergic reactions, and neurological effects, data are inconsistent (Amin et al., 2010, Food and Chemical Toxicology, 48:2994-2999; Feketea et al., 2017, Food Chemistry, 230:578-588; McCann et al., 2007, The Lancet, 370:1560-1567; Sasaki et al., 2002, Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis, 519:103-119). Consumer demand, however, has placed an emphasis on health and wellness, safety, and environmentally-friendly processes, and consumers are increasingly concerned by the perceived negative health risks associated with synthetic food colors. Consumer demand for so-called "clean label" products has caused a shift in the global food colors market; demand for natural food colors has seen significant growth, outstripping sales of synthetic colors in 2016, with particular interest in compounds responsible for yellow, orange, red, and pink colors (Rizvi et al., 2016, Food Colors Market, Global Forecast to 2022, retrieved from https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/food-colors-market-36725323.html) because they are involved in the majority of applications, although blue and green colorants are also important due to the difficulty in obtaining these hues in food products.
Polyphenol oxidases (PPOs) are enzymes found almost universally in all varieties of organisms including bacteria, mammals, and plants, and are responsible for the production of brown and yellow-red pigments. PPO has a di-nuclear copper active site which exerts these effects through the ability to bind an external diphenol molecule and oxidize it to an O-quinone that is released with a water molecule ("EC 220.127.116.11" 2018). These reactive O-quinones are then converted, via non-enzymatic pathways (Dogan et al., 2006, Process Biochemistry, 41:2379-2385), to red, brown, and black pigments that are usually viewed as undesirable (e.g. the browning of apples and bananas). There are some situations in which PPO contributes to the development of the desirable, characteristic pigments associated with foods, as in the case of benzotropolone-containing theaflavins in black tea (Menet et al., 2004, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52:2455-2461). Benzotropolones contain the characteristic seven-membered tropolone ring attached to a six-membered aromatic ring. Benzotropolones are generally yellow, orange, red or brown in color and, in addition to black tea, have been found in edible mushrooms, Chinese sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza), and Snow algeae (Mesotaenium berggrenii) (Ginda et al., 1988, Tetrahedron Letters, 29:4603-4606; Kerschensteiner et al., 2011, Tetrahedron, 67:1536-1539; Menet et al., 2004, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52:2455-2461; Remias et al, 2012, FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 79:638-648).
It has previously been reported that when the seeds of avocados (Species: Persea americana; Family: Lauraceae) are crushed and exposed to oxygen, a vibrant and stable orange pigment develops in a PPO-dependent reaction (Dabas et al., 2011, Journal of Food Science, 76:C1335-C1341). Although there are historical reports of the use of a colored exudate from avocado seeds as an indelible ink by Spanish conquistadors, the use of this extract as a food color has not been reported, nor have the major pigments been previously identified (Morton et al., 1987, Fruits of Warm Climates (J. F. Morton, Ed.), Miami, Fla.). Although the observed similarities to theaflavins (e.g. the development of an orange pigment in a PPO-dependent reaction and the presence of similar biosynthetic precursors in the seed) suggests a benzotropolone-like moiety, further studies are needed to determine the identity of the compounds responsible for the orange color, and their colorant characteristics in various systems.
Thus, there is a need in the art for novel natural colorants. The present invention fulfills this unmet need.

Compounds, compositions, and methods for coloring edible materials


The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for connecting tubulars and reforming the connection between the tubulars. In one aspect of the invention, the tubulars are aligned, connected, and then reformed at the connection. In one embodiment, the reforming is accomplished by removing material from the tubular connection. Preferably, a broach is used to remove the material. In another embodiment, a reforming member operatively connected to a telescoping tubular is inserted into the tubulars.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to apparatus and methods for joining tubulars used in the drilling and completion of subterranean wells. Particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for reforming a connection between tubulars.
2. Description of the Related Art
The process of drilling subterranean wells to recover oil and gas from reservoirs consists of boring a hole in the earth down to the petroleum accumulation and installing tubulars from the reservoir to the surface. Casing is the term used for tubulars installed within the wellbore as a protective liner and a means to retrieve the oil and gas from the well. Casing is typically screwed together at the surface of the well a single tubular at a time and then lowered into the wellbore. While running casing, drilling fluid must be pumped into the wellbore to pressurize the wellbore and prevent the wellbore from collapsing. Likewise, after the casing has been assembled the casing must be cemented to the wellbore to insure a pressure-tight connection to the oil and gas reservoir.
The entire pipe liner, running from the surface of the well to the bottom, is made up of multiple casing strings ("casing strings"). Each casing string is made up of multiple casing tubulars ("tubulars"). A casing string begins by using a spider on the rig floor to suspend a first tubular in the wellbore. A second tubular is placed on top of the first tubular using a top drive adapter. The two tubulars are then connected and lowered into the wellbore until the spider holds the second tubular. The process of adding tubulars repeats until the joined tubulars form a casing string of desired length. Each tubular is filled with fluid as it is run into the wellbore to maintain pressure in the wellbore and prevent collapsing. Lowering the tubulars into the wellbore is facilitated by alternately engaging and disengaging elevator slips and spider slips with the casing string in a stepwise fashion. After each string of casing is run, that string is cemented into place. Thereafter, the wellbore is drilled deeper, and another casing string is installed.
As the casing is joined and lowered into the hole, the casing may become stuck. When this occurs, load or weight must be added to the casing string to force the casing into the wellbore, or drilling fluid must be circulated down the inside diameter of the casing and out of the casing into the annulus in order to free the casing from the wellbore. To accomplish this, special rigging has traditionally been installed to axially load the casing string or to circulate drilling fluid. Drilling fluid is also added to the casing when lowering each section to prevent the casing from collapsing due to high pressures within the wellbore.
In order to circulate the drilling fluid, the top of the casing must be sealed so that the casing may be pressurized with drilling fluid. Since the casing is under pressure the integrity of the seal is critical to safe operation, and to minimize the loss of expensive drilling fluid. Once the casing reaches the bottom, circulating of the drilling fluid is again necessary to test the surface piping system, to condition the drilling fluid in the hole, and to flush out wall cake and cuttings from the hole. Fluid circulation continues until at least an amount of drilling fluid equal to the volume of the inside diameter of the casing has been displaced from the casing and wellbore. After the drilling fluid has been adequately circulated, the casing may be cemented in place.
The conventional way of joining casing is to screw together one or more strings of casing tubulars. It is well known in the art to use casings with internally and externally flush screw thread connections. Flush screw thread connections ease lowering of the tubulars into the wellbore and maximize the inner diameter of the tubulars, which maximizes production capacity of the well. A disadvantage of flush screw thread connections is that they form weak spots with a significantly lower strength than the rest of the pipe and a greater susceptibility to corrosion. Furthermore, connecting screw thread casing at the drilling floor consumes time and requires carefully machined tubulars. While safety requirements and explosion hazards at oil or gas wellheads limit the feasibility of some joining methods for tubulars, various methods of bonding and welding have been explored.
One method to connect tubulars together uses a friction welding technique where a ring is rotated at high speed while the tubing ends are pressed onto the ring. Another method involves an apparatus for bonding tubulars by positioning a body of amorphous material between adjacent end surfaces of a pair of tubulars. Thereafter, induction heating is applied to melt the amorphous material and create a metallurgical bond between the tubulars. Tubulars have also been joined by using forge/diffusion welding, induction butt-welding, or explosion.
One drawback of the bonding or welding process for joining tubulars is that the inner and outer diameters of the casing connection will become distorted. This distortion occurs due to the intense pressure or heat applied to the tubulars when joining them. Distortion of the inner diameter of the casing is problematic because it may minimize the production capacity of the well and cause tools and smaller casing to snag when lowered through the casing. Similarly, distortion of the outer diameter may cause the casing to snag when lowered through the wellbore.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus and method to facilitate the joining of tubulars. There is a further need for an apparatus and method for correcting the distortions created by the joining of tubulars. There is a further need for an apparatus and method for correcting distortions created by the joining of tubulars in a time efficient manner.

Method and apparatus for reforming tubular connections


An input value, where the input value is an amount which the current value of the counter is to be increased is received. The current value of the modulo binary counter and an offset value of the modulo binary counter are increased by the input value. Whether the current value of the counter is greater than or equal to the modulus value of the binary counter is determined. The current value of the counter is replaced with an updated offset value of the counter, where the updated offset value is the offset value of the counter increased by the input value. The updated offset value of the counter is returned.

The present invention relates generally to the field of counter management and more particularly to binary counters.
Traditionally, modulo binary counters are implemented by making the modulus value a power of two such as 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc. This is done so that when the counter fills up with data and overflows, the value wraps back to zero due to the nature of binary counters which can only store a finite number of bits of data. When the value of each bit in the counter becomes a value of one, no larger values can be stored by the counter, and when the counter is increased again, the value wraps back to zero as a result. The value at which the counter wraps back to a value of zero is referred to as the modulus value for the counter.

International Business Machines Corporation


A display device includes a display, a memory, and a processor that runs at least one application on the memory and allocates a window buffer for each of the at least one application to the memory.

A display device may display an image of content, which is stored in its memory or is received from an external device, on its display to provide a user with the image. The display device may display a specified image by storing the specified image and displaying the stored image on the display.
Recently, with the development of multimedia technologies, as high-definition and high-quality images have been actively provided, high definition (HD) image and ultra high definition (UHD) images, each having resolution of more than 4 times of HD have been provided. Thus, storage capacity for storing high-definition and high-quality images has been increased.

Display apparatus for managing window buffer allocation and method for controlling display apparatus


An optical mechanism includes a bracket, a first polarization beam splitter, a second polarization beam splitter, a plurality of panels and a plurality of lenses. The first polarization beam splitter and the second polarization beam splitter are joined to the bracket. Light passes through the first polarization beam splitter to reach the panels and is reflected by the panels to generate image beams. The image beams are reflected by the first polarization beam splitter to enter the second polarization beam splitter. The image beams are reflected by a splitting surface of the second polarization beam splitter to pass through the lenses and projected by the lenses.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an optical mechanism, and more particularly to an optical mechanism including a glass-made bracket joining polarization beam splitters and panels.
Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an optical mechanism for a conventional silicon based liquid crystal pico projector is shown. The optical mechanism includes two silicon-based liquid crystal panels 10, two polarization beam split plates 20, two polarization beam split cubes 30, a plastic housing 40 and two lenses 50. The silicon-based liquid crystal panels 10, the polarization beam split plates 20 and the polarization beam split cubes 30 are disposed in the plastic housing 40. The lenses 50 are disposed near the polarization beam split cubes 30. The plastic housing 10 has a thermal expansion coefficient different from those of the polarization beam split plates 20 and the polarization beam split cubes 30. In addition, accuracy of the plastic housing 40 depends on the injection molding process and assembly process. Therefore, the optical mechanism is liable to variations in dimensions and assembly, which cause poor contrast and sharpness of the projector.
Pico projectors which are applicable to the wearable devices have become the mainstream as wearable devices become popular. At present, a wearable device must be equipped with two pico projectors for a person's two eyes. Therefore, the optical axes of the two pico projector must have high related accuracy and stability. However, the conventional pico projectors as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are mounted individually, which may cause the following problems:
the optical axes of two pico projectors have variations caused by temperature elevation;
the optical axes of two pico projectors become non-parallel due to imprecise assembly; and
images generated by the two pico projectors cannot be completely overlapped due to pixel deviation of the panels.


A method provides for an easily understood representation of the elements and relationships captured in a relational database. In accordance with the method an object model specification file and a database schema file are parsed to create a user-friendly graphical representation of object models and their relationship. The user is able perform a query by selecting one or more objects and setting constraints using the graphical representation of object models.

The field of the invention is databases, and in particular providing an object-oriented graphical user interface through which a relational database can be manipulated.
Known graphical user interfaces to Relational Database Management Systems (xe2x80x9cRDBMSxe2x80x9d) can list of all the tables in the database. A xe2x80x9ctable,xe2x80x9d which is also called a xe2x80x9crelation,xe2x80x9d is a collection of stored records. Each record consists of one or more fields or attributes. A table is referred to with a name (table name), and each attribute (field) in a table has a name and a type. For example, a collection of records that each stores an employee identifier, an employee name and an employee age can form a table. In this example, the table is called the EMPLOYEE table. The attribute names are xe2x80x9cemployee identifier,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cemployee name,xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cemployee agexe2x80x9d. The attribute type identifies the type data that the attribute can hold (e.g. INTEGER, CHARACTER). The actual data stored in a field (e.g., John Smith or Maria Williams stored in an xe2x80x9cemployee namexe2x80x9d attribute) is called a xe2x80x9cattribute valuexe2x80x9d which is also known as xe2x80x9cdata.xe2x80x9d A record is a correlated set of stored fields. For example, a stored employee identifier correlated with a stored employee name and a stored employee age is a xe2x80x9crecord.xe2x80x9d
With RDBMS""s graphical user interface, the attributes within each table are presented to the user, and the user can manipulate (e.g., access, modify, delete) the data in the database by entering one or more commands. A command or group of commands used to manipulate data is referred to as a query. The query can concern a single table or multiple tables. One of the most popular languages for making queries is xe2x80x9cStructured Query Languagexe2x80x9d (xe2x80x9cSQLxe2x80x9d). An example of a SQL query given the above described table is:
SELECT Employee_Identifier, Employee_Name FROM EMPLOYEE WHERE Employee_Identifier greater than 1000
The above query will return a set of records including employee identifiers greater than 1000 and employee names associated with those identifiers. Information about an application is stored in a number of tables in a given database. There are guidelines to follow for distributing the information among many tables. Usually, the pieces of data that are closely related (one to one relationship, such as first name, last name, sex, social security number, and birthday) go together in a table. The database schema is a list of all the tables and their attributes.
To retrieve information which are scattered among multiple tables, an operation known as JOIN has to be performed. The JOIN operation joins together two tables on the basis of common values in a common attribute. For example, suppose the above described Employee table contains, xe2x80x9cEmployee identifierxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cEmployee namexe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9cEmployee agexe2x80x9d and that a LOCATION table includes the attributes xe2x80x9cprimary employee office location,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9csecondary employee office location,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cemployee telephone extension,xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cemployee identifierxe2x80x9d. The EMPLOYEE table can be JOINed with the LOCATION table on the shared attribute (xe2x80x9ckeyxe2x80x9d) xe2x80x9cEmployee identifierxe2x80x9d to relate an employee with his/her locations. The JOIN operation results in the attributes xe2x80x9cemployee identifierxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cemployee namexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cemployee agexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cprimary employee office locationxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9csecondary employee office locationxe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9cemployee telephone extensionxe2x80x9d. The xe2x80x9cemployee identifierxe2x80x9d is a primary key in table EMPLOYEE, in that xe2x80x9cemployee identifierxe2x80x9d uniquely identifies a row of attributes in the EMPLOYEE table. The xe2x80x9cemployee identifierxe2x80x9d is a foreign key in table LOCATION, in that it references the primary key in EMPLOYEE. Getting other information about an employee from the various tables in the RDB is a non-trivial exercise requiring the execution of many-way JOINs (JOINing multiple tables).
When a user wants to perform a multiple table query, a user often needs to have an intimate knowledge of both the database schema and a query language, e.g., SQL. Database schema can be complex. For example, in addition to the EMPLOYEE table and the LOCATION table described above, the database may include additional tables holding information about salary, employment status, employee""s education, and employee""s performance records. To perform a query, one has to know exactly how the information in one table is related to another table and what are the primary and foreign keys. Furthermore, SQL can require a substantial amount of time and effort to master. In most known systems, a user is disadvantageously required to be well acquainted with the schema of the database and the SQL language to perform even a simple query, such as determining the locations of a subset of employees. More complex operations on the database require even higher levels of knowledge and skill with SQL. This disadvantageously reduces the usefulness of a database to potential users who have neither the time nor the inclination to learn the schema and/or SQL.
In one paradigm, an entity that manipulates data is represented as an abstraction called an xe2x80x9cobject.xe2x80x9d This object-oriented paradigm is described in James Rumbaugh, Object-Oriented Modeling and Design, Prentice Hall, 1991. An object includes a description of a structure of data, ways in which the object manipulates data, and the object""s relationship with other objects. A tool (called xe2x80x9cOSPxe2x80x9d) for mapping an object model to a relational database schema is described in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/312,798, xe2x80x9cSystem and Method for Mapping a Relational Database to an Object-Oriented Paradigmxe2x80x9d, filed May 17, 1999. OSP enables an application developer to view a relational database in terms of objects, and permits the developer to manipulate the data in the database using object-oriented programming languages, such as C++. While OSP facilitates database manipulation for computer programming experts, it can be difficult to use for users who are not expert programmers, or else not programmers at all. Thus, the OSP tool alone does not address the issue of facilitating searches of relational databases by those less savvy in programming.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a graphical, object-oriented view of information stored in a relational database. An embodiment of the present invention can advantageously be published on the World Wide Web on the Internet and/or an Intranet. Users with no knowledge of a database query language or the layout of the data in the database can advantageously perform sophisticated queries with just a few mouse clicks, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an object model is mapped to a database schema, e.g., using a graphical user interface or a text editor. Mapping an object model onto a database schema means representing the relationship among the tables in the database in terms of objects. In turn the present invention provides a user friendly representation of the object model. For example, the present invention can present the object model on a web site. The web site can advantageously be deployed on the Internet, an Intranet, or even be represented only locally on a user""s computer. Having the information graphically represented as objects advantageously obviates the need to know the database schema for performing any query. An embodiment of the present invention advantageously hides the complexity of the database schema using the object model, and transparently to the user works out the details of the mapping between the object model and the database schema. In this way, a user is advantageously provided with an intuitive and easy to understand representation of the data in the database.
In an object model in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an object may have various traits or characteristics. For example, an object may be capable of inheriting a property from another object. For example, given the class human every object in the class can be said to inherit the properties of another class, mammal. (That is, every human is a mammal.) Additionally, an object can be made of an aggregation of other objects. For example, given the object automobile, that object can be comprised of multiple objects such as the body and engine objects. An object can also contain a collection of other objects. For example, a family object can contain a collection of children objects that is the object. An object can also be associated with another object or objects. For example, a person object may be associated with another person object through an association link such as spouse which defines a marriage tie between two persons.
Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention a user can easily perform a query on one or more objects by setting a constraint on one or more objects, and interconnecting member variables of two or more objects. The result of the query is represented in a format that is consistent with the structure of the object model.

System and method for providing an object-oriented interface to a relational database


A capacitor in a semiconductor device may include a lower electrode, a dielectric layer including a metal oxide and disposed on the lower electrode, a first material layer including aluminum oxide (AlxOy) and disposed on the dielectric layer, a second material layer including titanium oxynitride (TixOyNz) and disposed on the first material layer, and an upper electrode disposed on the second material layer, wherein the first material layer is between the dielectric layer and the second material layer, and the dielectric layer is between the lower electrode and the first material layer.

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device including a capacitor.
Due to their small-sized, multifunctional and/or low-cost characteristics, semiconductor devices are being spotlighted as important elements in the electronic industry. However, as design rules of the semiconductor devices are continuously decreasing, it is causing many problems. For example, the height and/or aspect ratio of the patterns are significantly increased while decreasing the width and/or spacing of the patterns by the high integration density of the semiconductor devices. Accordingly, the variation of the deposition and/or etching process of a thin film is gradually deteriorated and the reliability of the semiconductor device can be reduced.

Semiconductor device including a capacitor

Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do


In some embodiments, systems and methods are provided for purifying a liquid, such as an impaired water. In some examples, seawater or brackish water is purified, such as to a potable level. Some configurations provide a system which includes a membrane-distillation unit, such as a vacuum-enhanced direct contact membrane distillation unit. The system also includes a forward-osmosis system, which may include one or more forward-osmosis units. A concentrated draw stream from the membrane-distillation unit, such as a concentrated brine solution, serves as a draw solution for a forward-osmosis unit, which may extract water from a source water, such as an impaired water. In some implementations, the forward-osmosis system includes a second forward-osmosis unit which uses the diluted draw solution from the first forward-osmosis unit as a draw solution to extract water from a source water. The system may include additional components, such as a heater or a buffer tank.

As the demand for water has grown, industry has long sought processes for the desalination of salt water, such as seawater or brackish water. Some processes that have been used to desalinate water are distillation and membrane processes, such as reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, and electrodialysis.
Water recovery is a major economic parameter of drinking water production. However, this parameter is typically limited in existing processes. In addition to limited water recovery, another drawback is that these processes are typically considered energy intensive. Membrane based systems can suffer from additional problems. For example, membrane fouling and scaling in pressure-driven membrane processes (e.g., in reverse osmosis and nanofiltration) are often a major area of concern, as they can increase the cost of operating and maintaining the systems. Pretreatment of the feed water is a way of reducing fouling and scaling, but it can be complex due to variation in raw water quality, environmental impacts, and cost. An additional drawback of most membrane-based systems is that increased salt content of the feed stream typically reduces the flux of product water due to the high osmotic potential difference between the feed solution and the permeate.
Seawater desalination has become a common practice to supply the growing demand for water in areas having access to the sea. Shortage of potable (drinking) water in inland areas pose much more complicated challenges to water authorities, governments, and other stakeholders. Inland regions are typically restricted to the use of already overly allocated surface water and groundwater.
In addition, many desalination process are very sophisticated, costly, and energy intensive. These technologies may be infeasible for developing countries, which thus may lack sufficient access to safe drinking water supplies.

Combined membrane-distillation-forward-osmosis systems and methods of use

Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education, on Behalf of the University of Nevada, Reno


A zoom lens for a projection display device includes, in order from the long conjugate length side, a first lens group having negative refractive power and including at least one aspheric surface, a second lens group having positive refractive power and including at least two lens components, a third lens group, a fourth lens group having positive refractive power, and fifth and sixth lens groups. The second, third, fourth, and fifth lens groups move with coordinated movements during zooming. Preferably, the zoom lens satisfies three conditions related to the wide-angle and telephoto focal lengths and the focal lengths of the third and fifth lens groups, the fifth lens group has positive refractive power, and the first and fifth lens groups have particular lens element and lens component constructions. A projection display device uses the zoom lens.

Recent developments of projection display devices that can enlarge and project information from a display, such as a light valve, a computer image or a television image have been remarkable. A zoom lens, which is capable of changing the size of a projected image, is frequently used as the projection lens in projection display devices. More recently, a zoom lens having a large ratio of change, i.e., a zoom lens having a large zoom ratio, has been increasingly desired.
A so-called lens shift projection function in which an image greatly shifts in position relative to the projection display device during projection and a function in which a large projected image can be seen in a position close to a projection display device have also been required, which, in turn, requires widening the projection angle of the zoom lens. Additionally, such a zoom lens with a widened projection angle that provides a brighter and sharper image has been desired.
Zoom lenses in which three or more lens groups are moved during zooming and that are telecentric, or at least nearly telecentric, on the short conjugate length side are known, and are, for example, described in Japanese Patent No. 3,362,613 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 2001-337275, 2001-350096, 2002-131641, 2003-015036, 2003-015037, and 2003-015038. The zoom lenses described in Japanese Patent No. 3,362,613 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 2001-337275 and 2001-350096 have a zoom ratio of 1.5 or more, but a zoom lens that includes a larger field angle is presently desired. On the other hand, the zoom lenses of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Nos. 2002-131641, 2003-015036, 2003-015037, and 2003-015038 are wide-angle zoom lenses that include field angles of sixty degrees or more, but their zoom ratios are smaller. Additionally, many of the prior art zoom lenses have f-numbers of 1.8 or more, and a brighter lens is presently desired for marketing.
As described above, zoom lenses are available that achieve one of the required wide-angle projection or the desired zoom ratio, but there are no zoom lenses that achieve both or that further satisfy the brightness requirements. The difficulty of simultaneously satisfying the wide-angle, zoom ratio, and brightness requirements is indicated by the zoom lenses presently used as projection lenses of projection display devices.

Zoom lens and projection display device which uses same


The present disclosure relates to an arrangement for transferring fluid to a guide bar in a chain saw. A channel can extend from a chain saw body to the fastening arrangement of the guide bar. The channel can include a cavity through the entire channel, a first end of the cavity being connected to a feed channel provided in the chain saw body and a second end thereof to a counter channel provided in the fastening arrangement. The counter channel, in turn, is arranged to extend to the guide bar. The channel is thus arranged to guide fluid flowing in the feed channel provided in the chain saw body through the channel and further through the counter channel provided in the fastening arrangement to the guide bar.

The present invention relates to an arrangement in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. The solution in question is particularly well applicable for use in lubricating a chain of a sawing device, particularly in devices for lubricating chains of sawing devices of forest machines.
Forest machines are used for felling, thinning and delimbing trees. The felling and cutting of a tree is generally performed by a sawing device, a chain saw, provided at the harvester head of a forest machine. Hence it is precisely the sawing device that is one of the most critical parts from the point of view of the forest machine operation and its profitability.
In the felling and cutting of trees, the saw chain and the guide bar of the chain saw are in contact with one another when the saw chain travels in the rail on the outer edge of the guide bar. In order to reduce friction and wear caused by sawing and the movement, lubricant is supplied to the saw chain and the guide bar. As the saw chain moves, it spreads the lubricant around the entire guide bar, including the nose sprocket therein.
The chain saws of the disclosed type also use automatic chain tensioning devices. A saw chain needs to be tensioned because it stretches during operation due to heating and dynamical factors, among other things.
The chain tensioner moves the guide bar in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the latter, whereby the saw chain is tensioned as the distance between the guide bar and the chain sprocket increases. Similarly, when sawing is interrupter or terminated, the chain tensioner releases the saw chain from the tensioning.
Due to the fairly complicated mechanics of chain saws, the guiding of the lubricant to the guide bar is problematic. However, different kinds of arrangements are known for guiding the lubricant to the saw chain through the moving components of the tensioner and the fastening parts of the guide bar. An example of devices for lubricating sawing devices of harvesting machines is disclosed in publication FI124810 "Lubricating device for sawing device". The publication describes a lubricating device for sawing device with a container for lubricant and a lubricant pump comprising a pump chamber. The pump according to the publication has a first space and a second space for delivering lubricant to the saw chain of the sawing device through a second channel, the volume of the second space being smaller than the volume of the first space. The pump presses the lubricant through the channel to the saw chain.
In addition, an arrangement in connection with grease lubrication of a saw chain is known from publication FI20106125. The arrangement makes use of pipes, and presses the lubrication grease from a container into a dosing device from where the grease is arranged to be pressed further through the pipes onto the saw chain.
Another used solution is one in which a lead-through for lubricant oil is implemented by opposite transfer channels provided between surfaces that move during the tensioning of the saw chain. The gap between the transfer channels is sealed with an O-ring placed into an oval groove on the surface, the lead-through channel for lubricant oil passing through the middle of the O-ring seal.
The prior art involves, however, several problems. Due to the structure of the saw chain, the lubricant channels, and their lead-throughs in particular, are difficult to seal. Consequently, a lot of lubricating oil in chain saws of forest machines is continuously wasted. This is both an ecological and a financial problem.

Arrangement for transferring fluid to guide bar of chain saw


The present invention provides a process for fabricating a semiconductor wafer, including surface-grinding both sides of the sliced wafer, and cleaning the surface-ground wafer with an alkaline solution to remove the sharp protruded part. The frictional resistance between the surface-ground wafer and a polishing cloth can be reduced, thus extending a life of a template and the polishing cloth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for fabricating a semiconductor wafer by surface-grinding both sides of the sliced wafer and then both-side polishing the wafer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, the semiconductor wafer fabricated by surface-grinding both sides of the sliced wafer and then both-side polishing and mirror processing is fabricated by the following steps (shown in FIG. 3)
(1) A silicon single crystal ingot is sliced by an inner diameter saw to obtain a wafer. PA0 (2) The peripheral portion of the sliced wafer is chamfered to prevent the generation of indentation on the peripheral portion. PA0 (3) The both sides of the chamfered wafer is surface-ground to form uniform thickness. PA0 (4) The surface-ground wafer is washed with water to remove contaminants. PA0 (5) The both sides of the washed wafer are polished simultaneously and mirror processed by a both-side polishing machine. At that time, the wafer to be polished is kept clamped in the template. In order to prevent the wafer from being contaminated by metal, the template is preferably made of resin. PA0 (6) After the mirror processing, the wafer is cleaned to remove the impurities including heavy metal and particles and then dried.
However, according to the above-mentioned conventional process, after surface-grinding, a protruded and indented surface, that is, grinding traces 2, is formed on the grinding side of the wafer 3, as shown in FIG. 4. When the wafer 3 is being both-side polished by the both-side polishing machine, the sharp protruded part 2a of the grinding traces 2 is seized by the receiving surface of the polishing cloth 4. Thus, the frictional resistance of the upper and lower tables 5, 6 when rotation of the upper and lower tables is increased. Consequently, the burden on the contact portion 7a of the template contacting the outer portion of the wafer 3 and the burden of the peripheral gears (not shown) of the template 7 increase, resulting in a shortening of the life of the resin template 7.
Further, when the generated frictional resistance is extremely high, the wafer 3 may release from the template 7 and break.
Still further, the polishing cloth 4 may be damaged by the protruded part 2a, thus accelerating the abrading of the polishing cloth 4 and shortening its life.

Process for fabricating semiconductor wafer


To a neutral point of a motor is connected a positive electrode of an auxiliary battery and an auxiliary load. Voltage on a power supply line to the auxiliary load, a neutral point voltage, is detected, and disconnection of the auxiliary battery is determined when an increase of ripples in the neutral point voltage is detected. When a voltmeter cannot be used, control of the neutral point voltage is continued by measuring current of the auxiliary battery and performing control such that the current value becomes 0. A resolver is further provided on the motor for detecting the rotor angle with high accuracy. A control circuit generates, in accordance with an output of the resolver, a voltage control signal for each phase current having the same amplitude as the carrier amplitude during startup, and compares the voltage control signal to carrier to obtain a gate signal having the same frequency as the carrier frequency. In switching of the inverter, due to this gate signal, periods in which all phases are on or off are reduced, thereby preventing a large neutral point current.

Conventionally, alternating current motors have been commonly used as a power source for various devices. In electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, a system is typically adopted in which direct current supplied from a battery is converted into a desired alternating current by an inverter, and is then supplied to a motor. This system allows a wide range of output torques and also achieves an advantage that electrical power generated by regenerative braking can be utilized for battery charging.
Because a high voltage power supply is effective for a high power motor, electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles usually adopt a high voltage power supply on the order of several hundred volts for the main battery connected on the input side of the inverter. On the other hand, a voltage which is a half the input voltage of the inverter is typically obtained at a neutral point of a star connection motor coil. Therefore, when a battery is connected to the neutral point, two types of direct current voltages can be obtained from the system. Further, by applying chopper control to the motor coil, transfer of electrical power between two batteries can be controlled.
Accordingly, when a motor also acts as a generator in hybrid vehicles or the like, a system can be adopted in which generated electrical power is utilized for charging two batteries, thereby obtaining two power supply voltages. In particular, a capacitor can be used in place of a battery. Such a system is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 11-178114.
A variety of electrical equipment is installed on most vehicles, and an auxiliary battery of approximately 12V (14V when charged) is typically provided to power this equipment. Because the above-described neutral point voltage of the motor is about one half the voltage on the input side of the inverter, the neutral point voltage is significantly high in typical electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, which makes it difficult to connect an auxiliary battery to the neutral point in these vehicles. Accordingly, a separate DCDC converter is provided for charging the auxiliary battery.
On the other hand, a so-called "dual power supply system" in which a 36-volt power supply and a 12-volt power supply are provided has been studied as a practical application example of the above system. In this dual power supply system, because it is sufficient to set the inverter input voltage to approximately 42V when charging the 36-volt power supply and set the neutral point voltage to approximately 14V when charging the 12-volt power supply, transfer of electrical power between the two power supplies can be performed using a motor coil.
Accordingly, in the above poly-phase motor driving inverter system, electrical charges can be transferred between a high voltage side battery and a low voltage side battery using a motor coil. This is advantageous in that the need for providing a DCDC converter can be eliminated.
In the inverter system for driving a poly-phase motor as described above, a large number of auxiliary equipments, commonly in the form of vehicle accessories or auxiliary devices, are connected to the low voltage side battery, and the low voltage side battery therefore serves to supply constant electrical power to these devices. Namely, in the poly-phase motor driving inverter system, switching of the switching elements in the inverter is controlled to thereby control the neutral point voltage.
However, because the neutral point voltage cannot be continuously maintained at a constant value, when the low voltage battery is not available, the voltage to be supplied to the auxiliary equipment changes significantly and constant operation of the equipment is prohibited. Accordingly, when the low voltage side battery becomes disconnected (namely, electrical connection is interrupted) in certain circumstances, the system suffers from the problem described above.
Further, in order to maintain the charging state of the low voltage side battery at a predetermined level, it is necessary to supply power in accordance with electrical power which is consumed by the auxiliary loads connected to the low voltage side battery to a power supply line to which the low voltage side battery is connected. Accordingly, conventionally, the voltage on the low voltage power supply line is sensed, and the electrical power generated by the motor is subjected to feedback control so as to maintain the sensed voltage constant.
However, the above conventional system suffers from a problem that generated power cannot be controlled in the event of that sensing of the voltage on the low voltage power supply line cannot be performed normally due to disconnection or the like, thereby causing overvoltage or low voltage.
Further, in the conventional system, a hall sensor is typically used as a position sensor and detects the position of a rotor only at 60 degree intervals. In order to obtain sufficient starting torque at the time of motor starting, 180 degree current flow type (current flows during 180 degree electrical angle and then polarity of the current is changed) is typically performed during startup of the motor. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 19, three phase rectangular wave voltage commands (indicated by a solid line, a dotted line, and a chain and dot line in the uppermost view in FIG. 19) are used to generate rectangular wave switching control signals for the inverter (gate signals Su, Sv, Sw). Accordingly, the motor driving current is rectangular wave. When a motor is a three-phase motor, 180 degree conduction gate signals Su, Sv, and Sw with 120 degree phase shift are generated for driving the motor. Here, a period in which two phases are both ON or OFF occurs for a period which is ⅙ of the current cycle. Further, for each phase current, by applying maximum current regulation which turns the corresponding phase off when the current value reaches a predetermined value, a period in which three phases are all ON or OFF occurs.
When the inverter retains the same switching state for a relatively long period and a difference between the neutral point potential and the low voltage target value is increased, the system suffers from a problem that the neutral point current changes significantly and the low voltage power supply line also changes significantly.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-324857 describes provision of a relay between a low voltage power supply and a neutral point so that the low voltage power supply line is separated from the neutral point by the relay during startup of the motor. With this configuration, although voltage change on the low voltage power supply line during startup can be reduced, it is necessary to additionally provide a relay and to switch the relay ON and OFF as required.

Method and system for detecting the disconnection of an auxiliary power supply from a poly-phase motor


Integrated circuit devices having fixed and programmable logic portions are made by combining a hardware description language representation of the fixed logic and a hardware description language representation of the programmable logic to create a single hardware description language representation of a device. This allows multiple portions of programmable logic, distributed where needed in whatever size needed, to be interspersed among the fixed logic. Because the behavior of the programmable logic, rather than of the user programming, is being represented, a programmable logic architecture is provided that lacks behaviors, such as combinational loops, that would cause compilation of the hardware description language to generate errors.

This invention relates to the provision of both fixed logic portions and programmable logic portions on the same integrated circuit device. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for constructing an integrated circuit device having both fixed logic portions and programmable logic portions, as well as to a programmable logic architecture that is particularly adapted for use with such a method.
Programmable logic devices (PLDs) are well known. Early programmable logic devices were one-time configurable. For example, configuration may have been achieved by "blowing"—i.e., opening—fusible links. Alternatively, the configurations may have been stored in a programmable read-only memory. These devices generally provided the user with the ability to configure the devices for "sum-of-products" (or "P-TERM") logic operations. Later, such programmable logic devices incorporating erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) for configuration became available, allowing the devices to be reconfigured.
Still later, programmable logic devices incorporating static random access memory (SRAM) elements for configuration became available. These devices, which also can be reconfigured, store their configuration in a nonvolatile memory such as an EPROM, from which the configuration is loaded into the SRAM elements when the device is powered up. These devices generally provide the user with the ability to configure the devices for look-up table-type logic operations. At some point, such devices began to be provided with embedded blocks of random access memory that could be configured by the user to act as random access memory, read-only memory, or logic (such as P-TERM logic).
PLDs allow a user to programmably create—e.g., using a personal computer with suitable software and a peripheral hardware device into which a PLD chip can be inserted—an integrated circuit device having any desired logic arrangement (within the limits of the PLD itself). In order to provide flexibility in logic design, traditional PLDs typically have a substantially rectilinear arrangement of programmable logic areas arranged generally in rows and columns. Interconnect resources are also provided, frequently including a substantially rectilinear arrangement of conductors aligned generally horizontally and vertically between the rows and columns of programmable logic areas. Connections among these conductors, and between the conductors and the programmable logic areas, are typically programmable, and sufficient conductors are provided, along with sufficient connections among them, and between them and the programmable logic areas, so that by programming those connections a signal can be conducted from any programmable logic area to or from any other programmable logic area or input/output area, as desired in order to implement a particular logic design.
Because of cost and speed penalties associated with early PLDs, those early PLDs typically were used to prove a logic design before committing it to silicon as a custom integrated circuit device for large-scale production. However, as costs decreased and speeds increased, PLDs began to be used in final products in place of custom integrated circuits. In some applications, however, it is desirable to have a single integrated circuit device that is partially fixed logic and partially programmable logic.
For example, a manufacturer of cellular telephones may provide different variants of a certain model of cellular telephone for use with different transmission standards (e.g., TDMA and CDMA). Those different variants of the same model of telephone will have certain logic that is common among the variants, and certain logic that differs from one variant to the other. One solution is to provide, in all variants of that model of telephone, an integrated circuit device having a fixed logic portion and one or more programmable logic portions that can be programmed to provide those logic portions that differ among the variants.
In order to produce such a hybrid integrated circuit device, custom logic is designed and laid out, and then a design for a programmable logic portion is produced or obtained and laid out in one or more available locations on the integrated circuit device. One drawback to this approach is that once the hybrid device has been designed, the programmable logic portion or portions are fixed in size, number and location on the device. This may require a user to use a device having more programmable logic than necessary to implement a certain design, or may require more than one variant of the device—e.g., containing different numbers of programmable logic regions—to be designed and maintained in inventory.
It would be desirable to be able to streamline the process of creating such hybrid integrated circuit devices so that it is not necessary to use a device having more programmable logic than necessary, or to maintain large inventories of different devices.

Method for constructing an integrated circuit device having fixed and programmable logic portions and programmable logic architecture for use therewith


A runtime capability check determines functionality supported by a client application (e.g. a browser) on a computing device. During the runtime capability check, the client application (e.g. the browser) attempts to execute different function tests to determine its capabilities. The result information from the function tests are stored. The stored result information is used by the client application during subsequent connections with the server (e.g. the cookie is passed from the mobile computing device to the server). Based on the supported functionality as determined by the stored result information, the rendering code is adapted for, generated and delivered to the computing device by the server. For example, when the client application supports the tested functionality then the server renders the content using full feature rendering. When the client application does not support all of the tested functionality then the server renders the content using limited feature rendering.

JavaScript is a popular client scripting language. JavaScript, however, may be implemented using different Virtual Machines (VMs) that support a varying range of functionality that results in different browser/device function capabilities across the computing devices. Many mobile computing devices typically support just a subset of the available JavaScript functions. Some common JavaScript syntax that runs well in browsers of some mobile computing devices (e.g. smartphones, slates) platforms do not operate on other mobile computing devices. Providing and rendering content to the mobile computing devices supporting different functionality can be challenging.

Adaptive rendering based on runtime capability check


An optical apparatus includes a first element, a second element, a support which supports the first element, a first measuring device which measures the position of the first element relative to the support, a second measuring device which measures the position of the second element relative to the support, a third measuring device which measures any deformation of the support, and a controller. The controller controls the relative position between the first element and the second element on the basis of the measurement results obtained by the first measuring device, the second measuring device, and the third measuring device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical apparatus, an exposure apparatus, and a device manufacturing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor exposure apparatus transfers an original having various kinds of patterns onto a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. To generate an integrated circuit, it is indispensable to improve not only the resolution, but also, the overlay accuracy.
Overlay errors in the semiconductor exposure apparatus are classified into an alignment error, image blurring, and a magnification error. Adjusting the relative displacement between an original (reticle) and a substrate (wafer) makes it possible to reduce the alignment error. Moving some optical elements of an optical system makes it possible to eliminate the image blurring and magnification error. In moving the optical elements, it is necessary not to increase a parallel decentration error and an inclined decentration error.
A positive servo system moves and positions the optical elements. A laser interferometer attached to a lens barrel or a reference structure outside it measures the positions of the optical elements.
Along with the recent increase in the degree of micropatterning of semiconductor devices, it is being demanded that optical elements should have a higher position/attitude accuracy and a higher positioning accuracy to correct, e.g., aberration, as compared with the prior art, to obtain required imaging. Disturbance often degrades the positioning accuracy. The influence of the disturbance has been negligible under the conventional positioning control, but it is becoming non-negligible to meet the demand for a higher positioning accuracy. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-236258 discloses an example in which positioning control of optical elements, such as a lens barrel, is performed on the basis of only position information obtained by measurement with reference to a support for supporting the optical elements. In this example, elastic deformation of the support causes a measurement error, to result in degradation in the positioning accuracy of the optical elements.

Optical apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method


An operational amplifier having a high voltage power supply and a low voltage power supply receives first and second input signals and amplifies a voltage difference between the first and second input signals to generate an amplified signal. The operational amplifier has a first differential amplifier having a pair of first type transistors that are activated by the first and second input signals having a voltage greater than the voltage of the low voltage power supply. The first differential amplifier transmits a first output signal (S1) in response to the voltage difference between the first and second input signals. A second differential amplifier has a pair of second type transistors that are activated by the first and second input signals having a voltage smaller than the voltage of the high voltage power supply. The second differential amplifier transmits a second output signal (S2) in response to the voltage difference between the first and the second input signals. An output circuit synthesizes the first and second output signals. The output circuit is activated by a synthesized signal to transmit the amplified signal.

The present invention relates to an operational amplifier circuit.
In recent electronic circuit design, there has been a demand for a lower supply voltage to reduce power consumption and noise. Designing an operational amplifier for such an electronic circuit to operate on a lower supply voltage inevitably results in a narrower input voltage range. In this respect, there is a demand for an operational amplifier capable of widening the input voltage range from the voltage of a high-potential power supply to the voltage of a low-potential power supply.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional operational amplifier 50. This operational amplifier 50, which is a voltage follower type, has an output terminal connected to an inverting input terminal (negative input terminal) to which an output signal OUT0 is applied as an input signal IN12. A high-potential supply voltage V.sub.CC (5 V) and a low-potential supply voltage V.sub.SS (0 V) are supplied to the operational amplifier 50 as its operational supply voltages.
FIG. 2 illustrates the practical internal circuit of the conventional operational amplifier 50. The operational amplifier 50 comprises a differential amplifier 51 with an MOS transistor structure and an inverting amplifier 53, which is comprised of complementary transistors. The differential amplifier 51 has two nMOS transistors T21 and T22, two pMOS transistors T23 and T24, and a constant current source 52.
The pMOS transistors T23 and T24 have their sources connected to the high-potential power supply V.sub.CC (5 V) and their gates connected to the drain of the pMOS transistor T24. The pMOS transistors T23 and T24 form a current mirror circuit.
The drains of the nMOS transistors T21 and T22 are respectively connected to the drains of the pMOS transistors T23 and T24. The sources of the nMOS transistors T21 and T22 are connected together to the low-potential power supply V.sub.SS (0 V) via the constant current source 52. The gate of the nMOS transistor T21 corresponds to a non-inverting input terminal to which an input signal IN11 is input. The gate of the nMOS transistor T22 corresponds to an inverting input terminal to which the output signal OUT0 is supplied as the input signal IN12.
The differential amplifier 51 outputs a signal, which is the inverted signal of the potential difference between the first input signal IN11 and the second input signal IN12, from the drain of the nMOS transistor T21. When the potential of the input signal IN11 is higher than that of the input signal IN12, more current flows in the nMOS transistor T21 and less current flows in the nMOS transistor T22. As a result, the potential of the output signal of the differential amplifier 51 drops. When the potential of the input signal IN11 is lower than that of the input signal IN12, on the other hand, less current flows in the nMOS transistor T21 and more current flows in the nMOS transistor T22. Consequently, the potential of the output signal of the differential amplifier 51 is higher than that when the potential of the input signal IN11 is higher than that of the input signal IN12.
The high-potential supply voltage V.sub.CC (5 V) and the low-potential supply voltage V.sub.SS (0 V) are supplied to the inverting amplifier 53 as its operational supply voltages. The inverting amplifier 53 amplifies the output signal of the differential amplifier 51 in accordance with its amplification factor (A) and sends out the resultant signal as the output signal OUT0.
In the operational amplifier in FIG. 2, the threshold voltages Vth of the nMOS transistors T21 and T22 are each 1 V, and the voltage drop in the constant current source 52 is 0 V. The gate-source voltage V.sub.GS of the nMOS transistor T21 is 0.5 V. When 4.5 V, which is slightly lower than the high-potential supply voltage, is applied as the input signal IN11, for example, the nMOS transistors T21 and T22 are turned on, and the differential amplifier 51 operates properly causing 4.5 V to be output as the output signal OUT0.
When 0.5 V, which is slightly higher than the low-potential supply voltage, is applied as the input signal IN11, on the other hand, the nMOS transistors T21 and T22 are turned off because the input voltage is lower than the threshold voltage Vth. As a result, the differential amplifier 51 does not properly operate, so that 0.5 V cannot be output as the output signal OUT0. The operational amplifier in FIG. 2 cannot therefore widen the voltage range of the input signals IN11 and IN12 to substantially the same range as that of the supply voltages.
FIG. 3 illustrates another example of a conventional operational amplifier 50, which is constituted by MOS transistors. This operational amplifier 50 comprises a differential amplifier 55 and the same inverting amplifier 53 as used in the previously discussed operational amplifier. The differential amplifier 51 has two nMOS transistors T25 and T26, two pMOS transistors T27 and T28, and a constant current source 56.
The nMOS transistors T25 and T26 have their sources connected to the low-potential power supply V.sub.SS (0 V) and their gates connected to the drain of the nMOS transistor T26. The nMOS transistors T25 and T26 form a current mirror circuit.
The drains of the pMOS transistors T27 and T28 are connected to the drains of the nMOS transistors T25 and T26, respectively. The sources of the pMOS transistors T27 and T28 are connected together to the high-potential power supply V.sub.CC (5 V) via the constant current source 56. The gate of the pMOS transistor T27 corresponds to a non-inverting input terminal to which an input signal IN11 is input. The gate of the pMOS transistor T28 corresponds to an inverting input terminal to which the output signal OUT0 is supplied as the input signal IN12.
The differential amplifier 55 outputs a signal, which is the inverted signal of the potential difference between the first input signal IN11 and the second input signal IN12, from the drain of the pMOS transistor T27. When the potential of the input signal IN11 is higher than that of the input signal IN12, less current flows in the pMOS transistor T27 and more current flows in the pMOS transistor T28. As a result, the potential of the output signal of the differential amplifier 55 drops. When the potential of the input signal IN11 is lower than that of the input signal IN12, on the other hand, more current flows in the pMOS transistor T27 and less current flows in the pMOS transistor T28. Consequently, the potential of the output signal of the differential amplifier 55 is higher than that when the potential of the input signal IN11 is higher than that of the input signal IN12.
In the operational amplifier in FIG. 3, the threshold voltages Vth of the pMOS transistors T27 and T28 are each -1 V, and the voltage drop in the constant current source 56 is 0 V. When 0.5 V, which is higher than the low-potential supply voltage, is applied as the input signal IN11, for example, the pMOS transistors T27 and T28 are turned on, and the differential amplifier 55 operates properly causing 0.5 V to be output as the output signal OUT0.
When 4.5 V is applied as the input signal IN11, on the other hand, the pMOS transistors T27 and T28 are turned off because the input voltage is greater than the difference (4 V) between the absolute value of the high-potential supply voltage and the absolute value of the threshold voltage Vth. As a result, the differential amplifier 55 does not properly operate, so that 4.5 V cannot be output as the output signal OUT0. Therefore, the operational amplifier in FIG. 3 cannot widen the voltage range of the input signals IN11 and IN12 to substantially the same range as that of the supply voltages.
FIG. 4 shows another example of the prior art where the operational amplifier 50 in FIG. 1 is constituted of bipolar transistors. This operational amplifier 50 comprises a differential amplifier 60 and the same inverting amplifier 53 as discussed above. The differential amplifier 60 has two npn transistors Q21 and Q22, two pnp transistors Q23 and Q24, and a constant current source 61.
The pnp transistors Q23 and Q24 have their emitters connected to the high-potential power supply V.sub.CC (5 V) and their bases connected to the collector of the pnp transistor Q24. The pnp transistors Q23 and Q24 form a current mirror circuit.
The collectors of the npn transistors Q21 and Q22 are connected to the collectors of the pnp transistors Q23 and Q24, respectively. The emitters of the npn transistors Q21 and Q22 are connected together to the low-potential power supply V.sub.SS (0 V) via the constant current source 61. The base of the npn transistor Q21 corresponds to a non-inverting input terminal to which an input signal IN11 is input. The base of the npn transistor Q22 corresponds to an inverting input terminal to which the output signal OUT0 is supplied as the input signal IN12.
The differential amplifier 60 outputs a signal, which is the inverted signal of the potential difference between the first input signal IN11 and the second input signal IN12, from the collector of the npn transistor Q21. When the potential of the input signal IN11 is higher than that of the input signal IN12, more current flows in the npn transistor Q21 and less current flows in the npn transistor Q22. As a result, the potential of the output signal of the differential amplifier 60 drops. When the potential of the input signal IN11 is lower than that of the input signal IN12, on the other hand, less current flows in the npn transistor Q21 and more current flows in the npn transistor Q22. Consequently, the potential of the output signal of the differential amplifier 60 rises.
In the operational amplifier in FIG. 4, the base-emitter voltages Vbe of the npn transistors Q21 and Q22 are each 0.7 V, and the voltage drop in the constant current source 61 is 0 V. When 4.5 V is applied as the input signal IN11, for example, the npn transistors Q21 and Q22 are turned on, and the differential amplifier 60 properly operates causing 4.5 V to be output as the output signal OUT0.
When 0.5 V, which is greater than the low-potential supply voltage, is applied as the input signal IN11, on the other hand, the npn transistors Q21 and Q22 are turned off because the input voltage is lower than the base-emitter voltage Vbe. As a result, the differential amplifier 60 does not properly operate, so that 0.5 V cannot be output as the output signal OUT0. Therefore, the operational amplifier in FIG. 4 cannot widen the voltage range of the input signals IN11 and IN12 to substantially the same range as that of the supply voltages.
In the various types of conventional operational amplifiers 50, as apparent from the above, the voltage range of the input signals IN11 and IN12 cannot be set to range from the voltage of the high-potential power supply to the voltage of the low-potential power supply. This prevents a reduction in the supply voltages.
Some operational amplifiers are designed to set the voltage range of the input signals IN11 and IN12 to the same range as that of the supply voltages by forming the nMOS transistors T21 and T22 of the differential amplifier 51 with depletion type field effect transistors (FETs). The depletion type FETs however suffer a complex fabrication process, which makes it difficult to design the FETs into an IC. Designing the depletion type FETs into an IC leads to a cost increase.

Operational amplifier having rail to rail input/output ability


An apparatus includes a wiring base plate arranged on an upper side of a chuck top and having a wiring path connected to a tester, a probe card having a probe board spaced from the wiring base plate with a first surface thereof opposed to the wiring base plate and having a wiring path corresponding to the wiring path and probes provided on a second surface of the probe board to be connected to the wiring path and enabling to respectively contact connection pads of a semiconductor wafer on the chuck top, and an electric connector connecting the wiring base plate to the probe board by low heat conduction supporting members and decreasing heat conduction therebetween and electrically connecting the wiring paths.

In general, integrated circuits formed on a semiconductor wafer undergo an electric test to determine whether or not they have predetermined electric characteristics (that is, determination of whether or not the integrated circuits are good). In such a test, all the integrated circuits on one wafer are tested at a time or in several batches with use of an electric connecting apparatus electrically connecting electrodes of the integrated circuits to electric circuits of a testing apparatus.
The electric connecting apparatus for use in such a test includes a wiring base plate having a plurality of connection portions to be electrically connected to the electric circuits of the testing apparatus, a probe board arranged on a lower side of the wiring base plate and having a plurality of internal wires electrically connected to the connection portions, and a plurality of contacts (that is, probes) attached to a lower surface of the probe board and electrically connected to the internal wires, for example, as described in Patent Literature 1.
In recent years, with use of such an electric connecting apparatus, the integrated circuits are tested under a high temperature or a low temperature. In this case, the integrated circuits are heated or cooled to a predetermined temperature by a heat source provided in a stage on which the integrated circuits are arranged. For example, in a case where the integrated circuits are heated by the heat source, the probe board having arranged thereon the contacts is also heated by receiving radiation heat from the stage and the integrated circuits. As a result, the integrated circuits and the probe board are thermally expanded.
However, since a heat expansion amount of the semiconductor wafer and a heat expansion amount of the probe board differ, relative positional relationship between the electrodes of the integrated circuits and tip ends of the contacts changes, and the contacts whose tip ends are not pressed on the electrodes of the integrated circuits inevitably exist.
The semiconductor wafer is heated by the heat source provided in the stage to cause the temperature thereof to be constant at a certain temperature after several hours, and the probe board is also heated by radiation heat to cause the temperature thereof to be constant at a certain temperature after several hours. Since measurement can be started when the temperatures are constant, and when relative positions between the electrodes of the integrated circuits and the tip ends of the contacts are stable, it takes considerable time until start of measurement.
Patent Literature 2 proposes an electric connecting apparatus in which a probe board is provided with a heat generating body, the temperature of the probe board is measured, and electric power for heating to be supplied to the heat generating body is controlled based on the measured measurement value.