An aspheric cylindrical lens for collimating, with low optical aberrations, the asymmetrically diverging beams of diode laser arrays and a method of fabricating such lenses. The aspheric cylindrical lens are formed from a plano-spherical optical lens. The planar surface of the lens is then optimized such that each ray of light from a diverging input light source will travel the same optical path length in reaching a predetermined collimation plane. Due to the optimization process, an aspherical front lens surface is formed from the initial planar lens surface. The aspheric cylindrical lens may be formed by means of a drawing process in which a master lens element is drawn into a plurality of aspheric cylindrical lens elements. In such a drawing process, a master lens element is manufactured having a spherical back lens surface and an optimized front lens surface which are proportionately identical in cross-section to resulting aspheric cylindrical lens, but substantially larger in physical dimensions. The numerous optimized aspheric cylindrical lens resulting from the drawing process may thus be produced in an economical and reliable manner.

The present invention relates generally to aspheric cylindrical lens for collimating, with low optical aberrations, diode laser outputs and its method of fabrication and more particularly to aspheric cylindrical lens whereby a plurality of said lenses are fabricated from a master lens element by means of drawing the master lens element into the smaller aspheric cylindrical lenses.
Diode lasers are currently utilized in many applications. Many of these applications require a collimated diode laser output with low optical aberrations, however, diode lasers typically produce asymmetrically diverging output beams. In many instances, this asymmetric divergence may be quite fast, such as an 80.degree. output fan or larger, from the individual diode laser.
There have been a variety of proposed optical design solutions to collimate, with low optical aberrations, the asymmetric divergence of the output beam of diode lasers. One proposed solution is to mold plastic or glass aspheric optical elements in the shape desired in order to collimate the diverging output beam. An example of such a molded glass optical element is discussed in "Precision Molded-Glass Optics," written by R. Maschmeyer, et al. in Applied Optics, Volume 22, No. 6, on page 2410 in 1983. The glass optic elements which have been molded are generally limited in their ability to collimate a divergent output beam, however, due to stresses inherent in the glass element from the molding process. Additionally, molded plastic optical elements, while easier to mold than the relatively difficult to mold glass elements, tend to deform when subjected to high temperatures. Such deformation limits the plastic elements ability to collimate diode laser's output since high temperatures would often be experienced when the optical element was placed adjacent to the emitting facet of the diode laser.
An alternative method of collimating a divergent output from a diode laser involves the use of gradient index (GRIN) lenses such as the lens described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,053 which issued to Hissmi Nishi, et al. on May 26, 1987. While such GRIN lenses may be capable of collimating a divergent wavefront, their manufacture is typically complex. This complexity is due to the traditional methods of producing a GRIN lens by either chemical leaching of a glass rod, such that the refractive index is varied along the radius of the rod, or chemical vapor deposition of layers of particles having varied refractive indices, such that there is a concentric variation in the rod's refractive index. Thus, due to the typically complex methods for fabricating a GRIN lens, the utilization of such lenses is somewhat limited since they are quite expensive and require a sophisticated manufacturing process.
A third type of optical element for collimating a divergent output is a diffraction-based, computer-generated binary optical element as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,790 (hereinafter the '790 patent) which issued to Gary J. Swanson, et al. on Jan. 23, 1990. Binary optics, such as those in the '790 patent, have been able to collimate divergent wavefronts, however, the spatial resolution required of such optics has proved difficult to manufacture at a level high enough that a single binary optical element could collimate the diverging wavefront. Thus, a combination of binary and conventional refractive optical elements have typically been utilized to collimate the diverging wavefront resulting in the difficult alignment problems inherent when using a plurality of optical elements. Furthermore, the fabrication process for such binary optics is somewhat complex so that the binary optical elements produced are generally expensive.
Therefore it would be desirable to provide an optical element which is capable of collimating, with low optical aberrations, a highly divergent wavefront. Furthermore, it would be desirable if such collimating optical elements could be fabricated by a process which is relatively inexpensive and capable of mass producing such optical elements.

Aspheric cylindrical lens and method of fabrication


A method of antenna array processing. Digitized time-series data from a plurality of antenna elements are divided into a plurality of time windows. A Fourier Transform is performed on a time window of the plurality of time windows for each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements to generate a plurality of frequency domain vectors. The plurality of antenna elements is divided into a plurality of largest aperture sub-arrays. The frequency domain vectors are compressive beamformed tor the each sub-array to generate a plurality of bearing estimates corresponding to the plurality of sub-arrays. The plurality of bearing estimates from the plurality of sub-arrays are sparsely combined to generate a plurality of frequency-specific bearing estimates. The plurality of frequency-specific bearing estimates are incoherently averaged over a range of frequencies to generate a bearing for a bearing-timing record. A plurality of bearings for the bearing-timing record is generated.

Beamforming has achieved wide success in passive sonar applications such as the detection and localization of sound sources. Plane-wave acoustic beamforming is commonly applied to ship-towed horizontal arrays, where it is used to detect targets, determine target bearing angle, and to enhance signal-to-noise ratio. Specifically, it is a technique for the estimation of the spatial Fourier wave-number spectrum from measurements of a spatially varying acoustic field. Discrete peaks in the spectrum are associated with sources of sound localized in space. However, beamforming is a conventional l2 technique and requires that measurements be properly sampled; i.e., the array must have at least twice as man samples as the highest wavenumber in order to prevent aliasing. In practice, this means that sensing arrays must have many receivers, and that the receivers must be periodically spaced for beamforming to perform well. Thus, arrays are expensive and are compromised by damage to individual receivers.

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


The liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a main supporter in which a backlight and an LCD panel are mounted, and two bottom covers that are engaged with the main supporter to protect the backlight and the LCD panel, wherein the bottom covers are symmetrical to each other to be located at both sides of a long direction of the main supporter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly, to a backlight unit for the LCD.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, much effort has been made to study and develop various types of flat panel display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, a field emission display (FED) device, an electro-luminescence display (ELD) device, a plasma display panel (PDP), etc. Among these flat panel display devices, the LCD device has attracted considerable attention because of its high resolution, light weight, thin profile, compact size and low power consumption.
The LCD controls a light transmittance of a liquid crystal material to thereby display a picture. To this end, the LCD includes an LCD module having an LCD panel, a driving circuitry for driving the LCD module, and a case. The LCD panel has liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix form between two glass substrates, a backlight unit for irradiating light onto the LCD panel, and a casing. Hereinafter, a related art LCD device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings as follows.
FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a related art LCD device after an assembly, FIG. 2 is a rear view of the LCD device of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the LCD device taken along the line I-I′ in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a bottom cover of the LCD device shown in FIG. 3.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the related art LCD device includes an LCD panel 10, a top case 1 installed at an upper part of the LCD panel 10, and a backlight unit that is installed at a lower part of the LCD panel 10 to irradiate light to a rear surface of the LCD panel 10. A liquid crystal material is injected between two substrates (not shown) to display a picture, and the top case 1 encases the LCD panel 10 and the backlight unit.
The backlight unit includes a main supporter 3, a bottom cover 2, a lamp 6 that irradiates light to the rear surface of the LCD panel 10, and a light guide plate 8 installed along a side surface of the lamp 6. The main supporter 3 is installed at the lower part of the LCD panel 10 and is formed with a mounting space penetrated from an upper surface to a lower surface in order to mount the LCD panel 10 and the lamp 6 to fix them. Further, the bottom cover 2, which protects the lamp 6 and prevents a leakage of light, is installed at a lower part of the main supporter 3. The main supporter 3 is generally formed of a plastic material. The bottom cover 2 is formed of a metal material, such as aluminum or the like, which has a better heat conductivity than the plastic material. Moreover, a lamp housing 7 is installed to surround the lamp 6.
The light guide plate 8 is installed along the side surface of the lamp 6 to transform light irradiated from the lamp 6 into a surface light to uniformly supply the surface light to the LCD panel 10. A reflection plate 5 is arranged at a lower part of the light guide plate 8 to re-reflect light leaked to an opposition direction of the LCD panel 10. The lamp housing 7 reflects light radiated from the lamp 6 to the light guide plate 8.
An optical sheet 4 includes a diffusion sheet 43, a prism sheet 42 and a protection sheet 41, which are sequentially located at the upper part of the light guide plate 8. Among these sheets, the diffusion sheet 43 diffuses the light from the light guide plate 8 to radiate a uniform light, the prism sheet 42 concentrates the light diffused from the diffusion sheet 43, and the protection sheet 41 protects the prism sheet 42 and diffuses an incident light to radiate a uniform light.
As shown in FIG. 3, the bottom cover 2 is engaged with the main supporter 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom cover 2 is formed in an integration structure, and is formed with four bent parts 21 at each side surface thereof. In each of the bent parts 21, a plurality of engaged holes 21a are formed corresponding to engaging protrusions (not shown) formed in the main supporter 3. The engaging protrusions formed in the main supporter 3 are engaged in the respective engaged holes 21a, thereby securing the main supporter 3 and the bottom cover 2.
However, since the bottom cover 2 is formed in the integration structure, costs for manufacturing the related art LCD device are increased. Moreover, it is time-consuming to develop a mold and to perform management control.

Housing for liquid crystal display device having a main supporter and two bottom covers


A semiconductor device having a semiconductor element and a plurality of segments formed by dividing a conductive plate. Some of the segments are electrically coupled with electrodes of said semiconductor element and constitute lead pad portions as mounting electrodes of the semiconductor device. Other segments among the plurality of divided segments constitute die pad portions on which the semiconductor element is mounted. The plurality of divided segments and the semiconductor element are sealed and supported together by a resin material portion. The resin material portion fills the space between the divided segments as the lead pad portions. Semiconductor devices having various package sizes can be fabricated by using standardized common parts.

The present invention relates generally to a surface mount type semiconductor device having a lead-less structure, and more particularly to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same in which common parts can be used among semiconductor devices having different package sizes.
Recently, packages of components such as semiconductor integrated circuits, transistors, diodes and the like are downsized and made thin. In such components, existence of connecting leads gives large influence on the package size. Therefore, there is proposed a surface mount type semiconductor device having a lead-less structure in which connecting leads are not used. Especially, in a semiconductor integrated circuit device, it is required that a disposition pitch of connecting leads of a lead frame is minute, in order to realize a device having many lead pins. Also, width or thickness of each lead must be reduced and there is a possibility that the leads bend easily, causing short circuit between the leads. Alternatively, it is required that the package size is enlarged to realize a large disposition pitch of the leads.
Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 9-162348 discloses a semiconductor device having such lead-less structure. FIG. 40 is a cross sectional view of the semiconductor device disclosed in Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 9-162348. As shown in FIG. 40, a semiconductor element (element chip) 303 is fixed onto an element fixing resin board 301, and the upper side and peripheral area of the semiconductor element 303 are molded by package resin 305. Also, there are provided a plurality of projected portions 307 on the bottom surface of the package resin 305. The surface of each of the projected portions 307 is coated by a metal film 309. The metal films 309 are electrically coupled with the semiconductor element 303 via bonding wires 311, within the package resin 305. Thereby, the metal films 309 function as mounting electrodes for mounting the semiconductor device onto a printed circuit board and the like. Thus, in the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 40, mounting electrodes are formed directly on the bottom surface of the package, and it is not necessary to use a lead-frame. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages caused by the lead-frame. Also, the package is effectively downsized and made thin.
Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 9-252014 discloses another semiconductor device of this type. FIG. 41 is a cross sectional view of a semiconductor device disclosed in Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 9-252014. The semiconductor device of FIG. 41 is fabricated as follows. First, a metal foil is shaped into predetermined patterns to form a die pad portion 401 and a plurality of electrode portions 403. On the die pad portion 401, a semiconductor element 405 is mounted by using mounting material 407. The electrode portions 403 are then electrically coupled with the semiconductor element 405 by using bonding wires 409. Thereafter, the semiconductor element 405 and the bonding wires 409 are molded by package resin 411. In the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 41, the electrode portions 403 are exposed at the bottom surface of the package resin 411. Thereby, it is possible to realize a surface mount type semiconductor device having a lead-less structure. Thus, it is possible to downsize and thin down the package. In Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 9-252014, a method is also disclosed in which, before patterning a metal foil, a semiconductor element is mounted on the metal foil and wire bonding is performed, and thereafter the metal foil is patterned into desired patterns. Also, Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 10-22440 discloses a technology similar to that described above.
Further, there is known a technology disclosed in Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 8-115989 and Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 8-115991. FIG. 42 is a cross sectional view of a semiconductor device disclosed in Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 8-115989 and Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 8-115991. The semiconductor device shown in FIG. 42 has a frame-like terminal portion 501, and a plurality of column-like terminal portions 503 which are disposed within the frame-like terminal portion 501 and which are insulated from each other and from the frame-like terminal portion 501 via resin portion 505. A semiconductor element 509 is disposed on a patterned layer 507 formed on the frame-like terminal portion 501 and the column-like terminal portions 503. The semiconductor element 509 is electrically coupled with the patterned layer 507 via bonding wires 511. Thereby, the semiconductor element 509 is electrically coupled with the column-like terminal portions 503 via conducting pattern portions of the patterned layer 507. Further, the semiconductor element 509, the bonding wires 511 and the like are molded by resin 513. In this semiconductor device, the column-like terminal portions 503 are disposed in an area just under the semiconductor element 509 as electrodes for mounting. Therefore, it is possible to realize a semiconductor device having a grid array structure.
In each of the conventional semiconductor devices mentioned above, a relatively large number of fabrication steps are required and fabrication process becomes complicated, thereby manufacturing costs are increased. That is, in the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 40, it is necessary to provide the projected portions 307 at the bottom surface of the package resin 305, and to form the metal film 309 on the surface of the projected portions 307. The method of manufacturing such semiconductor device disclosed in Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 9-162348 is as follows. First, a metal base member is formed in which recessed portions are provided at portions corresponding to the projected portions 307. The metal film 309 is then selectively formed in each of the recessed portions. Then, mounting of the semiconductor element 303 and electrical connection between the semiconductor element 303 and the metal film 309 via bonding wires 311 are performed. Thereafter, molding by the package resin 305 is performed. The metal base member is finally removed to fabricate the semiconductor device. In this method, number of processes for selectively forming the metal film 309 is relatively large, and it is necessary to use the metal base member which becomes unnecessary after the completion of manufacturing. Therefore, manufacturing cost of the semiconductor device becomes large.
In the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 41, an etching process is required to pattern a metal foil into desired patterns when the die pad portions 401 and the electrode portions 403 are formed. Therefore, manufacturing process becomes complicated. Also, it is necessary to use a base member for supporting the metal foil when the metal foil is patterned. Since this base member becomes unnecessary after manufacturing the semiconductor device, it causes an increase in the manufacturing cost of the semiconductor device, as in the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 40. When the metal foil is patterned after packaging the semiconductor element, the base member becomes unnecessary. However, since the etching process is performed by wet etching, it is necessary to perform water-resistant protection of the package when the etching is performed. Therefore, manufacturing process becomes complicated and, in this respect, manufacturing costs of the semiconductor device become large.
Further, in the semiconductor device shown in FIG. 42, the pattern layer 507 is required between the frame-like terminal portion and the column-like terminal portions 501 and 503 and the semiconductor element 509 mounted thereon for selectively and electrically coupling the bonding wires 511 with the column-like terminal portions 503. Therefore, a large number of components are required and manufacturing costs of the semiconductor device become large. Also, number of manufacturing processes increases and manufacturing process becomes complicated.
Also, the above-mentioned conventional semiconductor devices have common problems as follows. In order to fabricate the above-mentioned semiconductor devices, components such as the metal film portions 309, the electrode portions 403 each made of a metal foil, the column-like terminal portions 503, the pattern layer 507 and the like are required as mounting terminals. It is necessary that these components are previously designed and manufactured into predetermined electrode arrangement patterns and sizes in compliance with kinds and sizes of the semiconductor elements 303, 405 and 509. Therefore, when a semiconductor element having different kind or size is to be mounted, it is necessary to again design and fabricate the above-mentioned components having different patterns and sizes. Also, when the components are to be previously fabricated and prepared, it is necessary to prepare a plurality kinds of components applicable to a plurality kinds or sizes of semiconductor elements. Therefore, manufacturing and management of the components used for fabricating the semiconductor devices become complicated.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a surface mount type semiconductor device having a lead-less structure and a method of manufacturing the same in which the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art technology can be obviated.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a surface mount type semiconductor device having a lead-less structure and a method of manufacturing the same in which a simplified structure of the semiconductor device and a simplified manufacturing process thereof can be realized.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a surface mount type semiconductor device having a lead-less structure and a method of manufacturing the same in which common parts can be utilized for making the semiconductor devices having different kinds and sizes.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor element; a plurality of divided segments formed by dividing a conductive plate, at least one of the divided segments being electrically coupled with an electrode of the semiconductor element; and a resin material portion supporting the plurality of divided segments and the semiconductor element together.
In this case, it is preferable that the at least one of the segments electrically coupled with the electrodes of the semiconductor element constitute lead pad portions as mounting electrodes, and at least one of other segments among the plurality of segments constitute die pad portions on which the semiconductor element is mounted.
It is also preferable that, among the plurality of segments, at least one of the segments located under the semiconductor element constitute die pad portions, and at least one of the segments which are disposed in the peripheral portion of the segments constituting the die pad portions and which are electrically coupled with the electrodes of the semiconductor element via bonding wires constitute lead pad portions.
It is further preferable that the resin material portion seals the semiconductor element and the bonding wires, and fills the space between the segments as the lead pad portions among the plurality of segments.
It is advantageous that the semiconductor element is mounted on the at least one of the segments as die pad portions via mounting material or tape-like adhesive.
It is also advantageous that a part of the segments located under the semiconductor element constitute die pad portions, and other part of the segments located under the semiconductor element are electrically coupled with electrodes of the semiconductor element via bumps and constitute lead pad portions.
It is further advantageous that the resin material portion seals the semiconductor element, and fills the space between the semiconductor element and the segments located under the semiconductor element and the space between the segments located under the semiconductor element.
It is preferable that the plurality of segments are formed by dividing a conductive plate into a lattice-like arrangement.
It is also preferable that each of the segments has a crank-like cross section in the direction of thickness of the conductive plate.
It is further preferable that the plurality of segments are disposed around the semiconductor element but are not disposed under the semiconductor element, at least one of the segments are electrically coupled with electrodes of the semiconductor element via bonding wires and constitute lead pad portions as mounting electrodes, and the resin material portion seals the semiconductor element and the bonding wires and fills the space between respective segments of the plurality of segments.
It is advantageous that the semiconductor element is a semiconductor integrated circuit chip, and electrodes of the semiconductor integrated circuit chip are respectively coupled with the segments as lead pad portions among the plurality of segments.
It is also advantageous that the semiconductor element is a diode chip, the diode chip is mounted on one of the plurality of segments, and an electrode of the diode chip is electrically coupled with other one of the segments adjacent the divided segment on which the diode chip is mounted.
It is further advantageous that the semiconductor element is a transistor chip, the transistor chip is mounted on one of the plurality of segments, and electrodes of the transistor chip are electrically coupled with two of the segments adjacent the divided segment on which the transistor chip is mounted.
It is preferable that a ball-like electrode is formed on the backside surface of the at least one of the segments constituting said lead pad portions.
It is also preferable that the bumps are solder bumps or studbumps.
It is further preferable that a resist film is formed on the backside surface of the at least one of the segments constituting said die pad portions.
It is advantageous that an outer dimension of a group of the segments which constitute the die pad portions and the lead pad portions is larger than an outer dimension of the semiconductor element.
It is also advantageous that an outer dimension of a group of the segments which constitute the die pad portions and the lead pad portions is substantially equal to an outer dimension of the semiconductor element.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: preparing a conductive plate; forming concave trenches in the conductive plate to form a plurality of segments; preparing a semiconductor element; mounting a semiconductor element on the conductive plate having the concave trenches formed therein; disposing resin material on the conductive plate wherein a part of the resin material enters at least a part of the concave trenches; and removing the backside portion of the conductive plate so as to expose bottom portions of the concave trenches.
In this case, it is preferable that, in the removing the backside of the conductive plate, the backside of the conductive plate is polished or etched so as to expose bottom portions of the concave trenches.
It is also preferable that, in the mounting a semiconductor element on the conductive plate, the semiconductor element is mounted on at least one of the segments; wherein the method further comprises electrically coupling electrodes of the semiconductor element with segments disposed around the at least one of the segments on which the semiconductor element is mounted; and wherein, in the disposing the resin material on the conductive plate, the semiconductor element and the bonding wires are sealed by the resin material, and the resin material fills the concave trenches between segments disposed around the at least one of the segments on which the semiconductor element is mounted.
It is further preferable that, in the preparing a semiconductor element, a semiconductor element having bumps formed thereon is prepared; wherein, in the mounting the semiconductor element on the conductive plate, electrodes of the semiconductor element are electrically coupled with at least one of segments disposed under the semiconductor element via the bumps; and wherein, in the disposing the resin material on the conductive plate, the semiconductor element is sealed by the resin material, and the resin material fills a space between the semiconductor element and the conductive plate.
It is advantageous that, in the forming concave trenches in the conductive plate to form a plurality of segments, the concave trenches are formed in lattice-like arrangement.
It is also advantageous that, in the forming concave trenches in the conductive plate to form a plurality of segments, the concave trenches are formed by using a technology selected from a group consisting of half-cut dicing, half-etching and press working.
It is further advantageous that, in the mounting a semiconductor element on the conductive plate, the semiconductor element is mounted on the conductive plate via mounting material or tape-like adhesive.
It is preferable that the method further comprises caving a portion of the conductive plate to form a concave portion, before the mounting a semiconductor element on the conductive plate; wherein, in the mounting a semiconductor element on the conductive plate, the semiconductor element is mounted in the concave portion via mounting material; wherein the method further comprises electrically coupling electrodes of the semiconductor element with segments disposed around the concave portion via bonding wires; wherein, in the disposing the resin material on the conductive plate, the semiconductor element and the bonding wires are sealed by the resin material, and the resin material fills the concave trenches between segments disposed around the concave portion; and wherein, in the removing the backside portion of the conductive plate, the mounting material is exposed.
It is also preferable that the semiconductor element is a semiconductor integrated circuit chip.
It is further preferable that the semiconductor element is a diode chip; wherein, in the mounting the semiconductor element on the conductive plate, the diode chip is mounted on one of the plurality of segments; wherein the method further comprises electrically coupling an electrode of the diode chip with one of the segments adjacent the divided segment on which the diode chip is mounted via a bonding wire; and wherein, in the disposing the resin material on the conductive plate, the diode chip and the bonding wire are sealed by the resin material, and the resin material fills the concave trench between the divided segment electrically coupled with the electrode of the diode chip and the divided segment on which the diode chip is mounted.
It is advantageous that the semiconductor element is a transistor chip; wherein, in the mounting the semiconductor element on the conductive plate, the transistor chip is mounted on one of the plurality of segments; wherein the method further comprises electrically coupling electrodes of the transistor chip with two of the segments adjacent the divided segment on which the transistor chip is mounted via bonding wires; and wherein, in the disposing the resin material on the conductive plate, the transistor chip and the bonding wires are sealed by the resin material, and the resin material fills the concave trenches between the segments electrically coupled with the electrodes of the transistor chip and the divided segment on which the transistor chip is mounted.
It is also advantageous that, in the disposing the resin material on the conductive plate, the resin material is disposed by using a technology selected from a group consisting of molding by a metal die, coating, and potting.
It is further advantageous that, in the preparing a semiconductor element, a plurality of semiconductor elements are prepared; wherein, in the mounting the semiconductor element on the conductive plate, the plurality of semiconductor elements are mounted on the conductive plate; and wherein, in the disposing the resin material on the conductive plate, the plurality of semiconductor elements are sealed by the resin material.
It is preferable that the method further comprises, after removing the backside portion of the conductive plate, cutting the resin material in predetermined locations to form separate semiconductor devices each including at least one semiconductor element.
It is also preferable that, in the forming concave trenches in the conductive plate to form a plurality of segments, the concave trenches are formed in lattice-like arrangement; wherein, in the preparing a semiconductor element, a semiconductor wafer on which a plurality of semiconductor elements are formed is prepared; wherein, in the mounting the semiconductor element on the conductive plate, the semiconductor wafer is mounted on the conductive plate and electrodes of each semiconductor element formed in the semiconductor wafer are electrically coupled with corresponding segments of the plurality of segments via bumps; wherein, in the disposing the resin material on the conductive plate, the resin material fills a space between the semiconductor wafer and the conductive plate; and wherein the method further comprises, after removing the backside portion of the conductive plate, cutting the semiconductor wafer and the resin material in predetermined locations to form separate semiconductor devices each including at least one semiconductor element.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: preparing a conductive plate; preparing a supporting sheet; sticking the conductive plate on the supporting sheet; cutting the conductive plate stuck on the supporting sheet to form a plurality of segments supported by the supporting sheet; preparing a semiconductor element; mounting a semiconductor element on at least one of the plurality of segments; and disposing resin material on the plurality of segments, wherein a part of the resin material enters at least a part of spaces between the segments.
In this case, it is preferable that the method further comprises peeling the supporting sheet, after disposing the resin material.
It is also preferable that the supporting sheet has opening portions at predetermined locations, and is made of material which does not adhere to solder; and wherein, in the cutting the conductive plate stuck on the supporting sheet to form a plurality of segments supported by the supporting sheet, at least one of the segments is exposed via the opening portions of the supporting sheet.
It is further preferable that the method further comprises electrically coupling electrodes of the semiconductor element with segments disposed around the at least one of the segments on which the semiconductor element is mounted via bonding wires; and wherein, in the disposing the resin material, the semiconductor element and the bonding wires are sealed by the resin material, and the resin material fills spaces between segments disposed around the at least one of the segments on which the semiconductor element is mounted.
It is advantageous that, in the preparing a semiconductor element, a semiconductor element having electrodes on which bumps are formed is prepared; wherein, in the mounting a semiconductor element on at least one of the plurality of segments, electrodes of the semiconductor element are electrically coupled with at least one of the segments located under the semiconductor element via the bumps; and wherein, in the disposing the resin material, the semiconductor element is sealed by the resin material, and the resin material fills spaces between segments disposed under the semiconductor element and spaces between the semiconductor element and the segments located under the semiconductor element.
It is also advantageous that, in the cutting the conductive plate stuck on the supporting sheet to form a plurality of segments supported by the supporting sheet, the conductive plate is cut into lattice-like arrangement, and the supporting sheet is not cut substantially.
It is further advantageous that, in the mounting a semiconductor element on at least one of the segments, the semiconductor element is mounted on the at least one of the segments via mounting material or tape-like adhesive.
It is preferable that the semiconductor element is a semiconductor integrated circuit chip.
It is also preferable that the semiconductor element is a diode chip; wherein, in the mounting the semiconductor element on at least one of the segments, the diode chip is mounted on one of the plurality of segments; wherein the method further comprises electrically coupling an electrode of the diode chip with one of the segments adjacent the divided segment on which the diode chip is mounted via a bonding wire; and wherein, in the disposing the resin material, the diode chip and the bonding wire are sealed by the resin material, and the resin material fills a space between the divided segment electrically coupled with the electrode of the diode chip and the divided segment on which the diode chip is mounted.
It is further preferable that the semiconductor element is a transistor chip; wherein, in the mounting the semiconductor element on at least one of the segments, the transistor chip is mounted on one of the plurality of segments; wherein the method further comprises electrically coupling electrodes of the transistor chip with two of the segments adjacent the divided segment on which the transistor chip is mounted via bonding wires; and wherein, in the disposing the resin material, the transistor chip and the bonding wires are sealed by the resin material, and the resin material fills spaces between the segments electrically coupled with the electrodes of the transistor chip and the divided segment on which the transistor chip is mounted.
It is advantageous that, in the disposing the resin material, the resin material is disposed by using a technology selected from a group consisting of molding by a metal die, coating, and potting.
It is also advantageous that, in the preparing a semiconductor element, a plurality of semiconductor elements are prepared; wherein, in the mounting the semiconductor element on at least one of the segments, the plurality of semiconductor elements are mounted on the segments; and wherein, in the disposing the resin material, the plurality of semiconductor elements are sealed by the resin material.
It is further advantageous that, in the cutting the conductive plate stuck on the supporting sheet to form a plurality of segments supported by the supporting sheet, the conductive plate is cut into lattice-like arrangement; wherein, in the preparing a semiconductor element, a semiconductor wafer on which a plurality of semiconductor elements are formed is prepared; wherein, in the mounting a semiconductor element on at least one of the plurality of segments, the semiconductor wafer is mounted on the plurality of segments supported by the supporting sheet, and electrodes of each semiconductor element formed on the semiconductor wafer are electrically coupled with corresponding segments of the plurality of segments via bumps; wherein, in the disposing resin material, the resin material fills a space between the semiconductor wafer and a plurality of segments supported by the supporting sheet and spaces between respective segments of the plurality of segments; and wherein the method further comprises cutting the semiconductor wafer and the resin material in predetermined locations to form separate semiconductor devices each including at least one semiconductor element.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: preparing a semiconductor element having electrodes on which bumps are formed; preparing a conductive plate; forming a first set of concave trenches in a lattice-like arrangement on the face side of the conductive plate; forming a second set of concave trenches in a lattice-like arrangement on the backside of the conductive plate, the second set of concave trenches are shifted from the first set of concave trenches in the direction along the surface of the conductive plate; mounting the semiconductor element on the face surface of the conductive plate, wherein electrodes of the semiconductor element are electrically coupled with segments divided by the first set of concave trenches via bumps; filling a space between the semiconductor element and the conductive plate with resin material; and cutting the conductive plate at locations shifted in the directions along the surface of the conductive plate from the first and second sets of concave trenches.
In this case, it is preferable that, in the preparing a semiconductor element having electrodes on which bumps are formed, a semiconductor wafer on which a plurality of semiconductor elements are formed thereon is prepared, and each of the semiconductor element has electrodes on which bumps are formed; wherein, in the mounting the semiconductor element on the face surface of the conductive plate, the semiconductor wafer is mounted on the face surface of the conductive plate, and electrodes of each of the semiconductor elements are electrically coupled with segments divided by the first set of concave trenches via bumps; wherein, in the filling a space between the semiconductor element and the conductive plate with resin material, the resin material fill a space between the semiconductor wafer and the conductive plate; and wherein the method further comprises cutting the semiconductor wafer and the resin material in predetermined locations to form separate semiconductor devices each including at least one semiconductor element.
It is also preferable that the forming a second set of concave trenches in a lattice-like arrangement on the backside of the conductive plate is performed after filling a space between the semiconductor element and the conductive plate with resin material; wherein, in the forming a second set of concave trenches in a lattice-like arrangement on the backside of the conductive plate, the second set of concave trenches partially overlap the first set of the concave trenches and the conductive plate is separated by the first and second sets of concave trenches; and thereby obviating the cutting the conductive plate at locations shifted in the directions along the surface of the conductive plate from the first and second sets of concave trenches.
It is further preferable that, in the forming a first set of concave trenches in a lattice-like arrangement on the face side of the conductive plate and in the forming a second set of concave trenches in a lattice-like arrangement on the backside of the conductive plate, the first and second sets of concave trenches are formed by using a technology selected from a group consisting of half-cut dicing, half-etching and press working.
As mentioned above, in a semiconductor device according to the present invention, a plurality of segments or divided segments are formed from a conductor plate or board, and lead pad portions are constituted of the segments which are electrically coupled with electrodes of a semiconductor element. Therefore, by appropriately determining which divided segments are used as lead pad portions depending on the size and kind of each of the semiconductor elements, it is possible to commonly utilize the divided segments for the semiconductor elements having different sizes and kinds to form device packages. Also, it is possible to form die pad portions by using portions of the divided segments and to mount a semiconductor element on the die pad portions. In this case, other portions of the divided segments are used as lead pad portions and electrodes of the semiconductor element are electrically coupled with the lead pad portions. Alternatively, it is possible to electrically couple bumps provided on electrodes of a semiconductor element with divided segments to form lead pad portions. Thereby, it is possible to mount or dispose a semiconductor element in face-up condition or in face-down condition. The lead pad portions may be disposed in the periphery of the package, or may be disposed in the bottom portion of the package in lattice-like arrangement. The same standard conducting plate can be utilized to fabricate surface-mount type semiconductor devices having lead-less structure, even if the semiconductor devices have different sizes and/or kinds.
In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the present invention, segments or divided segments are defined by forming concave trenches in a conductor plate. A semiconductor element is mounted on the divided segments, and the semiconductor element and the divided segments are electrically coupled. Thereafter, the backside portion of the conductor plate is removed to form individual divided segments. Therefore, it is possible to easily perform a process of mounting a semiconductor element, a process of electrical connection between the semiconductor element and the divided segments, and a process of forming a package resin portion. Also, it is possible to fabricate a semiconductor device which has a plurality of lead pad portions finally insulated from each other. Therefore, according to the present invention, the number of parts and the number of process steps do not increase uselessly, and manufacturing process can be simplified.

Semiconductor devices having different package sizes made by using common parts


A multiple speed ratio transmission for use in the driveline of an automotive vehicle includes a hydrokinetic torque converter and three interconnected planetary gear units, several one-way clutches and brakes, friction clutches and friction brakes. The engaged and release state of the friction elements permits the transmission to produce several underdrive speed ratios, a direct drive ratio, an overdrive ratio and reverse drive.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to planetary gearing and associated clutches, brakes and overrunning couplings that control operation of the gearing to produce several forward drive ratios and a reverse drive ratio. The invention pertains particularly to the arrangement of clutches, brakes and couplings and their mutual interconnection and connection with the elements of the gearing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention includes improvements in a four speed ratio power transmission mechanism of the kind described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,509,389; 4,368,649, and U.S. Ser. No. 07/878,353 filed May 4, 1992. These patents and application are assigned to the assignee of this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,389 discloses a hydrokinetic torque converter located on the axis of the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine and two simple planetary gear units mounted for rotation about the axis of a driven shaft, which extends parallel to the crankshaft axis and concentrically through the gearing. The torque output element of the torque converter, which is the turbine shaft of the bladed turbine, is connected driveably to the gearing by to a drive sprocket and a chain. Clutches and brakes are used to establish and disestablish four forward driving ratios as well as a reverse drive ratio.
A first overrunning coupling and a first friction clutch are used to establish a driving connection between an input sun gear of the gearing and the driven sprocket. A second overrunning coupling and a second friction clutch located in series relationship connect the sun gear to the driven sprocket. The first friction clutch and the second friction clutch each are provided with fluid pressure operated servos that comprise an annular cylinder and a cooperating annular piston, which define pressure chambers that rotate about the axis of the gearing. When the chambers are pressurized, the pistons engage friction discs to establish a driving connection between the outer race of the companion overrunning coupling and the common rotary portions of the clutch cylinders.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,054,488 describes an overrunning coupling that is engaged and released selectively to accommodate free-wheeling in either direction and to prevent relative rotation between the coupling races in one direction. Rollers are urged into clutching engagement with inner and outer races or into a clutch release position by fluid pressure.

Multiple speed nonsynchronous automatic transmission for motor vehicles


An analog-digital converter includes an analog switch on a semiconductor substrate, the analog switch having a P-channel transistor and an N-channel transistor; and a capacitive element having a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode are formed in a region in a layer different from a layer of the analog switch, the region extending over the analog switch. The first electrode and the second electrode have a comb-shaped pattern different from an arrangement pattern of the source regions and the drain regions of the P-channel transistor and the N-channel transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an analog-digital converter for converting an analog signal to a digital signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The technique of forming lines adjacent to each other within one interconnect layer and using fringing capacitance between these lines has been known in order to obtain large capacitance while decreasing an area consumed by a capacitor over a semiconductor substrate (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 61-263251 and Japanese Patent No. 2700959).
An analog-digital converter including the above-mentioned capacitor has a capacitor array block 902 in which unit capacitors 901 having a predetermined capacitance are densely situated in the row and column direction as shown in, for example, FIG. 1. The capacitor array block 902 is surrounded by a dummy capacitor 903 in order to reduce variations in the capacitance of each unit capacitor 901.
The unit capacitors 901 are organized into groups, which consist of predetermined numbers (for example 16, 8, 4, 2, and 1) of unit capacitors 901, and these groups of unit capacitors 901 are respectively connected to corresponding discrete lines (16C_Lin, 8C_Lin, 4C_Lin, 2C_Lin, and 1C_Lin_a to 1C_Lin_f) at the electrodes on one side. Each discrete line is connected to an analog switch 904a in a voltage switching circuit 904 situated near the capacitor array block 902. Predetermined reference voltages, the predetermined reference voltages divided by an R-2R resistance array 905, or analog input voltages are selectively applied to each discrete line.
The unit capacitors 901 are connected to a comparator 906 via a common line (com_Lin) at the electrodes on the other side. An output of the comparator 906 is input to a control circuit 907 and converted to, for example, 10-bit digital values D0-D9.
As an example of other techniques for a circuit having a transistor and a capacitor, a technique has been known in which a line having the same pattern as each of electrodes is aligned over each of the electrodes so as to form a capacitor to be connected between a source region and a drain region, such as a transistor of a power amplifier (see the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,307).
In the above-mentioned analog-digital converter having the voltage switching circuit 904 situated near the capacitor array block 902, the fringing capacitance is advantageously used, so that it is possible to decrease the area consumed by the capacitor array block 902. However, it is not possible for the above-mentioned analog-digital converter to reduce an area consumed by the voltage switching circuit 904. Therefore, overall area miniaturization of the analog-digital converter is difficult.
The groups of the unit capacitors 901 have different discrete line layouts. Beside that, it is difficult to avoid (i) crossovers of discrete lines and (ii) crossovers of discrete lines and the common line. For these reasons, it difficult to achieve high accuracy in relative capacitance ratio in each group and to decrease effects of cross-talk. Therefore, obtaining a highly accurate analog-digital converter is difficult.
Moreover, in the arrangement in which the capacitor is formed by aligning lines over the source region and over the drain region of the transistor, it is not possible to arbitrary select a polarity of transistor and design a connection relationship between the transistor and the capacitor. Moreover, the position of each electrode is determined by the size or shape of the transistor. Therefore, desired capacitance is not necessarily obtained.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A weather radar for detecting taxi obstacles has a transmitter for transmitting intermixed short-range pulses to detect short-range stationary objects and longer-range Doppler pulses to detect long-range moving targets. A receiver receives short-range return pulses from the short-range stationary objects and longer-range Doppler return pulses from the long-range moving targets. A processor is connected to the transmitter and receiver for generating the intermixed short-range pulses and longer-range Doppler pulses and for processing short-range return pulses and longer-range Doppler return pulses. A display displays detected short-range stationary objects and longer-range moving targets.

This invention relates to weather radar, aircraft runaway incursions, and specifically for a weather radar for the detection and alerting of the presence of obstacles during taxi operations.
Accidents during surface operations remain one of the last largely unsolved problems of the air transport system. Both the US government and resources from a number of companies are moving to meet this challenge. Many have suggested solutions that require controlled environments, ground equipment, or equipment on all vehicles or structures that may be involved in an accident. Counting on these external requirements always being in place insures some situations will never be covered, even in a regulatory rich environment such as North America. Second and third world operations with their historically poorer infrastructure and minimally equipped aircraft will see a much higher rate of situations where an aircraft that is equipped with hazard detecting equipment that requires external help may still have an avoidable accident. The real challenge is to make an aircraft safe in all environments. This forces at least some portions of the system to be autonomous.
A representative system under development is a ground-based system that requires either surface movement radar and/or multilateration receivers processing L-band returns from aircraft. Multilateration is a process of solving for the position of a transmitter on board an aircraft by measuring the transmitter pulse arrival time to geographically diverse sets of ground-based receivers whose positions are known. Since this system is ground based, it does not allow the aircraft to operate autonomously. Secondly, since this multilateration system tracks targets by L-band emissions, targets without a transponder are not detectable.
NASA is developing a system called RIPS (Runway Incursion Prevention System) that is based on ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) equipped aircraft, an airport database, and an L-band data path. Both obstacle awareness and position awareness are provided with this system. Although this system can be carried on an aircraft, targets to be avoided must cooperate by squittering their position at L-Band. Any object without GPS position and an L-band transmitter will not be tracked.
FLIR (forward looking infrared) cameras have been tested with both single and multiple IR bands. This solution does not require cooperation from a viewed target but does not work in some fog situations. Millimeter wave systems have been demonstrated from several vendors but again they may be challenged with fog and cloud cover in the passive systems while the active systems are heavily attenuated in rain. Both the IR and millimeter wave systems are costly and also carry a new maintenance burden as airline operators try to maintain the new higher frequency equipment and new IR window or dual-band millimeter wave capable radomes.
Another representative system is an add-on to an enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS). This system produces database driven audio annunciation of impending transitions of runways and taxiways. This system's strong point is improving the pilot's awareness of own aircraft location. Thus the system is useful in helping an equipped aircraft from making a mistake that causes an accident. This system's weak point is in only annunciating runway/taxiway transitions, it does not directly detect threats. Thus this system will not protect the aircraft from someone else who makes a mistake or obstacles that are not contained in the database. In addition this system frequently annunciates with an audio message whether a threat exists or not. This approach will violate the dark/quiet cockpit philosophy and may lead the pilot to discount an accident avoiding annunciation since the system is producing annunciations that are discounted all the time.
The aircraft ground movement problem can be separated into two components, position awareness and threat awareness. Position awareness aids the pilot in not putting his aircraft in the wrong place where it can be threatened or become a threat to another aircraft. Threat awareness is looking out for other aircraft and obstacles that are in a wrong or unexpected position. The EPGWS-based system described above is for improved position awareness. A HUD-driven taxi guidance system is proposed to keep the aircraft where it should be. Assuming a guidance or position awareness system, such as these, is included in new aircraft, the problem becomes one of detection and annunciation of threats.
Threat detection solutions fall into two broad categories; cooperative and non-cooperative. Cooperative detection of hazards requires that a potential hazard be actively involved in the detection process. Examples include the L-band multilateration driven system and the GPS position annunciating NASA RIPS system previously described. On the other hand, the FLIR, radar, and millimeter wave systems do not require cooperation from a target.
Threat detection systems may be evaluated by their detection rate, false alarm rate, and accuracy of the threat prediction. A cooperative system's miss rate should be dominated by the number of obstacles that for any reason do not cooperate as desired. Unintended objects on the runways that were never expected to cooperate or aircraft with missing or broken equipment are examples of obstacles that would produce misses. Assuming all obstacles are equipped to cooperate, very high detection rates are achievable and this will aid certification of a cooperative system. Non-cooperative systems have their miss rate dominated by their detection miss rate. High detection rates for non-cooperative systems come at the cost of false alarms. This may make certification somewhat of a challenge for any non-cooperative sensor system unless the environmental and target conditions are limited during certification as was done in certification standards for windshear detecting weather radar.
Both cooperative and non-cooperative systems face challenges. Since a RIPS or HUD taxi guidance system can provide taxi guidance and position awareness along with low installed weight and cost, it is likely to be part of a solution. So the problem that remains is that of obstacles and aircraft not being equipped to cooperate or not in the current database. A non-cooperative system can fill this detection void.
Non-cooperative threat sensors include cameras (visual, low light, millimeter wave, and infrared) and radars (microwave, millimeter wave, and laser). As previously discussed, cameras, whether low light, infrared, millimeter wave, or visual, all fail under some precipitation situations that pilots would call benign. Both millimeter and laser radars do not work in moderate to high rain rate situations. An ideal sensor would be low cost or already on the aircraft and work in all environmental conditions.
Ground movement threat assessment may be broken into two problems, short-range obstacles and longer range moving obstacles. The short-range problem is one of providing the pilot with timely information to allow the aircraft to be braked to a stop. Short-range targets may be either moving or non-moving. The inclusion of non-moving targets brings a potentially higher false alarm opportunity unless a database is used to qualify which targets are in the taxi path of the aircraft. The longer-range problem only addresses moving targets. Targets at range that are not closing are not a threat.
What is needed is a reliable low-cost autonomous system for detection and alerting of the presence of obstacles during taxi operations under all weather conditions.


A medical device that can be used to cut a cornea. The device may include a blade that is coupled to a head by a blade holder. The device may also have a retention spring that exerts a force on the blade and blade holder. The head and blade can be moved across a ring by a drive assembly that contains a lead screw. The ring may contain one or more openings which have a length that is greater than a width. The openings may be coupled to a vacuum source by a tube. The vacuum pressure of the tube can be displayed by a console. The console may also have switches that allow different operating parameters to be entered through a single knob.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microkeratome that can be used to remove tissue from a cornea.
2. Background Information
There have been developed a number of different surgical techniques to correct hyperopic or myopic conditions of a human eye. U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,175 issued to Peyman discloses a procedure wherein a thin layer of corneal tissue is cut and removed from a cornea. A laser beam is then directed onto the exposed corneal tissue in a predetermined pattern. The laser beam ablates corneal tissue and changes the curvature of the eye.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 35,421 issued to Ruiz et al. discloses a device for cutting the cornea to expose an underlying surface for laser ablation. Such a device is commonly referred to as a microkeratome. The Ruiz microkeratome includes a ring that is placed onto a cornea and a blade that is located within an opening of the ring. The device also contains a drive mechanism which moves the blade across the cornea in a first direction while sliding the blade across the eye in a second transverse direction. The device can create a lamella which is flipped back so that the eye can be ablated with the laser.
The Ruiz microkeratome includes a head that houses the blade. The drive mechanism of the keratome moves the head and the blade across the opening of the ring. The head and ring have a pair of dovetail tongue and groove linear bearings which insure that the blade moves in a linear manner across the cornea.
The dovetail configuration of the Ruiz microkeratome requires that the head be loaded from the side of the ring. The surgeon must align the dovetail features before sliding the head onto the ring. Aligning the dovetail features can be difficult and awkward. It would be desirable to provide a microkeratome that can be more readily assembled than keratomes of the prior art.
The blade is typically assembled into a blade holder that is captured by the head of the microkeratome. The surgeon assembles the blade into the blade holder and then loads the blade holder into an opening in the head. To avoid contamination the surgeon typically holds the blade with a magnet.
It is important to accurately assemble the blade into the blade holder and load the blade holder into the head. A misalignment of the blade may result in an inaccurate cut of the cornea. It would therefore be desirable to provide a microkeratome and a tool that insure an accurate loading of the blade.
Microkeratomes that are presently used in the field typically have a stop feature that limits the movement of the blade across the cornea. The stop feature may include a pin that extends from the head and engages a stop surface of the ring. It has been found that a portion of the patient's eyelid may fall in between the pin and the stop surface. The eyelid may prematurely stop the head and create an inaccurate cut of the cornea. It would be desirable to provide a stop feature that was not susceptible to interference from an object such as an eyelid.
Most conventional microkeratome drive mechanisms contain a plurality of spur gears that are coupled to a single drive motor. The gears rotate to move the blade and head across the ring to cut the cornea. Spur gears are susceptible to wear and crowning. Additionally, the vibration of the motor may transfer to the blade through the gears and affect the cutting action of the blade. It would be desirable to provide a microkeratome that was less susceptible to gear wear and crowning, and absorbed at least some of the vibration energy generated by the motor.
The vacuum ring typically has one or more openings that are in fluid communication with a source of vacuum. The vacuum holds the ring in place while the blade cuts the cornea. It has been found that the opening(s) may become occluded and prevent an adequate vacuum pressure to hold the ring in place during the procedure. Any movement of the ring during the cutting process may result in an improper cut of the cornea. Unfortunately, the surgeon has no means to determine whether there is an inadequate vacuum pressure at the ring/cornea interface. It would be desirable to provide a microkeratome that reduced the likelihood of an occlusion at the ring openings and provided an indication to the surgeon when there is inadequate vacuum pressure at the ring/cornea interface.

Vacuum ring with linear bearings for an automated corneal shaper


FinFET end-implanted-semiconductor structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed herein. The method includes forming at least one mandrel on a silicon layer of a substrate comprising an underlying insulator layer. The method further includes etching the silicon layer to form at least one silicon island under the at least one mandrel. The method further includes ion-implanting sidewalls of the at least one silicon island to form doped regions on the sidewalls. The method further includes forming a dielectric layer on the substrate, a top surface of which is planarized to be coplanar with a top surface of the at least one mandrel. The method further includes removing the at least one mandrel to form an opening in the dielectric layer. The method further includes etching the at least one silicon island to form at least one fin island having doped source and drain regions.

The geometry of the components making up multi-fin double-gate fin field-effect transistors (FinFETs) can lead to complications during manufacture. For example, doping of extensions in FinFETs is complicated by a shadowing affect of blocking resists when using conventional angled ion implantation. Specifically, the aspect ratio of the blocking resist thickness to fin spacing causes problems with shadowing the sides of the structure during ion implantation. This shadowing affect can lead to limited circuit density.
Conventional solutions include the use of a chevron layout of the fins with tilted implants at twist directions nearly orthogonal to the gate, and implanting end-etched fins at twist angles near orthogonal to the gate. The former conventional method is limited to chevron layout schemes, whereas the latter conventional method is dependent on fin expansion with selective silicon on very small structures, which can be very challenging.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome the deficiencies and limitations described hereinabove.

Semiconductor structure and methods of manufacture


Water-reducible curing agents for epoxy resins are made from the diglycidyl ether of cyclohexane dimethanol and a diamine selected from the group consisting of meta-xylylene diamine, isophorone diamine, diaminocyclohexane and 1,3-bisaminomethyl cyclohexane.

The field of art to which this invention is directed is epoxy-amine adducts useful as curing agents for epoxy resins.
Epoxy-amine adducts, i.e., the reaction products of amines with mono or polyepoxides, have been used as curing agents for epoxy resins for a great number of years. Such adducts have lower volatility than unadducted amines due to their higher molecular weight and therefore cause less environmental problems. By varying the amine and/or the epoxy moiety, curing agents can be made which provide a wide range of properties to cured epoxy resin systems.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,643,239, epoxy-amine adducts of diepoxides and secondary amines are described.
Epoxy-amine adducts of polyamines and polyepoxides are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,651,589 and 2,909,448.
Various types of epoxy-amine adducts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,182,831; 4,182,833; 4,525,542; 4,539,347; and 4,608,405.
In recent years due to environmental concerns and governmental regulations, there have been increased efforts made to develop curable epoxy resin systems which contain a minimum of volatile organic compounds and which can be reduced with water.
Many of the known epoxy-amine adducts can be dissolved in water in combination with a water miscible co-solvent. However, they generally cannot be dissolved in water with no organic solvent being present unless they are salted with an acid. The use of organic cosolvents introduces volatile organic compounds into the system. The use of acids for salting reduces the resistance properties of the cured compositions.
There is a need for an epoxy-amine adduct which can be dissolved in water with a minimum of organic cosolvent and which does not need to be salted in order to be soluble in water.

Water reducible epoxy-amine adducts based on the diglycidyl ether of cyclohexane dimethanol


A mobile phone unit is provided in which a characteristic of an antenna is improved and SAR is reduced without lowering an antenna gain during communication. An antenna 26 (electrical length λ/4), an antenna connection conductive member 22 (electrical length λ/4) that is a circuit board connected to the antenna 26, an opposite side conductive member 42 that is a circuit board opposed to the antenna connection conductive member 22, and an electric connection portion 24 that electrically connects an edge portion 222, which is on the opposite side to the antenna 26, of the antenna connection conductive member 22 and an opposite side edge portion 422, which is opposed to the edge portion 222, of the opposite side conductive member 42 (electrical length λ/4) are included. A gain on the opposite side to an LCD side casing 4 becomes large when seen from the antenna 26, and the electric currents are counteracted to be small and consequently a gain becomes small on the side of the LCD side casing 4.

At present, wireless communication, for example, a telephone call using a mobile wireless communication terminal such as a mobile phone unit and the like is performed. An electromagnetic wave is radiated from an antenna of a mobile phone unit when making a telephone call. A part of the electromagnetic wave radiated is absorbed by the user using the mobile phone unit. It is desirable that the electromagnetic wave absorbed into the human body is low. Here, as one of the indices that show the amount of the absorption of the electromagnetic wave into the human body, there is the SAR that is the absorption rate of the electromagnetic wave energy applied to a specific portion of the human body. Hence, it is desirable that the SAR be reduced. However, if the electromagnetic wave radiated from an antenna is reduced just because the reduction of the SAR is desired, an antenna gain during a telephone call is dropped to cause a disadvantage to the telephone call.
Thus, it is preferable not to lower the antenna gain during a telephone call while improving the characteristic of the antenna and reducing the SAR. Hereupon, one in which the characteristic of the antenna is improved to control the interference between the antennas (refer to Published Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-163521), and one in which the reduction of the influence of the casing to the antenna (refer to Published Japanese Patent Application No. H9-270728) are proposed.
However, there is no such thing as the characteristic of the antenna is improved and the antenna gain during a telephone call is held while reducing the SAR.
Therefore, the present invention aims not to lower an antenna gain during a telephone call while reducing the SAR by improving the characteristic of the antenna.

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan, Inc.


A recommendation information generation apparatus and a recommendation information generation method that can select a similar user appropriately even if the amount of history information is small. In an information distribution server, a user characteristic vector calculation unit calculates a user characteristic vector of each of users, and a similar user calculation unit calculates the degree of similarity between the users based on the calculated user characteristic vector of each of the users. The similar user calculation unit then selects a similar user who is similar to a first user based on the calculated degree of similarity. A relevance evaluation unit generates recommendation information for the first user based on the characteristic vector of the selected similar user.

Emphasis filtering methods in that a similar user is obtained based on the comparison between a history of a user and those of other users to recommend contents that are often browsed by the similar user have been developed. Patent Document 1 (JP-2002-215665A) discloses that a cooperative user who has the most similar preferences to those of an object user is selected to select contents that are to be recommended based on the profile of the cooperative user, for example.

Recommendation information generation apparatus and recommendation information generation method


A server device receives a request over a network for settings for a printing device having an identifier. The server device determines whether the settings for the printing device were previously received from the printing device and responsively saved by the server device, based on the identifier of the printing device. In response to determining that the settings for the printing device were previously received from the printing device and responsively saved by the server device, the server device transmits the settings over the network to reconfigure the printing device according to the settings.

Printing devices include standalone printers as well as all-in-one (AIO) devices and multifunction devices (MFDs) that in addition to printing capability having other capabilities such as scanning, copying, and/or faxing capability. Printing devices can use a variety of different technologies to form images on media such as paper, as well as to from three-dimensional (3D) objects in the case of 3D printing devices. Such technologies include different types of laser and light-emitting diode (LED) printing technologies, as well as inkjet-printing technologies and 3D printing technologies. Printing devices deposit print material, such as colorant like toner and ink (which can include other printing fluids or material as well), among other types of print material.

Printing device reconfiguration according to settings previously saved by server device

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A circulation system of an air conditioner, an air conditioner, and an air conditioner control method. The circulation system of the air conditioner includes a compressor, a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a gas-liquid separation assembly. The gas-liquid separation assembly, together with the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger, forms a loop; the gas-liquid separation assembly includes two or more gas-liquid separators which are connected in series; the gas-liquid separation assembly is configured to perform gas-liquid separation for refrigerant. Further, two or more-staged gas-liquid separation can be performed for the refrigerant flowing back to the compressor, so that a problem that return oil containing liquid in the compressor can be effectively solved.

A related air conditioning system includes an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger and a compressor, and refrigerant circulates in a loop formed by the above components. As for the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger, one serves as an evaporator, and the other serves as a condenser. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the compressor enters the condenser to condense into a liquid, then flows into the evaporator to evaporate into a low-temperature and low-pressure gas, and finally returns to the compressor.
Inventors recognize that when the compressor is switched to a defrosting mode, due to a switching of a four-way valve, liquid hammering easily occurs in the compressor at an instant of switching, which may damage the compressor.

Circulation system of air conditioner, air conditioner, and air conditioner control method

GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI


The invention relates to a radial roller bearing, having an outer bearing ring and an inner bearing ring, and rolling bodies located between the rings. Some of the rollers are formed by individual hollow rollers of a shape memory alloy. The cross-section of the shape memory alloy rollers is deformed during the assembly of the radial roller bearing to fit the dimensions of the free space between the rims of the rings. The rollers are introduced into the radial roller bearing through the free space between the rims of the bearing rings. After introduction into the radial roller bearing and once they have reached a specific temperature, the rollers independently regain their original shape.

A radial roller bearing of this type is already known generically, for example, from German patent specification No. 452 475. Such a radial roller bearing, which has a lateral delimitation of the raceways by rims both on its outer and on its inner bearing ring, is distinguished by a high load-bearing capacity and, in addition to high radial forces, can also absorb high axial forces in both directions. However, since these rims are designed as peripherally continuous rims connected in one piece to the bearing rings, it is not possible, as a consequence of construction, to fill the radial roller bearing completely with the corresponding cylindrical rollers without interspaces. The filling of this radial roller bearing with cylindrical rollers consisting of a rolling bearing steel must therefore be carried out in such a way that the two bearing rings are first arranged eccentrically with respect to one another and, subsequently, the free sickle-shaped space occurring between the bearing rings is filled with the cylindrical rollers. Thereafter, utilizing the elasticity of the two bearing rings, the inner bearing ring is brought, between the first and the last cylindrical roller, into the position concentric with respect to the outer bearing ring, and the cylindrical rollers are distributed uniformly on the circumference of their raceways. In order for the cylindrical rollers, even under load, to be always at a uniform distance from one another, finally, two part rings, into which corresponding half-pockets are worked on one side in the shape of the cylindrical rollers, are then inserted from both sides of the radial roller bearing, through the free space between the rims of the outer bearing ring and the rims of the inner bearing ring, into the radial roller bearing and are connected to one another by riveting to form a cage.
Such a radial roller bearing has the disadvantage, however, that its cage requires relatively high outlay in manufacturing and assembly terms and therefore increases the production costs of the bearing. It has likewise proven to be a disadvantage that the cylindrical rollers rolling on their raceways run up in their cage pockets against the cage arranged stationarily in relation to the cylindrical rollers, and this may result in increased frictional wear both on the cylindrical rollers and on the cage, the consequence of which may be an undesirable leading or trailing of the cylindrical rollers out of their desired position, even amounting to the jamming of the radial roller bearing. Moreover, since radial roller bearings of this type are subjected to high radial load and therefore have a relatively high radial play outside the load zone of the bearing, the result of an increased pocket play, in conjunction with this radial play, is that the cylindrical rollers are drawn with impact into the load zone of the bearing and then transmit these impacts to the other cylindrical rollers of the bearing via the cage. An out-of-round running of the radial roller bearing thus occurs, due to which the wear on the cylindrical rollers and on the cage is further intensified and, ultimately, the useful life of the radial roller bearing is greatly reduced.
Another possible way of guiding the cylindrical rollers of a radial roller bearing, which has a lateral delimitation of the raceways by means of rims both on its outer and on its inner bearing ring, by means of a cage has also already been disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 837,830. In this radial roller bearing, the cage for the cylindrical rollers is formed by individual hollow intermediate pieces of triangular cross section, the length and width of which correspond approximately to the length and diameter of the cylindrical rollers and which are elastically deformable in width because one of their legs is designed to be separated longitudinally in the axial direction. After the bearing is filled with the cylindrical rollers and after the uniform alignment of these, these intermediate pieces are inserted in compressed form into the radial roller bearing through the free space between a rim of the outer bearing ring and a rim of the inner bearing ring, in each case between two cylindrical rollers, and then, within the bearing, by elastic expansion resume their original triangular shape in which they lie with their separated leg on the raceway of the inner bearing ring and with their closed legs brace two cylindrical rollers of the radial roller bearing against one another.
A radial roller bearing designed in this way has the disadvantage, however, that the triangular intermediate pieces arranged between the cylindrical rollers are not suitable, due to their separated leg and to their triangular shape, for withstanding high circumferential loads, but, instead, in such load situations are inclined, due to elastic deformation, to be compressed into their assembly shape or to tilt. In this bearing, too, an undesirable slip of the cylindrical rollers or the leading or trailing of the cylindrical rollers out of their desired position may thereby occur, thus leading to a jamming of the radial roller bearing, amounting to the failure of the latter. Furthermore, in this radial roller bearing, too, it has proven to be a disadvantage that the cylindrical rollers rolling on their raceways run up against the intermediate pieces arranged stationarily in relation to the cylindrical rollers, and this may result in increased frictional wear both on the cylindrical rollers and on the intermediate pieces. The wear of the intermediate pieces is further increased in that these are also permanently ground down by the cylindrical rollers on the raceway of the inner bearing ring, so that this radial roller bearing, too, has only a low useful life.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Radial roller bearing comprising hollow spacer rollers of shape memory alloy


A method of predictive modeling is for purposes of estimating frequencies of future loss and loss distributions for individual risks in an insurance portfolio. To forecast future losses for each individual risk, historical data relating to the risk is obtained. Data is also obtained for other risks similar to the individual risk. Expert opinion relating to the risk is also utilized for improving the accuracy of calculations when little or no historical data is available. The historical data, any current data, and expert opinion are combined using a Bayesian procedure. The effect of the Bayesian procedure is to forecast future losses for the individual risk based on the past losses and other historical data for that risk and similar risks. Probability distributions for predicted losses and historical data for use in the Bayesian procedure are obtained using a compound Poisson process model.

Generally speaking, commercial insurance is a form of risk allocation or management involving the equitable transfer of a potential financial loss, from a group of people and/or other entities to an insurance company, in exchange for a fee. Typically, the insurer collects enough in fees (called premiums) from the insured to cover payments for losses covered under the policies (called claims), overhead, and a profit. Each insured property or item, such as a plot of land, a building, company, vehicle, or piece of equipment, is typically referred to as a "risk." A grouping of risks, e.g., all the properties insured by an insurer or some portion thereof, is called a "portfolio."
At any particular point in time, each portfolio of risks has an associated set of past claims and potential future claims. The former is a static, known value, while the latter is an unknown variable. More specifically, for a given portfolio in a given time period, e.g., one year, there may be no claims or a large number of claims, depending on circumstances and factors largely outside the insurer's control. However, to set premiums at a reasonable level, it is necessary to predict or estimate future claims, i.e., from the insurer's perspective it is beneficial to set premiums high enough to cover claims and overhead but not so high as would drive away potential customers. This process of mathematically processing data associated with a risk portfolio to predict or estimate future loss is called "risk modeling." Traditionally, this has involved using actuarial methods where statistics and probability theory are applied to a risk portfolio as a whole (i.e., with the risks grouped together), and taking into consideration data relating to overall past performance of the risk portfolio.
While existing, actuarial-based methods for risk modeling in the insurance industry are generally effective when large amounts of data are available, they have proven less effective in situations with less on-hand data. This is because the data curves generated with such methods, which are used to estimate future losses, are less accurate when less data is present—in estimating a curve to fit discreet data points, the greater the number of data points, the more accurate the curve. Also, since portfolios are considered as a whole, there is no way to effectively assess individual risks using such methods.

Method of risk modeling by estimating frequencies of loss and loss distributions for individual risks in a portfolio

The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co.


An improved supported chromium oxide catalyst, a process for preparing the catalyst and a process for polymerizing olefin monomers utilizing the catalyst are provided. In accordance with the preparation process, chromium oxide and a support containing one or more of silica, titania, thoria, alumina, zirconia or aluminophosphates are combined, impregnated with a metal salt and activated. The metal salt is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts and mixtures thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to supported chromium oxide polymerization catalysts, processes for preparing such catalysts and olefin polymerization processes utilizing the catalysts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that olefin polymers can be prepared using supported chromium oxide catalysts. The polymerization reactions can be carried out in hydrocarbon solutions in which the polymers are soluble or in diluents in which the polymers are insoluble whereby slurries of suspended solid polymer particles are produced. In such polymerization processes, the melt indexes of the polymers can be varied by varying the polymerization temperatures, i.e., higher reaction temperatures generally result in increased melt indexes. However, in slurry polymerization processes, the reaction temperatures which can be utilized are limited in that at higher temperatures the polymers become swollen and sticky.
Other techniques are known in the art which bring about the production of polymers of higher melt indexes in slurry polymerization processes without increasing the reaction temperatures above normal limits. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,987 to Hawley discloses a polymerization catalyst comprised of supported chromium oxide which is prepared by a process including the step of treating the catalyst with a permanganate compound. The use of such a catalyst in slurry polymerization processes results in polymers having higher melt indexes.
Supported chromium oxide catalysts have heretofore been comprised of chromium oxide and supports containing one or more of silica, titania, thoria, alumina, zirconia or aluminophosphates. The catalysts are prepared by combining the chromium oxide and the support in a known manner and then activating the catalyst. By the present invention improved supported chromium oxide catalysts and processes for preparing and using such catalysts are provided. The improved catalysts have increased polymerization activities and result in polymers of high melt indexes.


A computer-implemented method and system provides an interactive interface for displaying results of flexible travel planning queries is described.

This invention relates to travel planning.
In travel planning, such as for air travel scheduling and pricing, low-fare-search queries are posed by users from travel agent systems, airline reservation agent systems, travel web sites, and airline-specific web sites. Low-fare-search (LFS) queries typically include origin and destination information, time constraints and additional information including passenger profile and travel preferences. Travel planning computer systems respond to these LFS queries by determining a set of one or more flights between an origin and destination and a fare that can be used with the flights based on evaluation of fare rules. The fares are typically fare records published by a provider such as ATPCO and include inter alia a fare price. The travel planning systems typically return a list of possible tickets (travel options), each having flight and fare price information.
One technique for displaying this flight and fare price (price) information is disclosed in my issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,801,226, entitled: "Graphical User Interface For Travel Planning System." One type of travel planning involves processing of flexible date travel planning queries that can be of he LFS type. One technique for displaying flight and price information for flexible date travel planning is disclosed in my issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,346,526.